Spiritual moments

My heart sings as I share these moments with 'you', whoever you may be that read me. :) About three weeks ago Cade finally started saying his own prayers...real ones. Dear God thank you for that include people, fun things he's done, requests. It is P-R-E-C-I-O-U-S! And a little disconcerting that mom & dad don't always make the list, while Baba, Parker, and the pool seem to be common favorites. Oh well, I guess he figures we're covered, right? Prayer time is an insightful time into what really makes an impact on him; I love it.

Then there was the milestone yesterday. I was completely amazed and full of praise to our Father. Here's the scenario...Cade often fusses about getting his teeth brushed, and yesterday morning was no different. When I finally did the deed, I asked if he wanted anything to drink, and he said now. So I said 'OK', and headed down the stairs. He proceeded to throw a tantrum about wanting a drink, which I then told him to get on his own b/c he's completely competent to do so. 20-25 minutes of 'I can't do it!' fussing and whining, and he finally calms himself down and comes downstairs. We sit on the couch together reading books. It was nice. After a while, he looks at me and says 'Mom, will you forgive me?' Of course you know why he's saying this, but enough time had elapsed that I had to ask 'Cade, for what?' and he answered, "for crying on the stairs." I immediately forgave him, gave him major props for understanding the concept and asking forgiveness. I was in tears of joy!

We've recognized Cade's compassionate heart from an early age, and I feel like this grasping of the lesson of forgiveness simply reinfoces that. He's definitely going to look more like Daddy (both, ha ha!) in this area than mommy. Good for him!

3rd birthday fun

Wow, he's three. Raging three actually. His first response isn't necessarily obedience anymore, which is really causing me to rely on the Lord for wisdom. Which battles are the right ones to pick? What do you do when it's just that he's overtired from not napping (but TOTALLY refuses to rest)? I've tried 'it all' it feels like, and nothing seems to 'work'. I think it's a case-by-case event, which is again why it's so important for me to be partnering with Christ in parenting. I cannot do this on my own.

That said, he's still such a stinkin' cutie! The boy is such a joy in my life. The goodbye kisses, the blowing me kisses, and the 'I love you mommy' I get each day as I drop him off to MDO just make me beam. And then I get to return to a full-run, tackle hug and huge squeezes and 'MOMMY!' when I pick him up each day, as if he hadn't just seen me 4 hours ago or we haven't been doing this for a year. Cade has such a big heart....very compassionate. We've noticed that early on. I wonder how God will choose to have this honor him in Cade's purposing? What an exciting question to contemplate.

Back to being 3, he's also discovered himself, if you know what I mean. Not being a boy myself nor having brothers, a bit disconcerting. Fortunately, I have a friend who has an 8 year old, and we were running partners back when her son was 2-4. I so remember her telling me about this stage. I look forward to when it isn't such a novelty anymore.

His 3rd bday was at Gymboree. The kids & adults had a blast it seemed. I spent 8 hours baking mini train cakes (thanks, mom, for the mold pan!) and then had 4 women come over and help decorate them the night before (only 2 hours for that!). They looked awesome and tasted pretty good too. All in all, a great celebration. Maybe someday Cade will know how much love I put into his parties. Then again, probably not. :)

Easter 09

It's been so long since I've posted. Not for lack of Cade-related fun stuff, but now that I'm officially running a real business for myself, my time is so limited. I choose to use it for son, hubby, and the occasional facebook post. I have a confession to make; we're hypocrites. From the beginning husband and wife agreed that there would be no Santa Claus, because we want to ensure Christmas is about Christ. Easter? 1 year old and gathering eggs. 2 years old and another hunt.

3 years old...in early March mom asks Cade, "What is Easter about?" Cade responds, "Candy!" Insert horrored gasp and dawn of obvious...ooops! Should have nixed the Easter bunny from the get go too. But the family that puts on this annual Easter shin-dig is AWESOME, the people who attend are AWESOME, and it's a wonderful family time....but it also happens to have an Easter egg hunt. Mom dutifully begins regularly reading the story of Easter from the Bible to Cade. Quizzes followed by high praise ensue. And then the golden moment, when he puts it together as much as a near 3-year old can. For the umpteenth time mom asks, "What is Easter about?", and he responds, "It's about when Jesus died on cross, and then SURPRISE! He rose up." The simplicity, accuracy and childlikeness (the 'surprise' slayed me!) just blessed my heart.

