I love my kid!

After dinner Kaiden jumped out of his chair to hide from "the monster."

His hiding place was under the blanket on our bed with his hard hat (with a light) and favorite Buzz Lightyear guys.

After that was dance party time! Gabba dance party time to be exact. Each song on his gabba cd is his favorite and he gets super excited at the start of each one.

As the four of us danced around his room without a care in the world, I thought how lucky my sweet boy is. He has (at least) three adults that are pure putty in his hand and will pretty much do anything to make him smile on demand.

Next, he had us all sit in a circle and stand up one by one to play balloon catch.

Then he ran to get his leftover grapes from dinner and laid out a bath mat for picnic time. He made us all meals on his grill and we all sat together to eat!

While he had us in a circle, he took advantage and had his daddy read him lots of books. There's nothing cuter than a daddy lying down reading to his baby as he's on his tummy with his legs in the air, ankles crossed and purely engaged. Love it!

Last, but surely not least, him and daddy ended the night with "dragon warrior nerve attack" wrestling. =)

I love my kid!



Funny Things

Kaiden's imagination is growing. He plays by himself a lot more now and makes his toys interact. I love that!!!

When he woke up yesterday he wouldn't go into the kitchen and wanted me to carry him. When I asked why, he said:

"There's two dogs in there. Two white dogs. They gonna get me. Oh! I scared!!!"

His "thing" the past two days has been:

"What I do at school today?"

And then we have to ask him what he did at school and he says:

"I don't know!" and then laughs hysterically afterwards. Ha! He's a noodle!

Last night he had a superhero - animal throwdown on his train table. All the his superhero and animal figures were fighting each other, it was hysterical! ...and kind of violent! lol.

At dinner last night Kev told him he had to eat 3 more bites of sweet potato to get dessert. Kaiden kept saying "no one!" and Kev kept saying "no three!" and so he took his first bite and Kev was counting and said "one.." and Kaiden said "yeah, one!" like he was done. When Kev said two more, he said "no, you no count no more!" Our boy tries to negotiate EVERYTHING! ;-)

We were eating lunch yesterday and he held up his half eaten banana and said:

"We share?"

Awww! I said thanks bud and took a bite. When I started to give it back to him he said:

"No. You eat it yourself!" lol.

We were reading the Cat In The Hat one day and it starts off with the kids being bored inside b/c it's raining outside. He puts his head down and starts to whimper and says:

"I so sad! I inside all day!"

and when I asked him if he wanted to go out, he said:

"No! It's raining!!"

It wasn't. lol. But the whole scene was very dramatic. He's a drama llama, for sure!

He literally makes me CRACK UP every single day. I love this stage so so much! Every day is something new!

Happy Friday!

Stage 4 Clinger

So, I'm in the midst of trying to find a semi-inexpensive way to turn my last two years of blog posts into a book. So far, nothing solid.

Going through old posts has brought forth tons of emotion. I literally feel like Kaiden's baby/toddlerhood is all of a sudden being yanked from my death grip. I'm trying to hold on so tight and the universe is not budging. Along with tearing up as I type, I cried on the way home last night. I'm overwhelmed with joy and sadness. I feel like the moments are passing by too quickly and I can't keep up. How do I capture in photos and words how much this boy means to me? I'm convinced it can't be done and I feel defeated.

Along with that, I'm ready to move. Where we are right now is just not home. We have two places that make sense to move: back to Va Beach (the common ground) or to KS, closer to Kev's family. I've imagined our lives in both places and can come up with good and bad for both. I made a pros and cons list and Va Beach won, but the pros on the KS side were heavy (more home for your money and better schools) were just two on that side, and those are pretty big deals, ya know? I feel like it's all on my shoulders to make the absolute right decision and that it will ultimately define who Kaiden grows up to be. I know, I'm a bit dramatic, but it's true. Just thinking about it makes me want to throw up.

So for now, I'm choosing to focus on something smaller, that doesn't make me want to throw up. His books. I want to do one of his first year too (before the blog) but lost all my email updates from that time. =( Anyone still have those? Please please please please!! I'm pretty much obsessed with doing this right now and have started making layouts. I want something I can customize and make my own. I just need to soak up the last (almost) 3 years like.right.now!

I'm clinging. He's growing. My tears are streamin'. If I'm gone for awhile, now you'll know why.

Ahhhh, at least he still likes to snuggle! =)

Hello 60 degrees in December & my New Years Resolution.

Yup you read right, it was in the 60's here yesterday!! The wind was craaaazy, but still. SIXTY DEGREES!!! I felt the overwhelming need to make the day count. Not let it slip through my fingers as I seem to do with a lot of other things lately. With this overwhelming need, came the pressure. Pressure to get things moving and think of an activity that was low cost (hello, xmas was just last week), but high impact. The ground was still wet from the day prior, so park, playing in our mess of a backyard or anything along those lines were out. Then I thought of the zoo and it turned out Kev had a free ticket that expired at the end of the year. Perfect.

Oh so I thought.

