A Few New Tricks!

Over the past few weeks Cayden is really starting to grow up! We have reached a new phase in parenting and we love it! We now can let him play by himself without watching him constantly as he has now figured out how to entertain himself. He is able to play with a specific toy, like the blocks, for extended periods of time. This has been a big blessing as I am able to get some things done throughout the day without worrying what Cayden is going to destroy :)! Here are a few new things that Cayden is beginning to do!

Cayden now enjoys reading books by himself, he will look at every book and pretend he is reading them to himself, so cute!

This isn't new but it has become more of an obsession lately . . . he wants to have him blanket and pacifier ALL the time, we are trying to be more conscious of this lately :)!
Cayden and Daddy came up with a new trick: standing on Daddy's hands while Daddy is walking around, Cayden thinks this is pretty awesome, and it is!
Last Sunday we realized we are kind of matching (white and brown), so I had us take a picture!
Just a cute one!
This past week, thanks to the intense heat of 100 degrees a number of days, we went out to the water park with some friends. But first Cayden had to try out the park!
Cayden actually played in the water this time! Usually he doesn't want to go in at all!
He didn't get that wet though, oh well, maybe next time!

Play Dates and More!

This past week we had several play dates and a lot of activities to enjoy. Plus with the cooler weather we are back out to the park! Unfortunately, I don't think the cooler weather is going to last as another heat wave is going to arrive this weekend. We will definitely be ready for the cooler weather to come and stay for awhile! Here are a few pictures from this week!

Enjoying the park with Daddy and showing off his monkey skills!

Drinking from the lion's mouth . . . Cayden says, "mmm, I like it"!
We went to the zoo with Libby and Elliot . . . notice the sweatshirts!
Watching the tiger
Such a great picture of all of them!!
Watching the turtles
I like this picture . . . barefoot and all!
Cayden trying to see the animals closer up!
Other than our outdoor events, we went to a story time and I had GUM (mom's group) this morning. I am so glad that things have started up again, it is a nice change!!

The Past Few Weeks!

Since we have been back from Seattle we have been slowly getting back into our routine here in Azusa. The school year is in full swing now and we are adjusting to Matthew being gone more again (although this years schedule seems way better than last years!). Matthew started his practicum at Loma Linda Medical Center in Redlands, Ca (45 mins away) where he will be working around 20 hours a week. He is only taking four classes this semester so the school load is a little lighter. We have now entered the final year of Matthew taking classes before his final internship. He is currently working on applications (15 plus) which are due in the first part of November. From there he will hopefully get some interviews and then there will be a "match day" similar to Medical students. So we will find out at the end of February where we will be going next year. The states that Matthew's applying to are Washington, Oregon, Iowa, Colorado, California, and possibly one site in Utah. So who knows where we will end up. We would greatly appreciate your prayers the next few months!!

Cayden and I are staying quite busy with playdates with friends, music classes at a local bookstore, my Mom's group at church, trips to the park, and plenty of quality play time! Due to the heat and the fires the past few weeks we were forced to stay inside but a few days this past week we were able to get out in the mornings, so we were both relieved to be outside again! Other than that we have been hanging out with friends and we recently started attending a new church in the area, so we are trying to get involved with that! So on to the pictures from the past few weeks!

Cayden and Libby playing while we were watching her one afternoon!

I am positive that it was hotter than this, but this was the highest temperature I caught on camera . . . way too hot in my opinion, come on fall!!
Our friends were house sitting their Uncle's house who had a pool. We were invited over there one weekend and we had a blast hanging out with them and swimming! Here is Cayden and Matthew in the "deep end" on a bench.
Family picture, you can tell Cayden is so happy here :)
Lovely
Cayden enjoying the water. This pool was awesome because it had a little shallow end that was perfect for Cayden to play in. When he stood up the water only came up to his waist!
The gang swimming!
We decided to get Cayden a train set. His baby toys just aren't cutting it anymore so we had to get something a little more age appropriate and he LOVES it!

Cayden was lucky enough to have an ice cream cone one night! It ended up being too messy for him so we had to put it in a bowl :)!

Cayden really likes to get in any kind of box, including his little book basket . . . so funny!
My friend Brenda and her two kids came over so we could attempt to be crafty moms with our kids! These are what the little bees were supposed to look like!
Brenda and her two kids (Libby and Elliot)
Cayden attempting to make the bees or just eat all the chocolate chips off the plate!
This is how the bees actually turned out . . . oh well! We tried!
Cayden has been talking on the web camera quite a bit to both sides of the family. I just thought that this was cute when he had to have his hat on so Grandpa De Yager could see!!
And then on September 9 our baby, I mean little boy turned 20 months . . .
He is growing up way to fast! Here are a few new developments: can say two word sentences, can do summer salts, can put together peg puzzles, has started to eat apples and bananas (finally some fruit!) and is starting to focus on one toy for more than 1 second! He continues to grow and it is so fun watching his language develop. Just the other day I asked if he wanted something and he shook his head yes! He can't quite say "yes" but it is nice that he can now communicate "yes"!

