My 2 Year Old Caden

At 2 years old Caden has stolen my heart.  He is such a little talker, and his low voice is so funny I just want to bottle him up and remember everyday at this age.

He is such a little mocking bird.  If he hears it he will repeat it.  Sometimes the sentences that come out of his mouth just make me laugh.  He just sounds so much older than he should.  I love how he says "nuggle," and how he still loves to snuggle with his momma.  I love when he adds "y" to the end of words like when he wants to eat eggies for breakfast, or wants a kiss on his cheeky.

He pronounces most words pretty clearly, but one night at dinner he kept calling his tater-tots, "tooter-tots," which made Ethan laugh pretty hard.

I like how he addresses everyone by name, "I love you Dadda," "I will do it Momma," "I like your jammies Ethan."

He has a funny sense of humor and when he says something that he thinks is funny he will fake laugh until he gets a reaction.  This video shows the other day when he thought it was so funny that I was wearing a flower in my hair.  He laughed at me all day:

When he wakes up in the night, or is having a hard time going to sleep he loves to hear a froggy story.  I don't know how this started, but it has dried many a tear at our house.  I just have to make up a story about a frog and it always has to end with the frog catching a big fish, cooking it and eating it just like Caden did at the lake.

He doesn't like nicknames, which is really hard for me because I am constantly making up little names for my boys.  He gets mad and says, "I not your (insert nickname here), I CADEN!"  Just the last week has started to call me Momma Bubble Gup and I can call him my Baby Bubble Gup.  That is it, don't try buddy, cutie, sweetheart with him!

I think its really funny when he gets hurt, frustrated or angry he says, "I wanna go to bed."  On the flip side when things are going well he has to tell us, "I happy."  

He has his signature dance move that looks like driving a car down a bumpy road:

His favorite buddy is Ethan.  They usually play together really well.  

This photo pretty much captures their relationship perfectly.

This one shows how Caden wants to be just like his big brother.

Among all of the adorableness, the 2 year old determined personality is starting to be stronger and stronger! When he wants something he is pretty determined to get it.  The other night he woke up needing a drink, I got him some water.  He yelled, "no I want chocolate milk."  I told him he wasn't having chocolate milk in the middle of the night, so he started screaming for a juice box.  Desperate to get back to sleep I gave him a few sips from a juice box, he then demanded that he wanted his juice in a blue cup!  Seriously!?  Who is this kid?

These videos are just a little interview trying to capture my low talking little 2 year old.  Normally he just chatters constantly, but of course when I want to record it he won't talk, so this is the best I got.

I'm just so grateful for this little boy.  All of the time I think back on the scare we had with his health last November, it makes me remember that every normal day is such a gift!

Gonna Wash That Man Right Out of My Hair

The man I am referring to is ANTONIO!  If you remember this post, Antonio was the man who made me look like this:

Finally, 8 months, 2 haircuts, and cutting off 6 inches of hair the traces of Antonio are gone from my life forever!  The mullet bangs can now blend in as a normal looking layer curly or straight!

Hair is better, but still got the crazy eyes!

Good-bye Antonio, and GOOD RIDDANCE!!!

Grammy's First Visit to Greeley

So if there is anyone that can rival this guy with his bag full of toys:

It is Grammy Tammy with her magic suitcase!!!

We had so much fun last week with Grammy visiting.  Everyday the boys got a surprise out of her magic suitcase and they loved it.  We had so much fun with her here!

We visited the Fritzler Farm and loved the fall activities.

Getting ready to go on the ATV roller coaster ride.  Caden lifted his hands on all of the hills and giggled the whole time.

Clark and Ethan had fun on the paint ball experience shooting paint balls at the targets from the bus.

Who doesn't like a little punkin chunkin?

Grammy was a good sport to take Caden on the pedal go-karts.  Clark had run a half-marathon that morning and could barely walk.  I was having some pregnancy issues and could barely walk.  Between the 2 of us we were pretty pathetic.

We made a trip to Fort Collins to explore the city and do a little shopping.

We survived 20 free tokens at Chuck E. Cheese.

