Christmas with the kiddos!

We did Christmas with the kids last night (Tuesday) because the rest of the week is filled with traveling here and traveling there for Christmas with other family members. The kids certainly did not mind opening presents early and I think I can safely say everybody was very happy with what they got.

First, though, the annual picture of the goobers kiddos in front of the Christmas tree...

We make the kids take turns opening so everybody can see what they got. We just go around the room one at a time until all the presents are open. Cade got to open first because he's the youngest and the most impatient of the bunch! He's really into opening presents this year and opens them all by himself now!

A tractor! Yay! With a trailer! (To Cade, the trailer is the most important part!)

Up next... Bubby!

Love the tongue. It takes a lot of concentration to open a present!

Then Sis...

Then Dad...

Then Mommy... (So excited! I've been wanting these specific black Adidas pants for SO long!)

Then Cade again!

Jodi's big gift this year is a custom-made softball glove. She's reading the note that came with her softballs telling her that's what she was getting. Her and Mickey got on the computer last night and ordered it. She got to pick out everything from the webbing to the colors of the stitching. She is getting a black and pink glove made just to order!

And Ryan's big gift this year is....

Can you guess?

What is this? He still doesn't know at this point.

AH! A .22 long rifle!

Sweet!

He LOVES it. He named it Big Bertha.

A cute picture of Jodi excited because the gum in her stocking was PINK!

And me... demonstrating how to use a scrubby sponge, because clearly nobody knows how to do it!

Dad about to open his last "surprise" gift.

A fajita cooker made from plow discs. Cool!

ALL the kids had a blast playing with Cade's new tent!

Inside the tunnel pictures by Jodi!

Lots more Christmas celebrations to come!

New tent!

Bubby, Sissy, Aunt Dee and Shawn got Cade this tent for Christmas and he loves it!!!

Sleeping in Mommy's bed

Cade's been waking up with the chickens for the past couple months (read: around 5:30 a.m.) and we're hoping, praying, wishing it's just a phase. We try to get him to go back to sleep in our bed, but he either a) wants to watch TV, or b) wants his milk. But for some reason the other morning he got in our bed, I got him his milk, talked him out of watching TV and the little bugger fell back asleep! And slept for another hour until I had to wake him up because it was time to leave!! Why can't he do that on the weekends?

Jingle Bell Rocker

Monday morning while I was getting ready for work, my darling little son just burst out in "Jingle Bells" from out of nowhere! I had no idea he even knew the words to the song! Guess he learned it while staying with MoMo and Pops for a week! I decided I better get it on video and share it here.

Cade's Birthday Round 2

We had Cade's 2nd Birthday Party in the Fellowship Hall at our church on Saturday, Dec. 5. We had a great turnout of family and friends and had over 40 people come to celebrate with us! We served a taco dinner with all the fixins' and then enjoyed yummy Elmo cupcake cake!

Cade and the kiddos ran around like wild for a while before we got started. Here's Cade and his cousin Madison playing the piano.

Cade having serious conversation with my dad.

Opening presents...

Wishing Uncle TJ would hurry and get that tractor out of the package!!

One of Cade's favorite birthday presents was from Uncle TJ and Lylan ... a Jumping Horse! This horse is soooo cool! It walks, then sits down on his rear, then does a complete backflip and lands on his feet every time!! ALL the kids at the party loved the horse!!

Walk...

Sit...

Flip!
The horse was an instant hit with ALL the kids!

We had an Elmo cupcake cake!

Singing to the Birthday Boy!

My grandma looks super impressed with Cade's table manners, no?

Yes, the red icing stains!

Nom, Nom! Cupcakes are gooooooood!!

Cade's birthday Round 1

Blog world, meet Little Brownie Boy. Brownie boy loves brownies. And brownie batter right off the spoon. So when Mommy made brownies for his birthday snack at daycare and brownies for his home party, Little Brownie Boy was right there ready to help.

Brownie batter eater, lover, licker.

Good to the last lick.

Yes, yes, I think he liked it!

The finished brownies for daycare and his home party. I know, I know, I have MAD icing skills. Ha!

Singing to the Birthday Boy!

*tear* He's big enough to blow out his own candle!

We had Matt, Jodi and Ryan over for pizza, brownies and a little party time.

Cade opening his present from Traci. Two DVDs - Elmo and Barney - his two faves!

Cade and Bubby checking out the new fish. Yes, we got him his own aquarium and some goldfish! He LOVES them!! Sits and stares at them forever!

Checking out the cool crayons and coloring books that Aunt Dee and Shawn brought him.

The morning after his birthday... still checking out the fish. He LOVES them, I tell you.

Cade's 2-year checkup

Cade went to the doctor this morning for his 2-year Well Baby visit and vaccinations. He got two shots. :( He wasn't very happy about it, but got over it quickly.

We really love his pediatrician, Dr. Helen Ong, and Cade talked about Dr. Helen all morning and on the way to the doctor. When we were in the lobby waiting to go back to our room, he kept saying "Dr. Helen... where are you?" Come to find out, he was excited to see her because he wanted a sucker! When she walked in the room he started jumping up and down all excited, then looked at her and said "sucker?" Of course, she gave him one and I was so pleased when he told her "thank you." Phew, he is learning manners!

She gave him the once-over and said he looks good. She said his ear tubes look good, but the right one has moved. She said as long as he doesn't have problems don't worry about taking him back to the specialist. It will be a year in January since we had tubes and we've only had one "almost" ear infection since. The tubes are a God-send.

Cade weighed 33.5 lbs and was 36.5 inches tall - 90th percentile for both. He's a big healthy boy! At 2 years old, he is in a 2T-3T clothes and a size 8 shoe.

Oh, and he sweet talked Dr. Helen into a second sucker before his appointment was over! Hopefully we won't see her again until he's 3!! (Wishful thinking, probably!)