Blog: To Be Continued Soon

I'll be back to my regularly scheduled blogging soon. But until then, here are a few pictures to show what I've been up to recently

Jealous???

Zoo-riffic!

Last week my friend, Megan and I took her nephew, Andrew (son of Dr. Mudd from the previous tooth doctor post) and Caden to the zoo. It was a beautiful day (only in the high 80's) and the boys had a great time. I love watching Caden interact with other kids - especially older kids. On this particular day, "interacting" with Andrew meant doing everything that he did

Whether that was climbing

or yelling, "Gross!" at the monkeys

Caden idolized Andrew

'cause he wasn't quite big enough to do everything that Andrew could (but he sure tried!)

The boys loved exploring the zoo and looking at the animals
They each got to go on a ride. Andrew chose the train, and Caden picked the carousel. Actually he didn't pick the carousel, he just did not pick the train - "No choo-choo, no choo-choo."

By the end of the morning, we had two (ok, at least one) hot and tired kiddos
But they had definitely become new BFFs

Tooth Doctor

This week Caden had his first visit with the dentist. Doesn't taking a two year old to the dentist just make you shudder? Luckily, we know CP's dentist very well. Dr. Cara Mudd (and her sister, Megan) grew up two doors up the street from me. She moved back to CO and opened up a pediatric dentistry office almost a year ago - just in time for Caden to grow teeth!

Everyone in the office was amazing. They made all of us feel so comfortable and were so accommodating. He started out by sitting by himself in the big chair and getting a hug from the monkey
He quickly decided that he needed me to join him in the big chair. Doesn't it look like he was having a fantastic time? He was - he loved Miss Linda the hygienist!

Dr. Mudd (so fun to call her that!) gave us a lesson on teeth brushing

and then wanted to take a look in Caden's mouth (how dare her!). We ended up turning him so his legs her wrapped around my waist and we laid him back into Cara's lap. That was a good time! Cara seemed to have a system for this, so I'm assuming (hoping!)this has happened before.
Such a bummer that the pictures with Cara are blurry - their was a fingerprint on the lens :( You still get the idea, though.

Afterwards we stopped at Chick-fil-A for a little celebratory chicken (such an easy guy to please!). Here's hoping our appointment in January goes as well as this one did. Thank you Ridgeview Pediatric Dentistry

Heritage Square

If you grew up in G-town, you know Heritage Square. It's legendary! Most people we know have worked there at some point in their lives (including JZ and me!), and everyone has ridden the alpine slide, seen a show at the Music Hall, and watched fireworks on the 4th of July. Well, that was then. Now Heritage Square is a little...smaller. Many of the stores have closed and the restaurant I worked in is about 1/4 the size. But, the alpine slide is still up and running, and the number of rides has doubled, so not all is lost.

A few days ago, JZ and I took Caden to Heritage Square for the first time. We weren't sure what to expect - new place, new things - but he had a fun time. Mostly. Don't expect many smiles in these pictures, but no tears either - they'd already dried up by the time we snapped the pictures!

The first ride we went on was the banana scrambler. CP thought he wanted to ride. Then when he started getting buckled in, he changed his mind. We made him go anyway, and he ended up having a blast(ish - again, no smiles, but no tears either).

Next, we rode the carousel. Caden has ridden many a carousel in his day, but this time was a little more fearful. Apparently black horsies are bad news. This carousel had LOTS of black horsies - uh oh! Luckily, we were able to find a white and purple horsie instead.

Afterwards, we had a little lunch at a kiddie picnic table outside, and made some new friends (Cade and Cole that were visiting from Texas and Ontario, Canada).

And then you-know-who had a great time jumping in the misters

After the misters we decided to go on the little train that goes around the park. Caden likes trains, but he's not so sure about going on them (remember, a little fearful these days). We had been trying to get him to go on the train all afternoon. He kept saying, "No train." So, what did we, the kind, understanding parents do? Why, we put him on the train, of course! We decided that we needed to show him that it wasn't scary. We thought he'd stop crying once the train started (that's what we told the conductor anyway!). He did, but he rode the whole way like this...

