Baskets of Fun

This is Cael's newest hobby.

Bearizona

Cael went to Bearizona with Grandma, Aunt Kirsti, Aunt Sarah, and Great-grandpa. It looked and sounded like they all had a great time.

Mo bear picture!

Feeding the dady tig.

New sungasses

The Lollipop Shop

"Who can take the sunrise, sprinkle it with dew, cover it with chocolate and a miracle or two? The candy man. The candy man can."

We drove up to Alpine on Friday afternoon to survey the damage of the fire and to visit one of my favorite places on earth, the Lollipop Shop. If ever you read this when you are older, Cael, fudge (plain chocolate, please) from this candy haven will make your mom happy every time. Being there makes me want to burst into song (see opening quote) and sample every concoction in sight.

Cael found a sucker worth every bit of the $1.99 it cost. Watching him maneuver it about in order to eat it was great entertainment. Of course, the sticky face when he was finished was also a treat.

"The candy man can 'cause he mixes it with love and makes the world taste good."

Can-nan-nan-ing (Camping) at the Heap Reunion

He loved his bed in the "trainer."

Cael and Avery took turns pulling each other in the wagon.

Cael wanted to constantly ride the tore-neeler.

Dad-da-ee took Cael for a ride in the Yukon to get him to take a much-needed nap.
He couldn't bear to take off his Cars' helmet.

Good morning! Cael joined Dad in bed one morning. He only fell off his bed twice during the week. Thud! He didn't cry nor awake, though.



Kiki and Lee discovered this fort near our campsite, and all the kids enjoyed it.



Three Years of Wonderful

Birthday Morning:

No birthday song (Lesson learned) +  

Three-shaped pancake for breakfast =

Happy Boy

 Birthday Afternoon:

McDonald's for Lunch (Cael ate some Happy Meal fries.) +

Winnie the Pooh movie (first in-theater movie!)=

Happy Boy

 Birthday Evening:

Ice Cream Cone at Ice Cream Social +

Opening Presents from Mom and Dad =

Happy Boy

Buzz Lightyear sleeping bag +

New book +

Large Cars' coloring book +

Magnetic ABC's and 123's +

2 New DVD's =

Happy Boy

Three-shaped cheese crisp +

Cars' pajamas =

Happy Boy

My math seems to indicate

Mission Accomplished.

The Birthday Party Horror

Hi. I'm Cael, and I'm a birthday-phobic. The week before my third birthday, my dad had his special day. My mom and dad had figured out that I was not looking forward to my big day. Go figure. I'd cry and say, "Mo birfday," whenever they mentioned it. Presents? Balloons? Cake? None of it convinced me to want to have one of these so-called celebrations. Mom-mom thought that, by making Da-da-ee's birthday extra fun, I would want my birthday to come. She put up signs, blew up balloons, made a cake.  It all looked pretty good to me. Gramma came over to eat dinner with us; Nicole, Shane, Kiki, and Parker joined us later to eat cake. Hey, this isn't so bad, I thought. Birthdays are great.

"Happy birthday to you..." What are they singing? Is that Oatmeal Creme pie on fire? (My mom has this thing about someone spitting on the cake while blowing out the candles, so she puts the candles on something else to discard after the saliva-ridden breath puts out the flames.) Anyway, I digress. Fire and birthday song. That is the combination that I do not like. I stuck my lip out so far I could've caught a fly, and I cried. I cried during my dad's birthday song. Happy what? They laughed at me, and then they ate German chocolate cake. I tried to recover from the trauma.

Fast forward to about a week later...

It is my third birthday party, but I am not yet three. Whatever. I don't know any better, my mom tells people.

The signs are back up. Balloons fill up the room. Thirty or more balloons. Yes! Many of my favorite people begin to arrive with bags and wrapped gifts for me. Woohoo! Things are going well for awhile. Everyone is eating, I am playing, and life is good.

Until Mom-mom decides to turn this into a nightmare. She tries to soften the blow by having the crowd sing the ABC's instead of "Happy Birthday," but then she has to add fire to the fuel. Sure, there is a cool number three on one cupcake, and two other cupcakes with Life Savers around little candles. Nonetheless, flames emerge from them, and she puts them right in front of my face!

 I run quickly from the fire cakes. They continue to sing. I cry.

Once Mom-mom blows out the candles and the music ceases,

I approach the cupcakes and eat some.

 Opening presents was next. I get some awesome things.

 I do a great job thanking everyone, including Austin for his -ahem- totally legal copy of Cars 2.

To be continued (on Mom's birthday next month)...

Shaving Attempt #1

Holbrook in July

Stopping to see the dinosaurs - Rrrarr!

Helping Aunt Sarah feed the geese

Trains and Training

Great-grandpa gave Cael this train awhile ago, and we recently set it up for him. He loves it. We have built tunnels with blocks, tied a balloon to the train, and had hours of fun with it. I think Da-da-ee loves it as much as Cael does. Okay, Mom-mom loves it, too.

Potty Training. Off. On. Off. On. We have tried - are trying - everything we can think of to get Cael to do his business in a toilet. He, like a light switch, cooperates and doesn't. Does and doesn't. From Elmo goes Potty DVD's to a Cars' toilet with a vroom vroom handle, to bribes galore... Cael is still in diapers.

This picture is a keeper - Cowboy in Underwear.

 Mom: Where should you go pee pee and poo poo?

Cael: Cars' toilet!

Yet, there is no evidence of bodily functions in this pot.

Four stickers on Cael's Potty Chart. Praying for Number Five. Number Six. Number Twenty-four.

Rainy Rendezvous at the Ranch

Yes, I wanted up here, but please get me down. Now.

One Saturday in July (I'm playing blog catch-up so can't recall the exact date), we went to spend some time with family near Forest Lakes. The afternoon was great, from the food and hospitality, to the entertainment for Cael (see pictures and Aunt Kirsti).

When a downpour arrived, we day-campers decided to depart, but not before we witnessed Jalen sprint across the meadow to get Grandma's car for her. His stride was long and graceful, his speed rivaling Hussein Bolt's, his shoe caught in the mud, left in the mud, as a one-heel-shod marvel stumbled and -gasp!- fell. However, in a blink, he was up and gazelling once again, reaching the vehicle far more quickly than any of us could have. His weave ruined, he smiled as we laughed. Is the shoe still out there, waiting to be found by Cael when he is seventeen?

Driving Grandpa's side-by-side

Three Cousins is Thrice as Nice

Cael has loved playing with his cousins, Kiki and Karker (Parker), this summer. He even allows them to drive his Jeep, occasionally. Kasidee and Parker are so good to Cael, caring for him, sharing with him, and showing him love. It is great to have cousins so close, making memories in backyards just a few miles apart.