"First Born"

Kayden tonight we snuggled as you drifted off to dreamland and as I rubbed your back and smelled your hair I remembered how blessed I am to have you and what an amazing gift you are. I love this poem about a mommy and her first born little boy, everytime I read it I think of you and how much you have changed me. And this poem speaks directly to my heart my little boy! You are full of spunk, strong willed, very determined and have a very passionate heart! And I know you are as perfect as can be and God gave you to me because you will do great things! I can't wait to see all you do in this world! You are my laughter, my purpose and my joy!

First Born
I used to study parents and dream of a day
When I'd be called "Mommy" by a child at play.
I imagine the kind of mother I'd be
Rocking a baby upon my knee.
I'd be faithful and patient, creative and fun,
A friend and a mentor all wrapped up in one.
I'd love him a lot and offer him grace,
And surely the rest would fall into place.
Then my dream dawned; and I was with child.
God looked upon me, and knowingly smiled.
He bid all His angels to gather nearby.
He pointed me out with a twinkling eye.
He said, "see that woman, a daughter I adore?"
She's asked for a blessing, but I'll give her more.
She dreams of a child whom shortly she'll see.
I've got one in mind, a gift straight from me.
I've known him since time had its start.
He's full of spunk with a passionate heart.
He's got a strong will and determination;
He's smart and noisy, my prized creation.
Yes, this child is perfect, I know.
He'll mold her and shape her and cause her to grow.
He'll challenge her wit and knock off some pride.
He'll test the boundaries 'til her patience is tried.
He'll hound her often with impossible pleas,
And daily he'll drive her to her knees.
She'll turn to me for strength and grace
To raise a child who will run the good race.
She'll quickly learn the task at hand
Is not as simple as she'd planned.
She'll cling to my Word and fervently look
For wisdom and guidance in My precious Book.
And though he will test her, on days, wear her out:
This child will teach her what love's all about.
He'll be her laughter, her purpose, her joy,
Her greatest blessing, her firstborn boy.
She'll love him with a love so great
That some days her whole heart will ache.
And then she'll understand my loss
When I sent my Son to Calvery's cross.
Oh, yes, this child, a work of my hand,
Will grow my daughter into ALL I HAVE PLANNED!"
-Alicia Bruxvoort

SanTan Flats

Sara had a friend in town for the weekend and invited us to join them for a night at SanTan Flats. It was a fun, chilly night! Breck hung out in his carseat the whole time we were there, until he had a major blowout and then he wanted out to be cleaned up. It is still a new experience for me to have a baby that is willing to sit in a carseat for more than 2 minutes without screaming:) Or really to sit anywhere happily:) Mr. Kayden always wanted to be held, we have two boys with very differing personalities, which will make life fun and keep us on our toes for sure. Kayden had fun running around with Tatum and Audee and making smores and grilling marshmallows. And of course mommy and daddy enjoyed the adult conversations for the night.

Valentine Shaker

Kayden loved making this Valentine Craft and mommy had fun doing it with him! Now he loves shaking it in his baby brother's face:)

"A"

His brownie masterpieces

Yummy A


Sparkly As

Glitter is so much fun when your 2!

Alligator A, he looooved doing the foamy teeth and crazy eyes on the Alligator

Grilled Cheese in his letter of the week

Making his Alligator A

We've started doing a letter of the week with Mr. Kayden. He knows his alphabet song and can identify alot of the letters but he is very into knowing letters, numbers, etc now so I decided it was a good time to follow his cues and work on understanding letters more and what they mean. So I found this awesome site: www.notimeforflashcards.com and I have been taking some stuff from her letter of the week ideas and then using some of my own. I don't believe in drilling flashcards or rote memorization at all, to me that isn't learning. I want him to learn naturally in a whole langage way. That creates the most understanding and most importantly keeps learning FUN!! He is 2! Not 10, he doesn't need to know the alphabet yet but because he wants to I figure it won't hurt and we'll make it fun for him:) Studies always show that the best way for a preschooler to learn is through play! Not thru worksheets, flashcards, etc. So we are doing fun things with letters to increase his understanding and most importantly to have fun together. Off my soapbox and back to our fun A activities this week. He is loving making food into A shapes, making crazy crafts with As and finding A books to read. And I'm loving watching his wheels crank in his smart little head.

Big Owie!

Last Friday we were playing at Jac Jac's house and Kayden got a big owie. I'm always thankful when Jaclyn is around for his owies b/c I'm not good at it! I've never been good with blood and then blood and my baby just make me freak. I was nursing Breck on the couch and Kayden climbed behind me and his foot slipped on the coasters on the end table and his face planted into the wood frame on the couch. I grabbed him and saw his tooth had went THRU his lip:( Blood was everywhere and I couldn't even really look at it. Jaclyn came to the rescue, cleaned him up and talked to him calmly while. Thank goodness for nurse Jaclyn! It's healing pretty nicely and we haven't really been putting anything on it, just making sure it's clean. Crossing my fingers, toes, arms and legs and hoping he doesn't have a big scar on his pretty little face!

Talks with Kayden

Lately Kayden has been having some pretty funny conversations with me. Some things he has told me lately:

We are driving home from our ice cream date and randomly he said "Mommy I'm going to boom you" (something Kyle's friend Mike taught him, he makes a punching fist and "booms" you in the arm, leg, etc.....nice huh:). I said, "Oh you are, mommy is scared". He said "Yeah, you better worry about it." I couldn't stop laughing. How in the world does he know what worry means?!?

Yesterday I said "Kayden, your going to live with me forever, right?". Thinking he was 2 and would of course say yes. Instead he says "no" and laughs. I said, "your going to leave me? Your going to move out someday?", "Yes mommy, when I get big." said Kayden. I say "Oh really? Who are you going to live with then?" He said "Tula" Like it was the obvious answer. I said, "Really, like how mommy grew up and moved out of Namma's house and in with daddy?" He said "Uh, huh, yep". I said "Will you have babies that I get to be the grandma of and feed them lots of candy?" He said, "Uh huh, yep" and I could see his little mind thinking and taking in all of what we were talking about.

The other day when we were driving by Gilbert Mercy Hospital where Kayden was born I told him that was where he came out of my belly, like I always tell him when we drive by. This time he said "that where I come out of your belly mama?", I said "yes it is". He said, "Want 5 more come out". I said "you want 5 MORE babies to come out of mommy's belly??" He said, "yes, just like Brecken and me". So I guess he wantes a big family just like his mommy does:)

Today he was playing with his cars and he said they were having a car party. I said like a birthday party? He said, "no a wedding party". I said, "like Uncle Mark's going to have with Carrie" and he started laughing hysterically and said "Uncle Mark is funny, why he want to get married?". I said "bc Uncle Mark loves Carrie, and Carrie wants to be apart of our family" and he said "Carrie loves me" :) So I guess Carrie is marrying Mark b/c she loves Kayden so much in his mind. I must have made a very egocentric 2 year old....oh yeah, all 2 year olds are egocentric:) But then he decided to "marry" his dump truck to his fire truck:)

Baby Rolls

Are the cutest!! You are so rolly polly! I'm not used to having to lift rolls to clean under them but you have made me used to it! I have to lift your neck rolls and clean under them and your leg rolls too. It's a whole new world. I love your soft baby rolls so much and could just squeeze and hold you all day long. One of my favorite times with you is bathtime, you love a nice warm bath and coo and talk to me while we splash in the water. You get all relaxed and then love to nurse to sleep after you are smelling so fresh. You never cry during your bath unless you get to cold. Love you my rolly polly baby boy!