Update on Laien

It has been awhile since I blogged about Laien...he sure has kept us busy. He has passed his infancy stage and now in the beginning of his toddler years! Yes, it is crazy how time flew by within a blink of an eye. He is now 22 months old!!! What? Yes! I am not kidding, which means he will be two-years old in JUST two short months. I can not believe it! It still feels like yesterday when I had him and now he is growing into a little boy-- full of love and energy!

LAIEN TODAY- BRIGHT, RELIABLE & CURIOUS

It has been fun watching him learn and grow each day. He now talks and I mean TALKS like he is a six year old. He LOVES it too!!! We can pretty much have a five minute conversation until he decides to ignore me because he has said enough or tells me to STOP, SIT & WATCH TV. Ha ha He sure is not afraid to voice out his opinion and say it how it is. I love my boy. As much as I like this kind of personality, I try my very best to teach him that there are border lines and he should never go beyond that. For example, one day he was opening the TV stand cabinets and I said, "Laien, NO NO NO!" (with my pointer out waving it back and forth) Well, Laien is bright as the noon day sun, very observant and has an outstanding memory. So a couple of days later, I went to open the cabinets and he said, "MOM! (with this very loud and stern voice) NO, NO, NO!" (while waving his pointer back and forth at me) How can you keep a straight face from that? I busted out laughing because I thought it was hilarious. But I had to explain to him that mom is in charge and because of that-- mom get's to tell Laien, No No No when he is not supposed to be touching. He kind of got it, I think :/

Here are some of his favorite words/conversations we have:

Me: Laien, are you going to church tomorrow?

Laien: NO!

Me: Why?

Laien: Why?
***Repeats the same question back just to end the conversation. Smart fellah!***

NO & I DON'T WANT THIS- he says no and I don't want this even if he wants it. We are working on saying Yes! (He has started saying yes, but pronounces it YAS and Uh Hmm)

When asked: Laien where's Raskullz? An automatic reply of "Raskullz Bad"

Besides talking, he loves to help or maybe more like try out things. He would say, "I try!" every time he sees us doing something that he is curious about. I have been letting him try it out and it has been fun seeing him explore and learn different things. He loves helping me with laundry. He would try to fold his clothes and will put them back in his drawers. I am so happy that he can take responsibility and will get it done when asked to. Oh he thinks its the best chore he gets to do. He definitely got his mother's genes in him because we have the same OCD problem. Everything needs to be straight or folded just right. He will sit there and fold and re-fold until it looks right. I am glad he has my cleaning gene cause I need a helper around this house. We have also discovered that folding is what Laien does when he is tired and ready for bed. Besides doing laundry and folding clothes his other favorite chore is feeding Raskullz.

 Folding his clothes!

Putting his clean laundry away :D

He takes good care of his fury brother. Raskullz just
eats...he does not drink water -_-

He loves helping us cook. And he will not stop

asking, "I try!" until we let him.

BIG BOY STAGE

One of our goal this year was to get rid of the binky. Because he was sick a couple of times in January we ended up holding off on the binky for a few weeks until we were able to discard it. Laien did really good and it was so easy to wean him off. I told him he is a big boy now and he does not need his binky anymore. I told him there were babies that did not have a binky and we needed to share his binky with them. The first night he woke up twice asking for it? And I had to remind him of what we did with it. He said, "Mom, I try and find!" Which was the cutest thing ever as he turned his pillows around looking for it. He went back to bed right after that without it. The next day he asked for it a few times and after each time, I would again remind him where the binky went. He would simply say, "Ok Mom!" and go on with whatever he was doing. That was the last time he asked about it and I was a proud momma. I thought it would be so hard to wean him off. He was 20 months and has used it his whole life. I was so afraid of even trying just thinking that he will be freaking out and it will be difficult to calm him down. He was so attached to that thing! But I am grateful that it was a really smooth transition and went very well. I strongly believe that a big part of it was introducing the situation to him first. A week before we got rid of the binky, I talked about it with Laien. I told him exactly what we had to do and because of that-- when that day came to take it away from him, he was prepared and was already expecting it. I believe that communication is key. And I am not perfect with this. But with Laien, I have been very good with it and it has been a learning experience for myself as well.

