Carden's Blog

Hope my child looks back on today
and remembers a Mum who had time to play
There will be years for cleaning and cooking
But children grow up when we are not looking
Cleaning and scrubbing can wait till tomorrow
Because babies grow fast, we learn to our sorrow
So settle down cobwebs, dust go to sleep
I’m cuddling my baby, and babies don’t keep.

This picture sits on our desk, it is a constant reminder to me of how fast time goes by.

It feels like last week, Erin was visiting, we sat in the backyard and took photo after photo of Carter’s smiling face. It was FOUR years ago already. Time is fleeting……

Cub,

You are my “just one more” child. One more show on the computer, or at Grandma’s/Auntie Erin’s, one more piece of candy, one more bite of my food, one more minute, one more toy, one more hug, one more story, one more….. Some days this makes me crazy. I say, “enough is enough” to which you usually reply, “it’s never enough!” You have stunning vocabulary and communication skills.  My recent favorites have been, “Mom, do you know where my breathing apparatus is?” – “Don’t worry Camden, Santa’s suit is fire retardant.” – to easy your brother’s fear of Santa igniting on his way down the chimney.  - “Seriously, let’s get to the next exhibit.” – when you got bored at the zoo. “When we get a house can it not have neighbors down stairs?” – Which broke my heart because you have to be quiet due to the noise sensitive neighbors. My personal favorite happens to be anything that you starts with, “Well, ACTUALLY…..” as you try to talk your way into something.

I just can’t believe how grown up you sound every day. You are loving school, and were disappointed I kept you home today because of your cough. You know 16 of your letters, and have a little trouble with the ones that sound the same, D, G, P for example F, J, K, L, N, U AND Y also had you stumped today. I refuse to compare you to other kids at your age, you excel in vocabulary, concepts, imagination, coordination, and I know that your letters and reading will come with time. At the start of this year I am pretty sure you knew the letters C, A, R, and S by site so considering you have quadrupled that I am very proud.

You are so very affectionate, you rub my back from time to time, snuggle like crazy, always climb in my lap for story time. Hugs and kisses every time we leave, you love Gram and Papa, Auntie Erin, Uncle Matt and Baby Oliver. . . his parents too. The list goes on and on, you will hug and kiss everyone.

Carter, you are definitely the leader, which comes with being the older brother I assume. After all, I am the older sister and I remember Auntie Erin being my shadow too. You “boss” your brother to no end. “We are playing fireman. Now stop, we are playing a game, no now stop we are going on an adventure, now tie this, stop that, go here, dance!”  Cam must feel like a puppet, you never do it to be mean, so I am reluctant to use the word “bossy”, you just want your brother to play with you and be near.

You love to be tickled, don’t prefer wrestling to Camden’s chagrin, and you don’t seem to have any favorite meals lately. In fact, eating is more of a chore for you than not. “I’m done” is often heard about 4 seconds after prayer. You do like edamame, and toast with jam. Steak, mashed potatoes and certain vegetables make you gag. You just cannot swallow them so I don’t force it. You also still suffer from reflux but limiting dairy helps a lot. A simple cough can turn into throwing up which you just look at me with your doey eyes and say, “Mom, I am throwing up now, okay?” You don’t even cry, just puke, wash your face, rinse your mouth, and go play. So TOUGH you are! You do love chocolate which you get from your Daddy. A single piece of chocolate can change your whole day. “Tastes like heaven.” you say. Funny, because MY heaven on earth is your laugh, your smile, your cute ears. Your constant hug and kisses. Your, “I missed you mom!” when you find that I am home after a night at work.

Every month or so I used to write letter to the boys about what they were doing currently, what they liked, struggles, accomplishments and so on. I seem to have lost track of time and it’s been too long since my last Boys post.

