Balancing act

I went out with some friends last night to celebrate a milestone. One of my best friends had a baby recently and she was saying how hard it is to be away from her during work. Long days and short evenings mean very little time spent with her precious baby and the weekends are so treasured because it's un-interrupted time to soak in every minute. But there's friends. Good, lovely people that have been there long before the times of husbands and babies and mortgages. People that remember your bad apartments and terrible judgements. People who have stood by you, sometimes holding your hand and sometimes cheering you on. These people are treasures to hold on to. But finding the balance can be difficult. Long lasting friendships don't happen by accident. They require nurturing, and effort. And so do your families. Time spent away from them is painful and the moments are heavy with guilt. So you spend every moment you can with your child, being a great parent but, then you start to remember your friends. You wonder when the last time you spoke to them was. You wonder what's happening in their lives, and how is it that these people that you once spoke to at least once a day are drifting away. People who at one time were so close that you didn't even need to speak in complete sentences to be understood. People you swore you would always be close with. I have three girls that I consider to be my "best" friends. All of my friends are special to me but these girls are my heart. They are three beautiful, strong women that I admire greatly and truly feel blessed to know. I wish I could find a better balance so that I don't always feel like I'm missing out in my personal relationships.

Christmas memories in the making

I possibly went a little overboard decorating this year. Kaden is so excited for Christmas that it's hard not to get caught up. Our neighbors have one of those spiral Christmas tree's that light up and Kaden looks at it a every night when they turn it on. I'm glad they have one, I'm not much for outdoor decoration's besides a wreath and maybe some lights. 

our tree

As we were decorating our tree (with decorations that my mom sends us every year) I couldn't help noticing that we already had created some of our own memories. 

ornaments from my mommers

We started with this ornament. There's a place in the mall where  you can pick an ornament and have it personalized.

Last year Kaden picked an Elmo. We're hoping they have a Spiderman ornament this year. I know we had one made in 2008 and I can't seem to find it, but I haven't gone through everything yet.

Kaden and his cousin Addison last year.

reindeer candle holder!

Kaden. Geeked beyond words that we have a Christmas tree.

This is Sophie. Eating the tree. I'm completely serious. She was biting the needles from the branches and she's been hiding ever since this was taken, probably with a nasty stomach ache. I'm sure Jeff (the cat poop cleaner upper, thankyoujeffie!) will find a nasty surprise later.

Kaden just loves to play and rearrange the Nativity.

I just love the way the bough's smell so I decided to spread them through the house.

Now I am off to make some Christmas cookies! Can't start too early when you have a Kaden in the house.

Completely rando

Kaden is the weirdest. He's not a picky eater but he would rather just skip to the good stuff. Preferably ice cream. Just a bit ago he asked me what I was doing. When I told him that I was heating dinner up he said,"dinner!?! Umm...how about...ice cream!". We had a short discussion about that and eventually he climbed into his high chair. Pouting. He had his hands over his eyes as if he was dreading what i might place before him. As if I might place a bowl of brussel sprouts and frog eye balls in front of him and tell him to eat every last bite of his dinner if he wants ice cream. He peeked through his fingers and said, " oh! Setti!" Now, last night I made spaghetti with meat balls and he would not touch it. He declared it 'yucky'. Ice cream or bust. Tonight it's leftover spaghetti and he his smacking his lips as he sucks in the noodles and enthusiastically saying Mmmmmmmm! Like I said. Weird.
He is also growing up before my eyes. Just today when we were getting into the car to leave day care he asked for his glasses (well, "gladded") instead of his 'ga'.he now says 'kinyou' instead of just 'kin' for thank you. When he's thinking of something he very often will put his finger to his chin and say hmmmmmmm while rolling his eyes around very dramatically. (that word does not look right but I've retyped it so many times that it barely looks like a word at all) I can't believe he'll be three soon. The idea of pre school scares the crap out
of me. The place I work is supposedly one of the nicer places and the way most of the girls treat the kids is atrocious. I don't know how I would ever be able to be positive kaden is being treated nicely. They expect so much out the kids and if/when they can't deliver they yell and belittle. On top of that, kaden is so sensitive you barely have to look at him like you might be mad and he breaks down. I don't want my boy to be emotionally beaten down from pre school! I sometimes wonder why the kids don't say something to their parents but I think they are just so relieved to be going home that they don't think to complain. Or maybe they don't realize there is any choice in the matter. And really, how is a parent supposed to ask their child if their being treated nicely without asking leading questions? Anyways... My ice cream is melting...

