So Busy!

We haven't been home these past few weeks because we were house-sitting/babysitting for two different families from our church!

From February 3-12 we watched the Emery family. They live in Belleair, which is just about 15 minutes West of us. They have three kids, Gabi (almost 17), McKenzie (almost 9), and Fisher (just turned 4). So for 10 days we lived at there house and got a glimpse of what it's like with a big family. Gabi is involved in basketball and tennis, so she wasn't home very often. She has her own car and is very self-sufficient. We did a lot of driving around the other kids to preschool, elementary school, and soccer games. Fisher goes to preschool just for three hours each morning (except Fridays), so he and Cannon got a lot of time to play together.

McKenzie was great to play with the boys. She is really creative and was always coming up with such games as "restaurant" and "grocery store." This time they had decided to play "delivery service" where they would ring the doorbell and bring me packages.



Cannon and Fisher loved to play with this stroller. They took turns riding it and pushing it.


Cannon and Fisher did EVERYTHING together! They were like brothers. They played like brothers and fought like brothers. Fisher really wanted to wear Cannon's clothes even though they were too small. And every night they took a shower together. But I really had to keep an eye on them because they always found a way to get into mischief. For example, one morning they shut themselves into the pantry (really it's a large room with food). I walked in to discover that they had got the goldfish that were on the third shelf and were eating them all. But my favorite was one afternoon after on a Saturday. McKenzie alerted me to a situation upstairs and I proceeded to investigate. As I walked towards Gabi's room I found a trail of evidence: sippy cup, wrappers, a half eaten waffle, and an open drawer. There was Cannon, with chocolate all over his face and hands. Fisher had showed him Gabi's candy stash in her room and Cannon felt that it was his right to help himself. Later he confessed and apologized to Gabi (well, I did it for him).



This was another example of their "fun." We were playing outside and the boys decided that it would be fun to play in the outside shower with their clothes on. Then they thought that it was so much fun that they needed to put on their swim suits. It was in the 70's that day, so I let them do it. I figured that there wasn't much to clean up and at least they weren't in the house making a mess! McKenzie joined them because I guess it was too much to resist!



Four kids was a lot of work, but a lot of fun too! The kids were so good and we didn't really have any major problems. But we were happy to get home on Sunday and to get Blue back from Jessica who was watching her. And Cannon was so excited to play with all his toys again.

On Monday we had a little play group Valentine's Day lunch at my friend Tiffany's house. Everyone brought some food to share. All the food was yummy and the kids had fun playing with each other. At 12:30 Cannon asked to go home. This is very unlike him (he loves playing with his friends!), but I figured he was tired and needed to catch up on his sleep. Well, he fell asleep in the car and slept for about 2 hours after we got home. When he woke up he had a fever. He has only had about three fevers in his life. He was really lethargic all afternoon and he kept saying he was cold. He doesn't get sick very often, but even when he does he still usually acts like his usual self. Well, at 4:45 we went upstairs so I could get ready for a work dinner that night. Cannon laid in my bed with his blanket and fell asleep at 5:00! I couldn't believe it! So I put his pj's on him and then he asked me to rock him. I sang him his songs, rocked him, and put him in his crib and he went right to sleep! It ended up that he slept until 11:45pm and then threw up. That was his first time throwing up. He said his pizza went in his bed (that's what he had for lunch). Ryan changed his sheets and I gave him a bath. He laid in our bed until 1:30am and then I put him back in his crib where he slept until almost 8am! He had a fever that morning too, but his temp was back to normal when he woke up from his nap. I'm glad that it was just a 24 hour thing!

I felt so bad that Cannon's first time of really being sick, I wasn't able to be home with him. I don't work regularly, but every so often I am contracted out to help with big car seat events. This was one of those times.

All Children's Hospital in St. Pete was doing a technical update for child passenger safety technicians in the area (to re-certify, you must have at least 6 CEU's). Since I am a technician they asked if I would like to help out and they would pay me. I jumped at the chance and I helped them prepare for several weeks in advanced. Of course it would work out that Cannon, who rarely gets sick, gets sick on the one day I am supposed to work. Luckily, Ryan was able to work from home that day so it all worked out.

That Monday night I was invited to have dinner with the hosts and main presenters of this update. I was honored and thought that it would be a great networking opportunity for me. Among those that were there included representatives from Graco, Diono, Britax, and Bubble Bum (some of my favorite manufacturers!). The dinner was great and it was so neat to meet everyone!

