Kaden is 18 months

Kaden turned 18 months yesterday!  I haven't posted a blog for a while now, even though I had written one this fall and never published it, so if you want to check that out I finally did post it.  Anyway, it's hard for me to sum up everything Kaden has been up to lately, but I'll try my best.

This Christmas we were in Omaha with my family.  Kaden loved all the attention from other family members, and it was nice for me too!  He loved bubbles, going outside and to the park, reading an Elmo book over and over, playing with new toys, and going up and down the stairs looking for the cat/s.  John and I saw two movies in the theater over the break, which was fun because we hadn't been to a movie in a long time!  It was fun to meet up with my friends and their families/boys at a play place also.   We had a "fake" Lindahl Christmas with the family before Christmas as well, and Santa visited the kids during breakfast. 

 

It's incredible to think about all that Kaden is doing now.  He learns new words every day and continues to impress us and make us laugh...he is very funny!  Kaden attempts to count to five-  "One, two, mumbles, five."  He is starting to "sing" songs. He can say " Let it go" (Frozen) and " in the sky" (Twinkle Twinkle Little Star).  He sings "Eio" (Old McDonald), and " Running Running" (another toddler song), and he also makes up words and sounds in song too, which is even more hilarious.  

Kaden is still obsessed with Elmo, and Bert and Ernie. He got John's old Bert and Ernie characters sometime around Christmas, and they go with him everywhere.  They are now part of his crib toys, along with Elmo and lovey, but we had to limit the crib toys to four, ha.  It's cute to hear him say all the names as he hands them to me in the morning before he gets out of the crib.  Of course, they have to come with him, they can't stay in the crib!  

Kaden had 6 teeth for a long time, and he got all those teeth around the same time, so I was wondering when he would start to get more.  He has a molar in on the top and another one coming in on the other side now.  He has yet to get more teeth on the bottom besides the middle two, so I'm guessing they will come next.  

Kaden still loves to go outside when the weather is decent enough.  He loves to wear his boots!  If I start to put on his shoes, he takes them right off and says "boots".   He likes to ride in the sled, walk and explore around the neighborhood, and take stroller rides.

Kaden has become VERY interested in looking at pictures/videos of himself on our phones, so it's becoming harder to take as many pictures of him.  Every time he sees a phone he yells"pictures", and he could look at them all day if we allowed him.  

We went on the El with Kaden for the first time.  He loved it, and he was so curious the entire time.  We just went on a walk and Panera lunch stop in Evanston, so we could have driven, but we wanted him to have the El adventure.

Kaden loves to go to Costco!  He seems to want to go all the time, but we think his understanding of Costco means going out of the house.  Although, he really does love going to Costco and really anywhere, he is a pretty good traveler/errand going toddler boy.

Kaden just got his first haircut!  It was getting so long and in his eyes so we had to cut it.  Kaden was not so happy getting his first haircut, but he very happy afterwards since he got a balloon, lollipop, and toy car.

         

Kaden goes for his 18 month checkup next week.

fall

I can't believe that fall is almost over...and the cold snowy winter weather has come!  Kaden absolutely loves the outdoors, so this winter will be a difficult one with him not being able to go outside everyday.  He needs to run off his energy.

 

This fall we went to Wagner Farms and the Botanic Gardens.  Maybe next year we will make it to a pumpkin patch- anyone have any recommendations around the Chicago land?  My parents also came to Chicago for the Nebraska vs. Northwestern game, so we got to go to the game again, and of course, we had a great time!

      

We had a scare around Halloween time and had to take Kaden to the emergency room. :(  John, Kaden and I were playing outside when Kaden tripped and a stick that he was holding went right inside his cheek.  Blood was everywhere, and we rushed to the hospital right away.  Kaden got 2 stitches and was on baby food for a week until he was completely healed!  Its amazing how fast the mouth heals!  It was a very scary experience and one that I really hope never to repeat.

