Stories, stories

I know my posts are primarily about Caden, but he is the only understandable talker right now... so we have lots to post about him. Aliayah is walking like crazy and she is so fast. She loves to play with her brother and follows him around everywhere. She's quite the little drama queen already, which can be amusing and frustrating all at the same time. She will be one in less then a month. I can't believe she is that "old" already. I have pics posted on facebook of our recent outings... but here is just a few things that have occurred recentlywith Caden.

While looking at a Christmas tree at the library, Caden blurts out,

"Mom, mom come mere... it's a cracker man!"

I walked around the tree to see what he was talking about... oh a nutcracker. :-)

This one is only funny because it's past the moment. While eating lunch today (which took him an hour), I was strongly encouraging him to take more bites. I was losing patience very quickly as every meal right now is a fight. I picked up his fork and said,

"Caden this is your last chance, take this bite or you will have to get a spanking."

His repsonse,
"Mom, I dont want too.
I said no mom. I said no.

(pause)

Mom, you go to time out. To time out Mom." This was said while pointing very fervently to the time out chair. Yeah, funny now, but not so funny then.

Another library story... as soon as we walked into the library he found a Bob the Builder Christmas book. He grabbed it and said

"Lets go mom, give it to the lady and go home."

I guess that's all he wanted. I said I wasn't ready yet and told him to go back to the kids section and he could read it until we were ready to go.

Well, he missed the go back to the kids section part and plopped right down in front of the check out counter on the floor and started reading the book.

Of course reading the a Bob the Builder book can not be done without singing the theme song as loud as you can. "Bob the builder, can we fix it. Bob the builder, yes we can!"

At least the staff thought he was really cute and not loud and obnoxious.

I think we are going to making a scene more frequently, lets just hope I can find the humor in the situation. Speaking of making a scene, I have one more story, but it will have to wait for next time.... it's about a midget and Caden. Ya sounds like a joke... it's not.

The Climber

The following is an actual conversation that took place this morning. Setting the stage... I am upstairs in my room on the computer while the kids are downstairs in the play room, playing.

Caden: Mommmmmyyyyyy!!!

Me: Yes Caden.

Caden: Come mere

Me: I'll be there in a minute

Caden: Come mere, help me

Me: I'll be right there

Caden: Help me, I stuck

Me: Okay I'm coming


Silence for about 25 sec.

Caden: Mommmmmyyyyy!!!

Me: Are you still stuck?


Caden: Yes, help me



I take about another minute to finish up what I'm doing. Seeing as there is no urgency in his voice, he's not crying and he often likes to pretend like he is stuck so I can "rescue" him and pull him out. Often times he is lying in the middle of the floor with nothing around saying he is stuck. So I wasn't hurrying.


As I enter the play room, this is what I see.


Maybe next time I'll respond a little faster

Stay at Home Moms

Those of us who are stay at hom moms have probably heard from a working mom, "Wow, I could never do that. Kudos to you for being able to stay at home with your kids. I just wasn't made/wired like that." Now let me first say I fully respect working moms. It's challenging enough to stay at home, but to work and then come home and still have all the home stuff to do... wow, that's alot. But for us stay at home moms, here are my thoughts.

Honestly, I don't think I'm "made" to stay at home with my kids either! There are days (like today) where everything is challenging and cleaning up the breakfast dishes has taken forever, just in time for the lunch dishes to start piling up. It's only by God's grace that I am "made" to stay at home with my kids. It's a hard job, one you never really have a break from. I found myself grumbling and complaining this morning and saying, "I can't do this one more day." Then I saw my little ones playing together and giving each other kisses and joy filled my heart.

I'm right. I can't do this another day, but through God's strength, I can. I wouldn't want to miss out on all the little things. Staying home is hard and tiring and there is always more to do, but staying home is a priviledge and one I won't trade for anything.

I will thank God that I am "made" for being a stay at home mom and try my best to enjoy all that entails.

God give me the patience to love my kids through everything and enjoy my "calling" as a stay at home mom. Thank you for the opportunity to be here day in and day out with my kids.

Time Away

This week Daniel and I celebrated out 5th wedding anniversary. We were able to take three days and trek our way to Hermann, MO. It's about 3 hours east of Kansas City, and is considered "wine country." Now while I know it doesn't hold a candle to Napa Valley, it was absolutly wonderful. We took our time driving, stopping when we wanted to see or do whatever we wanted. Those with kids know, you don't stop if you don't have to. Getting to the destination in a timely fashion is all that matters on a roadtrip. So to be able to take out time was a lot of fun and seemed to set the tone for the whole trip. We stayed three days and two nights at Hermann Hill, a bed and breakfast in Hermann. It was absolutly wonderful... relaxing... refreshing. We did a few wine tours and wine tasting. We took alot of naps, and slept in in the morning, and stayed up late at night, took a bike ride. It was simply wonderful. You forget as a mom how important it is to be a wife as well. Being a mom can wear you down so much that you forgot or simply don't have the energy to be a wife. It wad great to just be able to focus on my husband and remember what it's like to just be a wife and not have the mom demands at all. Did I mention how wonderful it was?? :-) It was the perfect amount of time away. By Friday evening I was ready to hold my babies again. We started our trip home only to have one of our bikes fly off the bike rake as we were going 73mph down the highway. Not the best ending to an incredible weekend. The wind was really really strong and it caught the bike just right and ripped it off the bike rack. Thankfully no one was hurt, and the bike was in decent shape considering the accident. We were able to retrive it.... unfortunatly we had borrowed the bike... yeah not fun. Sorry Scott!!! But other then that our three days away were amazing and rejuvinating. It's amazing that we've been married for 5 years already. It's been the best 5 years of my life and I look forward to what the next 5 years hold for us.

