Thanksgiving Then and Now

It's hard to believe that my little guy is growing up. Everyday I tell him to stop growing but he just doesn't listen! BIG changes happened between last Thanksgiving and this Thanksgiving.

Caydin was hardly 4 monts old last year. He wasn't sitting up by himself yet and in the last picture I posted, he was laughing like crazy because he fell over on the couch. Shooooooot, the little monkey wasn't even eating turkey back then.. (what was he thinking... not eating turkey... much less SOLID food). Last year, we were able to entertain him with cute little rattle slippers! (not so much this year!!!)

This year, Caydin is running all over the place and won't sit for 2 seconds to get a picture taken. This year, Caydin has a head full of hair and a smile that will make you laugh and drive you crazy :) But most importantly, Caydin ate stuffing, yams, and turkey for dinner this year!!!!

The only thing that stayed the same is the super cute "Gobble til You Wobble" slogan on his shirts! Think we'll be able to find a similiar shirt next year??

Thanksgiving

We had a great thanksgiving!

My dad came into town for the week so my parents and sister spent the day working on Katie's new house. I went over for a short visit.... though it was discussed that I don't go over to do work..... so I did none and instead spent the hour I was there talking!

Everyone headed over to our house for dinner. We may or may not of gotten the Holiday meal at Target which comes with all the good stuff already cooked (we just had to warm it up!) Worked out great for a family who just didn't have time to cook.

Caydin spent some time reading Black Friday ads with Aunt Katie. He helped her pick which flat screen TV to buy. My mom did most of the heating up while Rob carved the turkey. I did lots of eating and not much else!!!!

Random

A bunch of little random things to share today... We had a very yummy thanksgiving. I took pictures of all the food, that's right, the food.... not the people :) I just haven't uploaded those pictures so that will be a whole different post. No Black Friday shopping for us, Rob had to work so I stayed home with stuffy nosed Caydin. We chilled, because we're cool like dat.

Caydin and I made it out to Melbourne to visit with our bestests. Here's what Caydin did the whole hour-ride home and then for an extra hour at home. It was really fun to see the boys together - they are both so independent and were interested in what eachother was doing. I remember playdates from when the boys were really small.... and we'd lay them on a blanket and they would stay and sometimes look at eachother. Now they are chasing eachother around the house trying to give hugs and steal toys!

So, thank you Landen, for wearing this little guy out and making it possible for him to take a nice long nap!

The next couple of pictures are from Chicago. Somehow I forgot I had them. One afternoon while everyone was out doing their own stuff, my brother Josh and I walked to the side of the hotel to look at some ducks in a retention pond! I love how my Northern brother is dressed as if the weather is 80 degrees and my Southern child is dressed as if snow is going to fall any minute. This picture is great! The stare-down method works great for convincing a 15 month old that going into the pond is not the greatest idea :)

This might be the only time recently that Caydin has kept a hat on his head. He is smart enough to realize that if he pulls it off, his head will be cold! At home, the amazingly smart and handsome boy will not keep a hat on his head for even a minute. He's going through some sort of anti-hat stage. Haha.

Finally, this past Monday, the little monkey got some routine bloodwork done. My mother held him on her lap because we all know that needles and Aimee don't mix! He did great, much better than I would of done!!!!!

Computer Time

JumpStart Toddler's CD for the Computer = AMAZING AMOUNTS OF FUN!

{Playing, I mean STUDYING, on the computer is HARD work!

Caydin's Christmas Tree

We love Target. We ESPECIALLY love the Target dollar section. It might be my most favorite place to go when I have nothing better to do. Recently, I picked up a little christmas tree kit from the dollar section.

Now, if you know me well, you already know that I do NOT have a green thumb. Plants seem to come and go around here. It could be from a lack of water, or a lack of sunlight, or a lack of plant love... who knows... I just know that plants don't stick around. We, and by that I mean I, am hoping this little christmas tree will stick around!

So here's to our little growing Christmas Tree!!!

(oh wait, there is no christmas tree.... here's to our little growing seed!)

I'll update more when the little seed decided to grow!!!

caydin funnies part 2

This morning, Caydin so kindly cleaned out Mama's school bag. and in the process found a Ziploc of M&M's that I use to reward my students with when they do something positive or good. I couldn't possibly leave them at school for an entire week unattended! So anyways, Caydin found them this morning and was carrying the bag around. Rob yells to me: "Is this bag of M&M's closed?" and I responded, "I think so." and life when on. UNTIL..... Rob and I look at Caydin a minute later only to find brown slobber running down his chin and the front of his PJ's..... ;)

He sure did like that M&M though!

