16 Months

Casen is such a fun little fellow at this age........he loves to go on walk, walks around the neighborhood and play with every child in sight! He doesn't meet very many strangers and blows kisses to everyone!

15 Month Update!

Okay......Casen is doing a few things that I wanted to document so that I could look back to see when he reached these mild stones!

He is reading (recognizing) these words (What I mean by this is that he will either say the word when I show him a flashcard of make the gesture. For example, if the card says tongue, he doesn't say tongue, but he sticks his tongue out so I know he knows what the word says):

• cats
• cup
• duck
• nose
• eyes
• tongue
• ball
• arms up
• mouth
• fingers
• chimpanzee
• dog
• drum
• ears
• clap
• baby

This past week he has also been very, very clingy and fussy from cutting 4 back teeth....so far this makes 12 teeth!

He had started turning around and around until he gets dizzy and falls down.

He LOVES to GO!

He loves to be rocked and cuddle with his momma!

He is very quickly turning into a daddy's boy.....I don't really know how to feel about this one. It does bring tears to my eyes every time he runs to his daddy with his arm stretch wide screaming dada, dada........ Brett scoops him up with that proud daddy grin on his face, and they hug each other for a few minutes!

Mealtimes are some of the most stressful times of my day.......Casen would live off of fruit, nutrigrain bars, quackers (graham crackers, ritz crackers, goldfish, cheeseitz, etc.), yogurt, and Fruit loops!

Prayer Request

I know I keep saying it but my little man is growing up way too fast! We have just had an awesome day today hanging out at the house with each other....This morning, Casen cries out at 6:40 a.m. for me to come and get him. So, I walk into his room and he jumps up, with the biggest grin on his sweet, little face and says very loudly, "Hi!" As tired as I was and a much as I wanted him to go back to sleep, he TOTALLY put a smile across my face and made my morning! I swooped him up in my arms and took him to my bedroom hoping that he would chill with me for a while and surprisingly he did just that! We snuggled in my bed for another 45 minutes or so then got up for breakfast. After breakfast, he played around for about 1 1/2 hours and then I took him to his bedroom and cuddled up with him in the rocking chair and rocked him right to sleep in less than 10 minutes. This is new for Casen....he has never really been a cuddler or like to be rocked. But, this past week, he has turned over a new leaf. He is loving to be rocked and cuddled with, and I must say I'm loving it too! Once he got up from his nap, we ate lunch and then headed outside for some fun in the back yard. As I sat and watched Casen run around playing with his toys and splashing in his water table, listen to the birds sing, and feeling the cool breeze on my face, I couldn't help but think how truly BLESS I am. I am so grateful for my life......the life that Brett, Casen, and I have built together. God is sooooo good and I'm so undeserving of all his blessings! I have always been grateful for God's blessings, but here recently, I have had situations arise that make me really reflect and become even more deeply thankful!
I have a friend who has just been diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer and I can't help but wonder why her. On top of her finding out she had stage 3 breast cancer, she also finds out that she is 5 weeks pregnant with a little miracle! This friend is the picture of health......beautiful, energetic, in shape, motivated, a runner, a great mom to a 15 month old (one of Casen's girlfriends! :)), healthy, etc. She is a person who people just love to be around! Here she is.......about to go to battle for her LIFE! The thought of this just terrifies me to even think about. When I was younger and childless, the thought of cancer or any other sickness was not as frighten to me. But now that I'm a momma and think about something like this happening, I can't help but think about my little man and what lengths I would go to, to try to be here for him as he grows up. This life was once all about me, but now it is all about Casen, his mama, and dada (our family)! It's amazing how motherhood changes you......it has helped me to look at things much closer, think a little deeper, speak a tiny bit slower :) and love with all my might!
Angela (the girl I've been writing about) is the 3rd friend of mine, within the past two years, who has been diagnosed with cancer. Two other phenomenal ladies who both have children ages 5 and under have been fighting this same battle! Again, as I sit here and type this, I thank God so much for my health and the blessings in my life, but I also can't help but wonder WHY this has happened to my 3 friends......who are wonderful people and awesome mothers and wives! I know that there is a reason for everything and that there is a purpose to be found; however, it is just so hard to find when you watch one great friend after another be diagnosed and suffer through cancer treatments. If you're reading this post please lift my friends and their families up in prayer......Beth, Angela, and Ashley! Thanks so much!

