CREMMA - All About Baby!

August

August 31 - Then and Now...check out Kaden in the car seat when we came home from the hospital compared with coming home from Kelowna!

August 28 - September 1 - ROAD TRIP!!! We packed our things and head out on the open road to visit Aunt Marlene and Uncle Don, in Kelowna. What a wonderful week we had at the Driscoll Resort. Overlooking Layer Cake Mountain and peering down into a valley, Marlene and Don have a beautiful home nestled in the Gallagher Canyon golf course. We spent our mornings sipping coffee on the sun deck outside our room or down in the back garden listening to the sound of their pond and the neighbourhood quails. We enjoyed good food, great company and got to see some beautiful countryside. We drove to Kelowna via the Coquihalla, but came home through Osoyoos. Kaden was a great road-tripper and had so much fun in Kelowna learning to drive Don's boat and golf cart! What a great week - we couldn't have asked for a better vacation.

There be dragons...(they're on his feet in case you can't tell)!

What a great invention the Jolly Jumper. Even better that it's so easy to take traveling. I think Kaden liked the outdoor bouncing!

You're so funny, dad!

On Wednesday, Don and Marlene took us out on their boat, "Magic". We toured Okanogan Lake and stopped for lunch in Peachland. Don was nice (and brave) enough to let everyone have a go at the helm. After lunch we crossed the lake to look at the fire damage. Somehow Kaden managed to sneak in a nap despite the waves, wind and engine roar...makes for good white noise, I guess. We then stopped at a beach where Craig took a dip and then tested his luck by dipping Kaden's toes into the cold water. Let's just say, Kaden is not ready yet for a polar bear swim. Although the life jacket is still a wee bit big for him, it was pretty cute.

What are you doing to me?!?

Kaden liked to take his dinner on the patio.

Dad and Kaden whoop it up in the evening sun.

On Thursday, Don took Craig and me on a tour of the golf course in the golf cart. So fun. Later that day the three of us took to the driving range. After attempting to hit a few balls I went back to the house and Don and Craig played 9 holes.

Other than our few outings, we really just enjoyed visiting with Don and Marlene. We enjoyed the happy-hour on the back patio each night and once Kaden was in bed the four of us enjoyed good meals, good stories and good wine to round out the day. Marlene and Craig made us Grand-Marnier soufflé for dessert one night and Craig was put to work on Don's pineapple sweet-surprise.

I know there's something good in there...

On Friday we drove up to Myra Canyon to hike as far as we could along the reconstruction of the Kettle Valley Railway. This area was destroyed by the Okanogan Mountain fire in 2003 (as evidenced by all the charred trees). It was amazing to see how much regrowth there was in the forest in only a few short years. It was also very impressive to see the hard work being done to restore the old trestle bridges. We were able to walk about 2km of the 12km trail, cross 6 trestles and go through one tunnel.

We left Kelowna on Saturday. We took the scenic way home, which took 8hours (including stops), but it was well worth it. Kaden was a real trooper. He napped quite a bit (he has his mom's retention for staying awake in the car), we stopped as needed, and mom sat with him in the back for company. Nothing like playing with a cloth to pass the time ;]

Kaden does enjoy a good book.

August 27 - Day 3 into our stretch of 10 Daddy-days! We spend a quiet day hanging about the house before out trip to the Interior.

Hmmm...do you think trying to shove the handle of the teething soother in my mouth is a good idea? Gak!

If mom can do it, so can I. I'm just not sure why yet!

Wow - polka dots. Check out my tootsies!

August 22 - 2007 - Kaden and I head up to visit our pals at Camp Holidaze. We took a day trip up to the sunshine coast with our friends Tanya and Sheliza. The kids did really well except for the tired 'cry-off' they had in the car on the way home from the ferry..."you be quiet I'm trying to sleep"..."no, YOU, be quiet I'm trying to sleep"!

August 19, 2007 - With dad's new toy in hand (a waterproof camera) we take Kaden to the pool. Still no big smiles while in the water, but Kaden seems to enjoy watching all the other kids and sucking on his chlorine-flavoured hands!

What do you think? Is Kaden the next Zissou?

Yes, I believe Kaden is humouring us, but what a cool new toy for dad!
...the camera, not our son.

August 18, 2007 - Kaden turns 5 months. As per his usual growth curve, Kaden weighs in at a very healthy 18lbs 3oz.

To celebrate, we took Kaden to the aquarium for the first time.

August cuteness...on the eve of 5 months, we've selected a smattering of cute photos from the week gone by.

Yummy sock! Do you like my mustashio?!?

The paparazzi just won't quit..."give me that camera"!

August 17 - Kaden is taking more of an interest in his new toy. He is really interested in the rattle, although trying to get a grip on it in order to try to put it in his mouth can be a tiring task.

August 15, 2007 - We spend the afternoon with some friends celebrating a milestone birthday. Kaden received his first kisses from a very forward little Stella! But in the end, Kaden just wanted to celebrate like his dad!

Kaden is getting better at napping in his crib...if we could just keep him away from the side!

It never gets old! "Weeeeeeee...!!!"

August 12, 2007 - Out for another day on the town visiting friends. We started our day with waffle-mania - delish. After breakfast we retired outside to form a "Kaden circle" where our little man continued to practice his jumping skills. That's some fine table dancing!

Dance, Kaden, dance!!!

Then we went to pay our first visit to our newest friend, Graeme. You can see the boys had a fun play-date. Shouldn't we be eating Tostitos or something?!? Although Kaden is nearly 5months older than Graeme in these photos, it's still amazing to see the difference in size - especially the head!!!

August 11, 2007 - Well, August has been a busy month so far. Kaden officially has two teeth (which sprouted in July, but weren't captured on film until now), he is happier rolling onto his back from his tummy, he's a bouncing machine in his jolly jumper, he's grabbing his feet (as well as anything else moving within his wing span), he's putting everything he can in his mouth (including pulling out his soother and trying to get it back in...although he often seems to only get to the pulling it out stage before he cries and says "who stole my soother???"), he's napping in his crib (well...this is a work in progress, but "Operation Crib Napper" is underway), he's chatting up a storm with squeals and shrieks, he's starting to try rice cereal, and he's beginning to learn to sit with help!!! We've tried to capture it all to keep you in the loop too. Check it out!

Check out my chompers!!!

It sometimes takes some convincing to get Kaden to understand that he should be happy about the fact that he has now out-smarted us in figuring out how to get out of tummy-time. Well...at least he doesn't look *unhappy* in these photos!

Kaden's working on perfecting his jumping coordination.

Can you say "T - i - double g - er"?!

Here Kaden hones some of his fine grabbing skills.

They say the devil makes work of idle hands...looks like we're in the clear ;]

August 4-6, 2007 - The Calverts head back over to Vancouver Island for our second wedding of the summer.

"Don't worry Dad, I'll get us there."

Yikes! That water is COLD on wee tootsies!

August 3, 2007 - Kaden and mom head over to see Auntie Laura. We thought we'd see what Kaden would look like when he grows a little more hair; and then we all took a walk out to Buntzen Lake. Fun day!