Melting His Mama's Heart

At only two years of age, John Caden sometimes amazes me with what a little gentleman he can be. Without ever teaching him, he's been known to push in Anna's chair for her when she sits down for dinner. (Of course the first time he did this, Anna being more accustomed to his rough-housing and not understanding that it was actually an act of kindness started yelling, "Hey, he's pushing my chair!!!"). Another thing he does is that on grocery days he loves to tote all the grocery bags to the kitchen for me. He even gets upset if I try to carry any of them myself. And then today---I was attempting to sign a receipt at a store while holding him in my other arm. Being short a hand to hold the receipt in place, it was sliding all over and the cashier just stood watching while I was attempting unsuccessfully to balance a child on one hip, hold my bag on my shoulder, and sign the receipt. Amazingly, my sweet two year old son realized my dilemma and said, "Mommy, I'll hold it for you," and leaned over and held it in place for me to sign! What a big smooch he received from his proud mama!

The Boy in Him

It's so apparent sometimes that boys and girls are created so differently. I remember when Anna was little and we had her in the pack'n'play she would just lightly drop her toys over the side. John Caden on the other hand would hurl them leaving dents in our hardwood floors. John Caden's latest "boy thing" is his infatuation with going "bump, bump." When we're driving out of Publix's parking lot he points to the same exit every time and says, "This way!" I finally realized that the exit he's pointing to has speed bumps (the other possible way out does not). He even knows where the train tracks are in Kennesaw and pleads that we go "bump, bump over the train tracks." Not content with a flat riding surface at home anymore, John Caden has learned to make his ride a little more adventurous by getting blankets from his closet and creating his own rough and rocky "bump, bump" course.

Pictures

Several people have asked who took the picture of Anna & John Caden on our blog header---it was taken in the fall with lots of patience and love (and candy bribery treats) by our photographer friends from church, Sam and Stephanie Napper with SamsCreek Photography. Here are a few other of my favorite shots.

Anna's Day of Speaking Truth

Anna didn't hold back on expressing her thoughts to John Caden and I today.

While I was applying powder to my face this morning, Anna asked, rather stated matter of factly, "Is that to help your face look better--- since it's so wrinkly?." :( Do I really need to go ahead and start using Retin-A???

John Caden (I think out of just pure habit now) will say our names over and over with no intention of really needing to tell us anything a gazillion times a day. We get so tired of saying "Yes, John Caden" and waiting for a response that we often try to get away with just a "Yes" or "What" or "Um, huh." But if we say anything but "Yes, John Caden" to acknowledge him, he'll keep saying our name with increasing intensity until we say specifically, "Yes, John Caden" and then still he usually ends up not having anything to say. Anna in frustration finally asked him today what Tim and I have been wanting to ask for months now. This is how it went:

John Caden: "Anna"
Anna: "Yes"
John Caden: "Anna!"
Anna: "Um, huh" (Not wanting to be interrupted)
John Caden: "Anna!!"
Anna: "Um, huh!"
John Caden: "Anna!!!"
Anna: "UM HUH!"
John Caden: "Anna!!!!"
Anna: "Do you not understand what 'Um, huh' means???
John Caden: (silence as usual, no response)

Playing in the Ice :)

John Caden's new word of the month: Brrrrrr!!!

It didn't matter to him that we didn't get "fluffy" snow (as Anna calls it) for building snowmen and sledding. He was content dragging the sled around in the "crunchy" ice.

They Keep Us Laughing (even in the wee hours of the morning)

Oh the things that come out of kids' mouths!

One night this week, Anna woke up in the middle of the night with one of her habitual nose bleeds. After getting her cleaned up, sheets and pajamas changed, etc., I kissed her goodnight again and asked if she wanted me to turn her music back on (she listens to a Dreamscapes CD to help her fall asleep at night). In a drowsy, but matter of fact tone she replied, "If I hear music tonight I would get up and dance so I don't want music tonight." :)

To kick off the new year we decided to start a mini allowance program with Anna. Desiring that she learn the value of money at an early age we explained the three ways that she will be able to use the money she earns. In attempting to explain tithing, we told her that she'd now be able to take her very own money to church to give some of what she earns back to Jesus. To which she quickly replied, "So that He'll be able to buy lots of fun things for us to play with in Heaven???." Hmmm---we had a little more explaining to do on this one. :)

Today I had to take Anna to Children's Urgent Care for a heel laceration that wouldn't stop bleeding. (Which by the way, since she has a history of prolonged clotting times, she officially now has a hematology consult ordered). :( While they were working with her she of course was not happy and was crying. During this ordeal, John Caden would look at me occasionally and say proudly, "Mommy, I'm not crying." Talk about rubbing salt in an open wound! I'm sure as her cries increased with intensity with each of John Caden's boasts, she was thinking, "Of course you're not crying, it's not your hurt foot!!!"

John Caden has another little funny saying going on---anytime he's about to do something he knows that he's not supposed to do he'll say in a serious voice, "Mommy, don't see me." If only it would always be this easy and he'd give me a heads up on when he's about to sin! :)

John Caden aka "Baby Cookie Monster"

Anytime John Caden hears the mixer, he instantly stops whatever he's doing and bee-lines it for the kitchen. "Making cookies, Mommy?" he asks with a hopeful plea.This boy loves his cookies! While he's eating one we can just hear the words to our own little version of Cookie Monster's song playing in his head: "Cookie, cookie, cookie you're good enough for me! Cookie, cookie, cookie you're such a yummy treat!"

There's nothing that will distract him while he's eating his cookie (not even the flash of the camera which he usually runs from). He's completely quiet the whole time he's eating. He won't even take his eyes off of his cookie...

...until he puts the last bite into his mouth...

...and then as soon as he swallows, the silence is broken with a sweet little "More cookie please."

Yes, I definitely think we have our own little Baby Cookie Monster on our hands--at least ours is a little more well mannered than this one though!