Taking a Sad Day
I feel a little guilty.
No I don’t feel guilty because I took a picture of my son while he was sad.
I feel guilty because I’m having a sad day and when I stumbled upon this picture it made me feel better. It wasn’t the “pathetic-ness” of the image but the fact that he too has a sad day every now and then that was a little comforting. Being comforted by the fact that your two year old also has sad days making you not the only one is however a bit pathetic.
I allow him to have them so I’m allowing myself one too.
What.A.Treat.
Chugga Chugga Choo Two!
Chugga – Chugga, Chugga-Chugga, Chugga – Chugga
Choo – Two!
If you aren’t able to tell, we had a bit of a theme this year for Caden’s second birthday. Shortly after Christmas Caden became enamored with trains. Their sounds, the way they connect, the steam, the tracks – Choo Choo! I couldn’t resist how cute and excited he was when he saw a train so all other birthday plans and ideas went out the window to start fresh on the train party he didn’t even know he could have. 
To set the stage and make you feel like you where there, why don’t you first take a look around the party before seeing the birthday boy in action below.
To make it easier on the picture uploading I compiled the pictures into some collages so I will add a little list for you since it is a bit hard to see!
Mantle Decor
Painted Burlap Covered Canvases, Antiqued Painted Family Rail-Road Sign, Fabric Strip Banners, Cardstock & Twine Birthday Banner, Recent Pics of the Birthday Boy, Good Old Fashioned Paper Streamers Twisted & Draped
Lots of Birthday Treats and Eats
Boxcar Brisket Sandwiches, Passenger Popcorn, Railroad Rice Krispies, Choo Choo Twizzlers, All Aboard Lil; Smokies, Conductor Chocolate Dipped Oreos, Steam Engine Seven Layer Dip, Cupcakes, Sweet Tea, Lemonade, Brewsky,
The Treat Train – Coal Car (Chocolate Dipped Peanuts) Log Car (Chocolate Dipped Pretzel Sticks), Taffy Trolley (Salt Water Taffy) Candy Car (Peppermints)
Entryway
1 Year/18Month/2Year Picture Timeline, Conductor Caden Blocks, Striped Paper Straws, Yarn Wrapped Wreath with Felt Trains and Button #2 (Caden glued the buttons on), Birthday Boy Chair, Caden Station-Platform #2 Antiqued Sign
Party Time!
As I began setting various decorations that I had been making out the days leading up to the party it was so cute to see Caden wake up from his nap and get so giddy over the choo-choos that were appearing all over his house.
In decorating slowly he really did get to see everything and be excited about it which was fun for me and less overwhelming for him. We celebrated the Saturday before Caden’s actual birthday and it was a wonderful 
day of friends and family loving on our boy! We are so fortunate to have so many who care about our family and had another great turnout. Since Caden has become a “shy-guy” recently I was a little worried that he might clam up and be upset about the attention but he loved it. Once guests started showing up he giggled, bounced and let out a few excited shrieks. Seeing his friend Dylan and cousins Cathryn, Cameron and Locke arrive were a highlight…until Nonna and Pa Pa came and stole his heart.
Caden was so busy running around, playing on the floor with the other kids, feeding Dylan’s little brother Graham, begging Nonna to hold him and stealing
snacks off of the food table that I barely saw the big boy! Honestly with Everett being occupied by Pa Pa there were several times I looked around and realized I hadn’t seen either of my boys. Too busy having fun to pay attention to Mama!
When the time came for cake Caden was a little surprised that all of the sudden everyone was staring at him and singing to him. Fortunately after a couple of
seconds he got over it without getting shy or upset and thought he should help Mommy get his cupcake…which he then informed me was ”hot” due to the candles. He looks so sad about the cupcake in all of the pictures. “Why must you give me sweets?!”
In true Kazmann fashion, the birthday boy was intrigued by the cupcake yet 
disappointed in the taste. These Kazmann boys don’t have much of a sweet tooth. Maybe that is why I feel like I need to eat every sweet…you know, to make up for them! So he poked at it, played with the candles, tried to use the candles as a fork/spoon and then decided that smashing his cupcake with a fork for a couple minutes was way better than eating it. Once his birthday treat was good and demolished he declared “All done!” and was ready to get back to partying.
