A round of applause!

A quick update on my littles:

Adeline is still working on crawling, although she is very, very close to success. She can get in the crawl position and rock back and forth and will even move one leg forward before plopping flat on the ground. Also, she just started clapping (and loves showing off her skills) and one of her top front teeth is beginning to poke out. Her brother makes her laugh and smile like no one else, and she flaps her arms and squeals when she is really happy. Although she is still waking up at least once per night (usually around 4 a.m.) and will cry if she thinks she is alone (no human and no Finn to be seen), she is generally very happy and calm.

Reid is our little wilding, and he keeps us on his toes with his hilarious antics. Ever the typical boy, he will wrestle Mom, Dad, Apa, Grandma, Dylan, etc. at any opportunity. Getting him to sit and eat dinner is a monumental feat, and he regularly resists bed time and going to school (#FOMO). He loves to say "Really? Really?" as in "Really, mom, you are going to do that? Really?" and he also loves to say "See, See- I told you so" when somebody trips or drops something. He still loves reading (yay!) and singing and is so, so excited for Christmas.

Most days, Andy and I stumble to bed around 10:30, totally exhausted and often questioning whether we are living some sort of groundhog day scenario. Still, I am desperately aware that I will miss these chaotic days when they are gone. It fills me with joy to watch my children grow older, but it also makes my heart ache a little. When I stop to reflect, the raw and unyielding tick of time often feels like it bears down on me and gives me a terrifying sense of urgency to spend every minute with my babies. There is never enough time, right? Love, love, love my littles.

7 Month Update On My Little Lady

My little Addie-girl is growing up fast! While I can't remember the exact date her first tooth popped out, she has been working on her bottom two teeth for a month or so, and I think her top teeth are gearing up to pop out soon. She is also getting in the crawl position and rocking back and forth, so I know crawling is right around the corner (ready or not!). She is also babbling and saying mama and dada- I can't wait until she says both with clear intention. As has been the case for a while, she is totally amused by Reid (and he loves when she shrieks or smiles at him), interested in Finn, and she absolutely loves being held. For the most part, she is a pretty chill baby, although she can get hangry and will let you know with immediate and dramatic crying if you take away a toy before she is ready. Typically, she is asleep by 8 p.m., wakes up once in the night for a small snack (usually around 4 a.m.), and wakes up or is woken up for the day around 7 a.m.. So far, she has shown very little interest in eating solid foods, although we have tried sweet potatoes, mango (her favorite), peas, avocado, yogurt, apples, and carrots. She will eat teething biscuits, gum carrots and peppers, and shows a small amount of interest in drinking water from a sippy. So unlike Reid, getting A interested in solids has been a challenge. Andy and I mention all the time that she is the sweetiest, cuddliest little babe. Happy 7 months, Adeline Charlene!

Imagination overload

Reid is at such a fun age and stage right now. Much to my delight, his imagination has been running wild, and he is constantly entertaining us with his stories. Last night, he pretended that the chaise lounge was a boat and he was the captain (he called himself "the Capt"). After urging all of us to get on the boat with him, he told us he was sailing to America. Once there, he would say his prayers and waive the flag. Then he would eat dinner. I assume he learned all of this in school through lessons on Thanksgiving- regardless, it was an adorable voyage! He also loves dressing up like characters from PJ Mask, putting out fires around the house with and without a fireman costume, going on dinosaur rides with daddy, and singing made up songs about all sorts of things he comes across in his daily life. Tomorrow, I get to spend the day with him (yay for boss being out of town), and he has requested that we go to "the park with the big rock." Said park is actually Phelps Park- he enjoys jumping off the big rock there and playing superhero or whatever else he cares to be. I can't wait to find out!

Three Years!