Then not even 30 minutes later, Caydin sneaks into the master bathroom only to oh-so-nicely put my brown flipflops into the toilet. Thanks Caydin, my brown flipflops really NEEDED a rinse!

16 months

At 16 months,

**Caydin has mastered the art of drinking with a straw.

**Dances as if he is a tap-dancer.

**Repeats sounds that we say... he will be talking super soon!

**Throws balls, wait a second... Caydin will throw anything!

**Kicks the soccer ball then runs after it.

**Shares with Mama, Daddy, and Grandma. Sort-of. He tends to bring us something, walk away and then come back for it a few seconds later.

**Gives hugs and kisses.

**Grabs at door knobs but can't quite turn the knob to get it open.

**Cuddles on the couch with Mama for a good Nick Jr TV show. (Seriously, WonderPets are the BEST.)

**Enjoys Kindermusik classes. Well, he enjoys running around the room during Kindermusik classes.

**Opens and closes the sliding glass door to the screen porch. OH, and squishes his face against the glass to make funny faces.

**Lets himself out of time-out when he feels ready... whether its been a minute or not.. then runs over to Mama and Grandma and laughs.

**Talks to anyone and everyone when shopping. Especially loves when people talk back. Sorry, if anyone out there feels offended with Caydin points and laughs. I'm not sure why he does it, I guess because his grandma hasn't taught him manners yet. Haha.

**Has roughly 15 teeth (lots of molars) but none of us are sticking our fingers in his mouth to check. He bites. And he has shirts to prove it.

**Thinks V8 Splash is amazing.

**Likes frogs. Alive ones, dead ones, and especially the one on his flashcards. Don't ask me how I know this.

**Walks backwards.

**Points at anything, excuse me, everything. Birds, fans, lights, hats, food, everything.

T H A N K F U L

As Thanksgiving approaches, I feel the need to reflect on what I'm thankful for... afterall, I've made my students write day after day about being thankful and what it means to be thankful. It's only fitting that I do the same thing.

Most of my student's said they were thankful for their mom and dad, food, teacher (I may or may not of MADE them say that), God, school, dinosaur toys, bikes, etc, and I must say that I agree with them. It was very hard to get them to understand that they need a reason to be thankful for those things (well maybe not God but the rest). I would ask over and over "Why are you thankful for those things?" They have been taught by others and by family that they SHOULD be thankful without any real understanding for WHY they are thankful. Interesting, huh? Anyways, some of my kids understood the concept of WHY... while it will take longer for others.. I guess that is to be expected since most of them are only 6! Okay, reflection on school.... DONE.

First, I am thankful for Caydin. I'm thankful that he is happy and healthy, smart and funny, outgoing and entertaining. He is, by far, the coolest {now 16 month old} kid I've ever met. He turns all my bad days into good days and doesn't even realize it.

I'm thankful for my family. My mom takes her Grandma duties very seriously! Without her around on a daily basis, Caydin would be in daycare, I would have no clean clothes, and we'd probably all go hungry (it's really not as bad as I'm making it sound - haha). My dad and his never ending reminders to update my blog and check on my Farmville animals. ***Update, his reminders are very helpful and I don't see it as nagging (haha), for without them, you lovely people would have no clue whats going on with Caydin and my cows would be turned over, mooing for someone to come milk them. For that, I am thankful!**** I'm thankful for my sister and brothers.

I'm thankful for my job and the coworkers that help me throughout the day. I'm even thankful for my students (though you might not guess that some days). I'm thankful that something as simple as a praise or an M&M can make my students so happy and encourage them to keep learning.

I'm thankful for my friends who make my days more interesting and fun.

I'm thankful for this little guy. (oh wait, did I say that already??)

I'm thankful for the house we live in and the things we have. I'm thankful for the food we eat and clothes we wear. (I realize that I stopped giving reasons for everything... but seriously, this blog would be a waaaaaay too long if I had to list all that!)

I'm thankful for the great temperatures and sunny days. I'm not sooo thankful for the cold I seem to be getting right now, but that is beside the point.

I'm thankful for who I am now (you know, the pretty cool, smart, great looking person that I am --- but I'm not cocky or anything...) I need to end my thankful list before it gets out of hand. Haha.

BUT did I mention that I'm super duper muper thankful for this handsome (Uncle Josh look-alike) little guy? 'cause I am!

*****UPDATE******

I would also like to add that I am thankful for my sister's new washer and dryer (which will be delivered this week sometime). You see, she got the big ones that wash comforters and blankets. Last time I brought my queen sized comforter to the dry-cleaners... I about died when I had to pay for it.

