Our Baby is growing up

Here is the scene: Kaden is sitting at the kitchen counter. Tim and I are standing there talking to him.

Kaden: "Dad, you can just call me Kade."

(Tim and I pick our jaws up off the floor)

Tim: "Do you want to be called Kade now?"
Kaden: "Yeah, that is what my friends call me."

I am thinking: who are these kids and why is my baby growing up so fast. When we named Kaden we knew there would probably be a time when he just wanted to be called Kade. I didn't think it would be this soon!
This happend a few days ago and he hasn't brought it up again. So, I think we can still call him Kaden for awhile longer. Although, I should probably start getting used to the idea calling him Kade.

Picture with Santa

We went to the mall yesterday for our annual picture with Santa. Every year we take a picture with Santa and then I display all of them at Christmas. Just so we can see what the kids looked like each year. Wow have things changed in 5 years! Anyway meeting Santa went pretty well. The line was really long becuse a few preschools were there to see Santa. At least the mall did something right. The area to stand in line was big so the kids had room to move and they had videos of Rudolph-the-red-nosed reindeer playing. So it wasn't too painful.

2008

And because I can't resist. Here are our pics from the last 4 years.

2007

2006

2005

2004

My favorites are the years where we have a screamer. So far for each of the boys that seems to be when they are 1.

Way to go Kristen!

I am so proud of my sister. Today she graduated from KU with a masters degree in Accounting. Way to go Sis! In 3 weeks she will get married and then start studying for the CPA exam.

By the way I posted several things tonight so keep scrolling down.

"Come to the Manger"

The church we have been attending had a family event last week called "Come to the Manger". It was a hands-on evening for families to prepare their hearts for Christmas. Our family had a great time together. It started with a guided tour or the Christmas story. We visited the shepherds, wise men, and of course Joseph and Mary and each told their part of the Christmas story. Then there were lots of classrooms set up with different things for us to do.

Making an edible manger scene - my favorite activity

Painting an ornament for our tree

Watching our Shrinky Dinks Shrink

Decorating Cookies

Making a Gift for our Neighbors

And of course the boys favorite - the train room. Lots of model trains to watch and some to play with.

Hats & Boots

Jack is such a funny kid. He cracks us up all the time. Recently he started wearing cowboy boots and a hat with everything. Here is a little glimpse of what Jack may come downstairs wearing.

Boots & a backwards KU hat with P.J.'s

Boots with a shirt & diaper. Gotta love those chubby baby legs!

Oh yeah, can't forget the santa hat to complete his outfit

We took the plunge!

Okay, this isn't earth shattering but we entered the world of ARTIFICAL Christmas trees. It has been wonderful!!! The reason we had always bought real Christmas trees is because Tim and I both have fond memories of going to a tree farm to pick out a tree. I grew up about a 1/4 of a mile from a tree farm and every year we played hide and seek while looking for the perfect tree then cut it down and drug it home. I want my kids to have similar experiences so we had always gotten a real tree. Well, this year since baby #3 has entered the picture the theme to everything has been "simple and easy". So I decided it was time to go with the pre lit, pine needle free, no water option. Which is so nice. Then in a few years when the boys will not only remember the experience but be able to help we may go back to a real tree for a few years. I am thinking when they are 8,6, & 4 years old.

Here is our tree.

OUCH!!!

We took the boys in for their shots last week. I knew Kaden needed the Hep A & a flu shot. Well when we got there they told me he also needed his "kindergarten" shots. I was going to wait on those but the nurse didn't really give us that option so he got 5 shots. Jack got 4 shots and Kyler got 3 plus an oral vaccine. It was not a good morning. I was surprised because at every dr. office we have been to in the past they did the shots all at once so it was over very quick. At this dr. there is just one nurse that gives the shots so it is one at a time! You can imagine how Kaden & Jack reacted. It seemed to take forever! Of course every shot they gave was a little more painful then the last. Poor Guys!
I tried to get a pic of all of them with their bandaids but it just didn't work out.

Leaves

Fall would not be complete without playing in the leaves.

I think it is safe to say he doesn't like his hat & gloves

Jack really wanted to go outside today. So we put his coat on and he was happy but when we put the hat & gloves on this is what happend...

Oh and I started recording about 5 minutes into his tantrum.

The Next Big Boy Band

Remember you saw them here first. The Barker Brothers will be on a stage near you in say 15 years.

That is Kaden on Piano, Jack on guitar, and Kyler on vocals. Sometimes we also get our beagle Riley on vocals as well. I know you are all jealous you don't live here with such musical talent!