So here we are. Reid is three years old, meaning I have been a mother for three years (or almost four if you count pregnancy). Sometimes, it seems like yesterday that I was taking long runs/walks around Gainesville and Lake Eola, leisurely sipping wine, watching Bravo and MTV for hours before bed, bouncing around bars downtown, and all sorts of activities that are better done solo or with other adults. Now, most of my non-work hours are spent with little humans or chasing after highly coveted sleep. Sometimes, it feels like I have lived a lifetime between the time when I was childless and now. And, to be honest, there have been plenty of moments when I am overflowing with love and contentment in my new role as mother, but there have been hard times, too. There is never a moment when I wish I did not have my children; on the contrary, my children have my heart, and I do not believe I would find life worth living if I had to go on without them. Still, there are days when I am so tired, so overtouched, so frustrated, and so anxious that one more book, one more cup of water, one more "Reid, please sit down" or "Reid, please eat your dinner" or "Reid, no jumping on the couch" seems like a monumental ask. But then Reid says something funny or gives me a hug or loves on his sister or does one of the many other things he does that brighten my day, and my heart melts all over again. In the last three years, my little boy has forced me to stretch and grow and learn and love in ways I never could have imagined in my childless life. He is a force to be reckoned with - a wild and wonderful little boy. I am so grateful that I have had the past 3+ years with him, and I hope and pray I have many, many, many more (at least 70? :) ) birthdays with him. I love you to the moon and back (and even more than that), my sweet boy.

Reid's current favorites, as of 8 a.m. on 10/17/2018:
Favorite song: Tayo
Favorite show: Bus Tayo
Favorite animal: Lion
Favorite food: Grapes
Favorite paw patrol: Skye

Edited on 10/29/18 to add:
Favorite color: blue
Another favorite show: PJ Mask
Favorite game at the moment: Hungry, Hungry Hippos
Favorite book at the moment: Richard Scary Things That Go (he likes to find Goldbug) and Wheres Waldo (likes to find Waldo)
Favorite movie: Lion King

And here we go again..

Another month, another blog post. It seems like the days/weeks/months are flying by way too quickly. Addie is almost 6 months, and Reid is almost 3 years old. As A becomes more and more responsive and smiley, R is putting lots of complex sentences together, learning and singing new songs, and showing us just how big his imagination can grow. One of the best developments is an increasing connection between both kids. R is smitten with A and will go up to her and hug her and kiss on her without any sort of coaxing from yours truly. He loves when she makes eye contact with him and smiles at him and even seems to enjoy when she pulls his hair. Yesterday, we spent the day in Tampa/Suncity Center celebrating Gage's 5th birthday. According to Andy, Gage told Reid he was so lucky that he gets to spend all day with Adeline. So Sweet and so true. Adeline is lucky to spend the day with Reid, too. Yay for siblings!

Life Lately

Wow, time is flying by. Adeline is more than four months old now, and Reid's third birthday is fast approaching. Last week, A dealt with her first daycare sickness (RSV, bronchiolitis, and ear infection) and handled it beautifully. Perk for mama - I was able to stay home with her a couple days. Reid is doing really well as a "fantastic frog" and only occasionally tells us he is sick and has a fever in his attempts to stay home from "schoolie."  Andy and I are both working full-time and working on figuring out a routine - I think we will have it figured out around the time the kids leave for college. Finn is taking everything in stride- Reid is hugging on him one minute and kicking him or hitting him with a random object the next minute. Life is busy and beautiful.

Updates on Reid:

Talking up a storm

Looking forward to having two monster truck cakes at his upcoming birthday

Can tell you when his birthday is (October 16)

Talks about what he did at school and who he played with (seems to favor Annabelle and Maya)

Loves playing with cars and procuring new cars from Ellison and Dylan's house every.single.time.he.visits

Loves singing "Let Me Call you Sunshine" with mommy

Loves pretending he is a lion (Simba, Mufasa, or Scar) or a bear and chasing Daddy around the house ("I will get you")

Still calls bandaids, "airbanes"

Enjoys eating fruit, icecream, popsicles, gummies ("squeeze bunnies')

Relished his first "kid coffee" this morning via a Starbucks drive-through ("kid-coffee" = milk steamer)

Tells us he has "two names: Reid Layden"

Loves to ask his mom and dad to play cars with him: "Do you want to play with me?"