GOODBYE BINKY...

Now that he has been told he is a big boy, he tries to fulfill that to the best he can. He has been trying out things on his own-- like putting on his clothes all on his own, brushing his teeth, throwing his diaper in the trash, and of course letting me know when he needs to be changed. I told him one day that he needs to be a big boy and let mommy know when he needs his diaper changed so he does not get "awies" on his butt. I told him once and now he makes sure he lets me know every time. Another score!!! And it has been with every thing that I talk to him about. And I rarely have to repeat myself. I do not have to remind him to brush his teeth. He loves doing it and could spend an hour brushing those little cute teeth. And I love watching him :D

Brushing his teeth is a routine and he does such a good job!

I am pretty open with Laien and I do everything with him around. Not that I want to, but with Ethan gone for work at least 2-3 weeks a month, I sometimes need to use the bathroom and still be able to look after him. He enjoys being in the bathroom with me while I do my business and would try and assist me with everything I do. At times it is fun and enjoyable, but of course-- there are times I'm just like REALLY?! Give me some space and privacy. Not possible when you become a mom. Privacy? What is that?! Because he is present all the time I talk to him during these very moments about being big boys and girls and how we need to use the toilet to poop and pee. He would then offer to wipes mommy's but, which I had never nor will I ever let him. But I would let him help by tearing toilet paper for me. It is with these experiences that he is having that Laien decided all on his own yesterday to walk in the bathroom while I was straightening my hair and asked to use the toilet. I thought he needed his diaper changed at first cause he kept telling me mom I poop. He then pointed to the toilet bowl and said he needed to poop. Without any hesitation I put him on the toilet and he happily told me to move and to let him do what he was supposed to be doing. A minute went by and I thought he was probably just sitting there pretending to be mommy. It FINALLY happened...HE DID IT! Laien finally pooped all on his own using the big boy toilet. I was so proud that I had to take a picture and film it all. It was an exciting day for both of us. As I praised him and clapped for him, he was doing the same, shouting 'good job Laien'd!' (He has a thing with past tense forms...yes he adds a 'd' after his name :-))

Happy Day for us...DAD & MOM were so

proud :D

HE GOTS THE BRAIN

Because it is so obvious that Laien has a very quick and active mind, I thought--why not start teaching him and prepare him for pre-school. We have been learning our alphabets, numbers, different animals, colors, shapes and many more. And he enjoys it for a good 10-20 minutes. So we have at least an hour each day to learn something. We start of by learning something (color, alphabet, etc.), do an activity like craft or paint and then play time. Thanks to Pinterest, I have been able to find a lot of great teaching tools, activities and curriculum to try and use. I have found one on Pinterest that I just love and I am currently using right now. You can check it out here.

Learning the letter "A"

A for Apple

WE love our puzzles. They are expensive as I have been
looking to purchase ABC's & 123's. The one's that
he currently has were all found at yard sales for
maybe a $1 a piece. YES! WE love yard sales.

Learning the color Red & Green

We love Play Doughs, but it

contains wheat :/ His hands

were pretty itchy after. Need some

gluten-free play doughs.

Painting is NOW a favorite as you 

can see from that smile & wink :)

FUN & FAVES

Speaking of favorites-- Laien has a few favorites now a days. His top three favorite things to do are:

1. The Lion King I/The Ninja Turtle III Movie- At first we watched it several times during the day. We have cut it down a lot to just one at night. And he watches his Ninja Turtle movie in the morning during breakfast.

