Caden's First Christmas!!

HEllo my little elf,

YOU ARE TOOOOOO CUTE!!! I can't stop saying that this Christmas week...You have been adorable!! So here we are, up at the condo in Frisco, Colorado right near Breckenridge, Keystone, Arapahoe Basin and Copper Mountain!! It is your VERY first Christmas!! Woo hoo!!! That's some exciting stuff!!! I can't ever think of a better place to spend this holiday than right here nestled in the middle of gorgeous mountains watching the snow fall in huge flakes all around us.

SNOW!!! You've gotten to see it for the first time, touch it for the first time and EAT it for the first time! (Just always remember, never eat YELLOW snow! :) ) You seem to be quite happy outside in the chilly air. We've gone out for a few walks through the park and down the streets of Frisco. You've been all bundled up as "snug as a bug in a rug", and you seem to LOVE it!! I've been paranoid that you aren't warm enough, but you seem to be quite content,....even more so outside!! You even take your naps in the cold! You amaze me more every day at how much of a trooper you are! My goodness....you are just perfect!!




We've been giving you your baths in the kitchen sink....you are almost too big now!! Your Aunt Desi snapped some cute pics of you...




Both your Uncles have been here, Uncle Matty, and Uncle Joey. You seem just mesmerized with them and they are so cute with you. It's been great having them around. Even your Aunt Desiree was here to see you!! We've had alot of fun with them for sure!!



So.....After our little "incident" at the airport last week we got on the plane and had to make two different stops before we made it to Denver. YOU were a perfect angel. Thank you baby!!! :) I just couldn't believe how good you did...not a peep out of you all day. I must have done something REALLY good that week to deserve such perfection from a baby on a plane. Caden.....you really are the best baby I have ever known or seen. How did I get so lucky???

Your Nana picked us up from the airport.....You were SO happy to see her! It had been about two months since you'd seen your Nana and Poppa last, so it was a very exciting reunion. We headed up the mountain, enjoying all the sites along the way, and got settled into the condo and watched some snow fall down, and some neat icicles hanging across the street. It always feels like home up here to me. I hope that you will love the mountains as much as your mommy, and all the fun they have to offer from snow skiing, to sledding, to rock climbing and hiking....There are always endless possibilities and their beauty is absolutely breathtaking.

I always suffer a little altitude sickness the first few days I get here. I never knew there was such a thing while I was living here! People always whined about it, but I just thought they were being wimpy or something. Oh no! It's a REAL thing! I feel like I can't BREATH the first day or so.....I was really worried about you as we made the trek up the mountain, and unfortunately you DID suffer a little of the same sickness the first couple days. Poor boo.... I'm soo sorry. You just weren't quite yourself those first two days, but now you seem quite adjusted and as happy as can be! Whew!

We've spent our days playing games, eating, relaxing by the fire, and taking walks in the snow. I'ts been GREAT. We even got to go down the mountain and see your Gramma and Grampa!! It was a short visit, but it was so nice to see them again!

Your first Christmas....Wow....It just makes me think of all I've been through this last year. You have changed my life, and it amazes me the understanding and sacrifices that I have already begun to learn as a parent. And more than that, at this time of year, I am reminded even stronger of the TRUE reason of Chrismas and the TRUE sacrifice that God gave when he sent His son here to earth to die. I can't say I could have been that strong at all. We went to a really nice Christmas Eve service at a local church here in town. The pastor was telling a story of the ultimate sacrifice and it moved me deeply. It helped me understand even more what God felt like. Here is the story:

"There was once a bridge that spanned a large river. During most of the day the bridge sat with its length running up and down the river paralleled with the banks, allowing ships to pass through freely on both sides of the bridge. But at certain times each day, a train would come along and the bridge would be turned sideways across the river, allowing the train to cross it.

A switchman sat in a shack on one side of the river where he operated the controls to turn the bridge and lock it into place as the train crossed.

