Picture Day

We got Jayden's 4year pictures taken. He even invited Landon to join him in one.

He's Four!

Last week we celebrated Jayden's 4th birthday. It's so hard to believe that he is four already. Given the big changes in his life in recent months we decided to do it up big time this year so we celebrated for over a week!

The weekend before his birthday we celebrated with some of his friends from school at My Gym. The kids got an hour and half of fun filled play time and birthday cake. A fireman cake. The next day, Sunday, we took Jayden to Bike n' Hike in downtown Hillsboro to pick out his very own big boy bike with training wheels. We also got the professionally fitted helmet, and if they sold them I would have also purchased elbow, knee and body pads. Apparently they make riding a bike a little more difficult and they are not necessary until the training wheels come off. The guy told us that this bike, if keep out of the elements, will last 20-25 years. Who needs a bike to last that long?

Monday through Wednesday we kept reminding Jayden that he was only a few days away from his birthday and there was a big surprise on that day. Late Wednesday night Momma and Poppa Coles FLEW into Portland from Ohio. This was a huge deal. They are in their mid 70's and mid 80's and that was their first and, if Momma Coles has it her way, last flight. They flew in especially for Jayden's birthday and spent the rest of the weekend with us.

Come Thursday, Jayden had his grandparents, a new Playmobil Firehouse and yet another cake. This time it was a chocolate/vanilla ice cream cake that had firetrucks on top. (Note to self, plan ahead next time so you aren't scouring a store for little firetrucks to put on top of a cake that you ended up buying at the last minute.)

All in all, he was a very happy little guy. He had a wonderful time celebrating and celebrating and celebrating his fourth birthday. I just hope he doesn't remember this very well and expect something simular next year. Although, turning 5 is a great excuse to do it up big again.

Election Day in Oregon

The Games We Play

Most everyone we know is well aware of our struggle with Jayden's weight. He's only two weeks from turning 4 (Yes, can you believe he'll be four) and he still weighs that of a one/two year old, 25.5 pounds.

Now, we've tried everything to get this kid to eat and pack on the pounds. I have watched or read every story about what parents do that makes their kids obese and how to avoid it, then I go and impliment those same habits in hopes of seeing some weight gain. Don't let your kids eat/drink too much sugar...Jayden got juice several times a day in hopes it would prompt eating. That failed. Don't let you child snack through out the day...Jayden has his own snack bin in the pantry that he has free access to. Failed. Don't let them watch tv while eating because it distracts them and they eat more than they realize, usually empty calorie stuff...Jayden watched tv during meals. That one failed miserably because he was too distracted by Thomas the Tank Engine to think about eating and he ate less.

Recently we had him checked by his pediatrician and an Endocrinologist. Jayden had what's called a Wrist Age X-ray, normal. Then we went through, or should I say Tony went through a blood draw to have all his levels checked. That ordeal lasted one long hour with four separate pokes and two lab locations. All to find out that everything about Jayden is normal and on track. The peace of mind was well worth the tears.

So, leave it to Tony. He and Jayden worked out a reward system where if Jayden ate at least half if not all of each meal he would receive a smiley face on his "Cranky the Crane Meal Plan" chart. Once he had two smiley faces in each chart square, there were 21, he would have earned his Cranky the Crane. Each day had an opportunity for two or three smiley faces. This started out with such a bang. At first he was eating like a champ and then it happened. He asked us what he would "have" to eat of the meal in front of him and once we explained half, that's exactly what he ate and from then on that's all he would eat. What should have taken no more than 11 days took over a month but he finally earned Cranky.

The story should end there but, Jayden is too smart. He has a tricycle that he's had since he turned one. He has never, never pedaled that damn thing. He insists on pushing it along with his feet. I tell him he needs to pedal, he won't do it. I was convinced he just didn't know how. Then, Tony took him to a sporting goods store where he saw a big boy bike with training wheels. He promptly came home to tell me all about it and how he wanted it for his birthday. I told him he couldn't have it because he didn't pedal. I'm not kidding, he looked at me and said he wanted to go for a walk with me but that he would ride his tricycle. That kid pedaled all the way around the block without a bit of trouble! When we got home he told me that his birthday would be a good day to get his big boy bike.