Tuesday was a long day! I had to be there at 7:15 am to help set up. We had speakers in the beginning and then lunch. After lunch there were hands on activities, some inside and some outside. I was in charge of the ones outside, setting up cars and timing each group. I also demonstrated the lock-offs for the Chicco Keyfit for one of the outside rotations. Afterwards we had more speakers and then it was over at about 4:30. I stayed to help clean up, but I was able to leave around 5:00. I thought the update was a success. It was well organized and I felt that the information presented was very useful. It was great to learn about the behind-the-scenes kind of stuff as well as be refreshed on some important topics.

When I left for the day, instead of going home I headed straight for the Patrick's house (the next family we were watching). It was funny because Ryan and I got there right at the same time (which wasn't planned, but was nice). We got there around 6pm and as soon as we pulled up, all the kids came outside and helped up bring in our bags. The older kids had put lasagna in the oven and made rolls and veggies. It was so nice to come "home" to dinner and a clean house! The Patricks have six kids: Brody (16), JR (14), Shaney (13), Brook (11), William (7), and Cher (4). And I have to say that with seven kids in the house, Cannon was the worst one! In his defense, he was missing his house and toys. The four older kids are pretty self-sufficient. They get themselves up, dressed, and fed in the morning. And they do their chores and homework without being asked! The three middle-schoolers ride their bikes to school, so that was easy. Their parents had arranged rides for Brody and William, so I didn't have to do any driving around. That made it really nice! Cher and Cannon got along great and she taught him about Care Bears and Barbies. Cannon loves William! He is such a nice kid and was great with Cannon. They live next door to a little park, so we played there almost every day. The week went by really fast and even though I had my camera, I forgot to take some pictures.

We got home Friday night and it feels weird to be back. But that will be short lived because on Monday Cannon and I are driving to Alabama for two weeks! I will for sure take lots of pictures since we will be with family.

Some lessons learned this week:

1. Big families are great! It's a lot of work, but it's worth it.
2. The dynamics in each family are so different, but that's the way it's supposed to be. So much valuable learning takes place when you are in a family. Heavenly Father has a plan for each of his children and I think he puts each child in a specific family so that they can learn what they need to from that type of family dynamic.
3. Ryan and I have learned specific ways to raise a righteous happy family in the Gospel.
4. I love driving big SUV's, Ryan does not!

So Behind!

I realized that there is so much I haven't posted! Ideally, each one of these should be a separate post, but it will just have to be one big one!

January 9

My good friend, Pam, was at Disney World with her husband. They live in Austin (which is, of course, where we first met), but came down to run the Disney half marathon and have a little vacation. I am proud of anyone who can run any long distance, but Pam is 6 months pregnant! She's pretty awesome. Since I am practically down the street from Disney, we decided to meet up for a bit before they left. Cannon and I drove down Monday morning and we met at Animal Kingdom. We had a great morning talking and catching up while we saw the animals. Pam and John had an afternoon flight to catch, but Cannon and I stayed a little longer. It was so fun to see Pam, especially knowing that it will probably be a long time before we see each other again.



January 14

We drove down to Apollo beach to see the manatees. It was really cold and windy that day, but still a lot of fun. When the water in the ocean starts to get too cold, the manatees migrate to this area by the power plant where the water is warmer.

They had a neat little visitors center. It was nice to take shelter from the cold wind and learn more about manatees. Cannon got to play with some manatee bones.

Here's everyone. Rachel with Micah and Savannah. John and Liz with their son Peyton. Liz grew up in Largo, so she knows all the ins and outs around here!

January 20

This was also Blue's birthday, but that's another post. Ryan and I went to the Orlando Temple and my friend Rachel watched Cannon for us. Since we were going in the evening, she said Cannon could sleep over. All three babies slept in the same room! She said that at first all three were talking to each other for about an hour, until the twins fell asleep, but Cannon kept talking until almost 9:30! Silly boy! Ryan and I had a great time at the temple and then afterwards had Chipotle for dinner (a very late dinner).

I picked up Cannon in the morning and Rachel and I took the kids to the farmer's market in downtown St. Pete. It really was a lot of fun, lots of music and fun things for the kids. There was a guy who made balloons for the kids and then there was a lady that did a great story time. We bought a bunch of produce too. The weather was so nice, so it was great just to be outside. After that, we stopped at the Holocaust museum. Not so great for kids, but Cannon enjoyed seeing a real boxcar. At the end they had a small prayer wall that you could write your note and then put it in the rocks. They take those notes and actually deliver them to Jerusalem! Cannon wrote his note and put it in the wall.

Here we are at the farmers market just after storytime.