One of those moments

This is one of those moments when your children just melt your heart and you just say a quick prayer for the way God is working in your child's life.

We have prayed with our boys since the day they were born. We teach them both memorized prayers as well as what we call just talking with God prayers. But it was Kaden teaching Kyler to pray that got me. Kaden was holding Kyler and Kyler clasp his hands together.

Kaden said:
"oh Kyler you are doing praying hands."

"Kyler this is how you pray."

"Now I lay me down to sleep. I pray the Lord my soul to keep. Angels watch me
through the night until I wake with morning light. God, Thank you for letting me
be born. I really like it. Amen."

On the same topic: Whenever we pray I start my saying "Thank you God for... and wait for the boys to fill in the blanks. I can always count on Jack jumping in first with an enthusiastic "Daddy". Then everyone else (or in some cases things) are added. I love it! It is truly part of the bedtime routine I love the most.

Oh My!

Here is where I left Kyler.

Here is where I found him.

I just had a little heart attack in the moment when I walked in and he wasn't where I left him and then another one when I saw Kaden holding him on the couch. What a big helper Kaden has become! Kaden said Kyler was crying so he picked him up. I heard Kyler crying and then he stopped so I assumed he had become content playing. Kyler was very happy when I walked in so I think Kaden must have done okay picking him up. In fact in this picture he is even kinda smiling at his big brother who rescued him from his tummy time.

Happy Halloween!

I love Halloween! The kids are jumping around the house this morning. They are so excited. These are the pictures from our churches Trunk- or -treat last Sunday. It was cold but the kids had a blast. Each trunk had a carnival type game and of course candy! Kaden & Jack are Super Why (a show on PBS/OETA) and Kyler is Superman. Jack said he wanted to be a cowboy but once he saw Kaden in his super why outfit he wanted to be that too.

My little Super Heros!

Even superheros have to take a break to eat. Jack ate 2 hotdogs and a whole bag of chips!

Let the candy overload begin!!!!

You know you have a lot of laundry when...

1) You have run out of towels. Then decided beach towels will work. And you have now run out of those too.

2) You can't find anything for anyone in the house to wear. There have been some unusal outfits created and you have decided the kids can just sleep in a pair of shorts and a t-shirt. All this you blame on your 4 year-old and 2 year-old for wanting to choose their own clothes.

3) You have forbidden the kids from taking off their shoes because if their socks get wet or dirty you will be getting two un-matched socks from the lost socks box.

4) That washer & dryer commerical with the floor to ceiling mountains of folded laundry could have been shot at your house.

5) You have enough colors to wash a full load of each color. (blacks & reds) (blue, green, & orange) ( light colors). I also have a FULL load of jeans, delicates, baby clothes, and whites. And I have a large capacity washer!

So you might ask how we are doing with 3 little kids. Well, we are doing great - the house not so much. Only the most important things are getting done, which for the time being I have decided is okay. I guess laundry isn't important until you have have nothing left to wear. By the way, it hit the critical list today and is all getting done.

I also want to note: It is taking a lot for me to admit this. But, I want there to be an accurate record of what life was like for us at this stage. Someday I am going to print all these blog entries in a book for our kids.

Jack's Guardian Angel

Jack's guardian angel had to work overtime last weekend. I don't know what it was but we couldn't do anything without him getting hurt. The good thing was he wasn't seriously hurt.

It started on Saturday morning at breakfast. Jack somehow got his foot caught on the back of his chair so when he went to get off the bar stool he fell head first onto the hard wood floor. It made such a loud noise I was afraid to look. But after a little ice and several tears he escaped with just a bruise (his biggest of the weekend).

Then we went out to play in the driveway which ended in a scraped leg. Then we went on a walk through the empty lot next to us which ended in a scrape on the other leg. But we aren't done yet.

