Caleb is 2!

As of a few weeks ago, Caleb is now officially two years old. I can't believe it! This year has gone faster than his first year did. How is that possible? This year has definitely been filled with "big boy" milestones and adventures. What did July 2010 through July 2011 bring?

In no particular order:

• running


• jumping, off of anything!


• sliding down big kid slides all by himself


• being able to let him play by himself on playgrounds(!)


• mimicking everything


• obeying simple commands


• his first haircut, on his second birthday


• finding out he'd be a big brother


• moving in with his grandparents


• climbing stairs all by himself


• making sentences; his longest so far, "Mickey Mouse Clubhouse is coming right back!"


• identifying letters and phonemes


• sitting in a booster seat


• using fork and spoon


• first airplane rides


• tubing with Daddy


• making jokes and entertaining those around him


• saying "please" and "thank you"


• giving hugs while saying "awww"


• praying with hands together and head bowed


• potty training

Oh how I wish I could remember everything he's accomplished this year, but these are some of the highlights..i.e. what my pregnant brain can recollect. I know every mom says this, but I am just over the moon proud of my son. He lights up my life, and has brought us more joy than we could have ever imagined. I have enjoyed this past year with him, so much more than his first; simply because his personality is now shining through.

It brings me such happiness seeing him discover new things and being challenged. Moreover, I am grateful to God for allowing us to parent him. All of his little quirks and mannerisms fit our family so well. From his love of food to being a cuddly boy and rough and tumble self, he is ours. And I wouldn't have it any other way.

God has helped me greatly this year by increasing my patience with Caleb, and I'd say children in general. I pray it will only continue to improve with each day. He has also instilled in me the sacred calling of being a mother to Caleb. The intentionality with raising a godly child is such an immense and essential task. I can't leave it up to our church, or his Sunday school teachers, or books. One of my prayers when I was pregnant with him was that he would obey God's Word and tell others about Him. Faith is no different than other life lessons when it comes to being "caught, not taught." Even though we teach him Biblical truths, we know as parents that modeling it does far more for him than anything. I want him to know that Mommy and Daddy's God is real, and that our faith is too.

He amazes me with his simple, but profound ways of learning about faith. A few months ago, he picked up a Bible and said matter of factly, "Bible. God. Love." A few weeks ago when I asked him to obey a command, he said, "No." I then asked him, "What would Jesus want you to do?" He replied, "Obey." Just this morning, he picked up his toy cell phone and began talking away. "Caleb," I asked, "Who are you talking to?" He said, "God!" then continued on his way. Tonight we did a sing-along of "Jesus loves me." Let me tell you, it is a precious thing to hear your little boy sing, "He is strong!"

We try our best to use those everyday, teachable moments to help him see God more clearly. And as a parent, I see my desperate need for grace now more than ever. I remember hearing a friend praying over her little girl a few years ago..."Lord, let her see You and know You, despite my sins and failures." She was crying while praying this, and I will never forget that moment. Because I too, can now understand that plea.

Proverbs 7:1-3 ESV, "My son, keep my words and treasure up my commandments with you; keep my commandments and live; keep my teaching as the apple of your eye; bind them on your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart."

Goodbye, old Friend

I can't believe it's been over 14 years since the day I met you. You were the shyest little thing, but had such a cute innocence about you. It was love at first sight, and I knew you would be my dog.

When we asked the shelter manager if we could visit with you, he walked ahead of us, loudly unlocking the chain-link door to your pen. You were the dog who cowered in the corner, trusting no one and fearing everything. When he pulled your reluctant self out, instincts kicked in and you immediately ran away! My mom and I were shocked, but the manager reassured us there was a fence on around the property, so you wouldn't be able to get far.


I think we paid $25 for you; a bargain for love. My dad was surprised to see a furball of a puppy arrive home in his garage. This wouldn't be the first time a dog had lived in this house. You were #3, and you had some big paws to fill. I remember the first few days and weeks, you mostly hid in corners, under tables and beds, anywhere you felt safe and protected. Your chocolate brown puppy eyes were framed by the softest, long fur. You looked like a bear cub. It took years before you outgrew your mistrust of people, especially men. But once you did, you were a friendly dog that enjoyed lots of bacon treats, runs on the leash, and unexpected runs off the leash. No matter how many times you enjoyed a joyrun, we always managed to catch you and haul you home.


