Preschool Friends

It has been so fun to watch Cason get so excited about going to preschool each week and I love the new friends he is making and the fun experiences he is having. October was my month to teach and it was a blast. It was so great for me to see Cason interact with his new friends and was also a lot of fun planning the lessons and activities each week. My teaching experience ended with a field trip to Staheli Family Farm and a fun Halloween party the following week. One of Cason's favorite things about preschool is picking out his show and tell each week. He has also made a great friend named James. It is so cute to watch them run to each other and give each other hugs. They have had play dates outside of preschool as well that Cason really looks forward to. I am so glad that we decided to go this route for preschool this year. He is having a great experience and we will have regular preschool to look forward to for next year. It has also been a fun experience for me :).

 

Wings and Wheels 2013

Cason absolutely LOVES police cars, fire trucks, airplanes, helicopters... you name it. Anything that resembles a vehicle, moves, or is loud is a favorite. They started a new thing at the airport this year called Wings and Wheels to raise money for a local air museum. We went with my mom in September and it was so fun to see Cason get excited about all of his favorite things being in one place. He was able to sit in the cockpit of an old fighter jet, spin the wheel of a vintage fire truck, and even tour an ambulance. Needless to say he was in heaven. Kevin was just content to sit in the stroller and watch the excitement going on around him. The day we went was the day he turned 9 months old. It is crazy that he is growing up so fast! It was a really fun day and I hope to go again next year.

And..... almost 5 months later

It has been almost 5 months since I have last posted on this blog.... eeek! We have done so many fun things and the boys have grown and changed so much over the summer. I feel awful that I have not kept up as well as I should have. For the past several weeks I have planned to take a big chunk of time and get all caught up, but it just hasn't happened. Funny that now I am a full time mommy I seem to have less free time than I did when I was working full time. Not sure how that works, but I guess my two cutie patooties really keep things busy around here. So... instead of getting all caught up at once I am going to start by catching up on the boys and then hopefully I'll go back and catch up the big events as I have time.

CASON (3 years, 4 months)

Cason is, of course, much more grown up now that he's 3. He started preschool 3 weeks ago and has been incredibly excited about it. This afternoon he played with his backpack on for at least 20 minutes before it was time to go and could not get out the door soon enough. I LOVE that he is loving it! A few other moms in the neighborhood and I are doing it out of our homes. It will be my turn to teach in October and I must say I am also pretty excited to be doing it as well.

He has also become quite the little helper. He's pretty well behaved -most of the time- and loves his little brother. He sometimes plays a bit rough with him, but also makes him smile and laugh more than anyone else. He loves to play outside in the yard on his bikes and with his friends. He also loves to play in the backyard on the swings and in his pool. The pool and slide have been a big hit this summer and we have spent many hours splashing around. He tends to obsess over specific toys for a few months before moving onto the next ones. Right now he really loves to play with his cars, trucks (especially tractors) and transformers. He is one of the most imaginative kids I have ever known and makes the cars and robots come to life when he plays. I love to watch and play along with him. He also LOVES to look for police cars, fire trucks, ambulances, and other big vehicles anytime we are outside. Just over a month ago I got a jogging stroller and the boys and I go for a run every morning. Cason loves it and it is so fun to have him point out everything exciting that he sees.

Cereal, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and meat are some of Cason's favorite foods. He refers to all meat as chicken and loves them all he same. Nighttime can be a bit of a struggle sometimes and lately he likes to have Jeff or I fall asleep with him so that he isn't "scary." We fought him for a little while, then I realized that he's still just my little baby and I should enjoy the time that he actually wants me to sleep with him :). Also, the 5 minutes it takes for him to fall asleep with me, hands down, beats the 45 minute power struggle trying to get him to sleep on his own.

Cason has always been a pretty affectionate kiddo and still loves to give hugs and kisses and tell us he loves us ALL THE TIME. Nothing beats an out of the blue bear hug from him. He loves to talk about "our family" and always includes Cheyenne. He still tells me that he is glad I stay home with him and he counts down the days to the weekend when daddy stays home too. He's rambunctious and fun-loving and sometimes a bit crazy and I would not change a thing about him.