Considering all of the things I keep telling you I was “worried” about its amazing I even did a party, but I was also a little worried about present time. If you remember, presents at Christmas was just too much for him to handle. He would become obsessed with whatever he just opened, want it out of the box stat and be done opening presents
regardless of how many were left. Not this time! After one present, Colter handed present duty off to me and as he opened the gifts he would say “Woah! Choo-Choo” “Ohhhh” and occasionally just let out a big sigh. Sooooo cute. I was able to deter him from needing all of them out of the box immediately by taking a couple out and then after he would unwrap I would tell him that we would take it out later but right then he could go pick out another present. The helper in him couldn’t resist 
the opportunity to bouncy run over to the presents choose one and carry it back to me so I could see him open it. It was a quite funny (to me at least) because he was actually picky about which gift he chose each time. The cleaner in him couldn’t stand the paper on the floor and after taking it all the way to the trash can in the kitchen twice I had to turn a large gift bag into a trash bag so he could pick it up and throw it away right then and there. OCD much? Caden was showered with trains. Magnetic trains, plastic trains, remote 
control train, train tracks, train bath toys, train coloring book. Choo choo heaven. The lucky boy also got a grill (more on this to come), clothes, a Mickey guitar (need I say more).
A very Happy Birthday indeed. We can’t thank everyone enough for giving our family and kiddo so much love. He is so lucky to be surrounded by good friends and friends of ours that are like family. We all were reminiscing about how it seemed like we were just together to celebrate his first birthday when already another year had passed. Two years old going on fifteen. I wonder what we will have to turn the house into next year for his birthday…I hope it isn’t Batman’s batcave!
Fun Facts Uno
Upon recent reflection, I have realized that my update posts on the kiddos have been lacking a little bit of gusto. A lot of the same old, same old Each day I think of all of these things for their updates and then when it comes down to it I can’t think of one fun, interesting or silly thing they are doing. Therefore, this will be the fun facts of Caden post.
Caden has discovered sandwiches (finally) and is obsessed,
He used to always peel them apart and eat it all separately, now he thinks the “stack” is just great. Then he saw at Potbelly’s the individual chip bags. So now he thinks sandwiches always come with chips. Can you tell we have hid the unhealthy things from him as long as possible? Packing picnic lunches just got that much easier.
He often declares “Oh No!” when he deems something devastating.
That being said, among the many things he has decided “devastating” one includes his dollop of peanut butter falling off of his apple piece onto the plate. “Oh No!”
Bubble baths are a favorite. How can you resist when we walks to the tub looks up at you and says “bubbles?” with a huge grin. He hunts for his toys in the bubbles, puts them on his head and has even learned to blow a pile of them off of his hand thanks to a parental demonstration.
When you add in the Thomas the Train bath toys he got for his birthday to the bubbles you aren’t ever getting him out.
Caden loves to do “projects”. Whether it is painting, gluing, sorting texture items in muffin tins, making birthday decorations or actually building with Daddy when you ask him if he wants to do a project he comes running. Here you can see him making some Valentines with his Dad.
Mr. Artist
His crib is starting to resemble a Build A Bear store. He now sleeps with two “snuggle bears” (also known as lovies in some families”, a puppy dog, a stuffed Dr. Seuss whale, a lightweight blanket he once was swaddled in and a giant mickey mouse that he got for his birthday. Sometimes it is hard to find the kid in there!
Caden loves Wipeout. You know…that ridiculous show where ridiculous people try 
to get across a ridiculous obstacle course? Big balls anyone? Yeah, wipeout. He LOVES it. One night it happened to be on, he saw someone pretending to be a superhero get flipped off of a spinning tower into a foaming pit of water and he was hooked. He squeals, he screams ‘Woah!”, he laughs. Wipeout is now on DVR for emergencies. Of all the things.
Ever since we got the kid toothpaste that has Thomas the Train on the front of it he loves to brush his teeth. So every morning and every night he eagerly climbs on his favorite stool that Nonna gave him so he can brush his teeth with choo-choos. Caden’s words, not mine. Whatever works people. A stool and train toothpaste in this house.