Christmas mornings were a special day for you. Yes, you did have your very own stocking, filled with a random smattering of pigs' ears, balls, and other chewy things. But that was not your most coveted item. Of all the morsels of human food you've ever laid mouth on, it still and will always be that a lovefeast bun is your favorite taste. You behaved like a rabid dog once your nose caught the sweet, yeasty aroma of a bun that all of us traditionally ate around the Christmas tree. You'd leap onto the couch, and attempt stealing it, yes, even from our very lips!
Every year, you get to enjoy an entire lovefeast bun. And we love seeing you scarf it down as fast as you can.


You've done a lot more putting up with me, than I with you. You watched my tears fall and heart ache through high school at times, and were the perfect small shoulders to cry upon. You just listened and gave me a reassuring lick at times. We sat on the stairs many a time together, just being. There came a day in late summer 2001, when I had to leave you for an extended time. While I was away studying and making new friends at college, you kept Mom and Dad company while they learned to handle the empty nest. I'd call home and ask how you were doing. And Dad's constant response was, "We find her at your door, pawing to get in. So we open it, and she enjoys lying on the floor or your bed." I'm sorry you couldn't understand, Girl. I always loved coming home from college and being quickly greeted by you. I missed having a dog in my daily life.


Four years later, I moved back home to you. We had a new human to love, you and I. He was going to be your new Master and Friend. On September 3, 2006, I married him, and even you played a role in the wedding reception. Due to the constraints of the day, there was no way to have you physically present there, but Dad brought a stuffed animal proxy to remind me of you.

In the weeks and months that followed, we enjoyed being a new family together, taking walks down our neighborhood together. You never met a human who didn't like you. Elderly people took to your gentle and docile nature. And you are quite tolerant with the the little folks too, the ones who really can't seem to get enough of you.


Fast forward to summer 2009, and both of our worlds were turned radically upside down. There was yet another new human to love, this time, a Playmate. At the beginning, you were the calm in the chaos...lying down near my feet as your new playmate would wail and wail. I couldn't understand...why does she choose to endure this loud crying when she could leave the room and hide somewhere (as I desperately desired to do)? But you were choosing us. You've developed a very strong need to generally be with us. Not necessarily interacting with us, but you've just gotta be in the same room.


As the Playmate grew, my one on one time with you seemed to be quickly diminishing. He's not as chill as you are, and he requires a lot of attention. But you seemed to be okay with it, in your old age. Sleeping most of the day and enjoying short walks outside. The Playmate started getting mobile and thinking of you as his new favorite toy. I was never concerned that you would ever hurt him, mostly because at your old age, you no longer had teeth! But also because you're just a sweet dog.


He picked up on your name soon after his first words were said. And even now, tries to call you with commands. But, sadly, your ears no longer hear his playful calls. He wants to wrestle and tumble with you, but your hips can't handle that anymore. He's finally learned to be gentle with you, stroking your soft fur. And just yesterday crawled under your belly through his own tunnel. These are the memories I'll miss. He loves you so much. He talks about you, asks about you, and it will hurt me to hear him say all those sweet words in his speech.


There comes a time in life, when old age takes over, when the daily things that took no thought or effort, seem to begin to take a toll. I want you to know, that you are loved. Tomorrow will be one of the hardest days of my life. I have to say goodbye. And I won't hear your collar jingling anymore or get to call you "Fishbreath" any longer. We've had a good run together, you and I. But I rather not wait until the bitter end when you're no longer yourself completely. I know you can't possibly understand what's going on. You're so trusting now, not the dog I met 14 years ago. But I promise, I'm not trying to betray you or give up on you. You're a sweet dog who will never leave my heart. You will always be the dog with a million nicknames...Beana, Bean, Quigley, Cubbina, Cub, JaBeana, Nina... but in my mind, you're just Cubbie.







I love you, old girl.