Eventually he got super brave and lifted his head

Part way through the ride it started raining. Hard. We couldn't do anything except laugh. It was a funny way to end our fabulous day at Heritage Square!

26 months

Dear Caden,
Today you are 26 months old. That means that you have been rocking our world for the last 112 weeks. Or 791 days. Or 1,137,600 minutes (you know, give or take a few). However you calculate it, we've loved it and you.

You have grown so much in the last 68,256,000 seconds (ha, I just can't stop myself!). You still love music of any kind - guitar, drums, singing, and dancing.

You have some amazing soccer skills and your pitching arm...well, let's just say it's not quite as strong, but it's coming along too (it shouldn't surprise me though. You are the same kiddo that kicked one of my ribs out of place while you were in utero and that spend the majority of your first few months of life lying on your back kick,kick, kicking!).

Your are still an amazing sleeper, love the water, and being outside.

Although you are in the throws of two-year-oldness, you have all of us wrapped around your little finger. You do get frustrated easily and can throw one heck of a tantrum, but you get over it and move on quickly.

You are as stubborn as your daddy, as emotional as your mama, and as opinionated as both of us!

You talk a mile a minute and never forget anything. Here are a few funny things you've said recently:

- "Welcome GaGa house" (every time you or anyone else visits GaGa, you welcome them to GaGa's house)

- "Oh honey" (pronouned 'hauney' and said while hugging me on the way up to bed)

- "Ha-oh. Yes." (said while cradling a telephone)

- "Oh Man!"

- "Green. Go-Go, Daddy!" (at a stoplight)

- "JZ!" (calling for you-know-who)

You're still pretty fearful of loud noises, and it takes you a few minutes to warm-up to new places. That's ok, a little fear is good, I think!

You still giggle up a storm and if you find something that makes the rest of us laugh you do it over and over and over...

You can say *most of* your colors correctly and are starting to count - usually it goes 1, 2, 6, 3, 5, but you're getting the idea of what a number is.

I'll just say it. You are adorable. I mean really, ADORABLE. I don't think it's just because you're mine, but maybe it is. Sometimes your cuteness is your saving grace, if you know what I mean

You never stop moving, and easy-going to not a word I would use to describe you, but you're so fun. I think that everyone needs a little Caden in their life - to keep their parenting skills in check and to keep them laughing.

You are becoming so sweet and cuddly (well, maybe not soooo, just more than you were). Last night you let me rock you and sing to you without trying to wiggle out of my arms. You just looked up at me and snuggled. I get goose bumps just thinking about it! You are starting to become very empathetic and worried if people are crying or hurt. The other day you kissed Grandpa Kim's bruised elbow over and over again.

Sweet boy, you are such a gift. At the end of the day, whether it has been hard or super fun, I get to shout from the rooftops that I am your mommy. Lucky me.

I love you thiiiiiis much,
Mommy :)

Golf

Caden might be on to something.

If you are struggling with your golf game, try a bigger ball.

It's just as fun!

Just a little advice from "The Prince"

Wordless Wednesday

Our Little Firecracker

Happy Independence Day!

We had a super fun day with our little firecracker. We began the morning with a neighborhood parade. Nana, Papa, and GaGa all came over to help us decorate the wagon...
and we joined the rest of the neighborhood kids for a parade through the neighborhood...

complete with a police escort!

The Prince enjoyed the activity

Belle did not

Afterwards we played at the park,
ate popsicles,
and met the nice policeman
All while wearing matching t-shirts!
When we got home, Caden played in his pool and with the sprinkler
That night we let CP stay up waaaaay past his bed time to watch fireworks.
It was worth it.

Happy 4th of July from our little firecracker!