New York New York!

Last week John was in NY for business so I joined him for a weekend of fun!  It was my first trip to New York and our first time to take a trip without Jaden!  The flight was easy (movies always help) and there was a car waiting to take me to the hotel.  A ride in a NY taxi was on my list of "must dos" but once we got into the city, I was glad to be riding with a professional driver...at least until he told me he just came back to work after being off 2 weeks due to an accident.  Nice!  It was SO COLD and we didn't come prepared so we had to stop at a street vendor to get hats and gloves.  I don't think we've ever walked so much in our lives!  But it was a great! We saw Central Park (via rickshaw), NYU, Rockefeller Center, rode the subway, visited Wall Street and Ground Zero, walked through the Irish Memorial and Times Square, shopped at Macy's, saw the Statue of Liberty and our hotel was on the same block as Carnegie Hall and the Russian Tea Room.  We really only had Saturday to do everything but we really covered a lot of ground.  The City is more kid friendly than I expected but I wouldn't take Jaden during the holidays because of the cold.  Our rickshaw driver said that September is the best time for families because the weather is so nice and you see lots of kids playing in Central Park.  John and I will probably take Jaden just before he starts kindergarten.  Here's some pics from the trip.

View from our room

(that's Central Park in the middle)

Construction of the Twin Towers Memorial at Ground Zero

At The Irish Hunger Memorial

Times Square

Dinner in The Chestnut Room @ Tavern on the Green

Our last night in New York

Elf Yourself!

I forgot about this website!  elfyourself.com  

You can upload photos of you and your family onto the bodies of elves and pick a style of dance for them to boogie....yes, I said boogie.  =]

To see our family, go to:  http://elfyourself.jibjab.com/view/8rC63oN31HtCxCfU

Enjoy!

Thanksgiving 2008

This was our first year to host Thanksgiving!  Family from Bakersfield, Longview, Leawood and Tulsa came to share the holiday with us.    We had about 2o+ people at our house and it was great!  I want to thank Aunt Kathi for coordinating the cooking times and everything.  I would have lost my mind if she hadn't jumped in and helped out.  Since we weren't going to see some of the family at Christmas, we did the kids gift exchange Thanksgiving night.  They were so excited!  I took a lot of pictures but my program is so messed up that I was only able to upload these three pictures.

Jaden's first bike from Grandma McKenna

Jon (Renee's Husb), Tiffany (John's cousin), Renee (John's sis) & Philip (Tiff's Husb)

the "young adults" night out @ Goose's Acre

John and I

(he really was having a good time!)

Mealtime Mishaps!

This is what happens when you leave a toddler alone for 2 seconds with Ranch Dipping Sauce.  Amazing how they can get food up the nose!  

You would think I'd be more cautious after that!  But NO! 

 Two days later.....

2 seconds alone with yogurt.

Maybe he heard that yogurt is a great deep conditioner for your hair?!?!?!

Lighting of the Doves event

This weekend was the Lighting of the Doves celebration so we loaded up Jaden and his gear and met up with John's brother Justin and his family so the kids could have some fun!  

Rare picture!  

Us letting Jaden have sweets and him actually eating it.

This was the Sweet & Sassy booth (for girls).  

Jaden walked right up to the girls with a little shy smile and they ate it up!   

This is them putting a sparkly star on his hand.

Jaden & cousin Conley checking out their stickers.

The event had this big Snowhill that you could slide down on an inner tube but little kids had to be able to ride by themselves to be admitted.  A few kids older than Jaden backed out at the last minute and had to be retrieved by parents who didn't look to happy about having to climb up the stairs to get them.  But Jaden climbed to the top by himself and was ready to go without the tube!  Guess he thought it was just one big slide.  I caught him in time and they got the tube under him but he didn't quite understand that you had to hold onto the handles.  He finally got it.  I'm sure it was quite a sight for the people at the bottom!  A little yellow tube with feet sticking out of the top coming down the hill.  =D  Jaden high 5'd us afterwards.  What a little dare-devil! 

Cousin Cade at the top of The Snowhill (red tube) getting ready to go down.

Cousin Rylan going down!  Jaden at the top in yellow tube.

Jaden (yellow tube with feet sticking out) and 

Me (middle) getting ready to go down.

I'm explaining the importance of holding on with both hands.

Jaden has landed!

What just happened?!

I probably won't blog again until after the holiday so everyone,

HAVE A HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Thanks for Sharing

Jaden and I went to the park the other day.  There were a few kids there, some older some younger, playing on the slides.  Their moms said Hi and when Jaden showed interest in one of their kids toys, they said that it was o.k. for Jaden to play with it.  WELL!  We're having trouble sharing these days.  Jaden's toys are his toys, if another kid has a toy that looks like one of his toys...it's Jaden's toy, if it looks cool and fun to play with ...it's Jaden's toy.  And apparently this "duck on a stick" is popular with the 2 and under crowd.   Jaden kept saying, "Ducky", "Ducky" and carried it around (he couldn't get it to roll on the mulch) and even took it on the slide.  Smart kid really!  He knew if he set it down, one of the other kids would get it.  =]  After 15 minutes of this I had to explain to him that it was this other kids turn to play with it.  He threw a fit and promptly marched over to the jogger stroller and tried to get in - his way of letting me know he's ready to be taken home.  So funny.

