Creative Eating

Thinking outside the box……Landon is just not a fan of the most important meal of the day. I try to serve breakfast (and even his gummy vitamins) a little less traditional most mornings to entice my little guy!!

   

Dinosaur Day

Landon has entered his Dinosaur phase.  He talks, walks, plays, and wants to know everything about the Dinos.  Dinosaur Train and Dinosaurs Attack has become a fast favorite in our house, as he watches the shows he will look up Dinosaurs in his handy Dino book kept close by.  He plays Dinosaur Train online, sets up prehistoric towns, and knows more about these creatures than I can fathom.  Make no mistake, he still loves his fire trucks and emergency vehicles, this is just the newest addition to his play and knowledge set.

We hit up the Arizona Museum of Natural History today for their great Dinosaur display.  Landon was thrilled and has been talking about it all week, anxious to see fossils.  The excitement in his voice and step we when entered the museum was contagious.  He went room to room to room and back again taking it all in.  The displays were a great tool to gain even more knowledge and understanding of the animals and appreciate the grandeur of size.  We panned for gold, dug for fossils, and assembled puzzles. Certainly think this will be a frequented museum for us!  Landon left with a new Dinosaur play set and a dog tag necklace saying “Paleontologist in training”, which he wears proudly. 

 

Spring Training Game

Take me out to the ball game!!! More like, take Landon out to the ball game.  My Dad planned this special afternoon today for us at the Spring training game for the Milwaukee Brewers and L.A. Angels.  Snacking on hot dogs, nachos, red ropes, and snow cones while playing in the grass was the perfect afternoon combination.  Top it off with Mexican food after and we need to be rolled to bed.

 

We relaxed in grass, people and baseball watched, and got into a massive water bottle war.  This was yet another perfect day to add to 2012!  Landon and I had a blast!!  Thanks Dad and Claudia!

Renaissance

 

St. Patty’s Day at the Renaissance Festival!!  Guinness and giant turkey drumsticks, quite a combo.  Landon and his bud, Liam, played it up, pretending to be knights in shining armor with swords.  The excitement of jousting, music, and playing on the rides, was a perfect day for the Z’s. 

Campfire

          Nothing better on a cold evening than to bundle up, gather around a small fire roasting marshmallows!!  Taking advantage of some quiet time at home with friends and family!! 

My Heart!!!

Landon set up our camera on auto to take his picture of he and I.  The photo says so much about us and our amazing mommy – son bond that I can’t overlook to post about.  He is not a kisser, in fact he will wipe them off if you do kiss him, but he will cuddle with me for endless amounts of time.  He will, on the other hand, give me Eskimo, butterfly, crab, and shark kisses (the last 2 we made up).  He will tell me at random moments how much he loves me and I am the best mama in the world.  He sleeps with his arm over me and tells me he wants to marry me. He forgives, he listens, he loves unconditionally. He is sensitive, yet so tough.  He is hysterical and knows it.  He is passionate and carefree.  He is my heart to my soul. He is my world to my life.  He is my everything.  I love you, Landon Ryan.

So Debonair!!

  

Landon’s tuxedo fitting, at Men’s Wearhouse, for my brother’s upcoming wedding in March.  He loved wearing a tux, soooo his style!!

Reptile Feeding

       

Cave Creek Recreational Park, once a month, invites the reptile fanatics and the non-squeamish to view the reptile feeding.  I so was excited to take Landon, as he has a great appreciation for snakes, spiders, and scorpions…..such a boy! Landon and his buds, Liam ad Carson, came along to witness the chow time, as well.  The boys “ohh”’d and “ahhh”d at the scorpion, spiders, Gila Monster, and Landon’s favorite, the rattlesnake.  The Park Ranger taught a lesson on reptiles, cold blooded vs. warm blooded.  My outgoing child, raised his hand at each question, eager to put his 2 cents in and have the audience laughing at his remarks. Then the “REAL” show began!! The boys got up close to the glass cages thrilled to see the snakes and reptiles smell, hunt, and devour their monthly meal. 

Landon turns 4!!

Landon.  You are the love and richness of our life, the gold lining around my soul, the light in my eyes.  Landon, you amaze  us daily with the vast amount of knowledge you process.  You have been asking when you will be a grown up and dissatisfied with not being one yet, you call yourself a “little grown up”.  You have a zest for humor and love to play pranks and tell jokes, especially knock-knock jokes.  You love to sing and dance.  You have discovered that you love playing charades and delivering an impromptu monologue with the right audience.   We are so curious to see if you will grow up to be a fireman, as you take your fire fighting very serious.  You set up all your gear in the family room, ready for your immediate use.  You have a healthy sense of fear of fire and are quick to educate me on fire safety.  You have never met a fireman or seen a fire truck you weren’t drawn to.  Loved to be cuddled, kept cozy, and snuggle, yet insist we kiss you too much…..you are just so kissable!  You have taught me so much about life and the discoverable brilliance of each amazing day.  You get into character at the drop of the hat, deciding you are a fireman, dentist, police man, pest control, etc and then quickly jump back to being “just Landon now”, that’s our favorite.  Landon, you have a heart of gold and are so anxious to help people, insisting that kids at the store without a parent are lost and you need to help them. You want to work with mom and dad so you can help, as well. Landon, you are amazing and will grow up to be someone even more amazing.  You are inquisitive, perceptive, and incredibly insightful.  Your thoughts are so pure and untainted, I swear you out smart me daily with your abilities to comprehend situations, compromise, and find solutions.  You have such an advantaged palate and zest for flavorful foods.  You love watching our small pepper garden grow, exclaiming, “their growing up, Mom!” with such thrill.  You love the beach, the ocean, the waves, the sand in your toes.  You love your animals and get sad and worry about them when you leave them.  You love your family, love when we get together, and love the small family parties at our house.  You love playing with your buddies and told us you and your friend, Isaac,  have decided you are best friends.  You can meet someone new and instantly tell me they are your best friend, you love to love.  Landon Ryan.  My words can fill an infinite amount of pages that will never fully show you, your heart, your thoughts, and, your spirit.  We love you so very much!  Happy 4th Birthday, Angel Baby!

Birthday Dinner…..”Landon, what do you want for your birthday dinner tonight?”.  Landon’s response, “ Squid salad”.  Ra Sushi hear we come.  Landon wanted his Ga-a at dinner with him, so the four of us dined on squid salad, sushi, and fried bananas for dessert!!

              

Such a sushi pro!!

Happy birthday!!