January 22

Today was my friends Todd and Jessica's wedding anniversary. I watched their son, Ayden, so they could have a night out. Ryan left for Daytona that evening and we had to take him to the airport so he could get his rental car and drive there (it's only about a 2.5 hour drive). The boys had fun seeing the airplanes.

Back at home, we had a fun evening. The boys played really well together. We ate Mickey Mouse pancakes with bananas and whipped cream for dinner per Cannon's request. Then they had a bath. Ayden got sad when it was time to got to bed, but only cried for less than a minute. Cannon always gets worried when another child is sad, especially one of his friends, so he kept trying to find ways to help Ayden feel better. Whatever he did must have worked because in no time they were both talking and giggling. Ayden fell asleep first, and of course Cannon continued to talk and sing until 9:30 (they were in bed by 8:00).

They were so silly in the bath.

In the morning they had lots of work to do. Cannon is in love with that Blue hat!

It seems like we have been busy this month! Some parts of the week it seems like we are going places and being really busy, but other days we just hang out at home. I have redesigned Cannon's play space which is hard to do in an apartment. I don't like a lot of clutter and I don't like to be reminded that our living room is also Cannon's playroom. I think I have finally come up with a design that works for everyone. The flow seems better and each toy has a place. I've been rotating his toys based on what he is interested in and that makes a big difference. It also helps that we have a nice sized balcony. When they days are nice (which are most days) I can leave the sliding glass door open so Cannon can go in and out as he pleases.

Here are some of the projects Cannon has been working on:

I saved some boxes leftover from the Christmas packages we recieved. I thought Cannon would like to play in them. It started with the largest box and I thougth he would like it as a cave, but instead he wanted a train. So I made a smoke stack and then he wanted to paint it. We added the rest of the boxes and he painted those too. On this day he wanted to paint his train some more. This thing is still occupying our hall. It's kind of a work in progress. I tried to get rid of some of the "box cars," but Cannon was not happy with me! Oh well, I guess we'll see where this goes.

This is our "dramatic play" area. I love this little kitchen I got for him. It's simple and we keep just a few things out with it, but it's perfect! I set up that table because I thought he would like to make his food and set it at the table (he does this at our library in the kids section), but it ended up that he likes to draw and write there.

This has been a great purchase! Keep oil pastels and markers in the tray so he can draw whenever he wants. He uses this pretty much every day. I ended up putting play-do in one of the compartments below so he has access to it. In the other one I have a old t-shirt (for when we paint) and an old plastic shower curtain to put under the easil (when we paint).

My mom got him this barn for Christmas and he loves it! He loves playing with his animals and people.

When I was putting his easil together, I noticed that he was really interested in the tools. So I hammered in two nails into a wood piece and let him hammer. I was surprised that he knew what to do and that he had good accuracy. The pieces of wood were from the trunks of Christmas trees. When we bought our tree, I asked the guy if I could take some wood pieces home since they were just throwing them away.

Despite the mostly perfect weather here, there have been some really cold days (highs in the low 50's). That's cold to us! Cannon gets excited to wear his mittens and winter hat.

Ryan's parents got him this really cute outfit for church. I think he looks so handsome!

And finally, Cannon learned a new trick on his bounceline. He learned this all by himself!

New Booster Seat Laws

California just passed a law requiring all children under the age of 8 (unless 4'9") to use a booster seat in the car. I applaud California for taking this step, but this new law has been very controversial and it has a lot of parents upset. I want to clear up some misconceptions and to show you just how important it is for your school-age child to be using a booster seat. Also, let me clarify from the start that boosters seats are really intended for children at least 4 years old and older. I will talk about that later.

Really, I would feel guilty if I DIDN'T share this information with you. You have the right to have this information so that you can make an informed decision as a parent, rather than be pushed into something you don't want to do because the law says you have to. I would really feel heartbroken to hear of a family who had a child seriously hurt or killed in a car accident because they didn't know to use a booster seat. Even though they thought that they were doing their best to protect their child when they buckled them in just the seat belt. Unfortunately this type of situation happens all the time.

Let my start by a quote from C. Everett Koop, M.D., Sc.D., former US Surgeon General:

"If a disease were killing our children at the rate unintentional injuries are, the public would be outraged and demanded that this killer be stopped."

Motor vehicle crashes ARE THE #1 KILLER OF KIDS IN AMERICA!

Your child is more likely to die from being in a car crash than from anything else. That's really scary to me. What if this was a disease? What if the flu was the number one killer of kids in America? Wouldn't parents demand that doctors and hospitals give them a vaccine or medicine to lessen the risk? What if there was a medicine that would reduce a child's risk of dying by 60% if they caught the flu? Wouldn't parents do almost anything to give their child that medicine?