An hour later some guys came to build a swing set in our backyard. Of course the boys were beyond excited and it was all we could do to keep them out of the way. Well, they were getting close to done and said the boys could come climb around on it a little. I was watching from a distance and Tim went with them. The slide was not finished yet. So we knew we had to keep an eye on the boys. In fact there was only one segment attached. So basically there was just a tube attached to the highest point of the swingset. The end of the tube was about 6 feet off the ground. Both boys had on KU shirts (not matching - but the same color). I thought I could see Jack standing by Tim and couldn't see Kaden. I kept thinking where is Kaden. But I was trying not to be paranoid. At least I knew Kaden wouldn't go down the unfinished slide. About that time I see Jack come shooting out the end of the slide and watch his body fall the 6 ft. to the ground. He hit his face first on another section of the slide. I ran down and couldn't look. But once I did we couldn't hardly find a mark on him. There was a little bruise & scrape on his chest and stomach but nothing on his face or head. In fact he didn't hardly cry and was running around right away. In fact he ran right behind the swing Kaden was on and got hit pretty hard with the swing. That ended in a bloody nose but other then some bruises, scrapes, and a bloody nose he was fine. We then decided it was time to go inside. We sat the kids in front of the TV because at least we knew they wouldn't get hurt!

We are very thankful Jack was not seriously hurt. Someone was definately watching over him. I think Jack inherited his Dad's accident prone gene (if that exsists).

Our Little Pumpkin

Kyler went to the ped. for the first time on Thursday. He is doing great. He weighed in at 9 lbs. 7 oz. The dr. said they like to see them regain their birth weight (8lbs 2 oz) by the 2 week mark. Well, as he put it at 3 weeks Kyler destroyed that mark. So he is gaining plenty of weight. I told Tim before we left the hospital Kyler seemed a lot hungrier then our first 2. Apparently I was right.

My favorite part of the appointment was when the dr. started asking questions. I was prepared for the first several. How often does he eat?, Does he stop crying when you pick him up?, etc.

The next question was: Has he had any major illnesses or injuries? I said "No" Then I started thinking. Does he not think if he had a major illness or injury I wouldn't have called. I should have said Oh, he had chicken pox last week but I didn't think it was a big deal. Seriously Dr. I am not stupid.

The next question was: Are people nice to him? My response was "To Kyler?" I wondered at this point if we were still talking about my newborn. I wanted to say: No people are really mean to him. The dr. then clarified: Does he get pulled on a little, or thunked on the head, or poked in the eye? I said yes, he does, after all, have two older brothers, but I wouldn't say people are mean to him. He wrote in his file. So, if there was a box to check for Are people nice to him. I am pretty sure it says NO.

The last question: Have you avoided crowds? (Hmm- define crowds- the mall, the pumpkin patch, the zoo, Thomas, church, preschool drop off) I thought it was just easier to say yes. The dr. then said "I guess you have a crowd at home". Okay if 5 is a crowd - I am glad I didn't eleborate on everywhere Kyler has been.

I don't know about this dr. We will have to see how future appointments go. Which by the way at the next appointment all 3 boys get shots. I am dreading it already.

3 weeks!

Kyler is 3 weeks tomorrow. In his short life he has already been to see Thomas the Tank engine, to the zoo, to the pumpkin patch, and to visit his grandparents! Wow, the third child really has to hit the ground running. No wonder my house is a mess and I am exhausted!

A Day Out With Thomas

We took the boys to visit Thomas. They loved it! Especially Jack. We got there early and rode the first train of the day. It made it a pretty early morning (we had to leave our house at 7:30) but was worth it to beat the crowd.

On the train.

Tired Mommy! Kyler was only 1 week old.

We took our own picture with Thomas instead of paying $17 for them to take one. That little blue engine can really rake it in!

A fishy funeral and the words I never wanted to hear

Chip the fish died. I don't know what happend to him. It could have had something to do with the popcorn and kernels that we also found in his bowl. Although, he didn't look all that healthy when we bought him. So I don't know. But, Chip is now buried in our backyard. We told Kaden we could go to the pet store and get a new fish and even name it Chip if he wanted to. Kaden's response: "How about we go to the pet store and get a snake named Chip." Uh - No! I won't tell him this but I am absolutely terrified of snakes and will not have one living in my house. I told him we will stick with a fish and maybe Santa will bring him a different animal like a frog.

Jack Turns 2!

You know I have to do the comparitive pictures! It is the only way I can really believe that 2 years have gone by.

Newborn

1 Year

2 Years

We celebrated Jack's birthday about a month early this year. I didn't want Jack's Birthday to get lost in the mix of having a new baby. So here are a few pics from Jack's backyard water party.

Playing on the water toy.

Cake - My attempt at a sand castle cake. It's not perfect but Jack loved it and I love making my kids cakes.

It's my party and I will eat out of the ice cream bucket if I want to!

Presents

"It really bites that it is my brothers birthday. I can't wait to steal his new toys."

On Jack's actual birthday.

We got Jack a wooden train set with Thomas (Momis - as Jack says it) trains and gave it to him on his actual birthday.