Lice, Lice Baby

Dear Caden,

Just letting you know, the words 'ice' and 'lice' are NOT interchangeable. I know that they may seem very similar, but trust me- they aren't. Yesterday at Chick-fil-A you proudly, and quite loudly I might add, stated that you liked lice. This caused everyone around us to take a few steps back. While the extra elbow room was wonderful and much needed, the funky looks from everyone were not. Next time just leave off the 'L' and we'll be good.

Love,
Mommy

Snotticus Maximus

Dear Caden,

Snot. It's sticky, slimy, never-ending, and just plain gross. I know you love playing hide and seek with us, but  your tell all line of snot on our walls at thigh level is a dead pan give away of your position. This is however, an improvement from your artistic display of poop drawings when you were younger. Mommy continues to hold out hope that you will not be like a certain Aunt, *cough, cough* that left boogers on the wall and blamed it on Mommy and Uncle Gene. If you do, I completely blame her. Until then, I will continue to lovingly follow behind you with my Clorox wipes...

Love,
Mommy

Texas two steppin' corn

Dear Caden,

I know that you are not a fan of your veggies, most little ones aren't. However, sticking corn up your nose and then nose launching them isn't cool. Also, making Mommy decide if she needs kelly forceps or alligator forceps to get that one piece of corn that you shoved so far up your nose that it is doing the Texas two-step with your brain, really isn't cool. Please keep your corn on your plate, or in your mouth. Thanks in advance.

Love,
Mommy

"Ahhh"-mazing Mac N' Cheese

Dear Caden,

Today you have officially become proficient in the art of drinking and "ahhh"-ing afterwards. Because it elicited laughter from Mommy and Daddy, you decided to also do it after Every. Single. 74. Bites (give or take) of lunch. Thank you for letting Mommy know she makes some "Ahh"-mazing "sheeese!" (Mac N' Cheese). It makes Mommy happy that you ate something other than a waffle and liked it.

Love, 
Mommy

Kisses from Jesus

Dear Caden,

Tonight as I blow dry your hair, my eyes fall on the area of your head where you have a large scar. The first feelings that come are ones of guilt and pain. It still seems like yesterday and I tear up when I think on it. It reminds me of a dark time in our lives, a time that you were put through terrible pain. But as I continued look at the scar that zig zags across your head and I feel a deep sense of peace. I know that Jesus was holding the surgeon's hands during those hours Mommy couldn't hold you. There is one area right above your ear that the scar is wider and quite larger- I am convinced that this is where Jesus kissed you after your surgery. His kiss was a seal of approval and of healing and of the greatest love you will ever know. His kiss was one saying that you are His, and He has great plans for your life.

You suddenly look up at me and give me the goofiest grin. I pick you up and you kiss me, I feel so happy, and so in love. I wonder if that is what you felt when Jesus kissed you on the surgery table. All I know, is that we are a blessed family. Life isn't easy, but when Jesus kisses you, you know it is going to turn out just right.

Love,
Mommy

A Higher Calling

Dear Caden,

Pastor Gurley is an amazing speaker all by himself. He doesn't need your assistance preaching. I promise. And next time, please don't dart halfway to the pulpit the moment Mommy looks away. Yes, I know everyone giggled as you waved to them, but you need to be a little bit older before you can preach at church. K? Thanks.

Love,
Mommy

Love

Dear Caden,

I knock on the door and it opens with you popping out from behind it. You stand tall in your OshKosh overalls, proudly holding your sippy cup and 'nack' container of  goldfish crackers. Our eyes connect and your face instantly lights up as my heart soars.

