Reasons I Love Being A Mom This Week

Reason 1: Caden looks so cute in these monkey pajamas, I can't get enough!

Reason 2: While playing with Ethan in his tent we were having so much fun he said, "I'm happy mom." A couple minutes later he said, "I love you mom," and gave me a big hug. It melted my heart.

Reason 3: It is easy to make Caden laugh. And his deep voice laugh cracks me up everytime.

Reason 4: Everytime Ethan has something in his hand that resembles a microphone he gives a "church talk." His church talks are in a funny voice and he just mumbles. I'm pretty sure that is what he hears during church. This video is Ethan playing "Baa Baa Blacksheep," then realizing the mallet looks like a microphone ending with a "church talk."

Special Application

As we tucked Ethan into bed tonight, I was changing his diaper. He's been sick the last few days, and his little bum was starting to get sore, so I put on some of the special homemade cream that helps to soothe. Here was our conversation as I put it on:

Ethan: "I want to put some on by myself."

Dadda: "No, this is special cream for Mom and Dad to put on. It needs special application."

Ethan: "No, Dadda, it's not apple-ication...it's bum-ication."

Never a dull moment in this house!

Domestic Tips for Saturday

Tip #1: Feed your family for free on Saturdays by hitting Sam's club around lunch time for the yummy samples.

Tip #2: Cream of Celery soup is not interchangeable with Cream of Chicken soup. So if you accidentally buy Cream of Celery don't think it will work in your recipe as well as Cream of Chicken, it won't! In fact, I don't know what recipe it could work in - terrible stuff!

The end. (of my domestic moment).

4 MONTHS

Today Caden is 4 months old. He had his dr.'s appointment this morning and we found out he weighs more than Ethan did at 12 months (Ethan had lost a lot of weight from the rotavirus...but still), a whopping 18.9 lbs. (97%)! He is about 27 inches long (96%).

He is definitely a growing, healthy boy!

Caden's Tricks at 4 months:

He is such a happy little guy! He gives big grins anytime someone looks at him and talks to him. Sometimes we can get him to giggle, and when he smiles it is usually with his whole body.
He rolls from his back to his belly, and sleeps best on his stomach.
He likes sitting up in his Bumbo chair, playing with little toys, and putting everything in his mouth.
He is starting to like the exersaucer.
He still falls asleep in our bed, but then I move him to the Pack n' Play at the foot of our bed and he'll sleep 7-12 hours at night. He won't fall asleep in our arms anymore, either has to be put on a bed or in the carseat.
He has a voice and loves to make it heard! (I think he's competing against his brother).
He is fascinated by Ethan and lights up when he hears his voice, definitely more into Ethan than Ethan is into him.
Sometimes when he grins it is like he gets shy and he quickly ducks his head into my shoulder or looks away (it is so cute).
He is a little trooper and gets taken along to every outing without a fuss (except when we take him to the doctor for shots, and then the fuss is HEARTBREAKING). We just love this little baby (who is apparently not so little).

Just chillin' at the zoo

Day Out With Thomas

Today was a monumental day for our 2 year old Ee-Ee!

We braved the chilly weather and the rain to spend a day with Thomas! You would have thought it was Christmas morning around here, we've never seen Ethan so excited!

Last February Ethan picked a movie from the library that showed kids visiting Thomas around the country. After doing a quick google search I discovered that Thomas was actually coming to Boone, Iowa in September. So for the last 8 months we have been counting down. Ethan has been so excited to actually see Thomas, the last couple of weeks when the commercial for it came on TV he would run around the living room yelling, "I get to ride Thomas!"

His first glimpse of Thomas as he pulled into the station. He was dancing around and cheering.

All Aboard! Boarding the train.

The train ride was pretty fun! Ethan was pretty serious when the train started to go, a little overwhelmed with everything. He just had huge eyes the whole ride. We loved listening to the Thomas theme song as we went along.

The conductor gave Ethan and Caden a Jr. Engineer certificate at the end of our ride. Ethan generously gave Caden's to Clark. Clark has always wanted to be a Jr. Engineer.

When it was Ethan's turn to get his picture taken it was hard for us to get him to turn around. He wanted to chat with his good buddy Thomas.

After our train ride we participated in the other activities. Ethan could have spent all day driving these trains around the tracks. At one point this tent felt a bit claustrophobic during a heavy downpour, I've never seen more 2 year old melt-downs in my life! It made us really appreciate how well-mannered Ethan is!

Caden's always such a good little trooper!

I wish I could say I was wet from the rain, but apparently Caden's diaper needs to be changed more regularly than every 4 hours!

We ended our day by driving down the train tracks to a crossing where Ethan could watch Thomas in action. This was my favorite part of the whole day! Thomas gave Ethan some great whistles and peeps! All of the kids waved to us as they went by.

Even though it was several hours past his nap Ethan was too excited to sleep on the way home. For the 45 min. drive he just kept peeping like Thomas. "Can we go again, Peeeze?!" is what we have heard again and again tonight!

