Best time of year

We've done a lot this past month.  We took a quick weekend trip to Chattanooga to stay at The Choo Choo Hotel and visit the Aquarium.  Caden and his cousin Dawson had so much fun seeing the choo choos and all the fish.  They also met Santa for the first time this year.  Dawson was great!!  Caden - well let's just say he loved waving "hi" to him from afar but up close was a different story.  He was NOT having it! 

Then of course we had a fantastic Thanksgiving with both of our families.  So thankful to get to spend the day with everyone!

We went to see the Shadrack Christmas lights with my family.  We all piled in 2 cars (girls and kids in one, boys in the other) and drove through and enjoyed the amazing lights.  The kids enjoyed it.  Then at the end we got out and roasted some marshmallows by the fire.  It was absolutely freezing but the kids didn't seem to mind.  My very accident prone child fell somehow and scraped his upper lip pretty bad while we were there also.  That's always fun!! 

Then last weekend we went to Brunch with Santa.  Thought maybe we'd try this whole Santa thing again.  We had a little bit better luck this time.  Caden actually let his Nana take him up to talk to Santa but he just sat in Nana's lap, not Santa's.  He actually touched his clothes but that was about it.  He did say he wanted a "boat" (of course) then walked off : )  His cousins Peyton and Dawson did much better this year meeting Santa.  Hopefully it will get easier for Caden in the next couple of years. 

All in all we've had a great month and we are very excited for this Christmas holiday.  Caden LOVES the Christmas tree, Christmas lights, and talking about Santa so this time of year is a lot of fun!!  I can't wait to see his face on Christmas morning when Santa brings him lots of new toys ; ) 

Okay it's been way too long since this blog has been updated.  I am determined to start updating more often.

Caden is now 19 months old and such a big boy.  He's alllll over the place.  He absolutely never sits still.  He is a very strong willed little boy but just as sweet and social as they come.  He must say hi and bye to everyone no matter where he goes.  He still loves boats and is recently starting to love cars, trucks, tractors, machines, etc.  He's talking so much these days - I can't even believe it!!  Like everyone says - time sure does fly by.  He's no longer my little baby anymore : (  But he sure is getting to be so much fun!   

It's been very busy around the Woodard household.  Football season is here and that takes up most of our Saturdays.  I've been working full time since January and although I love my job, it can get difficult at times to balance work life and home life. I feel very blessed to be able to have the best of both worlds though - a career that I love and a family that I love.  Caden is at The Academy of McKay's Mill and he LOVES it.  He is so happy when he goes to school and sees his friends and teachers.  Makes me feel so much better when I have to leave him to go to work.  Of course his Nana & Meme help during the week too which he LOVES!

I guess that's about it in our lives.... but here are a few photos from the past couple of months.  ENJOY!

It's Alabama Football Time!!

Look at that sweet Face.

Caden loves the zoo.

Eating a chocolate chip cookie at his School's Fall Festival.  So much fun!

Daddy and Caden at the Pumpkin Patch.

Loves him some tractors.

Picking out the perfect pumpkin.

All he really wanted to do was ride the tractor.

In the bounce house at the Fall Festival.

So we had some professional photos taken and this one is HILARIOUS so had to share!

More "Firsts"

Well Caden has recently added a few more "firsts" to his list. As a family, we enjoyed our first trip to the Emergency Room on Memorial Day. We were at Gramps's house about to enjoy our lunch when Little Man fell and cut his eyebrow open. We rushed him to the ER while trying to keep the cut from bleeding all over the place. He was such a little trooper! After the Doc glued his cut shut, we were out of there and headed back home. I think that it shook up his momma and daddy a little bit more than it did him.

Recently we have been trying to master a few new things: walking up and down stairs, learning new words, and trying to jump! His newest obsession is Pop's boat. This kid is absolutely obsessed with the boat. His favorite thing in the world is to sit in the boat and play with the steering wheel. He is more like his daddy everyday!

A few weeks ago Uncle Greg let us go to his condo in Orange Beach, Alabama. We got there a few weeks before the oil spill started to show up. We had a great time with all of Momma's side of the family. Nana, Gramps, Bradford, Kristen, Dawson, Jonathan, Debbie, and Peyton all had a ton of fun playing on the beach and going out to dinner at night. Caden loved the waves and sand! After a few days, it was time to come home and get back to reality.

Back at school Caden has recently moved up in classes. We will miss his old teachers very much, but also look forward to getting to know and love his new ones!

The Big "1"!

Hard to believe but our little guy turned 1 a week and a half ago. Everyone says that time will fly by and they are definitely correct. Caden brings us so much joy each and every day. He is a strong-willed, loving, outgoing, energetic, sweet, little boy and he is our whole world. He drinks whole milk out of cups, is attached to his blankie, can walk across the room, says all sorts of words (his favorite is "uh oh"), feeds the dogs from his high chair.... I could go on and on. He truely is a little boy now - not my little baby : ) Okay, time for a few recent photos from the last couple of months.....

Blowing out the candle at his birthday party. He had double ear infections at his party so he wasn't feeling too good and wasn't too excited about the cake : (

But he was a trooper and had fun opening his new gifts!

Including his new 4 wheeler....

Daddy with the Birthday Boy.

And Mommy with the Birthday Boy.

His Birthday cake - i loved that cake!!!

Before his actual birthday party, on his actual birthday we had the grandparents over and he had a nice lovely red icing cupcake and he loooveeed it!!

Always sucking that thumb ; )

My handsome boys.

Just some fun recent photos - he's loves cheesin it up.

The Father

March 1, 2010

Another year older today. I'd have to say that this last year of my life has been the best so far. There were a couple of heartbreaking losses...losing my Grandmother and best friend last January. But the pain was very short lived because my first born son was coming a month later. Today is my birthday and two days from today is his. I love this kid more than I could have ever loved anything in my whole life. I have taken time recently to sit and reflect on the love that I have for my son and compare it to the love that God has for us. Watching my son grow up before my very eyes gives me a whole new love and appreciation for my God. I guess you truly never understand the sacrifice that God made for mankind by allowing his son to die for our sins until you become a father yourself. Looking at Caden, I can confidently say that there really is no way that I would be willing to give him up for another human life. As a father, I now understand what God went through a whole lot more clearly and it makes me appreciate and love Him even deeper. Thank you Lord for your sacrifice. We as believers look to Jesus and thank him for his sacrifice, but I think that we sometimes forget that the sacrifice from the Father was just as hard if not even more difficult.

National Champions!!!

Well it finally happened! The University of Alabama are the champions of college football! I would love to say that little man is extremely excited, but to be honest I don't think he quite understood why his daddy, uncle, and grandpa were jumping up and down, hugging each other, and screaming at the t.v. One day he will understand. What a perfect ending to a magical season. To be honest, I think that we are all a little happy that football season is over. Now we can start having stress-free Saturdays again! #13 is now behind us, time to start preparing for #14. Roll Tide!!