Jaden's 1st Dance

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Too Long

So, I'm working on catching up on just about everything! I guess it is the time of year to try to tie up loose ends before getting busy with Christmas FUN! :-) My parents are there this week (and my mom for 2 more after that) so we are having fun with them. I am also taking advantage of Jaden having some "Grandparent Time" so that I can make some serious progress on my MA research! I need to get A LOT done in the next 2 weeks to even have a SHOT at graduating!!! But, in the meantime, I thought those of you who tell me you are ALWAYS checking the blog to see if there are new pictures of Jaden would appreciate an update! I hope this makes you smile!

Jaden plays with one of the coolest toys ever....a big new box from G&G K!

Last Monday I had to go to Mexico the help out a Servant Event group. I thought I was going to have to translate. It was I good thing that I didn't because I don't think Jaden would have made it the whole day! The house where the group was holding an eyeglasses clinic is VERY small and their yard is dirt and there are a ton of dogs. SO, he couldn't just crawl around on the ground (even though he REALLY wanted to!) He did have fun playing in the back of the truck for awhile. This marks Jaden's 2nd International Adventure. We'll be going back to on Saturday!

Apparently Jaden worked up a good appetite in Mexico because that night, boy was he hungry! Eating beans was QUITE an adventure this night. He got GOOD and dirty! But boy, were those beans YUMMY!!!

Beans over here, beans over there, beans in the hair, beans EVERYWHERE!!!

And, I guess since he was SO happy after eating beans to his tummy's content....I FINALLY got all he has learned on camera! He says, here are my tricks everyone!!!!

This past weekend Jaden got a new toy from G&G H. He's been having fun with it ever since! It is a truck that he can ride, walk behind, and play with. So far he mostly likes the wheels. Of course, that is true of everything...wheels on Great-Grandma V's walker, wheels on the stroller, wheels on the train toy, wheels on the push car, wheels on the car and truck..........

He did let Grandma K push him around a bit though!

So far, he can't quite keep up with it walking but, he has stood up next to it a few times, and he has been pushing it while crawling. I think he's getting the hang of it!

Of course, the Grandparents from up north had to bring a fun ski hat! It's starting to get cold in El Paso (there may even be snow by Sunday) and there are many more options for cool hats up north than here. SO, here is the little man getting ready for winter in his crazy hat!

I couldn't help it.....It's just too funny!

What do you think? Cute? Cool? Crazy?

Daddy seems to like it - but he did say...."when he goes to school you have to dress him cool." I said, "so, is this cool?" Daddy's response...."No, this is 'make fun of the white kid with the wierd hat!'" Hmmmm...... So, does that mean cute for a baby but not for an older kid?

Adventures in Eating

So, Jaden really enjoys his food these days! One thing he particularly loves doing when eating is biting the SPOON!

Also, one of his favorite new foods is Advocado! Here is one particularily messy day and the many faces of advocado!

Here we are, just doing our thing and playing. Notice Daddy's awesome tower in the left...WAY fun to knock over!!!

And this is me, just being cute! Of course, I would be cuter if mommy could have gotten the black bean juice off of my face after dinner...but, my bath was soon to come!

My Broccoli Baby

So, Jaden apparently LOVES broccoli! It is easy to get him to eat his vegetables!

Tonight, after getting very dirty with the broccoli Jaden got a little time to play with no shirt on! Boy, was he happy!

And, here's one of him the other day standing up after a diaper change. He likes to turn around and look out the window but this day he was trying to do it with NO HANDS!!!

Oh Well....

Even when I want him to sleep on his own....

This is nice too! :-)

This video is a little bit long but it's pretty funny if you want to see and hear Jaden "help" with the laundry and tell a story all at the same time!

Look, he likes to recycle too!!! Tell me, when he sees the dog, do you think he is saying "Jack" or "dog" we figure it is one of the two but we can't figure out if he actually says DOG or if he thinks a dog is actually called a Jack and says THAT when he sees other dogs too!

In other news, at 9 months (really...he's been alive as long as I was pregnant already?!?!?!?!)

- teeth 6 & 7 have made their appearance

- 20 lbs 11 oz, 28.5 inches tall

and a standing, laughing, chatterbox.

His new tricks are sticking out his tongue when you say, "Jaden where is your tongue?" Clapping his hands when you start singing "pat-a-cake" and throwing his hands up in the air when you say, "Jaden how big are you?....Sooooo big!" I'll try to get those on a video one of these days!

Catching Up: The Trip Up North

Arriving at the airport Jaden takes a look at Grandpa K. thinking...hmmm...I THINK you look familiar.... But, in true Jaden fashion, he warmed up quickly!

Of course, after all of that time cooped up in mommy's lap we had to take a little stroll. Jaden even stood while going down the escalator!

It was Grandpa K's birthday the day we arrived so we went to the Cheesecake Factory for dinner. MMMMMmmmmmmm......Jaden didn't get cheesecake, but he did try rye bread and LOVED it!

He also ate more than his fair share of black beans!

Mmmmm....Cheesecake!!!

Happy Birthday Grandpa!!!

Back at the house we had a little time to play before bed!

The next day cousin Melanie came to visit and play!

Jaden had many firsts on this trip....this was his first time with his very own toothbrush! Mommy was TIRED of getting her finger mashed while brushing Jaden's teeth with the washcloth! He LOVES brushing....and drools ALL OVER THE PLACE while doing it too!

Jaden has been a bit of a crazy sleeper lately. This day he fell asleep in mommy's arms and proceeded to flip himself around in order to bury his nose in the crook of her elbow....apparently he doesn't care too much about fresh air!


Catching some zzz's in the car on the way to SD! We don't have a picture but technically this was the first time that Jaden saw snow...but it melted as it hit the ground and he slept through most of it...so I'm not totally sure that it counts!

We got to see Great Grandma & Grandpa Brandenburg!

And at Jerry & Arlene's Jaden got to ride his first trike! Jerry's dad had restored this from when Jerry was a kid. It was a little big. But, with grandpa's help Jaden had a great time!

Back and Great Grandma & Grandpa's the next day Jaden got to see Great Uncle Denny, Great Uncle DelRoy & Karen, and Great-great aunt's Dee, Verna, Lila, and Elizabeth

I LOVE this one!

here comes the tickle bug!

Isn't my highchair cool!!!!

Jaden also "played" pool for the first time! He had a good time pushing the cue ball into the hole!

Then we went to Great Aunt Nancy's for a while. She has this cool pumpkin that Jaden liked from a distance but wasn't quite so sure of up close.

with Great Aunt Nancy eating some crackers!

With Godmother Kayla!

And cousin Lanae

After we got back to MN MORE people came to visit! Keely and Mali came trick-o-treating early! Mali was a basket of blueberries! TOO CUTE!

And Keely was a beautiful Spider Fairy!

Great Aunt Karen was fun to play with too!

Jaden also learned to climb the stairs! He was SUPER fast at it right away! We don't have stairs at home so he had to get his practice in at Grandma's house!

This was one of his favorite new toys - even though he doesn't quite have it figured out yet!

Reading a book with Mommy...

Walking around the mall with Grandma

Checking out the Lobsters at Red Lobster with Grandpa!
The last night before returning home!

Playing in the fall leaves on the only day it was nice enough to go outside (the day we left!)

One last hug and a Halloween gift for the road!

WHEW....what an adventure! We didn't even get pictures of everyone we saw or everything we did! We sure missed Daddy but it was fun to see everyone!!! We hope we're back up there soon!