3rd Birthday!

Cayden enjoyed his 3rd Monkey Birthday Party....He really seemed to "get" it and was excited to open his presents and even to eat the cake this year. We kept it small, just immediate family, which is the key for Cayden to be able to relax and enjoy for now. For such a little ham, he really can't stand it when everyone is looking at him and focussing on him. The picture directly above is him when we are singing "happy birthday" to him. (and I have a very similiar picture from his party last year).

Cayde's 1st Trip to the Dentist

Cayden did so great during his first trip to the dentist. Although very serious (as you can see in the pics), he did everything she asked and tried his very best to NOT crack a smile at anything, no matter how funny or exciting it was. The hardest thing for him was not smiling when the girl told him he was getting TWO toys out of the treasure chest because he was being so good AND because he was a birthday boy. He made his mom proud (and relieved) because he did so well. My little man just keeps growing up!

Oh, yes, and Cayden has a great set of chompers!

Drawing

I had to remind Dawson that it

doesn't always come out the

way you want it the first time!

A Visit to the Harbor

Mom and I (along with my 2 rugrats in tow) took a trip down to St. George to

see Grammy and then went down to Tenants Harbor to visit my cousin and her 2 boys.

Then, my sister-in-law, Stephanie, came down with my nephew, Jackson.

SOOOO, Grammy had 5 out of her 6 Great Grandsons all together!

From left is Jackson (8 mths), Dawson (1 year), Cayden (3 years), Drew (5 years),

and Will (5 months).

The three babies....

...and the BIG boys!

Welcome Home, Daddy!

Wouldn't you love this greeting after a long, hard day at work?

It is a contest to see who can get to the door first to greet daddy

(and also to see who can stay up on their feet and not get trampled

by a 100+ pound dog!).

First Time For Everything

Attention: The Tables Have Turned

(well, for this moment anyway....)

As most of you are probably aware, my little ham Cayden is surprisingly camera shy (although that isn't actually how I describe it....). Ever since he was a bit younger than Dawson, I have gotten literally 100s of pictures of the side of his face and the top of his head. I have to take tons of pics of him to get any that he is looking/cooperating and I have to use any means of trickery available. The few pics on this blog or that anybody has seen are quite misleading because he looks to be very cooperative and happy to be posing in (most) of the pictures....well, these are the 1 in 100 that I have taken. All I can say is TG for digital photography...I am saving all of the turned-head, eyes-closed, covered-face pictures as proof for when he is older, looking through the albums and saying, "you liked dawson better, you have way more pictures of him"...Well, that is because little D has known exactly what to do for a camera from the moment he was born it seemed. He can be in a grumpy, fussy mood (rare, but, yes, it happens once in a great while)-- just take out the camera and he is beaming his toothy faced, chubby cheeked grin. So with all that said, I find these pictures quite ironic and a bit funny, too! In fairness to "baby", Cayden was just about over their strange type of flu that hit them last week and Dawson was right smack in the middle of it. I know I probaby should've laid off the camera for once, but I couldn't resist the rosy red cheeks they both had and, as you can see, Cayden was ready and willing.......for once..... :)

Updates on the Miner Boys

Here they are....I know I have been slacking on my boys' blog. I've had a few people mention it, so I thought I'd better get on it! The boys are doing great...we just had their check ups today(Cayden's 3 year and Dawson's 1 year!!!!) 2 hours later...we left knowing that they are both on track for their growth and very healthy, happy boys -- so not really much new info. It was fun having Cayden perform all of the assessments. He was just so funny about it (drawing a line and circle, jumping over a paper, balancing on one foot, etc) and acted like such a big shot because it was all "just so easy" for him. He knows he is the big brother and "helps" Dawson through his check up (kind of funny for those of you who know Dawson and how laid back he is about anything including shots!)....but Cayden really loves showing his "baby" the ropes! Cayden did cry (I mean tears and all) when he found out that he wasn't getting a shot this time and he didn't want to leave ("I wanta stay here, mommy!)...the nurse said she'd never had a child cry because s/he couldn't get a shot. First time for everything...leave it to my little man! We'll see how his first dental appointment goes on Friday...we've been reading tons of dentist books and he says he is excited!

Speaking of little men....here is the little charmer...still loving life and just being happy to be AWAKE...which he seems to be A LOT...if you get my drift. Let's just say he definitely does not have the sleep habits his brother has had practically since he was born. He requires so much less sleep than Cayden does (even now)...he is down to one hour (give or take) nap a day and loves getting up at the break of dawn (to spend time with his mommy, of course!)...oh, and did I mention he enjoys a midnight feeding too? Good thing he is so absolutely adorable, lovable, and snuggly! :)

Cayden is working on the whole potty training thing and I guess (depending on who you asked) he is doing well. He will usually willingly go on the "potty", but would never suggest it on his own. He sometimes gets so tired of us making him try and says, "I wanta diaper", but then needs it to be changed immediately if he pees in it. The doctor assured me that he is right on track and it will undoubtedly happen all of a sudden when he "gets it". We all can't wait for that day-one baby in diapers will be a financial blessing for sure!

"He's not looking...I'm just going to take one fry...he'll never even know!" He's such a stinker! Of course Cayden is practicing sharing with his brother...it's just so hard sometimes! He goes back and forth between, "no, baby, that's mines!" and "we all share, right mommy?"

This was Cayden's Radio Flyer walking wagon that he got for his first Christmas from Grammy and Grampy...it's been quite interesting since we got it back out for baby to practice walking (that sharing thing again). Dawson gives Cayden rides in it, too! He took right off walking with it the first time he saw it. He'll be walking on his own after his birthday probably just like his brother did.

Well, there you have it, my quick summarization of the goings-ons of my baby boys...Thanks for coming to check us out...xxoxo