Where did "Baby Cade" go?

It dawned on me the other day that "Baby Cade" has been replaced with "Big Boy" Cade. I know that ordinarily being 2 isn't really considered a big boy. But this child is already talking like an adult....in full sentences. He actually has better grammar than a large number of adults I encounter daily! :) The other day I told him it was time to go lay down for a nap. He looked at me just as serious as he could be and said "I too busy. I watch TV." I didn't realize he knew what being busy meant! Now he's too busy a lot especially if it comes to something he doesn't want to do.

Mason is really making lots of noises now. Whenever he talks, Cade will say "Mason's talking." And when you ask him what Mason is saying he'll say "GOO". The other day, Mason was smiling at Cade and he said "I make him happy." I don't think Cade realizes just yet how happy he does make Mason. Mason is already infatuated with Cade. And I suspect they will be good buddies and worst enemies (whenever a wanted toy is involved) as they grow up. Mason loves to watch Cade.

Mason also is more in tune with toys than Cade was at that age. Mason can already grab onto the things hanging on his bouncy seat. I remember Cade didn't develop that skill until a little later. I think it's the difference in the first one and the second one. Cade rarely had a moment by himself in a chair. He was held and talked to a lot. Mason has had to spend more time in the bouncy than Cade ever did because it is difficult to tell a 2 year old that you can't do something for him because you are holding Mason. He's starting to get a little jealous of any attention Mason gets.

All in all, life with all the boys has been good! I'm very outnumbered but I wouldn't have it any other way! :)

"One Cheez It, Please"

Since Mason came along, Cade has been making huge strides in talking. He says something new everyday that I didn't know he knew how to say or what context to put it in. He entertains us daily.

This morning I drove through Sonic to get a drink before I dropped off the boys at the sitter. As I was ordering, Cade kept saying "I want cheezits." I told him they don't have cheezits at Sonic. As I pulled up to the window and the girl was taking my money, Cade said "One Cheez It, Please." I got a big kick out of that. And of course (thanks to dada) as I was pulling away, Cade said "I drive, momma." I think I have quite a journey ahead with him!!! Especially if he thinks he can drive at 2!

I forgot to also mention. Cade is speaking some Spanish....thanks to Dora. He will count to 10 in Spanish. He also will say open in Spanish. We suspect he says more because there are words he says that we don't know what they are....he's either speaking in Spanish or making up his own language. I can't believe how much he absorbs when he just sees or hears it once or twice.

Lickafish

This is what Cade calls licorice. I try to always say the proper name for words so that he will eventually know the right way to say them. But this word is too funny not to say. So Mike and I both now call it lickafish. This will probably be what we call licorice from now on!

Cade is doing so good with his little brother. He will occasionally "squeeze" him as he calls it by pushing on his belly. We try to watch him and make sure that he is gentle with him. I think Mason will have to get tough very quickly as Cade loves wrestling and doing the kind of stuff boys like to do.

Since Mason came along, Cade has just exploded with the talking. He talks in full sentences and can say anything you ask him to say. He carries on conversations and has started pretend play. We get a big kick out of hearing him play.

He's also into watching Dora the Explorer and as a result is now counting in Spanish and saying other Spanish words. The counting I recognize...the other words, I'm not sure what he's saying. I guess it's nice he's learning another language. But it's also bad as he can start speaking the other language and saying bad things about his parents and we won't have a clue!!!

And the best sound ever is the sound of Cade laughing. Doesn't matter what kind of mood your in, that will change it to a good one in no time.

Cade is a big brother

Cade's brother Mason came on February 5th at 5:42 a.m. He weighed 8lbs 10oz. Yeah, he was a big one.

Cade has done really good with Mason. He is already trying to share his cars and toys with Mason. He also tried to feed him a goldfish cracker one day when Mason was crying. He thought maybe he needed one to make him feel better. :) He has wanted me to carry him a lot more lately. You haven't seen anything until you see me carrying the 2 year old, the baby carrier and the many bags it requires to leave the house with 2 kids in diapers!!

Since Mason came along, Cade's vocabulary just exploded. He's talking like a big kid now. He says everything. And some of it is stuff I have know idea where he might have heard it. He's very funny and still loves to sing. He's very entertaining. Even Mason was watching him the other evening. I look forward to the day that Mason and Cade can play together. I think they will have lots of fun and be good buddies.

The Little Songbird

Cade loves to sing. And he actually sings in tune. He also likes playing the drums. Maybe he'll be a rock star one day.... Or play in the band. Dada says no band but I don't see anything wrong with the band, especially if he went to a big college and played in their band. I think it might be cool if he decided to go to The Ohio State University and play in the "Best Damn Band in the Land." Dada has other ideas. And I know he's just 2 so he might decide he likes something completely different than drums by the time college rolls around!

