Catching up

Goodness, it's been such a long time since Ilast wrote. Our lives have been so extremely busy and by the time I get home, I would rather spend the evening/ nights with my little man and his sweet daddy! Well, since my last post, many new things have happened:

Paul and I bought our first boat. It's not fancy nor will it go fast. We purchased a 22' pontoon boat. When we first discussed getting a boat (B.L. - before Landon), we wanted a ski boat or something fast and flashy. But once Landon came into our lives, we began to look at "family" boats. So after months of researching (we don't do things spontaneously or without all the information necessary) and a few more months shopping around for the best boat for the best price, we purchased a brand spanking new pontoon and got it in the water a few days later. After testing a few infant life jackets, we finally found one that Landon will tolerate. So, now, since the 4th of July, we have spent an entire week at my parents' lakehouse and every weekend on the boat! We would love to have more family and friends join us on the water...just let us know when you want to go out! :)

Before we could get the boat on the water, Paul's brother Luke got married in Huntsville. Not only were we celebrating this special day with family but all three of us were part of the wedding celebration itself! Paul was a groomsman, I was a bridesmaid and Landon was the cutest ring bearer ever - right down to his little suspenders and bowtie (clip on of course). He did such a great job during the ceremony. When he was ready to get down and move around, I sat him down and he happily played in the grass until it was time to walk back down the aisle. Luke and Kristen were such a cute bride and groom, too! Thank you for letting us be a small part of your day!

While we were on our lake vacation, Landon cut his first two teeth! Yay! Surprisingly, he did it overnight (we did know that he was teething) and without any fussiness! I heard all the teething horror stories, but I am so glad that Landon did not have a temperature or incessant crying or anything else during the process. However, we are experiencing a new milestone for baby...separation anxiety. Everytime I leave the room, even if for a second, he begins to cry. It really makes my heartbreak to see him so sad. I tell him that I will be back, but he doesn't understand. I don't like being the one that hurts his feelings, but Mommy does need to get some things done sometimes. How long will this last?

And we are off!

Paul and I took Little Man to visit Gigi and Papi and to go to Luke and Kristen's wedding shower in Loretto on the 13th. The week before, we (minus our sweet boy) went to Sarasota for a great friend's wedding. Paul was a groomsman! Landon had been rocking on all fours for a few weeks, so we just knew that he would begin crawling while we were in Florida. But, he must have known how important it was for Mommy and Daddy to see him reach a new milestone because he waited until the 13th...early birthday present for Mommy I suppose. We were watching a baseball game (of course!) and something caught Landon's eye. He started rocking and giggling and then, he moved! He didn't do it too well; his little right leg sort of dragged underneath him but who cares because he did it! He laughed at himself everytime he moved. It was so precious to see how proud he was of himself. It didn't take long for him to get the hang of crawling. Now, we can't keep him still. And he apparently was not satisfied with just crawling. Just a day later, he began pulling himself up on the couch, coffee table, entertainment center...etc. I can't believe how quickly he is growing. I have actually asked him to slow down, but at 7 months, he already is ignoring Mommy's requests.

I wonder what new thing he will do next week...there is a bottom tooth that looks ready to break through any day but maybe he'll start walking before that tooth comes in. All I know is that this little man is growing and changing every day!

On a side note: I entered Landon in a photo contest on Parent.com. He is currently in the running for the Reader's Choice (not sure if that means he is ruled out on the other 9 finalist spots). We would really LOVE your help and your votes. Please visit http://photos.parents.com/cateogory/vote/photo/360112 every day (and from as many computers as you can get to :) ) through Sunday, June 27th. Thank you in advance for your votes!

Flood Relief

As many of you know, Middle Tennessee was devasted by Mother Nature this past weekend, including my hometown, Clarksville. To date, Riverside Drive remains under water, as does part of the neighborhood I grew up - including our old neighbors across the street...I don't know if the water reached our old house (our family still owns it) because that part of the neighborhood was evacuated last night. It's really very sad to see the pictures of Clarksville under water and I can't believe all of the businesses and homes that were lost. I know several people whose businesses are located on Riverside Drive. Nashville is bad as well. Historic landmarks are covered in 10 feet of water - the Grand Ole Opry, Opryland Hotel, the Titans' field - LP Field, and much of downtown Nashville.

