The Season of Hats - 5 Months!

I'm not sure if it is just the obsession with my new knitting hobby, but is everyone in the knitting spirit this year? Even Old Navy has a knitting commercial! Although it is not quite Christmas yet, Cayden has already received several gifts...including knitted hats! Three to be exact~
Since this is his first Christmas, I have to document everything! My best friend Julie sent her gifts last week, and Cayden's gift was just the right size to test out his unwrapping skills. Jennifer has been trying to prepare him for this task by letting him tear up magazines. He is getting quite good.

Here we are, unwrapping his very first gift... I wonder what it could be!

The evidence is in his little paw, that Yes, he can at least tear paper!

Voila! Out pops a Deer/Reindeer hat! Little did we know that this would be the first of three knitted hats...and something tells me that Santa/my mom has another hat for him at her house!

This cute Sock Monkey hat came courtesy of Aunt Debbie!

Woo Pig!!! Thanks Jennifer!

I have learned many things this year, about myself and about being a parent. I can tell that Christmas time is going to be a BIG deal in our future. Establishing traditions and keeping in mind what a gift God has given us, and trying not to focus on material gifts. However, one lesson that I have learned this year....Order. More. Christmas Cards. Period. When in doubt, order at least 10 more. Unfortunately this year, I only ordered 25. Apparently it should have been more like 50. I'm sorry to those who follow our blog, and were hoping for a card. We had to get cutthroat this year. Don't worry though, lesson learned. Next year will be better.

This shot is from one session of our Christmas card shoot. He is so flexible. Not as flexible as our friend Camilla, who is capable of putting her toes in her mouth.

Okay, let's move on to what Cayden has been accomplishing in the past month. We had been putting cereal in his bottle at night, so then we moved on to feeding him cereal. That went really well, so after a couple of weeks, we moved on to a fruit. His first time eating Apples was hilarious.
He looks so excited!

Not quite sure what we've done to him...

He kept going for it, and after a couple of bites...he was a fan! We have also introduced Sweet Potatoes which he LOVES. Bananas will take some getting used to. Jennifer feeds him cereal at lunch time, and then at night he gets cereal and some fruits and veggies. The food really seems to keep him regulated, but I believe is also a strong contributor to what I like to call, "Diaper Explosions!" We've had several of those lately. Up the back. Out the legs. On the socks. That sink the laundry room has been very handy. If it weren't gross, I would post a picture. But maybe that is a little too "real life."

Cayden has also mastered rolling both directions. He really likes to be on his tummy playing with his toys. Anytime we put him on his pillow under his play gym, within a few minutes he is on his stomach.

He has a new fascination with faces. He wants to touch and scratch at, pull hair, and stick fingers in your mouth. Speaking of mouth, no words yet. Although some members of my family swear he said HI at lunch the other day. I'm skeptical.

He has officially moved to the crib, and has been there for awhile. He is an okay sleeper. He has his good and bad days. In a typical night he goes down around 7:30, up at 11:30 and 4:00. I can't complain too much because he wakes to eat and is back down pretty quickly. He does have some of those nights where he is up every two hours, like last night...but I think its because he has been off schedule. For the past three nights we have either been somewhere different, or Jennifer has stayed with him.

He is still in size 2 diapers. Clothing is a different matter. Gap is still okay width wise in the 3-6, however in length; too short. Carters he is moving into the 9 month category for the same reason. We think he is weighing in around 18 pounds, and trust me, after holding him in the Santa line for an hour, I believe it!

Dear Cayden~

It's almost time for your first Christmas. There are so many things that we are looking forward to during the holidays in the years to come. We hope that you will know that He is the reason for the season first, and that gifts come second. You are such a happy baby. As always my favorite part about you is your smile. I almost wish you wouldn't get teeth because I love your toothless grin so much! I hope that someday you know how much you are loved by everyone. I can't imagine loving anything more, and you have been such a blessing to us. I just hope that we can be good role models for you as you grow up!

Love~

Mom and Dad