*Poppy*

I know that I have been quiet lately, and I have been neglecting our sweet little blog. I suppose I've been feeling a little bit awed by all that has been happening, and I am just trying to wrap my head around it all. This little one growing inside me has been quiet and cozy, but growing very very large (or at least my belly is). I am 19 weeks and I am anxiously awaiting the feeling of those little kicks! We had an ultrasound last week (for genetic counseling...very long and lengthy screening)and it was so incredible how they could zoom in and look at every little detail. I feel so blessed to have this little one growing inside of me, and I cannot wait to meet him/her in what seems like a few months!

I also found out that I was finally approved to take the licensing exam after jumping through all of Colorado's crazy hoops! I am hoping to take it at the beginning of February, which means I need to buckle down and get studying! I have horrific test anxiety and I am not sure how to go about studying for something so big, but I know that somehow i will find a way!

This weekend we were so grateful to have Poppy come and stay with us for a few days! We really had a wonderful time, and Kaden did some super bonding with my Dad. Kaden asked several times this evening if Poppy was coming back tonite to "sleep on the bed downstairs". We really didn't have any plans and just kind of went with whatever we felt like doing each day and it was truly a wonderful visit. I think it was good for all of our souls, especially Kaden.














~kaden not happy about saying goodbye to Poppy.





We have had two big snowfalls here so far, and both have been melted within 24-48 hours. I am a bit jealous of Chad, as he has been home with Kaden on these days (wednesdays) and has had an absolute ball playing in the snow with Kaden. I wouldn't mind if the snow stuck around just a wee bit longer so those of us that are imprisoned at work could enjoy in the snow fun too!







ps....I need a new name for our blog! Any ideas or suggestions?

*happy halloween 2011*

Halloween was so much fun this year! We hit up Boo at the Zoo, Old Gaylord Street Fest and then finished the night off with some good ol fashioned trick or treating. It was so much fun to take my *two* lil ones trick or treating this year! Kaden got a LOT of candy, and we were a bit perplexed what to do with it all, since he doesn't really eat sweets or candy of any kind. We let him have a few pieces on Halloween and he slept horribly and had a tummy ache all day. I am thinking that the Halloween fairy may have to come one night this week, take all the candy and maybe leave a special toy in it's place. In the meantime while I am trying to decide if that is *the best* plan, I will continue making sure that the Reese's Peanut Butter Cups make their way safely to the bottom of my belly.

Speaking of bellies, I am 17 weeks this week and HUGE. So far, I feel awesome and feel truly blessed not to have more uncomfortableness or morning sickness. We have another ultrasound this next Monday and I can't wait to see the little nugget, part 2! We are choosing not to find out the sex of the little one. There are few surprises in life, and this is one we feel is worth the wait.


Here is a look at the weekend in pictures!


~a high five for mrs elephant at Boo at the Zoo.


~kaden's future wife.




"my mommy tried to make me wear that last year!" getting retraumatized by elmo ;)


~lil monkey.


~drum session with daddy.


~kaden and julia havin a crazy fun time at chipotle.

Kaden is so smitten with Julia. He always asks her if he can have a hug, and she says in her sweet and dainty voice, "No thank you". Kaden apparently couldn't handle the rejection any longer, and grabbed her face and planted a huge kiss right on the mouth!


~posing in the Gnome Village at Old Gaylord Street Fair...


~he just watched these older boy's every move at the Old Gaylord Street Fair.


~trick or treatin. kaden had this constant giggle the whole time...he loved every second of it.








~playing cards post trick or treatin.


~the squirrels tore up our pumpkins. This gang of squirrels is completely ruthless! They are so aggressive and they go after what they want and take no prisoners. These are the same guys that broke into our kitchen on four separate occasions. Killer squirrels!

*a new bed*

~kaden is in love with his Big Boy Bed! He loves getting cozy and reading stories under the covers...yay for more cuddly time!



~and here he is pretending to be Snow White and asking me what I would like to eat ( he uses the guardrail as his kitchen). In this same conversation, he let me know he knew all the 7 dwarfs...dopey, grumpy, sneezy and gassy. Smart boy...there SHOULD be gassy dwarf!



