Little Climber

Emma Claire climbed today at daycare. They have this little area with soft blocks that her teacher has been helping her climb, but apparently she did it all by herself today. The teacher said they all clapped for her and she was quite proud of herself! She also climbed up into the "loft". Rowie says she is going to be on the roof before long.
Emma Claire's new thing is to stiffen up. Hard to explain, but she acts almost like she has chills and gets all stiff and makes a funny face. The dogs are hilarious to her. She pulls up on Sophie. Rudy would never have that.
It is the little things that are so entertaining! We gave up fancy cable for basic. Emma Claire is our entertainment now. Much less TV watching these days.

T Minus One Week!

It is really countdown time now. One week until the election. Brad is working hard in these last days. He is at an education forum for the Hopkins School district tonight. I look forward to hearing how it went.
The TV ads should air any day now. Hopefully Brad will get it up on YouTube, so that we can share it on the blog. Lots of door knocking the rest of the week and then...an election party at Rick and Diane's Tuesday. Hopefully it is a victory party!
Here is a link to a nice article from a local newspaper, summarizing answers to questions that Brad and his opponent gave at a recent forum. http://www.mnsun.com/articles/2008/10/18/news/fw16hd44b.txt

We had our first hard freeze last night. Woke up to 20 degrees this morning. Brrr... Whitney and I continue to jog in the mornings. Better bundle up tomorrow! We have been taking the dogs along the past few weeks. They love it. I think Sophie is finally losing some weight!

Emma Claire's First Halloween Party

Elissa took photos of Emma Claire Sunday afternoon in front of her new backdrops. One was standard white and the other was a too cute chocolate brown backdrop with big colorful polka dots. We were the first to use it. Emma Claire did well. Can't wait to see how the photos turned out. We are lucky to have Elissa to take photos for us!

It was a busy day, with mom and Greta leaving, photos and Halloween Party (and a measly 30 minute nap for Emma Claire). She was a trooper, though. Hardly fussed.

The Halloween Party at GVCC was fantastic! Emma Claire was the cutest ladybug there! She thoroughly enjoyed herself. There were lots of kiddos of all ages dressed up in their Halloween best. There was even a kiddie friendly DJ. Emma Claire loved the music. We even entered the costume contest, but "Dorothy" won. Jonah was dressed as Yoda. They played on the floor. Emma Claire enjoyed playing with the cheerios and goldfish that Johah spilled everywhere. She crawled around and played under the table for a while. She even whined and reached for her dad tonight (Daddies are fun too...as Brad says!). We even went through the "Haunted House". Mom was more frightened than Emma Claire.

More Photos: http://eckadue.shutterfly.com/726

Rowie and Auntie G's Weekend in Minnesota

Rowie and Aunt Greta "Auntie G", we have been calling her, visited this weekend. We had a fantastic time.

Thursday, October 23

The family arrived around noon and we picked Emma Claire up from daycare. I think we startled her. She had just awoken from a nap and was in her high chair eating lunch. We interrupted her meal and she only ate a couple of bites. I think the audience was too much for her. She was clingy to mom at first, but warmed up and quickly remembered her grandmother and auntie. Rowie brought her a Pumpkin Bib (see photo).

The afternoon was spent playing and visiting. Rowie rocked Emma Claire to sleep at night.

Friday, October 24
Rowie went with us to visit Emma Claire's new daycare at our church. We had a good visit. She will start there in December (after a year and a half on the waiting list...I think it will be well worth the wait). Rowie stayed with Emma Claire in the afternoon while Greta and I had some fun shopping. We enjoyed being at home in the evening. Emma Claire loved to stare at Greta. Maybe she was trying to figure out why she looks like her mom.

Saturday, October 25

We went to breakfast at Marjorie's in the morning. Paul, Chris and Laura were there and Adrian brought Quinn and Ollie. Breakfast was delicious and we had a good visit. Emma Claire then took a 2+ hour nap (outstanding for her!) and we went to Blooma's first birthday party in the afternoon. We had fun introducing Mom and Greta to all of our friends. Jonah and Marissa were there, too.

We spent some time at the galleria and then made our way home. Emma Claire was enjoyed every minute of the afternoon. We took some photos and did a trial run of the Ladybug costume.

We enjoyed watching football in the evening....Rebels beat the Hogs!

Sunday, October 26

Mom and Greta stayed with Emma Claire while I worked in the morning. A special treat for them...our first snowflakes of the year (yes, snow...isn't it too early for that?). The seasons changed all too quickly from fall, to what seems more like winter.

We hated to see the family go. We had a fun weekend and look forward to seeing them soon.

More Photos: http://eckadue.shutterfly.com/702

Growing Pains...