KEVIN (8 1/2 months)

I can not believe that 8 months have gone by since our sweet baby Kev was born. In the last 4-5 months so many firsts have happened it has been hard to keep track! What I do remember is that he first rolled from front to back on 5/18/13, he then rolled from back to front the day he turned 6 months on 6/7/13. He is now crawling and has been for quite a while. He still does the army crawl and, if I had to bet, will probably just go straight from that to walking. He is very skilled at it and gets around quick! He also just recently started pulling himself up to the shorter furniture and can stand for a few seconds while holding on. He is always moving!!

Kev started eating solid foods when he was just over 5 months old and oh my how he loves his food. I haven't found a thing he won't eat yet. He had a harder time adjusting to the texture of meat, but loves it now. Cereal is still one of his favorites and he also loves watermelon and zucchini. Honestly, it is hard to tell which he likes the most because he inhales them all the same :). I have been making all of his baby food which has been a lot of fun for me.

Saying mama and dada are some of Kev's newest firsts. He usually says mama when he wants something and dada when he's playing and exploring. I've heard baba in there a few times and the last week or so he's been mixing it up with several different consonants in a row instead of the same over and over. He likes to blow bubbles with his tongue and expects you to do it back every time. When he's feeling particularly silly he likes to do it with a mouth full of food! He mimics us by sticking out his tongue and smacking his lips when we do. He also just started smacking his lips when we make kisses at him which I think is soooo precious!

Kev loves to be outside, loves to play inside, loves to be held, loves to play independently, loves to cuddle, loves to eat, loves walks, loves his mom and dad, LOVES his older brother, loves to watch the dog, loves to play with toys, loves to be on the move, loves to explore, loves baths, loves to be naked, and I could go on and on. He is honestly one of the most content, happy, easy going babies I have ever known. He smiles all the time, takes 2 long naps a day (like clockwork), gives the best hugs and kisses, and makes my life so easy! I just love him so much and feel so blessed!



Friends

I don't typically write mushy posts about my feelings and emotions. It's just not me. This blog has been more like a scrapbook for me to post my pictures and document the things I want to remember about my little family. However, Cason has moved on to a new phase in his childhood and I am really emotional about it... mostly in a good way :)... so I thought I'd take a minute to write down some of my thoughts.

We had some friends over to our house for a barbeque the other day and got talking about our kids... like we always do. I mentioned how afraid I am for Cason and Kevin to become teenagers and our discussion evolved into what it was like for us as teenagers and how we would handle situations with our children. I strongly believe that friends can make all the difference in a teenager's life. Luckily, I had amazing friends when I was younger. Without them I am sure I would have gotten into much more trouble than I did. As a parent I want to teach my children values and morals and do my best to become a friend and confidant, but I am not naive to think that their friends outside of the home will not have a huge impact on the choices that they make. I can only hope and pray that they choose good friends.

Just this past week Cason has been having his first experiences with friends. He plays with other kids often, but they are usually his cousins, our friend's children, or play dates that I have set up. In the past he has seen the neighbor boys out playing and will watch them, but doesn't venture out of our yard to go play with them. This past Saturday, with a little help from me, he pushed out of his comfort zone to play with them and I think surprised himself a little when he had a good time. On Monday he was out riding his bike in the front yard and surprised me when he rode over to the neighbors house ON HIS OWN to play. Yesterday, one of his new friends called to him from across the street to come play. Without any reluctance he rode his bike over and was very disappointed when I called him to come in for dinner a while later. Today we were loading up in the car to go to the store. His new friends were outside and he informed me "I need to go talk to my friends before we can go." Of course I had to let him go and I couldn't wipe the smile off of my face on the drive to the grocery store. Every single day since that first encounter he has played with these boys and has been excited about it.

I love this new phase in his life! When he is out playing with his friends I try to find excuses to let him stay out longer. I don't want to interrupt the fun he is having. I am excited for him to experience new things and gain the confidence that comes with making friends and being independent from his momma (as hard as it is for me to say that). I know that there is also some dissapointment that can come with making new friends and that he is bound to get his feelings hurt every once in a while. I also know that I can't shield him from everything painful that he will experience in this life. For now though I am going to try and forget about all of that and just encourage him in this new phase. I know that the friendships he develops now will pave the way for future friendships and instead of being afraid I am now excited to see what his future has in store for him. It's a bittersweet feeling to watch my baby grow up right before my eyes!

