one year old today!

it feels like just yesterday we were in the hospital having our little landon. he was born october 30, 2007 at 10:17am. this morning, we woke up and he was a year old. it is incredible how fast the time goes. it's hard to even remember those first days and first few months, when he was so small and fragile. now, he's rough and tumble, walking and falling but pulling himself up. this past year for us has been amazing. being a mom is a lot of hard work but it's so worth it. it is fun and fulfulling and everyday i am so thankful to have this guy. my heart swells everytime i get that big, wide mouthed smile! the year has been full of so much love and we've really grown into our little family. jordan is the best dad to landon. he loves him so much and you can see it everyday in his eyes, like he's holding him for the first time. landon just adores him and i knew all along that jordan was going to be a fanatastic dad but he amazes me still everyday. when it's been a long night, or a rough flight home, or even just a tummy ache, those are the moments when you really understand what unconditional love is. we have it for him and he has it for us. over the past year, he has reached all the milestones that kids do and with each passing day, he changes. he figures things out and he's becoming a little person. it's a bittersweet day and i have to admit that i've been a little sad, because he's no longer my little baby bucket....but this morning when he woke up and i came into the room and he reached out for me, i picked him and he laid his head on my shoulder, and i knew that this was just the begining. so i put the sadness aside and decided to have fun with my son on his birthday. i wanted to remember the day with something he could enjoy doing and have as a keepsake. we did fingerpainting, which was in fact fun, but it was also a huge mess!!! let's just say a bath was needed afterwards for the both of us. here's video of my one year old landon, the mess maker. happy birthday baby boy!

philly trip

here is the link to our picasa album with all of our pictures from our trip to pennsylvania

http://picasaweb.google.com/dunnboy10/TripToPhilly08#

a giraffe in the room....geoffrey giraffe

i took landon out shopping with me today to get some things for his birthday this month. we got to toys r us and as we were walking through the aisles, i realized how strange it was that i was taking him shopping to get his presents. presents are great because of the element of surprise....its disguised with wrapping paper and the thoughts of your lists or going through your head. this little guy was watching me pick things out and but he'll still be surprised because kids that young don't have their long term memory fine tuned yet. he even got out of the cart and walked down the aisle, browsing and skipping over toys i would've thought he'd like to play with. his eyes lit up and he got his squeaky toy-sounding laugh going over an activity table that was extremely over priced. as i watched him, in his half standing-half squating stance, i realized that he wasn't my little baby anymore.
i knew i was going to be sad when he turned one and the quote, unquote, infant phase was over. i was picking out clothes and had to start looking in the bigger kid section. it felt like the days of layette sets and soft plush toys was so long ago, when the opposite is true. it's hard to remember those first few days of his life...how tiny and fragile he was. now, he was walking around the store, flirting with all the girls, and shaking his head no when presented with a toy he wasn't crazy about. he'd lose his balance and plop down on his padded behind but get right back up again. he's my little man now.
at the end of the day, we came home and unloaded all the bags. i put all his birthday stuff in the downstairs office, and put away all the stuff he was going to be using now and for our upcoming trip to pennslyvania. still a little sad that his closet was full of 12 month clothes, he came up to me with his binky and his favorite blue blankie and put his arms up for me to hold him. we sat down and he laid his head on my chest. he drifted off to sleep and i wasn't sad anymore. he may not be a newborn, but he is still my baby, reagardless of what size clothes he has and what toys we get for him.

the day we wait for all year here

the phoenix desert finally took a break today from it's scorching temperature. the still sat high in a clear blue, cloudless sky but it relaxed a little on the heat. the wind was blowing and gave the perfect blend of warmth and breeze. if it was like today all year long, i wouldn't mind living here so much. today feels like a day where the leaves on trees should be piling up on the ground and your sweatshirt is a welcome addition again to your everyday wardrobe. in washington, where we're from, you know when the seasons are changing....its in the air...literally. the evergreen trees start to strengthen their aroma to block out the smell of the rain falling onto dead leaves. the desert never has an inviting smell. the desert has no such fragrence to offer. all it has is it's sunny skies. today, and the for next couple of months, it will be ideal weather that washington can't compete with as far as a winter goes. you can wear a long sleeve and jeans with flip flops. you can wear a hoodie and shorts. the warmth from cuddling up with a blanket is enough...no need to turn on the heater. hot chocolate in the morning fills your stomach with a delictable fullness. these will be the months that i don't mind living in the desert......then march and april will come and i will wish we were back home....going to the lake for lazy spring and summer days or swimming and picnics and barbeques. rain at night that beats against the roof in a rythmic lullaby. hikes in mountains with trails lined in blooming flowers. i wish i could have to it both ways, like the retired people do. i guess, only more 30 or years or so and we can have it that way. for now, we will soak up days like today in their phoenix glory and wish for washington when the temperature in three digits long.