Loves watching shows involving cars or strucks like Blippy, Stinky & Dirty, etc.

Has mastered his colors and shapes and can count pretty well and point out the letter "R"

Three adjectives to describe Reid: loving, playful, funny

Updates on Adeline:

Also talking/babbling up a storm

Goes to sleep around 8 but still waking up at least once per night to eat (usually between 3:30-4:30)

Loves kicking around during bath time

Gives the best smiles - her eyes light up each time

Enjoys watching Reid run around

Smiles at Finn

Seems to enjoy book time and will grab for the pages

Loves putting her fingers in her mouth rock-star style

Doesn't mind the carseat, thankfully

Goes with the flow for the most part- a must in our home

Three adjectives to describe Adeline: chill, happy, loving

Posing before A's first day of school as a "Hatchling"

R pointing out his new classroom - the "Fantastic Frogs"

A smiling and talking to Grandpa while rocking her Gator outfit that Grandpa bought her from Cracker Barrel!

Reid plotting how he will torment or love on Finn next

Welcome to the world, Adeline Charlene Layden

Talk about a long overdue post. I'm not entirely sure why, but it was so difficult to sit down and write a blog post during my maternity leave. Now that I've been back to work for two weeks (boo) and am sitting in front of a computer for most of my waking hours, I am hoping to update more frequently.  Now, on to the good stuff.

Adeline ("Addie") joined our little family at 9:11 p.m. on April 18th. Her delivery was much less dramatic than Reid's (minus the seven minute long contraction that resulted in an oxygen mask and a shot to the thigh), and my postpartum recovery felt easier in many ways. I believe knowing what to expect helped in that respect. Plus, I am so busy with two children that there is very little time to reflect on physical, mental, or emotional discomforts. I had a really nice and mostly relaxing maternity leave with my little girl, and it was (and is) so hard to return to work. Thankfully, I have been able to go to her school during lunch to feed her, which has helped ease my separation anxiety a bit. I never thought I would look forward to waking up and feeding her in the middle of the night (still happening - usually between 4-430am), but I really do. You were right, Jenn.

Adeline is such a sweet baby. With the exception of digestive issues (the gas! the reflux!) that resulted in lengthy periods of crying in her first month or so of life, she is mostly content and very easy going in the midst of the (mostly toddler-centered) chaos that surrounds her.  She is often content to sit in her rocker or lay on the floor with toys, she loves taking a bath, and she tolerates the car seat very well. She will even let me carry her around in the ergo, something her brother was not as open to when he was a baby. Like Reid, Adeline can get riled up when she is hungry, but she rarely cries otherwise. If she does cry when not hungry, it usually means that she is over-tired, and she stops crying and starts sleeping in a short amount of time. Also, she has the best smiles- her eyes and whole face light up when she smiles. In her efforts to procure a spot as "daddy's girl," she likes to save her biggest and brightest smiles for Andy, and she lights up at the sound of his voice.  She also loves tracking Finn and Reid when they are nearby, and she will contentedly look at pictures in books when we read them to her.  Developmentally, she seems right on track, whatever that means. She has demonstrated great head and neck control since we brought her home from the hospital, started rolling from back to tummy (still working on the other way) a few weeks ago, and babbles and shrieks with delight. I have also been fortunate enough to hear her giggle a few times - oh, how I love that sound. We are so fortunate.

Reid Sayings

Love hanging with this guy...

Q: What you're favorite food?
Reid:   Meatballs.   And Blackberries make me happy.

Reid takes a drink of a la Croix water:  "This tickles my mouth!"

