I *Heart* NY...Brooklyn To Be Exact

Gammi, Kaden, and I went to New York to visit my very best friend, Miriam Stern, and her new baby girl, Lila. What can I say about this experience? It meant the world to me. It was so very special to meet this little girl who will one day call Miriam "Mom." Lila may look like her dad, but she is her mother's daughter - she is as fiesty as they come, tiny as a ladybug, sweet as can be, and crazy advanced for her eight weeks of age. I should say I was amazed that she was holding her head up, smiling, rolling over, and just generally "with it," but I really didn't expect anything less from the Stern baby. What I didn't expect...that it would be so hard for me to say good-bye to my best friend and her beautiful baby girl. Dear Gabriel, Miriam, and Lila - thank you so much for letting us stay at your fantastic place while we were visiting. A special thanks to Gabe for understanding our friendship (and putting up with it). Miriam - I miss you every day.

Friends since 7th grade, it was bizarre watching our children meet one another for the first time. Kaden got fresh with little Lila by trying to hold (and then eat) her hand. What can a boy do when she wears those midriff showing shirts?

On our trip to NY, we also had the opportunity to introduce Kaden to his cousin Teddy Koshgerian. They were super cute together! Only two months apart in age, I think they will have a lot of fun growing up together - too bad we are so far apart geographically! Teddy is as cute as they come. He has some great expressions and even his cry "mama mama mama mama" is adorable. I can't wait to see how much he has grown this summer at the Shore. Dear Rick, Liz, and Teddy - thank you so much for making the drive down from Philly. It was great to see all three of you and it meant a lot that you made the effort.

My cousin, Leslie Grant, also lives in Brooklyn. She has a brand new baby boy too! Lee Grant was only four weeks old when she hosted all of us at her home for dinner. Color me impressed! Leslie's husband, Alex, cooked a wonderful dinner for the whole family. We had the best time catching up over good food, good wine, and great conversation. Even the babies cooperated! I can't wait to see Mr. Lee (and his parents) when he comes out to California to visit his grandparents. Dear Alex, Leslie, and Lee - thank you so much for your hospitality and having us all over to your home for dinner. It was so much cozier than a restaurant!

Our Men

Leslie and Lee, Mama and Kaden, Liz and Teddy

Family

Liz and Teddy, Mama and Kaden, Rick, Alex, Leslie, and Steve

'Travelin Man Part II

Included in Kaden's travels was his first night in a hotel. Very interesting. He slept in a Pack n' Play provided by the hotel, but we had to put sheets around it so that he couldn't see through the mesh - if he sees people while he is trying to get to sleep he gets distracted and wants to stay up and play. Since we couldn't make much noise, and didn't want to keep the lights on too bright, Gammi and I read for a little while and then turned in soon after we put Kaden to sleep. Lesson learned: if Kevin and I travel with Kaden we will need to either get two adjoining hotel rooms; a suite with a separate room; or go through VRBO and rent a house/apartment/condo etc. Another reason babies are so expensive!

He's got the hang of this flying thing.

Hanging with Mom in the airport while we wait for Delta to find a gate for our plane. Unfortunately, they couldn't seem to find one; we were delayed making us miss our connection in Detroit. Kaden didn't mind a bit. After 3+ hours in the Dallas airport, a few hours in the Detroit airport didn't phase him!

Kiddie Corral

While in Lexington, I had the absolute pleasure of spending an entire day with two of my closest friends, Allison Culbertson and Emily Stuart, and their children, Sadie and Everett Stuart and Lucy Culbertson. It was the first time Al and Em met Kaden, and the first time I got to meet Everett and Lucy. We had a great time catching up, swapping stories, and generally adoring all the kids.

Sadie is now two, and I haven't seen her for well over a year. Wow! This little one is all girl: she prances everywhere, has a vocabulary that would make a five-year old jealous, is full of spirit, and is the most well mannered little girl I have ever met. She was a joy to be around!

