Taken by Scott at a cafe in Aswan, Egypt - May 2006
So today I was cleaning the kitchen and I started wiping down the microwave. I have cleaned this microwave many times in the past, but today I noticed something I had not before seen. The bulk of the microwave was covered with PLASTIC! Not only that, but there was a large warning on top stating that this microwave should be removed before the first usage!
We have had this microwave for a year and a half.
I removed the plastic and, lo and behold, the microwave seems to work more efficiently. I had just thought it wasn't as "powerful" because it was a fairly cheap microwave. Oops!
Don't you all wish you were as smart as me?!
(In my defence, neither Scott nor anybody else who has visited in the past year and a half - which has been a good number of people - has ever noticed this layer of plastic on the microwave.)
We have had this microwave for a year and a half.
I removed the plastic and, lo and behold, the microwave seems to work more efficiently. I had just thought it wasn't as "powerful" because it was a fairly cheap microwave. Oops!
Don't you all wish you were as smart as me?!
(In my defence, neither Scott nor anybody else who has visited in the past year and a half - which has been a good number of people - has ever noticed this layer of plastic on the microwave.)
Labels: Cheryl
Well, Caleb turned 5 months old yesterday. Where has the time gone?! I figure that since I have not done an update on him in a while (on his 4 monthabirthday it was Christmas so an update never occurred), it's about time to catch you guys up on his development.Stats: Caleb is 27.25 inches long. I can't tell you how much he weighs. Sorry. At our clinic they only weigh babies once a month (and they never weigh them during actual appointments). I missed November, they cancelled December, and I couldn't go this week because of the workers. I am thinking about looking into other clinics but in the meantime...he weighs more than he used to. :) He's still relatively skinny, but the chicken legs are gone and he has quite the thunder thighs now.
Eating: Caleb's diet continues to consist mainly of breastmillk. He's only had formula a handful of times for the purpose of preparing him for our night out. In addition to milk, he now eats solid foods a couple times a day. At first it appeared that he was going to be a picky eater, particularly when it came to vegetables. There's not a large variety of baby foods in the stores here, so I have been pureeing fruits and vegetables at home myself. (Maybe Jeff and Andrea have rubbed off on me more than I thought!) This is proven to be very easy and I am able to try Caleb on individual fruits and vegetables instead of simply mixes of things, so that I know what he really likes.
There are some things that Caleb eats very aggressively and we can never give him more fast enough. These tend to be his fruits. The vegetables are a different matter and bring about faces of disgust at times. However, Caleb is a quirky little boy and we have learned that if we sing to him while we are feeding him, he just smiles and eats robotically until all his food is gone. If we stop singing, he will start fussing, so mealtimes often turn into song (and sometimes dance) routines, particularly when he is eating vegetables, but in the end everything goes down without a problem.
Development: Caleb can sit for short periods of time on his own, though this is not yet a mastered art. However, he has reached a phase where he would much rather be sitting while he is playing, than laying on the floor. This means I must be constantly at his side for when he crashes to the floor (we don't have carpet so he would hit pretty hard if he fell on his own). I am anxious for sitting to become a fully developed skill.
He rolls with ease in every direction and can turn himself 360 degrees. He has not yet started pushing up and rocking (the step right before crawling) but he can crawl in his own "Caleb" way when he is really motivated. It's not enough to move him around a room, but it's enough to get to a toy (or pacifier) within near distances. He also loves standing...all the time. Caleb can stand on his own while holding onto the couch or a toy and can stand on his own with us holding on to just one hand. He cannot pull himself to a standing position or move along the couch or toy once he is standing, but then again he is only 5 months old so he still has plenty of time to learn that.
Sleep: Caleb sleeps on his own in his crib. He hardly ever cries when he is put down for a nap or for the night. We simply turn on his Fisher Price music machine and he puts his head down and goes to sleep. He continues to be a tummy sleeper and he moves ALL THE TIME in his sleep (I've even seen him doing his version of crawling in his sleep!). He typically sleeps 10-12 hours a night and is doing much better about sleeping constantly now that he can get to the pacifiers at the front of the crib. I am looking into bumper pads now, however, because when he does wake up it is typicaly because he has moved to the side and is slamming his head against the rails. He is typically down to 2 naps a day now (with an occasional 3rd "power nap" thrown in there depending on what's going on). He can now stay awake up to 3 hours at a time!!! (This is a fairly new development because until recently he would only stay awake for 1.5 hours at a time and simply slept all the time.)
When he wakes up from naps and in the morning, Caleb just plays and starts talking (at times I hear him doing this in the middle of the night as well, but then he simply goes back to sleep on his own). If I ignore him for about 10 minutes, he will ofthen then begin making louder noises, but for the most part he wakes up very happily. He then always greets me with a giant smile and often a kiss when I pick him up.
