Footage of the winner of the slam dunk contest. Erik was the only contestant and it was at an 8 foot hoop but who's keeping track? Kade and Viv weren't very into his skills but the kid watching from the next court was impressed!
To be fair to Erik, he did move up to the 10 foot hoop and, yes, he can still dunk on it. Although, it's not quite as fancy :-)
Friday, May 31, 2013
Wednesday, May 29, 2013
Kansas City Here We Come
Warning: LOTS of pictures.
We left Thursday so we had 3 full days there. Friday we got to babysit Viv so we just hung around the house.
Saturday we went to the Sprint Center, in the Power & Lights District in KC, where they have "The College Basketball Experience". It. Was. AWESOME. I don't know who was more excited, Kade or Erik.
I always tell Kade he needs to get a full basketball scholarship to KU. Here's a little glimpse of the future, except Kade will be a bit paler :-)
Amazingly, his vertical was 52 inches!
They had all different height hoops so everyone got to feel tall!
Even me :-)
Even though he'll be a star at KU, he'll always have a soft spot for the Gophers :-)
Practice, practice, practice!
Doesn't hurt to supersize it either!
Afterwards we went out for lunch. Someone was happy....
Someone was tired...
Then the ladies did some shopping and the boys played while they waited.
Sunday we went to the KC Zoo. We didn't get a lot of pictures because Kade was beyond tired. He even fell asleep in Erik's arms! That hasn't happened since Dec of 2010!! We only made it through half before we called it a day.
He did manage to stay awake to see the lions (or, as Kade calls them, Lion King). Which was all he talked about the whole time anyway!
As we were packing up on Monday morning he did all he could to stop it...
But we had to come home :-(
It was 85 and sunny everyday and we had to come back to rainy and 58. Why do we live here again?!?!
We had a great time and Kade loved seeing everyone. When we got home Erik asked Kade what his favorite part was. We both assumed it would be the basketball center but his answer was, "Playing with Evelyn and Vivienne and Jeremy and Mojo (their dog)." This kid melts my heart!
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
An Extra Post for Grandpa's
I can't make this stuff up!
For grandpa H: We are always giving Gpa H a hard time for the things he says. We say CheetOs, he says CheetAs. We say mosquitOs, he says mosqutiAs. Tonight I told Kade we were having potatoes with supper and without missing a beat he said, "No mom. Grandpa H calls them POTATAS!"
For grandpa C: My dad knows everything about everything. At least he thinks he does. And if he doesn't he'd never admit it, he just makes something up that sounds reasonable. I've called him Ranger for about 20 years because rangers know everything, right? Kade's favorite book of the moment has a ranger in it and he told us last night, "Grandpa C is a Ranger because he knows a lot of stuff." I swear I've never told Kade why I call him Ranger!
Kade is one perceptive 2 year old!
For grandpa H: We are always giving Gpa H a hard time for the things he says. We say CheetOs, he says CheetAs. We say mosquitOs, he says mosqutiAs. Tonight I told Kade we were having potatoes with supper and without missing a beat he said, "No mom. Grandpa H calls them POTATAS!"
For grandpa C: My dad knows everything about everything. At least he thinks he does. And if he doesn't he'd never admit it, he just makes something up that sounds reasonable. I've called him Ranger for about 20 years because rangers know everything, right? Kade's favorite book of the moment has a ranger in it and he told us last night, "Grandpa C is a Ranger because he knows a lot of stuff." I swear I've never told Kade why I call him Ranger!
Kade is one perceptive 2 year old!
Last Thursday
Last Thursday morning Kade and I went to the grocery store. We discovered they have Kade-size carts and I, foolishly, agreed to let him push one. By the end I was exhausted! Thankfully it was mainly retired folks and parents of other small children in the store so they were more than accommodating to the little blonde kid zipping past them at warp speed!
I gave up caring if he was sneaking extra food in his cart, I just wanted to sit down and catch my breath! I was pleasantly surprised at check out when I saw that all he added to it was 2 organic apples. I can assure you if I were him I would've added a few more things on the opposite end of the food spectrum!
Later we went to Chester Woods and threw rocks in the lake. We also honked at the geese, fished with sticks and splashed in the water. It was a good day!
Kade Quotes:
"Mom, I need this blue basketball because I'm a blue guy because I have blue pants on and because the basketball matches my pants." (He got the basketball because who can resist reasoning like that?!)
His 4-wheeler's battery was dying so it wasn't running properly: " Mom, what is wrong with this sucker?!? You and Daddy just bought this sucker! Why is this sucker not working?!" (Apparently he hears "sucker" a lot? Better than the alternative, I guess!)
I gave up caring if he was sneaking extra food in his cart, I just wanted to sit down and catch my breath! I was pleasantly surprised at check out when I saw that all he added to it was 2 organic apples. I can assure you if I were him I would've added a few more things on the opposite end of the food spectrum!
Later we went to Chester Woods and threw rocks in the lake. We also honked at the geese, fished with sticks and splashed in the water. It was a good day!
