Caketastrophies!

I had to post this link to Baby Shower Caketastrophies after I saw it on a friend of mine's blog.  I laughed so hard.  Thanks for finding this Christie!!  Most of you know how much I like cake.  I really like to make it more than I like to eat it.  But this was hilarious!!  What are these people thinking!?!

AWANA

I haven't gotten a picture of Adam at our weekly AWANA Club at church until now.  He's been working every week on saying verses and earning patches. So proud of him!

Adam and Shots

Adam had his 4 year old checkup last week which included 3 shots.  I didn't tell him about the shots till that morning b/c I wanted him to actually sleep the night before.  I also asked a friend to watch Caleb so I could have both hands free to hold Adam if I needed to.  I was expecting him to go ballistic.  When we got to the doctor's office, he told everyone he saw that, "I don't like shots when I'm four."   EVERYONE!  First he was weighed...49 pounds!  Then height....46 inches.  Then vision...20/25 (we think...he kept singing his ABC's).  Then I chatted with the Dr. for awhile and finally the shots.  I told him he was going to do great and that he was so strong he would barely feel anything.  The nurse got the shots ready and she had me sit with him on my lap  with my legs wrapped around him in case he jerked.  I told him to look away, but he sat there calmly and watched the first one go in his left arm.  Then he calmly watched as the 2nd and 3rd went in his right arm.  He barely flinched on those.  Not a peep!!  The nurse looked at him shocked and went to praising him about how strong he was and about his big muscles!!  He was so proud of himself!!  The Dr. found him on the way out and also couldn't believe it!   He got 3 Ironman stickers and a sucker as rewards.  What a brave guy!! 

Caleb Growing Up

Caleb had a big week last week.  He was cut off from bottles at night and he moved into the bigger carseat.   Caleb has not had a daytime bottle for awhile, but he was getting really comfortable with waking up at night and wanting a bottle to soothe himself back to sleep.  I'd be alright with this if he would be the one to waddle into the kitchen, open the fridge and blind HIS eyes with the light, pour the bottle in the dark, and then waddle back to bed.  Alas, this was my job and I'm telling you the breaking point was a week ago when he woke up every hour and a half for a bottle.  I had it. At about 3am I cut him off and sat there and listened to him cry until he figured out that he could put himself to sleep (about 40 minutes).  Then he tried again a while later and had to develop a new strategy for soothing.  I just sat up and listened.  Neither of us got much sleep that night.  But, still determined, I threw all those bottles away the next morning (so as not to be tempted), and we proceeded the next night to try it again. The second night was awesome!!  The third night, he woke up about 3 times, but only cried for about a minute and then laid down again.  I'm good with that.  Since then,  He has been sleeping so much better.  I get so much more rest and we're both better for it.  I don't regret waiting this long to do it because I've been trying to get him to down as many calories as possible since he was born. He has the metabolism of an ant.  But, now that he's on whole milk and stuffing his face as much as he wants at meals, he's doing great. 

He loves his new seat.  Anytime we go outside, he tries to open the car doors and climb in himself. 

Spring is in the Air

Spring has arrived...actually a couple weeks ago.  (Now it's already hot) But, with Spring, comes flowers and bike riding.  I love this tree in our front yard. 

Caleb trying to keep up with Adam.  We're trying to teach Adam to ride without his training wheels.  I think he can do it, but he's still nervous that we're going to let go and he'll fall.  A little more work needed. 

Chris Goes Camping With The Guys

To celebrate one of his friends getting married soon, Chris and his friends went on a guys camping trip.  They had a blast kayaking, biking, cooking, and whatever else.  Congratulations Jody!

Adam Turns 4!!!

Originally we had planned to have Adam's 4th birthday party at this fabulous new park.  However, with a chance of rain at 90% we changed it to our house.  We've had 2 prior birthdays where weather played a big role!! We made the right decision because it poured the whole time.  We had some great friends over and filled up the time by letting the kids decorate their own cupcakes, smashing a Buzz Lightyear pinata in the garage, opening presents, and overall chaos in Adam's room.  The kids loved it and Adam had a blast.   We are blown away by how fast these last 4 years with him have gone by.  He's turned into such a sincere, fun-loving, genuine little boy.  He's amazing.  Adam, we love you!!  Happy 4th Birthday!

 

Adam's version of UP

(balloons for the party)

Decorating cupcakes

Check out this clown with his oversize cupcake!

Adam with his best buds anticipating presents

Adam vs. Buzz

The Loot!

Caleb with his cupcake...sorry buddy, no icing for you!

Grandpa Turns 60!

Adam and Chris' Dad share the same birthday.  So, Friday night we had a small gathering of his friends and family over to our house for a monster seafood buffet birthday party.  We had all you can eat King Crab and Charbroiled oysters, grilled asparagus and broccoli, and finally a Bailey's Irish Cream Chocolate Mousse Cake.  I cannot describe how good this meal was.  Thanks for turning 60 Grandpa! 

Chris and his mom shucking all the oysters for the party

Grandpa getting help blowing out the candle

We damaged the cake!! 

The party-goers

Puzzle Solved

I took Caleb back to the pediatrician this morning b/c of the second rash he's sprouted in 2 weeks.  It worsened overnight and looked like he got punched in both eyes.  It was all over him again...rim of the ear, between the toes, around the fingers,  and bumpy and spotted everywhere else!!  He was also very itchy and miserable.  This is how often we've been at the dr lately:  Everybody in the entire office knows all 3 of our names (me, Adam, and Caleb).  So, after talking it over for awhile, the dr ruled it as an allergy to penicillin.  It does make sense with the rash showing up 1-2 days after the completion of the antibiotic/penicillin cycle both times.  I really appreciate this pediatrician and want to give her a shout-out.  She just scooped Caleb up in the office and checked him over head to toe while she cuddled him and let him play with her stethoscope.  She really listened to me, as she always does, and asked tons of questions before she diagnosed him.  I really like her bedside manner.  I feel better knowing that I don't have to wrap him in a bubble for the rest of his life or start visiting the allergist for testing.  As long as this rash doesn't present itself again, we'll know for sure it's the penicillin.  Maybe I can catch my breath before the next catastrophe.