This glamorous outfit was a Christmas gift from Great Aunt Diane. Cate loves the softness and let me take her picture before settling down for her nap.
Rick was working yesterday and Lindsay needed to pack in anticipation for their move next week. That's much easier to do without the "help" of a three year old. Jay was also at work at L.L. Bean, so Cate and I had Gramma Time. She spent the day with me and it was nonstop. We started with breakfast and then tried out the new carseat [at my request, Lindsay and Rick bought me a carseat for Cate as my Christmas gift:)] and headed off to the Farmer's Market. I gave Cate her own dollar to spend. After looking everything over carefully, she chose a huge carrot as a gift for Mommy to "make her happy." Then it was back home for lots of play. I was the Prince in Cinderella, a "doggie-Gramma" that she took to the store but made wait outside on the sidewalk, and a cow that she, being the "farmer," had to "rodeo." I discovered that meant being lassoed with a long piece of yarn:) We also danced to the Rockettes' Christmas DVD. She, of course, had to wear her dancing dress which required Gramma mending it on the sewing machine with the help of little hands. Luckily no little fingers were harmed in the process despite frequent exposure to sewing needles. Then there was lunch, working on her "daycare school" valentines and storybooks. FINALLY, for the first time ever, she crawled willingly into our bed and fell fast asleep for her nap. By the time Lindsay picked her up at 5:30, we had had a wonderful day.
Gramma tells me good stories! 
The scar on Caden's thigh is from his muscle biopsy. Hopefully it will fade as he grows. The stylish moccasins were a gift from friends:) 
Ready to go for a ride in the stroller. Has gotten chillier this week so had to bundle up. 
Asleep on Gramma's shoulder:) 
Sleepy Caden
Wide awake Caden
As is fatherhood:)
Good thing Gramma stays awake:)
Caden is hanging out at home in his bouncy seat.
Caden in his car seat.
Caden is all wrapped up after his first bath at home. He loves his bath.
Caden finds the ceiling fan quite interesting.
What they'd been waiting for - snuggling at home in the big chair.
Off for the first short walk around the neighborhood.
Tummy time is especially important for Caden to strengthen those neck muscles.
Caden's found a nice place to nap:)
The Auchters, some Maine friends of ours who moved to Jacksonville, planted this garden for Caden. Their three children wrote Caden's Garden on the white sign. As the garden grows, so will Caden:)
Today Cate finally kept a bow in her hair and even posed for pictures:)
Could only stand still for so long.
Loves her Papou:)
Love that paci and it's good exercise for those sucking muscles.
Kangaroo time with Mommy
Trying to get that bottle figured out.
Sleepy time with Gramma. Such a peaceful place to be.
Papou's arms are also a good place to nap.
Aunt Lindsay and Caden. What will Cate think when she sees this?:)
Our bright-eyed boy:) His eyes are dark blue.
We are so happy to welcome our grandson, Caden Zachary, to the world. He was born at 3AM. He weighed 6 pounds and 9 ounces and was 21 inches long. He is our Valentine's Day baby, our little love.
This glamorous outfit was a Christmas gift from Great Aunt Diane. Cate loves the softness and let me take her picture before settling down for her nap.
We have quite the wildlife in our backyard. Jay actually saw moose tracks just down the road but here he caught a barred owl outside our window. It hung around for about 4 hours!
And then there was the day wild turkeys found our bird feeder. They were huge!!!
Cate celebrated her third birthday on Jan 16.
After church on Christmas Eve.
My neighbor and dear friend Judy starting our Go-Out-For-Brunch on the Winter Solstice tradition:)
The snow is getting very deep. Jay has even had to rake some of it off the roof with a long handled snow rake.
We're suppose to get even more this weekend. Not sure where we'll put that.
