go big red

Thanks to the Huskers finding an offense sometime between the Big 12 Championship game and tonight, we won the Holiday Bowl--woot woot! Caleb is convinced the win was because Cadyn wore her lucky Husker dress. Every time she has worn it this season, Nebraska has won. Yes, I am still being blamed for the Texas loss because we were lazy and in our pjs that night ;)

Before the game, Cadyn was trying out her new chair from my mom and dad. You might notice she is filling the dress out quite a bit more than the start of the season. So proud of our little chunk ;) After the game, she was tuckered out from all of the excitement.

248 days until the Western Kentucky 2010 opener.

very merry

Cadyn's first Christmas was very merry. We left Tuesday afternoon for Nebraska in order to beat the storm. We arrived in Kearney right before I-80 got icey. Unfortunately, the weather did stop Cadyn from getting to meet her aunt Alissa and cousins from Des Moines on Caleb's side. So, we had a downsized holiday celebration on Christmas Eve.

Christmas morning we headed to Wood River to celebrate with the Wagoner side the rest of the weekend. We were lucky to get there safely in the white out conditions. Caleb and I both agreed it was the worst weather we had ever driven in. We had a great time as usual at my Mom and Dad's house. I love it there at Christmastime, it is so peaceful. It was fun to get the babies together again and watch the older cousins play together. Good memories :)

the circle

I believe the circle of friends you surround yourself with can have a profound effect on your life. We are very fortunate to have a few amazing circles. Simply amazing. They are smart, witty, thoughtful, kind, inclusive, funny, and really great with Cadyn. Wonderful people who have had a really positive impact on our life--you know who you are :)

Last Sunday night our Wichita circle got together for a turkey dinner. There was a huge spread of delicious food, lively conversation, a wine exchange, Wii, and lots of laughter. Chrystal and TJ were great hosts and it was fun to wish everyone a happy holiday before we all traveled to our home towns for Christmas. This photo was taken at the party. Next time we will need to get one of the whole gang!

christmas cards

Ahhh, mail....doesn't everyone love getting it? This is just many of the reasons I love Christmas. I get excited to check the mailbox everyday. Thank you to those of you who have sent yours to us (displayed above)--they truly make me smile and warm my heart. Today I can wipe the sweat from my brow, because ours are finally in the mailbox! I really really LOVE how they turned out. My super-talented friend, Dianne, was the master designer, so you all will have to let me know what you think when yours arrive :)

I also wanted to share in this post that the verdict is still out for me on the baby sleep sack. Great for quick and easy diaper changes. Not so great in the riding up category....hey Cadyn, I can see your Mickey and Minnie! ;)

full-time mommy

It was a big weekend, as I said goodbye to retail and Gap Inc for good. I gave my resignation to Banana Republic after 9.75 years with the company. I really wish I could have made the 10 year milestone, but almost will have to be good enough. My new role as full-time mommy to Cadyn is something I feel very fortunate to have the opportunity to do. It is the right decision for our family and will benefit her tremendously.

Above is one of my new very favorite photos. It is Caleb's genuine I-love-my-life smile. We had just returned back from a fun dinner out with our good friends, Di and Barry. Caleb was feeling very jovial, no doubt in part thanks to a few margaritas, but mostly due to great company. Normally he tolerates my obsessive photo taking and his smiles are somewhat forced. But, this particular night he was actually asking me to take photos of he and Cadyn and I can see the sparkle in his eyes and his extraordinary love for her :)

0-3 mo wardrobe

Awhile back we were able to retire Cadyn's preemie clothes. Well, we have hit another milestone. Due to her nursing around the clock mentioned in the previous post, Cadyn has become almost the chunky monkey her cousins, Bryce and Kenna, are. She is getting h.e.a.v.y.....well, to us anyway ;) We are hoping at her four month appointment in early January she will be just over 10 lbs. Due to the chunkiness, I am in the process of now retiring all of her 'newborn' clothes and fully moving her into the 0-3 mo wardrobe.

