July 4th weekend in Glenwood Springs

This was our first family trip where it was just us. We had a really great time and should have done it long before this. It's been way too long since we have all had time together that has been unhurried and unstressed.This last year has been an absolute roller coaster. We decided to put the house up for sale. I had my worst professional year ever. I immediately felt the ramifications of "blowing the whistle" this year and the result is finding out last week that I have been replaced at the school that I have been at for nine years. So, the next day I had to move nine years worth of stuff out of my office as well as clear out the entire baby boutique (truckloads!!)and I somehow managed to lose Rob's window in the door panel while using his truck to move. That morning I also found out I was pregnant.
Yet, as we were sitting on the patio having dinner on our last night in Glenwood Springs and Cady was chattering on about swimming and riding the train and other fun stuff she had done, I had this overwhelming sense of happiness. I just felt that everything in my life both good and bad have brought me to this point and I was sitting there with what really matters. I have a husband who is not only the best husband but an amazing dad. A daughter who is full of life and keeps us laughing. And one on the way.
Anyhow, to the pictures:
This is Cady's new ride (Rob's b-day present)





Asleep in the car after the train and lunch. It made for a nice and quiet trip to Glenwood Springs



The Springs



And this is what Cady did the ENTIRE time we were at the Springs.



Finally Cady was able to put on some "real" clothes once we got home!



The drive home was looooong. Holiday traffic backed things up for quite some time. Cady was CRABBY! She kept doing things that are normally things that would warrant a time out. Screaming at us, yelling no, etc. At times it was pretty funny to hear Rob and Cady fighting back and forth.
Cady: "Aghhhhhh! Wahhhhh! Ouchie, ouchie!!"
Rob: "Cady, quit poking yourself in the eye"
Cady: "No daddy! Stop!"

After several of these exchanges of Cady yelling at Rob to stop, he told her, "Cady, you are in the corner." I'm driving thinking, "Oh yeah, that's a good one. She strapped in a car seat...like she is going to fall for that." Well, she fell for it. She immediately got quiet and after a minute she was pleading to Rob to come out of the corner. "Daddy, can I come out of the corner?" She was sent to the corner twice in the car. I love it!

8 month is nearly an eternity...if you are two!

I was reading Cady a book before bed tonight. I shut the book and Cady says:

"I think we need to go to the store"

I respond with, "You think we need to go to the store, huh? For what?"

And what I was expecting was what she has told me every single day since Rob's birthday. That we need to go to the store because daddy wants cake.

Instead she says:

"To get a baby."

I respond, "The baby is at the store?"

And she wrinkles up her brow all serious like and I can tell she is really thinking this one through. She says, "Yeah, I'm thinking the baby is at the store."

Oh the poor kid. I think we told her waaaaay too early (but the video wouldn't have been the same with me wearing a big mama shirt telling you all I'm pregnant, right?)

Strangest Compliment Ever?

Cady and I just had breakfast together. While we were eating I sneezed.

Cady said-"Bless you mommy"

to which I said, "Thank you Cady."

A moment passes

Cady's response--"That was a ruuullllle (real) pretty sneeze mommy!"

Where do they come up with these things?

Now Entering....The Embarrassment Phase!!

All within a couple of days!

Yesterday. We were waiting to go down the aisle at Target but two people had their carts blocking the aisle. So, I decided to wait patiently until someone looked up and I'd say "excuse me" but NOOOooooo. Cady hollers with her hands up in the air, "C'mon people!" And yes, she did get that from me. We have weekend park traffic and it's hard to make a left hand turn out of my street so sometimes she'll hear me mutter, "c'mon people" if it takes too long. The woman that actually heard it just kind of snickered at me (good-naturedly).

Tonight. We stopped off for some BBQ after music class. Keep in mind that the restaurant we went to is decent sized AND there is baseketball on AND there are several loud conversations. (Starin and Mimi, you know where). But Cady, in case you haven't read this before or been around her, is a REALLY loud kid. Well, she farts. And she puts her hands over her head, standing up in the booth and hollers, "woo-hoo! I farted". So, I'm thinking, "that was loud, but nobody probably has any idea what she said" A moment later it happens again in her loud Cady voice, "Woohoo, I farted!" Rob says, "What do you say Cady" to which Cady responds again in her very loud and excited voice "I did two farteds!" The woman who was across the restaurant ordering at the counter when this first started, passes by our table laughing and says, "really, I'm trying very hard not to laugh". Oh my! I have the feeling that the fun has only just begun!

Who needs a star chart?

When you can BE the star chart? Cady had a chart where she earned stars for brushing her teeth. The chart is no longer effective as she must wear her stars. It started with me putting them on her jammies. Then it progressed to her hands. And now?

Mini-Me!

That's what Cady is!

Doesn't it just take your breath away when they mimic what you do? It takes mine away. I can't believe someone on this earth thinks that I am cool enough that she wants to do everything that I do. It's amazing...really.

We have a whole getting ready in the morning ritual. Whenever it comes time for make-up she runs over to me and yellls "MAKE-UP!!" and puts her face over the gate while I pretend to put mascara and face powder on her. She then walks over to where I keep my jewelery and points and tells me to put my jewelery on. Then she brings me my shoes and always reminds me to get my coat before I leave. She watches everything.

Today, she got a hold of one of my necklaces (and broke it but that was my fault for leaving it out) and she put it around her neck. She said, "Oh pretty" and then I watched her walk over to the full length mirror and do a twirl. And she did it exactly the way that I do it (according to Rob) where she showed one side to the mirror and then the other. I would have sworn that I don't do that, but he said that Cady does it exactly the same way that I do.

This morning we went to the store. We couldn't leave the house without her purse (just like mommy). At the store I said, "where would the water filters be?" and Cady said, "Ummm" and clicked her mouth. She did it three times like I do when I'm exaggerating something. Then she started looking for candy at the store and started calling, "Candy, where are you?" and started making kissing noises like I do when I'm calling the cats.

She has stolen all of my expressions. She says, "gosh" and "geez" just about as much as I do. She folds her arms now when she stands. Another thing that I had no idea that I do, yet I do constantly. She even sings like me, shaking her head back and forth with her mouth in the air when she sings, "meow meow meow meow!"

Bottom line is that I'm amazed at how much she picks up...how much she watches me. I know that the day will come that she is going to realize how completely uncool I am and she'll start doing things her way and even rejecting the way that I do things. But for now....this is AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ring around the Rosy gone bad!

What Ring Around the Rosy *should* look like


And what Ring Around the Rosy looks like when it's gone bad!