Camden,

My quiet comedian, you love to wrestle, kick a soccer ball and play fireman with your brother. You love to have all your gear on and take it on and off to go into the fire station (the couch) the firetruck (my bed). You are currently moseying into our room at about 4am every morning saying a ghost is chasing you. You hate the dark and have to keep a light on to fall asleep, which aggravates your brother to no end. Your covers have to be tucked into the sides of your bed just so. You know all your letters and know which animal starts with those letters, like Z is for Zebra. You love to eat . . . spaghetti, carrots, grapes, blueberries, character fruit snacks, whatever is at eye level in the fridge which you help yourself too, but still ask if it’s ok before you start eating. You bow your head to pray, close your eyes, and sing “Day by Day, For Thy Remembrance and For This Food.” Your laugh is contagious, deep and so from the heart sometimes my eyes well with pure joy at the sound. You have started to say things like, “Stop antatanizing (antagonizing) me!” only toward your brother, “Hey dude”, ” Tuna Melt with blue Cheese” to describe something yucky. “Choooka” – which we are unclear on the definition of but seems to be your own swear word. “Caaaarteerrrrr!” with an emphasis on the “ter!” if you are frustrated. “Just come on already” if you can’t do something your self and need me but don’t want to come ask me. You love to watch videos of Handy Manny, Word World, Mickey Mouse, Geo tracks. You no longer sleep with your Cars. You are now on to the “guys” that go to your firehouse, space shuttle and Batcave. They are kind of like superheros, have interchangeable helmets that you love and will sob for sometime if one is left in the car and we won’t go out to get it. The apartment life is hard for you and your “walk like a herd of elephants” feet. The words, “Please stop pounding” mean very little to you, as they should at 3 years and 2 months of age. You seem so tough that I am amazed at tender moments when I get an unsolicited, “I love you, mom.” You process everything in your head first and can sense feelings very well. You wear a size 4 already, the same as your brother. A size 9.5 shoe and with all your eating you are even out growing those. You are a light in the middle of the dreariest day.

My new and old job are keeping us busy.

A new job at the hospital working nights in the ER, the old but better job taming these awesome boys. Yes, that is marker on Carter’s face from preschool “projects” (Washable Smoshable) and that is a gash above Cam’s left eye from a minor run in with the coffee table. So while you would think that the ER causes my heart palpitations, truth is, these two give the ER a run for it’s money even on the busiest of Saturday nights.

What I am loving lately, aside from my time with my boys (all 3), is time with family. My seester…..love her!

Even when she doesn’t want her picture taken.

And Papa reading to his grandsons on Thanksgiving at the Porter’s.

“Uh, Mom, I think I will have 3 carrots, a small scoop of mashed potatoes, 4 green beans and a HUGE turkey leg!”

“It’s mine! All mine!”

The Thanksgiving feast

Some family pictures care of Elise

We are feverishly preparing for the holidays. Hoping to have a great 1st holiday back home!

The count down is on until Santa.

I am one lucky girl.

You know those weeks that kick your butt? This really wasn’t one of them, kids were good, no tragic events, yet I am still uninspired to write anything. It’s not like I haven’t had time. I have been just blah. I think maybe because I started a new job this week, working at the hospital. I am away from the kids and out of routine. Maybe because Thanksgiving holiday was right around the corner and it’s like how giddy you would get as a kid at having a snow day. Oh, and then there was the actual snow day we had. So here are the random pictures that were taken throughout the week. And i didn’t take a single one.

1st snow day of the year! The boys walked down to Town Square for coffee and chocolate milk.

The boys have been enjoying time with their Papa. He snapped some cute photos of the boys on an “adventure” in the woods.

When it’s too cold too go outside, what do you do with 2 roudy boys . . . BUILD A FORT!

Then if you read bedtime stories in it and let them sleep under their fort all night, you can consider yourself “Best Daddy in the World”

An attempt at family pictures – more to come later, maybe in your Christmas card!

We happen to live about 100 yards from the fire station. Though, you would think it was in our living room most days.       Our little guys are convinced they should be in the next academy training.  They use the couch for their station and my bed is their ladder truck since it has slots on the footboard to stand on and ride.

One day, maybe this will be his real station

‎”Making a decision to have a child — it’s momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body.” Elizabeth Stone

Isn’t it wonderful?

. . . gone today. I remember moving to Seattle the summer before 7th grade. And I remember his voice on the TV as I unpacked my room. Comfort. I remember jumping up and down 2 years later as he lead us through the Mariners most sensational season. Joy. From “My Oh My, Get out the rye bread and mustard Grandma, it’s grand salami time!, Fly Away, to “Swung on and Belted!” Dave Niehaus, catch phrases and all, IS the voice of summer in Seattle. Consistency. I remember watching the Mariners game during a rare Seattle earthquake and he kept on announcing. Solid. Dave Niehaus broadcast all but about 100 of the clubs’ 5,385 games since being hired by the Mariners in 1977. I am so very sad today that my boy’s won’t have the same Dave Niehaus announcing games for them. Someone said, “They’ll have their own.” But no one will be able to replace the voice of summer, the constant in an ever changing life.

Mr. Owl for Mr. O

I made Oliver’s 1st birthday cake. I just love owls and went with the theme on his invite.

Pretty cute huh?

We went to Pump It Up. An inflatable play area for kids. We had so much fun. More photos on Dave and Elise’s blog.

It was a wonderful day, the boys had so much fun.

Here is the evidence:

A couple weeks ago I posted some of the kids art class creations, here are the final 2 weeks.

Cam on the left, Carter on the right.

Carter on the left, Cam on the right.

And a photo of them in their track suits from Auntie Elise, just because.