Fair Rides and Fall Fun!!

We have had a great summer this year, really getting to know our Van Wert surroundings and trying to explore more and more of it each year.  Summer is quickly coming to an end and Fall in in the air here. This seasonal transition is always evident when the Van Wert County Fair comes to town!  We have gone to the fair for the last 5 years, and this year was no different. In the week leading up to the fair, we drive through town and see the fair rides and the concession stands going up...Cayden immediately knows the FAIR is coming!! 

Mya's new "excitement" face!

"We're going to the FAIR!!!"

"Can you believe it?!"

Last year, I let go just a little bit, and let Cayden ride the dragon roller coaster...but that was IT!  Even that made me nervous with him, so he really only rode it twice.  This year, there has been obvious changes in the way Cyle and I have been handling Cayden.  It will always be difficult, but as time goes by, we are really trying more and more to let him explore his own world, and set him free a little bit. So this year at the fair, we met up with our great friends to share a few rides!  Even Mya surprised me...I ended up buying both kids a ride wristband for unlimited riding!  They both loved it!!

 The dragon coaster was Cayden's Favorite!  He and his friends Hadley (2 rows back) kept getting off and running right back to the line to get back on!

 Mya loved the mini ferris wheel!

 Cayden said he "could see the whole world!!"

Then they jumped on the "Big Baby Swing!"  Hadley on the far left, and my two on the right!  Mya looked so small, but she really liked all the big rides!

 

See?! Smiles all around!

Another tell-tale sign that Fall is coming is the arrival of Cayden's favorite hunting season...

Squirrel!!

I think he and Daddy went out the very first evening it came in - Cayden even got a brand new squirrel call to help them get those little suckers!  He gets such a thrill out of it, and that just makes Cyle so happy!

 "Look Mama!!  Our first squirrel!"

  Even our little hunting dog Ringo had to get in on the fun!

"Yep!  I'm a HUNTER!!"

Chilly weekends are spent inside, doing fun activities like painting and Play-doh!

"Isn't Fall Fun, Mya Brynn?!"

Cayden goes to Preschool!!

It's official...My boy is going to school!

He has been waiting so patiently all year for this day to come, watching all the time for school busses, saying "Mama! There's my bus! Number eight!" He would make up a new bus number everytime, but he was sure that that would be his bus one day! And finally, August 23rd, 2012...it was his turn!

We went to his classroom to meet his new teacher, Miss Rachel, a few nights prior...and this is when my anxiety was bumped up a few notches. I had been handling things so well, thinking 'this is finally it...look how far he's come!' But when I introduced myself and Cyle to Miss Rachel and the teacher's aide and began talking about some of Cayden's limitations....They had NO idea that Cayden had any special issues at all. I was mortified. Why did I fill out all of those papers including full health histories if this info wasn't even going to be passed on to his own teacher?!  And what if I never mentioned it at all that night?! Would she have ever known to take certain precautions??  

So we proceeded to hash it all out as best we could in a half hours time. NOT how I wanted this experience to go at all. 

So the next night, before his first day getting on the bus by himself, spending a full day with a bunch of other kids running around, a playground...I freaked out.  How could they possibly watch him during the day like we have for the past four years?? Have they ever heard of this disorder?? Will they take all the right precautions?!

So I cried. And I printed out information about OI to put in his folder to educate some of the staff. Then I cried some more. Then I called my mom. Then I went to bed early.

Cyle came into the bedroom and sat down next to me. He reassured me that Cayden was smart. That we've spent the last four years preparing for this, and that we've done a darn good job, and that Cayden will do just fine.  He reminded me that bones heal, and that we've all been through it before, and that if something happens at school we'll get through it again. And with that, I was calm. I slept well, and woke Cayden up in the morning to get ready - his excitement trumped my fears, and I smiled. He is smart. He does know what he can and can't do. And he is a good listener. And he will be okay.

So in the morning, we packed him a really good lunch in his new "Mad Birds" lunch box, put his Superman folder in this new Camoflauge backpack, and I borrowed Aunt BeBe's kissing heart idea, and drew a heart on Cayden's hand to remember I loved him throughout the day.

He was ready to go!

Even Mya got caught up in the excitement - early in the morning with her crazy hair! She wants to be just like her Big Brother!!

So then it was time.  We drove to the babysitter's house for his first pick-up to make sure things went smoothly!  Within 5 minutes, the bus was there and Cayden flew out of the van, gave me a quick smooch, and ran to the bus!  The bus aide even had to tell him to turn around and wave to me!  He was so, so excited.  And I felt relieved when he stepped on that bus. No tears from him meant that no tears were warranted from my eyes either.

And away they went! I kept Mya home with me that day - maybe for distraction...okay, probably!

We played all day, and had a lunch date!  Then waited until the bus would drop Cayden off at 4:15!

The bus drops Cayden off right in front of our house in the afternoon, so Mya and I set up some chairs in the front yard and waited! Then they arrived!  The aide walks him off the bus to me! 

 I got a quick kiss from him, but then he spotted his Little Sis!!  They both squealed and gave hugs and kisses!!  Adorable :-)

 Then he spotted his Daddy! He went running to give hugs!!

