... and now we're right in the middle of summer fun.
The past 6 months have disappeared in a whirlwind of many firsts. Cael was in his first wedding as a ring bearer for one of his sweet teachers. He wasn't a big fan of wearing the tux but his good buddy, Hayden, was also in the wedding so that made the day extra special. The guys made it down the very, very long aisle and enjoyed the dance floor at the reception.
Since the wedding was in Houston, Cael got to visit "The Taqueria" for the first time. Zac and I spent a crazy amount of time at Goode Co. Taqueria when we lived in Houston ... so many meals, so many margaritas, so many "Goode" times together. I might have teared up a little bit at the realization that my kid was enjoying brunch in a place that was such a huge part of our pre-Cael life. Or maybe it was because the food was just as amazing as ever. Either way, it was a special meal to have together.
In the "not-so-fun" category of firsts, Cael had his first ER visit after an unfortunate run-in between his nose and a toilet (long story). Fortunately his nose healed quickly and he enjoyed the entire experience since he was given a popsicle, got to watch TV, checked out the helicopter parked on the helipad in front of the ER and topped off his evening with a milkshake. I'm just glad he hasn't found more opportunities to recreate his exciting ER evening.
We quickly moved onto happier firsts including his first "big" birthday party with friends. In the past he kept his guest list pretty narrow, wanting only to celebrate with cousins and "friend Graham." His fourth birthday, however, seemed like the right occasion to invite a bunch of buddies and get into the birthday planning fun. He had a vision for the big day: he wanted a Frozen birthday party, specific cupcakes, lots of balloons and he wanted the bash to happen at his gym. His master plan worked out beautifully and we had a fun time celebrating our 4 year old!
Cael started his first team sport in the spring. He had talked about playing soccer and really wanted his dad to coach the team. Both guys had a great time although we had a very limited season given the monsoon conditions that settled over Texas this spring. Lakes and rivers were at flood stage as were the soccer fields where Cael practiced and played. Rain and mud aside, it was a special experience for Zac and Cael.
Cael's most recent first was a road trip to the mountains. He spent weeks talking about his mountain adventure and the trip did not disappoint. We decided to head to a little town in New Mexico where not only had Zac vacationed with his family when he was younger but where Zac and I also went early in our relationship to hike and camp (my friends and family knew something had to be special about Zac when I willingly slept in a tent for a couple of nights).
We stayed in a little cabin that provided lots of entertainment for Cael. He loved exploring the trails along the creek bank (and throwing countless rocks into said creek ... he might have altered the flow of that little stream!).
We enjoyed nightly campfires and roasted marshmallows.
Whether chasing chipmunks, playing horseshoes or relaxing in the hammock, Cael had a great time at the cabin.
Cael had fun in town ...
... and at the park ...
... but the big adventures were in the mountains. Cael helped his dad scout fishing spots ...
... and enjoyed the subsequent catching and releasing.
He was ready to master the trails of Carson National Forest ...
... and led the way on our hike (towards Lost Lake where Zac and I camped many years ago).
The highlight of the little man's trip came in the form of a bright yellow jeep. We loaded him, and his car seat, into the vehicle that he had talked about riding in for weeks and headed off on the forest service access roads.
He had a blast off-roading and watching for animals ... and the view was incredible, of course.
Cael's firsts have made this a very memorable year but the excitement of a special "second" has brought a whole other level of joy to our family.
Our second child should join our family in late November and Cael is over the moon about being a big brother. He loves to talk about "his baby" and excitedly tells us about the things that they'll do together. Seeing his joy has been one of the most amazing parts of the past several months.
We are looking forward to the fun that we'll have with both our first and our second!