In addition to the projects – the kid wants to cook with me all day. One time I asked him (since he loves to help) if he wanted to and now he drags his chair to our island and says “I cook!” multiple times a day. He actually is a pretty good helper and is careful not to spill when I let him dump things in the bowl or pot. He usually gets his own bowls with random ingredients to mix up as well. Fortnately Caden is very aware of what is hot, spinning etc. and is quite cautious in the kitchen. So while cooking with us he is safe!
Lucky for Caden, the Pauls gave him a grill for his birthday so now he really does “cook” all day long. “I cook! I cook!” Fake hamburgers and hot dogs are regularly taste tested in this house.
Speaking of hot dogs and hamburgers, I don’t know how but Caden recently decided he is quite fond of ketchup. He hadn’t ever really had it and doesn’t care for anything fried so he never had much exposure I suppose. Now he things sandwiches dipped in ketchup are pretty great. Could be worse I suppose! “Catch-up?” as he points to his plate.
Choo – Choo! His upcoming birthday update will show his passion for trains but you could call this a sneak peek. Planes, trains and automobiles! Don’t worry, the “fun” doesn’t stop here – more is on the way! Hopefully these pictures helped you see Caden in action a bit more. On to the birthday party!
IOU
I Owe You Several Things
{Fun Facts of a Two Year Old}
{Toddler Time in the Kazmann Casa}
{The Big Birthday Party Review}
{Everett at 4 Months (as of tomorrow)}
{Rosemary Chicken and Veggies}
Until then, I will leave you with this morself of preciousness.
Sweetness and Smooches {A Week of Kazmann Love – Day 3}
Sharing Our Snuggles
“Here Bo, you snuggle Mickey.”
“Maybe I’ll help and snuggle both of you.”
Be Mine
You only have a week to get your Valentine.
No pressure.
To help you get in the mood (or make you run further from it) I am a “Guest Valentine” today on oen of my college roomate’s wonderful blogs.
So, pop on in to Jordy Liz Blogs and see one thing we say in this house, especially with kids.
A Doozy
This past week has been a doozy.
Everett was in the hospital and while he is home now we are all still feeling the effects of what was a VERY long weekend and a sickness that seems to never end. Fortunately for Everett he has a very worried yet attentive brother to look after him.
Sweet boys.
(Yes, I will tell you what happened but for now I’m going to sit down…and probably cry from exhaustion.)
A Different Eve
This year’s Christmas Eve was a bit different as the absence of Dana was truly felt. Each year, she and Don always hosted a fabulous Christmas Eve at their house. In the months leading up to it I would chat with her about all of her shopping, wrapping and place settings for that year. She loved to find a new creative way to give everyone their own personal spot, a beautiful table, delicious food and gifts that would make their eyes light up. Dana was a kid at Christmas. She was always full of giggles and couldn’t contain her excitement as her gift pile grew – not ashamed of boasting when her pile was the biggest either. She had a fine balance of loving the gifts but really just loving having her family and her closest friends (who were even more her family) there to celebrate and share her love with.
As I wrapped each present this year I thought of her. Each and every present. Long ago she started artfully wrapping our gifts with decorative paper, elaborate bows from “real ribbon” complete with some specially coordinated topper. Over the years it became a sort of “thing” to see who was going to put what on top, which ribbon got recycled from last year and who got the special topper that year (inappropriate Santa ornament anyone?). Now, I can’t help but continue to do the same with all of my gifts for my nieces and nephews as they see what little trinkets adorn the tops of their packages too.
She was very much missed and will be each year especially on Christmas Eve but we will carry on with her holiday traditions as we try to start some new ones to make up for those lost.
This year, the Orr clan (brother and sister in law Drew & Jess with my niece Cathryn,
and nephew Cameron – Dad & Jill and my grandmother) gathered at our house. We decided to make it as easy on us as possible with 4 kids three and under so that it could be relaxed and about the kids. Everett made sure his first Christmas Eve was about him as he was fussy most of the evening requiring my full attention. I then inhaled a plate of food (the two minute swallow a plate of food without chewing because you have to get some 
calories so you can feed your son again meal) without paying attention to what I had been served. Thus…I threw Everett into a colic tailsping after the next feeding because of the meal. Poor Everett…poor us.
So, while I may have missed the end of dinner and all of the gift opening, I made sure that Colter took some pictures so I could see what happened!
The professional unwrapper himself.
(Turns out that once he unwrapped one that is all he wanted to play with and was annoyed by having to unwrap others.)
