Cade {14 months}

These last 2 months have gone by in one huge blur!

The weather has been insane and it has made us sickly at our house. Since my last update Cade has had a virus, the croup, and 2 more ear infections. This makes 7 ear infections since September, so we saw an ENT Vanderbilt today and tubes are just around the corner. On top of all of that, teeth 14-16 are on their way in...

Photo Credit: Nicole Gagliano Photography

In spite of the sickness getting Cade and myself (because Cody always seems to escape it) we have done our best to enjoy the pretty spring days that are creeping in. Cade loves being outside so we've made several park trips and spent warm afternoons out in our yard. He likes throwing gravel, blowing bubbles, and riding around in the wagon. When it gets warmer I plan on getting a small pool to set up and maybe a water table.

Cade is really into everything now, since he's walking and running everywhere. He loves chasing Chloe around the house. I keep music playing a lot during the day when we're home, and he loves to dance! Because of all the sick days, we still haven't totally gotten rid of the paci, but the bottle is officially gone now.

Favorite Things

I really could make a huge list of household items like cordless phones, refrigerator doors, microwaves, alarm keypads, etc... Because those seem to be his favorites!

Tommee Tippee Sippy Cups: These are the best we've found so far. They really don't leak (except there is a small vent on top that occasionally drips if upside down long). There is also a smaller version for younger babes that has handles on each side.

Boon Snack Caterpillar: We love our "Snackapillar" as we call it. It has been a lifesaver in these all-too-frequent doctor visits lately. It's got 3 different compartments so you can throw in a variety without mixing them up. He just thinks it's funny to slide open and close the little doors.

Crane Humidifier: I've probably mentioned this before, but we use it so much it deserves an encore. This is a lifesaver! I like how quiet it is, the pointed spout on top that you can aim anywhere, and it puts out a great mist on high. It also has a light inside that is nice for nighttime.

B. Splish and Fish Boat: Cade loves bath time and this toy definitely makes it more fun! It has lots of little fish and pieces that store inside, including funtional items that look like toys, like a brush, comb, and stacking cups that pour water like a shower head. Cody is normally in charge of baths, so he and Cade spend lots of time catching fish!

Little Tikes Activity Garden: This was a birthday gift and he plays in it every day. His current obsession is seeing if he can climb over the walls instead of around or through. You can close the walls to make it a house or open them up for a big play area.

Stacking Cups: These were a gift from our nursery at church and Cade loves them! I'm so glad he will play with simple toys as well as electronic (obnoxious) ones. He likes me to stack them so he can take them all out, and then we start all over again!

We've got so much coming up, including Easter, birthdays, throwing a baby shower, and Mother's and Father's Days. Pray for my sanity and no more sick days!

Cade {1 year}

It's a little hard to believe I just wrote "1 year" in the title of this post.

This year has gone by so fast, but we've had so much fun and I can't wait to watch him change over the next year!

Cade is so much fun at this age! It's definitely easier to take him places and get things done around the house with him because now he likes to follow me around but will entertain himself with toys or chasing the cat.

He is weighing in at 21 pounds 13 ounces (58%) and is 30.25 inches long (67%).

Cade will pretty much eat anything at this point. He loves oatmeal, green beans, chicken, mac+cheese, potatoes, and yogurt. He always wants to try what we have, so he's also a huge fan of mexican, jambalaya, and taco soup.

We are full-on jabbering, which is pretty funny. He's also walking all over the place, and crawling on, over, or through everything. We've had lots of bumped heads lately.

Sleep is sooo much better (thank goodness, I was tired for 2 months straight I think). He's laying down at 8 and waking up on his own around 7, although sometimes he'll sleep in til 8. Bonus- now when he wakes, Cade will play in his crib for a bit instead of immediately crying to get out. The other morning he was jumping up and down and squealing for 5 solid minutes. 

We had his birthday party this weekend which turned out really well. Thank you again to everyone who came and shared in his special day! He loves all of his toys and books! He was so tired by the time we got to his cake that it was kind of a bust, but we had so much fun anyways!

We're working on "sharing"


Next up...getting rid of the bottle and paci. He is only taking a night-time bottle now (except for the occasional one with a nap) and a paci only at night. Hopefully this will be easy!

Cade {11 months}

I can't believe we've wrapped up 2013 and have already moved into 2014. I have approximately 5 minutes to plan a first birthday party!

At least that's how I feel!

I'm not sure if I'll continue to do monthly updates after Cade turns 1, maybe every couple of months.

I'm guessing Cade's weight to be right around 21 pounds. He's wearing 9-12 month clothes and 12 month pajamas. His big foot is wearing a size 4 shoe!

Cade hasn't had baby food (other than some cereal) in about 2 weeks so I'm going to say we've pretty much made that leap. Next step is weaning from the bottle...which I hope goes smoothly. We're down to 3 (sometimes 4) bottles a day and he does well drinking from his cup in between. His favorite foods seem to be macaroni and cheese, bananas, grilled cheese, scrambled eggs, and green beans. It's hard to do a variety of foods for him right now because most things are still difficult for him to chew. But we're getting there!

Cade is pulling up on and walking around everything! I thought for sure he'd take his first steps on Christmas but it was a no-go. It's funny to watch him try though...you can tell he wants to and when he does, we're all in trouble.

Favorite Things

Aveeno Eczema Therapy Moisturizing Cream:Cade has had these rough patches pop up on his cheeks every now and then, and his doctor said it's probably mild eczema. This lotion seems to fix it overnight!
PROTECT Auto Close Gate: We finally put a gate in the kitched doorway to keep Cade out (and mainly away from the trash can and cat foot). As annoying as it is to have a gate, this one is definitely worth the price and is easy to use. It opens with one hand and closes automatically behind you. I wish it had the option to stay open, but only the one for a smaller door frame does.
Laugh & Learn Crawl Around Car: Cade got this for Christmas and he loves it! He opens the door, crawls inside, and will sometimes even close the door behind him! It has lots of buttons to click and it plays annoying music, so he's all about it.
B. Zany Zoo Activity Cube: I love this brand of toys! They have the cutest stuff for babies and not all of it is battery-operated, which I appreciate. This is sturdy enough for Cade to pull up on and just the right height for him to stand at. (This Amazon price is ridiculous, you can get it at Target for around $50)

I am so so SO looking forward to Cade's First Birthday party!! I have several ideas in mind for how it will look, I just need to find time to get it all together!

2013 {in pictures}

We have been so blessed with a wonderful year. I'm sad to say goodbye but I know the best is yet to come!

Here are some of my favorite pictures from the year!

Bring on 2014!