Emma Claire (and Mom) had a tough morning. She (Emma Claire, not Mom) screamed for about 4 hours, almost without a break. The only thing that would calm her was to be held and walked. Not rocked, not cuddled on the bed, not standing still. She demanded to be walked. So, that is what we did for 4 hours. Finally, I called the doctor. They said to come in, and we did in the afternoon. Sure enough, Emma Claire was as happy as could be at the doctor's office. All smiles. The only indication of a bad morning were her red eyes from all the crying and no nap. The peditrician said she believed me, though. Emma Claire was, of course, fine. Ears looked great, no temp, happy, etc. Just those little teeth trying to push through and the beginnings of a little cold. Up the tylenol and add ibuprofin...check! The rest of the afternoon was fine. In fact, we both took a much needed 2+ hour nap on a cold, wet October afternoon.

We did make it to waterbabies tonight. It is our last class of the first fall session. We have a 2 week break and then start back. Jonah is going to continue, too. We haven't seen him in a couple of weeks, so they enjoyed seeing each other (I think, anyway!). We sang lots of songs and practiced our jumps from the side of the pool and, of course, "going under".

Lots of fun events coming up for halloween. Rowie and Greta are coming tomorrow. We are going to a party at Blooma on Saturday (dressed in Ladybug attire) and a party at GVCC Sunday night. A neighbor is having a party on Halloween. A busy couple of weeks ahead...!

Election day is 13 days away...I think we might just make it through, although the end still seems like an eternity away. We are excited for Brad. It is fun to see the Kadue signs up all over!

First Parent-Teacher Conference

Emma Claire had her very first "Parent-Teacher" conference today. It is basically just a time to check in with the teacher and go through a developmental checklist (looks like she is on track there) and ask questions. She is very "social" and "busy", her teacher says. She wrote "Emma (Claire...they just call her Emma most of the time) is doing great! She is social and enjoys being near and interacting with all of her cargivers and friends! She has been working hard at crawling and likes being able to cruise independently around the room to explore!"
Ms. Amy had started a portfolio with artwork and photos of Emma Claire taken at daycare, which we will get later. So, the first conference went well...hope they are always so positive! (many more to go during her school years!)

"Parting is Such Sweet Sorrow"

Emma Claire showed the first real sign of separation anxiety this morning. She was a mess when I left her at daycare. She was open mouth crying and reaching for me. I think she pulled it together after a few minutes. One of the teachers was holding her and I could see her through the big window as I pulled off and she looked fine. She was all smiles when I picked her up in the afternoon.

Two weeks and counting until the big day! Brad is working on a TV ad. Emma Claire and I will make an appearance in the ad. More to come on that. Hopefully I can post the final product on the blog.

Creeping to Crawling!

Emma Claire crawled for the first time. She has been mobile and scooting everywhere, but she got up on all fours and crawled! Rudy was her motivation and target. Brad and I were both there to see it. She is not crawling fast, but has been practicing. Of course, I have video. I am working on posting her first crawl to the blog soon...stay tuned :-)

Her balance is really improving. She also does "down dog" a lot. Practicing her yoga! She also pulls up a lot. She was pulling up on her little play table Saturday (see below...perfect timing for the "falling" photo!).

Ta-Da!...........................Uh-Oh!

We had a great weekend. Brad was out and about doing the campaign thing on Saturday (2 more weekends to go!). Emma Claire and I laid on the couch and watched the Rebels nearly come back to beat Bama. We took a nap and when we woke up, Emma Claire just laid on my chest watching the game. We needed a lazy afternoon.

We went to "Teensy Tots" at church on Sunday morning and spent the rest of the afternoon at home. We all (pups included) walked to Lyons Park and played on the swingset. It was a perfect fall day, likely one of the last warm days of the year.

Happy 8 Month Birthday Emma Claire!

Emma Claire is 8 months old! She now seems less like a baby and more like a little person. She is interacting more and communicating more. A couple of "firsts" on her 8 month birthday... We found her standing up, hanging on to the rail of the crib (always facing the door). She has been pulling up to her knees, but this was the first time she pulled all the way up in her crib! She played her first "game" with Brad. She would put her pacifier close to his mouth so he could grab it. Emma Claire had fun pulling it out of his mouth and laughing hysterically. This game went on for a while and we have played it a few times since.

The tooth is still taking it's time coming in. Maybe it will pop through before Rowie and Greta visit next week (can't wait!).

No ECFE this week for MEA, but we did have swim class Wednesday night. Jonah is out of town, so we missed him there, but will catch him up next week! We had a substitute teacher, who was also nice. We did not learn much new, just practiced the skills we already know. "Went under" again a couple of times.

http://cmd.shutterfly.com/commands/pictures/slideshow?site=eckadue&page=eckadue&album=686

Little Pumpkin...

Just some cute photos of Emma Claire in her "Pumpkins". http://eckadue.shutterfly.com/668

She started "breakfast" for the first time today at daycare. Eating more and more these days! She will be 8 months old tomorrow!

When I picked her up from daycare today, she was sitting up in the little ball pit. One ball in each hand, all smiles. When she saw me, she pulled up to standing on the side of the pit and reached for me...priceless!

Happy Birthday Quinn!!!

We went to Quinn's first birthday party on Wednesday, October 8. Hard to believe a year has passed! I remember visiting her in the hospital on the night she was born. It was a lively party with all of the cousins. Grandpa Rick and Diane came, too. Quinn easily blew out her candle and we all enjoyed pizza and cake! Emma Claire wore a party hat and she and Quinn had fun playing on the floor together.