This is what's going on today, but instead of killer flu, it's car crashes. And there is way to prevent most of these fatalities. And you can get it for $20 or less. It's called a booster seat.

The other scary statistic is that fatalities are just a tip of the iceberg. Many more injuries occur than deaths every year. Some of the injuries have life-long effects and can be very costly. Most of these too can be prevented with the proper use of a booster seat.

Seat belts are made for adult bodies. All that a booster seat does is sits a child up higher so that the seat belt fits them properly.

I think the best way to get the message across is by video. CHOP (Children's Hospital of Philadelphia) has fantastic research when it comes to injury and prevention. They have a website that's all about keeping kids safe during crashes as well as their own YouTube channel. I trust and value CHOP's research.

Here is the a video made from CHOP. Sorry, I completely left it out of my original post.



This video is a simulation of a 6-year-old child properly restrained in a belt-positioning booster seat in a 35 mph frontal impact crash versus the same child improperly restrained in an adult seat belt. The movement of the child in the booster seat is thrown forward in the same crash. The inappropriate fit of the seat belt puts the child at risk of sever head, spine, and abdominal injury.





This video is a crash test of a 6-year-old dummy weighing 48lbs wearing just a lap belt.




As you can see, seat belts are meant for adults. When can a child fit properly in a seat belt alone? Each car is different, but a child should be able to pass the five step test (adapted from The Car Seat Lady):

Kids who can answer “yes” to all 5 questions can ride safely without a booster (most kids are close to 5 feet tall before they pass).
For kids who still need a booster to ride safely, make sure you can answer “yes” to questions #3-5 with the child sitting in the booster (if you can’t, try a different booster).

The 5-Step Test ©SafetyBeltSafe USA

1. Does the child easily sit all the way back against the auto seat?
2. Do the child’s knees bend comfortably at the edge of the auto seat?
3. Does the belt cross the shoulder between the neck and arm (not touching the neck)?
   
4. Is the lap belt as low as possible, touching the thighs (not across the stomach)?
5. Can the child stay seated like this for the whole trip? (For squirmy kids, try switching the seatbelt into the locking mode – click here for more info)

If you answer “no” to any of these questions, your child STILL needs a booster seat to make both the shoulder belt and the lap belt fit right and to keep them safest.

Common questions and concerns:

1. Car seats are for babies and there's no way my son would go back to using a booster!

Car seats are for babies, toddlers, and preschoolers. Booster seats are for older children. Children's attitudes reflect their parent's. When a parent truly understands the safety reasons behind using a booster, that can be taught to the child. Most parents who lovingly convey this message of safety generally find cooperative children. You are the adult and set the rules. Sorry, but when it comes to safety, there's just no compromising.

2. Why should a child be at least four to be in a booster?

The AAP (American Academy of Pediatrics) recommends that a child should stay in a five-point harness until they outgrow it by according the manufacturer's guidelines. This is also a rule that I agree with. For some (like my own child), this may not be until five or six years old. A car seat (unlike a booster seat) is designed to protect your child in a crash. You will see that a car seat offers full body protection, unlike many booster seats. A booster seat just sits the child up higher so that the seat belt is correctly placed. It is the seat belt that protects the child in a crash. When using a car seat, the force of the crash is spread out all over the body, to the strongest parts of the body. A booster seat had a few contact points, but it would take an older and stronger body to withstand this force. A child who is over the age of four has stronger bones and muscles than younger children. A younger child in a booster seat might not be able to withstand the crash or could even be ejected from the booster seat. Watch this video to demonstrate the difference between using a booster seat and a five-point harness:

3. I am 40 years old and am 4'9", shouldn't I still ride in a booster seat?

I see this snappy comment from parents all the time. Obviously an adult's body is much stronger than a child's body. And an adult can make a conscious decision to use a seat belt properly. Also, a child may be 4'9" and still need to use a booster seat. It all depends on the car, how they fit, age, and development level.

4. What if I'm not sure if my child needs a booster seat?

You can contact a CPST (certified child passenger safety technician) for assistance. Go HERE to find an inspection station. Most children's hospitals have inspection stations or CPST's that can help you.

I hope I helped you understand the main points. Please leave me a comment if you have any questions or concerns!

One last thought. If you knew you were going to get it a car accident today what would you do differently (besides staying home!)?

A New Year

We have never really done anything big for New Years, but I think I like it that way. Up until this year, we have always spend that night at Ryan's parents house playing games and eating junk food. This year we had the Kanooth's over for homemade pizza, games, and sparkling cider. Leif (who is doing his medical residency) had to be to work at 6am the next morning, so they only stayed until 9pm. It was still fun to have dinner and play for a bit. After they left Ryan and I watched a movie and hung out until we went to bed at 1am.

