March 2015 2.2.

More from March-it was a busy, busy month as were the months before. Gary turned the big 3-0! I pulled off a surprise party for him and his buddy Drew the weekend of his birthday. It was fun, and with the help of our friends everything turned out great! We got away for the day, my mom took the boys, and it was a big day for basketball so we spent our time downtown celebrating with food and drinks watching some basketball and hanging out. It was fun and relaxing, but I couldn't shake being nervous and secretly covering my butt with texts from people about the evening surprise.

 

It was actually a perfect day out to enjoy food and drinks on the patio downtown. Tried my first grapefruit beer, which was yummy! We had our day of fun, then went to River City Brewery before I had to pull Gary away from there to bring him back to the Pumphouse for the surprise. Pat got Drew there maybe thirty minutes before us...should have realized going to River City would take longer and we'd want to linger. But, we didn't linger and because he's such a great guy he went along with my excuse of wanting to have another grapefruit beer so we cut the dinner short, headed back, and surprise! Spent the evening celebrating with friends and a big sigh that all the planning and small fibs could be done with! It was a fun way to celebrate!

Nothing says Happy 30th like a good embarrassing picture cake that showcases the old bowl cuts and curly hair!

 

Caden loves the outdoors. Now that it's late July that I'm talking about March it feels weird to me to think of how we had to stay inside most days away from the cold. But he would venture out whenever we would let him if it was nice enough out-or we'd layer him up and he'd fight the cold and run around for a bit. He just loves it outside. Even now, amongst the summer heat, he'll opt to be out there so we just turn on the hose and let him run around the yard watering anything and everything and he'll do that for a good hour or more if we'd let him!

His imagination is endless. Always pretending so many different things or scenarios. Here he has gathered up 'dinners' and took it upon himself to try to take a bite of this branch, which maybe was a pretend fry...?

A few more Caden funnies....dumping all his blocks and covering daddy. Taking a bite out of the bottom of the candle we used for Gary's cookie cake. Hiding a dinosaur in the washer and letting it get a good, clean bath. Taking the dinosaurs for a ride in his dump truck. As he gets older he sometimes gets more trying, but such is life of a toddler/kid, but man it is so funny-most of the time, at least-to see how his brain works and where his curiosity leads him.

 

When it's nice enough to get some fresh air and get outside, we layer up and of we go. They don't make winter clothing and blankets for no reason! Maybe it would be easier if we had a basement to provide some sort of surrounding change outside of our one level, but I still think more levels/rooms or not, sometimes the only solution is to get some good fresh air.

 

Caden loves Reid, but especially seems to love being able to interact with him more and Reid starting to be able to 'sit up' and be more attentive has allowed them to have more of that brotherly interaction which just melts my dang heart. 

 

I mean. Hello, handsome! How fun are those shoes and that smile. Those shoes were a gift from my friend Holly for Caden at his baby shower and now Reid gets to capture a moment in them as well! Gary used to have a pair the exact same. At first, I couldn't grasp why he would want to wear checkered shoes, but he did, and that was his style which was something I loved about him. So, it was a special gift to have little newborn shoes just like daddy!

The zoo is sometimes our second home. It is so nice to get out of the house at least once a week and venture out to the zoo. Caden loves the animals and Reid is always game for a stroller ride, especially there where we're always on the go. I also have come to really appreciate our zoo-the layout and variety it provides. Great times had by all-they get out and about and I get to see them enjoy their surroundings and catch a break in the sense of self entertainment.

Just a cute baby snoozing. Reid and I seemed to do a lot of snuggle naps during the early months. I think half of it was I was too tired to try to 'train' him to get used to napping in his crib and just voted more for a guarantee snooze break vs a fussy baby that would wake Caden.

 These days, my lap is rarely not full. I read a blog that described a mom feeling 'so alone, yet not enough alone time' and in this stage of life that rings tried and true. If it's not one, it's the other, and sometimes both filling up my arms--I wouldn't have it any other way, but I would also be lying if I said sometimes I feel so drained by kind of living in kid world for the majority of the day. It's what I begged and cried for when I worked full time, and luckily God has shown me grace in my adjusting to this new normal of two kids, being home with them and working part time--it hasn't been the easiest chapter for me to navigate through but the fact is that I am navigating and even though it's been hard, the good outweighs the bad hands down.

Caden will sometimes, not often-but sometimes, as to hold baby. He doesn't even really do much of the holding, that's more done by us and mostly because he simply doesn't even attempt to wrap his arms around Reid or support him, but hey-it's a start and bonding is bonding so I'll take it!

Dinosaurs, couch pillow, cartoons and one out of two taking a snooze. As simple and sweet as that.

 

How does this cute baby keep sneaking in here? Reid has full brown eyes that are dark and beautiful. Caden has handsome hazel eyes that pick up blue or green tones when he wears like colors. Many, many people think Reid looks like Caden, but I only really see it when I look back at Cadens baby pictures where some similarities stand out. But man their eyes are definitely one thing that sets them apart and I love the differences in each.

We have a park a mile and a half away. I would run there with Caden, play, a run back. With the addition of Reid it's been easier to drive our happy selves down there, so we try to go there every once in awhile. It's a given that Caden will pretend to serve food at this little spot under a slide area, almost every single time. His imagination is endless and so amazing.

We can wrap up March with this silly picture. He loves seeing himself and making faces back at himself. This looks like, and from what I can remember was, one of those early mornings watching some cartoons before getting our butts into gear. Early mornings take on a new meaning when you've also been up at least once with the baby, then your other little wakes up around 6:00/6:30 am. There was a stage, an unnecessary stage might I add, where Caden wouldn't sleep much past 5:30 am. Why, no clue, but he did and it was so.fun. And by fun I mean I basically had to tape my eye open and fight falling back asleep on the couch. Luckily he's cute, funny, and so worth it. (none of those three traits came to mind those early mornings unfortunately...)

Happy March 2015, ya'll.

*spoken and documented in true new mom of two fashion five months later*