First Day of Preschool....

Kaden started Preschool today at Challenger Preschool in Meridian. He was very excited to start school today. We just found out the week before that he was actually accepted. He has two teachers this year, Ms. Alicia and Ms. Annalise. They are both very nice and I am sure he is going to love school.

Jeff and I took him for his first day. They really encourage parents to just drop the kids off and not linger. So we decided the best thing would be to do that. So we drove up to the school and they got him out of the car seat and he slowly walked into the school. I don't think he quite new what was going on, but he went anyway. At least he didn't cry or anything, YEAH !!

We drove off and Jeff turned to me and asked me if I was going to be okay. I said "YES" !! He said are you sure. Once again, my response was "YES" !! He said, you are actually excited aren't you. I told him that it would be good for both of us. Kaden and I have been together 24/7 for the past 3 1/2 years. He is going to have a great time learning and socializing with the kids in his class. That just leaves me and Jaxon. I plan on going to the gym and trying to get a little bit done in the time he is at school, we will see how that goes. I think Jeff was more concerned than I was. He told me that I should go back to the school and check in on his class to make sure he was okay, once school started !! I assured him that he would be fine, but I told him I would go anyway. So, Jaxon and I drove back to the school and walked to Kaden's classroom and peeked in. They have windows outside each of the classrooms that allow the parents to view the class without the children being able to see them. And what do ya know, my son is participating and having a great time. There were several kids that were laying on the floor, sucking their thumbs, running around and not paying attention, but not my kid !! At least not on the first day !! So far, so good !!!

Potty Training Update !!

We are proud to say that Kaden has been potty trained for a couple of months now !! Yippie !! Congratulations to Kaden, who is such a big boy. I can't believe how grown up he his getting. It seems like just yesterday he was a little baby. He is going to be starting preschool soon and in a couple of years Kindergarten. Hard to imagine how quickly time goes by !! Way to go Kaden !! Mommy and Daddy are so... proud of you !! :)

Papa Keith's Visit...

Papa Keith came to visit the boys a couple of weeks ago. Kaden was so excited to see him !! He would wake up every morning (early) and go down to see if Papa was awake yet. They would sit outside on the porch and read the paper or just hang out and have breakfast together. He had so much fun hanging out with him. Kaden also had private swim lessons while he was here, thanks to Grandma and Papa. So grandpa was able to go with him each day and watch Kaden learn how to swim. I think Kaden had more fun going under water than actually learning all of the strokes. We also took the boys to the zoo with grandpa. Here are a few fun pictures from the visit.

Here are some photos of Papa, Kaden and Jaxon in the kiddie pool.

How much fun to be able to hang out in the pool with Papa !!

Papa, Kaden and Jaxon at the Zoo.

Papa and Kaden checking out the tigers.

Kaden was playing hide and seek in the tunnel.

My beautiful blue-eyed baby !!! What a heart breaker !!

Mom, I'm not tired....

So Kaden has been refusing to take naps for like the last month or so. This is difficult because the only time I seem to get anything done or time to myself is if both of the boys are napping. So one day I kept telling Kaden that he had to take a nap and if that he got out of his bed he would get his blanket taken away, golf clubs, toys. etc. So I kept hearing him open and shut his door. Finally, I don't hear anything so I assume that he has gone to sleep. Then all of the sudden I hear something, it sound like someone breathing hard, like some one snoring, something. I thought, surely, I would not be able to hear him all the way downstairs from his bedroom, so I decided to go upstairs and investigate the situation.

This is what I found....

My cute, not tired, little boy asleep on the stairs. I could not believe that he had not fallen down the stairs. So instead of picking him right up and putting him in his bed, I decided it was a good time for a photo op. He was so tired that he didn't even wake up when I put picked him up, all 43 lbs of him and carried him to his room.

Lesson learned, trust your instincts...

Well we decided to take Jaxon in for a second opinion for the helmet. We had not been satisfied with the current orthotist so we sought out a new company. We took Jaxon in for an evaluation and low and behold, our concerns were validated. He told us that the helmet was too small and we should not even have him wear it for now. So we decided to have a new mold of his head made and get a new helmet. We are still in the process of obtaining a new prescription from the Cranial Facial Dr. Hopefully she will see the need for a new helmet. I feel so extremely frustrated. We have been voicing our concerns with the helmet for the last couple of months to the current orthotist and are basically being told that we are paranoid parents and that we should just trust that they know what they are doing. I guess it just goes to show that when you have that feeling in your gut as a parent that something just is not right, you should always trust your instincts. So now I feel as though I have failed Jaxon in some way and can only hope and pray that we have not done more harm than good. We will keep everyone posted as to what happens next.