He roars like a Lion :-0

We love our turtle. He wears diaper too :P

2. Outside!!!- He loves being outside! I am not kidding. I love that he enjoys being outside, except the part when he refuses to come back inside. If he could stay outside whole day, he is a happy kid. We now need to spell it out so that he does not hear that word. Because when he does your done. He is a very persistent boy and he will keep asking. And I am a sucker...I give in pretty quick! And he knows that about mom so I am usually the target :-p

-Outside is fun...but going to the park is even better!

 -Picking up rocks is hard work. But it makes us happy :D

                                                                         

3. Skateboarding- This is what he enjoys the most. But he enjoys it more when Ethan and I do it with him. If you have not seen the video, here it is:

It was a FUN DAY!

It has been a remarkable year with our stud muffin. He amazes us each and everyday and continues to 'WOW' mom and dad with his intelligence and cheerful personality. We are so blessed to have this special boy in our lives. Our hearts are filled with gratitude for the life lessons he teaches us every single day and we can not imagine a day without him as part of our family.


"FALL SEVEN TIMES, STAND UP EIGHT"

As active, spirited and developed Laien is...he too has challenges like everybody else. Eight months ago, I blogged about our Eczema Struggles with our very brave young fellah. Well it has been a while and so I thought I'd give just a brief update of where we're at with this never ending illness. On my last post, I blogged about a steroid ointment that our pediatrician prescribed to us and an allergy medication. They have helped a lot when his rashes flares up and are pretty inflamed. The steroid ointment helps clear up the red patches, while the allergy medication helps with the itching. We are so grateful that we were able to find a solution for that part of the eczema. Although these two prescriptions have helped a lot during times when Laien is uncomfortable and irritable, it still comes back and he is still fighting. Hence, the sub heading which best describes how I feel about his eczema. And I am sure Laien feels the same way as I see the frustration in his eyes when we have our bad days.
As great of an obstruction it is to Laien's life, this very miserable illness has not stopped our toddler from growing and exploring life. He is not a QUITTER and I love seeing him persevere through it all. His courage and bravery helps strengthen us as we watch him triumph over this trial he faces. It is during those difficult days when my heart crushes into pieces and at often times feel the need to break down and cry. Instead of letting him see and feel my aching heart, I try my best to shake it off and try to soothe him with my very best. It is a parents worst nightmare to hear their sweet child's crying voice say, "Mom I am itchy and it is awie!" And there's really nothing you can do other than lather him up with the ointments and pray that the allergy medication will kick in and help relief the itch. You probably saw one of his pictures above where he is sleeping with his hands tied. Yes! This is another scene that breaks our heart as he still can't sleep with his hands free. On good days, I let him sleep with his hands free. But most of the time, e is tied up to prevent him from scratching and also for him to get a good and long enough nap or sleep.
The season changing from winter to spring is a bad time of the year. Laien's skin was so dry and the itching was unbearable. He itched all over especially on the creases of his arms and legs. It is at this point where we needed to get back to our "wet wraps". This seems to be the only method that helps with his eczema when it's at its worst. As much work it is for him, his willingness and attitude towards it makes it so easy for the both of us. He thinks putting multiple clothing on is just awesome. If you have not read my post about what wet wraps are, it is no fun. It usually starts of with a 20 minute oatmeal bath. I usually pulse just regular oatmeal in a blender until it is very fine and pour it into the lukewarm water. He soaks for a while in the bathtub and then we lightly tap him down and lather him up with organic coconut oil. Then comes the first layer of damp clothing with a dry footsie over. He thinks it is the coolest thing-- most of the time. But there are days where he is just over it. Those days can be difficult and mommy has to put in all the effort to make it all work. It is challenging and can get pretty frustrating. But after each wet wraps we see amazing results and our boy is happy.