One evening as the switchman was waiting for the last train of the day to come, he looked off into the distance through the dimming twilight and caught sight of the train lights. He stepped onto the control and waited until the train was within a prescribed distance. Then he was to turn the bridge. He turned the bridge into position, but, to his horror, he found the locking control did not work. If the bridge was not securely in position, it would cause the train to jump the track and go crashing into the river. This would be a passenger train with MANY people aboard.

He left the bridge turned across the river and hurried across the bridge to the other side of the river, where there was a lever switch he could hold to operate the lock manually.

He would have to hold the lever back firmly as the train crossed. He could hear the rumble of the train now, and he took hold of the lever and leaned backward to apply his weight to it, locking the bridge. He kept applying the pressure to keep the mechanism locked. Many lives depended on this man's strength.

Then, coming across the bridge from the direction of his control shack, he heard a sound that made his blood run cold.

"Daddy, where are you?" His four-year-old son was crossing the bridge to look for him. His first impulse was to cry out to the child, "Run! Run!" But the train was too close; the tiny legs would never make it across the bridge in time..

The man almost left his lever to snatch up his son and carry him to safety. But he realized that he could not get back to the lever in time if he saved his son.

Either many people on the train or his own son - must die.

He took but a moment to make his decision. The train sped safely and swiftly on its way, and no one aboard was even aware of the tiny broken body thrown mercilessly into the river by the on rushing train. Nor were they aware of the pitiful figure of the sobbing man, still clinging to the locking lever long after the train had passed. They did not see him walking home more slowly than he had ever walked; to tell his wife how their son had brutally died."

Just like this story, so many people are oblivious of what God did for us, and we walk around trying to do everything on our own. If only we would give it all to God a little more? As we walked down the street that crisp evening with all the beautiful Christmas lights I breathed several words of thanks for you, and for my life. I'm one lucky mommy. :) We opened lots of fun presents the next morning, and had a blast watching you tear into some of the wrapping paper. You especially liked the bows and ribbon!! It's been a perfect Christmas. :)





I find that I can barely remember what my life was like without you. You are only now eight months old and I feel like these last few months have been simultaneously the longest and shortest periods I’ve ever experienced in my life. On one hand I am amazed that you are growing so fast and barely have time to enjoy one moment to the next before it changes, while on the other I am so excited to see you grow up and learn about your world that I almost can’t sleep at night! You've been sleeping with me since we've been here and its been sweet to wake up to you softly cooing or dreaming or KICKING! :)and to realize that you are no longer a figment of my childhood dreams, but a living breathing human being lying next to me. It all feels so surreal. I feel like you has always been there waiting for your time to come into the world.

I don’t think that you can understand the feeling of being caught in a single moment while at the same time feeling stretched across the ages until you yourself become a parent. I find my thoughts dancing over all of the nights my mother had waited up for me to come home, and all the mistakes I had made as a teenager that in one way or another hurt my family. All of those nights that I came home late and dismissed my mothers’ worry and frustration with me all of a sudden have come around full circle. What will I feel like if you do not come home on time? Will I now be the one losing sleep waiting for the door to click open and heave a sigh of relief when the door quietly squeaks? Will I pretend that I am asleep to cover up the fact that I had been up late worrying? Will I get up and stand in my doorway as you come upstairs to your bedroom to ask you if you are all right?

I find myself singing you the same songs my mother used to lull me to sleep with, and comforting you with the same loving touch I always craved. No matter how much you may feel like you are different from your parents, there is never a time that you feel so completely molded in their image as when you have your own child. Seeing my parents hold you and love you is the most perfect gift I could have received for Christmas. You are all smiles for them, and all I can think about was how I used to be that small baby girl in their arms and now I am watching them hold the baby that will carry on in their likeness and memory years after they are gone.

Happy holidays to everyone celebrating their first Christmas with a new family, and to those dreaming of the Christmases to come. Enjoy the love and warmth that togetherness allows us to experience, and remember to make your memories count. I know I'm going to do my best!!!

