Seven Months Old

Whew! Month Six was a doozie around here. Kaden was sick for three out of the four weeks. His doctor diagnosed bronchiolitis - TWICE! All I know is that he had an intermittent fever, a terrible cough, and a horribly stuffy nose. The most troubling part, he sounded like a life-long, three-pack-a-day smoker. He struggled for every breath and wheezed after every exhale. Needless to say, he got little to no sleep; this made for one cranky little boy (and one not so pleasant Mama). The two of us slept in the guest room most nights so that Dad could get at least a little bit of rest. While being up every other hour was exhausting, snuggling with my little man made up for every minute of lost slumber. The good news is that he is feeling much better! This means Mama is feeling much better too - there is nothing more heartbreaking than not being able to soothe or help your little one when he is feeling rotten. Kaden is now back in his crib and sleeping soundly from 7pm until 7am. I couldn't be happier that my happy and carefree little guy is back to his old self...but I do miss our middle of the night snuggle sessions.

We don't have too many updates from this month as most of it was spent at home snuggling on the couch and trying to get our little one well. Oh, and the pacifier is back. He had completely given it up before getting sick, now it is a staple during naps and at bedtime. I guess there could be worse crutches...

Even through he was sick, he still managed to look super cute. As miserable as he felt, he kept trying to show us his sweet little smile.

One oh so beautiful day, during the one week that Kaden was feeling well, we decided to make our first trip down to the beach. Kaden loved watching the waves roll in and the seagulls flying overhead. He is not, however, a fan of the sun and didn't seem too sure about the sand. I dipped his toes in the Pacific, but ice water is probably warmer. Until he is ready for a wetsuit, I think we are relegated to the land.

A few other highlights of the month:

1. Kaden started a music class. The teacher, Miss Beth, is as kooky as they come but the kids all adore her. Kaden is having a great time and gets more into it each week. The theme is Spring has Sprung and the class consists of eight little ones and their moms (and/or nannies - ah, California) singing along and playing toy instruments.

2. Having finally figured out how to roll from his stomach to his back, Kaden now seems most comfortable sleeping on his belly. It definitely cuts down on the number of trips I have to make into his room in the middle of the night when he decides that he is no longer comfortable with his sleeping position.

3. Kaden has found his toes and is obsessed with them. It is funny though, he is only interested in them when they are uncovered. It is as if he doesn't know where they've gone once he has on footed pajamas or socks. I've tried to snap a few photos, but he is usually either on the changing table or in his stroller when the photo op comes around. I'll get one sooner or later.

Funny Face

This is Kaden's newest version of a smile...and he makes it all the time. The scrunched up nose is the key to the whole look. I think he is starting to reveal his silly side. Doesn't matter which side he shows though, I love them all. I think he is going to have quite a personality...and I can't wait for it to reveal itself to me and the whole wide world.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Kaden is really getting into this holiday. The reasons are many:

1. It's in his blood...he is at least 1/4 Irish (paternal grandfather's lineage).

2. He looks like a little leprechaun...he is a little man with red hair who enjoys partaking in mischief.

3. The holiday includes part of his name....Kaden Patrick Flynn.

4. Green is his mama's favorite color...ok, that may be stretching things.

My Lucky Leprechaun and His Pot of Gold

Kaden's First Birthday Party...As A Guest That Is

Our neighbor, Andie, turned one and we were there to celebrate! The party included ten kids (and their parents) and was held at a local park. The kiddos played on the swings, listened to Andie's grandmother sing songs and read books, and just enjoyed the day. The perfect birthday for a one-year old (i.e. not over the top). The birthday girl was decked out in a butterfly bedazzled t-shirt and a butterfly tutu - she matched the theme perfectly. Her favorite part, her first cupcake of course! Kaden's favorite part, the balloons.

While the hostess provided sandwiches, chips, fruit, and adorable cupcakes, Kaden was stuck eating avocados, bananas, and oatmeal. He didn't seem to notice he was missing out on the buffet.

Kaden had his first ride on the swings at the party. The first time, he was a little unsure and simply slumped down over the front (see video). The second time, with Dad seated in front of him, he had a much more enjoyable ride. Dad looks like he was having fun too! There is a swing-set right down the street from our house. I have a feeling we will stop for a swing on more than a few of our walks.

The Art of Sitting

Kaden has now mastered the art of sitting. He can sit up for minutes at a time; he can even play with toys while sitting. This mastery has taken a while. For the longest time he was like a Weeble Wobble. Remember those toys from the 80's - Weebles wobble but the don't fall down? Except rather than wobbling and not falling down, Kaden would wobble and then face plant. Whenever I sat him up he would look at me as if to say, "You know I'm gonna fall over, right? Are you sure this is something I should be doing?" In what seemed like no time at all, his confidence grew and he now enjoys seeing the world from a more upright point of view.

Uncle Paul

Happy Birthday Uncle Paul! Wish we could be in KY to celebrate with you.

Mel and Pat

Our friends from St. Louis, Patrick and Melanie Rodman, came to visit us this past weekend. The weather wasn't the sunny San Diego described on postcards, but we still found time to do a little sightseeing. Saturday night consisted of dinner in, a couple bottles of wine, and a victory for the girls in a nail biter of a board game. The Rodmans will probably have a much better time in San Francisco (their next destination), but for us it was a great visit.

Pat and Mel brought along a screeching monkey for Kaden. The sound is one of the worst sounds you've ever heard, but Kaden gets a big kick out of it! Thanks guys, he loves it!

First Cold

Right when we got back from our big trip, Kaden came down with his first cold. His nose was all stuffy, he had an awful cough, and he ran a fever for a couple of days. He was, generally, pretty miserable. The stuffiness and cough prevented him from getting a good night's sleep, so it took him a long time to fight the little virus. Sleepless nights were had by all - Kaden and I slept in the guest bedroom (so that I could clap his back when he got in a coughing fit), and Dad ran in every time he heard a fit lasting longer than ten seconds. Poor guy tried to smile through it all - sweet little pitiful smile as it was. His nose is still a little runny and every now and then he gives a little cough, but I think he is on the mend. His big blue eyes are bright and sparkly again...and his smile isn't so pitiful.

Note about the video: the nose bulb wasn't doing the trick so we found the Nosefrida at Whole Foods. It doesn't actually go in Kaden's nostril so it was less irritating and, since I was the one controlling the suction, it seemed to work a whole lot better. Not that Kaden liked either one.

Hollywood Squares

Because, when he is a big boy, I will have a hard time remembering just how little he once was.