King Caden

One of the highlights of our trip to California was the drive from Los Angeles to San Francisco. We took California Highway 1, often referred to as the Pacific Coast Highway, most of the way. The dramatic coastline vistas and roads winding through the mountains were well worth the extra time it took to get to the Moore's house.

San Simeon is famous for only one thing: it's the home of Hearst Castle, the humble (yeah right) abode of William Randolph Hearst, built in the early 20th century. It was fun to take Caden to "America's Castle", since April and I have traveled Europe so much. We wanted him to experience a little bit of Europe, and Hearst Castle is about as close as it gets to Old World Europe here in the states.

The first pic is of the three of us in the Roman style bathhouse, and the second is totally unrelated to Hearst Castle; it just shows how Caden has fallen in love with his daddy's Camelbak water pack. If you get a chance to take your precious 8 month old to Hearst Castle, we highly suggest that you take it!

Caden Sees Sea Lions and Makes Some New Friends

At the end of Pier 39 in San Francisco is a famous pile of sea lions. I guess they're famous because you can get so close to them, and sometimes they throw their fat, blubbery bodies against each other trying to shove an enemy off of the end of a floating dock. It's pretty entertaining, but it's much more like a zoo than a wild nature experience. Caden enjoyed the show, and daddy enjoyed experiencing it with him. There will be many more wildlife adventures to come!

Caden also made some new friends in Amanda and Lydia Moore, the younger sisters of our good friend Marcus Moore. They loved to play with Caden, and loved grabbing their hair and Amanda's glasses. Amanda and Lydia were great with Caden, and we're sure they'll both be great moms someday!

Climbing Caden

Caden recently discovered how to pull himself up on the bars of his crib. We heard him wake up yesterday morning and cry a "scared" cry. When Brett opened Caden's door, this is what he saw. We decided the scared cry was because he didn't know how to get down. Needless to say, we lowered the mattress today.

Seven Months Old

Our big 7 month old!







Look! You can see all four teeth!

Caden Goes to Jail

Now that we're home, we're going to spend the next few days posting about our 10 days in California.

No Caden is not a criminal, but he did go to jail. We visited Alcatraz along with Amanda and Lydia Moore (Marcus' sisters) this past Friday, and it was a fascinating excursion. Caden was great, staring wide-eyed at all of the things going on around him and flirting with all of the women who inevitably throw a fit over him everywhere we go (sidenote: it actually kinda gets old sometimes. The flight attendants on the way home were totally neglecting their duties just to see little Cade smile at them.)

He loved the way the metal bars felt all cold, and he thought the cells were his own personal play rooms. Enjoy the pics, and we'll post more highlights from our trip tomorrow!

Caden is Crawling!!!

Caden is Crawling!!!
Video sent by emersonstogo

Caden is now 7 1/2 months old and he's crawling like a champ! We are returning home from California today, and we're in for some trouble around the house. No more just setting him in the middle of the floor and walking away!

Update #2

We have another tooth! That brings us to the grand total of....4!
Two on the top and two on the bottom.

Update on Teeth

Just a little FYI...our little boy now has 3 teeth!!! .....his new one is on top and we can already see more on the way (poor little guy).

That Pacific Ocean is COLD!!!

Well, after visiting the Pacific this past Friday, Caden has now visited 2 of the world's five oceans. Not bad for a 7-month old! After arriving in Los Angeles on Thursday, we took that evening to relax and adjust to the time change. On Friday morning we got up and drove down through Malibu Canyon and headed to Zuma Beach, a beach that April and I have visited on several previous trips. The weather was just OK, a little cloudy and about 75, but we weren't really there to swim. We just wanted to introduce Caden to another ocean and dip his little toes in the water. He was enthralled by the waves and all of the people, and he enjoyed playing in the sand quite abit, until he stuck his face in it and tried to eat a mouthful that is. Gross! After that April said it was time to go, and we spent parts of the next day or so picking sand boogers from his little nose.

Oh yeah, we also dipped his toes in the ocean. He immediately made a sour face and started crying! Our fault Caden, that Pacific Ocean is COLD!!!

Caden Jumps!