PS: Baby girl is almost here!  Ash's due date was Thursday - so she should be here anytime now

Easter 2018

We enjoyed a fun, family-filled Easter weekend this year! I was able to take Friday off work to hang with Reid, and Nee Nee, Apa, and Gage came in the early evening and took Reid to the playground and dinner. The following day, we all ate breakfast together (Scotty, Aaron, and Dom joined as well) and the boys enjoyed playing at Dommerich's playground and around the house. After naptime, Nee Nee and Apa took the boys to the Science Center and Madagascar, while everyone else went to Dan Scantlan's wedding. Next up--> Easter Sunday!

Easter Sunday was a beautiful day, and Reid woke up to a basket of goodies left by the Easter Bunny and some highly coveted play time with Gage. Then, we all went to Maitland Community Park for Easter lunch and an Easter egg hunt. Reid was very, very good at finding and grabbing eggs, and he loved opening them up and finding cars, stamps, and dinosaurs. He also loved spending time with his cousins and running all around the park.  We went to bed that evening with full bellies and hearts.

Quality Time with Baby Boy Layden

As Baby Girl Layden's due date approaches, I have been experiencing a lot of emotions about Reid's life as an only (human) child coming to an end. I am excited and grateful to be able to give Reid a sibling, but I am nervous about how Reid will receive his little sister and share attention with her. I don't want the love and attention that I give Baby Girl to detract from the love and attention I give Reid. I know, to a degree, my attention will be split between my children - especially in the early years. However, I really want Reid to feel completely and totally loved through all of the trials of raising two young children. For now, I am trying to stock up on  a lot of quality time with Reid.  This past Friday, I was able to leave work early and take Reid to Azalea Lane Park (the "Choo Choo Park"). Andy met us there, and we all enjoyed a beautiful Florida day with our little love. Reid loved sitting in the metal train and playing make-believe with the mulch (making pizza, chicken, strawberries, etc.). He also loved running to the corner of the playground with all of the other kids whenever a train came by. Andy and I loved watching him explore his world with intense wonder and curiosity - his imagination is really taking off lately. On Sunday, we took Reid on an adventure to the Crayola Experience. Reid loved every minute of it, but he especially loved the play area where he could climb and go down a large slide. He kept up with the older kids without issue, which was a bit anxiety-provoking for me. He also enjoyed making different crafts with the crayola crayons (wax mold, drip art). Afterwards, we enjoyed lunch at Le Madeline.  We ended the day with a family swim in our pool. We also spent time going on "scooty" rides, playing with cars, and otherwise enjoyed a lot of family time together.

Life Lately...

With three weeks to go until my April 12th due date, life is about to get much, much busier.  So, before Baby Girl Layden joins our family, it is time for an update on our first (human) baby. First, I want to note that Andy and I just returned from our very first parent/teacher conference. At first, I felt a bit silly signing up for a conference; after all, what insight can Reid's teachers possibly give us since I  do not have any real concerns about his development? However, I quickly changed my mind and signed both Andy and myself up- I think I was the first parent to sign up, actually. I miss Reid so much while he is at school, and I will gladly soak in any bit of insight that I am provided regarding the life he leads at school. While I didn't get any groundbreaking information, it was nice to hear that Reid is "super bright" and that he plays well with all the kids, loves music time (duh), sings throughout the day, is a very good eater (duh), loves bicycling on the playground, is very independent, identifies snowmen as "Olaf," and is making strides with potty-training. In fact, his teachers (Ms. G, Ms. Erika) mentioned that the only time he has an accident in his pull-ups is after naptime when he is waiting for his turn to use the bathroom and the teachers are preparing for snacktime. Apparently, Reid is very concerned that he will not get a snack and finds it difficult to take the time to use the restroom or even wait to use the restroom when snack is being prepared. That's my boy! Also, Reid is very connected with his classmate, Jewels (or, as he calls her, "Jewelsie"), and the feeling is mutual.

