Our Caden

Finally - this tag is about a month old...but Cade is worth the wait!

1.To say that Cade LOVES sports is the understatement of the year. This kid eats, drinks, sleeps and breaths sports - All of them. It's no joke that Cade rarely will watch a cartoon or a movie on TV...if he turn the TV on, he will find a sporting event of some sort any time of the day. He is an amazing athlete - a natural at every sport he tries; baseball, basketball, football, soccer, snow skiing, hockey, bowling, golf, you name it! He is excited to be trying his first triathalon over Memorial Day weekend. His true love is basketball though and this past winter he discovered the NBA!! A Trailblazer fanatic has been born. He has informed me that for every Christmas and birthday from now on he wants a blazer jersey (easy for me!) until he has the whole team. I've tried to ban the blazer jerseys from the "school clothes" rotation, but I find that he just sneaks one into his backpack and changes at school. No joke! This is his first year pitching in baseball and he is incredible...and so stinking cute to watch!

2. Cade is very neat and tidy. Even as a baby he was always clean and hated his hands or face to get dirty. I would say this is a result of my wonderful training, but he has been my only one this way. He takes great care of his things - even when I find little collections of "junk" from a birthday party or day out playing, it is always organized and in some "special" place - it makes me laugh. Babysitters tell me that he reminds THEM that they all need to pick up toys and games before bed! Anyone in my family knows that if you ask Cade if something is clean and he says "yes" that is it spotless. His future wife will either love this or hate it!

3. Cade is a pleaser. He is easy to discipline because he hates getting in trouble. When his teacher told me this year that he was getting a little too "social" and chatty, we had a talk. He was so worried that the teacher had talked to me about this "problem" that she said he didn't talk for weeks! He is so helpful and such a sweet heart. He often asks me (especially when we are having a stressful time getting out the door somewhere) "Mom, is there anything I can do to help?"

4. Cade has a sweet testimony and spirit - his prayers are priceless and so sincere (although he usually prays for sunny weather so that he can play sports outside) and whenever he is sick or has lost something he always tells me that he has prayed on his own and asked Heavenly Father to help. He has been reading the Book of Mormon by himself and is almost through Mosiah! Recently we went to Provo to see Cade's Uncle Mark into the Missionary Training Center for his mission for our Church. At the end of the program they show a very touching video about missionary service. As it ended, I looked down and saw Cade crying in the seat next to me. He said that he didn't know why he was crying, "it just made him feel good, and he was happy for Mark."

5. Cade is an awesome big brother. While he is super competetive and drives Tyler crazy because he is always "keeping score" or racing...he is a great example and cares a lot about his younger brothers. He is so patient with Bo and I often find them playing some made-up game together. He is so sweet with Cole - he holds him, carries him (even at times when I wish he wouldn't) and loves to make him laugh. They look up to him and do everything he does!

Cade is 7 going on 17...oh, how I wish he could stay little forever. But as he grows, I am amazed at his gifts and what an amazing kid he is. I feel so lucky to be his mom and I am grateful daily for the things he teaches me and the ways he makes me better. We LOVE you Caden!