I love you my little Christmas boy.

Love, Mommy

Caden's First "Owie"

My poor, little man,

Being a mom is still so raw for me. Moms that are more experienced than me understand that life as you know it can be zapped away in an instant. I'm learning this lesson daily. Last week I learned it again.

It was a freezing morning as your dad took us to the airport early in the morning to make our trek to Colorado for Christmas. I took you out of the car seat to transfer you to your stroller. I had you dressed in warm clothes, a thick jacket, mittens and a hat. I was so worried you would be cold. I want to protect you, every part of you. As I put you in the stroller and tried to buckle you in (as I ALWAYS do, no exceptions) your jacket was too thick and you were already smooshed in there pretty good. I took a blanket, tucked it all around you even more and was convinced that you were so wedged in there that nothing could pry you loose. Boy was I in for a big surprise.

We were practically running through the parking garage to find our way to warmth, with all our luggage in tow. Your dad was in front of us pulling a suitcase and lugging your carseat, and I was pushing you and pulling a suitcase at the same time. Your dad and I both hear a dull thump, a scream, and Crying, Crying, Crying. I had NO idea what had just happened or what could have caused you to cry?? As I stopped the stroller and peeked around to see what was the matter, to my utter HORROR, I see you sprawled out, FACE FIRST on the concrete floor. My mind could not even grasp how this could have happened. Surely, I hadn't just failed you. In that split second before I scooped you up with heart pounding out of my chest, I just knew that we wouldn't be making that plane, that your face would be a bloody mess, that I would be dying all day long.

I picked you up as you were sobbing, and there was nothing. Dear God, there was nothing. No blood, no marks, no nothing. I searched and searched your face....I couldn't believe it. Your sobs were piercing me to the core. I figured out that your blanket must have gotten caught in the wheel of the stroller, pulled you underneath the bar, slid you out and flipped you over. How could I have been so stupid???? Why did I not take the extra minute to make your stroller straps fit?

The fear. The tears -- my own. This is our first injury, I kept thinking, tears falling down my cheeks. The first of many more I knew, and I couldn't stand it.
And, just like that, you were fine. You didn't cry again. Pure, raw childhood seeped from your soul.

Not long afterwards, when I took off your hat, I began to see the results of your fall....a big red bump was beginning to form. Thanks to the fact that I had a hat on your head there was no blood, but still, there was a bump! Just looking at it broke my heart. It got redder and redder.....and it was all my fault!! So....your first "owie"...... It's almost gone now after a week, but it still makes me so sad every time I look at it. I'm so sorry boo boo.... I can already tell that I'm not so cut out for my baby hurting.... You are such a trooper. I love you so much.... :)

Love, Mommy

EIGHT Months!!!!

Happy Birthday to you...Happy Birthday to you, Happy Eight Month Birthday to my perfect little guy....Happy Birthday to you!!! Oh my gosh you are EIGHT months old!!! Aww....... My little baby is growing up so fast..... Every month I can't believe how much bigger you are getting, how many changes you are going through, and how much more in love with you I grow. I have truly never been more in awe of any single human being. you make my life worth living.

You are so full of energy. You rarely stop moving. It is so interesting how being a mommy changes one’s perspective. I was trying to feed you the other day, (which is a whole blog in itself...dear GOD!) and we were doing fairly well until you spotted this bird outside the window hopping around on the patio table. You were so enthralled with this tiny black bird with wild white specks all over his body... just staring at your new little buddy, taking in its every movement. I couldn’t get you to open your mouth if I had a crowbar, so eventually I just gave up and watched the bird with you. It was interesting to think about how many little amazing opportunities I miss in the name of getting something done. We watched that silly bird hop around and do it's thing... It was sweet in some strange way, and not something I can remember doing in recent memory. Your raw enthusiasm for every little thing slows me down, and I like it.