Right now, Reid's favorite food is still fruit of any kind. He especially loves oranges, blackberries, raspberries, blueberries. One of his newer party tricks is peeling an orange and taking it apart himself. Every now and then, he will have a meltdown when he realizes he is unable to put the orange back together, but he is only 2.5 years old so I get it (sort of!). He also loves picking out cookies from our Peter Rabbit cookie jar, a special treat he sometimes receives when he has a successful potty situation (think #2). Anyone over the potty training talk yet?

As far as tv shows go, we really try to limit Reid's screentime in general, but we have been enjoying some weekend morning snuggle time in front of the tv lately. Reid's current favorites are Llama Llama, Daniel Tiger, Tayo ("Bus Tayo"), and an episode of Doc McStuffins that features Winnie the Pooh and friends. Reid loves books, too, and has been enjoying Dr. Seuss ("What Pet Should we Get?"), "Are You My Mother?," "Brown Bear Brown Bear," and "Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site"- among others. Favorite songs include Jesus Loves Me, Don't Worry Be Happy, Just Can't Wait to Be King, Moana songs, You Are My Sunshine, Twinkle Twinkle, and the Rainbow Song. Reid still loves his guitar and has told me numerous times that he is going to play guitar with his baby sister. One day, sweet boy...

Speaking of Baby Girl Layden, we have been talking to Reid about his baby sister, and he will kiss and talk to my baby bump ("Good morning, baby sissy"). He tells us he will rock her and she will be cute and little. He also plans to sing to her, play guitar with her, and share his balloon with her. He  wants to share his raisins and other snacks with her, too - I know we will have to intervene with some (most) of these activities for a while. Still, it is exciting for us to imagine Reid's connection with his little sister, and I am really looking forward to introducing our two little loves to one another soon.

Here are some pictures of "Life Lately" with our big boy:

Already excited about his baby sister (or excited about wearing a shirt with a bear on it...)

The Laydens took Sunrail to work/school - what a treat!

Mommy has really been enjoying her chats with Reid, usually on the way home from school. He loves pointing out the construction vehicles he sees, school buses, and telling me about his day (naming his friends, mostly).

Reid still talks about the Touch-a-Truck event he enjoyed with Olivia and Charlie about three weeks ago. Boy loves his trucks!

With the help of some warmer days and a pool heater, we enjoyed a few swims in our pool with out little shark.

Reid was captivated by all the animals (real or not) during our recent trip to the Sanford Zoo. He was especially intrigued by the river otters and watched a pair of them swim around for quite a long time. He also loved feeding some of the animals and riding the "choo choo train." We managed to get in two rides on the carousel, also, although one was a fail because he didn't get to sit on an animal. 

Bookworm!

In an effort to promulgate stereotypes, I will state that every bookworm needs a nice pair of reading glasses. Reid, the littlest bookworm in my life, is no exception. Fortunately, Reid hasn't shown any sign of vision issues, so his experience with glasses is limited to trying them on at a LensCrafters while waiting on Andy. Reid loved picking out different glasses to try on and running to the mirror to see how good he looked. I loved that it kept him busy while Andy continued his never-ending quest for rimless glasses.

Madagascar!

Reid enjoyed his very first play recently - Madagascar at Orlando Repertory Theater - with Ellison, Dylan, Olivia, Charlie, Aunt Jenn, Aunt Kim, Andy, and me. He was fascinated by the whole thing and sat on my lap or in his own seat for the entire play. I think there will be many more plays in our future!

Feeling poetic...

IF…..by Rudyard Kipling 

IF you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies,
Or being hated, don’t give way to hating,
And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dream – and not make dreams your master;
If you can think – and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build ‘em up with worn-out tools:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: ‘Hold on!’

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
‘ Or walk with Kings – nor lose the common touch,
if neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,
And – which is more – you’ll be a Man, my son!

Hold Reid! Hold Reid!

