monkey.

*shovels and marshmallows*

~watchin the wiggles with daddy in his new favorite chairs.

I feel like I have been so out of touch with blog land! I started working a new schedule at work this week (which I LOVE, 3 1/2 days, hello!), and squishing all of the paperwork and seeing all of my clients into a few days leaves little time for me to write.

Chad and I had a chance to have a *night out* last weekend (thanks mamaw and papaw!), and we ended up hanging with Bri and Suzanne and having a killer time! Of course this is the one time I forgot my camera, so I have no fun pics to share. We crashed at their place and woke up to Denver's first real snowfall of the season! A blizzard had hit Denver while we slept. After driving about 15mph (I got some super nasty looks) all the way to mamaw and papaw's house, I discovered that kaden was having the time of his life, helping papaw shovel the driveway and tasting hot cocoa for the first time, aka *hot chocolate milk*.

We also took him to his two year dr's appt on Monday. I was really nervous to see how much weight he has gained, as the dr was a little concerned the last time we came in. When we took him in September, he weighed the same that he had in June, and they were hoping he would have gained a little more. He gained two punds and is up to a whoppin 26.8lbs (he feels a little closer to 40 to me!). It's kind of amazing that the little man eats like a horse and I put extra butter and cheese in everything and he is still not gaining all that much!

















~pretty much the coolest hairdo on the planet.

*ferocious felines*

~chilling with papa lion at denver zoo

I went through a period where I really tried to *dislike* the zoo. I have always been a huge animal lover, and after a good friend explained the horror of behind the scenes of the zoo, I really tried to stay away and keep my distance. Having a little guy changed my view on things, and I started to see what it is like to see things through his eyes, and I put my own judgements aside. I absolutely fell in love with the Denver Zoo...so easy to navigate and really large areas for the animals to roam around. Mamaw and Papaw gifted us a membership to the zoo for xmas, and we have already been three times since xmas. It is just down the street from us, so even if Kaden and i have an extra hour on our day off...we go to say hello to our friends...the lions.

We went one day after Xmas, right at the beginning of a blizzard. I thought it was a little silly to go when the snow was coming down so hard, but it turned out to be the most perfect time to go! There were only about 10 other crazy fools visiting the zoo at that time, and for some reason, the animals were all awake and as curious about the fools visiting during the snowstorm, as we were about them. I am so upset that I didn't bring my camera, because we truly would have gotten some ridiculously amazing photos on that day!

We stumbled upon this little area where the lions chill out behind their ginormous playground. The area has a piece of glass in front of it, and it is incredible how close you can get to the lions. The first time we went, this daddy lion above literally played nosey nosey with us through the glass. I just about keeled over...I have never felt so scared in my life. It's hard to feel comfortable with *glass* when a lion is one inch from your face. Kaden loved every second of it. We went back later that week, and the daddy lion actually got into a roaring match with another lion friend. Talk about unnerving! One of the coolest and scariest things I have ever heard, and I'm so happy Kaden got to hear what a real lion roar sounds like.



~mama lion, not a happy camper.

....and some of our other favorite ferocious felines.

Happy New Year equals Happy Birthday Kaden!

Dear Kaden,

01.01.11 is already a make a wish day, but most importantly, it's your 2nd birthday!

You are TWO!!!!! How did THAT happen? I have been mentally preparing for this day for the past few months, but it still doesn't seem real to me. It seems like just days ago I was thrilled over you sitting up on your own and then taking your first steps! Now you talk, talk, talk SO much, you know all your colors and you can count to four! You even love to identify feelings....which makes me smile, as a therapist that works with kids, I spend my days trying to get 7 and 8 year olds to work on feelings identification, and you are already on your way.

I'm so excited to see what 2011 has in store for you and us! It couldn't be anything but wonderful with such a funny, sweet and loving little boy holding our hands for the ride!

A few things about you and your terrific two~ness:

~ you love frozen waffles...just like that, frozen.
~ you are smitten with the Wiggles *Hot poppin popcorn* and you call all popcorn this.
~ you wants all adults in the room to share in whatever you are doing, tasting, feeling, seeing. You invite everyone in!
~ you prefer being naked.
~ you love all things choo choo.
~ you love the old school horsie at king soopers that is just a penny to ride...although you don't want to ride him, you just like to pet him and talk to him.
~ you have awesome rhythm.
~ you call me *mama* or *mommy*, and your name for daddy always sounds a bit like this *DAH DAAAAAAH*
~ you don’t miss anything and notice the tiniest treasures from a distance. Like a spec on the ground lots of feet away.
~ you have a memory like an elephant and sometimes its almost creepy what you don't forget.
~ you are our greatest gift and our most favorite life teacher.

Happy Birthday to my sweet, wonderful little boy!

I love you.

Love,
your mommy



We had a small gathering of family for your second birthday...we wanted to keep it a bit low key for you. You have family spread out across the miles and they all made sure to make your birthday extra special for you, even though they could not be with you. Your cousins in NY made this amazing video for you, and you probably watched it 2,000 times.




~helping mama bake his bday cake.


~picking out a bedtime story.


~started a tradition of having a cupcake (reduced sugar cupcake!) for breakfast on the morning of his bday, blew out a candle and made a wish for the day...start things off right!


~playing in the snow!


~making snow angels with daddy...daddy's is on the right, kaden's is on the left.


~TT Suzanne made this guacamole "cake" just for the birthday boy.




~note to self...party hats from the dollar store can only fit on a small doll.


~simon getting some much needed love.


























Creating his annual *plate*

....quite different from last years!




~sneaking another cupcake...







~mamaw trying on his new train cap.


~showing off some *skillz* to unk ah brah.

~playin with unk ah brah.





~"come unk ah brah"

~loungin on his pillow pet and reading his new book gifted from Mamaw Bryant.

wordless wednesday.