Everett is two months younger than Kaden but has already outgrown him. He seems to be the most easy-going baby there is, and those cheeks!!! I could love on him all day long.

Lucy is the most beautiful baby girl imaginable. At just four weeks old, she was quite alert and took in all the chaos around her. I am positive her disposition will be just as angelic as her little face. I couldn't get enough of holding the little bundle, it is amazing how quickly they grow!

I am so lucky to have these women in my life. I am more and more convinced that we should all live on a commune; we could see one another every day and bask in the joy of watching our children grow up together. Plus...a few more hands, heads, and hearts never hurts!

Traxx Companies

One afternoon during our Lexington visit, we took Kaden down to Pop's office to show him off. Our little ham couldn't get enough of all the compliments. He definitely played to the crowd! Thanks to all the ladies (and Jay) for making such a fuss over our guy. We'll be back to visit in May!

New Recruit

During their visit to Lexington, Ba Noi and Papa stayed at a nearby Marriott hotel. Due to the snowstorm, rather than coming out to my parents' house for breakfast, we met them at the hotel. As luck would have it, Coach Cal - the University of Kentucky Men's Basketball coach - was sitting right across from us. Since Kaden is such a big CATS fan, we rudely interrupted the interview that was being conducted and asked for a quick photo. Coach Cal was extremely gracious and agreed - probably because he didn't want to offend a potential 2028 recruit! Coach Cal, thanks for making the CATS so fun to watch this year. We are looking forward to following your team all the way to Indy and another NCAA victory! Oh, thanks for the photo too!

Chinese New Year and Li Xi

This year, the Chinese New Year fell on the same day as Valentine's Day. Since we were in Lexington, Ba Noi and Papa drove in from St. Louis to help us celebrate. Ba Noi gave Kaden his first Li Xi. This is a Vietnamese tradition where newly minted notes with consecutive serial numbers are placed in a red envelope and given to children by their relatives during the Lunar New Year. The red envelope symbolizes good luck and wealth. As soon as we got home, we put the new notes in Kaden's piggy bank. Thanks Ba Noi and Papa!

Making New Friends

During our trip to Lexington, Kaden made many new friends. He loved meeting each and every one of them and is looking forward to spending more time with them on future visits to Lexington.

Kaden meets Randall and Angie Wells

Kaden meets Mr.and Mrs. Maggard - Kaden meets Dana and Corey Burns

Kaden meets Judge Hood - Kaden meets Jacki Owens

Kaden meets Nalise and Patsy Pieratt

This Isn't Sand

Soon after arriving in Lexington, there was a pretty great snowstorm. I think six inches fell out at my parents' house. We decided to take the opportunity to get Kaden all bundled up and introduce him to snow. The snow looked a bit like the sand this Southern California boy is used to, but one touch of the cold stuff made him realize he wasn't at the beach anymore.

He didn't seem to mind the cold, but he did not like being bundled up. He sure makes a cute little snow man though!

'Travelin Man

Kaden recently got his first pair of wings! On February 11th, the whole family went to Lexington for a long weekend. From there, Kaden, Gammi, and I went to New York to visit family and friends (who are essentially family). The trip started a little dicey as our flight to Lexington was cancelled three times and we were re-routed three times.

Daddy and Kaden sharing a seat. Kaden doesn't look too sure about the whole thing, but he did great on all five (yep, count em, FIVE ) flights!

Hanging out in the Dallas airport - notice the snow outside

We finally arrived in Lexington on Thursday night...our bags, however, did not. Good thing Gammi is one of the most prepared people we know! Kaden had everything he needed (and then some).

Who Loves You, Baby?

First attempt at a Valentine photo:

Second attempt:

Success:

xoxo,

The Kissing Bandit

Too Cool for School

It is so bright and sunny out here, we thought Kaden may need a pair of sunglasses. Most of the time we end up forgetting to put them on him, but when we do he doesn't seem to mind. As you can see from the reflection, we think it is hilarious!