Ryan had today off of work too. Since he has started his new job, we haven't been able to spend very much time with him. Even when he is not out-of-town, he often has to stay late at work. This holiday time has been bliss! Ryan finished his last trip the first week of December. And although he had to work this week and last week, the office was slow and he was able to come home early or at least by 6pm. Last night Cannon went to bed at 7pm. Ryan and I just talked on the couch for three hours! It was just what I needed to reconnect with him.

Today I am feeling a bit sentimental. Instead of talking about our goals for this coming year, I am going talk about the things I love about Ryan and Cannon.

Ryan is a good match for me because he balances me. When I am feeling irrational and scattered, he is clam and organized. We sometimes joke that he is a better housekeeper than I am. He can watch Cannon and keep the house clean at the same time. He doesn't mind doing housework and has admitted that he finds doing the laundry relaxing (it's now his eternal chore). When I am feeling stressed and neglect the house duties, he will pick of the slack without EVER complaining. Even though I am much better at the details in housework and cleaning, he is much better at the overall keeping things picked-up. I was never one to talk about my feelings and problems (it's something I'm working on), but I have learned that I can talk to Ryan. He is a good listener and will often say just exactly the thing I need to hear. He really is my best friend. I love that we think the same random things are funny. We can agree on most things or at least find a good compromise. Ryan has so much faith and always keeps a good perspective of things. Again, when I am feeling that life is hard or crazy, he is good at reminding me what's important. I love that he still finds me utterly attractive even when I look gross or don't feel very pretty. Ryan is very smart. He has intelligence in things that I don't understand, so sometimes he seems like a genius to me. I call him a scriptorian, although he won't admit to being one. I can tell him I need a scripture on a certain subject and he knows immediately where to look. This is very helpful to him as the gospel doctrine instructor at church. I like to watch Ryan learn. He wants to better himself and recognizes the need to grow. It has been especially fun since he has started his new job. He has found so much joy in learning and I love to see him happy. Ryan is patient and willing to go along with my ideas. We usually aren't very spontaneous, but if I ever wanted to be he would be right there with me. Ryan is a really good gift-giver. He has bought things for me that I never thought of, but that I have loved. Ryan is a great husband and father, I love him!

Oh Cannon, there's so much I can say about him! Cannon amazes me. When I truly listen to and observe him, instead of trying to push my own ideas on him, he tells me what he really needs at that moment. He teaches me patience. He teaches me forgiveness. I love to watch him play. I love to watch him invent new ways of playing and to work out things in his play. I have learned so much about him just by watching him. Cannon has a lot of energy and curiosity, but he can also be very calm and quiet. Ordinarily I am not very social, but because of Cannon I have to be and I am grateful for that. He needs to have time with friends and he likes to interact with other people. Cannon is balanced and doesn't have extremes with things. From time to time problems arise, but with love and patience they always get resolved. He can be flexible, but will let me know when he has had enough of something. Cannon is learning to be gentle and kind to people and animals. I have witnessed him show tenderness to his friends and animals. That always makes my mommy heart happy. He doesn't like it when people are unhappy. He doesn't like it when he is unhappy. Ryan and I don't "fight" in front of him (we don't really fight all that often anyway), but occasionally we have argued with Cannon around and it immediately stresses him out. When it's quiet again he asks me if I am happy and then that makes me feel bad that I made him feel that way. Ryan and I try show appropriate affection for each other in front of him. I can tell that when Ryan and I hug, hold hands, or kiss that it makes Cannon feel secure. We do a family hug with Cannon in the middle and call it a "Cannon sandwich." He loves it and it's a way that we all feel connected to each other. When people are upset I have seen him try to help them feel better. He might offer them a toy or try to talk to them. Cannon loves to make people laugh. Recently he has started making faces in an attempt to get me to laugh. I have to admit that it works every time! All he has to do is smile and it will melt you. I think that every mother worries about her parenting and has doubts that she has done the right thing. I know that I don't always make the right choice (even if I know what the right thing to do is), but I so very much appreciate the resiliency in him and how quick he is to forgive me when I apologize. Cannon has been a huge blessing in our life and everyday I am so grateful to have him. I love everything about him. Sometimes I tell him, "Cannon, I love you just the way you are." He always smiles when I say that. I should tell him that more often.

How blessed I am!



A new year and a new haircut. I only cut the sides and the back, but left the magnificent curls on top.

Christmastime!