Kade Quotes:
"Mom, I need this blue basketball because I'm a blue guy because I have blue pants on and because the basketball matches my pants." (He got the basketball because who can resist reasoning like that?!)
His 4-wheeler's battery was dying so it wasn't running properly: " Mom, what is wrong with this sucker?!? You and Daddy just bought this sucker! Why is this sucker not working?!" (Apparently he hears "sucker" a lot? Better than the alternative, I guess!)
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
Kade These Days
I thought I'd use this week's post to do an update on what Kade is like these days.
He's still into basketball but he doesn't wear his basketball shoes every waking moment anymore because we made the mistake of cleaning the bottoms and now they squeak. He's not a fan of the squeak no matter how many times we tell him squeaky basketball shoes are a good thing.
He loves to ride his 4 wheeler, tractors and bicycle. I have to admit, he's already probably a better driver than I am. The kid can drive in reverse like it's nobody's business!
He's been speaking in full sentences, make that paragraphs, for a long time now but everyday he amazes me with his enormous vocabulary. And, maybe it's because I'm his mom, but I think he speaks very clearly for a 2 year old.
He loves every sport he's introduced to. He must have some amazing athletic genes because he seems to be a natural athlete. He catches on quick and sometimes throws a better spiral than his dad!
He's shy. Very shy. As in shy around people he sees multiple times a week! As in hides when he sees strangers and sometimes cries when he sees people he knows! It takes him about 5-10 minutes to warm up, unless we're around a big group then he's content to just observe.
I read somewhere that kids who cried a lot as babies (ahem, Kade!) will grow up to have deeper voices. How they know that, I have know idea. Could be a bunch of bologna but so far Kade is proving the theory correct. His voice is pretty deep for a 2 year old!
He's still in diapers and probably will be for awhile. He's just started to request a new diaper after he pees but has no desire to go in the toilet. I have him in underwear as I type this, hoping he'll like the feel of them and want to start wearing them full time. We'll see.
He's been in a big boy bed since last fall but just this past Saturday got out of it on his own for the first time ever! So far he's only crawled out after he wakes up, which is fine. However, he seems to be waking up earlier and earlier! Today my cute, little alarm clock came in at 6:01.
He prefers milk or water, still not a big fan of juice. No complaints there!
He's still a great eater but he also has a fantastic sweet tooth. We can't tell him he has to eat something or there's no dessert because at the first mention of dessert he immediately pushes his plate away and declares he's done.
He's starting to do longer periods of imaginative play on his own but still prefers our company. Mainly dad's company but mom will do if no one else is available :-)
He's getting big and I'm already wishing he'd stay like this forever. Time really does fly.
He's still into basketball but he doesn't wear his basketball shoes every waking moment anymore because we made the mistake of cleaning the bottoms and now they squeak. He's not a fan of the squeak no matter how many times we tell him squeaky basketball shoes are a good thing.
He loves to ride his 4 wheeler, tractors and bicycle. I have to admit, he's already probably a better driver than I am. The kid can drive in reverse like it's nobody's business!
He's been speaking in full sentences, make that paragraphs, for a long time now but everyday he amazes me with his enormous vocabulary. And, maybe it's because I'm his mom, but I think he speaks very clearly for a 2 year old.
He loves every sport he's introduced to. He must have some amazing athletic genes because he seems to be a natural athlete. He catches on quick and sometimes throws a better spiral than his dad!
He's shy. Very shy. As in shy around people he sees multiple times a week! As in hides when he sees strangers and sometimes cries when he sees people he knows! It takes him about 5-10 minutes to warm up, unless we're around a big group then he's content to just observe.
I read somewhere that kids who cried a lot as babies (ahem, Kade!) will grow up to have deeper voices. How they know that, I have know idea. Could be a bunch of bologna but so far Kade is proving the theory correct. His voice is pretty deep for a 2 year old!
He's still in diapers and probably will be for awhile. He's just started to request a new diaper after he pees but has no desire to go in the toilet. I have him in underwear as I type this, hoping he'll like the feel of them and want to start wearing them full time. We'll see.
He's been in a big boy bed since last fall but just this past Saturday got out of it on his own for the first time ever! So far he's only crawled out after he wakes up, which is fine. However, he seems to be waking up earlier and earlier! Today my cute, little alarm clock came in at 6:01.
He prefers milk or water, still not a big fan of juice. No complaints there!
He's still a great eater but he also has a fantastic sweet tooth. We can't tell him he has to eat something or there's no dessert because at the first mention of dessert he immediately pushes his plate away and declares he's done.
He's starting to do longer periods of imaginative play on his own but still prefers our company. Mainly dad's company but mom will do if no one else is available :-)
He's getting big and I'm already wishing he'd stay like this forever. Time really does fly.
Wednesday, May 8, 2013
It's time to renew our adoption application. Every year we have to fill out a bunch of paperwork, resubmit an application and meet with our social worker in order to remain eligible to be on the waiting list. People are always surprised at how much goes into the adoption process. It's an amazing experience but its not for the faint of heart! Luckily we don't have to pay the fee again, that's just a one time deal.
