word of the day #2

zugick=music

word of the day

fegegi=spaghetti

Ben, Kara, Maren...YAY!

At the top of Caleb's friend list are Ben, Kara and Maren...in fact, he really does give a cheer after he says all their names. He loves the whole family, but he REALLY loves baby Maren. Last week, we got to keep baby Maren at our house for a couple days while Kara was at work, and it was definitely the highlight of Caleb's week. Here's a picture of the two of them right after Caleb's nap. We love you, Maren!

Shirley Temple

I'm not sure when we started singing "Animal Crackers in My Soup" around our house, but last week I had the brilliant idea to show Caleb a video of Shirley Temple singing it on youtube. I knew he'd probably like it, but I had no idea that he would wake up asking to watch it and beg to see it over and over all day!! I think we officially have a Shirley Temple fan over here:)

More tooth brushing

Like that crazy hair?

Reading

Seriously, this boy loves to read. His favorite book right now is The Very Hungry Caterpillar which is fun because it gives him a chance to practice his counting. Caleb's counting goes something like this: "one, two, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten...YAY!" Here he's reading one of the books that Grandmama and Pop sent him. Thanks, Grandmama and Pop!

Wash, wash, wash

Recent Randomness

Here are some random pictures from lately. I should get some of us playing outside because that's what we've been doing constantly with all this BEAUTIFUL weather. I love fall. Have I mentioned that before?

Here's Caleb being my "big helper" while I cook something. He loves to do unhelpful things and ask me if he's my "big helper."

Checking out the back porch with Daddy...

This was on our way to Memphis a few weeks ago. He was a PERFECT traveling partner. Basically he slept and played and talked the whole time!

Watching Praise Baby. It's the only movie he'll sit still to watch...which is fine with me!

And the Grand Finale..."reading" his favorite book. I seriously cannot get over the fact that he can recite this entire book!! I need to give him some more worthy memorizing material:)

I'm sorry that it's sideways! I can't figure out how to flip it, but hopefully since the video is dark it won't matter anyway. At least you can hear him. Listen for "dump that rubble" because it's my favorite part.

One cute (and very serious) puppy

So cute!!! That's all I can say. I can't say that he acted like he was having a blast, but he definitely got the hang of walking up to people's doors and saying "thank you." He did love the chocolate...his new favorite thing to say is, "more chocolate please." We didn't really get any shots of him in his costume pre-blue sucker, but I think it just adds to the cuteness:) See what you think...

Our Little Girl

Caleb's going to have a little sister! Here are some pictures from the ultrasound today. Isn't she beautiful??

Hold onto your hat...

I'm back for my monthly posting! I wish I were better about updating more often...especially for the sake of family who live far away and can't see Caleb's everyday life. I feel like this has been a particularly busy month for our family. Michael has been out of town for two long weekends, and we've had all sorts of fun fall stuff that we've tried to pack in. Here are some pictures from a few of our adventures...and a few of our "normal" days too.

Yesterday morning we visited a pumpkin patch. Caleb thought it was a big field full of orange drums. I'm a sucker for all things fall and festive, so I think we all had a great time:)

"Riding" the tractor with Daddy...
A rare and special family picture...

Here's one of Caleb's daily activities...making lots of "phone calls" to Daddy.

On an exciting but less pleasant note, we had our second visit to the ER. Caleb fell head first out of a shopping cart but actually came out without a bump, bruise or scratch. The most traumatic part of the whole thing was that the doctor had to listen to his chest with the stethoscope...he's terrified of doctors. Here he is waiting for me to take him home. He had no idea why he was there!

In September we went to a balloon glow in Forrest Park. At first Caleb didn't know what to think and clung onto me for dear life, but after he saw Michael and I oohing and ahhing over the balloons, he loosened up a little bit and started to comment on them as well: "Woooow! Ballooooon!!"

Here we are cheesing it up for the camera:

And last but not least, Caleb has REALLY developed his love for reading this month. We probably read every book on his book shelf AT LEAST three times every day. The boy loves a good book. Actually, it doesn't have to be good...it just has to have pages.
Well, I'm signing out for now, but hopefully I'll be back before another month is up!!

T-R-O-U-B-L-E

More pictures and stories to come, but here's one to hold you over :)

Purina Farms

Last weekend we drove out to Grey Summit, MO to visit Purina Farms. Even though Caleb's not really old enough to fully enjoy everything at the farms, we figured that we'd better go now since we potentially only have a few months left in St. Louis. Here we are watching the dog show. Sorry about cutting your face off, babe!

Despite the look of uncertainty on his face, Caleb was having a good time:) I think he was trying to smile...
Watching the dogs practice for their show...
Talking to the puppies...
Well, this is actually not a real cow in the background, BUT Caleb did get to pet a real cows, sheep, piglets, and bunnies.

Autumn's Art

My friend and neighbor, Autumn, has just started listing her art of Etsy! You MUST visit and see her beautiful work. I hope we have a girl next so I can hang Autumn's art all over her room.

I love the whimsical quality and the mixed media that she uses.

Here's a sampling below. Isn't it beautiful?

Go check her out: http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5361411

Remember...

There are so many moments at this stage in Caleb's childhood that I just want to freeze and keep forever. I figured that I should start writing some of them down so that I won't forget.

He loves to run toward us with his arms completely outstretched and a huge grin on his face.

He's obsessed with shoes...must be wearing them or carrying them around all the time.

He's learned to say, "I love you." It sounds like "I lalu."

When he's frustrated with not being able to do something he'll look for us and say, "help please."

He loves to eat oatmeal every morning...it's the one thing I can always count on him to eat. That and any kind of berries.

