Wow, lots to catch up on...

Wow, since I didn't have my computer for a month or two, I really have a lot to share! So, I will probably keep things short and sweet because this is already going to be a long post!

One of the first foods Kaden started eating all by himself was fresh green beans. Usually he eats them cooked, but if he can snag one while you are snapping them, he will eat it raw too... sort of... most of it ends up on the floor!

As you can see, he devoured that plate in a hurry... of course then you take a look at his tummy and the sides of his highchair! He does love them though, I just scoop them back onto his plate and he tries again!

Kaden crawls like a pro now! These were taken after he had a blood draw from his arm, and a couple of shots in the leg.

He also is pulling himself up on everything he can get his hands on. And more recently he is now standing without support and has even 'accidentally' taken a few steps. I say accidentally because as soon as he realizes that he isn't holding on to anything he eases down to the floor and crawls. It won't be long now before he is running!

This is one of my most favorite developments. :) Kaden has figured out that when he is sleepy and ready for bed or a nap, all he has to do is come ask to be held. He lays against me and falls asleep. It has been really precious on the mornings that I am feeling sick and don't want to move off of the couch. He just lays down right next to me and we both take our naps!

Guess now would be a good time to tell you that Kaden is going to be a big brother in April! :)

It is pretty hard to see in this ultrasound, but there is our new baby at 9 weeks. She (I'm hoping!) is upside down and if you look close you can see her head and body with little arms and tiny legs. We are about 12 weeks now.

Kaden got to experience the State Fair this year. He did so well, Jeremy and I were impressed. We all had a good time then dashed home when it all of a sudden started pouring buckets of rain! Welcome to Oregon!

One of Kaden's new 'tricks' is pointing. He loves to point. And he is getting pretty good at expressing what he wants with his pointing. It is quite entertaining to be ordered around by a 9 month old's pointer! If he wants something he will point to you, then the object. :) I figure that is his way of asking please at the moment!

My sweet boy LOVES to 'help' with the dishes. I put them in... he takes them out!

Uncle Heath takes Kaden to the petting zoo at the Walla Walla County Fair where the girls show their goats.

Jeremy and I both have electric tooth brushes and Kaden always wants to use them. So I bought him his own toddler electric tooth brush. He loves to brush his teeth while I am and watches me intently in the mirror. Once in awhile he gets a little mixed up!

Today we had tuna casserole for lunch. Kaden is getting pretty good about getting most of his food into his mouth now, but that doesn't mean he isn't a disaster when he is done!

I took him straight from his chair to the bath!

A Snack and a Nap

Kaden enjoying eating a 'Bitter Biscuit' all by himself. I think he is trying to hide the disaster that he has made of his face!

Yikes! This boy is definitely going to need a bath tonight!

Kaden LOVED his blueberries.

Notice that he is getting my dimples in those chubby cheeks of his.

I bought him a really cool... I don't know what you call it... food net? It is shaped like a really big pacifier, but the sucky part (that is the technical term!) is a net. You open it up and put food into the net, then he can eat anything and I don't have to worry about him choking! He can't swallow it unless it is small enough to fit through the mesh. I froze some blueberries in it since he was teething. (He now has his top left tooth and the top right one is on the way.) He loved it and went through two more rounds of regular blueberries as well.

Covered in blueberry juice!

These pictures are a bit fuzzy, but I didn't want to use my flash and wake him up! He is totally a tummy sleeper these days. He loves to sleep in my bed, I often will take him in there when he gets sleepy (and I am tired too). We lay on the bed side by side and talk and sing until he falls asleep (I have to admit that I often nap with him this way!).

More recently he has been pulling his knees up and sleeping with his little bum up in the air! It is too cute!

Taste the Rainbow...

If you look real close you can just see Kaden's little toothers on the bottom there! Aren't they cute!

Peaches gave Kaden a pucker face to start with, but after a bite or two to get used to them he loved them!

Oh boy Mom, what are we going to eat today?

What is this stuff?

I think he smeared his Chicken and Rice all over his face so he wouldn't have to eat very much!

We are still working on the Peas. He eats a little bit more each time I give them to him, and makes less faces.

Pears were so good he kept grabbing at the spoon to shove it into his mouth faster. Apparently I needed a little bit of help with it.

Teething

No, I am not feeding Kaden the biggest Oreo cookie you ever saw.  It is a teething toy!

Poor little Kaden has been teething the last few weeks.  He cut his first tooth (bottom left) on his 5 month Birthday and has already cut his second one (bottom right)  as of yesterday.  It was bleeding yesterday and today he has a bloody lip from biting it, I presume.  Just a little bit of blood, but enough to make my heart hurt for him.  Most of the time he is still in a great mood, but when he gets sleepy he remembers that his mouth hurts.  A lot!  Now, my fingers hurt too...  I seem to be the best teething toy, although I just discovered that he really likes the soother pacifier.  I can stick my finger in it and he can gnaw on that, it seems to be his favorite now... although not as cute as the cookie.  So he is needing some extra cuddles when it comes to nap time, and we are dealing with some extra crying, but he sure is going to be cute with those little toothers popping up!

Please don't take my cookie!

Oh yeah... and he seems to enjoy his carrots now!