See, when I turn up the heat and feel the need to make the best, most perfect day ever, I fail. It never fails, but I always seem to. Kaiden is used to a laid back mama and when I get all get up! move it! you don't need that! eat that! do this and that and this again! on him, he loses it too. I lose my patience and he loses all ability to do anything I ask of him.

Yesterday morning I lost my cool and tried to make up for it at the zoo. By the time we got there, he didn't even want to be there. I was determined to make the best of it though.. for him. And he kept it truckin'.. for me. This is our day according to our conversation about it this morning:

Me: Did we go to the zoo yesterday?

Him: yes!

Me: What did you see?

Him: Panda Bear! Like panda panda (kung fu panda)! He was swimming and went like this (making flip like motions). Ha ha. He's funny!

Me: Oooh! You mean a polar bear. Yes, he was funny and was swimming and doing flips!!

Him: Yeah, polar bear.

Me: What else?

Him: Uhhh...

Me: Did you see a lion?

Him: Yeah! He was brown and big and his eyes were open. Not closed. And he went rraaarrrrr and scared me!!

Me: Oh, did you see him on a sign or in real life?

Him: Real life.

(Africa was closed, so he only saw the Lion on a sign and those signs really made an impression..lol)

Me: What else?

Him: Sea Lion! He was swimming!! And peacocks, I no like peacocks. They in they casa. And flamingos on the fench.

Me: Yup! And did you see elephants?

Him: Yeah! Strong like dada! (we never talked about how they were strong prior =)

Me: How do they eat?

Him: Tunks!! (then he put his nose to the couch to pretend he was eating)

Me: Very good! Yummyummyumyum. Did you see monkeys?

Him: Yeah. (with a scared look on his face)

Me: Was he really close to you?

Him: Yeah. He scare me!!

Me: But he had funny toes, huh?

Him: Yeah!!!

(This monkey was awesome! He had his feet on the glass and arms hanging from a branch. When we walked up, he inched over to right in front of our faces. He just stared right into my eyes. 2.5 seconds later Kaiden was jumping out of my arms. LOL. He was not a fan of being that close to the monkey. Oops!)

When I pulled out my camera to take a pic, he jumped away and that when I realized I didn't have a memory card in the camera. Drats!!

Me: Did you see frogs and deer?

Him: Yeah, frogs are blue! Mama fed the deer. They scared me!!

(everything after the monkey scared him and that was everything besides the polar bear =)

Me: Did you go down a really big slide?

Him: Yeah!!!!!!! With odder kids and a lady picked me up. Gotta go on your bottom!!!

This story is really cute. There's this two story slide in the Discovery Barn and he saw all the older kids going down it. He wanted to go, but with me. I told him I was too big and he'd have to go by himself. So we get up there and he backs out. Then we go outside to talk about it and he says he still wants to go down. I talk him through it and he said he was ready to go by himself. So we get up to the front again and he bails. Then we take a moment to watch the other kids and he said he was ready again. This time, he did it!! I tried to run down the stairs as fast as possible. I'm almost down when I hear his cry. I was praying he wasn't stuck in the slide. Uhh..I get down there and this lady is picking him up. I asked what happened and she said he came down head first (there is padding at the bottom thank goodness). Crap! I scooped him up and cuddled him for a bit. He was traumatized. Umm, yeah, that backfired. He must have turned around somehow in the slide. I took him outside and said over and over how proud of him I was and that sometimes you get hurt, but not to be afraid to try again. He said ok and we left. He passed out on the car ride home. (I think the "go down on your bottom" part came from the lady that picked him up...one, I didn't say it and two, I don't say bottom =)

The moral of this whole post is that I lose my patience. I'm not a perfect mother. I want to be better and I want to find the balance of making it count and enjoying the small things. Kaiden and I are at our best when we are just in the moment together. When he has my full attention and when I'm relaxed. I have dedicated my time and efforts to be the mother I want to be. I don't always succeed, but for the most part, I think I'm doing pretty good. My New Years resolution is to be more confident in the mother that I am. To find the balance. To treat him how I always wanted to be treated as a kid. And most of all, be patient. He has given me something to finally be proud of - being his mama. I hope I don't disappoint!

Happy New Years Eve, friends. Here's to finding the balance in 2011!! Love you!

Chirstmas Decor, The Mohawk & Post-Christmas Joy!

My favorite Christmas decor:

I lurrrrve this snowman!! I drew 3 circles on the paper, told him to put glue in the circles and put the cottonballs where the glue was. He put the eyes on, the hat (that I already had pre-cut) and the arms. I did the nose, mouth and scarf. He LOVED this craft and wanted to make more...but we ran out of supplies. LOL.

 That little snowman is from last year. I love it!! Love the sign too, got that this year and well, the transformer just adds to the charm, don't ya think?

 I got this wreath this year at Walmart. It wasn't on sale (like I usually like to buy things) but it was just too cute and for $15, I really couldn't pass it up!

 Love this little Santa!!!

 Gotta throw Jesus up in the mix! After all, it is His celebration. We scored this from Kev's mom a couple years back.

I saw this craft somewhere on the Internet. I'm all about using what I have and what I had was some fuzzy paper so his handprints came out kind of funky, but I love it!!!