In development news, you still are my little "toothless wonder"..... I just can't believe you still have no teeth! It's amazing!! Just when I think it's going to happen I am fooled! You can definitely sing the song "All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth! :) That's ok my little muchkin....you take all the time you want... :)

You are SOOOOO close to crawling. It will definitely be ANY second now. You roll around the room, spin in circles on your stomach, and now you scoot backwards like a little crawfish or lobster. You are figuring it out....It's just a matter of time! I think Christmas will bring a fast crawler. I swear, once you figure it out it is ALL over. You are going to be speedy gonzales, I know it. You may just decide to skip crawling all together and just start walking! That is not entirely impossible!!

You are constantly talking....Mamamamama, Babababababa, Bowowowowowow, Nananananana, Nite nite nite nite, hi, hi, hi, hi, hi, hi, hi, SOOOOO LOUD all the time. It's so cute. You are also a having a kick doing your little "fake cough". Uh, uh, uh, uh,,,,,, ALL the time!! It's your way to get attention and you think it's soooo funny. Geez little man, you are silly!!

Ok, so mommy is too tired now to even keep her eyes open, but she will write more tomorrow. I love you, and I'm so glad you are mine..... Happy Birthday my life...

Love, Mommy

My Letters To Caden

So I haven't written for awhile....the longest I think I've gone since I started these leters when Caden was born. I guess I've been a little discouraged....and because of what other people were saying I was questioning the existence of this blog I started. I mean, will Caden ever really care that I wrote these things about him? Will he want to stop for a moment someday when he is older to read some of my words of love? Am I expressing things that are too personal about how I feel to my family and friends? I'ts caused me great angst, and I've missed writing on here, but I've just been "stuck" in a place of confusion and frustration that I couldn't quite get out of. Well, now I have decided what I'm going to do. I'm going to keep on writing....

People may disagree with things I do for the rest of my life, I hate that, but there is nothing I can do about it. I can't make everyone happy all the time right? There are those that may think I'm being to open about my feelings for my son, but you know what? I am not ashamed of my love for Caden, or for sharing it. I want the world to know how in love with him that I am. What is the shame of being personal in this world? Don't we need more of that? If only people would express more what they truly feel wouldn't this world be a better place? As far as him ever reading this someday, maybe he will, maybe he won't. And that's ok..... it's there for him if there ever comes a time where he might just need to remind himself how loved he is. I guess I also imagine that if for some awful reason that something were to happen to me, that he would have a piece of my heart to carry around forever.....that he would have no doubt in his mind how much his mommy loved him, cause the proof would be right there in front of his eyes, spilled out on paper with so much emotion and love. I need for him to have that.

So....with as much as I've struggled with keeping this blog alive and going, I'm not going to stop what I enjoy doing so much...talking about Caden. If people want to peek into our world and share my joys, then wonderful!! I welcome you with open arms....that's a part of why this is here. I need all the support I can get... So, starting tonight, I will officially be "back online" and blogging my heart out. I have much to share!!! Hope you all have missed hearing about Caden as much as I've missed writing about him!!!

What good is a "Bib?"

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My Messy Little Man,

I mean seriously.....what good is a bib when you make the biggest mess ever?? The only benefit I've seen thus far of wearing that silly thing is to protect the small piece of shirt that it covers....that's it. You have your moments of pretty good eating habits, like when we were in North Dakota, you were angel, (little do they know! :)....but for the most part you are nearly IMPOSSIBLE!! :) I just don't understand why you just can't open your mouth, take a bite, close your mouth, swallow and then repeat. Oh no.....you have to open your mouth, take a bite, put your whole fist in your mouth to feel the food as it squishes around....take your fist out, put it in your lap, getting it all over your pants...then take your next bite, put your fist in your mouth again, take it out and this time decide to feel your hair and see if it is still there, getting sweet potatoes, or carrots, or green beans all in your hair....take another bite, stick your hand in your mouth YET again, decide to kiss the nice cloth back of your highchair, and grab it at the same time, as I'm trying to stop you while I'm seeing yet ANOTHER load of laundry happening soon. My GOSH!!! You're not even a toddler yet.....don't even have ONE tooth to speak of and you're already a terror when it comes to eating!! :) I hope this isn't a sign of what's to come!! You are too funny..... I swear I'm not exaggerating about this one bit!!

