3 at 3'3"

For Camden's THIRD birthday we went to Cherry Hill. Actually, let's back up. On Tuesday a large box appeared on our doorstep. Camden was with Chris when he brought it in, so naturally he was curious. We told him it was his birthday present and his birthday wasn't until Saturday so he'd have to wait. He started ripping off tape, so we put it at the top of the closet where he can see it but not reach it. Every day he would see it up there and we'd talk about how many days until his birthday.  It was so fun to see him excited and understanding it was on "Saturday" and the "8th".  Well, that morning we got up (late as usual) and were just hanging out, planning to go to Cherry Hill when he saw the package and knew it was his birthday so he could open it!  It was a Bow and Arrow Chris got him.  Camden has been obsessed with Arrows for forever, it all stemmed from watching Robin Hood.  He struggled for awhile to be able to string his own bow, but by the next day he was a PRO!

Then we went to Cherry Hill.  Chris and Cam have never been.  I pretty much read while Cleo slept all day, but it was really fun to see my two boys playing.  They went on Cardiac Canyon, but Cam had to be in his own tube, so about 1/4 a way down that he was done but what can you do but hurry down?  Really what he loved most was the Lazy River.  The water is about 3 feet high so with Cam up on his tip toes he could pretty much keep his head up.  He bounced along there for probably 6 hours that day.  Later in the evening Erica, Jared, Paul, Kelsey, Mom and Dad came!  It was SO FUN!  Kelsey held Cleo and Mom held Paul while I went on Cardiac Canyon with Chris, Erica and Jared.  First we had a chain of 4, then we did teams of two and Chris and I BEAT.  Chris fell out of his tube onto my arm at one point, my ears hurt afterwards from being way cold, and I got that headache that I always get when I have been laughing too hard.  It was way way fun.  Way.  We brought picnic food and so we could come get a bite in between lazy river rounds.  Makes me want to go there more often next year.  Camden was doing front flips (somersaults) in the lazy river water, it was pretty sweet.

I was right at the side of the main sidewalk above Pirate's Cove, so while I had my book (The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat) I was constantly being distracted from reading to watch all the interesting people go by.  (P.S. People watching is THAT much more interesting when you involve swimming suits.)

Kelsey went on the Blue Slides with Cam, then hurried over to the Lazy River before it closed. 

Cleo pretty much slept all day.  Little beaut.


The next day we had a little family get together for Camden and all the September birthdays in my family.  There are 7!  I baked the cake early in the day, but hadn't done the apple dip or peanut butter bars yet when everybody took a nap.  MIRACLE!  However, when we woke up at 6:45, people coming over at 7:30, still things to make and newborns to feed it was a bit of a rush.

He got all three arrows to stick on the closet door in his room.  Proud, as he should be, because that is dang hard.

Research

Books I read in preparation for Cleo (in order of helpfulness and good reading)

Ina May's Guide to Childbirth by Ina May Gaskin - Actually started this AFTER having Cleo, but I am really loving it.

Pushed: The Painful Truth About Childbirth and Modern Maternity Care by Jennifer Block - LOVED!

Journey into Motherhood: Inspirational Stories of Natural Birth by Sheri L. Menelli - Interesting to see which stories I identified with.

Birthing from Within: An Extra-Ordinary Guide to Childbirth Preparation by Pam England and Rob Horowitz

The Birth Partner, Third Edition: A Complete Guide to Childbirth for Dads, Doulas, and All Other Labor Companions by Penny Simkin - An extremely comprehensive read.

Hypnobirthing: The Mongan Method: A natural approach to a safe, easier, more comfortable birthing by Marie F. Mongan
 
Husband-Coached Childbirth: The Bradley Method of Natural Childbirth by Robert A. Bradley

Choosing Waterbirth: Reclaiming the Sacred Power of Birth by Lakshmi Bertram, Sandra Amrita McLanahan and Michel Odent

Day 1

Hard to believe, but it is true.  Camden is officially 2.  On Cam's birthday Chris had most the day off so they hung out at Pineview.  Chris reported that Camden was in his Birthday Suit most of the day.  I worked at the VA all day, then the fam got together at 89 East that evening.  I got Cam this sa-weet trike on KSL for $25 and he LOVED it.  He can't reach the pedals, and can barely reach the floor with his toes, but he loves it just the same.  And he'll grow into it right?

Oh yes, the birthday hats.  My mom's little ballet class wore these for their "Christmas Tree" dance last year in recital, so now they are just hanging around the house and Cam insisted that we all wear one pretty much the whole time we were there.

Birthday hat, blue coat a gift from Grandma C and the trike.  3 in 1.

In Clark's t-shirt that gives him the robey look.

Good Weekend

Tree - Bush - Spaghetti - Confetti!

Famberly

Me and Clarkie

Throwing!

"Mo, Mo, Mo!!!!!!" (mo = more)

Kelsey's 26th B-day Celebration

Icing words by moi.

definition of happy.

Happenings (not the book)

Chris has started doing "Adventure Wednesdays" while I am gone to school for my longest day.  In my mind, only Chris has the stamina for this kind of thing.  I take the car to school, so he has to get creative about transportation.  This most recent Wednesday (Camdie's birthday) Chris WALKED up to the base of Adam's Canyon from our house.  Mapquest says it would take 8 minutes from our house driving, 4.27 miles!  Chris said they were walking for about 1 hour 15 minutes.  Crazy huh?  I couldn't have done that.

View from the trail.

Camden LOVING the Spaghetti Casserole Erica made.

Camden determined to figure out the fork.

Camden HATING his birthday cupcake.  Sad.

Kelsey is really intent on teaching him how to blow out a candle.

Camden and I.  Playing a game.  :)

Watching the worker dudes doing construction next to us.