From this....(the pictures are not as clear, but its dry and 

there's red patches all over)

Wet Wraps (Such a tough boy)

Clear Skin=Happy Camper

I know now why we decided to name him Laien. Just like the large usually tawny-yellow cat, Lion-- our boy is brave, courageous and has great strength to defeat any obstacle that comes his way. We can see that through his lil' Laien roar and with him fighting this eczema battle. He has endured well and continues to push along no matter how difficult it can be some days. We are proud of him and enjoy every moment with him. He teaches me everyday the importance of prayer and why I need to do it. I am so grateful that he was born into the gospel and already has that desire to live his life how His Heavenly Father wants him to. He loves his Heavenly Father (Lebenly Pah-der- how he pronounces it) and Jesus Christ (G-sis Cry-st). What a joy it is to live life with this angel and to learn and be taught by him.

As Mark Twain once said,

“It's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog.” 

~This defines our roaring Laien~






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Back on the Keyboard

I AM BACCCCKKKK!!! I am really bad in keeping up with this. I have said that I will do my very best with blogging, but I can not seem to keep my word. What can I say? With a seasonal full time job that I had, taking care of a toddler, picking up after three boys around the house and Ethan being gone 2-3 weeks a month...do I still need to go on? I am pretty sure you get the picture. Well it has been hectic and super busy these past several months --with the holidays being part of it too. I also got a new calling at church so I have been so caught up with preparing lessons, making treats for my beehives and trying to make time for mutual every week. I am not complaining though, because I have learned so much in these past few months. Man, these young women are so full of knowledge and they teach me each and every week why I need the gospel in my life. I have been able to see beyond my struggles and challenges on a daily basis because of this calling. And I thank my Heavenly Father for the opportunity and trust He has given me to help me grow and become a better person.

I have so much I want to blog about and I have a list of things I want to talk about. From our family updates, new opportunities that we have been blessed with, Laien's growth, sewing projects and many more that I am anxious to write about and share with you all. So stay tuned because I will be posting soon!

DIY M&M Costume

I had the privilege to make my cute lil' niecey a Halloween costume. When my dear friend asked me if I could make her cute daughter an M&M costume, I was taken aback and in my mind I said, "You gotta be kidding me?!" Not that I did not want too, but I was surprised that someone is actually asking me to make costume when I am still a beginner in sewing. Especially when I was making it for a beautiful baby girl...it needed to be just right! I still took the challenge and started looking at DIY's on how to make an M&M costume. I could not find any on Pinterest and was getting a little worried. But my friend had told me she found one on www.eHow.com. When I saw the short tutorial my lack of confidence turned into great excitement. The instructions did not seem hard and I didn't needed to do so much. Here is the tutorial.....

Materials:

- 2 yards of felt (I did not use much of the

fabric since Ms. Kamea was a petite baby. And

since she was going to be the brown M&M, that

was the fabric color)

- White felt (enough just to make an "m")

- Matching  Thread

Here we go with the steps. Hope it makes sense...

1. So I used one of her onesie as a pattern. Cut a circle. 

2. Sew the circle leaving an opening for the head and feet.

3. You should have a circle like this...

So a little story... I sometimes, or maybe most of the time feel like everything needs to be perfect...you can say I tend to be a perfectionist. I was cutting my "m" and went through about three "m's" and I did not like any of them. My co-worker pointed out I should google m&m template. She is so smart! Thanks Camille :D

4. So here is the "m". I placed the m on the white felt, 

pinned it and cut all around

5. Then sewing the "m" began. This was the 

hard part of the project. I don't know why

I didn't even think of sewing the "m"

first before closing up the circle. That would

have helped and maybe I would have 

straighter lines.

6. It still turned out great. I was so proud...

I had to wait till I went to drop off her costume to cut the opening for her arms. 

7. Then I decided to make her a flower headband using

the left over fabric. It was my very first one too guys...

and I was so pleased at how it turned out..

Here's the tutorial for the headband.

Isn't she the cutest? I think she is the most adorable brown m&m...