I think I need to have a salon style set up..... You in a low, plastic chair with a cape tight around your neck with your arms hidden underneath.....Yes...that is what I imagine. How much easier that would be!! Somehow I still feel that you would find a way to make a mess even in that scenario. I've got to find a way to "nip this in the bud" now. How, I'm not sure, but I can't do this forever! :) It's funny to talk about, but not always so funny in the moment. :)

In other news....you are just soooooooo very active. It's really unbelievable. I think back to when you were oh so tiny and couldn't do much but wave your arms... now, you are trying to climb all over everything and twisting and turning every which way to see and experience as much as possible. It is definitely becoming harder to keep up with you and you're not even crawling yet!! I'm starting to realize that I am REALLY going to have my hands full once that happens!!

You have learned how to "wave" hello and goodbye to people and now you want to wave at everyone and everything. It is sooooo cute. I just can't get enough of it. Your little hand gets pumping and it is just precious. You wave at the TV, you toys, the dogs and your own reflection. I love that you are starting to mimic and understand things....How much fun we will have!! I can't wait for every new little thing that you will do....



You are babbling "mamamamamamama" and "babababababababababababa" all the time.... and oftentimes at the top of your lungs.... You seem to really love the sound of your voice. It's pretty darn cute. You are just pretty darn cute.... I can't help it...I am hopelessly in love with you. Don't ever forget that my little munchkin..

Love, Mommy

Why I Love Going To Gramma and Grampa's House...

We got back from visiting North Dakota on Tuesday evening....we had a great trip! It was sooooo nice seeing my dad and getting to know Beth more. It's great that they are together and happy. Yay! :) Seeing my grandparents was wonderful as well....it's been WAY too long. They are so sweet and I just wish I could live closer to be able to see them more. It was wonderful seeing the rest of my family, and my Aunt Carol. Why do I have to live so far apart from EVERY single family member that I care about?? I hate this!!

Anyway...we had a fun, fun week taking pictures of Caden. Of course, if you know me at all, you know my unconventional way of photographing my son. It can never be normal! As my Aunt Jo Ann says...."most people take pictures of their babies in cute outfits...not Tiffany! She shoves him in a mailbox, puts him in a pot on the stove and etc..." Well, I must say we pushed it even further this time! :) It's just too fun!!! We were laughing soooooo hard as we were taking these....even have a little commentary to go along with them! Don't think badly of us for some of these pictures! I would never do anything to put him in harms way!!!!! :) He is always a happy camper and happy to do anything I want him too!! So....here goes...

Why I love going to Gramma and Grampa's House:

Grampa lets me play with knives!!



He even lets me play with Gramma's china!!



He doesn't mind if I play with scissors....



He even lets me play with matches!!



I LOVE when he lets me play with the meat cleaver....



but it's even MORE fun when he lets me play with his power tools!!!



Every once in awhile he'll let me play with plastic bags, sometimes even on my head..



and if I want to play with some bleach or motor oil....he'll LET ME!! :)




My Grampa likes to hunt, and he even let me hold his gun!!




My MOST favorite was that he let me drive his hunting car!! We were both even wearing camo!! :)




Can you believe he even lets me play in the middle of the road?



Grampa taught me all about how to work on a car....I hope I can be as mechanical as him someday!!



He even taught me about google and how to watch stocks online....



What's REALLY cool is that he taught me how the do the "farmer blow" just like he taught my Uncle Matty and my Uncle Joey. That's some great information!!



Most importantly, he also taught me the importance and many uses of ducktape....and that if I ever got a tear in my pajamas, that duck tape would work just fine.




He's such a great babysitter too....He puts me up high where I can see everything that's going on, and he even makes sure my puppy Orrie is with me! How thoughtful!!