As I type this, it is 1:40 p.m. on a Thursday, and I am sitting at our dining room table while Reid naps in the other room. Being home from work on a work day is, presumably, a luxury. In my case, however, this is day #2 of staying home from work with a sick Reid, back pain, a giant pregnant belly, and a very long to do list. Not the ideal combination. However, I am so grateful to have time with Reid- any and all time. He says and does things on a daily basis that make me laugh, smile, and promise myself that I WILL remember to memorialize how cute he is through this blog or otherwise. I am not the best at actually following through with the memorialization part, but I am trying. Anyway, here are some cute things he has been saying and doing recently:

- When Reid wants or needs something, he will often express himself with a tremendous sense of urgency. For example, if he wants to be held, especially if he hears an unfamiliar or loud noise, he will urgently demand Mommy or Daddy to "Hold Reid! Hold Reid!"

- He asks to go on his "scootie" on at least a daily basis. He insists on wearing his helmet, and he is able to scoot all around the neighborhood. Thank goodness he knows how to brake, although he doesn't always listen to my requests for him to stop or slow down. He is very insistent about staying on the sidewalks and will often refuse to take his scooter down a road that does not offer sidewalks. He also loves scooting over to Dylan and Ellison's house to see if they want to join him. Oh, and trying out new tricks on his "scootie." Occassionally, he will get tired and ask to ride on his Daddy's shoulders for a while, but he amazes me with his speed and endurance. 

- He loves to color and draw, especially when he can scribble with a pen. He will proudly show off his artwork ("Look Reid's artwork"), and he is an aggressive and enthusiastic color-er. 

- He loves to play music, especially his guitar, and he loves listening to and singing his favorite songs on repeat (Moana- We Know the Way, Winnie the Pooh theme song, Jesus Loves Me, etc.). Sometimes, he will let Mommy and Daddy sing along, but he is also known to insist that we stop singing so he can hear his own, uninterrupted voice. 

- He has started taking showers, with parental inclusion of course. He loves to take a paintbrush in the shower and "paint" the shower walls. Listening to Moana music while showering is a bonus.

- He loves his turtle night light and talking about the moon and stars. He still uses his owl nightlight, too, and he enjoys pointing out the different moons and stars. We phased out his sound machine, and he has adjusted remarkably well to this "choo choo bed."

- He was gifted a stuffed hedgehog for Valentine's Day (Thanks, Rios family!), and he has been calling it his baby and rocking it like a baby, unprompted. Can't wait to see him rock and love on his baby sister!

- If you ask him how his day at school was, he will tell you he played with Jack and Julesie, his two besties at the moment. Sometimes, he will also tell you he went on the playground ("payground").

- He loves to play make-believe using his kitchen gear. He will make pizza, cookies, and coffee upon request. We recently bought him some fruit that he can cut himself, and he has enjoyed making plates of fruit for mommy and daddy. He is careful to divide the fruit on separate plates and is very resistant to help with cutting ("Me do it" or "Reid do it").

- He has a love/hate relationship with Finn. He will give Finn hugs and play with him, but he will also scream at Finn to go away if Finn is in his personal space, especially when Reid is eating. Reid has a very real, and somewhat justified, fear of Finn eating his food. I get it.

- He recently learned how to pedal his bike. I believe this is a skill they have been working on at school, and we have also been practicing at home by the pool. He is very proud of himself!

- Today, he saw me lounging on the bean bag in the playroom, and he sat next to me on the other bean bag and randomly asked me, "How are you doing?" I said I was good and asked him how he was doing. "I good," he replied.

- He loves helping mommy cook in the kitchen. Recently, he made his first batch of chocolate chip cookies. He also loves spinning salad and stirring pretty much anything.

- He can tell you what kind of animals live in a lake - "alligator, snakes, fish, turtles" - and that "sharkies" live in the ocean. He loves going to the Science Center to see the lake animals.