The 30 Minute Skirt

I am sure you all know by now that I love maxi skirts. But I have a huge dilemma when it comes to maxi's. ONE. I am too short and they are always too long for me. TWO. I will not spend $30-$40 on a skirt that I can easily make.
A few months ago I came across a fitted sheet while I was out one weekend hitting up yard sales. It was still in great condition and only cost me a dollar. SCORE!!!
So this morning I had some extra time so I made a skirt to wear to work since I really had no idea what to wear today. I think I have a problem and I am going to admit what it is. I have a lot of clothes and half of my closet are clothes I find while thrifting or on yard sales. And since I started working I have been going through my closet like crazy. For the past nine months I have been a stay at home mom so I did not dress up a lot. It was usually sweat pants and t-shirts, unless I had to leave the house. Anyways, I have this problem and it is one I can't seem to get over. I have a hard time repeating an outfit. I can't wear the same outfit that I wore last week to work. If I am going to wear the same pants, I would have to wear a different top or blouse, but not the same one I wore last week. Does anyone have the same problem? I hope I am not the only one with this kind of problem. And if that's the case, my name is Reshell and I have a problem. Ha ha!
In a way I kinda like that I have this issue so it drives me to create outfits and be creative. I had never thought in a million years that I will be sewing my own clothes. I am so hooked now and getting better at sewing. Here is today's outfit. I do not have a tutorial because it was a really quick project. It was so easy and it took me about 30 minutes and it was done. I used another skirt as a pattern, sewed it up, run an elastic through the waist and I was DONE. I just love the color of this skirt, it is like a burnt orange. Just the right color for this season :)

Sorry the picture is a little darker...

A lot better. 

Top: Forever 21 $5.99 (on sale)

Belt: Salvation Army ($1.99)

Skirt: Yard Sale- Bed Sheet ($1.00)

Shoes: I have had them for a while. 

Necklace: Gift from a friend (Imitation of

Palauan Money)

~Only in Ree's Closet~

Fighting the Everyday Battles!!!

I wish everyday was a good day filled with lots of love, laughter and joy. Oh how nice would that be! But that is not what life here is all about. There are these roadblocks that hinder us from that joy and happiness that we seek for each day. I have many of those that usually affects my mood and most of the time create depressing thoughts. As much as I want to withdraw these unwanted feelings during these moments, I am human and I try and do my best to overcome these challenges. We all face these battles-- all come in different shapes and forms, but all so real to each and everyone of us. I have come across so many different blogs and have read so many real life stories. After reading each blog, I am left bawling my eyes out and my heart aching for these people-- people I have never met nor do I know who they are. But I feel their pain only because I can somehow relate. I too, have my own battles that I fight for each day! Although, it is nothing close to what some of these people are going through--it is real to me. From marital problems, to health issues and even trying to cope with the death of a loved one. And I thought my problems were so demanding that it was to much for me to handle!

As I mentioned on my last blog post, I picked up a few books from Deseret Industries when I was in Utah to read. And one of the books I got have been a great read and has really helped me see things in a different perspective. Guys, this book is so good I have not been able to put it down. I am not a reader and I will only read books about the gospel and of Jesus Christ---if they are really good. And this is ONE of them. Have you heard of "The Peacegiver" by James L. Ferrell? I absolutely recommend that you read it if you have not! He uses a lot of the story from the Old Testament and explains them thoroughly relating it to the character who is having marital issues. But you can definitely relate it to your own battles, even if its not about your marriage. I have come to understand the Atonement of Jesus Christ in a different level and the importance of forgiveness. An example he uses was the story of David and Nabal in the Old Testament.