Above shows the size difference of one of Cadyn's 'newborn' pjs vs her new size. The second photo is of Caleb working with her on her neck exercises....notice the tongue and the determination. Last is our sweet baby passed out from all of the hard work :)

grumpy

Most of the photos I share are of my baby girl looking cute as can be. And most of the time it is a true reflection of her personality. However, I love capturing every emotion of hers....this one being grumpy. I find it hilarious. This was right after I pulled her away from me, after she was done nursing. Obviously, she thinks she was NOT done ;) Not often do I have to do this, but it was necessary this time. Cadyn is nursing every hour, mostly around the clock. When she is not nursing, she has her hands in her mouth and is in super-drool mode. Time for some teething toys....I think so.

bath time

Cadyn loves bath time. Some of the baby books suggest incorporating it into the nightly bedtime routine to soothe and calm the baby. Ooooh no, not in the TS household. Cadyn is bright eyed and bushy tailed after her baths. And thanks to the super convenient rainforest baby bathtub from my cousin Nico, it is easy to do by myself now. I was nervous at first and would only handle her slippery little buns with Caleb helping, but she and I have got the hang of it now :) Cadyn waves her arms excitedly when I put her into the bathtub, then her eyes get really big when the warm water is squeezed over her. Not a cry, nor a wimper. And her favorite part is getting her hair washed. Just one of the many baby salon treatments I give her daily ;)

mommy pics

I am usually the one behind the camera, so it is nice to get some mommy pics once in awhile.

traveler

Today Cadyn and I made a quick trip to the grocery store. I don't normally like to take her out in this bitter cold weather, but I needed a few items to make caprese skewers to take to my Booze and Books club tonight. So, I bundled her up in her newest cozy sweater outfit (boy do I love them...I wish they came in adult sizes) and out we went. Cadyn is such a good traveler, she is asleep the minute she feels the vibration of the car. See the smile on her face :)

cankles

ALL babies have cankles at this stage, right? I wasn't exactly blessed with slim, shapely ankles, so I have my fingers crossed that Cadyn will not inherit the dreaded cankles from me. I guess the upside is, they are super cute now and, if she does not grow out of them, when she becomes a Nebraska Husker volleyball player, she won't have to worry about any broken ankles ;)

On a separate note, I sure am glad these Old Navy socks have anti-skid grips on the bottom. You know, just in case Cadyn starts taking laps around the living room.

freshly baked

I am a sucker for these types of onesies. Freshly baked....hehe :)

morning time

The normal morning time routine for Cadyn and I is her waking us at around 8am. After she eats, we are up for a bit, then she takes a late morning nap. She gets to spread out on the big girl bed, which she seems to like. I know I have said it before, but I love her little baby stretches and squeaks when she wakes up.

not in the mood

Camera ready and batteries charged, check. Great lighting, check. Christmas dress ready to put on, check. Baby Cadyn in a good mood.....not so much. I wanted to take a few (ha!) photos of Cadyn in her adorable new holiday dress today, but she had other plans. I think she had a bit of an upset stomach, so we will try again tomorrow.

Above is her reaction to her trial sitting before I actually went to the work of dressing her up in the aforementioned fancy dress. The other photo is after she ate and settled down a bit. Amazing how the adults are subject to the little ones schedules ;)

cooing

Cadyn is becoming extra vocal with her cooing these days. She tells the most stories in the morning and is also super smiley at that time. When I put her in her activity gym, she seems to really enjoy talking to the black penguin. Also, her legs go a million miles a minute when the bear is playing music. When it stops, so do her little legs....it is like she is dancing! I have an adorable video capturing all of this, but it won't seem to upload. I will keep trying....

more holiday

The second half of our holiday was spent with the Wagoner side of the family. Saturday we had another delicious meal and great company. I made my to-die-for loaded guacamole in an attempt to turn some of my family members opinion of guac around. Turned out it was a hit!