Much to catch up...since it's been almost 4 months since I last posted

Ahh, neglecting the blog. Not sure why it's taken me this long to actually log into Blogger and type something. Here's what been's happening:

End of March- found out we're pregnant again! Yay! Truly an answered prayer, since we lost a little one back in the Fall. I've had my fill of worry, especially anticipating the first ultrasound at 8 weeks, which is when we discovered there were problems with our 2nd baby. Praise the Lord, this time, we saw a steady heart beat of 162 bpm. The growth looked fine, and a huge weight was lifted off of our shoulders. I know there are no guarantees, and every day, it's a matter of trusting the Lord and HIS plan, not ours.

We also spent a wonderful week visiting Brent's mom and stepdad in Florida. Thankfully the temps weren't too hot yet. Caleb loved all of the extra attention from Nana and Grandpapa. We do not get to see them as often as we'd like, so it was equally special to inform them of the baby in person. I had a rough time (and that's putting it gently) flying solo with Caleb down and back from FL. Motion sickness got to me both times, and Caleb wasn't having it on our return flight. Yes, I was that mom crying in her seat, praying that the flight would. just. be. over.

April: We celebrated my 28th birthday with a very special weekend of seeing Cirque du Soleil's Alegria, dinner at Olive Garden, and shopping at nearby outlets. Did I mention Caleb was happily at home with his grandparents? :)

Speaking of grandparents, Caleb just got a whole lot closer to my parents, since we moved in with them! Due to our condo still up for sale, we thought it would be easier to live with them than deal with urgent house showings, and to help during the pregnancy.

May: Finally feeling settled in at my parents' house. Things are unpacked, and Caleb seemed to adjust to having extra people and new things around. He loves being outside most of the time nowadays; a luxury compared to living in the condo. Mid-May, we enjoyed a fun day at the Greek Festival with Brent's parents. Caleb loved the loud music, food, and yelling, "Opa!" It's an annual tradition that we love. For Memorial Day weekend, we spent the entire time with Brent's parents and celebrated his sister's birthday. Caleb sure enjoyed all the chasing and playtime with Grandpa and Grandma.

June: We've already enjoyed some pool time with friends and a visit to the science museum.

More fun to come, I'm sure.

Hi from Caleb

Hey everyone,

It's Caleb here, and I thought you may wanna hear from me since it's been awhile. Last time when Mama updated, I'd recently taken to walking. Now I love to run! And jump! And gallop! Mama and Babbie (one of my grandmas) had to chase me around Borders the other day to get me. I thought it was really fun, but their faces didn't look so happy.



Mama calls me "Taz" some days, she says I'm a "master of disaster." What does that mean? I mean, usually I just dump all my bins of toys around, dump my ball pit, and drag clothes and other random things I find. She is teaching me how to clean up my toys before bathtime at night now. I like to help! I help in other ways too, like using my hammer alongside Dada while working on the hardwood floors. And I like to take tissues and help "cwean." Mama loves it when I help. She says I'm a big boy now.

Making my "cheeser" face on my new trike

I've been learning so many new words now: colors like "puh-ple" and "yah-low", (s)"nack", Bible, "seepy" (sleepy), "bok" (box). Mama thinks it's so cute when I open a hymnal and sing "la la la!" Three of my favorite books right now are "Pat the Bunny," (which I call it "Paul" after one of the characters), "The Telephone Book," (which I call it "Phone"), and one my Nana got me, "My Big Truck book." I love twucks and cars. I make vroom vroom noises too. I am so good at being LOUD! Mama and Dada are teaching me "Shhh" and whispering. I also love learning my ABCs on www.starfall.com. I call it "fall."

I have also learned what a hug is. Mama asks for a hug, and I run over and crash into her. I like how warm she is. We have a lot of fun during the day together. But I love it when Dada comes home from work. I like to run into him when he calls for me. I ride on his shoulders around the house, and I like to dance when he plays the guitar. Speaking of dancing, I like to find Mama and Dada's stereo remote and turn it on. They've found me dancing to Michael Jackson twice now! :)

Well, I'm all out of goldfish now...it's time for more 'nack!

DIY: Indoor snowflakes

In anticipation of the forthcoming snow, Caleb and I made some easy and fun snowflakes. These are probably the very same ones that you made back in preschool too. No matter, the fun in making these this time around was having my son join in on making some art.

