Real Food, YUMMY!!!

Kade has started eating real food. He has been through beans, carrots, and today we started peas. You can tell by the smiles, that this is WAY better than that bland, tasteless cereal!

Favorite Christmas Toy

Kade got a Jumperoo for Christmas. He spent several days checking it out and not really doing much in it, then...Nate showed him how to go completely crazy in it. I plays a song as feedback when he jumps, so now the song plays constantly. You can turn it off, but I figure he deserves something for working so hard!

Rice Cereal

We have graduated!!! Kade started rice cereal this week. He had his 4 month check up today and he weighs in at 16lbs 12oz and is 27" long, big boy! So today we got the green light to begin the "yummy" veggies in a jar! I am going to be crazy mom and make the food only because 1 jar is $1 and a bag of frozen veggies is $1...no brainer! He loves the cereal and he already wants to hold the spoon. This is after he is done eating. He isn't very messy because I am a psycho and don't let him get too messy! I'm sure that will change with time!

Christmas with the Stenzel's

This year was a first in many ways for us...Obviously our first year as parent's, our first year in our new house, and with the first house comes our first year to host Christmas. Nate and I hosted both families for Christmas this year. We loved it. Our house is all open, so there is so much room. No more cramming everyone into one room. We pulled the furniture back and SPREAD OUT! Sorry Girton family I was a lazy mom and didn't take any pictures at our Christmas, don't feel bad these are the only two I took at the Stenzel Christmas! Kade got a radio flyer wagon from my parents so I had to take a picture of him in it in front of the tree. Kade slept through opening presents. Nate and I can't wait til next year when he is actually excited about Christmas!

Christmas Eve

We spent Christmas Eve with Nate's family at his cousin's cabin not far from our house. He is with his cousins Ashley and Morgan in his 1st Christmas outfit. You can see how happy he was to be all dressed up and taking a family picture before we opened presents! As always, Nate has his eyes half shut. I hope Kade doesn't develop his dad's struggle with pictures!! Just kidding honey.

Bath Time Fun!

Kade is starting to love the bathtub. We have given up on the little tub and moved to the big tub. One of these pictures is for Uncle Chris, notice his hands, future golfer perhaps? He has also really started to love his hands, as you can see he tries to put them both in his mouth at the same time. He has also become a pro at sucking the thumb! Check out the hair, he is getting it cut again this week!

Christmas Traditions!

Over the past few weeks, we have started the Christmas traditions. The first being going to get the Christmas tree. We took Kade to the tree farm that my family and I have been going since before I can remember! He slept the entire time as you can see in the picture. Then last night, Santa was in Franklin Grove for their Christmas walk. His cousins, Sydney and Dalton, also made the trip to see Santa. Kade was actually awake the whole time and was very good, he didn't cry or fuss! How great does Santa look, pretty authentic!

Kade's Baptism

We had Kade baptized today. My mom made him the cutest tux for the occassion. He looked very handsome. He did very well, he didn't cry at all during the ceremony. My sister-in-law Kristin is his godmother and Nate's best friend "Beef" is his godfather.

Deer Season

Last weekend was shotgun deer season here in IL. The guys all go and "move out" to our cabin for the weekend. Kade and I went out to eat dinner with the mighty hunters so I thought Kade should wear his blaze orange so he would fit in.

Family Pictures!

On Saturday we had our family pictures taken. Nate and I get our pictures taken once a year for our anniversary, and this year we had our picture taken as a family! Here are just a few pictures that my sister in law took for us during our sitting. Yes Kade is sucking his thumb in the first picture!!

Lucy's new friend!

Chris and Kristin have 2 cats, Lucy and Lilly. Lilly wanted nothing to do with Kade, but Lucy was a little curious. Finally on Sunday before we left, she came over to say "Hi"

Sorry about the gap in blogging!

Sorry we haven't blogged in awhile. We have been on the go. A couple weekends ago we took a road trip to my brother's house in Rochester MN. Kade did really well in the car both coming and going, it is 4 1/2 hours both ways! While we were up there, we went to the Mall of America to Christmas shop. He did really well, but was definitely ready to be out of his car seat by the end of the day. (We went both Friday and Saturday!) When we got back home, he wanted nothing to do with the car seat for almost a week.

For the whole weekend, Kade slept in the pack n play which he hadn't slept in. He was still able to sleep through the night. He woke up on Saturday with some crazy hair. He "went in" to wake Uncle Chris up and show him his hairdo!

More Halloween

Tonight was the Franklin Grove Halloween Parade. So Kade, Grandma Stenzel and Grandma Girton went, since I had to work. He is with his cousins Sydney and Dalton. He didn't win any prizes for his costume. According to Nate, it looked too much like it was purchased at a store, sorry mom your too good!

Kade's First Haircut

Yesterday, we took Kade for his first haircut. I had lots of people starting to ask me "how old my little girl" is. So I broke down and at 9 weeks, took him. My friend Kelli cut his hair for me. He looks so much older to me now. You can see his ears for the first time in his life! I haven't washed it yet to see what the curls do, that will be tomorrow night!

Happy Halloween!!

Yesterday was the Halloween parade in Amboy. So my mom made him a monkey costume and Kade and I walked in the parade. He was so excited about the parade that he fell sound asleep and slept the entire parade and stayed asleep for trick or treating! He is going to another parade on Tues night in Franklin Grove, so more pictures of the little monkey may follow!

Cooking with Kade!

Last Friday was the last football game. Unfortunately we did not advance to the playoffs. So after the game, we hosted a party for the coaches and their wives. Kade and I spent most of the day cooking and cleaning. As you can see, he was a big help! Luckily, he can sleep through anything, cooking and cleaning!

The Fire Chiefs

On Sunday, the Amboy Fireman had their annual pancake and sausage breakfast. So we headed down. Kade had on his Fire Chief outfit, which you can't see very well. So we had him take a picture with Fire Chief Grandpa. Who do you think really runs the show?

Stylin' New Outfit

This post is mostly for Amanda! Kade got a new outfit in the mail yesterday, and he is wearing it today to an office party. So I had to take a picture of him in it since Amanda probably won't get to see him in it in person. He looks great in it, I love it!

Newest branches on Stenzel Tree

Over the weekend, we finally met the other new baby in our family, Haleigh. She is my Uncle Dave and his wife Nichole's little girl. She is two weeks old. We were all surprised by how much that Kade and Haleigh looked alike in the face. No denying that they are Stenzel's!

Playin' Hard

Kade has just started playing by himself. He loves the overhead gym, he will play for almost an hour.















However, sometimes he plays so "hard" he falls asleep!!