Mom or Celebrity?

I came across this in Parenting magazine this month...cheesy I know, but hey sometime "pick-me-ups" come in all different forms:)

Top Ten Ways Motherhood Makes You a Celebrity

1. Someone is always hounding you for your autograph. Even if it's just on a permission slip for the class trip to the recycling center.

2. You travel with an entourage. Even though two of them are still fighting over the bag of Doritos and one has a crusty nose.

3. You spend your days club hopping. How else would they get to brownies, swim lessons, etc.

4. You are front and center at every awards show.

5. You change clothes 3 times a day. And it's much more fun to pretend it's because you are being stalked by the paparazzi, not a messy toddler.

6. You are on a spa diet. Your kids only leave brocolli on their plates for you.

7. You've "exposed" yourself in public. It's hard to juggle a baby and figure out your nursing bra.

8. People beg to sleep with you. Well, only because there is a monster under their bed.

9. You are covered in tattoos. That your kid got at a birthday party.

10. Hassled as you feel right now, in 20 years you will miss all the chaos.

• **note: i do not/have not ever wanted to be a celebrity.
• At this point in life, I can only personally relate to a couple of these, but I know there are moms out there everywhere who can not only relate to all 10 but can add their own.
• I am considering not even posting this because it is so irrelevant to life and there are so many more meaningful things on my mind right now I should be posting about.
• ...those things will come at a later date

Baby (un) Wise

How did you transition from baby food to table food?
At what age did your baby __________ (fill in the blank)?
Should my baby be doing ____________????
At what age should he be ______________????
Should I give my baby a bath every night?
Am I too much of a germaphobe of a mom?
Should I be more of a germaphobe?
Am I a neurotic mom?

This is what I unleashed from my brain in a matter of about 10 seconds. Sometimes I feel so "baby (un) wise." Like I don't have a clue about some things. It seems as if the older Caden gets the more I am guessing about what to do with him. For now I figure if he is chunky, which he is:) and happy its all good...right?

Two Years

Two years today.

The Ugly Truth

I have avoided making this post. Maybe I am in denial, or maybe I don't want to scare new mommies or soon to be new mommies, or maybe I think it will make my ratings plummet for the "mom of the year," but here it is the ugly truth about last week.

One of my dearest friends from college, Tiffany, gave birth to a BEAUTIFUL baby boy about a month and a half ago. We had been wanting to go visit and I wanted Caden to see his new friend Elijah Bradley. So, here was the plan: Chris, Caden and I were going to go visit our in-laws (and go to our nieces birthday party) on Monday. They live in Leitchfield, which is half way to Murray (where Tiff and her family live). We were going to stay with our in-laws Monday night and Tuesday Chris would go home and Caden and I would continue on to Murray. I should have changed my plans Monday night. Caden slept 3 hours Monday night. But, what did we do? Went on to Murray. Caden and I. By ourselves. If y'all know Caden, he honestly is so happy that if he cries it is almost always out of tiredness or hunger. I mean he just goes with the flow. almost always.

I kid you not, he started crying from the time we got to Tiffany's (at 1 in the afternoon), did not nap at all, slept 2 and a half hours that night, and was just a crank box. I could not believe it. I called Chris at 2 in the morning crying...did I mention we had planned to stay until Saturday?!? Long story short Wednesday at 4 in the afternoon we called it quits packed up and drove the 4 and a half hours home (which he cried for the last 2 and a half of). and of course we got home, he slept like he always does that night and was happy as a lark the next day. It was the most unpleasant 2 days we have had since Caden. There, I said it. There is the Ugly Truth.

The pictures are from before the melt down:)

Man on the Move!

Caden is up, down, over, under, across, between...you name it he is there. He is pulling up, falling down, tipping over, moving from one piece of furniture to the other, hitting his head at least five times a day, and into absolutely everything. Today I had to keep him from eating a dime, a piece of bright orange cardboard, a string, a puzzle piece, a rock and some grass....and that is just off the top of my head. I LOVE this stage. He is so interactive and happy. He is playful and it is just so fun...we are trying to soak up every minute. These are some recent pictures we have taken of him.

Caught in the act!

This story is so funny that I know this post will not even be able to do it justice in any way but I have to share it. Caden is on a great (knock on wood) schedule for the moment. We put him down at about 8:00 every night sometimes he goes right to sleep, sometimes he talks to himself for a while then goes to sleep and sometimes he feels the need to stand up in his crib and look around the room until he wears himself out and crashes. Most of you know but right now we are living with 7 other people (my mom and dad and 3 younger siblings and then Chris, Caden and I). Everyone has been very great and respectful about letting Caden do his thing and not picking him up and all that...until tonight:) On one side of Caden's room there is a set of double doors that are glass so you just have to peek in as you pass by. Well I was walking up the stairs and noticed that one of the doors was opened a little bit, "I must not have closed it all the way," I thought...but I was so wrong. I went in to close the door and notice there is no baby Caden in the crib and in the left corner of the room (with the lights still off) is my mom holding Caden "hiding" with him and covering his face with her hands. But thats not all...I hear another giggle coming from the opposite corner of the room and it is my 11- year old brother! There excuse? "We walked by and he was standing up in his crib just looking at us like aren't you going to come in and get me?" but I mean can you blame them?