Love of Books

I love finding my children like this...
I'm usually a little jealous that I'm not doing the same!:)

Auntie Heather's Visit

We always have some much fun when Heather comes to town! Heather and I were able to get away for a whole day of shopping kid-free! But the kids are pretty convinced that the reason for her trip up is them!:) I try not to leave all the entertaining to her, but my children make it clear they don't want me! And I admit that having the focus shifted off me for awhile is awful nice!

Reading Together

Love Caedmon's arm around Carys

Auntie Heather's Visit

Heather came up on a Friday evening and left Sunday night, so it was a quick visit, but we packed a lot in!

Heather is my shopping buddy...we're actually bad for each other. I was in the mood to shop and since I'd just received my first paycheck and with starting my Moka job soon, I needed some new clothes. Now, I've made do with what I have and I'm always fully clothed.:) But I haven't had a job that I've needed to look presentable for in a long time and I haven't bought new clothes since before my kids...and bodies change after children. :)

Corey wasn't able to watch the children, so we braved shopping with BOTH of them! It went fairly well, with a couple melt downs by Carys. Caedmon was, for the most part, happy to tag along with Heather, playing hide and seek in Goodwill and hanging out in the dressing rooms with her in Kohls. He especially enjoyed the mall with the carousel and playground.

We left shortly after 9am and didn't get home till 4pm. It was definitely a long day, but fun!

There is always time for a book!
Caedmon was being especially cuddly.

Potty Training - A Process

October 13th. That is the day Caedmon went to the bathroom in the toilet for the first time! We've had his training potty in the bathroom for months now, but ever since he turned 2, Corey keeps saying it's time to get down to business. I've been more of the mind set that when he's ready, then we'll go for it, and until then, I'm not going to push it.

He hasn't been real enthusiastic about it. We ask him fairly often if he wants to use the bathroom on the big toilet, but he usually replies "no." And I don't push it. This particular day, he wanted to. We sat and we sat and we sat. And when I asked him if he was done, he replied, "no" and so Corey got him a book and I used his training potty as a chair and fed Carys as we continued to wait. And what do you know, in the midst of all this sitting and waiting I suddenly here tinkling! We praised him loudly and enthusiastically and even went to the Moka for a treat!

He hasn't done anything since.:/

Spending Time with Daddy

Carys now enjoys "reading" along with Caedmon, but Caedmon isn't so sure about this little intrusion. She seems to find more amusement out of grabbing at and eating the book than listening to the story being read.:)

Quality Time

Reading is Fun Just About Anywhere!:)

Entertaining Himself

Auntie Keesha's in Town

A New Way to Read Together

I guess it's great fun to sit on Dada!:)

=

Reading...anything and everything:)

the newspaper...

a magazine...

Reading with "Friends"

Caedmon likes to hand us his stuffed animals... thought this was adorable!:)

Caedmon and Church:)

Our church is in the very beginning stages of starting up and therefore we have no nursery. The first couple Sundays after moving up here, I spent my time trying to hold Caedmon and keep him happy, which lasted about half of the service. Then I had to take him out. It was so frustrating! I kept thinking that going to church was pointless if I had to spend the majority of my time in the basement with my son.

I finally had this great idea - lock Caedmon into the row with chairs on either end and bring books and toys for him to play with. It worked great! He didn't mind the limitation as long as he didn't have to sit in my lap for the duration. It has worked out great for us! A little while ago, another family started attending and left their young sons at home for the first few weeks they attended. The first week they brought their sons, a lady in our congregation ran downstairs and brought up a kids' picnic table with coloring books and puzzles and placed it in the back for them.

I love that this family feels comfortable coming with their sons and no one stresses over the little noise that's made!

One of the little boys enjoys coming over to our row and hanging out with Caedmon. I captured one of these sweet moments.

Hangin' Out

with the dada :)

A Friend Came to Play!

Ben made the trip up again - we're always glad to see a friend from down state! He's always been great with Caedmon and Caedmon loves him. Ben actually brought his snow clothes and we got out and got some fresh air! Caedmon always seems a little indifferent to being outside, but I think he has a good time. He definitely enjoyed getting all the attention for a few days!:)

He was doing a great job of walking in his boots and in the snow...

he didn't even cry when he slowly fell forward

and came up with snow on his nose.

And mommy had to get a picture before she rescued him.:/

He's signing deer - not the correct way to sign it;

he has his own version of ASL.

He's been a sponge with sign language.

He's loving animal signs right now!

And those are some difficult signs!

Reading With Dada

Caedmon has always loved his books, but would only sit through a very select through when we read to him. Lately though, he's been bringing books to us to read to him, and sitting through the whole thing...for the most part.:)

Second Word

A few days ago, Corey called me into the living room and told me he thought Caedmon had said his second word. That word would be...mama? NO! Of course not! Why would we ever want to say mama? His second word...Carl. Carl??!! you say. Where did that come from? Well, have you heard of the books about a Rottweiler dog named Carl? He has a board book about Carl the dog and he LOVES that book! So, when Corey called me out to the living room, he had been "reading" (it's a picture only book) to Caedmon and Caedmon started saying "Car" (not a lot of emphasis on the "r") and Corey had to think a minute, trying to figure out if he was trying to say something. Since then, he continues to say "Car" when he's reading the book and even when he's not. Now, when asked to say mama, I'm met by either silence, a scream, dada, or car. Gee, thanks dude! Love you too! Truly I do!:)

Sometimes when it get's really silent in the living room,

we'll come out to check on him and he'll be "reading" his Carl book.

It's so cute!

Reading Together