And Grammy even made cookies with the boys, the dough is like play-doh and they loved it!  I did not try any cookies after seeing the procedure!!!

All Grammy wanted was a cute picture of the boys in their Sunday best!  This was the best we could do.  My boys aren't posers!

Now she is currently on the airplane, almost back to Idaho, and I'm sad!  The older my boys get the more I wish we could live by Grandparents!  Thanks for everything MOM!!!  WE LOVE YOU LOTS!!!

Romania Preschool Week

For Ethan's preschool we are doing an Around the World theme.  This past week was my first week to be the "teacher."  We had so much fun learning about Romania.  I was so glad my mom was here to help, I think next time I will simplify things a bit.  Everything went pretty well, except our Rolling Parade.  I just assumed that all of the kids would be able to pedal, or scoot...but that was a big assumption.  Its a good thing our little retirement community has very little traffic, we won't be trying that one again!

The kids loved putting on Romanian clothes and dancing!

They loved the puppets!

They loved the crafts, finger painting and making plastic Faberge eggs.

They loved snacks and being silly!

But no one loved the week more than little Caden.  He cries when we drop Ethan off at preschool, he says, "I'm sad, I want to go to school too."  Well, this week he got to be a big boy and come too.  Although it doesn't look like it in the following picture the group just accepted him and he had a great time!

I loved it, but have to say I'm glad that is not my full-time job!  4 year olds are busy!!!

Almost a Home

Last week I had some motivation to get some boxes unpacked and our house looking more like a home, I wanted to get it done before my mom came to town.  I did more in 4 days house wise than I have in the past 2 months.

I'm excited about the boy's cowboy room!  I enlarged my pictures at Sam's Club, found frames at a thrift store for a few dollars and spray painted everything.  I found a few extra embellishments at Hobby Lobby on sale.

This is the Daddy-Son wall.  The boys love it!

Another photo collage on the wall.  There were just too many cute cowboy pictures of the boys to choose from.  I got the rope from a tractor supply store, you can buy it by the foot...let's just say I felt a little more in my element at Hobby Lobby.

I made the boys letters to go above their beds with ribbon, scrapbook paper, and modge podge.

I love our little preschool room that is part of the playroom.  I found this cute little table and bookshelf on Craigslist.

I made the play, learn, grown signs on Photoshop using digital chalkboard scrapbook paper and chalk.  I found the frames at a thrift store and thought they looked perfect to border my little "slates."  I got the letters at the Dollar Store and tied them together with ribbon.

I'm down to one room left to tackle...our bedroom.  We are still needing a box spring so we can put our bed together, and I told Clark that should be our next priority, the pregnant lady is having a hard time getting herself off the mattress in the middle of the night!

Living in the Retirement Center

I love our house here, we really were blessed to find a great house to rent for a great price.  Our neighborhood is definitely quiet and safe feeling.  When people find out that we pretty much live in a retirement community they usually say, "oh I bet they love your boys, they must love having you there."

That would be nice.  But pretty much no, we are not liked.  I think we cause great stress and maybe some entertainment to our neighbors.  I feel like we are constantly watched, and judging from the slats in the blinds opening I think I'm right.

One benefit is that they take neighborhood watch to a whole new level here!  Last week our trash guy somehow missed picking up our trash.  After going through the HOA president we were able to arrange to have our trash picked up Monday (our normal trash day is Thursday).  So Monday morning I put our trashcan out on the curb.  A few hours later I looked out the window and noticed our trash can was missing. I went outside and found it had been pulled back up our driveway and was leaning against the garage.  I hauled it back to the curb and then opened all the blinds to watch for the "overly helpful neighbor."  I couldn't believe it!  The next day while I was walking one of the neighbors approached me to tell me he was the one who pulled in my trash, but then when he called to report me to the HOA president he learned that it was out for a reason.  He didn't apologize, or anything...just stated the facts.  It was bothering him so much that I would pull my trash can out on the wrong day!

Let's call a truce people, I won't touch your trash if you won't touch mine!

The Flashing Lights

A few days ago we were all riding along in the car when Clark got pulled over.  As the officer was checking everything out I looked back at Ethan and his eyes were as big as saucers, he looked so scared.  In a quiet little voice he asked, "Daddy, are you going to jail?"

