Caleb Turns 2

Our little boy Caleb turned 2 on May 14th. Caleb had a wonderful birthday this year, we were able to celebrate two times with both sets of Grandparents and family, a rare treat. Caleb is totally into cars and balls so you can guess we decided to go with a CARS theme. He loves Lighting McQueen!! So we decked out the place with all things CARS, plates, cups, streamers, balloons and of course his Cake. Caleb came done from his nap and was totally surprised with all the decorations and giant car balloon, he did is normal hoo hoo noise when he gets excited.

Once again I totally stressed about making Caleb's cake. Its a family tradition I wanted to continue. My mom took a couple of classes in college and with her natural talent was able to make anything our hearts desired in cake that is. I try to attempt to come close. I never really appreciated all the work my mom put into my cakes as a kids until I started making them for my own kids. I guess my very first job I had at Kencraft candy factory was for my benefit, I just didn't know it then. I really enjoy making my kids cakes, it gives me time to reflect on the past year of their little life. I think about things they have learned, how they have grown, and fun memories. It's a special time for me to step back and just reflect and remember. Caleb's cake was quiet the challenge for me, but I think it turned out pretty good. Caleb seemed to really like his cake, as soon as he saw it he started making car sounds and saying go go go! (He is actually sitting next to me right now going crazy looking at the picture of his cake, making car nosies like crazy and yelling go go in my ear, so funny) We had pizza for lunch and then had cake, I think watching Kids eat their cake is one of the highlights of a birthday for me. Caleb was even more silly this year than the last, I gave him a fork to eat it with and he decided he wanted to just pick up the whole huge piece of cake and eat it with his hands. Caleb is so vocal when he eats, he was constantly saying mmmm, ohhh and yum. He would stop and say cheese to the camera when you took a picture of him, what a ham!

He really got into eating his cake this year. Then we had presents. Typical two year old all he wanted to play with and was interested in is the first thing he opened, after that we had to distract him from the last thing he opened so he would open the next toy. Caleb had big sister and cousin Julia help him open a few with him, helping him with the wrapping paper, oh course Kate and Julia where more than willing to help, it was nice to have them get involved. After presents we just hung out and played with all the new toys the family had given him.




After a few hours, I took a look around the room and it looked like a Car had literally threw up everywhere. There was some much stuff with McQueen on it and toy cars everywhere. It was great, Caleb had a really great birthday. We also got the chance to visit with Jerry side of the family and have a second birthday celebrating. We continued with the Cars theme, we bought the cake for this party, the first cake was just to hard to repeat.

It was great we had a wonderful dinner made by Jerry's Dad. We had Hawaiian Hamburgers, I had never had pineapple on my burger before, but whoa it was so good. We also had wings and potato salad, I felt so bad, my father-in law got called into work at the last minute because a co-workers wife just had a baby and the shift needed to be covered. We missed him! After that we open lots of fun presents from all the Grandparents, cousins and Aunts and Uncles. Then we had Cake, Caleb did really well blowing out his candles this year, I was impressed. It was a great time as well at the Rasmussen side of the family celebrating Caleb's birthday.
It's been such a pleasure and a blessing to see this little man of ours grow, and learn. Caleb is truly the sweetest most tender heart boy. He is so aware of others around him and cares so much for his sisters. I simply love his little laugh and his cheery grin. Caleb is now a whopping 25 pounds and growing taller everyday. Caleb as you know loves cars and to kick his soccer ball around everywhere. He now says Mommy and ma ma, I thought I would never hear him say that. Now I am not sure how excited I am about it now, because that is all he says now. Caleb has actually really started to say a lot more words now, he is becoming quiet the vocal little guy. He say go, back, dogie, Jane, da da, Kate, please, Cookie, taco, baby, uh oh, no, bye-bye,bath, car, and a whole lot more I can seem to remember right now. Caleb loves to give every guy he sees Rocks and High fives, must be a guy thing, I just don't know. Caleb has become quiet the little dancer too. A couple of weeks ago he managed to turn on Grandma's radio/CD player and started dancing to the music in front of her wall mirror, to to funny. He dances to anything that has a beat. He loves to car dance also. He still has a thing for ears, he pulls on his ears and others ears for comfort. He plays and plays with every ones ears, he has done that since he was a little baby. He still love to sleep with his blanket a friend of ours made for him, he will not go to sleep or sleep with anything but that blanket. So lets just say I make sure it's clean and out of the dryer by nap time, I have learned my lesson. Caleb at this point has no interest in potty training and I am fine with that, I have learn I need to go at the my kids pace a little more instead of my pace. So I guess I am going to be dealing with two kids in diapers for a little while longer. Caleb really loves to go swimming and take baths. He can't seem to get his clothes off fast enough.
We sure do love Caleb, he has been so wonderful to have in our family, Happy Birthday Caleb we love you Lots. Thanks to everyone for helping make Caleb's birthday happen and for making it such a special day!