The Sweetest Sound

Our little man had a real laugh for the first time today and, I must say, it is the sweetest sound in the whole world. Prompted by videos of laughing babies, Kevin attempted to elicit a giggle from Kaden by pretending to gobble up his belly. As if on cue, Kaden broke out into a giggle. The giggle increased to a full-blown laugh. He repeated this several times before becoming bored with the new game (but not long enough for me to grab the camera). I don't think I will ever tire of hearing the sound that completely fills my heart with love - the pure goodness of it cannot be overstated. I can't wait to capture it on video so that I can share this sweetness with you.

My Little Flirt

Kaden has become quite the flirt. It started one morning when he was looking at himself in the mirror. For the longest time, he simply stared and tried to figure out who the people were that were looking back at him. This particular morning, however, he smiled. When his image smiled back, he shyly tucked his head into my neck. This process continued for several minutes. If I could read his mind, I am betting it would have been something like this: "That is one good looking kid. He must like me 'cause he keeps smiling. I'll give him a little smile back and see what happens. Ha! Look, there it is again. I can tell, we're gonna be buddies." Not only does he enjoy flirting with himself, he adores charming strangers. Whenever we are out and about, he seems to have many admirers. Each person who comes up and oohs and ahhs over him is rewarded with a megawatt gummy smile. Sometimes the smile is preceded by a quizzical appraisal, sometimes he "checks in" with me to make sure we're o.k., but in the end he can't help himself...the charm just oozes out of him.

Five Months Old!

Month four was a big one around our house! Kaden had a lot of milestones:

Sleeping Through The Night

Like most new parents, when Kaden was first born we would rock or nurse him to sleep. It started with five minutes, then it took ten, then fifteen, and so on until we were rocking for up to an hour. While this was tedious, we didn't mind because once he was asleep he tended to stay that way until morning. In looking for a way to shorten this routine, our pediatrician suggested the book "Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child." It is pretty much a "cry it out" book. We tried a couple of times, but after listening to him scream for up to thirty minutes we gave up. Then, for one reason or another, the rocking ceased to work. Kaden would fall asleep in our arms and then, as soon as we made the move to put him down, he would wake up screaming. We had all that we could take when one night, after letting Kaden cry for thirty minutes, he went hoarse. Both Kevin and I felt horrible, like the worst parents in the entire world. That night, Kaden would sleep only on my chest - needless to say, neither of us slept very well. Convinced something was really wrong (ears, stomach, strange and heretofore unknown spinal injury...our minds went all kinds of places), I took him to the pediatrician that next morning. The doctor told us what my good friends, Emily and Jenny, had been telling me for a while: my son is strong-willed and that I should kiss him good-night and not go back into his room until morning.

So, we did it. After our bedtime routine - nurse, bathe (every other night), getting dressed for bed, reading a couple of books, singing a lullaby, and saying our prayers - we put Kaden to bed fully awake. Kaden cried on and off for two hours until he finally fell asleep. It was, by far, the most difficult thing I've ever had to listen to. So difficult, it took a bottle of wine to get through! The next night, it was an hour. Then, a half hour. Now, most nights, he goes down with only a minor protest. He is consistently sleeping from 7 or 7:30 PM until 7:30 AM. These twelve hours of sleep make him a MUCH happier little guy!

Isn't he the cutest little snuggle bug?

Solid Food

At our four month doctor's appointment, our pediatrician recommended starting Kaden on solids (see previous post for video). We started with rice, but he didn't go to the bathroom for three days! We tried oatmeal only to have the same experience. The longest span was Saturday to Saturday! Needless to say, my little guy didn't seem too comfortable. So, we went back to basics. We've stopped giving him cereal on a regular basis and now only give it to him every third night or so. I figure we'll start fruits and veggies at the end of the month, hopefully he won't have the same issues with those. It certainly doesn't look like he is starving though, does it?

