MY Goodness...Playing Catch up!!!

Well, I hate to do this to you all...but I hardly anyone reads this anymore so I guess it is more for my journaling purposes. If you do read this, then expect a picture overload...It takes me having to call in sick (Kayden is sick not me) for me to sit down and update the blog. Life has been very busy, but we are being blessed everyday.

This first set of pictures is of the CUBS GAME...Every year we go to a cubs game as a family and we always have a blast. Over the year we have found all our cubs gear on sale and have slowly bought it. It was fun to be all decked out in Cubs gear, but it was very unfortunate that this was the only game they lost while they were here.
I am sorry about the sideways pictures...I can't figure out why they are doing that. Kayden looked especially handsome with his hat and outfit. He LOVES baseball and understands the game pretty well...however, he has a hard time sitting there for the whole game.
Ryan and Kayden went down and watched batting practice in hopes that they would catch a ball. They weren't able to catch on this time.
It isn't very often that Ryan and I are able to get a picture of just us. We both really liked this picture.
Kayden on the way to the game...he loves looking at the pictures right after I take them.
And he enjoys taking pictures of Ryan and I. He is pretty good at it.
This was at a Spring Training game...right after this picture one of the batting coaches walked up and gave Ryan and Kayden a ball.

PLAYING IN THE LEAVES

This is not something we get to do very often in Arizona and this is something that I miss doing. However, there was a horrible frost this year that basically killed the leaves and made them fall. This was the second or third time that they had been raked up and we let the kids play in them. They had a blast and I caught some really cute pictures of Kayden. They were with my phone, so they aren't the best.


KARL AND KIERSTEN/EASTER WEEKEND

Karl and Kiersten came down from the cold (aka UTAH) over Easter weekend. I didn't get a lot of pictures while they were here, but I think Kiersten did...I just need her to send them to me. We had a blast. This was the first time I have really been able to get to know Kiersten. I already felt like I knew her, but have never had a chance to hang out with her. We laughed SO hard and Kayden loved having them here.
Kayden got ahold of the camera and snapped these silly pictures of Kiersten and Karl.

Coloring eggs...*sigh*....you should have seen Kaydens hands/arms after doing this. It was insane. He was all sorts of colors, but he had fun.
You can kind of see his hand in this picture. Karl and Kayden definitely colored the majority of the eggs. Kiersten and I were dead set on making ours look pretty.

DISNEYLAND 2011

Kayden had a perma-grin the whole time we were there. He was so happy and was willing to try every ride we could get him on. He loved Space Mountain, the cars, the rockets, the Matterhorn, the Buzz Lightyear ride, Midway Mania, and Soaring over California.
He thought this 'rocket' ride was so fun!
It was so cute when he saw Mickey Mouse. We got our pictures with him and when we were all done I went to grab our camera from the person who was kind enough to snap a picture and Kayden let go of my hand. I turned around to see where he was running off to and Mickey had opened up his arms for a hug and Kayden had run right into them and gave him the biggest hug. It was so sweet.
Walking up to Mickey Mouse...you can't go to disneyland and not see mickey.
Goofy is one of Kayden's favorites, but he was so scared of him.
Kayden didn't miss a nap both days that we were there...he is a very faithful nap taker.
Kaydens two favorite favorite favorite characters...My favorite is Mater...for sure. I think Mater is hilarious.
Kayden and I waiting in line for 'It's a Small World'...he couldn't take everything in...it was so cute. He was pointing at everything
Waiting in line to get in to disneyland...the first day...nothing like having the pictures in backwards order...lol!

Sorry for the delay in posting, but life happens (or passes) to fast now a days!

Catching up...

I am so behind on this whole blogging thing. I have missed posting Kayden's birthday party, Christmas and New Years. I really need to get better because Kayden does the funniest things everyday. This kid is a total crack up.

We are currently battling...going #2 on the potty. We have #1 down, but #2...is SO SCARY! At least that is what Kayden tells me. So I raised my voice and told him that we needed to go someplace so he needed to hurry and go. Well, that just made him not want to go even more. So he gets off and I am finishing getting ready and he comes up to me and says, "Mom, I love you so much. I am so sorry you have to get mad at me." Well...how the heck do I get mad at him after that. He also tells me frequently..."Don't even think about it!", "Mom, you are my best friend!", "Mom, you are the best guy!", And when he give Ryan and I a hug he says, "My Boys!!!". Oh the joys of having a chatter box for a 3 year old. I love it.