Hair Cut Success!!!!!!

It was that time again, Caleb was due for another haircut, and I was wondering how I was going to do it. We have gone into get his hair cut in the past and we've had to actually walk out with his hair not done. I guess after his first cut it was a little to traumatic for him, the instant we walk into the place he freaks out. So we found out that he does mind his dad doing it at home, so we have resorted to that instead. Well being out town I need to figure out a way to get his hair cut with out having half his head buzzed and the rest long. So only in Utah could you find a place that could help me out with my dilemma. I am sure it's other places but it sure does fit Utah and there Kid friendly places. I found a place called Cookie Cutter Cuts for Kids. It was awesome can I say. I only had my cell phone with me, so the pictures are not the best quality. Can I say they have the art or distraction down to a tee. You come in and they have a slide to play on while you wait, which helped Caleb not realize what was about to happen. Caleb did great he actually had a great time and didn't want to leave, the complete opposite of last time. I sat him down in the little car chair and they let him pick out his favorite movie to watch, which of course was CARS. The car chair actually had a horn that beeped. They gave him a lollipop to eat and gave me some bubble to blow at him. What Kid would even know you were cutting their hair with all that stuff going on. Caleb like I said didn't want to leave, his hair cut was done before we knew it and not tear were shed. That is my kind of day. Caleb looks so cute with his new hair cut, on the way out they gave him a little balloon and a cookie cutter. So I am completely sold, it was worth every penny. I just need to find out how to get this place everywhere it the United States to help all those other moms out there that have the same problem as me.

Jane 5 months old

Wow I have got some blogging to catch up on it's already been a month. The Kids and I are out in Utah visiting family so it's been harder to keep up on things. Jane is now 5 months old she is able to roll over now and she is almost sitting up. She needs a little help from the boppy but I give her a few more days and she should have it down on her own. Jane loves to talk at night, that is her most talkative time of day, all kinds of baby talk, and babbling. Jane gets a kick out you kissing her cheeks it makes her smile and laugh. Jane is also really good at grabbing things, she can now put her own Binky in her mouth now. I think some teeth are coming in soon, not so good for me, great for her. Jane is a very good traveler, she loves to ride in the car and does great at the grocery store. She is a very happy, calm, sweet baby. She is now starting to have a more regular routine, the two naps and a more regular night time. Jane enjoys playing in the bath, she smiles and grins from ear to ear. She loves to watch her brother Caleb and often time I catch her smiling at her brother. She love to talk to him too. Caleb talks to her and no one seems to understand him but Jane, she babbles right back at him and they laugh at each other. I wonder what they are really saying to each other sometimes, I guess it for them to know and us to never find out. Jane likes to listen to Kate sing to her, each time she is fussy Kate will sing and she instantly calms down. Jane loves it when you say her name and smile at her, she always smiles back at you. Jane's newest things is to watch herself rotate her ankles and wiggle her toes over and over. Jane is approximately 16 pounds she is very fat and sassy, and we love her little fat rolls, so cute! Jane is growing fast and doing great we love you Jane!