Gosh I love going to Gramma and Grampa's.......I wonder what else I'll be able to do when I'm even bigger!!!! I can't WAIT to find out!!

MAMAMAMAMAMA!!!!!

Hello my little talking man,

You have officially formed your first words...MAMA MAMA MAMA. Your gramma and I were in the bedroom changing you when you just blurted it out twice. I looked at her....she looked at me....and I said "Did he just say what I thought he just did?" Before she could even answer you did it again...."mamamamamamamamama" Sweet music to my ears......... I couldn't believe it!! Although I'm sure you don't know the meaning yet, it was just soooo sweet, and so amazing to hear you make a new sound!! Wow..... I am so happy. And now, a few days later, you are saying "Bababababababa".....and "Bow wow wow wow wow" Hahahahaha! I keep saying "What does a dog say Caden?" :) The cutest of it all is that I always know when you are about to start talking as your mouth starts to make the movement before the sound comes out. You start opening and shutting your mouth over an over until the sound come.... God you are so cute!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I just want to eat you up right now...your sounds are just precious and music to my ears!!! I have lots more to write tomorrow but it is so late now and I am soooo tired, so until tomorrow, dream of more sweet things to say to me. I can't wait.

Love, your Mamamamamamamama

Almost Crawling and Still No Teeth

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My Dear Wiggle Worm,

My goodness you are non-stop boy....and you can't even crawl yet! You just cannot sit still for a second...always wanting to stand up in my lap and jump, or twist and turn around trying to view everything in the room in a panoramic view. You just can't get enough motion, views, and interaction. How in the WORLD am I going to keep up with you when you are crawling, and even worse yet, walking?? I can already tell you are going to wear me out!!! Your grandparents are trying desperately to teach you to crawl while we are here, much to my hesitation!! :) Your grampa is "teaching you" as you will see from this video..... (too cute) He has me cracking up for sure!!








You are pretty much an expert sitter now. Only when something excites you beyond the normal arm flailing, do you sometimes fling yourself backwards and hit the floor. I still put a pillow behind you in case that happens, as a little safety measure since you don't like hitting your head so much, but you are pretty darn sturdy now, and it is rarely needed. Way to go Caden! You'll just sit there for 10 minutes at a time just entertaining yourself with some of your favorite toys. These include, your FAVORITE toy, which is a little gadget that my cousin Jennifer gave me that talks and plays a few songs. (this toy will be the death of me as I am already about to go CRAZY if I have to hear these songs a million more times. Thanks alot Jennifer!) One of the icons is a blue car and it plays a car song that goes "Lets go riding in my car it's nice and blue....Let's go riding in my car that's what we'll do.....Let's go riding round and round, we'll go up and up and down....Let's go riding in my car just me and you." THEN, there is a red boat icon that plays "Sailing, sailing, I can sail with you....I can sail my little red boat, on the ocean blue." And last but not least, there is the yellow house icon that sings "In the yellow house puppy's ready to go....out in the garden where flowers grow....open up the door with the big green key...come on out and play with me." Oh God...I swear I hear these songs in my dreams. They won't get out of my head. I'm losing it... :) Don't anyone think of getting him any toys that play songs! Mommy can't handle it! :) Some of your other favorites right now include a blow up microphone that your nana gave me for my birthday about 10 or more years ago, a spinning ball, a little mirror, measuring cups, a red rattle and some twisty noise makers. It's so amazing that a seven month old can favor certain toys....I'm so glad that you can so thoroughly entertain yourself with your toys at such a young age. You are just sooo good.

So you've gotten to meet your GREAT grandparents this trip and they are just amazed at how good you are....It is really sweet to see you sitting on their laps just mesmerized by them. One time you just got ahold of my grampa's neck and just held on so tight he thought he would choke! You didn't want to let go! Hehehehe... I'm so glad that you have gotten to meet both sets of your great grandparents....that is so rare.









