Landon Brennan - 21 Months

Landon Brennan.... My first thoughts that come to mind with you at this age are that you LOVE to destroy my house and adore your big brother!

 You spend your days from the second you get up until the second you lay back down ripping through buckets of toys, emptying out my pots and pans, pretending to play the Nintendo DS, turning the tv off to make your brother mad, changing your socks (obsessed - Jack and the Neverland Pirates one), empying your pajama drawer, changing your shoes, telling me you need to go "pee-pee in the potty" (which you don't actually do), and asking for snacks over and over. This age is downright exhausting and adorable all at the same time. I love you to death, but I love nap and bed time as well!!

 As exhausting as you are, I do know that you are much easier then your brother was. Your attitude has changed from super mellow to more of a "terrible two" type of demeanor, but you've got nothing on what your big brother use to throw my way. If you are being naughty while we are out and I tell you no you will throw one little swing of the arm at me, and then when I say "no" firmer you cry. Ryder use to swing his arms and flail his body around until he was in a full blown tantrum every-single-time-we-left-the-house! We can still go out to eat with you and being in public doesn't phase me. Sorry man... Your brother has you beat!

 

However, you do bite and pinch! You've gotten me pretty good with your nails a few times. You don't bite me. I've seen you do it to Ryder, but you don't leave marks so I don't think you are doing it too hard yet. In your defense, you are constantly getting pushed around and it's your only way to fight back. You still get time out for it though :) Ryder NEVER stayed in time out! I remember friends telling me their kids went to time out when they were in trouble and i'd just laugh. Ryder wouldn't stay there unless he was tied down and would probably still have found a way to get out. You sit there as long as I make you with the saddest little pouty face on.

 You still sleep amazing, and always have! You go to bed every night at 7pm and wake up around 8-8:30am. If we are home and have no where to go you will sit and talk in your bed until 9-9:30ish. I think i've had to go into your room 2-3 times ever in the middle of the night since we've moved in to our house in June, and you were sick then.

 

Naps aren't as great as Ryder was growing up. He was always a three hour napper. You are  1 1/2-2 hours. You nap from about 1:30-3 every day. I wish you gave me more, but it is what it is. I still leave you in your room to talk for a half hour or so . You aren't as thrilled to play in your crib after nap as you are in the morning, but sometimes those naps are just too short for me!

 You pretty much eat anything we put in front of you except fruit. The only fruits you like are strawberries and bananas. You crush whole milk like it's going out of style, and it's embarrasing how quick you can crush a cheese burger. Unlike your almost vegetarian brother, you are a meat lover! I am fairly certain you will outgrow your brother in the years to come.

 

Favorite Foods: Ham, Cheese Burgers, Chicken Nuggets, Hot Dogs, Mac 'N Cheese, Pizza, String Cheese, Yogurt, most cracker products, gummies, dried fruit, any vegetables we serve you.

 

For drinks we really only offer you milk or water, but you've been known to steal your brothers Capri-Sun every now and then :)

 We are in the very beginning phases of potty-training. In the past couple months you have learned to know what it is to go potty. You tell us if you pooped or peed in your diaper quite often. Right around twenty months you had two successful potty attempts on the big potty, but nothing since. You love to watch us all go on the potty, and get so excited for us when we go! You are always telling us "pee-pee on the potty", and I say no buddy you pee-peed in your diaper. You don't quite get it :) Ryder didn't potty train until almost three so i'd be thrilled if you decided to conquer this in the next few months.

 You have developed terribly sensitive skin just like Ryder. Although Ryder's isn't quite as bad now, I'm convinced you boys will battle this forever. The winter hasn't helped you much so we spend lots of time in Aveeno baths and loaded your cheeks up with Aquaphor.

 Your loves in life:

 

You LOVE you Daddy and big brother. You refer to Ryder as "bub". It's funny because we call you "bub". Ryder's friend Jackson the other day even told me, "bub took my spiderman mask away". It was so funny to me to think that you might end up having that as a nick-name to friends.

 

You LOVEEEEE anything Jake and the Neverland Pirates!! (That is waht you are wearing in these pictures)

 

You love socks and clothes with characaters on them. You change them all-the-time!

 

You are obsessed with shoes! For instance at Target today Ryder got a new movie, and you were happy with a pair of shoes off the clearance rack. You'd prefer new shoes over a toy any day of the week.

 

You love Mickey and the Disney store. Your excitement level when you see this stuff is thru the roof! I can't wait to see you in Disney this weekend during our trip to Florida.

 

Following your brother's lead you tend to love superheros as well

 

And, of course, you love your blankies :)

 

I almost forgot to mention!! Speaking of your blankies, you DID love your paci as well. Right at the new year I was nervous about the underbite you were developing because you were holding your pacifier completely wrong in your mouth. I cut the tips off of them just like I did with Ryder. You cried through one nap becuase it was gone, and we never turned back!!

 You have really been talking and picking up multiple words daily for 2-3 months now. Ryder only had a vocabulary of about 5 words at the age of two so it's really fun for us! You know and can say all extended families names and friends. You say the names of all the superheros, names of all sports, most disney character names, foods, drinks, and have started counting. You can count to about seven. I'm not sure where you picked this up, but one day we just realized you were counting. Pretty much if we say it to you you can say it back, and I'd say you use 2-3 word sentences.



 

You are also great with your hands. You can use a fork and spoon great! I have wooden puzzles  that you can do no problem on your own, and you can put shapes into your shape sorter with ease.

 

You haven't really gotten into constuctive play yet. I think this really started with Ryder just after he turned two. I hope you do!! Your hurricane-ish way around my house really make me nutty!!

Landon Brennan you make us laugh daily and are so funny and great at this age. You make us crazy, but we love you more and more every day anyhow :)