Time Sure Flies!!

Well, Landon was 12 weeks old on Tuesday. Unfortunately, that means that I will be returning to work on Monday. It will be a pretty big adjustment! I haven't had this much time off from work since...well, ever! Not that it has been a vacation. I've worked. I've had my share of difficult times - but they've been so much fun too. It only took me 12 weeks to figure out that I MUST cover him when changing the diaper. No matter how quick I think I can change it!

For those from Arizona, one thing that California has that is much cooler then Arizona is the Paid Family Leave Act. This allows Mothers and Fathers (or anyone needing to bond with a dependent child) 6 weeks of paid leave from work. It doesn't even have to be a biological child - adoption & foster care both fall into this category. So after my initial 6 weeks of disability ended, I was able to take an additional 6 weeks using the Paid Family Leave. Dustin also is able to use his own 6 weeks, which he has been doing intermitantly. It really has been nice to have this time off to enjoy watching Landon grow! And boy has he grown!! At my last Mommy and Me class yesterday, he weighed in at 15lbs 7.6oz. For those keeping track, that's 11oz of weight gain in a week. He's also grown in length too. It actually seems like he grew an inch over night. I went to put a onsie on him the other morning, and couldn't stretch it out long enough to snap the buttons on the bottom closed. The same onsie fit him 2 days prior. It's amazing.

Even more amazing then his growth is the sound of him laughing. Landon had his first full blown laugh on Monday. It was the sweetest thing. He's been doing a few "hahs" when he's amused by something, but the other day, it was a full on laugh out loud giggle. He even snorted! He repeated his new skill for Dad two nights later. Although Dustin had to wait 2 days to hear it, it was well worth it, because he went on laughing at Dustin for a good 15 minutes. Dustin really hammed it up for him. Now it seems we'll try just about anything to get him to laugh.

Smiling on the other hand...he smiles all the time. Pictures are much more animated now, and he wows the old men and women in the grocery store who stop to ooh and aah over our "Beautiful Son". Did anyone know that in 1936 Al Landon was the Republican nominee for president? He was beat out by FDR. These are the things I learn when I go to the market during the middle of the day. Most people, upon hearing Landon's name associate the name with Michael Landon, the actor. However, this older gentleman went on and on to me about the 1936 election and the Republican canidate. Someone could have told me this same bit of info 2 years ago and I wouldn't care and probably wouldn't remember it 25 minutes later. However now, I will always remember who won the 1936 election, and who he beat. Funny how that works out.

Tonight we are all going over to Dustin's Aunt Karen's house. Her daughter Ashley graduated from high school this year and we're going over to celebrate. Is it wrong to give an 18 year old a bottle of champagne? Well those who think it is, we aren't going to. Those who don't, it's a nice bottle! We'll have pictures to post as Landon will be having his first swimming pool experience tonight. We even bought Huggies Little swimmers diapers!!

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Love, Michaela