Storing Memories...Cayden - 14 months

I've recently decided that I will use this blog to store memories (as I have been doing all along by way of pictures and stories), and will begin to update monthly with milestones and successes that Cayden has achieved. I will do my best to accomplish this using both words and pictures, and of course will also continue to post as I have been.

In the past few days, though, I have been looking at my growing boy, wondering where the time has gone, and reminding myself that I have to be better at keeping track of all that he has done and learned thus far. I want to do this so I can look back at it in years to come and see what he was doing, and when he accomplished certain things. I also hope to refer back to these posts when we decide to add to our family with another little bundle of joy...not to compare, just to satisfy curiosity and to see how each child will be different.

So, I will try to keep this up as best I can, with frequent updates of his growth and learning, and please remind me if I ever start to slack!

Here it goes!

• My baby Cayden is growing before my eyes. There are days I look in on him, sleeping soundly in his crib, and realize now, at 14 months, his once tiny body covers over half of the crib's length.
• I am amazed every single day with his new developments. Cayden, at 14 months, has a great little vocabulary! He is beginning to be more and more verbal and wants to share his thoughts all day long. He now can say the following words (okay, well I know that these are the words he is trying to say at least. As a mother, you just know. Others may not pick up on them, but they are perfectly clear to me!): Mama. Dada. Baba. NeNe (Meme). Papa. Binky. Diaper. Book. Ball. Rowdy (Row-Row). Choo-choo. Sock. Go. Yes. No. Sarah (RaRa). CaCa (when something is gross or bad). And he makes a wicked car sound! Vroom-Vroom!!
• My boy, at 14 months, LOVES taking baths! We simply mention the word "bath" and he's off to the bathroom! He squeals with delight and scoots his little booty right to the tub!
• He is standing with absolute ease now. At 14 months, he pulls himself up and cruises along the furniture. Each day he is getting more daring and taking more risks...sometimes pulling the "no hands" trick then promptly plopping down to his butt. He is growing so fast, and striving for that independence that walking will bring.
• At 14 months, Cayden can identify many animals and we work daily on matching animals with their appropriate sounds. The ones he likes best are: Lion...ROAR! Bear...ROAR! Birdie...Tweet-Tweet. Cow...Moo! and of course, Monkey...Ooh-Ooh, Ah-Ah-Ah!
• He eats like his father. I swear these boys will one day eat me out of house and home. Now, at 14 months, Cayden is eating all table food, and his absolute favorite is a grilled cheese sandwich, with some shaved ham on the side! He has bottles of milk a few times during the day, before naps and bedtime of course!
• Cayden enjoys brushing his "chompers." At 14 months, Cayden has two teeth on the bottom, four coming in up top!
• Cayden loves to play. At the ripe old age of 14 months, he has mastered the art of the Sit 'N Spin! He loves to play with cars, and balls, and anything that involves hitting something! He uses his plastic baseball bat with authority! Hitting balls and other toys and cracking himself up constantly!
• He throws a mean curveball! My 14 month old can throw a ball clear across the living room...with BOTH hands!
• Cayden is very smart. At 14 months, he is able to identify family members in pictures. If you happen to be in his repertoire of vocabulary, and we have a picture of you, you can guarantee he's screaming your name from time to time :-)

Cayden loves life. He is a very happy boy (98% of the time!) and smiles so often. and when I see this big boy's smile, my heart smiles. I look forward to seeing that for a lifetime to come, and hope to share much more with you in the future! (I hope you get to see his smile often too!!)

So that's it for now. The last 14 months have been filled with immense growth and learning, on all of our parts! But to watch my Cayden grow is the greatest thing ever...I wish nothing but the best for my baby boy! Until next month....! :-)

Here's a video of my big guy having fun!

I L-O-V-E My Booty!

Yes...I love my Booty.
Not my physical, anatomical Booty....But this one!

Tonight he wanted to help me with the laundry!

He really wasn't being much help (made quite a mess!) But he was trying so hard and looked so darn cute!Then after all of his hard work, it was time to get ready for bed...which includes brushing his "chompers!"

(no. he usually doesn't use an adult size toothbrush, but he got his paws on it and was having so much fun being a Big Boy!)

Sorry the pictures are kinda blurry - taken with the cell phone camera. Still so enjoyable to me!

"But Mama...!"

Cayden: Mama! I'm a growing boy! I'm ready to eat now. See?!

Mama: Okay, Boots. Just give me one minute. And you be careful!!

Cayden: Buuuutttt Mmmaaaammmmaaa! I'm ready NOW! Mama, I'm HUNGRY!
Mama: Oh my goodness! You're CRAZY!! You be CAREFUL!

Well...a growing boy needs to EAT!

Labor Day Weekend

For Labor Day, our new traditions as a married couple have included a visit to good 'ol Van Wert to see family and friends and to attend to Van Wert County Fair!

Now, normally, I wouldn't be the biggest fan of spending more than just an hour or two at any given fair...but this is different!

Each year, Cyle's Aunt and Uncle park their large, and air conditioned mobile home right inside the fairground entrance. It comes equipped with an outdoor awning, and radio, and multiple tables and chairs....and plenty of room for coolers filled with adult beverages! So we go, and spend hours sitting and drinking, and people-watching (which in Van Wert county, and many other fairgrounds, is entertainment to the MAX!). The guys play cards, the girls chat and catch up - and the kids play all day!

This year Cayden had a great time playing with his cousins that he unfortunately doesn't see very often. As you may have seen a few posts back on MeMe's blog, Cayden isn't a big fan of grass...so it was PERFECT! We laid out a blanket, and he stayed right on it! t was like he was in his own gated play area...without the need for a gate! Hilarious!

Here are a few shots of Cayden playing with Laine and Grace. Little Emma was running around too, just couldn't catch her for a picture! They shared all of their fair-won toys and were great little babysitters! (I'm excited to put them to real use when we move back there one day!)

When the fun at the fair was over, we headed to Grandpa's to get some rest! Cayden loves the hardwood floors throughout the house...especially now that he's getting the hang of this mode of transportation:

Hope everyone had a great weekend!

Up, Up and Away (soon enough, I'm sure!)

In the last month or so, Cayden has been pulling himself up on EVERYTHING! He stands up to one chair, and cruises around the room going from one piece of furniture to the next. For awhile, he wasn't quite sure how to fall effectively, without hurting himself. So there were times when he was ready to be done standing, but would just stand there whimpering, and would need some assistance to sit down.

But he's learned.

Now when he gets nervous, we just have to say "Sit down on your BUTT!," and he sticks his little booty out behind him, lets go and flops down onto his diaper-padded rump!

I'm really proud of how well he's picking things up! He's up on everything and soon will be walking...I think! We shall see!! First, up on the ottoman, then climbed to the chair and got SUCH a kick out of himself!Here he is...being a TOTAL NUT! He has recently learned how to do this "rocking horse" type of move. He arches his back and rocks back and forth (rather violently!) and just cracks himself up!
Next, he decided to combine the climbing with the rocking...dangerous situation! I was standing by...

Never made him nervous! He loved every minute of it!
On a not-so-happy note...Cayden woke up this morning with a terrible cold. He's dripping from every hole in his face and is just so sad looking! Normally, when this boy sneezes, he laughs afterward - thinks it's the funniest thing! Today, he's sneezed so many times that he's given up on laughing afterward...It's not so funny anymore :-(

At one point, we were playing on the floor together. Cayden crawled to me (ON HIS KNEES! that's new too!!) and just laid his head on my lap. What a poor little sick baby! :-(