To my son

Caden,
You are two years old! You never cease to amaze us and sometimes we forget how little you really are because your vocabulary and your antics seem much older. Your love and excitment for life just oozes out of you all the time. You get such joy out of the simpelest things. The other day while I was watching a cooking show you came and sat down next to me... very close... and laid your head on my shoulder and said "love you mom." I cherish those moments. I love your tenderness and yet at the same time you are all boy. You love to run, jump and climb. You've recently started testing the climbing limits and I have found you in interesting places and your toys sitting way up high on different pieces of furniture. How you or your toys get to those places... I think I'm glad I don't see. You love roughhousing with your Dad. Growing up in a family of girls I have to hold myself back from saying "be carful, that's enough, or slow down." I'm not very good at that. :-) You also love to help daddy fix things, you will go grab your tools so you can be a part of whatever he is doing. You ask alot of questions and if I don't know the answer you will always say. "Ask daddy when he home." Your dad is the all knowing one. I am your security and your comforter right now. I love those moments when you just need a hug or you want me to hold you. They don't last long, but I love them just the same. You love your sister Aliyah and you are constantly giving her kisses and hugs. You love crawling around on the floor with her and calling her name to get her to follow you. It makes you laugh and her squeal in delight. You try to get her to roughhouse with you, but that usually results in crying for her and a bit of frustration for you. Someday soon you two will be running and jumping everywhere, but for now I'm glad you're the only extremely active one.
You have been looking forward to your birthday for a while. When I told you your birthday was coming up you looked at me very seriously and said. "Birthday, that means presents, cake and balloons." Yes it does. It's those types of comments that makes us laugh and smile in disbelief. You are one amazing little boy. Today you made me dinner with your new kitchen set and you set everything so nicely on a try. You put a hamburger, water, carrots, and ice cream out. I was very impressed with all the represented food groups. When I went to "eat" the ice cream, you stopped me saying, "no mom vegetables first." WHAT??? Where did that come from? I guess some things I am telling you are sticking. So I "ate" the carrots and then the ice cream.

We are so proud of who you are even at the young age of two. We are so proud to be your parents and we look forward to all that is in store for your life. Happy Birthday Caden!

Birthday Boy

My little muchkin... brand new baby

One year old

2 years old

Happy Birthday Caden! We love you so very much!

More pictures to follow from his birthday party. Also, there will be another post tomorrow... I wrote a whole letter to Caden and then went to post it and somehow lost it all. Frustrating! So, i'll have to rewrite it tomorrow... it's too late tonight.

July Update

There have been a few changes in the Miller household as of late... all kids related of course.

Caden is 22 months. and came up to me last Wednesday and asked to go pee-pee on the big potty. I was shocked! We had been reading "potty" books for months and had put the "big boy" potty out for a while. We let him use it when he wanted but never pushed the issue. When he asked, I was thrilled. So I decided that day I would start potty training. We were on a "big boy" theme... on Tuesday we took down his crib and put in a big boy bed. So when Daniel got home we made a big show about going to the store and picking out big boy underwear. He was so excited to get home and wear them. He has done so well. We've had one accident at home since Wednesday... and an almost accident at the library. He does great at home, but I have to remind him when we're out that we can still go to the potty. I don't think he understands that other places have bathrooms. I do still put a diaper on him for naps and bedtime, which I think has helped him (and I) feel successful with the potty training. He is doing amazing!!! He stops whatever he is doing to say "Oh, mommy potty" and then he runs into the bathroom. He is getting so big. Tonight at dinner we asked him if he wanted to pray... we had been coaching him with his prayers for a while... but tonight he did it all on his own. Here was what he said... "De-dus , ta tu mommy, daddy, ye-ya (Aliyah)... help me... dis I know, Bible tell me so. Amen." It was the cutest thing ever!
Aliyah is 7 months now and is crawling everywhere. She pulls up on everything and is trying desperatly to walk. I am not ready for that yet, and I hope it doesn't happen too soon. But she loves to hold onto our hands and walk around the house. She has been sleeping through the night for about 10 days now which has been amazing!

When I write all this it feels so small in insignificant,but to a mom it's all major milestones. Enjoy these moments in life as I know it all passes by quickly.