Here's what you'll need: wax paper or plate, food coloring or markers, coffee filters, squirt bottle/dropper, and scissors. (Bonus points if you recognize the squirt bottle :).

1) Lay a pile of coffee filters on top of each other. I used three. 2) Squirt food coloring or decorate with markers. Caleb proudly squirted the blue dye, and declared "Red!" 3) Use your squirt bottle or dropper with water and watch the colors bleed through the filter.

4) Separate each coffee filter so they can dry. Since they are so thin, they don't take long at all to dry.

5) Be sure to snap adorable photo of adorable son making adorable snowflakes.

6) Fold filters in half at least 3 times. 7) Snip away on any side of your triangle.

8)Unfold & behold!

You can't tell from this picture, but it is actually snowing outdoors at the same time. :)

Merry Christmas from the Wells!

In His Name Religious Christmas Card

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Stolen kisses

"The only thing worth stealing, is a kiss from a sleeping baby." ~ unknown

A New Family Tradition

Fabric Fancy & Fleece

It's never a good thing when I just happen to wander into a fabric store. Mainly because I get so inspired by the colors, textures, and patterns, but really have no clue where to begin. Earlier this week I happened into Hancock Fabrics and began instantly drooling. See the problem here though, is that I am not a master seamstress. I am extremely limited in my sewing ability. So you can understand my creativity pangs when I see all of those gorgeous fabrics, but don't know how to physically manipulate them. It's not that I don't have ideas for oodles of things involving fabric, it's just that I don't have the time to sit down and learn sewing with a cute toddler around. I know, I know, that's such a convenient excuse for, well...everything.

In my mind, I would love to be Amy Butler... a girl can dream, can't she? So here's a very short list of a couple of things that I have been able to sew: pillow cover/case, knitting needle roll-up case, wipes, dog bed, dog poncho, annnnnd I think that's all. Well for a complete novice like me, I really appreciate no-sew projects. You get the best of both worlds (thanks Hannah Montana) by using fun fabrics, with none of the expertise required! :-D

Which brings me back to standing in Hancock Fabrics on Tuesday, eyeing all of the whimsical fleece prints. I love fleece for a plethora of reasons, but mostly because it's extremely easy to make stuff with. I saw this print in the clearance section called "Bugs & Worms," and knew instantly that this was perfect for my little Bubster. He loves all types of creepy-crawlies, alive or dead. I envisioned a cute reversible blanket for him, a larger size for the big boy he is becoming. I then grabbed a solid turquoise bolt to pair with the print. Folks, I gotta tell you, one of the only drawbacks to fleece is the price at times. But right now at Hancock, they're having an anniversary sale where most of their store is 53% off. It runs through the end of the month, so stock up now for Christmas projects :)

After 1.5 yards each of the fabrics and roughly $12 later, I had a cozy blanket to create. Instead of retyping directions for this, I'm posting the link that will give you the lowdown. Easy peasy, lemon squeezy. I kid you not, all you need is a pair of scissors to do this. I'm seriously considering making two more for my niece and nephew with other fabrics. Have fun, y'all.

Consignment Sale Debriefing & Tips

It's been a busy and fun weekend so far. Hubs and the DS went to go visit his family, and therefore I'm getting some fun girly stuff done! I've been waiting for today, for several weeks now, knowing that two major consignment sales would be open for business. I couldn't sleep, I tell you. It was like Christmas Eve or something. Plus, I had to get up before the sun to be ready for the first sale.

6:50 am: roll up to a church parking lot and see small line of frugalistas waiting for the gym doors to open.

7:00 am: mad dash inside. people falling down. screaming. something caught fire. well, not really, but you get the idea.

7:01 am: overwhelmed.

7:02 am: My confidence increasing, I weasel my way over to the 18-24 month boys' rack and begin quickly skimming. Hello, stripes. Hello, Ralph Lauren. Meet...my shopping bag.

8:00 am: Checking out and glory Hallelujah, I only spent $22 for several nice pants and shirts. Not to mention a cute puzzle depicting how to set the table. Gotta start 'em young.

8:20 am: roll up to a church parking lot and see a cop directing parking traffic. oy.

8:22 am: overwhelmed. again.