Ahhhhh, now on to the annual shin-dig and Easter egg hunt with less guilty feelings. :)

Big-boy bed! 12.20.08

After realizing he could probably sommersault out of his crib should he lean too far over the rail, we decided we'd better get Cade in a toddler bed. We spoke excitedly of this to him for weeks hoping to make the transition an easy one. Having only shortly overcome waking every evening screaming, we had reason for concern.

Enter toddler bed. I must say, it is adorable; a bed made just for a boy his size. We set it up, made a big deal about it, gave him a real pillow, a blanket, and then....installed the stair gate inside his room. T.J. & I went back and forth on this, and I lost. I totally understand the necessity, but it's a distasteful one. Night one went something like this:

Standard hemming & hawing about going to bed. Gently coerce the boy upstairs for brushing of teeth. Enter room. "I don't want to sleep in big-boy bed." "But honey, you are a big boy now. This is special! You have daddy's old pillow & pillow case, a blanket, and your own bed." He's not convinced. We proceed with prayers & kisses, and then we begin to leave the room. "No leave me! Stay here!" repeat...repeat... We exit nonetheless and the hysterics begin. Screaming, crying, gasping, more screaming. I revisit the room and try to calm him down. More screaming, crying, gasping. We wait longer this time - about 15 minutes. I visit again. Rinse & repeat. Finally...at long last...silence.

"God bless him. He finally got himself to sleep in his big-boy bed. I wanna peak in on him and witness this serene and blissful sleep in his new bed." Nope. He'd cried himself to sleep in his rocking chair! How pitiful!

Lest you be concerned, things have improved from this night. However, he still screams every evening for 10 or more minutes hoping we'll come back and snuggle with him or stay in the room. I'm trying to instill a concept of God being with him all the time even though he can't see him - just like when dad & mom are downstairs when he's in his bed. Don't know if it's 'getting through', but I know it will eventually!

Supernatural understanding

I am not writing this in anything but sheer joy for the mystery of God at the center of each of our souls. Last week Cade was 'helping me cook'. After our task was done as he was still on his stool, I took his face between my hands, looked him in the eyes and said, "Cade, you are a very special boy. You are fun, creative and a joy to be around." And he responded without hesitation, "God created me."

If that is not proof that we all know at the very depths of our souls Who it is that loves us most, gives us all good things, and creates the best in us, then I don't know what is.

Bowling or pitching?

So i guess two and a half is a little early to try out bowling, even bumper bowling. Not that Cade wasn't interested, but he really couldn't get the 'put it between your legs and then shove it down the alley'. He was more interested in side-arming it with an alarming 'CHUNK' onto the alley and then watching it slowly, slowly, ever so slowly roll down the alley. And he really wasn't all that interested in that. I believe he had the most fun rolling the bowling balls back and forth on the 'bowling ball wall', or whatever you call that thing that they store the balls on for you to find one.

Of course we have lots of video and pics of this event...as we do vacation...and none of it has yet made it to the computer to do anything with. When it's progressed suitably, we'll put it on YouTube, and I'll put the link out here.

Past month highlights

Has it really been over a month since my last post?! Here are some things Cade has been up to:

• sang mom "Happy Birthday" minus a few words here and there of course
• spontaneously told mom "Thank you for cooking me dinner, mom." Whoa. That one blew my mind.
• has to brush teeth by himself now
• I interrupted him praying outside the other day. We were getting ready to go somewhere, and I was packing up the car. I called to him to come over to get in, but he didn't respond. I went over to him, and his eyes were closed. I touched him, and he just kinda looked at me then closed his eyes again. Then he quickly opened them back up, and I asked "were you praying?" and he said yes! I know it was a leading question, but in the moment I just sensed that was what he was doing.
• will unprompted say 'I love you' (not regularly, but happening now!)
  
• can use the touch-pad mouse on the laptop & the hand mouse on the home pc to play computer games
• is developing 'friendships' with certain boys & girls at school
• picks up Calamity like a sack of potatoes and carries her around

There's more, I'm sure, but these are the top-of-mind awareness things.