Before and After

For the past several months I have known that we needed to get Cason's haircut. Even though I have known it, however, I have done nothing about it. Taking a trip to a salon seemed like more work than it was worth and for some weird reason I have some anxieties about getting rid of his long hair... strange, I know. But, we finally did it and it looks amazing! It took about 30 minutes to convince him that it would be a good idea to cut his hair. He loves wearing a hat and really doesn't go much of anywhere without his hat lately. We told him that his hat would fit better if his hair was cut and that did the trick! He did so great at the salon and even flirted with his hair dresser. Unprompted he told her that she was "very pretty" and that she "cut hair good." What a charmer :). As we left I felt a little sad and, of course, thought it was too short, but I love it now. He's still the same cutie he has always been, just a little cleaned up. Here are his before and after pictures. I didn't brush his hair for the before pictures so it was extra crazy (but lets be honest, it has looked a bit crazy for a while now).

BEFORE

 

AFTER

 

AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THIS ONE IS, BUT AFTER I TOOK IT I COULD NOT STOP LAUGHING. CRAZY EYES!!

 

 

3 Months- went by way too fast

Our little Kevin is now 3 months old! I have a hard time believing that 3 whole months have gone by since he arrived. Sometimes I go throughout the day playing with the kids, feeding the kids, bathing the kids, and so on, and I don't stop to enjoy every moment the way that I should. And then sometimes I rock Kev to sleep at night after Cason has gone to bed and I just sit and stare at his perfectly tiny features and can't believe that he is mine and that I am blessed to have two amazing miracles. Kevin is so beautiful and sweet and innocent. I love him so much and am so grateful to have him in our family. If only I could slow down time so that he didn't grow up so fast :).

Likes:
to be held and talked to
the sound of mommy and daddy's voices
to have his clothes taken off
to smile and talk :)
the polar bear on his play gym
his caterpillar toy
to eat (still feels like every 2 hours for me)
being outside
being rocked to sleep... by mom only (very picky)
to suck on his fist
to pull mom's hair
to nap for about 45 minutes at a time, 4-5 times per day

Cason- Top 5

It's time to do another top 5 post about Cason (not in any particular order). I don't document even 1% of what I would like to, so now that I'm thinking about it I better take the time to dedicate a post to him.

1. Guitar and singing- Cason loves to get out his guitar and microphone and put on a show for us. He is full of energy and spunk and his little routine makes me laugh everyday. 

2. Phineas and Ferb- Potty training and being sick turned my son into a Phineas and Ferb aholic. He loves to watch the show, but also uses it all the time in his imaginative play. Everything in our house has turned into an "inator" and he is always singing the songs and saying one liners from the show.  A few days ago he said to me about his baby brother "Mom, this is a Kevin. They don't do much." Silly, silly boy.

3. Chocolate milk and PB&J- Cason would live off of chocolate milk and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches if I let him. He prefers his sandwiches cut into 4 squares and only eats the middle, no crust.

4. Flip flops, hat, sunglasses, and "mean things"- Feels most comfortable when he is fully clothed in his flip flops, hat, and sunglasses, with a "mean thing" in hand. A mean thing is anything long and skinny that could in anyway resemble a gun. He doesn't really know what a gun is or does and instead calls them mean things. When he has a mean thing he automatically turns into "a mean guy." He doesn't ever do anything mean, but switches back and forth between "a mean guy," "a nice guy," and "just a Cason."

5. Swinging- Cason loves to be outside. He loves to go for walks and to go to the park. Most of all he LOVES the swings. We have a great backyard with a playground just for him. He asks me multiple times everyday to push him on the swing and he will stay out there for hours.

6. (So I have to make it a top 6) Alphabet and reading- Cason loves the alphabet and loves to read books. He knows all of his letters and sounds and can name things that start with the letters. His favorite letters are T and I and he is always drawing them or making them out of things (popsicle sticks, toys, even macaroni and cheese). He also loves to sit down and read books, which I also love. I'll feel like I did at least one thing right if my children grow up to love books. 

S M I L E :)

Can't help but smile looking at his adorable smile! And those dimples.... I just can't resist :).