8:24 am: go straight to shoes and see lots of cute styles, but not in his size. shimmy my way over to the 18-24 month boys' rack and begin skimming: Nothing...nothing...nothing...ehhh....hmm...maybe?... I wasn't as impressed with the selection at this particular sale, saw several stained items. Ventured out to the books/puzzle area and toys.

9:15 am: Checking out in the "express" lane, and my total was $18.75.

9:30 am: Visiting the final sale of the weekend, and the one I hadn't planned to visit. After combing the racks, found a pair of jeans for $2.

10:30 am: Leaving with my sanity in tact, and only a minor dent in the budget DH and I had agreed upon after 3 sales!

And here is the final stash of clothes bought for Fall/Winter:

Not too shabby for roughly $44, tax-free too! I love all of the pieces, and they average $2 a piece.

So here are some of my tips that I've heard from others, and that I've learned through experience:

• Try to leave your kids and DH at home. I don't say this to be mean, but simply that space is extremely limited at this type of sale, and most shoppers are on a mission. Plus, you won't have to worry about someone getting bored or whiny.


• Go first thing at opening if you can. The early bird gets the worm, or rather the early shopper gets the best selection.


• Bring a bag or laundry basket, something. I am constantly amazed at how many people have nowhere to place their items. The IKEA bag was made for this.


• If there are windows available, take your clothes over there and inspect them for stains, tears, missing buttons, broken zippers, grease stains in natural light.


• Take cash or check with you. Most sales are not debit/credit equipped.


• To stretch your dollar further, visit sales hosted by non-profits since there will be no tax included!


• Volunteer at your favorite sale and shop the preview sale for even better selection (before the public gets their grubby hands all over it).


• Take some measurements of clothing that currently fit your child well. I used a string of yarn to measure some jeans from waist to bottom cuff. Holding it up against other pants will show you how it compares. For shoes, I simply trace a foot, then take out the insole of a prospective shoe to compare for size and width.


• Know prices of brands. This will help you in the long run. For instance, I really don't like the idea of paying more than $3.50 for a shirt because I know I can buy a new one for the same price at Walmart (Garanimals brand) or Kohl's (Jumping Beans). Some consignors price items too high for the brand, i.e. GenuineKids by Oshkosh for Target, $8 sweater...not a deal.


• Keep a towel with you in case you need to sit on the floor and sort your clothes before buying. I did this at a sale and many buyers wished they had one too. A lot of the venues that sell do not have seating or a table to do this. Plus, this will keep your clothes clean too.


• Some buyers/sellers frown upon this ("stockpiling"), but I call it smart shopping. If you even think for a second that you like a particular item, shove it in your bag. I may start with a bag overflowing with clothes, but after sorting, pondering, etc. I may decide it's not worth it. Please put the items back where you found them. I have 'lost' several items to other shoppers because I hesitated.


• This should be an obvious one: know what you need to buy. I'm sure lots of poor souls fall prey to impulse buying at these sales since everything is so cheap. But it's not much of a deal if your kid already has more of the same.


• Have fun :)

"La-LA-La-LA....Bubster's World"

....sung to the tune of, none other than "Elmo's World!"

It's been awhile since I've posted some about Bub's current world. And man, do I love his little piece of the world.

Frenemies

Ever since he took his first steps almost two months ago, he is amazing us with his speed all of a sudden. I usedtacould open a door and quickly grab something, and shut the door all without him noticing or being able to intervene. Nowadays, that no longer happens, and he is quick as a whip, right there at your feet, ready and all too willing to get involved with whatever I am doing. Right now, his most favorite activities are opening and shutting doors, dancing, reading, chasing Cubbie, and getting into the fridge or dishwasher. The latter have become problems of their own...basically when I shut either door, he throws a fit. Screaming at the top of his lungs, all because I shut the fridge door. Bless his heart.

The dancing bit is so cute to watch. He'll do it to about anything, whether it's a song on his favorite show, Raggs, or a song in one of his musical books. He bobs up and down with the most serious of looks on his little face. It really looks as if he's thinking, "Up...now down...Up...now down." :) We've gotten it on video quite a few times, so hopefully (fingers crossed), I'll remember to post one.

