15 Months

This has been a super busy summer for Camden, with lots of growing up and new experiences.  He's totally toddler now, not very baby-ish anymore.  

He had his 15-month checkup and here are the stats:

Weight:  21lbs 9 oz,  13%

Height:  31.5 inches, 63%

Head circumference:  47.75cm,  67%

Camden really hates getting his head measured.  He gave the nurse reproachful looks and pulled out his super pathetic-angry face whenever she got too close.  Which was kind of convenient, I guess, because he was already at piercing pitch before he ever got his vaccinations.  I think he hated being held down more than the shots.  Poor kid.

Camden has had some busy times this last month.... he's a little bit of developmental highlights!  I already shared lots of what we did with our family.

Here's a great example of his unhappy self.  Camden throws great tantrums now - throws himself on the floor, rolls around, crying and wailing.  I think it's pretty funny mostly, but it's really frustrating when he does it at the store because I won't let him throw pickle jars or let him bite on every loaf of bread he can grab (which is more than you'd think- he's FAST).  

Camden has become more obsessed with the phone.  Now he will hand the phone to me so I can talk on it.  He'll actually say his version of hello too (a nice rising diphthong).  Lots of other things make great phones too - the remote, some crumpled up paper, etc.

He's starting to say more words - he used to just know dog and bird and dad and mom and ball and balloon. But now he says please and shoes and car and cat and cow and all sorts of things.  Seems like he says new words every day or so.  Today he started saying "uh-oh" if his binky fell out or if he knocked something over.

He grew a mustache!!  Okay, it looked better before he realized it was tasty.  Camden has discovered the joy of licking the spatula after the brownies go in the oven.  Yeah, he learned a couple things from his cousins that I might not have broached on my own.  :)

Camden LOVES slides.  And he was very handy at climbing up, getting to sitting position and zipping down.  At least, he did great, until I started taking pictures.  Then he developed some balance issues and fell down the back of the slide as often as he went down the front.  Interestingly, it didn't stop the slide from being very attractive and fun.  

Notice some of his cousins in the background.  Thanks to so much time with family and young kids, Camden has learned how to play with other kids.  Although, he does think it involves a good amount of pushing as well as playing.  :)

My boy has gotten more proficient with silverware.  You can see from the evidence on the bib that he doesn't have a 100% success rate on delivery, but I'm so impressed there is actually food in his mouth by the time the spoon makes the trip.  Hooray for a little more independence!!  

Check out this sweet vehicle and accompanying cute girl!  I swear this boy had better ugly up before middle school or we are doomed!!  :)

Camden got to have his first horseback ride.  He really rode with me, but he adored this moment of independence.  I have no idea what the horse behind is doing.  

Another super fun month with Camden.  My life consists of story time at the library, meeting friends at the splash parks, a play date here and there, and Camden just trying to figure everything out.  I love it!  I love my boy!

A Grand Park

Yesterday we all went to a fantastic park!  Here Isabelle, Marian, Callie (and you can't see Joshy) are enjoying this remarkable part of the playground.  I guess it's the new version of a merry-go-round. 

Then Marian decided it would be so much more fun to ride on top, and everyone else agreed. 

Delaney liked the individual-sized one better.

There was also this amazing climbing structure.  It was rather tall.  Isabelle could climb to the top in two-seconds flat and totally beat Joshy and Marian in a race. 

Kristy and Miri resting from their exertions.

 Camden love, love, loved!!! the slide.  He rode down with me first and then he went by himself.  I held his hands halfway down and he slid the rest of the way.  He obviously enjoyed it, even when he zipped off the end and thunked on the mulch.

Rylee, Camden, and Emily liked swinging on the steps up to the play structure.  Almost as good as the swings.

 And here is just a darn cute picture of Zachary, one of my newest nephews!



In case you forgot what he looks like

 I apologize in advance....  The internet is pretty slow, so I had to resize the photos to pathetically low resolution in order to get them to upload.  However, I know that your life cannot possibly be happy without a reminder of how cute and entertaining my child is. 

Pilfering from Aunt Kristy's kitchen cupboard (try saying that 10 times fast).

Camden was sooooo excited to spend some time outdoors in a completely new place.  Notice both hands are flapped back - he thinks that will help him walk faster.  

Isabelle and Marian sharing their favorite chickens with Camden, who was a bit more hesitant to bond with the odd clucking creatures than the girls were.

Camden was delighted to watch me make cookies.... even more so when he discovered the spatula just sitting there, which of course, required closer inspection. 

A whole lot of family!

 Early in the afternoon on Sunday, Camden and I began a trip to my parent's house, to join the gathering of some siblings and offspring.  I  keep forgetting to actually use my camera, so here is skewed recital of events.  Apparently, I don't take pictures of the older kids or adults.  Stink!  I'll do better.