I intended this post to be several smaller posts, but I just never got around to it. So now it's just a big long one.

December 15

My friend Rachel had a gift exchange party. It was great to dress up, be with our friends, eat lots of yummy treats, and have a fun white elephant game. And this was a girls only party, so even better! Everyone brought neat gifts and I would have been happy taking home any one of them. I ended up with a hot cocoa and mug set with a book and a Woodstock stuffed animal. I wanted to steal a certain pair of earrings, but Jessica threatened me with her eyes!


From the left: Tiffany, Yvonne, Sheralyn, Me, Jessica, Katie, Dawn (holding Tiffany's baby Tyler), Maribel, Rachel

December 16

Friday night we had our ward Christmas party at the church, complete with turkey and all the fixings! They also had a little program and a sing-a-long which was surprisingly really fun. Near the end all the kids sang a song to usher in Santa Clause. I wish, Wish, WISH I had a video of Cannon's reaction! He was beyond excited! I was holding him up and as soon as he saw Santa his eyes got huge and he raised both his arms high with one hand opened and the other hand holding up two fingers and he starts shouting, "Yeah, Santa! SANTA!" Just picture someone at the concert of lives and that would be Cannon! He ran to Santa to get in line with the other kids. Despite his total awe, the picture of him would suggest otherwise. This was his third time sitting on Santa's lap this year and it never got old for him.




These are the infamous green earrings that I wanted to steal from Jessica. When I got to the ward Christmas party, Sheralyn had bought them for me! She's the one who originally brought the gift for the white elephant party. I thought that was so nice of her!

December 19

For family home evening, we went to see the lights at Largo Central Park. Actually I got there early with Cannon so he could play on the playground first. We got there around 4:00 and played until Ryan got there at around 6:00. Cannon was happy to see the lights, but he was most excited to walk on the train tracks. Afterwards we got $2 subs at Subway.







December 20

My birthday! I got to open my presents in the morning before Ryan left for work. Ryan's parents got me a watch (I left my other one back in Austin). My mom got me a Willow Tree figurine of a husband and wife and also a Visa giftcard. Ryan got me a shirt from Old Navy and Burts Bees chapstick (I was impressed that he attempted to buy me clothes). And he surprised me with an iPOD Touch! I LOVE it, but I feel so guilty for having it. But with all the giftcards we got, it more than makes up for it.

In the morning I met a couple of friends, Rachel and Jessica, at the park. Rachel made me some earrings and Jessica got me journal and chocolate cupcakes. It was such a nice day at the park and fun to let the kids run around.

Later that day Cannon and I met Ryan at his office around 5:15. I had never seen his office, so he gave us a tour and introduced us to a few co-workers. Then we headed out for a dinner at Maggianos. On the way there we saw two dolphins in the bay! I always complain to Ryan that he gets to see all the good animals, so I was so happy that I finally got to see some dolphins!



December 24

For Christmas Eve we went the beach! We decided that needs to be our new tradition. It's been really warm, like in the 80's, so we felt that the beach was the perfect way to spend the day. It's always a little cooler once you get to the shore. We didn't have any intentions of fully swimming, but we wore our swim suits anyway. Cannon found a stick and just wanted to play in the sand. We stood in the water, which actually wasn't that cold, but the wind was cold. It was so nice and relaxing. We also saw a few seals out in the distance.





Christmas!

Christmas was so much fun this year! Cannon "got" it and that made it so fun! The first thing he said when he woke up in the morning was, "Is Santa here?" He kept thinking that he was going to see Santa. I kept explaining that he wasn't going to see Santa and that he had already come. We let him open his stocking and a couple of presents before church. We had church at 10:00 and so we waited to open everything until after church. I kind of liked the delayed gratification. When we did open presents, we took our time. Cannon liked to play with each toy for a bit before opening the next one. Our families definitely spoiled all of us, especially Cannon!

Later that day our friends, the Kanooths, came for Christmas dinner. I made a turkey, stuffing, and rolls. And Rachel made mashed potatoes and a super delicious blackberry pie! Dinner was great and the kids had fun playing together.

Here is a video of Cannon coming down on Christmas morning:



I love how he calls his trampoline a "bounce-a-leen!"





The dogs got their Christmas bones and their toys. Trixy is the other dog and we are watching her while her family is in Utah for the holidays.


The aftermath!


Christmas dinner with everyone, except Micah. He was asleep in Cannon's crib.


How many babies can you fit into a dog crate?


After dinner I cut Micah's hair. Doesn't he look so handsome?