Erik and I kind of struggled this year. We have had such a wonderful experience with Kade's adoption. Our dreams have literally come true in Kade and we couldn't ask for a better birth family. Our fear is that, if we get chosen, the next adoption won't be as amazing. Do we really want to push our luck? Anyone that knows our story knows that luck was not on our side when it came to building our family!
What if our next birth mom doesn't want any involvement? How do we explain that to a child when his/her big brother has such a great birth family? What if we bring a baby home and the birth mom changes her mind and takes the baby back? How do we explain that to a very bright 2 year old who doesn't forget a thing? There are a lot of unknowns and anyone who knows us knows that we are PLANNERS! :-)
On the other hand, I would feel guilty if Kade grew up without a sibling. I know being an only child is not the end of the world but coming from families with brothers and sisters I can't imagine not having a sibling. And, I'm not going to lie, I wouldn't mind a daughter :-) Of course I'd be over the moon if I got another son too! I always planned on having 3 kids (2 boys and a girl). Ha ha ha, that just makes me laugh now! What is that saying? You want to make God laugh, just tell him your plans?
So, in the end, we've decided to give it the ol' college try for 1 more year. If we get chosen that would be wonderful!, amazing!, fantastic! And if we don't get chosen that would be fine too because Kade has fulfilled our dreams and filled our hearts with more love than we ever thought possible.
Here's a bunch of random pictures. I had to include a picture from the Historic Snowfall of May 2nd. When I wrote last weeks blog I had no idea what we were in for! And I'm including a picture of our latest "toy" :-)
Erik and I kind of struggled this year. We have had such a wonderful experience with Kade's adoption. Our dreams have literally come true in Kade and we couldn't ask for a better birth family. Our fear is that, if we get chosen, the next adoption won't be as amazing. Do we really want to push our luck? Anyone that knows our story knows that luck was not on our side when it came to building our family!
What if our next birth mom doesn't want any involvement? How do we explain that to a child when his/her big brother has such a great birth family? What if we bring a baby home and the birth mom changes her mind and takes the baby back? How do we explain that to a very bright 2 year old who doesn't forget a thing? There are a lot of unknowns and anyone who knows us knows that we are PLANNERS! :-)
On the other hand, I would feel guilty if Kade grew up without a sibling. I know being an only child is not the end of the world but coming from families with brothers and sisters I can't imagine not having a sibling. And, I'm not going to lie, I wouldn't mind a daughter :-) Of course I'd be over the moon if I got another son too! I always planned on having 3 kids (2 boys and a girl). Ha ha ha, that just makes me laugh now! What is that saying? You want to make God laugh, just tell him your plans?
So, in the end, we've decided to give it the ol' college try for 1 more year. If we get chosen that would be wonderful!, amazing!, fantastic! And if we don't get chosen that would be fine too because Kade has fulfilled our dreams and filled our hearts with more love than we ever thought possible.
Here's a bunch of random pictures. I had to include a picture from the Historic Snowfall of May 2nd. When I wrote last weeks blog I had no idea what we were in for! And I'm including a picture of our latest "toy" :-)
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
Spring Time in MN
You'd think by the title for this post that I mean green grass, trees budding, and sun shining. No, no and no. It's May 1st and snow is on its way. Lots of it. An accumulation of it. Mother Nature really has something against us this year. Thankfully she gave us a teaser this weekend so we were able to clean out the garage.
Kade and I backed the truck out and have turned our at-the-moment-very-clean-garage into an all purpose room. He's been bouncing from one activity to the next, in about 30 second intervals. Man, this kid is busy! He shoots a basket then yells, "BIKE TIME!". Rides one lap then yells, "4 WHIDDER TIME!". Backs up the "4 whidder" (he hasn't quite mastered the L sound yet), then yells, "TRACTOR TIME!" Scoops up some imaginary horse poop then yells,"BASEBALL TIME!" All the while, I sit on the bench, get tired just watching him, and drink my coffee. Life is good :-)
I even managed to snap a picture of the elusive Kade at rest! He's like a hummingbird, can never sit still for too long. Fear not, he was back up and moving .2 seconds after the photo was taken.
Kade and I backed the truck out and have turned our at-the-moment-very-clean-garage into an all purpose room. He's been bouncing from one activity to the next, in about 30 second intervals. Man, this kid is busy! He shoots a basket then yells, "BIKE TIME!". Rides one lap then yells, "4 WHIDDER TIME!". Backs up the "4 whidder" (he hasn't quite mastered the L sound yet), then yells, "TRACTOR TIME!" Scoops up some imaginary horse poop then yells,"BASEBALL TIME!" All the while, I sit on the bench, get tired just watching him, and drink my coffee. Life is good :-)
I even managed to snap a picture of the elusive Kade at rest! He's like a hummingbird, can never sit still for too long. Fear not, he was back up and moving .2 seconds after the photo was taken.
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