The Anderson Family: May 2008

Thursday, May 29, 2008

Big Boy

I love this picture, he just looks like such a boy, not my littlest man...

This was one of the rare occasions Cade was outside... not, he lives for the outdoors I swear!

More of the stud boy..

I love this pose, GQ anyone??

This is his trying to look cranky face but it is always followed up by the cutest of smiles, thank goodness!!

This one is what I like to call Cade's 'fang' smile.

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

The First Signs of Patience

My boy...The Climbing Dare Devil

Atleast 3 times a day I find Cade using his toys or washing baskets or some other available item to climb on. I often am just glad that he isn't on the table. Lately he has been trying his hand at bringing his truck or ride on toys up to his summits with him and I can't say I like this, but I am once again choosing my battles. I know when he is doing it as he grunts and often has a yell of frustration before he finally manages to get his toy up there with him, I just make sure I am about so that if a fall or bump happens I am there, he is a pretty tough little guy but when you are as fearless and busy as he is I guess you have to be right!!

*Notice on the first picture on the slide that he has my shoe on... yes this is also a daily occurance, one shoe only... he plays "dress up" now with daddys hat, a glove and someones large shoe (I even found him with Cory's rollerblade on the other day). Stay tuned for some snap shots of this...

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Recently

This NEVER happens, he usually comes and tracks me down when he is tired so I was ever grateful for the beautiful pictures, what a cutie!

Caught the "Spring Cleaning" Bug

Hopefully that will be the only bug this season and all seasons that follow....

I am not sure why it has taken me so long to get into the spring cleaning mode but I am so thankful that I am now. I have to say I have not felt such a strong inclination since I was about 36 weeks pregnant (when I got busy 'nesting' for the next 4 weeks)!

I have felt pretty good with all that I have accomplished the last few days. Cade my little busy friend has been so good about letting me have time to clean and has busied himself playing by himself.

Saturday after doing all those lovely daily chores I missed doing with the power out, I FINALLY cleaned out my closet, now don't get me wrong I keep it tidy, I mean I cleaned, cleaned it out, cleared out all the clothes I no longer fit in or wear. It looks and feels so much better. I just need to have Cory do this same, but not just with his clothes and shoes but his BOOKS that are in a bookcase in the closet also....he is a book hoarder!

Yesterday, Monday, I cleaned out the linen closet and deep cleaned the bathroom including the cupboards and drawers. Cory recruited the help of James and Andrew and got our TV mount on the wall and that has cleared up alot of space surprisingly. I love, love, love it!

Today I have completely revamped our filing system, clearing out previous years etc. I had partially done this months ago but ran out of room to keep anything more in the filing cabinet. I went hunting around today pricing and comparing trying to figure out what I wanted to do and I am so glad to have the filing all done!

Tonight it is Cade's closet. I have a bunch of clothes and toys that Cade has grown out of so I want to get this boxed up and in the garage. I also want to change up his bookcase, this is a forever process with me I must do this every month at least. I just think books look so messy sometimes, picky perfectionist in that regard I know!

Tomorrow it will be on to the kitchen cupboards, oh tupperware beware!! I am thinking I might totally rearrange my counter space etc too, move things out that I don't often use or that are too bulky and taking up too much counter space. I really, really want my carpets shampooed as well, but I have left that one to the man to chase for me!!

Thursday the plan is to finish up some scrapbooking, do Cade's shadow box for his room (that I have not even attempted..yikes!). Hopefully nothing more will creep into my view for another cleaning!!

Ahhh... it just feels sooo nice! Like I said, wish I got this excited about cleaning every other week!!

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Which Jane Austen Heroine Are You....

I loved Lizzy in Pride and Prejudice... I was personally glad I wasn't stupid Lydia or Kitty!! (not that they were possible options in the quiz anyway...hehe)

I am Elizabeth Bennet!

Take the Quiz here!

You are Elizabeth Bennet of Pride & Prejudice! You are intelligent, witty, and tremendously attractive. You have a good head on your shoulders, and oftentimes find yourself the lone beacon of reason in a sea of ridiculousness. You take great pleasure in many things. You are proficient in nearly all of them, though you will never own it. Lest you seem too perfect, you have a tendency toward prejudgement that serves you very ill indeed.

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Cade... 18 months old

Can I just say that I can not believe my "Baby Cade" is now 18 months old! No longer my baby I can tell you. We had his well baby visit today and he is one growing boy!
HEIGHT - 33 1/8 inches (84 cms)- 75th percentile (not that I am a percentile person particularly but I'll include it)
WEIGHT - 24lb 14oz (11 1/2 kg) - 30th percentile
HEAD - 48.2cm - 60th percentile

Cade is in the busy/clinging stage and it is both fun and exhausting and at times quite frustrating for me. For example as I am typing I have Cade climbing on my chair behind me and once he climbs over he will be climbing on my back pulling my neck backward against him (personal pet peeve of all). I guess I should be thankful that he is climbing on me instead of being destructo when not in my view or when he knows I am busy with something other than him...
He has constant bruises on his shins, knees and forehead, poor little guy but he is a definite 'explorer child'. I read a while ago in parents magazine about personality types of toddlers and I had already seen the type of toddler I would have in Cade. Here is the snippet of the "Explorer Child"....

He's the one barreling around the playground, darting toward anything that catches his eye. These kids are confident and likely to become leaders, but their fearlessness can also send them running headlong into unsafe situations.

How to bring out his best:
Treat your explorer like a big kid. Allow him to handle safe "grown-up" objects like a toothbrush, remote control, or telephone -- and praise him for using them correctly.

Make exceptions to the rules. "Intrepid kids are independent children, and that's a good thing," says Harvey Karp, MD, author of The Happiest Toddler on the Block. "Sometimes, letting them have extra time at the playground, for example, helps them feel like you're working with, not against, them." So make exceptions to the rules once in a while.

Insist on naptime! He'll resist because he's so interested in everything that's going on, but an overtired child will be harder to manage and calm down.

Avoid monotony. Explorers are in constant motion because they thrive on and learn through movement. So skip passive stuff like sitting in front of the TV.

Turn your home into a playground. After you've toddler-proofed your house (a must, regardless of personality type), let him blow off steam by creating an obstacle course with pillows, stacking empty boxes for exploring, or playing hide-and-seek.

I just love Cade's nature. He is fun and energetic, yet tender and sweet natured all wrapped up into one. He is the most predictable kid (always has been), just not when he is playing, hence the name explorer. He has the funniest little giggles, like deep tummy giggles and then what we call courtesy laughs. Makes me smile just thinking about his different giggles.

I just can't believe this time has gone so fast. The paediatrician said that his vocabulary will double every 2 months from now on and that makes me almost sad (Cory is the opposite, he loves the toddler stages), I think it makes me sad to realize that they are only little for such a short period of time and then a new stage arrives and to be honest I have loved each and every stage (except the putting-everything-in-their-mouth stage, which comes and goes!!), it just seems you only just get it down pat and use to it for it to just change again. I love my baby boy and all that he is and all that he has brought our little family. We are totally smitten by he who is our first born.