Sunday we all traveled to Hazard where my beautiful nephew, Bryce, was baptized. He was so sweet and well behaved the entire day! I have to hand it to my sister....she is great at getting things accomplished. Birth announcements/Christmas card, baptism, starting to work out again....the list goes on and on. I am still learning and procrastinating, as usual. Thus, Cadyn's birth announcements not getting done until week 11 :)

gobble gobble

We have had a wonderfully relaxing and filling Thanksgiving day here in Nebraska. We are spending a few days with Caleb's family, then are traveling to Wood River on Saturday to visit the Wagoner side. I cannot express how thankful I feel this year for my beautiful family. Blessed and fortunate only begin to describe! Thanks to Cadyn's Grandma Joni for the festive turkey bib above :)

Cadyn also had a doctor's appointment on Tuesday. She is now up to 8lbs 8ozs, which is a 17oz increase in only 2 weeks. Her length is now 20 1/4", which is right on track with where she needs to be. Funny how these stats still only put her in the 1% and 0% respectively for her age.

Hope you and yours had a great holiday.....enjoy the weekend!

ginger

Cadyn was blessed with beautiful auburn red hair. Her golden locks match her daddy's hair perfectly--it is so cute. Caleb affectionately calls himself, Cadyn, and all other red heads gingers. Here is a close up shot of her tresses in sunlight. My adorable little ginger.

great time

Our friend, Josh, is visiting from Nebraska this weekend. Last night we went out to our normal fave mexican restaurant to enjoy margaritas and guacamole with the usual suspects. Cadyn was an angel and slept through most of our noise. Everyone was glad to see her eventually wake up so she could come out and play. As always it was a great time and we are even going to be stars of a local commercial which involved a huge sombrero, tequila, and the staff singing to us :) Afterward, we had the gang over for cocktails and gaming. I was delighted to have company into Cadyn and I's normal wee hours of the morning.

refinancing

We had a super early meeting yesterday at a local bank to discuss refinancing our home. Super early for us these days equals 9am since Cadyn is still deciding to be a night owl and not go to bed until 3am. I heart our beautiful home - 3000 sq ft of great contemporary design, gourmet kitchen, covered deck, tree lined backyard for privacy - LOVE IT. When I think about dropping thousands of dollars in closing costs (for the second time) it really has made me ponder the future and how long we will be here. I can't explain how much I love our home. So, I would be thrilled with us staying here 15+ years. It has enough space for Cadyn and, hopefully, more children :) It is in a highly coveted school location. And it has a multitude of nice amenities. We move with Caleb's job though, so it could be 15+ years or it could be less than 3. That is the gamble with refinancing.

I knew Caleb would get a kick out of this velour track suit I dressed Cadyn in last night. He couldn't stop laughing and thought she looked like the cutest little sportster around. He asked if I had a matching one ;)

waking up

Watching Cadyn wake up is just the best part of my day. This is my view....twelve inches from her, face to face, witnessing all of the different facial expressions, arm stretches, squeaks, and yawns. The best.

activity gym

It has become increasingly apparent our little girl is bored stiff with our usual routine of mommy and daddy talking crazy and making fun faces for her entertainment. So, off to Babies R Us we headed tonight to get an activity gym. Cadyn already seems amused by her new toy. As you can see, she looooves staring at the bright yellow smiling lion.

immunization

Cadyn had her first shot today along with the Rotavirus drops. Caleb and I are trying to be very conservative with all of her required immunizations. We are spreading them out and only doing one shot at a time. I was very nervous for my little girl. My stomach was in knots....kinda felt like when I was in college and had a huge test that I procrastinated on and didn't study for ;) Turned out she liked the drops, they were sweet and sticky, and she sucked them down like a champ. The shot produced tears at first, but thirty seconds later she was calm, and forty-five seconds later she was sleeping. Thank goodness children are resilient.

missing daddy

Cadyn is missing her daddy. So am I. Caleb is traveling again for work. And while it isn't long stretches and usually for only a couple of days at a time, he is still away from us. Tonight when he called, I put him on speakerphone and Cadyn perked up, flailed her arms excitedly, and tried to find his voice :)

This is Cadyn's new favorite way to be held. She and her daddy do it often and while rocking. I tried it a few times to calm her down in the last few days, as she has been off schedule and cranky since our Nebraska trip, but it is apparent she enjoys it much more with Caleb.