I love you Caden, more than words could ever describe. I can talk to you and tell you my deepest secrets and I know you won't tell anyone. Sometimes I wonder, as I stare into your beautiful chocolate brown eyes, how much you understand. I believe you have an old soul, and your eyes hold a sense of wisdom that is beyond your age of 21 months. Who else do you know that grooves to old time religion songs? You have been through a lot during those 21 months, and there were many intercessory prayers for you while you had your surgery and then your seizure four months later, but God has taken care of you (and Mommy) every step of the way. I often wondered while you were in the hospital during your craniectomy if you were sitting on Jesus' lap during the surgery. I, at least, like to think so, it helps my heart because I still feel so guilty and terrible that you had to go through that even though there was nothing I could have done to prevent it. In the hospital you had such an amazing sense of humor, and I know that you had to be in so much pain. You taught me so much. You taught me to believe, hope and trust in God, it was going to be ok. It was God taking us down a dark road, but you were the light- it was meant to be.

I love how you sit in my lap and help me turn the pages of "The Hungry Caterpillar" after we've read it about 10 times that evening. I love how you help me put together your wooden puzzles and identify the different animals on them. I love how you say that a pig goes, "Oooo-INK" and that both Mommy and the cow goes "Moo." (Even though you know Mommy says, "I love you.") I love how after your bath you like to run back and forth between Mommy and Daddy's room and to your room...only to stop suddenly, waiting with baited breath right before you reach the corner of the hallway. You know Daddy is there, waiting to pop out and go, "Boo!" You let out a loud squeal and run right into Daddy and start giggling and then run and hide behind me. We play this game every night, and I love it. I love your giggles. I love your soft sighs as we start winding down to go to bed. I love it when you lay your head on my shoulder and whisper to me. I love how you turn my face towards you so that I my focus is completely on you.

I have done a lot in my life. I had a rough start, but I can look back now and see how amazing God is and how far I have gotten. I can honestly say that the best thing I have ever done was marry your Daddy and have you. You fill our lives with giggles and snot, tears and squeals of laughter, wet kisses and some of the best hugs I have ever had. You are my greatest achievement. If I never do anything else in my life, I know that I have been blessed beyond measure. I pray that I can just be the kind of Mommy that God wants me to be for you. I hope I can be as awesome as I know you are. Thank you for being mine.

Love,
Mommy

The goldfish cracker that (Almost) got away

Dear Caden,

For future reference, when you see Mommy silently and quickly kick your dropped goldfish cracker underneath the car it is because I was hoping you wouldn't see me do it. This is not an invitation to climb underneath the car in an effort to retrieve said goldfish. And when Mommy is pleading with you to drop the cracker after you proudly get it, it is because her hands are full and she can't take it from you. PLEASE do not smile and shove the grease striped fish into your mouth and say, "mmmm!"...Like. You. Just. Did.

Love, 
Mommy

Waffles and Opera

Dear Caden,

Today you weren't the happiest little munchkin on the block. I got off of work early today and picked you up from Mrs. Victoria Farley Grissom so that I could love and play with you as our summer comes to an end. You decided to be persistent with your squealing due to the fact that I refused to feed you waffles for lunch and I opted to feed you a meal with more substance. After throwi

ng your lunch on the floor, you decided to take a stance in the middle of the foyer of the house. This, you decide, gives you the loudest, reverberating echo of your whine and squeals. You seem quite pleased with yourself and stood tall with legs apart, arms crossed, and your mouth wide open. I say to myself, this is ok, I can handle it and I start playing Andrew Llyod Weber's Phantom of the Opera with Sarah Brightman to help drown out your fit. I must say that I am uber impressed with you. Every time she went up an octave so did you...and let's just say that you were able to hold your own. You might have a future as an opera singer. However, Mommy's head is now hurting. As I hold you in my lap, your cheeks as pink as can be, you're happily munching on a waffle, and I think to myself, 'Mommy must think this through better next time...you are quite smart my little piglet. You have won this round, but Mr. Independent please know that I will try again tomorrow. It isn't over.'

