...And Breathe!

This weekend I turned in my very last assignment for my master's program.  I'm officially done!  One thing that kept me going was imagining how great it would feel once I was finished.  It's a pretty awesome feeling, no doubt.  I remember when I first started the program.  I was very pregnant and I was working so hard to get everything turned in early for my first class and trying to finish up my maternity plans because I knew Baby Cade would be born around the last week of the course.  I remember the other teachers in my class telling me how brave I was to enroll in the program with a new baby on the way.  They were right; I had no idea what I was getting myself into.  It was definitely hard work...teaching all day, being a mommy after work, and working on projects and papers almost every night after Cade went to bed.  Whew, I can finally breathe!  All the hard work was totally worth it though.  I'm sure I'll be even more convinced of that once we get a little extra money in our pockets!  I'm looking forward to having some extra time to devote to being a better wife, mommy, and teacher. 



Also in weekend news, Cade had his first pancake breakfast!  Yes, GJ, I'm starting him young.  :)  Don't worry though, we'll be holding off on syrup for a while. 



More, please?

New Clothes, Pumpkin Patchin', and....Daddy!

Whew, what a day!  This morning I went to a big consignment sale in Conyers with Ali and we totally racked up!  I love buying clothes for Cade!  Afterwards, we took Cade to the pumpkin patch.  He rolled around in the hay and had fun exploring the pumpkins and Halloween decorations.  Then we did a little shopping and met Ali, Austin, and Olivia out for dinner.  And the sweetest moment of the whole day, Cade starting saying daddy!  I've heard him say what I thought was mama in the past, but he wouldn't say it more than a couple of times and would never repeat it after I said it so I'm not sure that counts.  Tonight, though, Cade said daddy all night!  He repeated it each time I said it which is the first time he's done that with a word.  When we got home I kept holding things up to him, saying the names of them, and expecting him to repeat after me like we'd had some kind of Helen Keller-understands-water breakthrough moment or something.  I'm sure it won't be too much longer before we hear all kinds of words and I truly can't wait! 

Want Some?

Lately Cade has been into handing things to me.  It started with "playing ball".  I would roll the ball to him and he would hand it back to me.  Now he hands me toys while he's playing, then immediately wants them back.  Tonight he decided to share his dinner with me.  He held out his little sweet potato covered hand with a green bean between his thumb and pointer finger.  I took it, of course, though before tonight I always found it a little gross when parents would eat mashed up, half-eaten food from their babies, but I couldn't leave him hanging, right?  He "fed" me a few more times throughout dinner time tonight.  His menu has changed quite a bit over the past couple of weeks.  He's moved into eating all finger foods (for the most part) and feeds himself wonderfully! 

10 Months Old

Well Baby Cade, you've hit double digits.  The big 1-0...months, that is! Your little personality is really starting to shine through and it's SOOO exciting to get a peek at what you might be like when you get a little older.  If I had to guess what you’ll be like in a few years based on what I know about you now I'd say that you'll be a very happy, social kid full of curiosity and tenacity.  You are smart, sweet, independent, and active. You really gave mom and dad a workout this past month - chasing you around all over the place!  Here are your 10 month stats:

· You weight 22lbs (says the bathroom scale).

· You wear size 18 month clothing and size 5 shoes.

· You wear size 3 diapers. 

· You have 6 teeth with the 7th coming in (four on top and 2 1/2 on the bottom).

· You go to bed around 7:30 and often sleep until we wake you up around 6:15 a.m.  Sometimes you still wake up around 4:30 a.m. or so. 

· You're eating better this month and have been eating pretty much anything we give you.  You still LOVE to feed yourself.  You eat three meals a day with a light snack between lunch and dinner.  You have 4 bottles a day and nurse once in the morning. 

· You are moving all over the place!  Your newest mobility tricks include getting into a sitting position from your tummy, pulling up, standing while holding onto something, and climbing over obstacles (pillows, Mommy, etc.).  While you are very active, you like to be carried around and don’t really fuss to “get down” as long as we’re standing up or walking. 

· Your favorite "toys" aren't really toys.  They include brushes, combs, keys, and boxes.  When you find a toy you really like you carry it around everywhere with you as you slither around the house.  You like to put things inside and on top of other things.   

· You are starting to get the hang of "playing ball" (rolling it back to Mom and Dad when we roll it to you). 

· You like to be where we are.  You follow me from kitchen to living room while I’m cooking or from your room to the bathroom as I get your bath ready. 

· Your understanding of spoken language seems to be growing by the second.  While I'm sure you understand more than you respond to, you show understanding through physical response of the words up, say bye bye (you wave!), kisses, and no.  You hand things to me when I ask for them (most of the time) and hold your mouth open when you see that I'm about to brush your teeth. 

· You are super adorable and so very loved!



Showing off one of your new tricks.



Picnic at the Park

Todd had to work tonight, a rarity on a Friday, so Cade and I went to the park for a little picnic.  After dinner we played around in the grass, watched the other kids play, and spent some time on the swings.  Cade absolutely loves watching the other kids!  While we were in a little clubhouse another baby wandered in and spent some time with us.  Cade reached out for him and they held hands for a few seconds.  So cute!  Cade even waved goodbye to him when we left.  I can't wait to see how Cade will interact with other kids when he gets a little older.  He sure does love them now!

All pooped out!

Rainbow After the Storm

Last week was a little rough with Cade.  He was just getting over a cold and was not sleeping well because he was coughing which, I'm guessing, kept him from being able to get himself to sleep.  He was waking up between 3 and 4 a.m. and not really going back to sleep.  After a few nights of this, I was utterly exhausted.  Todd has always functioned well on little sleep, but I was left feeling like I had been thoroughly tortured.  I couldn't complain; this was really the first time that Cade had several nights in a row without sleeping well.  We got back on track around Thursday and we went to the mall to celebrate!  We ate in the food court, got a few outfits, and bought Cade his first pair of tennis shoes.  When we got home Cade had a couple new tricks to show off!  He got himself into a sitting position from his tummy a couple of times and was putting his blocks into things and on top of other toys which I had never seen him do before (until now, he's only been interested in taking things out of other things, not putting them back in or on top).  He was also handing blocks to me.  It's funny how seemingly tiny things can make all the difference at the end of a long week. 

Feeling better now! 

Scrunchy Face

The Scrunchy Face....one of many things I hope I always remember from Cade's babyhood.