I was really good this year and cleaned out things before Christmas to make room for the new stuff. When Cannon went down for his nap we were able to clean up and organize the toys before he woke up. Today we are going to take the tree down and put away all the decorations.

Here is a random video of this house right by our church. They have the most decorations I have ever seen!

Cannon's First Race

My good friend Rachel talked me into yet another race. But this one was only a mile, so I knew I could do it easily. I decided I would take Cannon this time and let him run it. This run only cost $8 and you got a nice long-sleeved running shirt, backpack, and a pancake breakfast. The race was at Coachman Park in downtown Clearwater. We were right by the pier and had a beautiful view. The 5k and 10k runners got to run over the bridge that takes you to Clearwater Beach.

I had to wake up Cannon in the morning, but he was excited to run the race. Once we were there he was a bit clingy and not very enthusiastic. Once our race started he didn't really understand what we were doing. Our course went around the block twice. He did much better on the second half actually. By that time most of the people had passed us and we were left alone. I turned it into a game and we chased each other (one of his most favorite things to do!). That got him really pumped! We would run for a bit and then he would tell me when he wanted to walk. Since everyone was ahead of us with their strollers, they were waiting for us at the finish line. They started to cheer for Cannon and that made me feel so proud of him. We came in at 21 minutes and Cannon felt so proud of himself too. And then he asked for water! They gave him a ribbon (which he proudly wore) and a nap-sack type backpack with a couple Sesame Street toys and bottled water. Then we ate at the pancake breakfast which was delicious! We had a really fun time and I hope that Cannon and I can do more races together.




Here's everyone, from the left: Tiffany with Dylan (5) and baby Tyler (3m), Yvonne with Everest (15m), me and Cannon, Rachel with Micah and Savannah (18m)

Cannon Update and Stuff

Cannon is really turning into his own self. He just seems to be growing up so much, which is why I'm attempting to write it all down.

Here at the top 11 things about Cannon:

1. He has the memory of an elephant. He doesn't forget things or places, ever. For example, we went to Khols one day and he played with some Thomas trains there. This was about a month ago. Then last week we went again and as soon as we pulled in the parking lot he asked to play with Thomas! Things like this happen a lot. He is also really good at remembering names and faces.

2. He is incredibly social. He LOVES people and children. He makes friends with everyone, even strangers at the grocery store. People notice him too, with his curly hair and smiles. He will play with any kid, but he really likes boys that are a little older than him because he likes to wrestle and run. I have noticed that he makes friends with girls too. Florida offers free (some schools charge) preschool to four-year-olds regardless of your income. We will definitely be enrolling him, not because I think he needs academics, but because he would have so much fun playing with other kids his age.

3. Despite being so outgoing, he likes his private time too. Often times he will go to his room and read every book on his bookshelf. He likes to have some quiet time and time alone each day.

4. He is slowly starting to give up naps. Last week I attempted to get him back on his regular sleep schedule and put him to bed a lot earlier. He ended up sleeping 12-13 hours at night, but didn't want to take a nap everyday. He's not ready to give up naps all together, but a couple times a week he'll go without one. We just have to make sure that he goes to bed a little earlier on the days he doesn't nap. I'm fine with him not taking naps, as long as he's happy. Yesterday he didn't take one and we ended up going to the beach. Today, he protested one, but ended up falling asleep. Some days he'll just play in his crib for an hour or two. We've been putting him to bed around 7:30 and I love it! He used to go to bed at that time, but we somehow got away from it. I realized that I need my time in the evening to relax.

5. He loves trains, school buses, and motorcycles!

6. He is caring towards others. We are starting to get past the stage of "MINE!" Well, not completely. It has peaked, which means it's going to get better. What's mine is mine, what's yours in mine-that's still his philosophy. But I have seen some positive moments that make me hopeful. On Sunday I stayed in his nursery of a bit to help the teachers. Cannon had three cars and was deep into his play. His friend walked in the room, but you could tell that he had reservations about being there. Cannon immediately ran over to him and gave him one of the cars he was playing with. It made me feel good that he would think to do that without being prompted. I thanked him for sharing and told him that it made Aiden feel happy. I have never pushed Cannon to share or take turns, because that stuff comes with time. I don't like interrupting other children's play so that Cannon can have a turn and likewise, I wouldn't want someone interrupting Cannon's play. When I see that Cannon wants something someone else has I will tell him, "Wait until he's done or choose something else." This has worked pretty well. Or if someone is trying to take his toy I tell him to tell the kid, "I'm still using it." He's still working on that one though. If a kid tries to take a toy from him, Cannon will usually give it to the kid after he is finished playing with it. I love to watch moments like that.