Caden_Jumps
Video sent by emersonstogo

Caden is all about his jumper thingy. He can entertain himself (and us!) for hours on end. He's working on his leg muscles because he's going to be a basketball player like his daddy!

A California Tradition

Every time April and I come to Los Angeles, we always stop at the In 'n Out burger joint right next to the airport. It's no more special than any of the other hundreds of In 'n Outs in the LA area, except for one thing: planes! This In 'n Out is right next to the airport and the planes fly right over your head as you eat your greasy burger on the grassy knoll across from the restaurant.

The experience was a little lacking for Caden; he can't eat the food and he was scared to death of the planes flying over. Nonetheless, we still enjoyed ourselves, and hopefully in the future little Caden can join in the fun!

Caden Encounters a Kitty

Caden has seen big cats at the zoo a few times, but until yesterday he had never come face to face with your average everyday household feline. The Looches have two cats, Zoe and The Cheat, and Caden has enjoyed this new experience. He was definitely a little unsure at first, but after awhile he was smiling, grabbing, and looking like he wanted to chase those kitties all over the house! Now if we could just get Caden's mommy over her cat allergies, we coud bring one home for our little boy!

Bath Time is So Much Fun!

Mostly because Caden looks so cute wrapped up in his towel afterwards :)

What parent doesn't have a picture of their child in a laundry basket?

Feeding the Ducks

One of the cool things about our apartment complex is all the ducks that live at the lakes. Recently several groups of baby ducks have been born. Obviously we're not the only people who have fed the ducks because as soon as we walked onto the grass they came running. Caden seemed very curious about these little creatures running around eating bread and quacking all the time. As the weather is warming up and Brett finishes up school (this is his last week!), we hope to enjoy more opportunities to get outside and feed the ducks.

Caden Gets the Giggles

Caden Gets the Giggles
Video sent by emersonstogo

Caden just loves it when Daddy makes faces at him! Enjoy this fun video of our precious little boy!

Here Come the Teeth....

That's right people, we now have 2 teeth in that little mouth! We discovered Caden's second tooth last night and after several attempts finally captured this picture (ok, so we added the arrows and text later). Although you can barely see them, trust us, they are there! They are two of the sharpest little teeth we've ever felt (just ask Brett how his ear is doing). Our cute little toothless smile is about to turn into the most adorable little toothy smile you've ever seen. Keep a lookout for them in future pictures.

April's 1st Mother's Day

Ok, so technically its her 2nd because she was pregnant last year, but having little Caden to actually hold in her arms made it much more memorable, as you might imagine. April spent her day being honored by Brett and Caden for the wonderful mother that she has been these last 6 1/2 months. Breakfast in bed, a new outfit to wear to church, cards, flowers, kind words, time off from being "mom", and an extra day with Brett at home (he was home from school on Monday) were the main highlights of the last couple days.

Speaking as a husband and father, I can't imagine many ways that April could have been a better mom to Caden these last several months. She is loving, patient, prepared, knowledgable, calm, fun, diligent, and prayerful. She loves Caden with all that she has to offer, and her boys want her and everyone else to know that we love her, we appreciate her, and we'll always be grateful that we were blessed by the Lord with such a beautiful and amazing woman! We love you April!

Sweet Potatoes Anyone?

So we've been introducing Caden to about one new food a week, starting with the orange vegetables. So far we've done squash and carrots, and today we gave him his first taste of sweet potatoes. He actually likes all 3, but he always makes the face you see here when he takes the first bite. This look says many things, but mostly it says, "What is THAT?!?!?!"

Nap Time

The past two days I have had the privilege of falling asleep on the couch with my baby cuddled in my arms. This has been special for me because Caden rarely falls asleep in this position. When I look at the picture, I realize how big my baby is getting. I can remember when we first brought him home and he would sleep on my chest like this. Well, kinda like this...he was so much smaller. We quickly forget just how tiny newborns truly are. When baby Caden gets too big to sleep on Mommy anymore...it will be time for another baby.

First Tooth!

Sorry, we don't have a picture...Caden thinks that it's a game when we try and look at his tooth. He thinks the object is to catch our fingers with his tongue making it impossible to see his tooth, much less take a picture. Just take our word for it...it's there! It's his bottom right tooth that will always be remembered as his first. I spend most of my days rotating teething toys in and out of the freezer. No more chewing on Mommy or Daddy's fingers for Caden!