 

 

Potty Training, Corvette, Pneumonia, Easter

Wierd title for a post.... I know! However, it feels like the last few weeks in our home have all run together and this about sums it up. People have told me how hard and frustrating it can be to potty train a little boy, but I had no idea just how maddening it could be until I started with Cason. Add on top of that a Corvette purchase that, in my opinion, went terribly wrong, Cason getting pneumonia while the rest of the family was hit by a horrible strain of bronchitis (and mastitis for me... yippee), and missing out on a lot of Easter fun and you get a sad, stressed, and exhausted momma.

Enough of the ranting and complaining though. I am hoping that the worst is behind us AND while it wasn't the greatest month it did, of course, have it's bright spots. :)

We started potty training Cason back in September of last year. I thought that it would be great to get it over with before baby Kevin came. However, it was apparent from the beginning that Cason was just not ready and that it was my agenda running the show. This time around has been very different. He isn't 100% yet, but we are getting there, and I feel like he is doing pretty great considering he got incredibly sick a week into it. The first time around I was prepared with a potty chart, stickers, candy, prizes.... the whole shebang! This time all I needed was a bag of M&M's and Phineas and Ferb. He started out on Monday running around naked and after a few days was in his underwear. By Saturday we were out of the house in clothes and I am proud to say he didn't have a single accident. Cason loves wearing his underwear and loves being a "big boy." We still have some work to do, but overall I would say it's a success and we will not be going back to diapers, yay!!

 

The weekend after we began potty training Jeff and his brother planned a road trip to Sacramento to pick up a Corvette. It is Jeff's dream to one day rebuild and drive his own Corvette. For now, however, they will just be turning around and selling this one. They got a really great deal and are hoping to be able to make some money off of it. Unfortunately, on the way home they experienced some trouble and are going to have to put a lot more work into it than they had originally planned. My initial "I told you so" reaction has finally worn off and I am hoping that they can have some fun rebuilding the engine together. I am also hoping that we can break-even and get our money back. At least Jeff will get a little taste of his dream and for now Cason loves that daddy and Kenton have a "race car."

 

 



At the beginning of February both boys had RSV. No fun!! It took Kevin forever to get over it and he was miserable for weeks. We had to take him into the bronchiolitis clinic at the hospital everyday for over a week and he was almost admitted at one point. It goes without saying that Cason has had more than his fair share of illnesses in his short little life. This was his second round of RSV and I won't even go into everything else he has had in this post. It was no shock when we took him into the doctor a few weeks ago and he was treated for pneumonia. I could tell that something was wrong when he randomly fell asleep on the couch one afternoon. He woke up with an incredibly high fever and it went down hill from there. I was hoping that Kevin would be our healthy child and not have to experience everything that Cason has gone through, but so far in his short 3 months, the poor little kiddo has also been sick almost as much as he has been well. We took him into the doctor a week after Cason and sure enough he had bronchitis. This makes for long days and even longer nights. He struggles to stay asleep for a decent length of time because he wakes himself up coughing or not being able to breathe. Cason is now doing much better and Kevin seems to be on the mend. I am crossing my fingers that we can avoid anymore illnesses and have a healthy and happy spring and summer.

 

 

My niece Dilyn came down to stay with my parents the week before Easter. My mom planned a ton of Easter activities to do with all of the kids while she was here. Unfortunately, because we were all sick we weren't able to do most of them. I felt a little sorry for myself at the time, but we did end up having a pretty good Easter anyway. We were able to go to the egg hunt at my mom's work and the barbeque afterward with my brother. The Easter bunny found us and left the boys clothes and lots of candy. Cason got a kite and Keving got a cute little book. We didn't leave the house on Easter Sunday, but my mom did come over to spread some Easter cheer. She did a treasure hunt and Easter egg hunt with Cason. They also colored eggs and made a cute bunny car out of treats. I was so grateful to her for coming over. Without her it would not have felt like Easter at all.

 

First Photo Shoot

Our good friend, Tara, has taken all of our family pictures for the past few years.  She is very talented and such a great friend to put up with us :).  Just before Kevin turned 2 weeks she came to our house for his first photo shoot.  I am so glad that she was able to capture him so perfectly at this age.  I love the way the photos turned out!! 

Here are some of my favorites.  Check out the rest of Tara's work at tarahphotography.blogspot.com.