Kayden still enjoys playing baseball, playing with his animals, playing hide and seek (or catch is what he calls it), his cars from the movie 'Cars', and watching movies (he loves Tarzan lately). His other favorite movies are Cars, Monsters Inc., Tinkerbell (yes, Karl...he knows it is just for girls so he won't admit to liking it), Toy Story 3 and anything with Mickey Mouse. He DOES NOT like hot sauce...that is sometimes called naughty sauce...he knows when I pull that out he is in big trouble and usually runs from me and hides.

So here are a couple of pictures from the past two months...ENJOY!

Birthday #3...
Opening up presents with all the cousins help!
My cupcake stand....
He really wasn't wanting to stand there...
Kayden and I in the car waiting for the family to show up.
Kayden opening up gifts at Dramma and Papa's house.
Kids jumping for joy that Santa found grandma and papas house.

Waiting patiently...it doesn't happen often!

Happy Birthday, My Baby Boy!

I don't know that anyone remembers my little guy like this. November 2nd, 2007 was one of the best days of my life...my little Kayden entered this life making me the most proud mother. I can't beleive that he is turning three. He definetely has been a bright spot in our life through the toughest couple of years of our life. He makes us smile everyday. What a kid he is. I love you my little Kayden!
Kayden always held his arm up like this when I gave him a bottle. This was a couple of days after he came home from the hospital.
He would have been a cute little girl with all the curly hair. It was so much fun to play with while it lasted.
He always had had a love for food. This is one of his first experiences with yogurt...he was in love.
Helping me with laundry...I think I could have taken pictures all day of this cute little guy.
Kayden always has a smile on his face. He is my little buddy. I love you, Kayden! Happy third birthday!

Pumpkin Patch/Halloween 2010

So...it has been a couple of days since I updated this blog. It isn't because I haven't had things to update it with...it is the time I am having problems with. I haven't been taking as many pictures lately, but this past week is pretty loaded with pictures.

Kayden and his baseball...he is a natural when it comes to baseball. He loves the game and understands the game. He is incredible. I have a video of him playing, but I can't get it to upload to blogger. I don't know why. He would eat, sleep and dream baseball all day.

His glove goes with him almost everywhere.
Kayden and I on the hayride at mother natures pumpkin patch.
Kayden is a little cheeser and Ryan...well...he looks high.
Just my cute little guy.
My two favorite people decorating a pumpkin at the pumpkin patch.
Isn't he the cutest darn thing? I just love this little guy.
Mommy and Kayden...
Mom and Kayden getting ready to leave.
He thought I would let him kick the pumpkins down if I let him climb up there. WRONG!
Afterwards, we got ice cream...It wasn't cold enough for hot cocoa.
Ryan's beautiful halloween costume....Blah!
Mommy as Flo from the Progressive Insurance commercials and Kayden as goofy.
I couldn't find blue letters...black will haved to do.
Goofy being...well...Goofy!
Such a crazy little guy!
All tuckered out after a night of fun!

2010 Utah Trip...

This year our trip to Utah consisted of spending time with my family, visiting friends, and a WEDDING.  My younger brother, Karl, married a beautiful girl named Kiersten.  They are so perfect together.  I never had the chance to meet Kiersten until the Saturday before the wedding.  However, we would always talk on Facebook, text, and sometimes talk on the phone.  I felt like I knew her before I ever met her.  So for me to say I didn't know Kiersten, would be false.  I not only knew her, but I fell in love with her before ever actually meeting her.  It was kinda funny because she had multiple dreams about meeting me and how I would respond.  

The pictures I have are taken by Dana, my SIL, or her son Jacob.  I have to give him some credit because he is an amazing photographer.  I let him take my camera and I got some awesome pictures.

