A trip to Lincoln

Karl, Kaden and I packed up again and drove over to Illinois. Karl's grandmother lives there so we made a trip over to spend the weekend with her. We had a good time catching up on things and she and Lloyd enjoyed watching and playing with Kaden.

On the way there Kaden almost ran the new batteries down on this little piggy.

Grandma Hazel Karl and Kaden

...add Lloyd

Lloyd and Kaden played in the floor...

at the table...they enjoyed each other.

Grandma Hazel and Lloyd got Kaden this car. It has more buttons on it than my car does. He loves it. The seat lifts up and Kaden loves to store things in the hiding place.

Grandma Hazel and Kaden watching Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs...She kept calling them the little people. Kaden watched about 10 minutes of it and he was done...on to the next thing for him...

He does love to dance and sing. He likes to shake maracas. We have four sets (between upstairs and downstairs). He seems to find them and is just content shaking the hound out of them. His white boy moves are GREAT!

We took his top with us and Grandma Hazel gladly showed him how to spin it on the floor.
Just a side note...Last night on our way to church, my car told me it was cold (-6). The picture is on the way home from church. When we left the building, Grandview (neighboring congregation) was arriving for a baptism....burr....the preacher told the young man, 'the colder the water, the better you receive the Holy Spirit...Whew! Hope he warmed up fast!

This morning on my way to Aspen at 9 am my car told me it didn't even want to start...It was -18...yes...-18. My car didn't want to start...can't say that I blame it...I worked out anyway!

Still more of Christmas...

We had a full two weeks at home over the break. We had a blast everywhere we went and ate too much, opened too many gifts and had great laughs!

I know it's hard to see, but these are most of our cousins (plus their spouses and children). We had a blast at Pam and Michael's. Da and Mama Z pose for a sweet shot.
Mama Z giving Brayson and Kaden turns riding the A&M pig!

Da and Mama Z's whole clan...whew!

Brayson riding his horse!

Amy and Jorge brought a gift for all four boys...It was a rather LARGE box filled with peanuts and a few books. I am pretty sure the books didn't need all the packaging filler, but the four little boys... even Mama Z joined in the fun!

Andy enjoying watching the boys open all of the loot.

Ava had such sweet smiles and giggles! She is a doll and has the sweetest brown eyes!

Amy and Mama Z

Many Christmas family times...

We are back in the midwest and Kaden has been so content sitting in his room playing with his toys. It is cold up here (19 or so) and icy. There is still a little snow left but ice has completely covered the top of everything. Our drive is slick as snot!

Kaden and I have been in the house unpacking and rearranging. We are glad to be home. It is always so GOOD to go to Texas and see family, but being home (in our beds and not having to live out of a suite case) is great!

One of our last stops was to see Micah, Jennifer and Ava. They took us to eat at the Catfish Plantation (which is supposed to be haunted). We ate well and had a great time. Kaden's shoe fell off like four times...other than that...we saw nothing!

This is the hall to the bathrooms...supposedly where the most 'action' is...

Do you see what I see?

I see three monkeys!

Ava and her momma. Isn't she the sweetest thing? She is such a happy little girl! Every time she locked eyes with Kaden she would give the biggest, cheeky smile and just coo at him.

Ava having a lemon. She went back for more and finally made a sour face after the third or so time!

The Fry Family looking for 'activity'. We had a blast in south Texas. Thanks for the room and board and for putting up with us!

We are looking forward to our trip south in March...already!

Smiles and Santa Clause

I apologize in advance for the sideways video. I am still training my crew on how to recored. I guess I could use a training on how to change the viewing of the video....since I couldn't figure it out this is what you get.

The Beck boys were all smiles the night we celebrated Kaden's birthday.

Kaden thought SC looked pretty cool from a distance, but not so much the coolest thing up close and personal!

Kaden walking from here to there...

Karl and his sweet baby boy at Grandma Cindy's house. Kaden loves being outside and we chilled out on her deck when the weather allowed.

Karl and I wish everyone a Merry, Merry Christmas and a family-friend filled lifetime!

Kaden too!

This is the day Kaden decided to walk. He had not cared a single bit about picking up his feet. After lunch on Saturday, November 29, 2008, he decided that it was time to move his feet! The first time Karl and I both saw him walk he took a whopping 8 steps.

On the way home from Texas, we stopped in Joplin, MO (to split the trip up for Karl's back). Kaden enjoyed himself as well as play time with his daddy.

Has it already been a year?

Happy Birthday Kaden

The day Kaden was born was a whirlwind in my mind...but I remember so many details at the same time. It took me a little while to get that reality was, we were parents. I have waited my whole life to be a mom and finally it was my chance. I remember the plans didn't go the way I wanted them to go, I was dead against a c-sec birth and that is just not the way it turned out to be. Remember who is in control is so hard for me sometimes...After seeing that purple tinted, HUGE baby boy and then hearing him cry; life as I knew it was over (in a good way). I was now a mother, I had more to live for. Being a wife is wonderful and has it's own glories, but being a mother was so much more at the time. Daily I try to find the balance. Kaden was born during a blizzard at the hospital, the same night Andy fell and broke his knee. Mama Z was on the last flight into Des Moines that day. My husband became a father and for many reasons (by his actions, words and love) I grew an unimaginable respect/appreciation for him that he has yet to show me different.


I love my two boys more than I could have every known love for men...

Kaden at 12 months, 5 days old

31 inches long

24 pounds, 2 ounces

Thanks Lyneil for making all the cakes!

Yes! Karl, we can keep him...

Kaden's dancing skills!

We'll, believe it or not, we made it back to the midwest! After a three week stay in Texas we are glad to be back home. There is snow on the ground and Kaden wants to spend every minute outside. His little hands were as red as they could be and ice cold....he didn't care. He would have stayed out there playing but mean ol' mom made him come in. While we were in Texas we saw many members of our family. We missed many as well. I didn't get pictures with everyone we were able to see....believe it or not! Anyway, here are some that we did capture along the way...

Ashley and Eli are showing Kaden how to show his love!

Mama Z, Sue and Kaden paused for a smile. Kaden loved going to Sue's house and putting her puzzles together.

Kaden and dad outside in Frankston enjoying the nice weather!

Heather and Kaden.

Grandma Cindy and Kaden taste testing his birthday gifts.

While we were in Paris we were able to join Eli for his 3rd birthday party!

Daddy Mac and Kaden. Kaden loved feeling his mustache.

Brayson (check out that big smile) and Kaden playing at Da and Mama Z's.

Tia Amy. Jorge and Amy put up with us for a few days pre/post surgery. We are thankful for our sisters and their wonderful husbands that put up with all of us and our troubles. Amy and Sherry came by the hospital and stayed with us until we were ready to go home for the evening. The day I went back to the hospital to pick Karl up, Jorge stayed home with Kaden. Thanks Jorge...you don't know how much I appreciate it.

Ashley and Pam got Kaden two gifts for his birthday. We finally put the piano together last night...four days after we got home. He loved it. I think the batteries are almost dead...Thanks Pam, Ashley and family!

Kaden found a new love at Grandma Cindy's. He would have loved for this snowman, dog and penguin to sing non-stop. It was sweet to watch him.