My life...as a wife and a mom of 4: My first born is quickly becoming a little man!

Caden just a few weeks ago 3 1/2 years old

So over the last couple of days I have really noticed how much Caden is growing up. He is ready to head out for new adventures and is offering to help "clean up the messes" that his brother and sisters are creating - well he helps create the messes too but he doesn't think so! He wants to regularly plan his own outing to either Memaw's house, Papaw Casey's house, to a Reds game or a race. He comments on everything like he is a grown up and knows just the right look to give you when you are about ready to punish him for something he has done wrong.

I don't know when my NICU baby grew up but I am torn between my feelings of being proud of him and missing my little man who I used to rock and just hold because I could.

He plays baseball like a champ - always hitting home runs! He knows every Reds player there is - even the ones who only play a few times a month. He knows every NASCAR driver. He has his own opinions about what Uncle Scott's race car should look like. He KNOWS what he wants to wear, from choosing his shirt first, pants second, socks third, underwear fourth and finally shoes - we never know what he will come out in but he is even learning to "do it myself". He even wore his slippers to the Reds game this past Saturday because that is what he picked to wear that day, he is an 80 year old in a 3 year old's body sometimes! He cares about his brother and sisters, he fights with his sister. He cleans the babies faces after they eat. He reads stories to Maggie. He loves so large that it just melts your heart. He wants to be next to you and cannot stay anywhere "by myself". He can buckle himself into his car seat and wants to always push the buttons to go into daycare.

He is my little man, my amazing baby who needed so much help in the beginning but now wants to learn it all on his own. He LOVES life and is living it LARGE!

There are physical changes too. Even just today I noticed that all of his pants are suddenly high waters on him and he looks funny! I automatically think - GREAT another growth spurt and rotating day of the closet again but I smiled and thought back to my 4lb. 10z baby boy who was rushed away from the delivery room because he needed help breathing and just count my blessing. My blessing who is getting way to big, but thinks he is too big to do something and yet to small to do others. He was my brave buddy who had his second set of tubes and adenoids removed last week but really just wanted his momma or daddy and McDonald's to eat when it was over. I cherished the moments of holding him even though I knew he was in pain, I knew that pain was temporary that the improvements would be worth it . His hearing is improved once again and it is AMAZING to see him come alive with what he has rediscovered.

I don't know where times is going but I am savoring every moment I can because I know he will not stop growing up.

]I love every stage and love watching him change and adapt.

I miss my little man but I couldn't be more proud of my toddler - my 3 and 1/2 year old toddler - who is becoming a little man!