Karl and Kiersten coming out of the Bountiful Temple where they were sealed for time and all eternity.  It was such an amazing sealing.
They were so funny because Karl would always go in for this long passionate kiss and Kiersten would pull away.  It was so funny.
Walking up the hill for family pictures...
My cute little family.  I love this picture.  However, I would love it more if I were a little smaller. :)  (Just a side note...I am off my steroid...HOORAY!!!!!)
The most handsome bestman EVER!!!  My cute little nephew, ZAC!  Isn't he a little stud?!?!?!
There is a long story about why we didn't capture many pictures, but I won't go in to that...Groom and Bestman....at their best!
This is one tired little bestman!  Still a little doll...
The gift takers...really good ones at that.  Kia (on the right) came up to me and told me that he had asked someone if he could take a gift and the guy wouldn't let him take it.  Kia thought it was pretty funny since that is what they were supposed to be doing.
My two best friends from High School came to the reception.  It was so good to see them.  (I will post more pictures soon of our little get together away from the reception.)
Beautiful Bride, Handsome Groom, Happy Father of the Groom.
Proud Parents of the Bride...they really know how to plan a wedding.  I know who I am calling if I ever have a girl.
Ryan and Jason, my friend Tiffany's husband, both have a love for sports, so they talked for quite a while.  Jason also helped decorate the car.
My beautiful neice, Sarah!  She is the sweetest little thing.
AND then there is BABY KEITH...I love those cheeks.  He and Sarah were born in different hospitals, different states on the same day last year.  So we had a little birthday party for them.
Here are the Heavenly twins...They both liked the dirt and/or cake...

Anyway, I will post the pictures from my camera really soon...maybe!  I haven't been very good at posting lately.

Kayden, Kayden, Kayden

While I don't really have any new pictures of Kayden (I know I am bad...)he is talking up a storm and making us laugh more and more every day.  Here are a couple of things he does or says that we just love:

1. A couple of weeks ago Ryan's parents were out of the country and Ryan was running his dad's business so I got a babysitter for Kayden.  (Well, my sister would watch him until she went to work and then a girl in our ward would come over and stay with him until we got home.)  My sister went and got the babysitter the first day and the whole way home Kayden said, "I not going to talk to her!"  Needless to say that didn't last long and by the end of the week, Kayden was in love with her.

2.  Kayden has had a problem with hitting...I think most parents go through this, but it has been really frustrating.  Lately, if he thinks I am made at him at all he immediately apologizes.  I usually tell him that I am not mad at him and he just smiles at me.  I make sure to praise him when he (for example) doesn't hit or get mad when someone takes a toy away from him.

3.  I love laying by Kayden, because right before he drifts off to sleep...he touches my face and says, "I love you so much!" and I say it back to him and he will roll over and go to sleep.

4.  Kayden loves drinking water...he drinks a ton of water, but it has to be cold.  Every night after he lays down he will yell to Ryan..."DADDY, WILL YOU BRING ME MY WATER!"  After Ryan responds Kayden will say, "I WANT COLD WATER, K!"  Ryan loves it.

5.  Kayden has been stuttering.  It really bothers Ryan and I, but it is so cute.  It is really sad though because he will be talking and he can't spit the word out so he will just stop talking.  So I took him to get screened for a program put on by Mesa Public Schools.  We went in and did the whole screening and he did very well.  In all the catagories, the max you could score was 16 and Kayden was scoring 20-25 in each one so they said to not worry.  When I was talking to the speech pathologist she said that he talks so well for his age.  Because of his language developing so fast she said to think of his brain as a filing cabinet.  He has so many words to go through and as adults we use 'like' and 'um' as fillers.  Kayden doesn't do that yet so he prolongs the first letter of the word.  Makes total sense now, but it still is really hard to not try to help him, but you are supposed to let them finish and encourage them to finish if they aren't.

6.  Kayden is now warning me when he is going to be shy.  So we will be walking in to a place and he warns me, "Mom, I going to be shy in there!"

7.   If we only had a barn and the animals for Kayden...he would be a perfectly happy child.  He loves to play with all his animals and when I put them away he will be in there within minutes and getting them out to play with them.  Most times I come home from work and he has them lined up by animal.  So all 10 cows are together all 5 Zebras are together...so on...so on...so on!

Well, for now that is all I needed to put down in writing.  As I think of more things I am going to need to write them down.