He says "hi" very enthusiastically, all the time...especially when he sees us or passes strangers in the library, grocery store, park, etc.

He loves to read...takes after mom and dad. He brings us books to read to him throughout the day.

I know these things seem so mundane and just stuff that every kid does, but they are so precious to me and I'm so determined not to forget a single thing. I feel so lucky every day that I get to be his mom...Thank you, Lord, for such a sweet gift.

David

A lot of you know that I have a brother named David with special needs. A few years ago he was also diagnosed with dystonia. Dystonia is a neurological movement disorder that causes his muscles to twist and spasm. My parents have been looking into a treatment called Deep Brain Stimulation, and it looks like it's going to finally happen. DBS sounds scary because it's brain surgery, but it could be life changing not only for David but for my parents and youngest brother, John, as well. My mom started a blog this week to keep everyone updated on the process, and I've put a link to it on the side of my blog. Please read it if you have time and pray for David and the rest of my family too.

Thanks for reading and praying!

Walking!!!

It's officially happened! Caleb is walking. Up to this point he would walk a few steps every once in a while, but he would always resort to crawling as his quicker mode of transportation. Then on Thursday he decided it was time to take off.

All of our cameras have dead batteries so we don't have any videos yet, but I'll post one as soon as possible!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

I'm always in search of "the best" recipes for the basics, and this one has come pretty close to the top in the Chocolate Chip Cookie category:

1/2 cup shortening (I like to use the butter flavored kind)

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 egg

1 cup (or more) flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup chocolate chips

Cream shortening, sugars and vanilla...and when I say cream, I mean cream! Add egg and beat. Sift together flour, baking soda and salt (either with a "sifter" or a fork...whatever works). Hand mix the dry ingredients into the wet ones. Stir in the chocolate chips. Drop in whatever size cookie drops you like onto an ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

This was my friend Kristina from Knoxville's recipe. Thanks Kristina!

I'd say Caleb is a fan:)

Like Father, Like Son

Good Morning, Sunshine

Vacation

Caleb and I have been on "vacation" for the past week and a half since my nanny family has been out of town. Michael likes to wake up every morning and ask us what we're going to do "since we're on VACATION?!" Meanwhile, he's been working his booty off taking a class and working every day. We've been missing him and feeling sorry that he has to work so hard while we're lazing around. He handles everything so easily and cheerfully though.

Even though Caleb's not been feeling great this week (shots and teething...not a good combo), we did get to go on a small berry picking adventure with our friends Kat, Laine and Mead. Kat got some cute pictures, so hopefully I can steal some soon and post pictures of our berry-juice covered children. Caleb was in HEAVEN...I think berries are his number one favorite food.

He's been picking up a ton of new words lately and doing the cutest things...so much so that last night I realized that I'd better start writing all of it down or I'm going to kick myself later.

Here's just a small funny story:

About a week ago I made cinnamon rolls with about 3x the legal amount of sugar. Needless to say, I was not really wanting him to have one. He was very upset about not getting a sugary treat and started screaming his head off. So we went downstairs to see Michael, and immediately he went into Michael's arms and started hugging and kissing on him...as if to say, "Mom, this is what you're missing since you won't give me what I wanted." Then to top it all off he turned to me, sweetly waved and said, "bye-bye."

What a stinker.

See what I'm talking about though?? So cute you can't even get upset!

Thank You

Thank you to everyone who has been praying for my family over the past couple weeks. My grandma's death was the most difficult thing I've ever experienced...especially seeing the pain and grief of my mom and grandaddy. I still can hardly go five minutes without thinking about her, seeing images of her face, replaying memories over and over. I am so thankful that she knew Jesus. The pain of missing her is so great, but there is definitely joy mixed in the sorrow, knowing that I will get to see her again. 

Caleb did much better on the car trip to McCormick than we thought he would. The picture of him in his car seat down below was actually after about 11 hours in the car!  For those of you who saw him in SC, he's much happier now that he's home. I'm sorry y'all didn't get to see the sweet, happy, normal Caleb! I think he must have sensed the grief in the house. I've heard that babies have a sense about things like that.

It's been a hot week here in St. Louis, so Caleb's spent a lot of time in this outfit:

Here's a snapshot of our car ride to South Carolina:
He LOVES to brush his teeth:
This is his new favorite game, ride the horse named Daddy:

Welcome Spring!

Bare feet

Crawling in the grass

Babies playing in just a diaper

Wagon rides

Zoo trips

Planting tomatoes

Hearing about finals and students being sick of school

Eating strawberries

Making the back porch a "room" of the home

Late evenings playing and talking with neighbors

The change of seasons brings such a welcome shift in the feel of daily life. Everything feels fresher and happier and more exciting. Isn't God so kind to give us seasons? I can never decide which I like better, fall or spring. To me they both give the same feeling. It's like a giddy excitement about what's to come. 

One of the best parts of spring at Gulf Drive is that people seem to come out of hibernation. Everyone wants to be outside all the time, and so bedtimes get pushed back, meals get brought outside, toys get shared, and conversations drift in and out of open windows. 

A spring photo gallery

Still a little chilly on this day...we're never without friends in the red birthday wagon! 

This one was tonight. Thanks for the purple dinosaur, Camilla and Catalina!

Fun times at the zoo...penguins will always be the favorite because of how close we can get to them. We literally have to hold back Caleb's hands to keep him from petting them!

Thanks for asking us along this week, Emily and Hudson!

Double-fisting the drinks. Gotta stay hydrated in all this 80 degree weather!

Peek-a-boo! Diaper boxes make excellent toys.

Caleb just hates getting dressed after his bath. He would prefer to live naked.

Bye-Bye!