Splish Splash!

Caden's baby bathtub converts into a bath chair that attaches to the side of the bathtub to keep it from slipping. It's pretty cool and Caden loves it! After a very messy dinner of rice cereal, it seemed that a bath would be the easiest way to get all the little cereal bits out of his neck rolls. Caden has never seemed interested in playing in the water...not even in the sink. However, as soon as we placed him in his bath seat his hand went straight to splashing the water. I think he would have stayed in there for hours just to play with his cool bath toys...but when your baby has "prune" fingers and toes, it's time to get out. Caden thinks he is SO big now that he can sit up in the bathtub, he really enjoys it. Bathtime should now be more enjoyable for all of those involved!

A Message From Caden

Beautiful Feet

How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, "Your God reigns!"

Isaiah 52:7

Baby Bjorn

So our car was in the shop the other day, and they called at about 4:30 in the afternoon and said we could come and pick it up. Only problem is, we're a one car family, always have been, and the dealership closed in less than an hour. Fortunately, it was only a mile away. Solution? Strap Caden in the Baby Bjorn, grab the cell, and take a walk! As you can see by the look on his face, Caden loves being in the Bjorn. It lets him look around and see all the world has to offer, and it lets Daddy show him off to everyone we pass. Seriously, Caden is a really good looking kid; he gets it from his mother...

Future Business Leader of America

He kinda has that CEO look to him, don't you think?

Caden practically pulled his daddy's tie off after work today trying to get it into his mouth, so we figured we would see how it looked on him. If there are any parents with 6 month old girls out there who are looking to betroth their daughter to a future millionare and certain Time Magazine Man of the Year, you better act fast before Caden is taken!

Up On All Fours

Caden is ready for take off! We regularly find him "practicing" for crawling. He has learned to pull himself up on his knees and then.... well....move backwards. He must know that he's supposed to move forward because I often hear him whining and then find him in this position. He's such a curious little fellow.

Yummy!

Caden had his first taste of baby food today. We started with yellow/orange veggies....yummy squash! Caden ate an entire serving from Gerber. Uncle Allen asked if we were trying to punish Caden with the squash. Well, Uncle Allen, I'm pleased to inform you that Caden seemed to actually like the squash...you could learn something from him!

Little Drummer Boy

Caden has discovered that he loves to hit things. We gave him a tin pie plate and he loves it!
After we showed him how to hit it a few times, the little guy took over and made some very beautiful music. Here are a couple of pics of Caden playing with the pie plate in Daddy's lap. Notice the cool matching shirts they have that Brett brought back from Togo last month. They wore them, along with a matching skirt for April, to Mission Sunday at GracePointe today. To read more about our Mission Sunday experience, check out our Africa blog.

Brown eyes rule!

O.K., so Caden's eyes aren't exactly brown...they are...well, hazel. they seem to be a gray around the outside and brown towards the middle. I suppose they could continue to change. Sorry Emerson family, no blue eyes here.

I'm 6 months old!

Yesterday Caden turned 6 months old!
We also went to the doctor yesterday for our "well baby check-up".

Here are Caden's new stats:
height: 26 3/4"
weight: 14 lbs. 13.2oz.
clothing size: 6-9 mo.
eating: rice cereal once a day

We're Sitting!

Caden has been learning to sit up all by himself. Just today he really seemed to understand how to balance himself. His little play station gave him something to hold on to, but he also sat up without it for a few moments. Don't worry, Mommy was very close by to catch him when he forgot what he was doing. This will now become a daily practice at the Emerson house!

Fun at the Zoo!

Last month we bought a season pass to the zoo so that we can take Caden to see the animals anytime we want. The zoo is close by, and they just opened a new elephant exhibit.

Here is a pic of April and Caden when we arrived at the park.




This 2nd pic is practically prophetic; we'll be saying this phrase in just a few months!

Graduation Day

The day we brought Caden home from the hospital, it seemed the car seat swallowed him.