The post In which I am sappy

On Sunday mornings I take a morning drive to bigbys to get coffee, muffins and the paper. This morning was no different, except that I saw six army vehicles driving all in a row. Nothing to be alarmed about; we're not at war here, after all. Except that it did make me feel uneasy. I couldn't help but think about civilian mothers out getting coffee and muffins for their families in a country where seeing such a sight might cause them to rush home to make sure their families were safe and not in danger. I feel so blessed to live in America, safe in our little bubble where trouble seems so very far away. Where "money trouble" means that maybe your pantry is a little bare this week, and if things are really bad, maybe your using napkins for toilet paper for a few days. My household budget is a little tight lately but, here I am, typing my blog on my iPad while watching Benjamin button on my flat screen, warm in my house while my son sleeps safely in his bed.spoiled. What I am trying to say is, I am grateful. I'm grateful for our kind of struggles, the kind where I know that everything is gonna be alright.

On a completely different note, Kaden just woke up from his nap and came out on the couch with me. He is now cuddled up with me, fast asleep again. I love weekends. Mostly because I have kaden all to myself. I'm so selfish :)

One of Kaden's potty rewards is a trip to Jungle Joe's. He earned his trip last night and when we told him that we could go to Jungle Joe's tomorrow, it was like we told him Christmas had come early. He talked about it all night. Down to the details. When I was tucking him in to bed last night he told me that we would take 'mama's car' and that we would go and bounce, he would ride the 'lion king' first and then he would go slide and bounce and ride the 'lion king' again. Then he woke up at seven am ready to go. He told us all the steps again. I made breakfast and told him that after breakfast we would go. He took two bites and said,"KK done! YAYAY!!"            

So we went, and he had fun. He told me all the way home. And you can't see here, but he has some rockin' spiderman socks on.

The weather here has been so hot and humid. Its doing strange things to my hair. I've been mostly wearing it up but the humidity makes the baby hairs stand straight out.     

It is,however, making my garden very happy. My rose bush had doubled in size and my funny little daisys are just blooming their heads off.

Tomorrow is a busy day. I have some training at work early on but then one of my favorite friends and I are throwing a shower for another of my favorite friends. It's just for close friends and its going to be at the Wine Loft which is one of my favorite places. I'm pretty excited!

                                                          

             Have you ever come across something that just fit your life so perfectly at that it felt like it was there just for you?
Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither store house nor barn; and God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds? And which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? If you then are not able to do the least, why are you anxious about the rest? luke 12:22-26
I came across this very randomley as I was walking out the door this morning. I'm not sure what a cubit is, but I know how much worrying gets done in this household, so I guess if worrying DID get you one, I would know it. (yes, I know. CRAZY run on sentence.) Especially since it seems to make you taller, if I'm taking the word 'stature' correctly. I definitly would know then. Anyway. How can life seem anything but sweet when you've got this going on in your living room??
                                                                            

                                         
                                                                  
                                                                        
                                                                      

riding bikes on a tuesday

I wasn't feeling well today. I laid down at 12:30 to try to sleep it off and woke up at 4:15 groggy and feeling like crap. I texted my wornderful hubs and asked him to pick Kaden up and promptly fell back to sleep. Awhile later I work up to Jeff tip toeing into the room with a plate of pad thai from Noodles in Co. Have I mentioned how awesome he is?

Anyway. I wanted to write down some Kaden words. He, for some reason, has made up some substitutions for common every day words. I guess he thinks the English language is a  bit boring at times.

Kin-  this means 'thank you' he says it with much emphasis. Oh Kin mama, Kin for the spiderman toy.

Ga- This means 'glasses' I think this is more to do with the fact that he has trouble with his S's. The only other one that I can think of right now is that instead of saying 'i love you' he says 'you too!' Even if he's saying it first. I know there are more..I just can't think of them now.

Jeff's dad just stopped over to take a look at our sink and since Jeffie had already fixed it we all went on motorcycle rides instead.

well, everyone except this boy.