Here Pop and Nana Jill, let me help!
Pre-Fussiness Smiles for Pop
Celebrating Great Grandma Orr’s birthday a few weeks early.
Caden ecstatic to drink out of his Mickey Christmas cup with a straw. It’s the little things.
Just when Drew & Jess thought they had won Caden’s heart with the Little People airplane gift, he opened Great Grandma’s gift…a blinking, light up remote control car. You have never seen a kid giggle and squeal so much.
So yes it was different, but we were able to come together as a family and make it about the kids while still missing Dana and those we usually see at her house each year. We made new memories with the new and more grown kiddos this year and got to enjoy the magic they bring to the holiday. Everyone then ventured off to bed in their Christmas jammies waiting for Santa’s surprises!
While This Blog Was Sleeping
You may have noticed that there was an impromptu blogging hiatus.
Not because of kiddos though.
Because of hijackers.
Not hijackers on a plane, I haven’t flown anywhere.
Hijackers making this site go crazy.
Though if the hiatus wasn’t from hijackers it probably would have been from kiddos.
Because I have a colicky newborn and a toddler who likes painting himself with peanut butter.
I have deterred.
My brother, AKA “Family IT guy” fixed the hijackers – I like to think he arrested them and sent them to Alcatraz all by their lonesome. That is if they were plane hijackers.
Regardless, while this blog was “sleeping” this is what you missed and what I will be updating you on.
**Thanksgiving – We Actually Made it to Dinner** On November 27th Caden turned 21 months ** On December 2nd Everett turned 1 Month ** Tidbits of Mothering Two
** Recipes – Oh Wait…I Haven’t Cooked Anything New in A Month – nevermind **
Until then, I will leave you with some cuteness to get you through.
Family Snuggle Time
Ringing in 27
This past Saturday I officially rang in year 27 (another reason why Baby E can now make his appearance any time he so chooses) and I think it was one of the most perfect birthday celebrations I have ever had. A couple weeks ago I called my mother in law and asked if she thought it would be okay if we celebrated my birthday with them at their house.
Yes, you read right.
I asked to spend my birthday with my in laws.
In fact, I didn’t even clear it with my husband prior to making the arrangements or ask if he had made other plans. (Naturally he loves to say how he had to cancel the limo & fancy restaurant because of this.) I know my mother in law partially thinks it is because I am so dang pregnant and didn’t want to have to go out so to speak, but I kept telling her it was really because spending the evening with her, my father in law, the hubs and Mr. Caden sounded like the perfect list of guests to me.
I am very fortunate. I don’t have “in-law” stories like so many of you. My in-laws have been a part of my life for roughly 11 years now and in the last eight years I would say they have been in the very top tier of my biggest supporters and really, caretakers. When my parents moved to Florida I would come home from college and stay with them at
times…even when Colter wasn’t with me. When my mom passed away I was at their house and they were among the first to for lack of a different truth, just hold me. My in laws are my family through and through and now in an even more special role, they are Caden’s Nonna and Pa Pa.
Caden LOVES his Nonna and PaPa. Loves them. He applauds when we pull into their driveway. He grins from ear to ear as he scurries up their sidewalk to the front door leaving us behind them. He immediately reaches up for hugs when he sees them. He is more upset when they leave a room than when we do. I already see Caden cherishing them like I did my grandparents. It is very special and very sweet.
Soooooooooooooo, I wanted to spend my birthday with them. Carolyn went all out with an unbelievably delicious dinner complete with her homemade chocolate birthday cake. I ate quite the birthday meal, but just for Baby E. They even had beautiful fall birthday hydrangeas for me which she may or may not know are my favorite flower.
There was playtime outside, good food, even better company and a happy boy who cheered on the Rangers after dinner with us allowing everyone to visit a little longer.
With birthday calls from friends far and near, cards in the mail from sweet friends and generous gifts that were not expected it was a wonderful day. Yoga in the morning, getting to meet a precious Graham Fenner, their newest addition, relaxing, celebrating, the Rangers winning and heading to the World Series and getting to play with a new iPad (thank you hubs) it was a wonderful way to kick off another year. I couldn’t help but look around at my husband, son, the family around me and feel Baby E getting comfy in my belly and not feel so content and at peace in my blessings.
Happy Birthday to Me!