Yesterday, Caden gratuated from his "baby" car seat to a "big boy" car seat. Once again, he looks too little for his car seat...but little boys grow.



We're half way through our first year with baby Caden...amazing!

Peak-A-Boo

Caden is learning to push up on his hands while playing on his tummy. In this case....he was supposed to be taking a nap. He was crying and I went in to check on him. This is what I saw: two little eyes peaking through the rails over his bumper pad. I started laughing, Caden smiled, and I went to grab the camera. It won't be long now and he'll figure out how to move those arms and legs and we won't be able to keep up with him.

Caden's 1st Easter

Caden spent his first Easter in Searcy, Arkansas. We took a trip to Harding University to see Spring Sing one last time before leaving for Africa. Although Caden missed out on the show (it was his bedtime and the noise level would have been disastrous for all involved), he had a great weekend meeting many of Mommy & Daddy's friends. He also did very well in the long car rides there and back. Thanks to Gamma for Caden's cute "My First Easter" bib. It completes the picture, don't ya think?!

Are you reading this?

If you read our blog...we want to know! We enjoyed our weekend in Searcy and sharing Caden with lots of friends. As we talked about our lives, so many times people responded with, "Oh yea, I read that on your blog!" Really?! We had no idea so many people were reading this other than our family and a few friends. So, I want to ask you to help us out... if you read our blog, please leave us a comment. You don't have to have an account with "Blogger".

Simply click on comments below, a new screen will open and all you need to do is write a comment or just type your name in the box titled Leave your comment. Then you have several options: 1. if you do have a "Blogger" account, sign in and post 2. click other and enter your name (no web page required) 3. click anonymous ...but be sure to include your name in your comment.

Once you've done that, click Publish your comment. Your comment will then appear on our blog and we (and others) can see who is reading. Don't worry, no information (other than your name) will appear on our blog...unless you choose to type it in your comment.

Thanks for helping us! Each comment is always encouraging to us...feel free to leave one any time!

Happy Easter!

Caden enjoyed an earlier visit from the Easter Bunny. We will be in Searcy for Spring Sing on Easter Weekend. We posted these pictures in our team newsletter, but thought many of your would enjoy seeing them. If you'd like to receive our weekly newsletter via email, let us know, we'll be happy to add you.

1st Time on Daddy's Shoulders!

Yesterday was the first of many trips for little Caden on Daddy's shoulders. He went all the way from the car, up 3 flights of stairs, and into the living room of our apartment while perched behind Daddy's neck. Caden loved the view from way up high, and Daddy just loved the thrill of having his first born son on his shoulders. Just another of our little daily blessings...

Cousins Day!

Yesterday Aunt Betsy had to run some errands, and she left Owen and Dawson with April and Caden for the morning. The boys had lots of fun taking a walk, petting a duck, visiting the pool, and watching videos. This is a pic of the 3 of them enthralled by an animated version of "Tikki Tikki Tembo". A good time was had by all!

It's true...

babies will put anything in their mouths!

Chillin' With Daddy

Gotta love Saturdays. This is a pic of us just lounging around on a lazy Saturday in April. I actually get to see Caden quite a bit during the week between the 1 1/2 hour lunch I spend at home and the fact that I get home from school at 3:30 everyday, but there is just something beautiful about Saturdays. Slowly waking up, getting Caden in bed with us, layin' there playin' for awhile, and then spending the whole day just chillin' together. I don't know who dreamed up the 5 day work week, but I want to publicly thank them on behalf of myself and Caden and all of the quality time we get to spend together on Saturdays!

Ma & Pa Pip

Caden was blessed to spend some time with one of his sets of great grand-parents this weekend. Ray and Nora Pippin stopped for the night on their way home from wintering in Florida. He had alot of fun with them and we greatly enjoy their visits and their continued support. Praise God for our amazing families!

Yes, two pink lines means you're pregnant. We have a little secret of our own that we have been keeping from our friends and family. Caden will be having a little brother or sister in about six months, meaning our baby will be born in France during our time of language school. We are very excited about this new addition, but not nearly excited as we are to tell you april fools. Hope you enjoyed a little joke or two of your own. ;) By the way, this was the test we took when we found out we were pregnant with Caden...only, then he was just a "baby".