Kadue for You BBQ!

The "Kadue for You BBQ" was held in our yard this Saturday. The event began with a small group of volunteers that gathered for lunch followed by some "door knocking". The BBQ was held at night and we had a good turnout. Some friends, neighbors and family. Turned out to be a great night. Everyone had fun and there were quite a few kids playing in the yard. Jonah came by and he and Emma Claire enjoyed playing with her big pink ball. Emma Claire got a big handful of Jonah's hair and pulled it...he was not happy about it!

Brad is making strides with the campaign and we are now to the "home stretch". Three weeks from tomorrow. We are all proud of him and are excited to see how it goes!

For More "Kadue for You BBQ": http://eckadue.shutterfly.com/638

A Tooth!

Emma Claire is getting her first tooth (Tuesday, October 7). I got a call from daycare at work. They said that Emma Claire was "sad" and just not herself. Her teacher thought she could be coming down with something. So, of course, I immediately left work to pick her up. "Sad"...no chance was I going to leave her there!

She was, of course, fine when I picked her up. She gets so excited to see me now. She smiles and jumps up and down with her legs! So, we get home and Emma Claire will NOT be put down. When she was fussy during bathtime, it dawned on me to check her mouth (usually bathtime is a highlight of the day). Sure enough, I felt a little tooth starting to poke through! Since then, she has been fine. Not too fussy or anything. Just barely able to see the tooth now. Those smiles will look a little different pretty soon!

District 44 Debate

Brad had his first debate in St. Louis Park this Thursday night. It was sponsored by the League of Women's Voters. It was divided into two parts. The first 45 mins, 44A debated and 44B (Brad and opponent) were the second half. The format was really more about answering questions submitted by the audience than an actual "debate". Brad did exceptionally well. Rick and Marjorie attended and were impressed with Brad's performance. It was played live on local access television and multiple times in the coming weeks.

From Brad's website (www.bradkadue.com)
League of Women Voters Candidate Forum:
Please tune in to watch Ryan Winkler and I discuss the issues at the District 44 Candidates forum which is being replayed on Park TV.
Check out video of the debate anytime online at:
http://frylock.implex.net/Qwikcast/Root/stlouispark/1518/preflight.htm?AutoLoginComplete=1
You can watch by clicking the "high bandwidth" option, or do audio only. My portion of the forum begins right around minute 28.Please note, that each replay includes Tracy Leahy and Steve Simon debating in district 44A first, followed by Ryan and I in district 44B.

Emma Claire stayed with Chris Kadue. She had a good time. Did not sleep, of course, but was happy when I picked her up. Marjorie and Rick came over after the debate to watch Sarah and Biden debate. Emma Claire was on a roll. She thought Grandpa Rick was a hoot. All smiles. Impressive for so her being so far past bedtime. She did nap 3 straight hours the next morning...which is unheard of!

What a Week!

It has been a busy week in the Kadue household. I have fallen behind in my blogging, but intend to catch up. Emma Claire was her usual busy body. She is just growing so quickly and is on the verge of "real" crawling (on hands and knees). She took a couple of "steps" on her hands and knees last night. She is able to now get from belly or back to sitting up, just as of today. After 30 mins of fighting a nap, I went in her room to find her sitting up in the corner of the crib facing the door...just pitiful! I imagine she will pull up on the side of the crib next. She is pulling up to her knees now. She likes to look over the edge of her toy basket.

Emma Claire was definitely the life of the party at ECFE. She was the only one crawling around and getting into things. She enjoyed waving across the circle at Gavin (who is also in her daycare). She laughed at the puppets. Our topic was "sleep". It is always good to know you are not alone in the challenges you face as a parent. I hope Emma Claire was listening!

The big "skill" in swim class Wednesday was "going under". I didn't think the teacher was serious when she said we would "go under" (at least not for the little ones...Emma Claire and Jonah). She was, though. We went around one by one in a circle in class and "went under". Jonah went first, and survived. So, I felt better about it. Emma Claire did great! We counted 1-2-3 and both went under. She was a little stunned at first, but did not fuss at all. We actually did it a couple more times! That is a big deal for a little girl. (and for mom!)

Brad is fishing in Canada, so we have had a "girls" weekend. A very busy one, at that. We went to the mall and out to lunch with Addie and Suzanne. Found some cute fall clothes for the girls! Saturday afternoon, we jogged down to Lyon's Park, where Emma Claire swang. A little 3 year old girl was playing there and enjoyed pushing Emma Claire in the swing. It was an absolutely perfect fall day. Not a cloud in the sky and cool in the morning, mild in the afternoon. The leaves are beautiful and near their peak.

Today is Opa's 60th birthday...Happy Birthday, Opa! We were both wishing we were down South to celebrate with him. The Rebels lost their Homecoming game to South Carolina yesterday. I thought we were for sure on an upswing after our win over Fla last weekend.

So, it has been another good week. The days and weeks just FLY by now. Every day is good, though!

More Photos from this Week: http://eckadue.shutterfly.com/623