The American Red Cross is asking for help, whether you can volunteer your time or donate clothing, food and money. The Red Cross building in Clarksville was among the businesses flooded, so any donations you send, please send to the Clarksville/ Montgomery County United Way office at 1300 Madison Street, Clarksville, TN 37040. If you send a monetary donation, please put "Local Flood Relief" in the memo line. Thank you for whatever help you can give, especially your prayers!

Love, Paul, Nicole and Landon

Rainy Day

Saturday was a gloomy day with all of the rain and the tornado warnings sweeping across the area, so we spent the day inside. We watched movies and the Alabama/ South Carolina baseball game, took a nap, played with toys and just enjoyed being a family. Of course, I took lots of pictures of the little man playing with his dump truck...

Monday...

Monday was a very eventful day for the Lamm family. Paul and his Spring Hill Raiders won yet another district game 17-0 in 4 1/2 innings! This put their overall record at 15-4 and 8-1 in the district (woo hoo - we are sitting in first for the time being!)!!! So...we are currently ranked first in our district, first in our region and third in the state in Class AA! I'm such a proud coach's wife! It's so fun to watch my husband doing what he loves everyday.

In baby Landon milestone updates...because the game ended so early due to the run rule, I took Landon out on the field after the game. We stood behind Paul and the rest of his coaching staff while they had a mini-meeting and played in the freshly cut grass. Landon loved the way the grass felt on his little toes and kept curling them up to grab the grass. Such a cute little monkey! I decided to let him sit on the grass so he could grab it with his hands. Little did I know that this was going to lead to another first...as he sat so well with my hands barely on him, I took them off of him to see how close he was to sitting on his own. Very close! In fact, he actually DID!!! I started shouting at Paul (and the other coaches) to look. Landon had a huge grin on his face. He obviously knew how incredible the new trick was! He sat so well that I was able to snap several pictures of him! What a great day for us Lamms!

***Update: We beat East Hickman at their field tonight 12-2, making our record 9-1 in the district and 16-4 overall! Go Raiders!

Big Boy Food

Landon started solid foods last week with much success! We began with applesauce last Tuesday and then introduced green beans on Saturday. Strangely, Landon loves green beans and seems to prefer them to applesauce. Mommy, on the other hand, does not like green beans in baby food form...I tried them on a dare from Paul. Word of advice - do not try them! In just a week of solid foods, Landon has developed a slight belly which is good because he is so tall and skinny and looks oh-so-cute !

As a baby gift from Lola (my mom) we received a Beaba baby food maker, so I will attempt to make homemade baby food. I wonder if Landon will like it as much as store-bought food!

What should we introduce next?

Baseball is Officially Here...Finally

Yesterday was our first official game of the 2010 baseball season. We kicked off opening day with a double-header at our field against Fairview High School. The Raiders won the first game 11-0 with Paul's first no-hitter as a coach! We were only one walk away from a perfect game. The second game was a little closer and the temperature dropped a lot, which probably didn't help the guys but they kept the tight lead and we won the game 2-1. It wouldn't have been a true Coach Lamm game if there wasn't a little excitement and a heated argument between an umpire and Paul, but everything was fine in the end and we finished the game to start the season at 2-0! We in the Lamm household are very excited that baseball is finally here! We can't wait to see what the season has in store for us!

Baseball Season is Here (Almost)

Even though it was very cold, Mommy and Landon braved the weather (and illness) to watch Daddy coach on Monday. We couldn't miss the first pre-season game of the year, especially since it was at our field. Landon really had a fun time despite the chilly air. We love that his first baseball game was Daddy's. Landon got to see his Daddy doing what he loves and he was all smiles, as usual! We sat in the press box to stay a little bit warmer and while we were sitting next to the microphone, Landon started "talking." So, our wonderful announcer Joe held the mic up to Landon in between innings so the little guy could talk to his Daddy! So cute! I wish the game had a better outcome, but it's pre-season so we have a couple of games to work everything out!

3 month Pictures

Hey everyone! Check out Landon's 3-month photo session...the photos were taken at my parents' house last Saturday. Shea did a wonderful job once again!

www.byshea.com/landonthreemonths

To see all of the photos she took (well - 78 of them...she took over 400 that day!) after the slide show, just click on the mini shopping cart to see the entire portfolio.

