Caden’s 2nd Birthday

[This is written by me but it is supposed to represent Caden’s perspective.  We started the day at a retreat in Miango.]

Today is my 2^nd birthday- I don’t know what that means, but everyone kept wishing me a “Happy Birthday” so it must be a good thing!

6:30        I am awake.  I’m not in my own bed so I cry out for my mommy.  Here she comes…yeah!  Wait, she takes me in to their room (it’s not their normal room either).  She puts me on their bed.  Daddy and Mommy want to sleep longer but not me, I am ready to play!

6:45        Mommy changes my pants…they are very wet so I am glad for dry ones.  Then she gives me my juice…I love having juice in the morning!!

7:00        I am playing with my cars and motorcycle.  I want to go outside but mommy and daddy won’t let me…they are so mean sometimes…they just want to stay in and do things.  They keep putting all my things in bags.

7:30        We finally go outside!!  A guy comes out of the door next to ours and sings me a song…it’s that “Happy Birthday” phrase.  It’s a nice song but I just want to run!  I run over to Noah’s room.  He is outside with a box of army men.  We take handfuls of army men and put them on the porch.  I like to pick different colors of army men out of the box.

8:00        We take a long walk.  At some point Daddy picks me up…I guess I am walking too slow.  But there are so many things to see and do: red rocks to pick up, trees to look at, catapillars to find…how can they expect me not to stop along the way.

8:05        We are in the big room where we eat but I just want to be outside!  Let me go out please!  I try to sneak away but Daddy catches me.

8:15        Oh…I am hungry…I am eating…eggs!  I love eggs!  Mommy also gives me some toast but I don’t want it so I throw it on her plate.

8:30        I give mommy my plate.  I am done eating.  I want down NOW…did you hear me?  I want to get down NOW so I can play!

9:00        We are back in our room.  Mommy and Daddy are still putting things into bags and then taking the bags to the car.  I just want to be outside.  Please, won’t someone let me go outside?  I try to sneak out the door but mommy makes it so it won’t open.  Oh, just let me out!

10:00     Mommy takes me back to the big room where we eat but no one is there.  So, we go OUTSIDE!  Yeah!  Oh no, mommy leaves me with a lady who I’ve been with a few times this weekend.  Don’t go Mom!  Mom, don’t go.  If I cry, maybe they’ll take me to her.

10:15     Sure enough, the crying works and I am now with Daddy and Mommy.  People are singing.  I don’t want to sing, I just want to play.  Mommy leaves but I’m with Daddy so all is good.

10:20     Juice!!  Crackers!!  I can handle this…my car, my motorcycle…life is good!

10:30     Won’t someone let me go so I can walk around?  Oh, this is good, I can go upstairs!  No, there is a man blocking the way.  I just want to go upstairs.

10:45     I’ve had enough.  If I’m loud they will take me outside.  Mom, Mom, Mom, I want to go outside!  Dad gets up, here we go!  I win, I win, I win!

11:00     Oh…one of the big kids left their bike outside…I want to ride it.  No, daddy says “no”…but I want to …waaaaahhhhh, I cry. But this time it doesn’t work!

12:00     We are back in the big room where we eat and I am hungry.  Feed me!  Mommy gets me chicken but mine isn’t too good.  Her’s looks better.  Can I sit in your lap, mom?  Thanks…your chicken is better!  Yum!

1:00        We are outside again!  Yeah!!  But they want me to walk faster…I just want to play.  The big kids are playing ball…can’t I join them?

1:45        I climb into the car to get in my seat.

1:50        Oh…I’m tired…. [asleep]

3:30        I’m awake and ready to get out of the car.  Oh, I see our gate…yeah, we are home!  Where is Stephanie?  There she is!  Where are the boys?  I am ready to play, play, play.

4:00        Mommy is in the kitchen doing something and daddy is in the living room doing something…they are both too busy for me.  Daddy…Daddy…play with me.  What’s this, he wants me to take something to mommy?  I can do that?  More daddy, give me more to take!  A book, a piece of cardboard, another book, what else can I take her?

4:15        I’m hungry.  There are chips in that bowl up there…can I reach it?  Yes!  Mommy didn’t see me…I’m going to take this bowl with me.  I made it all the way to our apartment!  Let’s see, can I open it?  I’m trying… oops!  All the chips just fell out of the bowl and onto the floor.  Oh…if I step on them they make a fun sound…crunch, crunch, crunch!

4:17        Daddy figures out what I am doing…he wants me to clean it up but I just want to play.  Hey, wait a minute, where are we going? It’s not fair that they can just pick me up and move me whenever they want!  My room?  I don’t want to be in my room!

4:20        O.K.  I’ll clean up the chips…just let me out!  Thanks, dad.

5:30        Outside!  We are outside!  David, Stephanie and I are walking around in the backyard.  Look at all the flowers.  They smell so good!  Oh, there is a board up there I can pick up….I’ll run up the hill and get it.  Look at this piece of wood…it’s like a sword…I’m going to get Hansol with it.  I love being outside.

5:45        I climb into the van to get into my seat.  Where are we going?

6:00        We get out of the car and go into a place where we sometime eat.  I get to sit in a really tall chair here.  But I don’t want to be in the chair.  I am hungry…won’t someone feed me?

6:30        Finally, some food!  I stuff French fries and fish in my mouth…yum!  How much can I get into my mouth?

7:30        We are back at home and my friend Noah has come over, as well as his brother, sisters, mom and dad.  A few other people are here too.  Mom sits me in my chair and gives me all these things wrapped in pretty paper!  They put a box with on the table…wait, MeeMaw and PawPaw!  I can see them…and they are talking to me and smiling.  How cool is that!

7:45        Mom brings this colorful, yummy looking cake over.  Then she uses this stick to put a flickering light on another stick.  I try to touch the light…ouch, that’s  hot!  My friends all gather and they sing that song again.  Then, they tell me to blow but I don’t know what they mean.  All of sudden I feel everyone around me blowing and the hot flicker is gone.  Finally, they cut me a piece of the cake and I stuff it in my mouth!  Yum!!!

8:30        I am so tired.  Finally I get to crawl into my bed and sleep.