I'm happy to report no jail time, and not even a ticket.  Ethan is recovered from the scare too.

3...4 and Under

I am looking and feeling quite pregnant the last few weeks.  Tonight while I was cooking I was about ready to make a comment to Clark about how big my belly is when I burned my belly on the pan I was using, now there's your sign!  No comment necessary, just a painful reminder that I forget how large and in charge I really am.  

I'm starting to get the comments from strangers.  I have had two ladies this week approach me to ask if I am having a girl this time.  When I tell them we're having another boy they give me such looks of pity, then they immediately ask, well how far apart will all these boys be in age?  Caden will be about 2 1/2 when this baby is born, I don't feel like they are spaced so close together to warrant such looks of concern.  But all these well meaning, worried women have made me start to panic.  Do you all know something I don't know?  Am I in trouble having 3 boys 4 and under?!

But then I remember who my boys are.

My little boys are fun.  They are not quiet.  When we are out and about they probably look and sound more like 6 little boys and 2 pet monkeys.  We are always noticed in public.  For example, on Friday we had to literally sprint not once but twice into gas stations for an urgent potty break!  The last time Ethan about tripped a lady as he dashed in front of her through the door while announcing he had to go potty really bad.  

Our last 2 Walmart visits were also quite fun.  A few days ago I was pushing one of those carts that have the extra seats on the front for kids...making the cart about 5 feet longer than it should be.

That afternoon Ethan was so sleepy.  He kept falling asleep and his head would fall onto Caden, or onto the bar of the shopping cart.  Caden on the other hand was quite energetic.  He kept singing, "baby you're a firework," at the top of his lungs in his deep little baritone voice.  The combination of the bobbing head and the singing made me giggle uncontrollably, I had tears.  Oh my, I got so many strange looks, but still I couldn't stop laughing.

Then today, we were making a quick Walmart run so I once again used the Cadillac sized cart, but didn't buckle the boys in.  Of course, they were climbing all over the seats pretending it was their rocket ship.  I was trying to hurry through and wasn't paying much attention when I hear Ethan tell Caden to put on his parachute, then he counted down from 5 and Caden literally jumped out of the seat (as we were moving) right in front of a cart coming the other way.  Luckily the lady stopped before running him over and I got him back in the cart.  When I asked what in the heck they were doing, Ethan explained that their rocket ship was about ready to explode so he saved Caden by pushing him out of the cart.

And it made me smile.  Because even though we may sound like a small 3 ring circus everywhere we go, I do think my boys are fun.  And I'm really excited to add another little one to this crazy mix!  I just hope he's ready to play!

A Big Day for My Little E

Today Ethan had his first day of preschool.  We are doing a home preschool co-op with 4 other moms here, so we rotate having the class at our different houses.  We only do 2 days a week, for 1.5 hours.  I'm excited to set up our little preschool room and be a teacher again.
Ethan felt the full gauntlet of emotions.
He was a little bit contemplative:

A little bit nervous:

And a lot excited: 

When we got to the house he bolted out of the car and never looked back.  According to Ethan his first day was "great."

Later this evening he had another big first.  His first day of Mighty Mite soccer!  He was nervous, the last few days he kept asking questions like, "what if I never score a goal?" or "what if I kick the ball the wrong way."  But soccer practice proved to be the favorite part of the day for this little boy who loves to run! 

Judging from the way he fakes injuries already, I believe he will be a really good little soccer player.  Every time he got hot and wanted a break he would fall to the ground and tell his coach he was hurt.  Then he'd run over to me, get a sip of water and head back out.  It was pretty funny.   

Now Ethan is sound asleep, today wore him right out.

Caden on the other hand is not asleep, he is downstairs jumping and singing in his crib.

Today was a hard for the little brother.  After we dropped him off at preschool he kept saying, "I want to go too Momm-o."  During soccer practice I kept having to chase him off the field.  "I want to play soccer ball too Momm-o, I big too."  

Now I need to get used to having my Tuesdays and Thursdays so scheduled out, a fun new phase for us.