Nabal was a very inconsiderate and wicked man, but he was rich and had many great possessions. David, the son of Jesse who slew Goliath has lived the life of a vagabond and many fugitives from the law and outcasts from society have gathered with him in the wilderness. While in the wilderness, David and his men have been protecting the shepherds and flocks of Nabal. At one point, Nabal's shearers gathered back at his estate to celebrate their many food and water while David and his men were left in the wilderness with nothing. This is when David sent out his men to Nabal to ask for some help as they have been very good in protecting his shepherds and flocks. But Nabal denied and rejected David's request for provisions so they returned with nothing. This infuriated David and his men and they started to march off to war. Abigail, the wife of Nabal, who was a woman of understanding and beautiful countenance heard about this and intervened. She quickly set out to gather everything that David's men had asked for and more--food and many other offerings that she could take to David before he acted against Nabal and his house, as Abigail worried he might. Among other things, she gathered bread, wine, dressed sheep, corn, raisins and hundreds of fig cakes, packed them on donkeys, and set out upon this road to intercept David. When they met Abigail immediately bowed down and on her knees presented her offerings to David. Abigail said, "Upon me, my lord, upon me let this iniquity be." She then asked David to forgive the sins of her husband as she has taken them upon herself. After this exchange, David's heart was softened and he did not go after Nabal.

So why am I sharing this? I share it because this particular story found in the Old Testament can change your life as it has changed mine. The stories in the Old Testament are very symbolic and we often miss the very powerful lesson that comes from it. My first account with the story, I wondered, 'why is Abigail taking her husbands fault and the one apologizing to David?' I am sure you will ask the same question too, if not you will question this act that Abigail took. I realized that Abigail was such an amazing wife. And here are the two reasons why I think that:

ONE. She was Nabal's wife, and when she chose to marry Nabal she chose to take upon herself that role to be his wife. That meant she will do whatever it takes to serve him, love him and will die for him if she had too. I mean think about it, David could have killed her when she approached him. He was angry, he did not care, all he wanted to do was to confront Nabal. 

TWO. Even though Abigail knew her husband was unkind, mean and very prideful...she still saw Nabal as her husband beyond his imperfections. 
I am in great awe of the sacrifice Abigail made for her husband. She is a great example of what God yearns for all his wonderful daughters- whether you are a wife, mother, sister or a friend. The story also has a very symbolic lesson that we can learn from. Abigail was an image of Jesus Christ and His Atonement. The sacrifice that Christ took upon himself in the Garden of Gethsemane when He bled from every pore, His Crucifixion on the cross and death is so that he can know how to help us in our darkest moments. 

As I related this to the battles we face each day, forgiveness is one that we have a very difficult time overcoming. At least for me, it is one of the very battle that I face and struggle with in life. This account of David and Nabal, we often think that Nabal is the only sinner here since he has mistreated David. Let me ask you a question, "Has David sinned against Nabal?" I assume you would think no. I mean he has been nice this whole time, protecting Nabal's flock and watching over his shepherds. He can't be the sinner!! At least that's what the character in the book thought. I have to admit that I was in the same boat and was on David's side. 

However, David has unquestionably committed a sin-- one that is not acceptable in the eyes of God. This is one that Jesus Christ has taught repeatedly in the New Testament: 

"A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another." (John 13:34) 

David has created a sin within his heart when he was seeking for revenge with Nabal. But Abigail-symbolizing Christ and His Atonement- took upon herself Nabal's sin and asked David for forgiveness. It was Abigail's action that represented what Christ would do. Christ walks with each and everyone of us individually. He knows our background, our situations, our hopes, our struggles...EVERYTHING! He knew what David was struggling with. He had built anger and rage within his heart that only Christ can heal. And when Christ worked through Abigail, David was able to forgive and forget. 

The author James L. Ferrell shares this powerful statement, 

"When we withhold forgiveness from others, we are in effect saying that the atonement alone was insufficient to pay for this sin. We are holding out for more. We are finding fault with the Lord's offering. We are in essence demanding that the Lord repent of an insufficient atonement. So when we fail to forgive another, it is as if we are failing to forgive the Lord-- who, as you already know, needs no forgiveness."