Back to my songbird. He loves to sing and has memorized several songs from Sesame Street (as well as certain TV commercials). My favorite lately has been to the tune of "Hey There Delilha". It is about the letter T and it is a letter T singing about being the letter T and others being the letter T. There is a part where he says "Ta ta ta ta ta taaaa." It is so funny. Cade will just be playing and this episode won't even be playing but he breaks out into the "ta ta" part. And he's in tune.

Who knew they were so smart at 2!!

Big Boy Bed

We finally got Cade's big boy bed. Saturday night was his first night. I rocked him and read him a couple books like we have been. Then when he was sleepy. I took him to his big boy bed. He didn't like that. So, Mike laid down with him first. Cade thought it was play-time. They talked and jumped and talked to his shadow on the wall. Then I went in and tried to lay with him. He talked some more, sang songs, anything he could to delay going to sleep. That first night took him 1 1/2 hours to finally fall asleep. Sunday afternoon nap time was more of the same. He wanted to jump in bed, talk sing, etc. That took him 1 hour to finally fall asleep. Sunday night was another 1 1/2 hours.

Last night, I waited a little longer before we finally went in to bed. My thinking was if he was just totally exhausted he would just pass out! It seemed to work because after milk, books, some singing and a few "momma, what are you doing"s he finally went to sleep after about 45 minutes. Once he's asleep he sleeps all night. It's just the newness of the bed and it is also a new room. I also think we made a mistake in making the bed a play thing...we kind of let him crawl up in there when it was bedtime and jump and play around. We now will only let him get up there when it is time to sleep until he gets the concept of this is where he sleeps now. I have to say that in just 3 nights he's doing well. I was worried about it. I thought I was going to be in his room forever and I wasn't sure how I could do that with the new baby coming.

We do have to lay down with him. He's not to the point that he'll stay in there and put himself to sleep yet because he knows he can get out. I hope that comes in time. Although I have to say, I really don't mind laying down with him. It gives me a little extra rest. :)

Other news:
Cade has become quite stubborn. I know with Mike and I as his parents...you can't even imagine. He's refusing to wear a coat. Most days I don't fight him on it. We are mostly going from the house to the car to the next house. So I don't worry to much about it. If he makes comments (and he has) about it being cold. I remind him that is because he won't wear a coat.

He also has become particular about his clothes. One morning I was putting jeans on him and he said "I don't want jeans." Yes, it was that plain. He also has said the same thing about this pair of boots he has. "I don't want boots." Most of the time he loses that battle. Like I said, he can be stubborn but I can be more stubborn! But lately he's decided he doesn't like 2 shirts on. I tried to put a t-shirt on underneath whatever shirt he was wearing because at least if it is cold outside he can be layered when he won't wear a coat. He told me the other day he was hot and didn't want to wear 2 shirts. The hot-naturedness comes from me....

I never knew that kids were so opinionated at age 2. Well, he's not even officially 2 yet!

Now...what do we do with all this stuff!

Cade had an outstanding Christmas. He was so excited by all his new toys. He got a slide and had a new train table with a train set up on it. He would slide down the slide, then go "ooh, train." He'd take the train around the track a few times then look at the slide and go "ooh, slide." He'd slide down the slide a few times and it would be back to the train. Dada had to open his presents from Momma and Dada because he was uninterested in opening anything at that point.

Aunt Debbie was kind enough to get him a drum set for Christmas. The sitter's son has a big drum set and Cade loves to play the drums. The drum set that Cameron has is very loud. The set Cade got is loud but not as loud as the big set. Anyway, the drums were a hit as well. Santa brought Cade bongo drums. Santa thought maybe those wouldn't be quite as loud as a regular set of drums. He liked the bongo drums too. But I have to admit the drum set is more fun...especially the cymbal!

Cade's birthday is coming up January 22nd. I'm not quite sure what this child will be getting for his birthday. We don't know what we'll do with all the toys he has now. And there is a baby on the way. We're going to have build a separate house just for toys! If it wasn't rude to do so, I would request that if people insist on a birthday gift, we'd rather have money to just put in Cade's account. I know, I know, it's very rude to ask for money but honestly, this kid couldn't possibly need another thing! But I'm sure there are things out there he'd love to have and doesn't.... And all I can think is he's only 2! The toys will eventually become less and be replaced by more expensive things. I guess I should be happy that a $1 hotwheel car amuses him now. At some point he'll want the $200 ipod...or whatever gadget is the thing then.