Rolling Over

One morning, while I was watching him try to get back to sleep, he struggled for about an hour trying to flip onto his stomach. He finally got there and fell promptly asleep. Now, he does it all the time. Every time we go in to check on him at night, he is in a different position. He mostly turns in circles, but sometimes he flops back and forth from his belly to his back. His play mat can't contain him - not only does he flip over (and over and over again), he has learned to crawl. Early you say? Maybe I should better explain Kaden's crawl. It is different from most crawls in that he is on his back. Now that I think about it, it is more of a scooch. He bends his legs, pushes off his feet, and repeats. In doing this, he can scooch all over the place. OK...so he's not really crawling, but he sure is moving. Makes it a little difficult to get him to stay in one spot for these photos!

First Giggles

We finally heard Kaden giggle. It hasn't happened very often, and of course when it does it is in response to something goofy Kevin is doing, but it is the sweetest sound we've ever heard. We have yet to be able to capture this adorableness on film.

Tell Me About It

Kaden is talking to us about everything now. We have absolutely no idea what he is saying, but he seems pretty enchanted with his own voice. I have to admit, we are pretty enchanted too.

My Boys

A Rainy Day in Sunny San Diego

We have had some really rotten weather here this week...it has rained every day!! Very unusual for sunny San Diego. Being cooped up has been no fun at all, but it has definitely made us more appreciative of where we live! We are hoping that he sunshine returns in time for the weekend.

Since our outdoor exercise class has been cancelled every day this week, some moms and babies decided to get together for breakfast instead. Here is a link to a cute video one mom took of the babes.

http://sharing.theflip.com/session/1ac4d20f7182cd653904d4003af3c8cf/video/9482037

I think Kaden has found himself a girlfriend! The little girl he is snuggling with in the video is named Brooke and is almost a month younger than him - he couldn't get enough of her!

Owen - Willa - Will

Channing and Brooke - Kaden and Lucas

Kaden and his new girlfriend, Brooke. How happy is he?

Garry Meets Kaden

Kevin's best friend, Garry, came to San Diego to meet Kaden. The guys got in a couple of rounds of golf, a couple of nice dinners, and a night out on the town. Garry's lovely mother, Mary Waite, sent along a handmade, personalized, cross stitch towel for Kaden. Doesn't he look like a snuggle bug? Thank you, Mary, for the very special gift!

Kaden's New Trick

I am not sure if this is a new trick or a way to make his throat feel better, but either way it is pretty cute. The first time he did it, I cracked up; this brought a huge smile and many repetitions on his part. I wholeheartedly believe he is doing it for a reaction - he's a ham just like his Daddy. For some reason, the camera fails to capture just how adorable he really is!

Kaden's First Solid Food Experience

My editing skills clearly need some work, but I've attempted to clip together some pieces of a MUCH longer video of Kaden's first experience with solid foods.

While it seems a little early to me, at Kaden's Four Month Well-Check (at 18 weeks), the pediatrician recommended that we start solids. We first tried them on a Saturday, when Dad was home to help share in the experience. As you can tell from the video, Kaden was a little unsure of the whole thing at first. He soon caught on and couldn't get enough! No surprise there...our little guys LOVES food in any form. Gammi and Pop were able to share the experience via Skype.

Kaden Meets Uncle Sean

Kevin's older brother, Uncle Sean, came to help Kaden ring in 2010. Kaden took to Sean pretty quickly and loved just hanging out with him. Another Uncle that is going to make a great dad!

Sean had a very busy social schedule while he was out here. Between golf and Lakers games, it was hard to find the time for a photo op. This was the best we could do.

One of the University of Kentucky's baseball coaches was quoted in the Lexington Herald Leader as saying, "Son, the direction in which you wear your hat is the direction your life is heading." Let's hope he gives Kaden a break on this one.

More of Kaden and Uncle Paul

Never realized how much I dislike the sound of my own voice...no snide comments needed, thank you very much. Cute video though.