We have taken soooo many funny pictures this trip (are you surprised?) which will be revealed on the last day.... Everyone is going to die laughing... :) However, I will give everyone a sneak peek of a few that we took this evening....





WE'RE TEACHING YOU YOUNG HOW GREAT THE BLUETOOTH DEVICE IS!!! :)

We had an "early Christmas" and your new Gramma made you some awesome things!! She crocheted a little camouflaged sweater for you that is sooo cute, and made a soft fleece Curious George blanket. She even made a monkey for you!!! He is about your size and is so cute!!! We named him Tommy....and there is a reason for that that I cannot post on the blog.....:) Someday maybe I'll tell you.... :) Thank you so much Gramma!! and Grampa for you moral support!! :)







Well I wish you've been able to play the evil game "UNO" with us....We've been having a blast with that. WHY do I play that STUPID game?? :) Hahahaha.... I can't wait for the day that you can join in honey.... I just can't wait to do so many things with you. I already have such a blast with and I just know that it will continue to become more and more fun, if that is possible! I love you I love you I love you!! And don't even THINK about crawling anytime soon!!! Good night my love....

Love, Mommy

Caden's First Thanksgiving

Hi my little "turkey...." :)

Well, you just experienced your first "Thanksgiving Experience!" Boy did we eat alot of Thanksgiving food!!!! Yum, yum, yummy!!! This is definitely your mommy's favorite meal of the year. I look forward to it all year long, and I swear my taste buds start watering the week of the "big day" in anticipation of the turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, (a lot of them!) sweet potatoes, cranberry, green bean casserole, olives, sea foam salad, and of course the pumpkin pie with lots of whipped cream!! You even had quite a few new things! I fed you some regular mashed pototoes, sweet potatoes, cranberry, and even some sea foam salad! We were amazed how much you ate, and how very eager you were for each bite!! Yay Caden!

Every year I stuff myself crazy and wish I hadn't....and every year I wonder why I wait a whole year to eat this heavenly mixture. Why don't I make this another time of the year? After all, this is no "rule" that says you can't have this concotion any other event of the year. Each year I vow that I will, and then another year rolls by without me following through with that plan. Maybe that's why this meal is so special...cause it's anticipated all year long. It's like a "sacred experience." I just love Thanksgiving. More than just all the yummy food, I want you to always remember the TRUE reason that we celebrate this holiday. I want you to always be thankful for all that you have my little man. You are so blessed and so loved, and God has an amazing plan for your life. It shouldn't take a Holiday for us to give thanks, it should be every single day, but I never want this holiday to pass without you acknowledging to everyone the things that you are thankful for. This year, the thing I was most thankful for was you. I kept whispering my thanks for you all day long...but that's not unusual...I do that most the time.

You were an angel on the flight up here. We flew from Nashville to Minneapolis and you slept most of the way, and then we went from Minneapolis to Minot and again you slept. Yay! When you were awake you seemed mesmerized looking out the window. I got some cute pictures of you.... We had our own row so you were able to sleep and play with plenty of room. Thank God for that! :) Everyone on the flight was just enamored with you. How is it that you get sooooo much attention?? I swear, it is unbelievable. Your smile just makes so many people's days....You just don't even realize it.








We've had alot of fun so far up here in chilly North Dakota. It's pretty darn cute to see you all bundled up for the cold. You seem to love it, and you look as snug as a bug in a rug! :) It's nice to be back, and you are having fun playing with your Gramma and Grampa! You are absolutely and completely MESMERIZED with your grampa. We just can't believe it....You will NOT take your eyes off of him and you are just in love. I think it could be his mustache. :) All I know is that you just light up when he is anywhere near. It is sooo cute. He's teaching you alot of things.....(that is for another blog...hehehe)






I'm glad that we have this time here to see the whole family, and I'll share more later, but I wanted to tell you again how very thankful that I am for you. You have forever changed my life for the better and I am so incredibly in love with you......Thank you Caden!!!

Love, Mommy