Ducky!

Taking the duck on the slide

We're going to keep working on this sharing stuff.  I certainly don't want Jaden to be know in the neighborhood as "that kid".  =]

Day in Pictures

Who needs expensive toys when you have oven mitts?!

or a cardboard box?!

Yes....Jaden is in the "crevice phase", although the only crevices he seems to play with are his nostrils.  Lovely!

Diggin' for diamonds?

Looking forward to seeing all the family at Thanksgiving!  And I promise, Jaden won't be helping with the food prep.  =]

Mr. Cool

I had to post this picture because it just cracks me up!  Jaden is going through a phase where he has to wear his ball cap.  When you put it on his head, he pulls it down low over his eyes and then looks up at you like he's super cool.  What a funny kid.  This particular morning I said we needed to get him dressed and he said "No" (his new favorite word) but he had to have his hat on.  He's running around the house in his diaper and ball cap.  =]  I won't post full body pictures of him but you get the idea.  Check out the manly baby chest.  =D

Yo!  Watsup!  

I'm calling my peeps on my cool plastic orange cell phone!

Adenoidectomy Day!

Today Jaden had surgery!  We got him up early (6:15 am) to get him ready for the commute down to the Medical Center.  It wasn't that bad though, John said the traffic was light compared to what he usually deals with.  I think Jaden thought it was some new adventure.  He was watching the cars, looking at buildings and when we got to the hospital and he saw all the toys, he was excited!  Not so much after the surgery.  The surgery was quick and recovery - well, lets just say that Jaden told the nurses what he thought about the whole ordeal.  =]  I rocked him and hummed Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and he calmed down.  Then dad took over and he started asking for his apple juice and Pooh.  Here are some pictures from the day.

Playing the Disney "Cars" video game in the waiting area

Scooting around in the car - backwards

Hasn't mastered the forward motion with the feet yet

Wow!  Fish!

Sporting the very stylish hospital pajamas and playing

in the wagon

Watching cartoons - still waiting to have surgery

John just finished pulling him all around the waiting area.

Getting ready to go back for surgery

In Recovery - More awake now and starting to play with his toys

The green bucket thing is from the hospital waiting area.  Jaden had a death grip on this thing once he woke up and we had to distract him so the nurse could take it back when we were leaving.  Guess this will have to go on the Christmas list too.

Surgery for Little Man

Some of you may know that Jaden has been in and out of the Dr.s office practically every month for the last year.  Chronic congestion, 2 ear infections, bronchitis, allergies (?), etc.  We finally went to see a pediatric ear, nose & throat Dr. and she suggested we do an x-ray of Jaden's head. It showed that his adenoid is enlarged and pressing on his airway which in turn is pushing excess fluid back into his ears, clogging up his nose and making it difficult for him to breath when he eats and sleeps.  His Dr. scheduled surgery for this Friday to remove his adenoid and possibly put tubes in his ears...but she'll see if he needs them once she's in there.  We're nervous about Jaden going under anesthesia but if this cuts down on him being sick, lets him breathe easier and sleep better, it will be worth it.  Please keep him in your prayers this week.

Here are some random pics from last week.

New favorite thing to do at the park.

CAT!

**UPDATE** All I Want for Christmas....

Dear Santa,

I know this seems early but I thought I'd get a jump on the bags of mail you get every year. 

JADEN'S CHRISTMAS LIST:

1.  Anything "Handy Manny".  This is one of my favorite shows on Playhouse Disney.  I think Mom said she saw a "Handy Manny" wrist watch/zipper pull gift set at Dillards.  Even though I can't tell time yet, I'd look really cool wearing it!

2.  Anything from "My Friends Tigger & Pooh".  This is my other favorite show on Playhouse Disney.  

3.  Board Books.  I'm still a little rough with my books so Mom says I can only have the ones with thick pages.  My favorite right now is "Biscuit the Dog" books. 

OMIT THIS ONE - Dad caved and bought Elmo LIVE! for me!  Sucker!  =]  

4.  Elmo LIVE!  Mom won't stop by the display at the store anymore for me to play with him because she says we're there FOREVER!  Not sure about that, but I'd like to have an Elmo of my own.  

5.  Fisher Price Digital Camera.  Mom won't let me play with her cameras anymore since I keep dropping them.  

6.  I like playing with zippers and buckles.  Any toys where I can practice my skills would be great.

7.  Outdoor toys.  I like to play outside but don't really have anything to play with in the backyard.

8.  I like to sort things and have starting learning how to match stuff together!  Any games / toys like that would be great!

This is all I could think of right now but if I do think of anything else that I really, really need I'll let you know!

Thank you,

Jaden