Caterpillar's Christmas Party

Lofton had his school Christmas party/program on Friday. The Caterpillars and Honeybees performed ten or so Christmas songs. It was so cute. He sang his heart out, and at one part, the kids were supposed to stomp their feet and he counted out the beats one, two. It was funny. I got to enjoy the program because Ms. Shirley, Landon's teacher, let me drop him off with her.

I did pick Landon up for Lofton's party because Lofton wanted Landon to come. I asked Lofton if he wanted to just spend some time with me, but he insisted that Landon come. Landon is thankful because he so enjoyed the Christmas breakfast, which consisted of watermelon and donuts for him. Lofton got a new book Merry Christmas, Stinky Face, which he let everyone know that we already have. He was first given his own book, and he tried to be sneaky and keep it, but I called him out. I bet he wishes I would have stayed with Ms. Shirley.

Twenty Months Old

It seems like I haven't done a very good job of keeping up with how old Landon is. Everytime someone asks me it seems as if I am a month off. I don't even know where month nineteen went. For the past two months, I have been telling people that he is eighteen months. Well, today he jumped right to twenty months. The saying about the days being long but the years being short is so true.

Anyways, Landon is such a joy. It is funny just how different he is from Lofton. Landon is sweet and lovable just like Lofton, but Lofton was so different at twenty months old. Lofton would sit and watch hours of Blues Clues or Wiggles, and Landon might watch ten minutes or so of Elmo or Curious George. It is so funny how you expose them to the same things but they have different likes. Lofton never cared for Elmo at all, and I've tried to get Landon to watch Blues Clues, and he is uninterested, which is surprising since he LOVES dogs.

Landon is a total book worm. He can't get enough. I think he would let me read to him for hours. In fact, the other day he sat in his room by himself for thirty minutes looking at his books.

Landon is my good sleeper. He tells us when he is sleepy, and he'll ask to be put in his bed. He was such a difficult baby who would rarely nap, but now he takes a good two to three hour nap a day.

He loves school- especially Ms. Shirley, and unlike his brother at this age, Landon doesn't seem to be the least bit bothered when I leave him at school. He does get excited when I pick him up though, and he always greets me with hugs and kisses and then immediately demands a drink. By the way, he talks quite a bit. My most favorite thing to hear him say is balloon. It sounds like blaloon. It is precious.

Anyways, he is such a joy. I can't believe that he will be turning two before I know it- literally.

Special Delivery from the North Pole

Today, the boys got a package from Santa aka Julie. She got the boys an Elf on the Shelf, which I had heard about from Joni's blog but wasn't exactly sure what it was. Well, I have learned that it is the cutest thing ever, and I am so glad that Julie gave us something to help make our Christmas even more magical.

Lofton named our elf Yogurt. Who knows? Today, Quinn was eating a yogurt parfait from McDonalds; I guess that is where our elf's name came from. Anyways, Lofton thinks it is so cool, but he is a little skeptical. He asked a lot of questions about it, but he believes every word. Thanks again, Julie.

What a way to watch a game!

The Titans played Houston on Sunday, and we enjoyed the game where I like to enjoy all winter football games- from the comfort of our warm home. Phillip and the boys enjoyed a picnic lunch in front of the tv. Unfortunately, the Titans lost, but surprisingly, Phillip wasn't as upset as I thought he would be.

My Birthday "Party"

I turned 32 on Wednesday, December 10th. To celebrate, the boys took me to Green Hills for dinner at The Cheesecake Factory and pictures with Santa. Lofton was mildly disappointed because he thought we were going to my birthday party, but I couldn't think of a better way to spend my birthday than with my family. We all had a lot of fun; even Landon didn't mind Santa pictures too much. As soon as he saw Santa, he screamed "No," but when we sat him on Santa's lap and attempted to get his attention, he quit crying and just stared into the camera. I still need to scan the picture we bought; it is priceless because you can see tears in his eyes, but he is just staring at the photographer with a look of "if I quit crying will you just get this over with?" We attempted to end the night shopping a little, but that didn't last long; we ended up playing in Davis Kidd.

Like Father, Like Son

If you have ever gone out to eat with Phillip, you quickly learned that Phillip reads the entire menu word for word even if we have been to the restaraunt a thousand times, and he usually has something to say about the meal or the server- not always something bad to say but something to say. In fact, once after having Lofton, Phillip and I actually got a night out, and we went to PF Changs. When we got our food, Phillip showed me that there was a hair in his meal. I told him that he better not ruin my first night out in a long time, and surprisingly, he did not say anything. Well, tonight, we were eating dinner at Cracker Barrel, and the server came and asked if we needed anything, and out of nowhere, Lofton said, "This macaroni and cheese is cold." I, the embarrassed one, said, "Oh, Lofton, it's fine," and Phillip reaches over, takes a bite, and says, "Well." So, Lofton received a new order of mac and cheese- surely the lady wouldn't spit in a four year old's meal.

If I wasn't embarrassed enough, when Landon finished eating, he came and sat with me and kept saying, "Snake" and pointing. We looked around and it took us a minute to see that he was referring to the man's beard beside us. It was actually a goatee but on each side the hair was long and curly. I really wanted to take a picture, but Phillip would not give me his phone. Luckily, Lofton never caught on to where the snake was!

Polar Express Party

Kids' reaction to walking in and seeing Santa

Lofton waiting his turn to see Santa



Jude with Santa

Landon opening his book


Sunday was our children's Christmas party at church. Becky and I together with Brandon and Shelby Hill planned a Polar Express party. The kids were told to wear their pjs, so I when I was picking out a pair for Lofton, he informed me that he wasn't wearing them because they "weren't cool ones." So, he ended up wearing a pair of Iron Man pjs. The kids had a good time drinking hot chocolate, listening to Leslie Marberry read The Polar Express, eating pizza and cupcakes, telling Santa what they want, decorating ornaments, and exchanging books. When Lofton sat on Santa's lap to tell him what he wanted, he got nervous. Lofton didn't really know what to say; he told Santa he wanted a dinosaur(first I'd heard) and a bookshelf (we were in the library; he obviously just looked around when Santa asked him what else he wanted.) After his chance, he sat on my lap and said, "I have to sit on his lap again." When it was time to leave, I let him sit on Santa's lap one last time, and after much thought he told Santa he wanted a "dog and a Ben 10 toy." Landon vocally refused to have anything to do with Santa, but Landon loved opening his present. As I was tucking Lofton in last night after the party, he told me that the Santa wasn't the real Santa because "he didn't talk like Santa." I did not notice, but apparently, "Santa" never said, "Ho, Ho, Ho!"