Valentine's Day

Our sweet little Valentine! Happy Valentine's Day to all of our family and friends!

Letter to Our Son

Our Sweet Baby Landon,

You are just a few weeks old now and already changing so much every day. Mommy and Daddy are so blessed and thankful that you found your way to our lives. We know that it was always God's plan to place you in our arms. We waited and prayed and cried and wished for you for so long. One day, in just a single phone call, our prayers were answered and we began the rush to prepare for your arrival. You came into our lives six weeks after that life-changing phone call. Everything just fell into place so perfectly for our family.

It's so amazing to just watch you sleep and wonder what you are dreaming. We talk about what you might be when you get older, what your voice will sound like when you start to talk, how tall you will be, will you be funny or athletic or a scholar or artistic or all of those things...it's so fun to imagine what your personality will be like, but please do not grow up too quickly. Daddy and Mommy are enjoying these infant days so much.

We promise to love you forever and more each day. You are the single purpose for everything we do. We promise to work harder than ever to provide everything you deserve and things that you want (though we don't want you to become too spoiled!). We want to teach you everything we can. We will always be there for you when you cry and to catch you when you fall. Remember, you will never be too old to turn to your parents. We hope will be as disciplined, passionate and determined as we are. We hope that you no when to be a leader and to speak up and when to follow and keep quiet. We hope that you will be the kind of friend everyone wants and needs. We hope that you will want to learn everything about issues so that you will form your own opinions. Daddy can't wait to teach you about baseball and to take you hunting and fishing and all of those "boy" things. He calls you his best buddy already. Mommy can't wait to read with you (and not to you), to have you help her bake yummy treats and cheer for you when you are playing baseball. You are Mommy's precious little boy.

Our hearts melt when you greet us each the morning with your sweet smile and when you fall asleep in our arms and when you laugh at the sound of your laugh and when you are just being your sweet self. You already have so much personality. You are the most amazing person we know! We have so many hopes and dreams and wishes for you, but in the end, all we want is for you to be happy, to know how loved you are, and to believe in the miracle of our family that God gave us.

Mommy found this passage when we were anxiously awaiting your arrival. There are several translations, all of which are perfect for us, but this the first translation she found (the New International Version):

"I prayed for this child, and the LORD has granted me what I asked of Him."
- 1 Samuel 1:27

We love you more than you will ever know,

Mommy and Daddy

2 Months Old

I know I'm a little late in posting this picture since he will be 3-months old next week (wow - where did the time go?!?) But here is the monthly picture of Landon at 2-months old. He already looks like a little boy and not a precious baby boy. He's growing up so quickly!

Sweet Boy

Today, our sweet baby boy showed us how much he loves us when he gave us both our first hugs. It was such an amazing feeling to have his tiny arms wrapped around my neck so tightly. I was immediately overwhelmed with emotions. It was as if Landon was letting us know that he feels so safe with us and loves us as much as we love him. We love our precious boy so much!

Accepting Life Changes...

Before Landon came into our lives, I was a hyper-organized person. I loved to clean and things like organizing our closet for efficiency and asthetics made me a happy girl. I was a night person and hated the alarm in the morning. Now, it seems as soon as I feed, change and play with Landon, it's time to do it all over again. So, with "me" time or "us" time greatly minimized, I've begun to accept that it's okay that my house isn't tidy anymore. Home improvement projects take much longer to start and complete (by the way, we still do not have quarter-round down in our living room and kitchen after our last project was "completed" - at least the flooring is completely laid!). I take naps during the day and get up early in the morning. I'm okay with that. I actually am getting used to it (and my coffee maker is getting lots of work in each day). Friday nights are spent at home and going out to dinner is a treat for us now.

Our new lifestyle is okay with us though. Actually, it's better than that; it's wonderful! After waiting for so long to meet our sweet little man, we happily accept the abrupt changes that happened in a matter of weeks. We could not imagine our lives any differently and to be honest, we can't remember what life was like before Landon. And that's the way we want it to be!

Christmas Photos

Here are a few pictures from Landon's first Christmas...

Our sweet little Santa baby!

First family Christmas photo

So excited about opening the gifts from Mommy and Daddy and Santa, can't you tell?!?

Sitting up watching Daddy get all the presents out in his comfy Christmas pjs!

Laying on Uncle Mark's bed