the big T-W-O

Dear Caiden-
Today is your second birthday. I can't believe how fast you are growing and learning. I am amazed by you every day. I'm so grateful that I'm your mommy. You have taught me so much about myself, my faith, my patience, and how much my heart can love in the last two years. I am in awe of all that you are capable of and the bright future that is before you. I realized this week what I would want my super power to be if I could have one: the ability to freeze time. Sometimes I would freeze it to take a nap, sometimes to go for a run or to count to ten when I'm frustrated. Sometimes I'd freeze time to snap the most perfect photo of you. But mostly I'd freeze time so that I could really study you, to remember every inch of you because it seems like every time I blink you're a little bigger, a little smarter, and more of a boy than a baby. But even if I could freeze time I would never change a second of the moments we have spent together. Thank you for the sweet hugs, kisses and snuggles I get every day. Thank you for saying "I luh you mommy" even if I have to beg. Thank you for saying sweet prayers and reading us scriptures at night. Thank you for your laugh, it is like the song of my heart. Thank you for loving me.
I love you to the moon and back infinitely,
Mommy.

Highlights.

I have gotten so bad at blogging. I went to make our 2012 yearbook and realized that not only had I not blogged about pretty much anything of much importance last year I also hadn't opened and converted many of my photos from raw to jpg. It was so much more work putting together that book than it ever has been before. I had to go through so many photos! I never blogged about mother's day, father's day, the birth of our niece and her blessing day, Valentine's day, Christmas, my birthday/New Years, Miles' birthday, Easter, so many summer activities, fall activities.. the list goes on and on. So I'm posting a few highlight photos from all the posts I meant to do in 2012 but never got around to and calling it good.

Train Museum.

Caiden developed a fascination with trains while we were at DisneyWorld. The little steam engine you can take around the park was his favorite "ride." When my friend and college roommate Lindsay took her son Krew to a train museum a few weeks ago in California I did a little research and found a little train museum 15 minutes away from us. We decided to wait to go until the weekend so daddy could come too. To say that Caiden loved it would be an understatement. He loved the tiny train villages, pressing the button to make them go, playing with the wooden train sets, and coloring. But his favorite part was the tour through the train yard. We got to go through a few different antique train cars and he was lovin life.  They also do an easter egg hunt and train ride through the train yard Easter weekend (which we will be attending!) and also do rides during the spring/summer/fall. Thanks for the idea great Linds! I think we discovered a new favorite afternoon activity and we will definitely be back.