Lately...

Kaden had plenty of family over for his birthday... finally one, yet hard to believe. My parents are having a good time in Alaska, and my mom went through her seaplane rating in Anchorage. What a great location! We have been busy with a lot of "little of this, little of that". We have been fill in house parents at Kindred and Jaron has been working with Kyle from our church. I finally finished two more masters classes! I've had another interview... just waiting. Jaron starts at the corrections academy on Sept. 8th. Well, that's the quick side of things. Pictures to come. Right now we are relaxing in Sutton's Bay. (Not actually IN the bay...)

latest and greatest!

Kaden just loves to put his paci in backwards and chew on it that way. Just thought that I had to include him actually doing this!

Well, I have good excuses... but I really do need to update! Well as of Jan 1 we put Kaden on formula (nutramigen) to see if allergies were causing his excema and then we waited... well it didn't do much from the looks of it. After two weeks he was still spotty around his eyes... and that was with verdeso (a steroid foam). We went down to U of M in Ann Arbor and saw a pediatric dermatologist there. Their thought was again... yes it is excema, but what is causing it. One line of thinking she had was a possible zinc deficiancy. But that it looked infected and we should put him back on keflex and several ointments and see. We started treatments Thursday morning and by Satuday, he already looked cleared up... without the zinc yet.

So we have been doing everything now and he really does look so much better! I know that we can't keep him on this treatment forever... but I finally get to cuddle with him without worry of catching his skin. He is also taking some allergy medication to relieve the itching so that makes me feel better that he doesn't feel itchy all the time.

While we were up North for a short family get-a-way(pictures to come), a dear college friend called and as we were sharing stories she shared that both of her children are severe allergic and so it was helpful to know that we can get to the bottom of this. One day at a time.

Working with children with autism and ECDD (developmental delay) and other needs, I am so blessed to come home and know whatever God is teaching us through this, that God is teaching us.

bumps in the road...

Wow Halloween was over a month ago... well here is Kaden! My brother's church was having an event and it is only down the road from us so we stopped by

Grandma also got in on the action!

Thanksgiving has come and gone and we spent the first part of the day at Jaron's Aunt and Uncle's house in Fenmore, MI. Then we headed over to my brother's house for the rest of the day. Little did I know that I would not get home until 5 in the morning. Shaunda and I, along with Gabrielle, went to the midnight opening of the outlets. I got 2/3rds of my shopping done... (I only need 3 gifts) It was nuts, don't think that I would do that again... sales were no better than later that day.

Monday we got together and made 5 different kinds of cookies! Needless to say they are all gone already!

now to Kaden... My poor boy has had a rough 4 months of life. He started to develop skin issues 2 months ago and although they bothered him, they weren't too bad... when we went to get some help for what we were seeing, that cleared up, but then spots appeared other places... and now we can't get the infection to go away... We are trying one last treatment starting today and then Dr.s are telling us that he may just need to be admitted to the hospital to be treated.

This is what he looks like before treatment and then below is after, but the infection just keeps oozing...

As of today...

Well, we went for a "weigh in" at the dr.s on Monday and Kaden weighed 11.14 lbs and was 23 1/2 inches. It is a wonderful service that we can just pop in and get him weighed to make sure we are on track! Not three months yet, but we put him in his bumbo chair and he did really well, not long term though. Still not fond of being on his tummy so have to work with the boppy still.

I was up at Kindred Spirit last week and Jerod gets really excited when Kaden is around. He was already to hold Kade. I'm exhausted... Loving my time, but still need to watch what else is going on. ...

Finally got Frankie a bed and well what does he do... a picture was the only way to describe it.

We went to the apple orchard on Saturday and picked raspberries... Kaden slept the entire time. Yesterday Shaunda and I made Jam... Can't wait for breakfast tomorrow.
Well I can't upload any of my images, so I'll post those later!

Lately...

Well, the fishing trip didn't take off like they had planned. Weather set them back a week and then they were on their way...

Jaron and Dad putting the cowling back on.

Kaden waiting for his turn to go fishing...Pretty bird!

Kaden has really been rooting around for his thumb and doesn't take a pacifier much. He works the swaddle until he can get to his thumb. This is what I found this morning when I went in.

Kaden spent his first full morning in the nursury at Church and aparently we are told that he wasn't fussy! It was really nice to be able to focus on the message and not worry about him maybe bothering others! He is really getting animated and it is the best listening to him coo and giggle!

growing so fast!

I am amazed at how fast time flies! Well first off naps fly by- whether for me or Kaden! Morning comes oh so fast, then it's night again and then well, morning follows again and well it is amazing that I don't seem to get much done. Well I guess half the time I find myself just gazing in wonder. Last Friday, the 14th he weighed in at 10lb 7 oz. We can go weigh in any time and since his dr.'s office is only 6 blocks or so away, we like to take advantage of stopping in. We have his checkup this Friday though so I guess we are going ahead with immunizations since we have not really taken the time to research like we wanted to.

Kaden has been sleeping at least 7 hours for the last few weeks and well it was seeming that he might be colicky, but today he has been smiling most every time I have gotten him up.

Kaden has found the mirror on his swing and just stares! He doesn't even seem to blink.

Frankie is still jealous of Kaden and tries to see what is going on.

Jaron, My Dad, and brother Joel are headed up to Canada to go fishing this weekend! After all my parents have been through, the plane is on floats and the guys are headed out... It's not Alaska, but it's a start!

Feeling at home...

Well we picked up Frankie from Windsor airport on Thursday and he is already at home...

We stopped over at Joel and Shaunda's house and he played with my nieces without any problems so we don't anticipate any baby/dog issues.

He is a big fur ball and hasn't had much brushing or attention to his massive hair. We shall see what it takes to take care of that. All for now... jodi