Bub's vocab is growing as well. He can now say: Mama, Dada, ball, Bobo (his fave monkey), bye bye, uh-oh, and light. I know "light" is a strange first word, but he is obsessed with lights. It all started when I began pointing to any and every light in a room. Soon, his arm and finger began imitating mine, and he would smile and say "_igh_."

Another cute thing he does (and there are too many to count!) is raise his arms above his head. We taught him to raise them when we say, "Praise God!" He did it at our church one day, much to everyone's delight. And just the other day, as we were riding down in an elevator, it made a weird clunking noise with a small bounce. Bub said, "Uh-Oh!" :-D I have no idea how or why he knew to say that in context! But I told him, "Please don't say 'uh-oh' in an elevator!" Ironically, as we were waiting for the same elevator awhile later, a maintenace man told us it was acting up. ::blushing:: My son is already getting smarter than his old mom!

He is still very much in love with his precious blankie, and now enjoys dragging it around the house with him. He strews everything around the house nowadays. I find the most random things in the most random of places. I do love finding a wooden block or puzzle piece intermingled with his dirty clothes. Truly his presence makes itself known.

He is such a gift. I am so thankful to God for such an energetic and wild little boy. (These words may come to bite me in the future, but for now, they're all true).

Happy 4th Anniversary!

To my sweet husband,

I love you more than the day you asked me to marry you....

I love you more than the day we said, "I do."

I love you more than the day we found out we were pregnant.

I love you more than the day we met our firstborn son.

I love you more than you will ever know...

GQ bay-bay

Caleb is modeling Huggies Jeans and Snug & Dry diapers. Cup by Tommee Tippee. Robot pj top by BabyGap.

Who does he favor?

Brent (left) & Bubster (right)

Me (left) & Bubster (right)

We get asked often by friends (and family) who we think Bub looks more like. What do you think?

Adventures in Parenting: Buying a minivan?!

I can't even believe I just typed the word minivan. It connotes soccer mom, unhip, scattered and broken Cheerios, and the sound of a slamming sliding door (in my mind). Growing up, just my sister and I, we never rode in a minivan unless it was a friend's. We rode around in a grey Chevrolet Cavalier station wagon for most of our younger years, then upgraded to a brand spankin' new '91 Toyota Camry; with moonroof. Eat. your. heart. out.

The Cavalier is looong gone, but the Camry, affectionately known as Ol' Girl, is still being driven around town by the husband. A couple of years ago, I was able to pick out a new-to-me '03 Honda Accord which is nicknamed Annie. (Backstory on the name: we found out during the buying process that the car had been repossessed; thus she was a bit of an orphan).

Amazingly, it seems like Annie has shrunken ever since Bubster entered our life. The mega-sized gear, bulging diaper bag, and variety of car toys has usurped the former backseat section. A minivan just makes sense to us. I'm as practical as they come, and even I can't deny the beauty of stow-n-go seating, dual sliding doors, and a butt load more of storage space. Did I mention our stroller takes up the entire trunk of the Accord? Lord willing, we would like to expand our family in the future, and it's difficult for me to imagine adding more to Annie's current load.

So, as I swallow my pride, since I previously vowed I would never, ever, ever, in a million bajillion years drive or own a minivan, we are poring over used Honda Odyssey ads specifically. And boy am I grateful for the internet at this time. What did people do without it before?! Oh yeah, read newspaper classifieds and pick up a copy of AutoTrader outside of the grocery store.

We found a perfect match for what we were looking for off of Craigslist, but discovered it had been sold and the ad was left behind. But just as in big things or little things, we are trusting God that He will bring it about in His will and time. Lord, give me patience!

In the meantime, my sister (also avowed anti-minivanist, who drives a big honkin' SUV) and I recently discussed our wanting to buy a minivan. She had a mischievous grin and chuckled knowingly. I don't know, it's like all your cool points go completely out the window when you drive a minivan. Like an official mom mobile. But what I am realizing, is that it is totally okay to be stereotyped as a mom :) It's a beautiful thing, really. See below.

And here are a few other mini-van funnies....

The Swagger Wagon

Another mom's take on saying, "I'll never drive a van."

