Filling the Piggy Bank with Grandma

Feeding the Alpacas with Aunt Sarah

Zzzz

At a softball game

On the living room floor

In the stroller at a spring training baseball game

In the car seat

Sprawled out on his bedroom floor

All Grown Up?

Eating Lunch at My Table

Watching T.V. in "My" Recliner

Yet, I still need my favorite quilt, ala Linus, and my milk to relax me and make me comfortable. Perhaps I am not so grown up, after all.

Searching for Jesus

One of Cael's first words was Jesus. As I have mentioned in an earlier post, we will point to a picture of our Savior, and Cael will say, "Jesus." He smiles each time, and he has yet to decline to say it, as he does with other words and tricks.

In February's Ensign, there were many pictures of Christ, so we would flip through to find them, with Cael each time saying "Jesus" with his smile. I can't even explain how this warms my heart and soul to hear him say His name with such happiness in his voice and with his expression.

I decided to take the pictures and put them in a cheap little photo album, so Cael could see them all in one place and not have to look for them. I call it his Jesus book. It sits on an end table in our living room, and he looks through it often. He now asks himself, "Who is that?" in his nineteen-month-old vernacular, and he will answer himself, "Jesus," page after page after page. It is the best! Absolutely the best. It makes me smile every single time he sees Jesus' picture and begins the ritual.

I cut up February's Ensign to make the book, and then I threw it away. We now have the March issue, which only contains a few depictions of Christ. A few days ago, Paul found Cael sitting on the couch with the new Ensign, looking for pictures of Jesus. Paul took the photo and sent it to me with the caption Searching for Jesus.

I have been pondering this incident since it happened, and I keep finding new insights and parallels to my life about this search on which we all seem to be. I won't go into those here, as this site is about Cael. I just hope and pray he will always search for Him, for He who is his friend, for He who is his Savior and Redeemer, for He who is the way to happiness now and always.

Thank you, my sweet boy, for opening my eyes to that for which I need to be searching daily, just as you do.

How to Steal Dad's Coke

Step One:

Pull hood over head to disguise identity.

Grab the Coke with both hands, and quickly begin drinking.

Step Two:

Glance upward to see if anyone notices the theft.

Step Three:

Uh-oh. Drink as much as you can before Mama takes it away.

Enjoying a Baseball Game

We went to watch St. Johns play Holbrook on Saturday. It was a beautiful day - no wind, not too cold. We enjoyed cheering on the Redskins, who won by one run. Cael enjoyed sitting on Dad's lap and eating a sucker while Dad tried to keep him non-sticky.

What is Cael doing now?

It seems that Cael changes daily lately, learning new words, discovering something new, and asserting his personality in various ways. What is new (or at least new since last I thought to write what is new) with our ray of sunshine?

1. "Popcorn Popping" actions - oh, so cute! -
2. "Reading" books - He will say many words from the books we have read to him a hundred times.
3. Saying "Mama" or "Mom" - finally! -
4. Dunks the basketball - okay, only three feet -
5. Makes choices
6. Throws stuff in the trash for us - He loves doing it.
7. Plays games with us - like throwing his milk in order  to go get it -
8. Runs naked to the bathroom to take a bath
9. Claps and says "ma" when we are headed to Gramma's house
10. Takes his quilt (the one Grandma made him, with the animals on it) everywhere
11. When I ask, "Where's my sweet boy?" or his dad asks, "Where's my little buddy?", he takes out his pacifier and puts his finger in his mouth.

Totally Cael - Totally Cute

Whether you are chewing a pen, cuddling with Mama on the bed, holding Mama's hand, watching your favorite shows while relaxing, or eating a sugar cookie at a basketball game, you capture our hearts with your laugh, your smile, and your love.