Seattle: Part 2!

So I apologize in advance for how many pictures I am going to post . . . there was just a lot going on in the last few weeks we were in Seattle and I wanted to share it all! We came back from Alaska on the 14th and kicked off "De Yager Family Fun Weekend" by going to the outlet mall (complete with some spending money from our parents!). From there we went on a beautiful hike. Unfortunately the rain followed us from Alaska and it was sprinkling off and on through our hike, so it was pretty cold! Even then we still had a blast! On Saturday we went Miniature golfing and played some other game tournaments (Rook and Ladder Ball). These games came with prizes so it made it a little bit more competitive and I will tell you that Brett and Courtney cleaned up and got all the prizes . . . oh well there is always next year! Sunday we went to Shaun and Courtney's house where we met Courtney's family for a barbecue/help finish putting bark around the tree the planted for Zachary. Here are some pictures from the weekend!

Uncle Shaun and Cayden on the hike. Cayden was a little bit more clingy (especially with me) since it was our first day back and only wanted to be carried by me. So that was a little challenging hiking with him and for the most part I had to pass a crying child over to someone else . . . he is getting heavy!

Our annual bridge picture with all the "kids"!
Grandpa and Grandma trying to help me out!
Family picture at the lake we hiked to!
Cayden was exhausted and fell asleep coming down the mountain . . . thanks Grandpa!
At Shaun and Courtney's house with Aunt Courtney! At least Courtney looks good . . . we have seen better from Cayden!
Cayden always has fun playing in their backyard . . . sometimes shirtless!
Playing baseball with Aunt Natasha and Uncle Brett! And I will quote Matthew: "I don't think Cayden is going to be a baseball player" :)
Playing with Uncle Brett, Uncle Shaun, and Aunt Natasha
The De Yager family picture shoot . . . pretty difficult with Cayden!
Grandma and Grandpa with Cayden
Playing some Boccie Ball
This is what Cayden liked to do with Uncle Shaun . . .
and Uncle Brett :)
On Monday Matthew, Cayden, and I went down to Greenlake to play at the park!
He saw some girl doing this on the slide and had to copy her!
This kid has some strength and you will find him hanging on about anything he can!

Another park day, this time with Grandma!

Picking a honeysuckle flower (I am not sure if that is what they are called, but that is what I called them growing up, so we are going to go with that!).
Showing Cayden you can suck the honey out of the flowers, I don't think he got it!
It was pretty hot that day so we had him try out the sprinkler with Grandma
So we tried the sprinkler and after crying a lot because there was grass on his hands and feet, we moved up to the deck and sprayed him with the hose. He seemed to like that a lot better not to mention it was a lot cleaner :)!
So fun!
Trying to catch the water in his mouth!
He had a ball!
And then he was done and cold!
Matthew left on Wednesday the 19th and on Thursday we met up with Sabrina, Alyssa, and Evan to go to the Cougar Mountain Zoo.

Here is all of us at the zoo-I think we got everyone looking on the first shot!!!
Alyssa and Cayden looking at the statues of animals, I guess those were more interesting then the real ones!
Cayden playing with Evan so he doesn't feel left out!
Cayden and I!

I just love this picture of Evan!

Alyssa and Cayden playing their favorite game . . . Chase!
Copying each other's every move, literally!
Evan really wanted to get out and join in the fun!
Aunt Natasha took Cayden one afternoon to get ice cream at McDonalds!
I got to hang out with Valerie one night and she first came over to visit Cayden!
Visiting Connie . . . and eating her cookies!
I also got to hang out with my friend Joy quite a few times . . . and we finally got a picture!!
Hmmmm . . . Grandpa puts his computer up on the table so Cayden would not get it but he managed to climb up on the table anyways to get it. I guess when there is a will there is a way!
Grandpa and Cayden playing outside!
Cayden was helping Aunt Courtney pick some tomatoes
Uncle Brett playing with Cayden, he was so wound up this night, it was hilarious!
He was definitely attacking Uncle Brett here!
After his bath . . . time to calm down now!
I think I got a more posed picture of the three of them . . . but this one was way better, so I went with this one!
Aunt Natasha and Cayden playing!
Grandpa giving Cayden a piggy back ride!
Uncle Shaun and Cayden!
Grandpa reading one last story to Cayden before saying "good-bye"!
Cayden and I left on the 24th to come back to Azusa but we definitely had a lot of fun being in Seattle. We had fun seeing our family and friends and just wished we did not live so far away! I did not have fun flying back alone with Cayden, it is a lot of work and so much easier when we fly with Matthew! But we made it back safe and sound and now our back into the swing of things around here. I have some pictures to post from the past few weeks and then I will be caught up on what has been going on!