- He saw his first movie with the Clarks - Paddington Bear II about a month ago. To this day, he tells me that he went to the movies with Aunt Jenn and Ellison and Dylan whenever we see a picture of Paddington Bear II. Although he didn't last the entire movie, he apparently did pretty well. I'm waiting for a G movie to come out so we can take him to movie #2. He seemed to have enjoyed his first experience, though!

Oh, how I love my sweet boy!

Animal Kingdom!

Andy, Reid, and I enjoyed our second trip to Animal Kingdom as a family this past weekend. We went when Reid was younger, but it was nice to see how much more he was able to interact with us and with the world around him on this trip. We watched the Nemo show and the Lion King show, ate at Restaurantosaurus, visited Donald Duck, waved to Goofy and Pluto, etc. Reid and Andy rode the twirling triceratops ride, and Reid dug in the sand pit and rode down the slide at Dino Land. We also walked through a jungle trek in Africa, and Reid loved seeing the gorillas, monkeys, and fish most of all. He was particularly drawn to the gorillas and told us immediately upon seeing one that "Gorilla sad." Soon afterwards, he told us the gorillas were happy and that they like to eat grass, but his initial comment was heartbreaking and warming at the same time. We told him that gorillas eat "bamboo, leaves, and fruit" (thanks, google), and he was very excited to learn that gorillas like fruit just like him! Another thing that excited him during our trip- his new bubble wand. It plays Little Mermaid music and spits out an obnoxious amount of bubbles at the same time. Sensory overload if you ask me, but Reid can't get enough. Speaking of sensory overload, it was a beautiful day and Animal Kingdom was pretty crowded, so Andy and I really enjoyed our serene walk through Asia's jungle trek during Reid's nap time. It was a peaceful respite in the middle of some true Disney chaos. The chaos had its own charm, though - anything for our boy!

Reid cheesin' on the train on our way to the park

Although we didn't make it to Rainforest Cafe this time, Reid was happy to pose for a picture in front of the animal sign.

Hugs for Donald Duck!

Watching the gorillas- safe in daddy's arms...

More gorillas- Reid really loved watching them.

The bubble wand- it seemed like a good idea at the time...

Reid was totally captivated during the entire Lion King show.

Things to Remember

I get so caught up in my daily routine that I often forget to write down the funny things Reid does and the ways he has grown. Andy and I talk about new things Reid does and how cute and smart he is on a daily basis. However, taking the time and effort to write them down is a different story. Yes, I have baby books. Yes, I have this blog. And yes, I have numerous other ways of tracking Reid's developmental victories. BUT, life is very, very busy. And Andy and I are often very tired and preoccupied with enjoying Reid in real life, rather than worrying about stopping in the middle of playtime to document the life we have been enjoying and trying to soak in (in between toddler temper tantrums, frazzled evenings, and never ending to-do lists). Here are some things Reid has been loving lately.

MUSIC. Reid has a love of all things musical. His Honeybells teachers tell us that he is always front and center during music class, and he loves singing along to every word. He emulates this at home by asking to play his "'tar" (guitar) throughout the day, as well as breaking out his "'monica" and singing himself to sleep at night. Often, he asks for his "'tar" first thing in the morning and on the way home from school in the evenings. He likes when Andy or I (or anyone, probably) plays guitar with him. He also loves listening to Winnie-the-Pooh, Moana, and Frozen songs on repeat. Recently, he has shown an interest in Bob Marley's "Three Little Birds." Although he still loves books, he also started asking Andy and me to sing him songs at bedtime. Some favorites are "Jesus Loves Me" and "Twinkle Twinkle," in addition to the ever present "Winnie-the-Pooh."  When we sing "Twinkle Twinkle," he turns on his moon and stars nightlight (if it wasn't already on) and points up at the stars. When we sing "Jesus Loves Me," he sings along merrily, and even changes his voice to deep husky tone when singing "He is stroooong."  Christmas tunes like "Jingle Bells" and "We Wish you a Merry Christmas" are still going strong, as well as "Happy Birthday" (almost always to "Gandma"- Grandma). Such a funny little dude.

