Crazy, crazy Cael

If you are ever in need of cheap entertainment, come on over to our house, where you can see such wonders as:

Cael doing various P90X moves, such as decline push ups in a diaper.

Cael, the magician, disappearing into a cabinet below the television.

And reappearing.

Cael asking for, "More kers" when he is hungry.

And so much more...

Sleep, Glorious Sleep

Once upon a time, a two-year-old boy graduated from his crib to his big-boy bed. The boy was a very good napper in his crib, and, although others had told his mom that the naps would soon come to an end, she didn't want to believe such a horrible thing. "He's active," she would say, "so he will need his naps." "He is tired a lot with how busy he is, so I'm sure he will need his rest."

Screech.

That was the sound of the mom's hopes coming to an end when, for the whole first week of the new bed, there were no naps.

No time for the mom to get on the computer without a lap buddy.

No time to watch her DVR'd shows.

No time to bake without a beater-licker.

And, most importantly, no time for the mom to nap.

Oh, the horror.

The mom thought back to all those who cursed her life with their superior knowledge of child-raising, their jealousies of having no napping children left disguised behind their nodding heads. They were right, she reluctantly admitted to herself. With a sigh, she rescheduled her afternoon hours to include a shadow and no rest for the weary.

The hours dragged on. The days. The week. And a half.

Then, it happened. No, the boy did not fall asleep mid-afternoon in his bed, but fall asleep he did. The mom had to lie down next to him on her and the dad's bed and watch part of Up for the ten-thousandth time. She had to soothe him by rubbing his head.

The mom moved her hand slowly back and forth, silently praying Please fall asleep. Please. Please. PLEASE. (The last through gritted teeth)

The sweet relief felt when his eyes closed was comparable to the happiness at his birth. The hallelujah chorus filled the room, or just her head. (She didn't want to awake the boy, after all.)The mom wiped a grateful tear from the corner of her eye, she snapped a photo and sent it to the dad to celebrate with her, and then she joined the boy in dreamland.



Nap One: Mom and Dad's Bed: 4/20/2011

Nap Two: Mom and Dad's Bed: 4/25/2011

Nap Three: The Chair: 4/26/2011

Nap Four: Mom and Dad's Bed, Holding music book in one hand and wand in other: 4/28/2011



Epilogue:

The mom will continue to document and celebrate each nap from here on out, probably until the boy is 18, as evidenced from the above pictures.

Happy Easter

We had a great Easter weekend this year, even though Cael was sick. On Saturday afternoon, we went to the Davis' home for a picnic. The food and the company were delightful. We all ate until our tummies were full, and then Austin, Garrett, and Breonna hid eggs for Hope and Cael to find. They looked all over the backyard and found almost all the eggs. Some are still back there waiting to be found when warmer weather brings them to smelly life.

Although the Easter Bunny is scheduled to come to our house on Saturday mornings, he had some hippity-hoppity problems this year, so our baskets arrived on Sunday morning instead. The Easter Bunny left a jellybean trail from Cael's bed to his basket on the dining room table. The Easter Bunny wondered if he would notice it when he awoke in the morning. Well, Easter Bunny, you will be happy to know that this is what happened: Mom-mom and Da-da-ee were wished a Happy Easter morning when Cael came into our room with some jelly beans. Mom asked him, "Did you find the jellybeans?", to which he replied, "Mrf mrf." (Translation: jellybeans) We looked closer to discover two handfuls and a mouthful of the Jolly Rancher-flavored delights. He found them all right! He could not stop talking about how the trail went all the way to his bed.

Cael's basket contained a lot of candy, some juice, and two books about Jesus.

We had a good time that morning blowing up Peeps in the microwave and having our annual Easter testimony meeting. We usually go to the cemetery, watch the sun rise, and bear our testimonies, but, with Cael ill, we stayed home to do it instead.

We "hop" everyone made memories like we did on this special holiday.

Tael's Jeet

Checking things out

Nemo is all buckled in and ready to go.

Learning to steer

Oots...High Center

Drawing his Jeep

Big Boy Bed

While you were away this weekend, we removed your crib, set up your bed, and rearranged your room.

You love "Tail's Beh" and your new-look room. You have adjusted well and are sleeping at night, although naptime is a struggle so far.

You are such a big boy, and we love you!

Wash Shursh

In the Primary room in church in Holbrook

We have General Conference recorded on our DVR, so we can watch one talk for Family Home Evening until conference rolls around again (We try, anyway). Cael has always loved hearing the Mormon Tabernacle Choir sing when we would have it on, and now he has taken to asking to, "Wash shursh" on other occasions, too. He will even pick that over Blue's Clues or Monsters, Inc.

When he watches church, and it is time to sing, he is the choir director. He finds a suitable place in the house that resembles a music stand (Luckily for us, we have several that work.), and he waves his arms around like he is the next Mack Wilberg. It is quite entertaining, I must say. He often commands Paul, me, or the both of us to sing, so that he can lead when we won't wash shursh with him (I need my Biggest Loser, okay?)

Cael is ever adding to his repertoire, so he now acts out all of church. He goes from leading the song from his "music stand" in one spot (a decorative tile on a mini-easel on a table) to giving the talk from his pulpit in another spot (the inversion machine) and back to his little chair for the prayer. Who is this kid?

About a month ago, this whole thing just went too far, as Cael decided he should be Terry Haws, Jr. in our ward on Fast Sunday. He was no longer satisfied on the back row doing his thing; he had to get up there to that music stand. The wheels turned, the smoke flew from his ears, and the plan commenced.

1) Get away from Mom-mom and Da-da-ee, who will prevent me from reaching my destination. Do this by going to sit with the Davis family. They won't tell me no, and they are several rows closer to the front.

2) Go down the row to each person, tugging on his or her hand to get them to take me up with them. There are six of them, so my odds are good.

3) Get up on the stand with Hope and Austin. But wait! They both talked into the thing, and now I'm going back down. So close!

4) Go down the row to each person again. This time, Uncle Ray can't resist. He thinks I am following the Spirit to get him to bear his testimony. Ha ha!

5) He takes me up, I run over to put my book on the extra music stand, and I begin to lead, wasting no time this go-around. Some lady is talking and crying while Nay waits his turn, but everyone is watching me.

6) In the middle of my bliss, I am whisked away suddenly by Da-da-ee and taken outside the door. My moment is over. The worst part is that I left my hymn book on the stand. Oh no!

7) Try again next time.

Faff Room and Teem Tone

Me: "Where are you supposed to poop?"

Cael: "Toot Faff Room."

At least he knows where he should be, even if I just changed another diaper that was quite tooty.

Step One: Get Cael to sit on the toilet. Check.

Cael is waving to Da-da-ee while holding his self-made dot-dog teem tone (hot dog ice cream cone).

There's a rabbit in the bathtub!

Oh, my goodness! Cael, you found a rabbit in the bathtub this morning. You went into the "faff-room," looked in the "faff-tu," and found this looking up at you.

You were thrilled that the "na-it" was edible and enjoyed every last bite, from the "eah-ers" to the "bow-tii."