Caden's 1st Snow & a Visit With Uncle Allen

We were in Gatlinburg, TN this past weekend for Winterfest with our teens from GracePointe. On Saturday, our teens were very excited to awake to lots of snow falling from the sky. Most of them reported that they hadn't seen snow since the 5th or 6th grade. Caden didn't actually get to experience the feeling of snow because his loving parents were very careful to keep him nice and warm. You can see we used a poncho (thanks Winterfest!) to create a make-shift rain cover so Caden could stay dry in his stroller. The stroller made traveling to and from the Convention Center much easier as Caden enjoyed playing and sleeping in his stroller. We were also able to introduce Caden to some friends as well as spend time with Uncle Allen (he was there recruiting for Pepperdine). The teens had a great time, the chaperones enjoyed themselves (although very tired as we returned home) and the Emersons have conquered another adventure of being parents of a very well-behaved baby.

The Classic "Cousins Pic"

Ok, ok, so this is not the best picture ever. Owen is doing something wierd with his eyeballs, Caden is looking off to the side and is generally in a daze, and Dawson apparently doesn't realize that Caden's head is too small to hide behind.

So why this picture? Too often we post the "perfect pic" on this blog, the one where for a split second multiple small children manage to come together after being bribed with a treat of some sort for a fleeting moment of photographic harmony. The thing is, that usually takes about 586 takes to achieve. So today, for your viewing pleasure, is a little slice of the real world of photographing our boys!

Happy Valentines Day

Caden's Gamma made him this awesome Valentine's Day bib. We think he likes it, because he proceeded to drool all over it as soon as we put it on him. Of course, he drools on just about everything these days (including the Valentine outfit he's wearing that his Nanna gave him before the bib was put on). A little while ago he discovered his hands, and they seem to spend copious amounts of time in or around his mouth now.

Hope this makes you hungry for a big, wet Valentine's Day smooch!

Caden loves his cousins!

Owen was kind enough to share his sunglasses with Caden....ok, really he just wanted to see what Caden would look like with them on. Dawson jumped in the picture just in time for this shot. Caden loves to watch the boys as they sing songs, read books, or act silly just for him. It is quite a show sometimes. We look forward to Nate (his Nashville cousin) joining in on the fun soon...and also Mallory (the unborn Nashville cousin) :)

Daddy & Son

What do you think...does he look like his Daddy?

Mommy & Son

...or his Mommy?

The Looches Meet Caden!

Our dear friends Erik and Sonya Luchauer (The Looches) made a trip to Montgomery from Knoxville to meet and spend time with Caden. Here is a pic of Erik playing with him while April and Sonya sit and talk. We had a amazing whirlwind weekend with them here, and their visit was another reminder of how blessed we are to have so many faithful and true friends in our lives. We love you Looches!

Warning: Graphic Nudity

Betsy took Caden's 3 month pictures this past weekend. He was very happy and cooperative, and we got lots of good pics. We'll post some of them soon, but for now here is a candid shot of Caden modeling. As you can see he's not shy about letting it all hang out. That's my boy!

Cute Little Caden

Caden loves to sit and stand up with help. If you let him grab your hands, he will pull himself up to a standing position every time. His smile and "noises" (which are now turning into squeals) continue to keep us laughing!

Look At Me Grow

**Click on the picture to enlarge it.**

Happy 3 Months Caden!

It has become our tradition to take Caden's growing pictures with his teddy bear, Mattie. Caden was in a great mood for these shots as you can see by his smiles :) We couldn't decide on just one, so here are two good ones for your viewing pleasure! We can't believe its been 3 months already. Caden has blessed our lives beyond words, and we continue to grow as parents every day.

Playin' With Owen

Caden is so blessed to have Owen around. He needs a bigger kid in his life to show him the ropes and teach him how to play. Owen is an expert in playing, and these days he is teaching baby Caden all of his best games!

Bath Time!

Caden just loves having the warm water poured all over his little body. He especially enjoyed tonight's bath because it was given to him by his daddy. He's starting to put on some weight now, and it's hard to clean in between his little rolls! Bath time is so very precious...

Baby Dedication

Sunday, January 22nd was Baby Dedication Sunday at GracePointe. They called each couple and their child to the front to be prayed over by an elder. John Land led a beautiful prayer of dedication for Caden. Caden was very good during his dedication and then fell asleep during the rest of the service. We praise God for the family at GracePointe and the dedication they have in helping us to raise Caden to be a man of God. Thank you GracePointe!

Ooooo, Pick Me!

Look at me!

Caden is learning to hold his head up while tolerating tummy time.

Wiped Out

April was working on the computer

while pacifying Caden with her bouncing leg.

Before long, Caden was sound asleep.

Sunday Best

Caden wore the most adorable outfit to church today. He had on big boy pants with a collared shirt and a sweater vest. This is a closeup because its the best smile we were able to get. He is the best looking baby on the block!

Caden is Brilliant in the Morning

Caden's favorite time of day is usually in the morning, right after he wakes up and then eats. After his belly is full, he is happy, smiley, and ready to play. His daddy loves Saturdays and Sundays just for this reason. During the week he would already be at work, but on the weekend, we get some great family time in bed. Praise God for Mondays this week, as Brett will be off for MLK Jr. day. The extra time with Caden will be a huge blessing...

Healthy Baby...Happy Mommy

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Originally uploaded by The Emersons.

We got a clean bill of health from the Doctor yesterday. Praise God! Thanks to everyone who was praying for Caden's recovery. It was a blessing that his RSV was mild and didn't ever get worse. Many infants end up in the hospital and we never did. The only instructions the Doctor gave us was to finish up his antibiotics. Mommy now has a cold (thanks to Caden) and it looks like Daddy may be getting it now too. We hope it doesn't travel back to baby Caden. We definitely don't want to do this again.