  Here is Camden, five minutes into the journey.

There are so many fun things to do at Grandma & Grandpa's house. 

Emma, enjoying the swing.

 Doesn't she look like a beautiful old-time girl?

Rylee and Charlotte.  Don't be deceived into thinking they are happily playing together.  Charlotte is oblivious and unaware of the imminent danger.  Rylee bites.  The most adorable silent bully you've ever seen.

Classic Delaney.  Just enjoying the horse tire swing.

Camden just wants to be a little bit bigger and get in the tree house all by himself.  Eek.

Monday was Emma's birthday, now 3 years old.  She wasn't the happiest birthday girl for the pictures, probably because she was falling asleep on the horse swing (and about to fall off) when Kera called her in for cake.   

Camden and Charlotte enthusiastically play with Little People.  Okay, maybe Charlotte wasn't as enthusiastic as Camden.

All this excitement - new people, new place, new stuff -- gets a little exhausting.  Poor kid!

Dan = Marvelous Dad

Just a couple pictures of my two very favorite boys.  

I am so glad I married a man who is such an amazing husband AND a fantastic father!  

Camden's just a day old here.  

After four months of Camden, Dad is still eager to spend time with our cutie as soon as he gets home from work.

Old year old, and totally a daddy's boy.  Here is helping Dan to mow my parents' lawn 

(no, that is not their house in the background)

Camden begins to see just some of the fun things Dad can do with his mouth.  

A Camden fist fits in there super easy.

Today after church....  

Camden crashed in the car on the way home.  1 o'clock church means no nap til it's over --cause it's just too exciting to go to sleep.  Now if only Dan felt that way too....  hee, hee, hee!

Discovering Mud Puddles

Camden found the byproduct of our hose leak quite fascinating.

He lost his balance a couple times, so he has a muddy bum, too.

 He thought the mud was pretty yummy.  Fun texture on his hands.

I don't think this is going to help the grass grow.

Yep. Still Cute.

We've been pretty busy getting ready for a new job and all that entails plus keeping up with life, like preparation for Young Women Camp and Youth Conference, keeping up with a young'un, and having our house ready to sell.  All that's really boring though, and I'm sure what you really care about is pictures of the especially cute one in the family.  

Isn't this a great cheesy grin?!

And yeah, he thinks he's cute too.

He was so proud of himself for figuring out how to open the phone.  It's totally his favorite toy now.  We had to give him our old one without service because he keeps calling the Police Department with mine and racking up data charges by accessing the internet.  I don't even know how to get to the Internet on my phone.

LOVES to play.  It's hard not to laugh when you hear Camden's belly laugh.

Camden is soooo a daddy's boy now.  It's kind of nice in a lot of ways because if Dan is around, Camden wants him!  But it's frustrating when Dan is around but needs me to take the boy, who is less than happy at having me.  

Camden likes to put Dan's hat on and off.  

A nice lady in the ward gave this mop to Camden.  He has quite enjoyed it.  

I just hope he enjoys housework this much when he's older!

All troubles are cured by a trip outdoors.  Especially if there is dirt to eat and water to play in.  This pot of zinnias is hardy - he's plucked them and pulled out one or two of them and they've survived, even if they don't retain their original splendor.

Camden discovers puddles during one of the calmer storms we've had.  We certainly had a bunch of good storms!  It was a lot more exciting and fun before people got hurt.  But I am grateful we didn't have any trouble.

This doesn't look all that comfortable to me, but Camden often sleeps in this position.  Cracks me up!

Camden enjoying some of the fruits, er, vegetables of our garden.... 

 I don't think he really liked it.

Maybe the carrot tastes funny cause the neighbor's cats use the garden as their litter box.  

We had a fun but short visit with our most excellent friends Tom and Wendi!   And silly us, we only took pictures of their kids.  So...do you think it's tacky to arrange a betrothal between Camden and their fantastic baby Lili?

We spent Memorial Day weekend with Dan's dad and sister Kera.  So fun!  But we worked pretty hard too. Dad had a yard project to work on and Kera and I (mostly Kera) made a bunch of meals to freeze for Dad.

We all helped.  

Seems like this was the closest Camden could be near his grandpa and still happy.  Silly little boy!

This is the finished project.  We ripped out the rocks and separated them from the weeds and other yuckiness, washed off the rocks, reprepped the earth, laid weed-tarp stuff, and replaced the pretty new rocks around the lovely landscaping Dad has.  It was a lot of work!  

Next day was busy!  Finishing the rock project; going to a rock & gem show (where we picked up some great finds); eating a delicious dinner out; and watching a Beatles-imitation band at a classy bar.

 It made for a long day, but it was really enjoyable - and my fantastic father-in-law thought of it all!  He's so great to plan out such a fun day full of things I like!