Good Morning Jaxon !! :)

One morning I found Kaden in Jaxon's crib with him and now he thinks that he needs to get in bed with him every morning when he hears him wake up. He also thought Jaxon needed like five million blankets. At least this time they weren't all on his head !! My silly little boys !! I don't think Jaxon seems to mind !! Too cute for words !!

Our little ROCK STAR !!!

Kaden loves to jam out on his guitar and pretend he is a ROCK STAR !! He actually is really good at keeping the beat to most songs. It is so funny to watch him when music comes on, because he usually starts with the head moving and then the body follows. He also loves to dance around all the time. He thinks these PJ's are his rock star pajama's. Too Funny !! He also likeS to look at himself in the reflection of the TV, I think he gets that from Jeff not me !!

Look at that form...

ROCK ON DUDE !!!

Spending time with cousins...

A few weeks ago, I decided to drive to Logan and visit Jason, Becca, Madison, Hadley and Emma. Needless to say, I told Jeff that if I ever think of making the drive again by myself with the kids to shoot me. It was the longest trip ever. I made it as far as Mt Home, which is only 50 miles from Boise, before I had to stop. Jaxon was screaming like no other. I finally made it to Tremonton, only to find out that the road to Logan was closed due to construction and that I would have to go to Brigham and then over the canyon, thus adding more time to my nightmare of a drive. I think we finally made it to Logan 6 hours later, when it should have probably only taken 5. As for the ride home, it was just as bad if not worse. I think I stopped a total of 5 times between Logan and Meridian. Finally the last stop was in Jerome, (I think) and I just had to laugh, because this is MY life !! Really !! Between Jaxon screaming and Kaden not listening when I would ask him to give Jaxon a toy, binky, something. It was one fun ride !!

The first day we got there Kaden found a new toy, GUNS !! Yes, my son became obsessed with guns. Not that anyone who knows Hadley or Jason should be surprised. I can't believe that I actually was able to get a picture of Hadley smiling. I guess the fact that he has a sword and was playing Pirates with Kaden, might have been the reason. Notice the gun in Kaden's pants !! Madison joined in the dress up fun with a wig that Grandma Olsen left for the kids to play with and her pretend guns !!

We decided to take the kids to Willow park and see the animals. I use to go with my dad when I was a little girl. For some reason I always remember it as being much larger than it is. I guess when you are young everything seems like that.

Hadley was climbing on some boulders so I tried to get a quick picture of him, hopefully smiling, and then there is my cute little boy, who says, "Mom take a picture of me and yes, he even posed for it, on his own of course, really, ask Becca, he is such a ham !! Love the glove that Hadley wears, he is such a little Jason !!

Two cute little boys !! They have so much fun together !!

Cute little Madison just turned 9, I can't believe it !! She is such a good helper to her mommy and daddy !! What a beautiful little girl !!

They had a lot of fun feeding the fish and ducks.

Jaxon and Emma also had a relaxing day at the park hanging out in their strollers !!

The next day we took the kids to first dam and had a picnic on our way to Stokes Nature Center, which is up Logan canyon. Madison was trying to help Kaden climb the tree.

Hadley also wanted Madison to try and climb the tree and was a very helpful little brother and tried to give her a little boost !!

Just a little more... and finally...

She made it !! Way to go Madison !!

Once again... Kaden trying to get in on the photo ops !! He is such a poser !!

I swear I don't tell him to pose, REALLY !!

We had to walk about a 1/3 of a mile to this little cabin, which is the nature center. The kids were able to see snakes, spiders, skulls, fossils, birds, etc. Kaden had a blast. He was so excited. He actual touched a snake and brave little Madison actual held it and it started to slither up her arm, Hadley was also brave and touched it as well. There was a huge tarantula. Kaden kept yelling, "Look mom a big spider !! " He loved it !! Here are a few photos of their little adventure.

The rest of this post to be continued.....

You say Corn......

We say HUSKERS !!! I actually got Kaden to eat something new the other day. He said that he wanted some corn on the cob so we made some and what do ya know he actually ate some !!! Could it have been that he was wearing his Big Husker shirt? (I only happened to notice the coincidence while he was eating the corn.) Really, It was not planned !! Probably not, but if that works in the future, great !!

His shirt says, "I may be small but I'm a BIG HUSKER fan !! I guess the corn goes to prove that !!

Great Grandma and Papo Ferrara and Great Grandma Giles and LeRoy would be so proud !! GO BIG RED !!!