But the real reason why I am thankful is this..... I was eating my half-baked Ben and Jerry's chocolate ice cream this afternoon while laying in bed and reading a book.... and what do I do??? Yes, I dropped the spoon onto the comforter!!!! So thank you Katie (and mom) for buying a machine that will get the chocolate off without spending a million bucks!

So excited!

I don't know about you, but Caydin is SOOOO SOOOOOO SOOOOOOOO excited that Mama is going to spend the WHOLE week at home next week!

(Ok, so Caydin didn't say that, Mama did.... but hey, MAMA IS SUPER EXCITED to have the week off and get to stay home with the little monkey all week long!)

Huh?

What?? You think I have an addiction for my blankets???
Well....
I think....
You....
may be right!!!

Alphabitty Moments

I'm ashamed of how far behind I am!!!!! I will finish though (or atleast catch up to the letter I'm supposed to be on!!!) Here are a few that I'm finished with... I'm still missing G and I and J shouldn't really count because it isn't a jug that Caydin is playing with!

For G... I'm working on a Gator Wrestling page. Caydin has a long stuffed gator from IKEA that he loves to jump on and wrestle with. It is soooo cute to watch!

H is for haircut. Caydin has had 3 haircuts. The pictures on the page are from his first and second haircuts. Caydin did not enjoy them AT ALL. He was so upset that he didn't even care for the lollipop until after the haircut was over! Upset baby... usually means a not so great haircut! But regardless, he has always looked super cute afterwards. He last haircut (the third one) was by far the best and Caydin was fairly well behaved. Hopefully by the time we go for the 4th... he'll think haircuts are cool!

I is for inside. Caydin loves to stick things inside of other things! I haven't figured that page out yet!

And finally, J is for JuG. Caydin loves to play with that water pitcher (which I guess could count as a jug)... I'm going to continue to work on that page!

Head over to 4 the Love of Family to see other Alphabitty Moments!!!!

This boy....

Is learning new things daily!

He has figured out that toys are cooler when they are upside down!

He has figured out that he can sit on his bikes, move his legs, and ride all by himself!

He has figured out how to give wet mushy kisses and who to give them too... in order to get what he wants.

He has figured out that he loves to sit on Mama, Daddy's, and Grandma's lap!

He has figured out how to hold and carry three balls at once!

He has figured out how to spin in circles.

He has figured out how to say "up" and "ball". (not always but we're working on it!)

He has figured out that he can open and close the sliding glass door out to the porch.

He said "ow" when he got his finger stuck in the door.

He has figured out how to shut his bedroom door then laughs like crazy until you open it.

He has a new favorite song... The itsy bitsy spider.

He has figured out that bubbles won't hurt him and that the parachute at music class is pretty neat to run under!

He has found his love for carrots once again!

Nightime Routines

Each night before bed {usually while he drinks his nighttime bottle}, Caydin takes ALL the blankets out of his dresser drawer. He then snuggles with each one until he figures out which one is his favorite! This can be quite a process because he has 6 or 7 blankets that he has to go through and many times he has to do some of them twice! Once he picks his favorite(s), he gets nice and comfy and this happens.... Going....
Going....
Gone!!!!
(he isn't asleep (haha) but he loves to lay really still on the floor and drink his bottle!)

caydin funnies

let me start by saying that my child can hear the guest bathroom door open and close from a mile away! guests aren't allowed (HAHA) to use that bathroom at night {for fear of waiting our sleeping angel}. seriously, he loves that bathroom. and i'm not naming any names or anything but SOMEONE {me} taught caydin many many many months ago, to knock on the bathroom door when grandma is in there! so now, he knocks and bangs and yells and anything else he can think of to do while anyone uses that bathroom. back to the story, i was in the bathroom the other day when i started to hear caydin do his thing on the other side of the door. theeeeeeeen, i look down at the slot between the door and the floor and start to see baby goldfish and fingers! hehehehe. are you getting the funny here??? caydin thought it was important for me to eat his goldfish while in the bathroom!!!! i guess he figured i'd be in there for awhile or something {which i wasn't... not that you wanted to know that}. i feel pretty special since my child hardly shares his baby goldfish! but boy oh boy did i refuse to eat them after they slid under the bathroom door!

hahahahahhahhahaha.

Caydin in Chicago

{learning to color!!!}
{hanging with uncle jay}

{watching tv}

{fall leaves in great-grandma's front yard}

{lots of leaves}

more words coming soon!