Cade's 4th Birthday

What do we do the morning after Christmas? Open more presents!! We had our traditional pancake breakfast and then opened more presents.

He got to pick what we had for dinner. He asked for macaroni and cheese. We added some hot dogs in it. While we were eating he told Rylee, "Chew carefully or daddy says you can choke and die!" Then he thought for a minute and declared that he didn't want to eat his hot dogs and started picking them out. We laughed and then told him we would not die if he ate them because we had cut them up to small to choke on them. He then said Ok and happily ate his hot dogs.

Later we had cake and ice cream. And yes we let him stay in jammies all day.  He really loves to be in 'comfy clothes'. Since it was his birthday he got to pick. He also got to pick his frosting color. He picked teal. Hows that for a frosting color? It looks a bit more on the greenish side but I tried.

He did so many funny things that day. For one he got a little distracted when he was changing into his underwear. He is looking at a book he got in his stocking.  Must have been pretty interesting

He also told us to watch him run down the hall because he was faster since he was 4 now. Then he barreled down the hall as fast as he could.  We have a video of it. Hopefully we will post it soon. He also wanted us to measure his height on the wall because he was sure that he was taller now. So cute the mind of a 4 year old!

Christmas 2011

Christmas Eve we went over the Omers house, one of Cole's counselors. We had a nice dinner and then a program consisting of different songs, acting out the nativity and writing down our gift to Christ this year. Also, Santa came to visit. Cade was ecstatic. Almost to the point of not functioning. He sat on his lap and immediately said, "I want cool cars."

Christmas is so  much fun when kids are involved. Here is the set up before we went to bed.

 

    

I know camp chairs don't strike you as the obvious Christmas gift of choice. But Rylee loves her own spaces, corners and sitting in her own chair. But how do you only get one? So Cade got one too. Plus I think they will be really useful later on. Cade also got a remote control car and Rylee got a barn filled with animals. Plus all the way awesome stuff their grandparents, aunts, and uncles spoiled them with.
Here are pictures from the morning.

 

Family Christmas picture.

Christmas Festivities

Some of the fun things we have been doing this season.
Decorating the tree. I always love this. I always like to remember what our family was like the previous year. Cade and Rylee were good helpers and surprisingly Cade has been the one who can't stop touching them. Maybe that's not surprising. But I thought Rylee would have a harder time.

 Proof that we were there too.

We went to a little Christmas party with Cade's preschool friends. It takes me by surprise when Rylee fits right in and can do some of the things Cade can. Like sitting in a chair and eating snacks. Sounds obvious but she has just been the tag-a-long baby for so long. I forget that she is getting older and can actually do things on her own now. Anyway the party was fun. Lots of kids, lots of sugar, lots of fun.

 

Notice Cade's plate loaded with massive amounts of sprinkles on his sugar cookie. And this was his second plate. Gives a little reasoning to the faces. 

And lastly we got the most snow we have gotten this winter. Cade was dying to go out and play in it.

 I am aware that Rylee is dressed in about 12 different shades of pink. That was not intentional. 

This is what I call brotherly love:

 and she just takes it because she loves her brother. 

Yes it is dark outside. For some reason 7:00 at night was the most opportune time to go out and play in the snow. I tried to lighten the pictures so it would appear like it was midday so I wouldn't feel like a complete awful parent who takes their kids out in the freezing dark weather to play. But it didn't work. But they did have fun and it was only for a few mintues.

 

 He jumped right in. She was a little hesitant.

Cade keeps reenacting Christmas day. He will wrap one of his toys up, put it under the tree, and then run to his room. Then he will come out all slow and excited. Then he will run wild and crazy to the tree and open his toy like it is Christmas morning. He is a little excited. I am looking forward to seeing how Rylee reacts. Fun times ahead.

Big Brother Little Sister

It is so fun to watch Cade and Rylee interact. Well I guess sometimes it is fun to watch. They definitely have their squabbles. But when they are enjoying each other it is priceless. Here are a few moments I want to remember.

Cade helping Rylee brush her teeth.

The kids in Rylee's favorite reading corner. This is in her room behind her rocker. Rylee goes here all the time to read by herself. This time Cade went back there with her. I heard him yell, "Mommy! Quick! We are both back here together! Take a picture! Quick!"

 

And then yesterday while I was on the phone I was trying to get an apple washed and cut for Cade. Of course, since I was on the phone the kids got 3xs louder. So I left the room and Rylee followed me. She was fussing so I gave her the apple to hold. She immediatly starting trying to bite into it like she had seen Cade do so many times. Once Cade saw this he then wanted his own apple to eat. They were so excited to be eating apples together.  I sometimes forget that Rylee is old enough to do some of the things Cade can do.