On February 23, 2012, Cade's Kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Brocka, asked the students to write and draw what their favorite thing about Platte River Academy was.  Cade drew the picture above.  A teacher's dream, right?  Hope you always love school as much as you did that day!

Is there anything more beautiful in this world than the smile of a child?  

I think not.  Cooper, you are such a love!  

Cade, you make us laugh!  Before I recount today's anecdote, let me give you a bit of back story.  First and foremost, you are obsessed with cartoons.  They are like kiddie crack to you.  When you watch too much, your personality changes and you become whiny, demanding, and generally unpleasant to be around.  As a result, Daddy and I have always limited your screen time.  Additionally, if we didn't regulate your wake up time and insist that you stay in your room, in bed, until 8am, you'd be up at 6am.  Let's take a wild guess what you'd be doing at 6am?  You've got it...watching cartoons.  With all of this said, here's what happened this morning.  It's Sunday.  I am scheduled to volunteer teaching a Pre-K Sunday school class.  I set my alarm for 7:20am to give myself plenty of time to get ready, eat a leisurely breakfast and get you boys ready for church.  When my alarm goes off, I realize that both of our bedroom doors are closed- something that you do when you wake up so that Daddy and I can sleep in peace.  Very kind, right?  Well, most would say yes, but I know you and I know that something's up.  At first, I think you have left your room early and come downstairs to watch cartoons.  Kiddie crack, I tell you!  I open our bedroom door and guess what?  I hear you in your room.  You give just a little cough, but it's enough to assure me that you're still in bed.  I am relieved.  My boy has not disobeyed, as I had immediately thought.  So, I proceed to get myself ready for Sunday school.  When I come downstairs, though, to make my cup of morning coffee, I notice that the iPad isn't plugged into it's usual cord on the kitchen counter.  I know, now, exactly what you are doing.  You are indulging in cartoons, on the iPad, in your bed.  I'm sure you're thinking, "It's Sunday morning.  I'm allowed to watch a cartoon or two on weekend mornings.  I'm being so quiet and I even, kindly, closed their bedroom doors so that they won't be awoken by my shuffling around.  I'm really not doing anything THAT wrong, am I?"  I go back upstairs, open your bedroom door and my suspicions are confirmed.  There you are, wide awake, watching your kiddie crack on the iPad.  You smile and say, "Good morning, Mom!"  You seem oddly proud of yourself and frankly, you should be.  You are one smart and resourceful little man!  But, I can't tell you that I'm proud of you for finding a way to get what you want without breaking too many family rules.  Instead, I take the iPad away and explain that you will not watch any cartoons for the rest of the day (too bad that it's the weekend and you're usually allowed an hour or so of cartoons).  You cry, but ultimately understand that what you did wasn't right and that the consequence is fair.  Someday, when you read this post as an adult, you will learn of the secret pride that I took in your resourcefulness.  I love that quality in you!

On Sunday, January 29, 2012, Cooper ate his first big boy meal of rice cereal.  He absolutely loved it and has been eating like a champ for the past week.  Tonight, while we were watching the Super Bowl, Cooper decided to tell us how unhappy he was that we weren't feeding him quickly enough.  I think we have another good eater on our hands.  You are the cutest, Coop!

We fought quite a battle together, Cade, as I was trying to deliver you.  I was in labor all day Sunday (contractions started at midnight on November 20) and you didn't make your debut until 26 hours later.  Your poor little head got stuck in my pelvic bones and you were upside down to boot.  There was little hope of you coming naturally, as I had deeply desired, so the doctor recommended a C-Section.  Our happy baby boy was born at 2:35am on November 21, 2005, weighing 8 lbs. 3oz.    

I knew you immediately.  Daddy marveled at how I could soothe you as soon as you began to fuss.  It wasn't difficult- I knew exactly what you wanted.  Daddy sensed our connection.  He knew that you and I had a bond that was beyond his comprehension.  It was quite amazing, really.  I suppose it makes sense.  After all, we spent 9 months together before you were even born.   

I will never forget one of the first nights of your life.  Kenny Chesney televised one of his concerts and I had it on in our hospital room.  You were absolutely riveted!  You were so content listening to his concert, despite the fact that I was having trouble producing enough milk for you and you were so hungry. You and I snuggled in our hospital bed listening to the music for a full hour.  For the rest of my life, every time I hear Kenny Chesney, I will remember this beautiful night with you.   

Snow day!  This is what childhood memories are made of.

The first thing I felt when I saw you for the first time, Carter, was that you were an old soul.  I don't know exactly what it was, but I just knew that you had a special something about you.  You had the same energy as my Grandpa Brylinski.  In fact, I felt like I was looking into Grandpa's eyes when I looked into yours.  You were calm and quiet, just like Grandpa always was, and you had a certain twinkle in your eye that told me that you thought the world around you was pretty stinking funny.  It's amazing to me that a mother knows these things about her child at all, let alone within the first minutes after his birth.  You are now nearly 5 and you still remind all of us of him.  You love to dance and are extremely good at it.  Grandpa was a professional roller skater and loved ballroom dancing in his later years.  You play so quietly that I hardly know you're there sometimes.  Grandpa was quiet like that too.  You don't speak as much as some, but when you do, you have something important to say.  Grandpa was exactly the same way!  You make silly jokes and Grandpa was notorious for telling ridiculous jokes that made people groan.  When you are sick or hurt, you rarely complain or cry.  You seem to have an extremely high tolerance for pain, just like Grandpa. The likenesses are uncanny.  I like to think that you have Grandpa's soul.  Perhaps that's why I call you Angel.

P.S.  I wonder if you'll like to eat lemons too.  Only time will tell...

On Wednesday of this week,  Cade came home from school very hungry, so he decided to make himself dinner- a salami and cheese sandwich, carrots with white dip, and Cheetos.  As he was sitting at the table eating, he said “Mom, I don’t really understand girls yet.  I mean, I can play with them, but I just don’t understand them yet.”  I had to hold back my laughter because, really, does any man ever really understand women?  I think not.  When I asked why he felt that way, he replied, “I had to stop a fight today.  The girls were arguing over who was going to marry me.”  Aw, jeez!  Here we go.  He's in Kindergarten, for crying out loud!  The good news for me is that he wasn't interested.  Hallelujah!  There’s plenty of time for this drama in about 10 years. 

Dear Cade, Carter and Cooper,

I feel like a fish out of water, but here I am...blogging.  Consider this the official beginning of my personal collage of your lives.  I hope that one day you will read these posts and smile at my favorite memories of you.

Love you forever,
Mommy