Love this Pic!

Okay dad......back to the camera discussion! This is the quality of picture that I want to be able to take and this is just a little taste of what a new camera would do! :) This picture was sent to me by a friend of a friend who was a the Pumpkin Patch the day we went. She snapped this picture of Casen and I absolutely LOVE it! I can't hardly wait to get a new camera!!!!

Today, we headed to the Pumpkin Patch, at Christ United Church, with our friends: Nicole and Railey, Lindsay and Clark, and Rebecca, Graham, and Jake! The kids had a great time running around, picking up pumpkins, throwing down pumpkins, watching puppet shows, eating hay, climbing hay, etc.......and the list goes on!

Casen was drawn to the green pumpkins for some reason!

Formulating a plan!

On a mission!

Waiting for the puppet show!

Reaching for the puppet and grinning from ear to ear!

Casen loved this puppet!

Well....if cows eat hay, I guess I can too! ha!

Nice and Big!

A little Smaller!

Clark, Casen, and Railey

Casen on the go!

Miss Railey Claire

Casen and Clark

My big boy and me!

Graham and Casen!

Too Cute!

I'm give out!

Park Fun!

This past week, we joined our friends Hannah, Rebecca, Parker, Graham, Carter, and Jake at the park...the boys had a blast together! Some random little girl at the park that decided to ride with Casen....he doesn't meet too many strangers! He was definitely not letting go of the smoothie I made him! ha!

Parker and Casen!

Carter with static in his hair from the slide.....too cute!

Look at my big boy....he climbed up the slide and went down all by himself!

New Ride!

Casen's first stroll in his new wagon......thank you so much Santa for coming to my house early this year! :) It is just such beautiful weather so we had to get the wagon a little early, but we are still considering it a Christmas present!

Morning Stroll

Afternoon Stoll! Casen and Madison!
Alright Dad (Jerry).....I know you are reading this! The quality of these pictures are not so great sooooooooo, your little girl (me) would like a new camera from Santa (you) this year! You think you can handle this? ha!
Love ya!

Fun at Kindermusik!

When we first get to Kindermusik each week, we have a quick chat with our friends Nicole and Railey......then we take our shoes off and get ready for some music, dance, and fun! Ready for Kindermusik!Nicole and Railey Casen showing out with his little instrument!

Casen and his class.....There are about 10 little boys and 2 cute, little girls!

Casen's little friend, Jo Anna (orange dress) is a cutie! They like to run around together and still a few kisses here and there! What am I going to do with him! ha!

Afternoon Strolls!

Casen and I try to catch up with our neighborhood friends a couple times a week to go for an afternoon stroll. This is Miss Alyssa and Mr. Clark in the wagons below with Casen! Alyssa is Casen's riding partner....they love to throw things at each other, take each other's shoes off and throw them out of the wagon (so that the mommas can search the neighborhood for them in the dark! ha!), share their apple juice, squeal to the top of their lungs, and kiss when we are not looking! ha!

So, these are just a few pictures of Casen out and about in the neighborhood.....He still loves to run down the street and walk the sidewalks. It is starting to get very interesting in our neighborhood with all of the Halloween decorations. Casen loves the big, black spiders on the houses. He is pointing them out in the 1st picture. The other two pictures are just of him on the go.....I can hardly ever get him looking and smiling at the camera anymore! He doesn't have time to stop these days!

Across the street neighbor and play buddy.....Mr. Griffin! I couldn't resist this Oreo Face! Next door neighbor.....Miss Lydia! Casen loves her!