Love,
Mommy

Saving Mr.Seahorse

Dear Caden,

I see tears stream down your face this morning as you hand me your Sleepy-time Seahorse. It's definitely a Code Blue, we must act fast...we race to kitchen island and you become my surgical technician. 
"Scalpel"...you hand me the spoon. I gently scoop out Mr. Seahorse's music box.
"Surgical tape"...I'm a nurse and actually have it, so surgical tape it is. Mr. Seahorse is open on the kitchen island, it is go time.
"Forceps"...you hand me the screwdriver.
"Pacemaker"...you count 3 batteries and roll them to me. One drops to the floor, you decide to lick it and then hand it to me again. *Sigh* I suppose sterile technique isn't your forte yet, but it will have to do.
We both murmur a prayer, and close Mr. Seahorse. You hand me your napkin from breakfast with waffle pieces still stuck to it. I gratefully wipe my brow from the beaded, nervous sweat that collected there during surgery. 
Nothing happens. You stand there looking at me expectantly with worry on your face. Then you do it. You hug Mr. Seahorse and he starts singing again. The light emitting from your face says it all. Mr. Seahorse is going to make it! The final touch is your magical hugs, which cures pretty much everything. Good thing you were on call this morning with Mommy!
Whew! What a morning...only 13 hrs left of this shift!

Love,
Mommy

Always Kiss Me Bye Bye

Dear Caden,

I know that God always watches out for us, continually working in our lives. Today I actually witnessed the Hand of God watching out for us and to be completely honest, it shook me to my core and humbled me.

This morning as we got up and ate breakfast, and yes- you had your yummy waffles, we scurried around the house finishing getting ready to start the day. You picked out your outfit and you insisted on wearing your shoes instead of your sandals. Then you insisted on me reading you several books and showing me how your play mower worked. I am sorry that towards the end I was getting antsy, Mommy had a Dr appointment she needed to be heading to and I needed to take you to Mrs. Vickie's house so you could have fun and play. It always is so hard to stop your playing and snuggles to go bye bye, and today even more so because you were in such a great mood and so playful.

You finally agreed to go bye bye, waving at Tiger and Lilly and gave Daddy several kisses and hugs. I scooped you up in my arms with your milk and back pack in hand and headed out the door. You opened up the garage door, which you think is the coolest thing to do, and we head towards Mommy's car. You kept pointing behind me saying, "Bye bye!"  Suddenly it hit me, I didn't get a hug and kiss bye bye from Daddy! Even though my hands were quite full, we went back inside and you got more hugs and kisses from Daddy, and Mommy got her hug and kiss bye bye. Now we could leave, we were on our way to conquer the day.

As were were singing along to the radio, and by the way- I adore your singing, we came up to an intersection. Our light had turned green and it was our turn, and suddenly the vehicle that was 2 cars ahead of us got hit by someone running a red light. The car spun around, and glass flew everywhere. It seemed as if time had stopped. I grabbed my phone and called it in, grabbed you out of the car and ran to the wreck. Before I got there, thankfully everyone was already climbing out of  their vehicles. Within minutes, emergency crews were on the scene and we were free to go.
What made me shook me, and made me cry was where the car was hit. The oncoming car hit on your side of the car, right where you sit. Knowing that you would have been the one most injured had we been the one hit is unimaginable. It hurts to write this because it just reminds me that life is so fragile and fleeting. We must enjoy everyday to it's fullest. My Caden, I love you with everything in me, and after your surgery and seizure, I apologize if Mommy is a little clingy. It amazes me how God uses us in His plans and sometimes allows us glimpses of His work right as it is happening...reading extra books, wearing shoes over sandals...and going back for a forgotten bye bye kiss.

So, as you get older and you go from riding your Transformers scooter, to your tricycle, to a big boy bike and then to your real car (gulp!), promise Mommy that you will always kiss everyone bye bye. Even if you are buckled in and have the car in reverse, if you forgot...please go back and kiss us. You never know when it is God kissing us, saying, "All is well my child, this is my Plan."
Always kiss me bye bye.

Love,
Mommy

Painting with Fish Sticks

Dear Caden,

When Mommy gives you fish sticks for lunch you are supposed to eat them. I'm sorry they are not your beloved waffle, as I know you feel strongly that waffles are the base of life's nourishment. Eating fish sticks doesn't mean just licking off the dipped ketchup and/or using said fish sticks as a paint brush. 

Love,
Mommy