 

Kaden was an owl for Halloween this year.  He loved his costume, but hated the hood.  He was such a cute little owl and loved making the owl sound, "whoo whoo!"  For our family Halloween party, Kaden was Batman.  We didn't want to make him wear his actual costume since it was the day after his accident.  Kaden loved helping John take the seeds out of the pumpkin.  He also loved seeing all of the Halloween decorations around the neighborhood and he learned how to say "boo" and "trick treat".  John tried to take Kaden out to a few neighbors houses, but it was soooo cold and windy that he didn't get to any houses.

  Kaden continues to impress us daily with his knowledge, understanding, and also his ability to communicate so much already.  His favorite thing to say is "all done".  "All done" when eating, brushing teeth, getting his diaper changed, or nose wiped, reading books, etc.  Kaden also likes to "cheers" with his cup at every meal multiple times.  He is currently loving Elmo, but mainly because of a lift and look Elmo book that he is wanting to read all the time.  Kaden still really enjoys books, but only certain books get read daily as many books are just too boring for him.  Kaden recently learned how to play "Ring Around the Rosie" with his cousins, a game that he really enjoys.  Kaden is constantly on the go and is still a pretty good eater.

At his 15 month check up, Kaden weighed 26 lbs. 8 oz. and is in the 91st percentile for weight and was 33 inches tall and in the 96th percentile for height.

This fall, John's grandpa passed away, and the family got together in Minnesota to celebrate and reflect on his life over Thanksgiving time.  

A new school year

It's that time again.  Summer break is over (It has been for a while now...this post is a little late).  The start of this school year has been very busy for our family as we have already traveled to the UP with friends over Labor Day weekend, and we went to Minnesota for a wedding.

This past Labor Day weekend we had two other families up at the cabin and more friends coming in and out to visit too.  It was a fun time, and of course I forgot to take many pictures.  Kaden enjoyed playing with the other kids and was especially fearless as he tried and actually did start to climb the ladder to the loft!

We also went to Minnesota for a wedding.  We stayed with John's grandpa and with my cousins for a night.  Going to MN is always fun, but always such a quick trip!  We did find a few minutes to go to the zoo and show Kaden some of the animals.  It was his fist time at a zoo! He absolutely loved it, and we will have to go back to a zoo and spend even more time looking at more animals.

 

It's time for another school year of watching my nieces and Kaden.  Now that the kiddos are a bit older than they started out last year, things are already different...and different just means different; in better ways and in more challenging ways too.  It is nice to already have a similar routine as last year with a few changes, but the cousins seem very happy to be together again!  My oldest niece goes to preschool 4 mornings a week now.  When the weather is nice, Kaden, Maja and I have been loving to go on walks and play at the park. We also keep busy by going to Story Time at the library, and also going to play group at church. We just started a MOPS group at my church, so I bring the kiddos their once a month while I get to enjoy time with other moms.

I have been asked if I am going to keep up my monthly updates on Kaden, and I think I will, but probably more sporadically.  Even though Kaden is almost 14 months now, he really has learned so much more since he turned one!  We don't have a baby anymore...he definitely is a toddler! and a fast moving one too!  His favorite things have been playing outside, playing in the tent, and coloring or really pretending to color!  He wants to be just like his older cousins and since they like to color, Kaden needs to color all the time!  It's cute, but tiresome as I can't take my eyes off him since he wants to put the crayons/markers in his mouth!

One of the cutest things in my opinion that Kaden has done in the past couple months is clap his hands and get really excited when we sing the song, "If You're Happy and You Know It."  Other new things Kaden has been up to include giving hugs. Kaden has never really been a snuggler unless tired, so this has been very exciting for us.  Kaden has started to repeat some words.  He continues to build his vocabulary, and I have been so surprised how quickly he seems to learn and understand.

Kaden has been taking one nap a day for quite a while now.  Occasionally, he still needs two, but most days just one.  I actually like when he takes just one nap because then all the kids are napping at the same time!  This new sleeping schedule is also great because I get to sleep in! and by sleep in I mean he's still up around 7:00.