Most random outing ever. Kaden loves these statues that he calls "those big guys" that are posed dancing in front of the Performing Arts Center. Chad thought it would be the ultimate thrill to hang out underneath the guys, rather than just seeing them in a drive by. Kaden loved it and continuously chatted about "the guys" all day. We also made a pit stop at the Big Blue Bear, since it had been a while. Nothing like spending a day galavanting around town checking out all the giant ceramic sculptures!


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The snow has all melted and we had a crazy yard full of leaves to rake before the next snow comes along! Kaden was lovin *helping*.






~having a picnic with daddy in the backyard.

*a snowy day*

~a first glimpse at the crazy snowfall.

Fall was slightly interrupted this year by a crazy little snowstorm that dropped 10 inches of snow overnight. Literally, the day before it was 80 degrees, bright and sunny and the leaves have never been more gorgeous, and then BAM...winter wonderland! I so wanted to stay home and be cozy with a cup of hot cocoa and watch the snow with nugget, but instead I went to work, and Daddy decided to stay home and do just that. Boooooooo! I checked in with them throughout the day and they were having a blast playing hard in the snow. I am not sure how I lived without snow for ten years, there is really nothing like that first snowfall. It completely warms your soul, makes you feel cozy thoughts and it is just makes everything so bright and beautiful. If you are one of those people that don't feel quite like this about snow, Colorado might be the place for you. Because all of this white stuff practically disappeared today. I love the sound of the sun melting it to pieces, it just sounds like he is on a crazy mission to get the job done. I love it all.


~the beautiful fall trees all droopy from all the snow.




~a "shovel ride".


~kaden posing by his pumpkin creations. 24 hours later...the snow is all gone!

*quirky*

Every child has their quirks. After years of working with little ones, I have come to know this to be not only true, but what makes each of them so amazingly unique and beautiful in their own way. Kaden has many of these quirky quirks, and there is one in particular that has thrown me for a loop. His objection to ponytails. Nope, I have not attempted to put his own hair into a ponytail, it is an objection to mine being up in anyway shape or form.

Ever since the little man can remember, I have had short hair. He never knew that mama once had long hair and rocked the ponytail on a daily basis. Now he has complete FITS if i so much as put my hair up to wash my face or clean around the house. He begs me "PEAS mama put your hair down", and will continuously become more and more upset and emotional if I do not follow his directives. With #2 coming into town, I have decided to grow my hair once again, so that I can rock the ponytail and make my life a helluva lot easier with low hair maintenance. I have been preparing kaden by practice runs with my mini ponytail. It has been emotionally exhausting for both of us! We spent a day at the zoo last week with his little girlfriend and my mommy friend who is also a child therapist. I told her about his ponytail aversion, and the look on her face made me feel that this is all stranger than I would like to think. We did some ponytail conditioning with him with her little girl's hair, and he had no problem with it. My friend played with my hair and pulled it back and he completely lost it.

The fate of my hair is up in the air with this little quirk of his. Am I being ridiculous letting my almost three year old have power over my hair. Any ideas or suggestions are welcome!

As quirky as he may be, he sure is one dancin machine! Here he is rockin out to his favorite, Old Dan Tucker (music by daddy).

guess what????

Baby Miller the SECOND edition will be making a grand entrance into the world on April 3, 2012!!! We could not be more overjoyed!!!!!!!!!!!!





Wishing you all happy, healthy, and dreamed filled days to come.
love, light and peace,
The Millers!

*fall fever*

What is it about Fall? This year, I feel completely intoxicated by all things pumpkin, the changing leaves and majestic Aspen trees, and all things Halloween. I just want to bake all things pumpkin and apple and savor every moment. I made an amazing apple butter last week, and this week I want to tackle pumpkin butter. It is supposed to snow this weekend so I need to enjoy this short lived fall FAST!

Kaden is also ridiculously excited about the season and has narrowed down his Halloween costumes to Snow White (has been in the running since he could say those words), Elephant, a "baby" pig, Mickey Mouse, Dopey, Monkey (he has an adorable Monkey costume thanks to Mamaw and Papaw...were pullin for the Monkey), a pirate, or a "girl". He is fascinated by all things girls. I really want him to be a mini Dwight Schrute (see below), but I have a feeling that will NOT be in the final three.




~rockin out at the Pumpkin Harvest Fest with Kaden and Julia.



~Kaden's first hayride with our friends Lindsay and Julia. Julia is the cutest!













~the road to our camping spot this past weekend.....to be continued!