Reading this book has really helped me understand my role as a daughter, wife, mother, friend and how to be a disciple of Christ. I can learn from Abigail and strive to be more humble, loving and helpful. Or learn from David and be accepting, forgiving and learn how to let go of grudges-- those ill feelings that lead you to doubt and question your own worth. I have also learned from Nabal-- I am human and have  many imperfections, but to remember not to let my flaws affect others, especially to the ones I love. Finally, to continue to learn from the Great Exemplar who is Jesus Christ and strive to be like Him each day. He invites us to, 

"Come unto (Him), all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 

Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." (Matthew 11:28-30)

Lace Pencil Skirt

Lace is a big fashion trend now days. And I love how elegant and chic it is when you include it in your outfit! A few months ago I found a mustard yellow table cloth (I think?). I bought it at a thrift store for a buck. Oh how happy I get when I find cheap deals. So this last weekend I got on my sewing machine and got to work. It only took me about an hour to make this skirt. I was so proud of myself.

Material:

- Lace

- Linning (I used a stretchy inside shirt)

-Matching Thread

-Scissors

-

I used another skirt as a pattern:

Folded the lace material and cut all around the skirt

leaving about 2 inches for seam allowance.

Whirrr!!! Sew right sides together on both sides.

Made a casing for elastic, run it through, closed it up....

TA-DA!!!

Close Up Picture :D

It was the easiest skirt I have ever made. Paired it with a tan tank, a black cardigan, black ankle boots and I was ready for work that Monday morning. 

Wake Me Up When September Ends...

September has been a busy month. I started working and have not had a chance to do anything. The first few weeks of training kicked my butt. I was so tired after work that I would pass out when I was putting Laien to sleep. And it is not like I was doing hard labor, but sat on my chair whole day. It is great to be back at work. It is my third season with this company so it is not as overwhelming and stressful as it was my first year. If you have not tried Enstrom Candies, you are missing out!!! It is the best treat and you will keep going back for more. As some customers would say, "It's like drugs, they're addicting!"

My very first day of work I was late and it was not how I had planned it to be. How embarrassing!!! Just glad I did not loose my job on my orientation day...Phew:-/ It was great to see familiar faces and be around fun people. 

First day of work...but first, let me take a selfie :)

I woke up a few hours early to get Laien and myself ready. It felt weird dropping him off with my moms at my sisters. I think the thought of being away from him for more than a few hours scared me. Not that I did not trust my own mother to watch him, I just did not want to be away from him. He cried a little too, which made it even harder for me. 

Yup! That's him trying to get to me :'(

He did really good though and now loves being dropped off. He loves going to school with grandma to get the girls. And now it is becoming difficult to pick him up because he would cry wanting to stay. He enjoys being with his cousins and they have tons of fun together. Laien is growing and learning tons of stuff its insane. He loves skateboarding...which is something that his dad taught him when he was just a month and half old. Yea, I am not kidding!

There he is at one month.

And now he is a pro! We really need to keep an eye on him because he will try to do with by himself.  But man, he is such a boy and he is not scared of anything. 

First time standing and he is natural!

Football season has started and Laien is a fan of the Lions just like his 'dada.' He knows how to say football and raises both hands up when we say touchdown. 

My football fans :)

A lot has  happened since I last blogged. We have not had a chance to go out and thrift as a family. But for Ethan, he is always hunting for treasures. 

That's his casual Friday outfit! (One of his finds while

thrifting)

I had to be sneaky and take this pic ;p

That's a brief update of what has been happening with the Johnson's! Because September has been a very busy month I have not had time to sew, blog and or do anything fun! Just this week I was able to jump on my sewing machine and make a fun skirt. My projects are piling up like crazy and I am hoping I get some of them done before work gets crazy busy. So keep an eye out for the next blog post. I made a cute skirt that has become a favorite :) I hope you all had a great September! "Wake me up when September Ends", a song by Green Day pretty much sums up our September. Click the link to listen to it :D