 He was exhausted, and a little ADD when he got home! Of course I tried to get it all out of him and all I heard was, "Mama, I regot (forgot) what we did all day!" I did ask him what his favorite part of the day was and I got a pretty great answer...

"I liked riding the bus best! And guess what mama...No Broken Bones!!"

I love him...and He loves school!

Happy Birthdays and Summer Fun!!

It has been a fun-filled summer at our house!  We've had pool fun, two birthdays, and lots of playtime!

My boy turned FOUR on July19th...

I can't believe it! 

For his birthday he got lots of toys for the pool, great gear for camping and fishing, and a 

NEW PUPPY!!  He named his Puggle Pup RINGO! 

Ringo and Cayden became fast friends...almost inseparable!

We had a little party for Cayden when Grandma was in town!

 "That's right! I'm 4 years old!"

 Aunt Amanda bought him a new fishing vest, complete with a canteen and guides for hunting, fishing and camping!  Such fun!

 This summer we've spent a lot of time playing out in the backyard....Cayden loves to play dinosaurs and to make his very own "habitats" for them to live!  I love the way this boy crosses his legs when he's playing or sitting around watching TV.  He's done it since he was very little, and it just melts my heart when I catch him like this....I know he does it when he's most content :-)

 Then HE turned into the Dinosaur!! ROARING out of his jungle and scaring all the little girls!!

Cayden has mastered dropping his drawers and letting it all out in the backyard...cause going in the house to pee just takes way too much time away from his playing!  Well, this summer, Mya has picked up on a LOT of Cayden's habits!  She wants to be just like her big Cayden....so she pulls her pants down...

 ...Holds onto her belly button... arches her back....and.....NOTHIN!

But she sure thinks she's doing just what he is!!  Hilarious. I had to teach her the difference between boys and girls...but this was too priceless to stop at the time!

 "Look mama!  I'm doin' it!"

Mya's birthday was August 17th! 

My BABY is TWO!!??! 

We had a little party for Mya when Meme was here, with Sarah and Molly too!!  I know Mya was so excited to have them here to celebrate with her! She got lots of great gifts too!

She's growing up so quickly, and has been doing lots of new things lately.  She's running around the house like a nut, speaking in full sentences, and doing lots of role playing with the 3 new babydolls she got for her big day!

 She has also decided to learn how to write like her big brother too!  She works a few nights a week on her letters!

 Such FOCUS!  I think I was interrupting her!

She's even learned how to drive!! How liberating!!

I just love these two!!

But they're growing so darn fast!

Wishbone Day 2012

May 6th, 2012...it's Wishbone Day once again!!

I realize that I've been terrible at blogging lately...I've just been enjoying the days with my two little ones, playing outside, and getting projects done.

But today is too important not to Blog about!

Happy Wishbone Day!!

Cayden was so excited this morning when I told him what day it was.  He squealed his little squeal and had the biggest grin on his face!  He quickly asked me where his "Ham-bone" shirt was :-) I said "Wishbone, hunny,"  and he replied "Oh yeah, mom. Wishbone!"  He sure has a way to get me with even just the littlest things.  I love this boy too too much :-)

So we celebrate him today...and the so many others affected with Osteogenesis Imperfecta.  The strength in these little ones amazes me everyday...especially my Cayden's.

So we played...

all in our Wishbone shirts:-)

Daddy asked Cayden what he wanted to do on his special day, and he said after his nap he wanted to go fishing!  So that's exactly what we did!  :-)  The four of us walked around the back yard and found plenty of worms (even Mya, walking close behind!), then we packed up the car and headed out!  Off to a friend's pond, with snacks and juice boxes and Cayden's brand new fishing pole!

Daddy helped him cast and hook a good one, then Cayden reeled it in.

Three years old!!

 Then Daddy taught him how to watch the bobber real close, and YANK the line with all his little might when a fish pulled it under water...the reel it in all by himself!  So he watched...and squealed his squeal when the red and white bobber disappeared under the water...with lots of clapping and encouragement he yanked that pole and started reeling...laughing all the while! Here he is with his VERY FIRST fish caught ALL by himself!!  Daddy was so proud!  And mommy was sure happy she brought her camera!

What a big guy!

Number 1!

 And then he did it again!!

Number 2!!

The fish then went to sleep and weren't biting much anymore...so we went home, bathed, ate dinner, then I tucked my big, Brittle Bone Boy into bed, in his Wishbone shirt....I couldn't peel him out of it!  

What did you do today?!  

Maybe you thought of one of these precious kids today...and maybe that kid was mine!  :-)

Thanks so much for the support we get everyday...not just on this day...for our wonderful boy!

Wouldn't change a thing! 

Cayden Sings!....and it makes me SMILE!

Here's Cayden with some of his random tunes! This boy cracks me up.. He picks up on the words of a song after only hearing them once or twice, then dances around the house singing and acting them out! Here he is singing Red Solo Cup!

He loves to make up his own songs too, like this catchy tune called "I Can't Eat My Vegetables!" He talks here about "I can't eat my vegetables, cause I don't like vegetables! So I can't grow!" If this doesn't brighten up your day...there's something really wrong with you!! ;-)

Love him!