Presenting...

... the artistic stylings of Caden Scherbel: The World Through My Eyes.

See, baby?

I've said it before, but I'm going to say it again. Caden has got to be the best big brother ever. He likes to read books, and has recently started reading to Eric. I think he likes the captive audience. Caden has most of his books memorized, so he can do a pretty good job of 'reading' each page. Then he points out certain things in the pictures and asks, "See, baby?" Often he'll hold the book right in front of Eric's nose while asking this, but I haven't been able to capture that on camera since Caden is so quick about it.

Eric's first milestone!

He rolled yesterday. From his belly to his back. I set him down in the midst of the toys to play while I finished getting ready. About 30 seconds later we heard a little squeal and found the boy on his back with his head crashed uncomfortably against a toy. I cleared the area, put him on his tummy again, and he repeating the trick. That time he smiled from ear to ear.

He also had his first hair cut. I so meant to take pictures, but just didn't get around to it. The fine wispy hairs on the top of his head got all tangled up after we got a little too ambitious with the head washing during his bath. The tangles were bad enough they necessitated a small trim. Caden still hasn't had his first hair cut.

Eric Allergy Update

Because I posted about Caden yesterday I figured I should post something about Eric today. So far Eric seems to have passed the milk trial and failed the corn trial. I'm currently attempting to do a wheat trial but it keeps getting messed up. Partially because I forget to carefully read labels for corn, and partially because I just haven't had the self control to eat nothing but wheat for 3 days straight. Still on the list of foods to trial: soy, egg, peanut, treenuts, tuna, and oats.

Cadenisms

Caden talks so much these days! I love hearing him try to express himself given his limited vocabulary. Here are just a few of the fun things he's said lately.

After seeing Eric spit up.... "Baby Eric mouth spill."
After seeing a moth... "Pretty Butterfly!"
After hearing any loud noise... "Mun-ner!" (thunder)
After being told the cat in the book was a kitten... "Eric cat." (This labeling of all things baby as "Eric" has been repeated numerous times.)
While trying to close the clasp on my scriptures... "Mama, help Caden shut the special book door."
After seeing the cottonwood trees have no more leaves... "Tree broken. Leaves fall down go bonk."
After falling off the bar stool.... "Caden chair fall. Bad chair. Time out."
After hearing a child in nursery cough... "Porter sick! No nur-ree!" (I had told him his other friend wouldn't be there that day because she was sick and we don't go to nursery when we are sick)

Leaves

Take two big beautiful Cottonwood shade trees, add a little cool weather, and you'll get a nice blanket of leaves covering your entire yard.
Yesterday afternoon I took the boys out to help me rake. Before we got started I took a few pictures. Yes, these pictures of Caden nearly waist deep in leaves were taken before I started raking them into piles. About the time I got a 6 foot tall and 8 foot wide mountain the elementary school kids walked through our yard on their way home from school. Needless to say they were delayed about 5 minutes as they all jumped in the irresistible pile of leaves. Two of them came back later and played in the leaves with Caden for another hour. It was fun to watch the kids get so much enjoyment out of such a little thing. we're headed back out today to try and finish the raking and bagging before Monday's projected storm.

Time Out

Caden found my bookend a while ago. He likes to cart the little girl around while he is playing and act like they are playing together. Periodically he'll say "No no!" Then he'll jump up, carry her to the time out corner, sternly say, "time out, two (minutes)," and walk away. Poor girl gets left there much longer than two minutes. Um, yeah, the kid needs some more friends. For the record, he isn't in time out that often, so I'm not really sure why the misbehaving bookend spends more time there than she does playing.

I Voted!

Have you? Its municipal elections today in Utah. Polls are open until 8 pm. Caden wouldn't keep his sticker on for a picture, so in honor of Ryan I put Eric's sticker on his forehead and snapped a shot similar to the one we took of Caden on election day in November 2007. Caden's response to my antics was "Mama. Eric stick eyebrow. Why?"

Good Morning!

Caden has discovered he can reach his book basket from bed. The last few mornings when we've gone in to get him we've found him reading books. This morning he was quite insistent he finish his book before breakfast. See the dirty look he gave me when I told him to put it away?

He's also officially in the big bed. The attempt to transition him from the crib in August didn't really work. We put him back in the crib for a few months, and two weeks ago tried him in the big bed again. This time he did much better and took the move in stride. I didn't want to post about it and jinx our good fortune, but at this point I feel like we've arrived.