Top 10 List: All Around Favorites

Someone asked me a question the other day. They said, "Landen?" I said, "Huh?" They said, "Landen, what do you like to do?" And so that got me thinking. There are a lot of things I like to do. Pretty much anything I'm doing is something I like. There really isn't a time, well, unless I'm getting a timeout. But other than that, I'm a happy kid so I'm happy doing just about anything. But if I had to, if I had to narrow it down to the top couple things that I like the most, well I suppose that list would look like this.


#10 - I like getting into things I shouldn't get into. Oh come on! This is good times. And you know I get a reaction from my mommy and daddy when I do this so this one has gotta be on the list. Unfortunately, that reaction can sometimes lead to a timeout so I can't put it too high on the list. But a list has to start somewhere so it will start here. I once grabbed the sunscreen from the stroller and started putting it on. Hey, I'm just trying to help out.


#9 - Playing in the lobby. We have a lobby in our building and sometimes mommy will let me go out there and play. Sometimes my friends will even be out there playing so we'll have a little fun together. And sometimes, just sometimes, I'll bring a toy or two into the lobby. I like to push the limits sometimes and see what I can get away with in the lobby. Like riding my tricycle around. Kinda relates to #10.


#8 - Bubbles. Bubbles are cool. They just hang there in the air and have all these cool colors in them. Plus they come in all different sizes. Big bubbles, little bubbles, really huge bubbles. What's not to like? I'm getting pretty good at blowing my own bubbles. It's all in the lips.


#7 - Riding the train, riding the train, riding the train. Yahoo! Now this I've only done once but it was so cool that it became an instant classic in my book. I have got to get me one of these. My friend Nicholas turned two a couple weeks ago and I went to his birthday party. Would you believe he had a real train that I was able to drive? Well of course you would because here's the picture!


#6 - Ice cream. One might think - this boy sure does talk about ice cream a lot. Doesn't he ever get sick of it? Um, it's ice cream. Gosh, I even feel guilty putting ice cream so low on the list. I don't want to offend ice cream but I do have other things that I like more. Did I just say that? Ice cream, I love you!


#5 - Playing with my friends. Nothing beats this (well okay four things do but I really like playing with my friends)! Friends are good for all sorts of things. They can play cars with me. They can watch movies and dance with me. They can go to the zoo with me. They can share deep conversations with me. And like my friend Mia, they can let me pull them in the wagon.


#4 - Playground, drinking fountain, daddy. This one is sort of a lot of favorite things all grouped into one. Obviously the playground would be on the list. Come on! Slides, swings, ladders, jumping, swinging. Playgrounds have it all. And one thing all playgrounds have is a drinking fountain. Forget the drinking part. I just like playing with the water! And who better to get all soaking wet with than my daddy. What's really fun is putting your finger over the water hole and pressing the button. We got some good distance with that shot!


#3 - Mommy. She's special because she does so much for me. I mean that's a list right there. Let's see - sign me up for camp, sign me up for school, sign me up for music, sign me up for swimming, sign me up for soccer. Oh and one of the coolest things she does that daddy certainly would never do, she lets me have my paci on the couch. That's me mum!


#2 - Did I tell you I went to Chuck E. Cheese for the first time? Hmm, well, I went to Chuck E. Cheese for the first time. I know! It was amazing. See you get these tokens and then the tokens let you play the games and the games spit out these tickets and you put the tickets into this machine that chews them up and counts them for you and you get your magic number and that magic number tells you how many prizes you can get. And just in case daddy forgets how much I loved Chuck E. Cheese and want to go back, every night before I go to bed I remind him that I want to go to Chuck E. Cheese. Honestly, I do!


#1 - Baby Lauren. I kind of wanted to put Chuck E. Cheese at the top spot because then maybe daddy would really get the hint that I want to go back but I think Baby Lauren is starting to read and I know we have to share a room together and I don't want her to throw her paci at me in the middle of the night. But seriously, I do love my sister. And I think my most favorite thing to do is take a bath with my sister. Here, let me explain it to you. I could be eating ice cream while riding a train that blows bubbles with my friends at Chuck E. Cheese when mommy says, "Bath time for Lauren" and I'd come running. Counting them down in LANDEN'S WORLD!

Spots Are For More Than Just Dogs

I've got spots. Spots are places around the house where you might find me doing just about anything. I have a spot over here. I have a spot over there. If you're not careful, you may walk into one of my spots and not even know it. So what is it about these spots that make them, well, a spot? I guess a spot is my spot because only I go there. It's not like you'll ever see daddy hanging out in one of my spots. He's too big. You might think all my spots are happy places but there's one that I'm not so crazy about. I'll show you that one last.