7. Cannon and I bond over chocolate milk. It's our secret addiction. Really, it's slimfast. I LOVE slimfast, not because I'm trying to lose weight, but I like the way it tastes and it's a good quick snack or addition to a PB&J. I ask Cannon if he wants chocolate milk and we both get so excited we can hardly contain it! He has his choice of two special cups, specifically set aside for chocolate milk. We sit at the table and drink it together. He moves his straw when I move mine. We only treat ourselves a couple times a week, but it's heaven for a few minutes.

8. When it comes to eating vegetables, he is hit or miss, but I can always count on him eating avocados or sweet potatoes.

9. I love the way he says sandwich (samich) and giraffe (gee-raf).

10. He is very sentimental about his old baby things and clothes he's outgrown. Recently, I got rid of some of his baby things that I don't think we'll need when the next one comes along. He was so excited when I got them out of the closet and he seemed to remember them. I had to prepare him in advanced that we were going to give them to a baby who needed them. We had to talk about how he used to use them and I let him play with some of the stuff for awhile. In the end he was okay with it. I know he inherited that gene from me, because Ryan doesn't give a second thought to throwing things away.

11. He loves to give kisses! He is famous for giving unsolicited kisses. One night when I was putting him to bed, he just kept kissing me! He wouldn't stop! I loved it.

That's all that I have for Cannon. Now onto the rest of us.

We got our Christmas tree on Saturday. I really didn't want to spend very much money on one and I had set aside $25 expecting to probably only get a Charlie Brown tree. We went to a lot just up the street from us. The trees were fresh from Wisconsin and they all looked healthy and full. We found one for $29. It is a little bit short, but it is full and nice looking. It exceeded my expectations for that price so we are pretty happy with it. I knew we couldn't have a big tree in our little place anyway. I was super excited to decorate it! Ryan is a bit of a bah-humbug when it comes to holidays, but he happily goes along with my plans anyway. I thought Cannon would get excited about decorating, but he seems to have his dad's laissez-faire approach. He hung a couple of ornaments, but really just wanted to play with the nativity set. This works out because he leaves the tree alone, a stark contrast from last year. However, he does like the lights and asks that they be turned on all the time. Actually, he know about the plug so he turns them on himself.







Cannon does know about presents and is getting excited about that part! I have been ordering a lot of his presents from Amazon. Each time a package arrives he gets so excited! I open it alone and then hide it upstairs. He always goes upstairs to look for it and then laughs! I know he's going to be one of those kids that finds his presents. Speaking of finding presents, I found something that Ryan got me. I wasn't trying to snoop, I was actually looking for something else. Besides, I am the type that likes to be surprised. I didn't tell him, but maybe I will after Christmas.

Also on Saturday, we were invited to have breakfast with Santa at the YMCA in Palm Harbor. Cannon eagerly waited to sit on Santa's lap and then proceeded to tell him lots of stories including, "Daddy is home sleeping," which was true. I was impressed with the breakfast spread and then afterwards there were Christmas crafts. Cannon did a couple of simple crafts, but then he saw the big child care room and that's all he wanted to do! They said he could play in it and I sat in the corner for an hour and a half while he played. That's another indication that tells me he will enjoy preschool. I meant to take pictures, but I left my camera in my car and I didn't feel like going back and getting it.

On December 2, Ryan's work had their annual Christmas party and the Florida Aquarium in Tampa. We got all dressed up and hit the town! Ryan has never been to the aquarium, but I have been there with Cannon. They had the whole thing rented out just for us. They set up tables downstairs for eating. For dinner they had a salad station, pasta bar, and prime rib. Really good food! The best part was that we had full access to the aquarium so we didn't have to mingle with people we don't know. I did get to meet Ryan's boss and a few of his co-workers. They had the dessert station next to the sharks. So we got to eat our cake while watching the sharks. We were so needing a date and we had a great time. Afterwards, we went and saw the new Twilight movie (Ryan's suggestion). We figured that since we had a sitter, we might as well put two dates into one. My friend Jessica was so nice to keep Cannon overnight. She kept Blue too. Cannon slept in Ayden's room, so that makes it his first official sleepover with a friend. Jessica even made breakfast for us when we came to get Cannon in the morning!


We felt like real grown-ups going to a real party.

I bought an overhead projector for $25 on craigslist. Cannon loves to play with it and now he calls it Shadow. He loves to watch his shadow dance and he likes to move the light. I have been reading this blog, Play at Home Mom and they do lots of neat things with their overhead projector. That blog is so inspiring to me. I wish we had a playroom in our house!




Blue always has to be part of the action too!