Jane 4 months old

Jane is now four months old. I can't believe how fast this first 4 months have gone by. Jane is growing so fast. She is now in 9 month clothes, she is our little chunky monkey baby, we love all her little baby rolls. She is now holding her head up really well and sleeping for the most part threw the night. She loves to smile and giggle. When she is happy she just sits and talks baby talk what seem like forever, it is so cute. Every time you say her name when you are looking at her she gives you a big grin. She love it when her big sister sings to her, it always calms her down when she is crying. She loves the kisses and hugs from her brother. Jane is starting to want to roll over, she just can't quite get her legs around. Jane is almost sitting up, she still needs to strengthen her muscles a little bit more to do it all by herself. Jane is also really getting good at reaching for things and holding on. She hold on to her own binky sometimes. Jane is a very easy going baby, she is simply a joy to have in our family. We love you Jane!

Homemade Bird Feeder

Spring is in the air. Outside Kate discover the pretty song of a bird and asked me if I knew the name of the bird that was singing. So I looked up and sure enough it was what I thought, a Red Cardinal. We were able to take some neat pictures of it. I then explain that it was a boy bird, and that the reason he is so colorful, is that he was trying to get the girl birds attention. Sure enough as you look across the tree branch you saw the female bird singing her song back. This reminded me off my Grandpa Spafford and his love of birds and helping him put the bird feed out in the early morning. Good memories! It then gave me the idea of the time I made bird feeders out of pine cones and peanut butter in grade school. We have huge pine trees here with really large pine cones just freshly fallen off the trees. We collected them one day on one of our walks. Kate and Caleb really enjoyed making the bird feeders, I put the peanut butter on and Kate rolled it in the bird feed. Let just say all Caleb wanted to do is eat the peanut butter, that was his favorite part. I had to get him his own special spoon and scoop it out of the peanut butter we actually eat. Let just say when I was busy with Kate and I missed Caleb dipping his spoon in for more in the wrong jar of Peanut butter. I guess a little bird food hasn't hurt any one right, it was just a tiny amount so I wasn't too worried. It was a good little project to do with the kids, quick and simple and so much fun. It was neat to see the birds actually using the feeder. Kate is always looking out the window to see the birds eating, she is always excited to point it out to me," look at the birds mommy" I was a great time, and the kids love it.

Kate's Teddy Bear Tea Party

Kate had a fun month of talking about the three bears at school. At the end of the month the teacher set up a little tea party (lemonade was used), and each student got to bring there Teddy Bears and dress up in any kind of dress they wanted to. The boys didn't have to of course. It was super fun for me to help her pick out what dress she wanted to wear. We did her hair all pretty in a nice sparkly head band I usually pull her hair back so it's out of her face, but we left it down for the special occasion. All the girls in her class looked so cute all dressed up. Kate said she had a great time. I have find it hard to be the one outside the classroom. I have missed teaching. I never really understood what it was like to have my own child in class and me just hear about whats going on verse me being the teacher being involved in all the activities. It some times is hard to be on the outside looking in. I wish I could at least be a fly on the wall to see all the fun Kate is having. I miss teaching, but I know I am still teaching just in a different form, as a mother now. That is the best teaching opportunity in the world to me. I would not change this stage I am in my life right now,I love it, it is hard some days but I love it!

Jane Elizabeth's Blessing

Sorry I am a little behind in my blogging it's been busy around here lately. Jane had a wonderful blessing On Sunday March 7, 2010. She looks so beautiful in her dress and she did really well, not one cry. It was a beautiful blessing given by her Daddy. He did a great job. It was so nice to be able to have Family come and join us for this special occasion. It was nice to have Jerry's sister family come visit one more time before they moved back to Utah. Along with his sister, Jerry's parents came out to visit as well. It was nice to have Grandpa and Grandma there too.We has so much fun miniature golfing and playing at the local park together. We unfortunately had a stomach virus being passed around to everyone, so I didn't get any pictures of me and Jane together that day. I was able to barely get myself and the kids dressed, hear the blessing and then run out to the bathroom, then my son Caleb threw up all over himself shortly after, so we went home early. I was glad I was able to hear and see my sweet baby blessed, for that I am grateful. I had my brother in-law take some pictures on that day of her and then I took some few days later after I felt better. I just really wanted to take a few more to capture how she look at this age, in her dress. It's always such a nice day to be able to have you children blessed and to feel and have that little spirit in your home. Jane is such a blessing in our lives and we are so glad she is part of our family.