My "bowling ball"

Sorry for the blurriness and darkness in the first two pics. That's what happens when you're shooting with no flash and a baby comes toddling towards you with the momentum of a freight train. Caleb is officially walking up a storm. He took his first ever steps while we were on vacation at the beach. My sister and I were the witnesses of his unexpected steps into a new frontier. Since Monday at around 4:30 pm, it's as if his feet have taken on a life of their own, willing his body to move along whether it wants to or not.

Other parents have mentioned to me stories of their own childrens' first steps. More often than not, it's more of an omen, as in "You're really going to be busy now..." But others have commented more on the milestone itself in the grand scheme of things. I'll admit when he did his longest walk of 10 steps on Monday afternoon, I was crying and cheering and clapping at the same time. He deserved the shiniest gold medal that has ever been forged from the earth. I was the proudest mom you could find at 4:40 pm on July 12th, 2010.

But at 4:41 pm, on July 12th, another feeling also welled up: recognizing that now I had an official toddler, and his babyhood is quickly dwindling by the day. How do these memories come and go so flittingly? And pardon the cliche', but "they grow up so fast." And every time I hear that, I find myself nodding and giving a soft smile. But it really hits home when it's your precious babe that's doing all of the alleged fast growing. And the other cliche', "growing like a weed," that's true too.

Okay, I'm getting way too mushy for my own good right now, ahem. So as my toddler, is making his way through the house now, with increasing progress by the day (dear Lord!), I hear frequent thuds. At first, I thought I was hearing the typical house-settling sounds, or other quasi-legit reasons for random noises. But I soon discovered that those random thuds were none other than my toddler's head hitting the floor. Before you label me a complete moron for not thinking or knowing that this could be a possibility, blessed me has a son who doesn't cry when his head hits the floor. So he falls, thuds!, rolls over, and keeps moving on. Kinda like a bowling ball. :) And if I wasn't with him directly, I wouldn't have known he even fell.

So for anyone keeping track, Caleb officially began walking in his 49th week. You go, big guy!

~~~

To my beloved "bowling ball," Mommy is so proud of you. I've only caught my breath twice since you've been walking, and you were just fine. Keep up the awesome work! And if you ever need a hand to hold, I'll be here...

blankie lub

Caleb at 5 months

As a young girl, I was inseparable from my blankie and pilly. They were magical. I felt safe with them, they were close friends, and my imagination could soar while they were my faithful sidekicks. While the majority of blankets spend a great deal of time crumpled in a heap, I used to enjoy spreading my blankie out and admiring its 'bigness.' It's the little things that are mind-blowing to a kid.

I am proud to say that Caleb has inherited the blankie lub gene. I'll admit, I kinda set him up at first; think: arranged marriage. Seeing that precious hand crocheted baby blue blankie wrapped around a wee bebe was perfection. Still is. Their relationship has progressed to full blown lub. And this time, it's on Caleb's terms.

Cute baby trick #51: Every morning during our playtime in his room, I ask, "Where's Blankie?" And he dutifully and excitedly crawls over and stands at his crib until he locates it. He then bounces up and down, half squealing/grunting, and pulls Blankie out inch by glorious inch. Satisfied, he thrusts Blankie in the air with a fist pump then bodyslams it down for a nuzzle. I could watch this scene unfold on loop.

Inevitably, Blankie has inherited Caleb's scent. I love it. I'm not ashamed to admit this, but I nuzzle C's blankie a couple of times a day too. Ridiculous? A little. :) I am so darn nostalgic when it comes to blankies. I think of my own and the pleasure it brought. Mine is threadbare in places, and the lace border is quite frayed. I'm hoping Caleb's blankie will last just as long and be just as endearing.

The photo below is pretty much miraculous that it was captured at all. He is such a light sleeper and woke up seconds after I took this. Enjoy :)

Caleb at 10 months

Floating into Summer

We had a great impromptu time at the pool this evening. It was so humid and hot, that the cool water felt heavenly. Bub didn't seem to mind the temperature, but was rather quiet most of the time in the pool. I guess there was a lot to take in on his inaugural swim! He enjoyed splashing and watching Daddy blow bubbles while sitting on his shoulders.

Side note: Doesn't that crab float look incredible? Whoever blew that up needs a medal. And, no swim diapers were loaded during this delightful event.