In stats news: Cadyn had her 2 month checkup yesterday. She is weighing in at 7lbs 8oz and 20 inches long. Doc says her growth chart is looking good!

**Thanks Jenny for the adorable handmade pink Husker blanket. We use it every Saturday!

weekend visit

Cadyn and I took off this last weekend for a visit to Nebraska. Caleb was headed to the Huskers vs Sooners game, so we drove to York together on Thursday afternoon, then my sis picked me up to go to Hazard/Wood River. It was a wonderful visit with a lot of family. Some who hadn't met Cadyn yet, so that was special. I also got to meet my new neice, Kenna Jo, and nephew, Bryce Wendell. They are absolute angels and I am so happy they are so close in age.

When I was growing up, we were close to my cousins and it was always a great time getting together, especially at Grandma and Grandpa's house on Sundays and holidays. My cousins Nico and Katy were fairly close in age to me and I remember how excited I would get to hang out with them :) I hope we can keep the new generation of cousins just as close.

I need to do a better job of getting photos with all three of them together. For whatever reason, none of those were on my camera. Good thing we will see everyone again in three weeks for Thanksgiving!

baby boys dept

Is it wrong to shop in the baby boys dept for a baby girl? The adorable hat and gloves above are technically boys. So is the sweater onesie from a few days ago and so are the socks I had to buy from the boys dept in order to get a green, blue, and black collection. If there were anything other than pink, lavendar, and ruffles in the baby girls dept, maybe I would be more of a fan, but there is not.

I realize I shouldn't necessarily be imposing my tomboy/sporty style on my baby, but I would appreciate a better assortment. For all I know, she could really like being dressed in butterflies and every shade of pink imaginable. And don't get me wrong, she is adorable in all of them.....again, I just would like a little variety. On the same note, I would like to go shopping for adult running shoes and not have to choose from pink, lavender, or light blue accents. Are red, mustard, and olive only male colors??? Grrrr.

kissies

Ooooo how Caleb loves to give Cadyn kissies. First thing when he gets home from work, during tummy time, after her baths, when she is sound asleep....really all evening long. She seems to love them and he can't get enough of her chunky cheeks!

Thanks once again to bio-grandma Nita for the second super sassy lime and chocolate outfit.

fall

Oh how I love fall and everything about this time of year. Crisp cool weather, yellow and orange fallen leaves, thick sweaters and cozy coats.....everything. Speaking of thick sweaters, Cadyn was extra squeezable in her new sweater onesie.

halloween

Happy halloween! Cadyn is laying low today with a halloween onesie (thanks grandma Joni). All of the costumes I liked were still much too big for our little pumpkin (bib courtesy of grandma Marlene). We will be hanging out at home tonight watching the World Series game 3 and giving out candy. Halloween is one of Caleb's least favorite holidays, so I never have to worry about coming up with any adult costumes :)

Last night we took Cadyn out for the first time with the exception of her doctor's appointments. She did great and we had a fab time with our friends Di and Barry at our fave mexican restaurant El Rodeo. Our bub is on her way to social butterfly no doubt.

focus

Cadyn all of a sudden has a new found focus on many objects. She seems to recognize Caleb and I now and studies our faces for long periods of time just as content as could be. Also, her swing with the rotating lambs/moons/stars atop it provided no enjoyment until this week, when she out of nowhere has been mesmerized by them circling above her. It is amazing to see the week by week developments of a newborn.

Above Cadyn is doing more tummy time and gives us a smile as well. Credit the super-cute outfit above to bio-grandma, Nita. LOVE the colors.