A Day in the Life of Landon

-described by Landon, transcribed by me-

2:30/4:45/5:00 AM: I wake up, either because I've flipped over onto my back and I DON'T LIKE IT, I'm hungry, or I'm sure my mommy and daddy have missed me and I want to give them some quality Landon snuggle time. One of them comes in to rescue me, I think they take turns, and I dig my nails into their neck and try to calm down. Sometimes it's very hard. They pop a bottle in my mouth, which I'm enthusiastic about at first, but then I just want to play. Mommy and daddy refuse to believe that 4:45 is morning, so even when I'm doing my very cutest tricks, they usually just change my diaper and stick me back in bed. I fight it as hard as I can, but when they turn on that rain forest soother thing I know I'm defeated. I take my revenge by flipping over on to my back and yelling exactly 15 minutes after they put me down- right when I know they're drifting back to sleep. Then sometimes I do that two more times. Other times I let them off easy after one.

7:30 AM: I wake up for real. I love it when mommy picks me up with wet hair because I like to stick the long strands in my mouth and suck on them. She always pulls them out though- sometimes she's no fun. Whoever is the most ready for work puts me in my highchair and prepares my gourmet breakfast. This morning I had oatmeal and pears. I'm getting very coordinated with the spoon- sometimes I even swallow before spitting the food out. So far pears are the only fruit I'll eat. My response to bananas is to stick out my tongue as far as possible and hold it there until the threat of bananas has passed. I won't even smile when daddy makes his silly faces because smiling is when they shovel in the food (they think I haven't figured that trick out, but I'm super smart). I like every vegetable I've ever tried- especially carrots, carrots are delicious. I like to hold the spoon and stick it in my mouth- sometimes I hit my nose, but my aim is improving.

7:45 AM: I get my hands and face wiped off. I try very hard to suck on the wet washcloth before it's taken away, and then someone dresses me in my daycare clothes (usually another set of pj's). I get very excited whenever I see my toes- they're SO silly. I grab them and try to put them in my mouth, but my belly gets in the way. Sometimes my toes disappear into my clothes and don't come out- it's very strange, but then I forget all about them and get so excited when I discover them again. Ooooh- TOES!

8:00-8:30 AM: Dad goes to work and Mom sticks me in various things to keep me entertained while she gets ready, cleans up my breakfast mess, and packs her bag. Usually I cooperate, sometimes I don't; I like to mix it up.

9:00 AM: Mom drops me off at Maya's. I get very excited when I see Maya and she says hi to me in Russian, which is the silliest language- it makes me smile a lot. Mommy gives me a hug, gives Maya my bottles, and goes to school.

9:00 AM - 5:00 PM: I play with the other babies, drink my bottles, and take my naps. I love seeing the other babies. There's a lady baby who's a month older than me and can sit up on her own and play with toys. My daddy says it's good to be around a woman who challenges you. She's explained the mechanics of sitting to me and I'm starting to get them right. I think my head must be bigger than hers because it's very hard for me to keep it balanced in the middle- if it strays from center, I fall over right away. But then when I'm on my side I see my TOES and I forget what I was trying to do before that... those toes are crazy. The other two babies can move around- it's amazing! I can't wait to do that.

5:00 PM: Mommy picks me up from Maya's and I give her lots of big smiles. She puts me in the car (why do I always have to face the backseat? so boring) and I tell her about my day. Sometimes she puts on the radio and I fall asleep; more often, we get stuck in traffic and I tell her how much I DON'T LIKE that. I prefer to go fast in the car.

5:30 PM: Home! Mommy and I play with my toys, sing songs, read books, talk to daddy on the phone, and practice our sitting and rolling. I don't like it when mommy goes more than 10 minutes without playing with me. She tells me she's doing things like "making dinner", but my dinner comes from a jar so I don't know what she's doing for all those minutes in the kitchen. I've gotta keep my eye on her. Sometimes she puts me next to that crazy white fluffy toy that walks around and makes noises and I get SO EXCITED- that toy is the coolest. I try to grab it's tail but it always moves away. I can't wait to chase after it.

6:30 PM: I eat my dinner. Last night it was carrots and green beans- yummy! I like to dive my head into the spoon when it's carrots- they're so delicious. I also like to put my hands in my mouth at the same time mom is putting the spoon in my mouth- it makes things more fun. My hands are delicious too. Actually, almost everything is delicious- except bananas. Bananas are gross. I drink some bottle after dinner and then we play until dad gets home.

7:30 PM: Daddy comes home! I give him lots of big smiles. Then mommy gets me naked- ooooh TOES!- and puts me in the big bathtub with daddy. Daddy says this is his favorite part of the day and it's one of mine too. I like to suck on my washcloth frog, my boat, my blocks, and my squirt toys. Water is sooo delicious. I try to stick my mouth in the bathwater, but daddy always stops me. I love it when he pulls me through the water and I can practice my swimming- it's SO fun. Mommy sits next to the tub and talks to us while we splash. When I announce that I'm done, she lifts me out of the tub and cuddles me in my fluffy hooded towel. We always stop to look at the silly baby in the mirror- that baby cracks. me. up. Every time. We stop by all the mirrors on the way back to my room where I get a new diaper and pj's (my toes usually disappear again at this point- they're crazy).

8:00 PM: Mommy and Daddy alternate eating their dinner and cuddling me. I drink my bottle, complain a little about the fact that the day is ending, and then I rub my eyes and bury my head in their chest. Daddy puts me down in my crib and pats my back and then I go to sleep. Except when I don't. Sometimes I like to do the roll over and yell trick that I do in the morning. I can't let my parents think they have things figured out- I defy schedules and planning, it's my job and I take it very seriously.

9:00 PM: I'm pretty much always asleep by now. Mommy and Daddy are doing whatever it is mommies and daddies do when their babies aren't around to entertain them. I think it involves the TV and talking. Boring. I'll probably wake them up at 2:30 just so they have something fun to look forward to...