As a parent there is nothing more fun than seeing your child having the time of his life! Who would have thought that a day with Thomas could be so fun!

Scars of Summer

Summer has been fun and we've got the scars to prove it.

These cute little legs have been covered in bruises and scrapes all summer.

Tonight a big gash under the eye just added character to this dirty little face.

But yesterday was the real kicker. I went into Ethan's room to get him out of bed. As I was telling him good morning I was quite shocked to find my little boy looking like Fievel

One of his ears was red and swollen and poking out A LOT due to a bug bite of some kind!

I'm happy to report he was looking a little more normal today.

Unwind

Nothing better after a hard day's work than a good book, a bowl of nachos, and a little buddy.

Enamored

Just in case anyone was wondering...

we are still loving this little guy!

Seriously, babies are the best!

Milestone

At Ethan's 2 year appointment the pediatrician told us a milestone he should achieve during this year is pedaling a tricycle. Well he has that down.

Steering though, maybe that comes once you're 3.

Apple Orchard

Today was our second annual trip to Center Grove Apple Orchard! Last year the day we went was the same day we found out I was pregnant with Caden, so it was fun to go back a year later with him.

It is a rare occurrence to tire Ethan out, but today I succeeded! He ran, jumped and played hard for 3 1/2 hours. When both boys melted down at the same time that's when I knew we were done. The melt down came before I had a chance to pick any apples, but that's okay, we had so much fun playing at the farm.



There is nothing like swimming in a pool of corn.

Caden still needs some corn swimming lessons!

Ethan loved the farm animals.

There were 2 horses, a "daddy" and a "mommy" according to Ethan. He kept yelling out, "hi mommy," to the horse which I didn't appreciate a ton.

We liked exploring the 3 little pigs village.

We just needed a dunce cap to complete our visit to the little one room school house.

We sipped at the Mad Hatter's tea party.

And bounced on a pillow of air.

My favorite part was this awesome slide that you ride down in a sled.

We had such a fun day! I got a little sad realizing we won't be here next fall to have our third annual trip, I'm thinking only in Iowa will we ever find a swimming pool of corn!

Campfire Song

We first came across this great song when my Dad was here in June while he was looking for a new song to teach at Girl's Camp. Although I've never watched an episode of Spongebob, this song is somehow quite catchy. Ethan loves listening to the "piece of cheese" sing.

After listening to this song we decided it was time to have our own campfire night, and it had all of the elements of a pretty perfect evening...

A Hawaiian shirt,

Good friends,

Yummy S'mores,

Dutch oven chicken,

Good stories told,

And of course we sang the Campfire Song!

Now we have the mosquito bites to prove it!

2 Dollars

On Saturday Ethan and I had a little outing just the two of us to WalMart and Sam's Club. I figured this would be the perfect day for Ethan to get to spend his $2 that my Grandma sent to him when Caden was born.

On the drive there I asked him what he wanted to spend his money on, he immediately replied that he wanted to buy a treat. When I asked what kind of treat he said, "toothpaste." I told him we already had toothpaste and asked if there was something else he would rather buy. He said, "mmmm...a duck." After explaining to him that Walmart really doesn't have live ducks for sale, I decided to just wait until we got there and let him choose.

As we walked through Walmart he wanted to buy everything, my favorite was when he pointed to a can of Bacon Bits and yelled "I nee it." Pretty sure you don't NEE those buddy. Finally he settled on a $1 yellow recorder and a jar of play-doh for 88 cents. Oh how I tried to talk him out of that recorder! But he wouldn't budge, he wanted one like his friend Krew has.

We happened to make it to Sam's Club for free sample time. Ethan got a piece of pizza, a pickle slice and a juice box! As we left Ethan handed the lady our receipt and she drew a smiley face on it - he yelled, "It's my lucky day!"

I felt pretty lucky too to get an outing with Ee-Ee all to myself!

If you had a lucky day and got to spend 2 whole dollars at Walmart what would you buy?

You Have to Give Some to Get Some...

That is what Billy Blanks told me tonight as I was doing my "Tae-Bo Get Ripped Advanced Workout" video.

And I suppose Billy is right. It is so hard to get back in shape! Late tonight I was trying to figure out what to do for a workout (since I didn't get one in earlier in the day) and Clark reminded me about my great Tae-Bo videos that I have been moving around for the past 5 years, I used to love doing them in college, but we haven't had a VCR since we've been married so I forgot I even had them. Just the novelty I needed to motivate me to workout even though I was tired.

However, I felt more like I resembled Rex Kwon Do after doing a round house kick into the kitchen chair that was in our living room.

And then I felt really stupid when I hit myself in the chin doing some speed bag punches.

But I did it, you do have to give some to get some people!

While I worked out Caden did this: while Clark did this: all while Ethan slept soundly in his bed.

One good thing about the rolling hills of Iowa is that it keeps me from getting lazy on my jog/walks with the boys! Its impossible to be lazy pushing this 80 lb. tank up a hill (its gotta burn extra calories, right?) I'm seriously in denial about the season changing, I'm going to miss our little walks when the sidewalks are icy!