Between school parties, Santa and just for the fun of it, we had a lot of cookies this month. So I'm pretty sure chocolate fingerprints and crumbs were a huge part of our decor this year. I wouldn't have it any other way!!

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The Mohawk:

I saw this hat at Old Navy while I was out shopping for xmas gifts. Had to have it!! We get stopped all.the.time. by people wanting to know where we got it!! Love it!

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The best thing after Christmas is enjoying all of your gifts. We got some great gifts and that comes in handy in these coooooooooooold winter months. LOL.

 Can I just tell you how excited I am that it is board game age....yay!!!!!

 He's even enjoying daddy's gifts!!

 Muscles!!

 Punch!

 Kick!

 Streeeeeeetch!

 Dancing is the funnest workout! My boy knows what's up!

 Dress up hide and seek!

 You can even have fun with new towels and pjs!!

 Shark attack!!

 Peek-a-boo!

Christmas Day 2010

My sweet boy was spoiled this year and I'll be the first to admit that he totally deserved it!! ha!

Well, I really don't think any child needs as much as he got. However, if there was ever a kid to get showered with as many gifts as he received and still manage to be super gracious throughout the process, it would be him. I love the expressions he made and excitement he possessed over the little things as much as the big. I love my sweet-natured boy and he made Christmas as beautiful as can be...and he literally played with every.single.thing he received all weekend. It really makes you feel good!! Enjoy!

(Note from the tech guy: We had some issues with the video, but it's after 1 a.m. and I'm going to bed.
 The video will begin at the 24 second mark.)...thanks hun! If you're interested, I had Dru Hill's 'This Christmas' playing with the original video. Just open in a different window and enjoy while viewing, it really makes the video in my opinion. =)

Christmas Morning

The three of us slept together on Chrismas Eve night. Kaiden was awake by 6:30 and we were out of bed around 7:30. I whispered Merry Christmas in his ear and carried him into the living room...

Thank you Aunt Brandi and Uncle Chris (ok..and Jackson =) for Kaiden's new truck!! He's a little scared to drive it now, but spent all day yesterday getting in and out of it and "driving" Elmo to work. When it's no longer 18 degrees outside, we'll test it on some real terrain. Love and miss you guys!

My most precious gifts

Through all the hustle and bustle of the season, I hope you took a moment to reflect on your most precious gifts. Gifts that don't come wrapped in santa wrapping paper and a pretty bow. Rather the ones that fill your heart and life with such happiness that you have to pinch yourself every now and then to make sure you're not dreaming. I can't imagine my life without my two boys in it!! They have literally stripped away the meaning of what I thought love was and showed me true love. As much as I am always dreaming for bigger and better, they are it. The 'bees knees' if you will (thanks Lauren). I couldn't live without them and I hope I never have to. I love them more than myself, more than anything. I am blessed and so thankful for them and sometimes don't feel worthy. But I know that God hand picked them just for me and I will be forever grateful.

I love you both so much!!

Mama

Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve morning we woke up to a little snow. It didn't last long and quickly melted, but it was nice to see a little bit anyway.  

We drove down to see some family and our first stop was to see this sweet boy, Collin.

Then we were off to see Toots & Jr.

Kaiden, of course, had to have a honey bun while we were there. lol.

Next we went to see Onie (Toot's sister) at her job. I didn't get any pictures, but Kaiden was so great with her and just talked her ear off! I could tell it really made her day!!

Then we went to see some more family at Aunt Ava's. Here's a pic Kaiden took of Ava and Steve.

Then, the final stop was over at Grandma Dorsey's house. We enjoyed exchanging gifts and a yummy dinner with Kevin's immediate family. We got to see Anabelle who was so big and just too cute!!

Kaiden got his first taste of anything carbonated (punch with sprite in it) and thought it tickled!

He got some great gifts from the fam. Walkie talkies, a drum set, 2 balls, animal pillow, bath toys & a toy story book and coloring book.

After that, we went home and Kaiden did not want to put out cookies for Santa. He didn't want Santa to come to his house and he said he didn't want presents. I think it was a mix of being tired and not wanting a weird, scary guy coming to his house while he was sleeping. lol.

I don't really blame him. After he went to bed, we put out all the presents.

Then us adults opened our gift so we could actually see what we all received. Last year it was all about Kaiden (which is fine) but we just decided it'd be best to get ours out of the way so we could enjoy it more.

We didn't take pics of every single thing we received, but we loved each gift SO much! Mine and Kev's big gifts this year was a PS3 Move from Auntie Linda. It's so awesome and we play it all the time. We just got some new games too, so it is SO ON!! Thanks Auntie Linda, you are so kind and thoughtful. We love you!! Our other big gift was a down comforter from Nana. We love it so much and use it every night. It is SO warm and comfy!! Thanks Nana, you are always so thoughtful and gracious!! We love you!!

Jordan's big gift I left for the end. Do you see the excitement in her face???

Here's a video. The pics just won't do it justice! (sorry the video is sideways)

That reaction is what Christmas is all about!! I'm so excited for Jordan and I know she is SUPER happy!

Merry Christmas y'all!! More to come...