Peek A BOO!!!

Kaden started to play peek a boo! He is so funny and will go forever!!! Usually we are the ones hiding under the blanket... but he just learned how to cover his own face with the blanket!!! SO Stinkin' cute! 

Inauguration Day-OBAMA!

Kaden, Joel and Zach were glued to the TV on Tuesday, January 20th to watch Obama be sworn into office as our 44th president of the USA. Lisa watched from work on the internet... technology is beautiful! We pray that as Kaden grows up he can look back into history and say he was alive when the first African American president took office and that Obama helped mold history in amazing ways! We know that Obama isn't the "savior" like some may think he is... we are just excited to see what may come of our new president! 

Renewal Retreat

Every year in January Lisa's work goes out to the coast and retreats with about 100 pastors and spouses. There's a speaker and worship and time to relax. So the To Family packed up and headed to Cannon Beach for three days! Kaden was so good for the entire retreat! He loved worship and all the people that gave him attention. We walked the beach, cruised through the little shops and took baths in the largest bathtub Kaden has been in! 

9 MONTHS!!!

Kaden is 9 Months OLD!!! Wow... he's officially been outside the womb longer than being inside of it! ;-) He has slowed down on his weight gain due to being so stinkin' mobile! (he lost some weight when he was sick for a month too) He crawls everywhere! He tries to get to places faster that he does the Hunch Back of Notre Dame scoot across the room! Someone asked once if there was something wrong with his leg!!! He's still 20 lbs! 28 1/2 inches long! He is wearing 12 month clothes. He eats almost all veggies and fruit (nothing citrus yet). He has started baby yogurt and loves to feed himself anything he can like crackers, puff snacks, veggies, bread, etc. He loves to chatter to himself and make lots of music with anything he can find: boxes, bags, clapping, etc. He can wave, high five, clap, dance, sing... we think he can say "all done"... and throws his hands in the air! :-) He loves to call out for his dadda! He stands and walks around while holding onto things... he loves when we hold his hands and he can walk around. He observes things, you can see his eyes processing how things work... what people are doing... how he can get any sort of expression or reaction from people. It's getting kind of embarrassing when he full on stares at people in restaurants, at the mall, or where ever we may be. He loves the camera! :-) His mommy has taught him well! He has four teeth now... and we think a few more coming in! He chews on everything. Kaden has such personality and we love watching him learn new things daily! This is such a fun age of exploring and learning how things work! We hope that we can direct him towards Jesus and the things of God! Thanks for praying for us and with us these last 9 months... please continue to keep us in your prayers, that we can keep parenting according to how God has called us to parent. That we will love God, love each other, love Kaden and love others. Happy 9 months of life Kaden!!!

Brush, Bath, Book, Bottle, Binkie, Bed

Bedtime routine is apparently supposed to help a baby learn to sleep through the night: Bath, Book, Bottle, Bed is usually the case (I added Brush and Binkie). 

Kaden got his first toothbrush and so we tried it out tonight... he loved it!

 

So, then he took a bath...he's a little fish!

   

Book... Bottle...Binkie

 

and tonight he fell fast fast asleep! 

 

I wish we could have said the same yesterday... he barely slept a wink! We think he's teething... so, tonight he got some teething tablets to ease the pain. And I think it did the trick! 

Mommy and Dadda are running on low sleep this week... we hope that with these new teething tablets we will be a little bit more rested. Plus this was the first week back after three weeks of sleeping when we wanted and for as long as we wanted! So, back in the groove of things... Kaden is 9 Months tomorrow! Hopefully he will let us take 9 month pictures!!! ;-) I wanted to leave you with this sleeping picture... Like father, like son...

 

Who Knows Best?

Kaden is becoming the little man... he for the most part is a very good kid... he has his moments where he is testing the waters to see if and when we will give in. Lately he's been fighting us at bedtime. We have tried the bedtime routine thing... bath, book, bottle, bed. But he screams at the bottle part. He's hungry and restless but doesn't want to take the bottle. He will take it at all other hours of the day... but at night he wants to nurse... but we are trying to wean him from nursing... so, the first shift is the bottle. 

As I was in the midst of this power struggle with him... and when he finally took the bottle, devoured it and fell fast asleep... I was praying for him and for me and my patience and parenting... God helped me to see how many times I have been restless and needing to be fed...but I would fight it and fight it and when I finally gave in... I could finally rest in my father's arms. As a parent we know what's best for our kids...Kaden doesn't know that he is fussing cause he's sitting in a diaper of crap... but knows he's uncomfortable. He will cry and cry when we go to change his diaper...but is all better when we are done changing it. 

I pray that I will learn to surrender to my Father in Heaven... and that he knows what's best for me. That he will take the crap out of my life and fills me with his food that is good for my soul. That I will not fight him but allow him into my life daily... this year brings a lot of unknowns... Joel is finishing school by April. Lisa has a busy work quarter in front of her... Kaden will be one in no time... we don't know what's next. But we do know that we must surrender any plans we have to God and allow him to show us what's best for our family! 

Happy New Years!

Happy New Years!!! Yes, Kaden was up to ring in the new year... but he woke up only moments before the bell struck midnight! So... no worries!!! We aren't awful parents!!! :-) 

First Sickness

Kaden has been a pretty healthy baby considering all of the "tests" he has had done to make sure his kidneys are okay. But with colds and stuff he has been as healthy as healthy could be. So, when he woke up with a cough... we were a little concerned... and the cough got worse... and made for a grumpy baby... but not really. Kaden's grumpy is pretty mild. He was more lethargic  than anything. Well... we took him to the doctors first thing monday morning and he was diagnosed with RSV... a week being on a nebulizer he is all better at his check up appointment today! Yeah! He has a little bit of a cough left... but no more contagious virus... so, we can be around other babies! :) He did lose almost a pound from being sick... his appetite is coming back... so, hopefully all will be well over 20 pounds again! ;-)