SCOOTER. Reid still loves his scooter, and he even knows how to "scooty" with both feet on the scooter. He especially loves when his cousins come along for the ride and will often "scooty" over to the Clarks' house to see if Dylan or Ellison are home to go with him. Twice, he took his scooter to Dommerich's playground with Dylan, and I am still fielding random requests to go "on scooty to paygound with Dylan" (intentional mis-spelling). He is also pretty good at stopping and waiting for cars and letting us know if "car coming." If any other cousins want to come over and go "scooty" with Reid- please do!

WINNIE THE POOH. Reid's love for Winnie-the-Pooh has barely fizzled, if at all. He loves Pooh Bear and Tigger the best, although he will sing about any and all of the characters. He has toy figurines and will take them in to the shower or bath to clean them at night, he sleeps with a stuffed Pooh and/or Tigger, and he listens to the soundtrack on repeat. We recently watched our first Doc McStuffins episode and it was about saving and fixing a "fy-ing Pooh Bear" a.k.a. Pooh Bear after a bunch of balloons whisked him away. Now, Reid has watched the "fy-ing Pooh Bear" at least 3 times. Reid also loves honey and will remind us that Pooh Bear eats honey whenever he has an opportunity. He also tells us that he "yikes" (likes) honey like Pooh Bear.

FRUIT. Reid pretty much starts and ends his day with fruit, every.single.day. Strawberries are the current favorite, although the offer of any fruit will get him smiling. He is even back to eating bananas, which he stopped eating for a while. "Mingos" (mangos) are another favorite, especially when frozen. And, of course, "boo-berries" (blueberries) remain a must-have.

Beaman Christmas 2017

           Beaman Christmas 2017 began with a delicious Christmas Eve dinner at Palmer with our traditional crew (Laura, Brett, Aunt Joann + the regulars) and wrapped up with a waffle breakfast at Choctaw's inaugural Christmas day brunch. For the past 33 years, my parents have hosted both Christmas Eve and Christmas Breakfast at their home. While wonderful, I felt like it was time to pass the torch. I'm not quite ready to host Christmas Eve, but we have gladly assumed Christmas Day duty. Of course, having my sisters bring egg casserole and my mom bring some items (cranberry muffins!) helped ease the hosting duties. Also, Andy and I invested in a waffle maker, so a large portion of the food consisted of make-your-own waffles. Kids were hyper, parents were tired, and everybody was happy and full (I hope)! Cheers!

Reid basking in the glory of a Palmer Christmas Eve!

Fast asleep and waiting on Santa (complete with new Christmas pajamas and Olaf)

   

Layden Family Christmas 2017

Reid and I had a great time celebrating Christmas (on the 23rd) in Sun City Center. Unfortunately, Andy spent his day on the couch fighting a fever, but we were able to facetime with him throughout the day. Next year, he is not allowed to get sick over the holidays!

We started off our road trip with Uncle Aaron and Aunt Dom, which made the drive to Sun City Center much more enjoyable. Plus, we stopped at Starbucks on the way, and Reid was able to enjoy some bagel poppers while hanging in the backseat with mom (me). Don't mess with Reid's bagel poppers!

We arrived at Sun City Center right around Reid's naptime, and he took a quick snooze in the driveway before joining the party. With the exception of another afternoon nap later in the day, Reid's day was filled with fun. In addition to spending time with cousin Gage and running around the golf course with Uncle Aaron, Reid was able to spend time on Apa's shoulders, enjoy Nee Nee's delicious food, and open lots and lots of presents. He especially loved the legos he received from Uncle Scotty/Gage and the guitar he received from Uncle Aaron and Aunt Dom. I'm sure he will get a lot of use out of the obstacle course he received from Apa and Nee Nee, too! Oh, and I think his favorite food this year was the cranberry relish. Lucky little boy!