Spot #1

This is one of my oldest and favoritest spots because for over two years of my life (think about it. that's a long time!) I slept here, played here, watched movies here and found my pacis here.

Spot #2

Here's my new favorite spot. I'm a big boy so I need a big boy bed. Not only do I sleep and find pacis here but it's still a place for me to play.

Spot #3

This is a pretty fun spot because I usually get to play with baby Lauren here. For a while baby Lauren slept here and then I did so I was a little confused as to what exactly this spot was for but now we only play here. I'm not so confused anymore.

Spot #4

My drawing spot. I love to draw. I draw circles, triangles, squares, the sun, choo-choos, and all sorts of stuff. Thanks again, Uncle Thomas and Aunt Becky. A great spot!

Spot #5

This is a new comfy-cozy spot that mommy made for me. It's kind of a secret spot because it's hiding. I like to go here and have quiet time with my movies.

Spot #6

Remember that not-so-happy spot I was talking about? This is my time-out chair. I don't like to get time-outs. I get time-outs when I don't play gentle with baby Lauren. I'm sorry, baby Lauren.


You never know where you'll find me in LANDEN'S WORLD!

Why I Like the Park

It's no secret. I like the park. So does my sister. What's not to like? When I was younger I'd say I was more of a playground guy because the playground had swings.


But I kinda grew out of the swings. I still love the playground and we tend to go there more than the park because it's closer. However, when we're feeling a little giddy and want something more, it's Prospect Park all the way! I especially like going there with friends. It gives us time to catch up on the local happenings.


Plus there's more space for me to just sort some things out and set some goals for the future. There are certain things that I'd like to see accomplished before I turn three. Potty training?


But mainly it's the chance to be with friends. This is Maggie.


And here are some of my other friends. You don't get this kind of fun at the playground.


Also at the park, people are far less likely to judge you if, say, your pants fall down. I mean these things do happen. Looking for a belt here in LANDEN'S WORLD!

Double It!

I can count. A bit off the subject but I just wanted to throw that out there. I mean I need a little help when counting but I can get all the way up to nine. And that's actually very close to the subject because for the last couple of months (I think it was nine) mama has been telling me about this baby. The first couple months I would just smile and nod. I mean mama says some silly things every now and again so I thought this was just one of those silly-mama-sayings. Eventually her belly began to grow and grow it did! Then I started catching on and I would point to her belly and say, "baby." Okay so I get it. Big tummy = baby. What's the big deal?


OH! A BABY! Now I get it! Why didn't you just say you were having a baby (not that I would have understood that any better). Hey I kinda like this. Look at this from my point of view. First of all, Nana Mary came to visit. So cool. We've been painting, drawing, playing with play-doh, and I've shown her all my trucks and choo-choos. Oh and better yet, she brought me some new toys!



Not only did she bring me new toys, but some lollipops as well. Thank you so much, nana!


Second, all the attention is now on my little sister so I can get away with so much more. Before Lauren came along, I could only have a paci when I was in the crib. But now, I just fuss a little and out comes the paci. It's great! Everyone wants to see Lauren so they do everything they can to keep me quiet and happy. I'm sure I'll enjoy this for many months to come. But it's not all about me (there's a concept I've learned at a very early age) because mama must have done one serious magic trick to get that baby out of her tummy (not a concept I want to learn at this very early age). Well, however she did it, it must have been tiring because when I visited mama in the big building with patients she stayed in bed the whole time. So I brought her flowers.


Learning how to be a big brother here in LANDEN'S WORLD!

Saturday Morning Pancakes

Saturday mornings are special because daddy makes pancakes. He lets me stir the big blue bowl. There's something about daddy's pancakes that make them different from pancakes I've had anywhere else. Well, not everywhere. I remember having the same kind of pancakes when we visited my great-great-great-great-great-great-wonderful-super-smart-funny-loving-amazing-grandfather. Hmmm, I wonder if daddy learned how to make his pancakes by watching my great-great-great-great-great-great-wonderful-super-smart-funny-loving-amazing-grandfather?


Oh! And let me not forget. Mommy had some good news for me and I want to share it with all of you. I'm going to be a big brother! Can you believe it? I'm finally going to have someone smaller than me around here. Mommy already tells me to kiss the baby and I kiss her belly. It's soon going to be +1 here in LANDEN'S WORLD!