Other: Caleb loves to play with his toys. He gets bored easily, however, and prefers to leave the house once a day, even if only briefly, just for a change of pace. He typically will play for the longest periods of time in his exersaucer/activity centre. His current interest is playing with balls. This means more work for me since they inevitably roll across the room and he is unable to chase after them.
He is now into EVERYTHING he can get his hands onto. He broke Scott's coffeepot yesterday by throwing it on the floor and when I looked at him, he just gave me a big grin and started to grab the rest of the machine. Everything must be kept out of arms way if we don't want him to have it.
Caleb continues to love taking baths and now plays regularly with a little rubber ducky from Jeff, Andrea, and Mia. We will probably introduce more bath toys soon because he is such a fan of it. He never fusses when he is being bathed or having his hair washed.
Caleb continues to be a very happy little boy. He really only fusses if he feels he is not getting enough attention, and as long as we respond to him this rarely turns into full blown crying. He will also fuss if he gets really hungry or really tired, but he's typically pretty patient about eating and will just go to sleep if he's that tired. He has been sick on a couple of occasions now and his happiness continued right through both illnesses. You never would have known that he was ill from his demeanor.
He is very smart and picks up on things quickly. He has learned to raise his arms in the air if he wants to be picked up instead of crying. He is currently learning to click his tongue (he has the motion down but no noise has come out yet). It makes for really cute faces, though.
Caleb is truly a joy to be with every day. I can't believe that I only have two more months before I must return to work and miss out on his cuteness all day long.
Labels: Caleb, Milestones
Well it finally snowed here in Croydon this year!! Yesterday was the first dusting of snow that we have seen this year, though I remember is snowing several times last year. Granted, it's never very deep, but yesterday morning there was a healthy amount covering cars, gardens, and rooftops. 
Unfortunately, we were on day three (and now day four) of work being done to our house, meaning that Caleb and I continue to be housebound. Those of you who know me know that this is absolutely KILLING me. And Caleb is just like me so he's not faring much better. We are told that the work should be done by tomorrow. If we both don't lose our minds before then, we will welcome the opportunity to escape our house arrest.
In any case, I could not let Caleb miss out on the opportunity to see snow for the first time! (If you've been reading our blog for a while, you'll remember that we took a "Caleb's first snow" picture in Austria in April, but I guess that doesn't really count now that he's no longer inside me.) So I bundled Caleb up (in a snowsuit courtesy of Grandma and Grandpa Wright) and took him out to see the snow in the garden (which was half destroyed by the workers so we didn't really have that much room to play). He didn't seem very impressed by the snow, though he was a bit distracted with his pooping efforts the whole time we were outside. I tried putting snow in his hand, but it was so hidden in his snowsuit (which is still a bit too large for him) that I couldn't actually extract his hand to put it in it. *sigh* Oh well, I enjoyed it and got some cute pictures anyway.
It's been snowing off and on again today but as soon as it starts to cover anything the sun comes up and melts it all away. Maybe it'll snow more this weekend once we have regained control of our garden and have more opportunities for fun and games.
Unfortunately, we were on day three (and now day four) of work being done to our house, meaning that Caleb and I continue to be housebound. Those of you who know me know that this is absolutely KILLING me. And Caleb is just like me so he's not faring much better. We are told that the work should be done by tomorrow. If we both don't lose our minds before then, we will welcome the opportunity to escape our house arrest.In any case, I could not let Caleb miss out on the opportunity to see snow for the first time! (If you've been reading our blog for a while, you'll remember that we took a "Caleb's first snow" picture in Austria in April, but I guess that doesn't really count now that he's no longer inside me.) So I bundled Caleb up (in a snowsuit courtesy of Grandma and Grandpa Wright) and took him out to see the snow in the garden (which was half destroyed by the workers so we didn't really have that much room to play). He didn't seem very impressed by the snow, though he was a bit distracted with his pooping efforts the whole time we were outside. I tried putting snow in his hand, but it was so hidden in his snowsuit (which is still a bit too large for him) that I couldn't actually extract his hand to put it in it. *sigh* Oh well, I enjoyed it and got some cute pictures anyway.
It's been snowing off and on again today but as soon as it starts to cover anything the sun comes up and melts it all away. Maybe it'll snow more this weekend once we have regained control of our garden and have more opportunities for fun and games.
We all have family "curses." Family "curses" are those little characteristics or quirks that seems to plague people in your family. You could look at is as genetic issues, such as bad eyesight, crooked teeth, allergies, migraines, etc..., but I am more specifically talking about those little things, mannerisms, or actions, if you will, that cannot be explained.
In the McFaddin family, one "curse" is a disgust for bananas. Actually, I don't know how far this "curse" stretches, but I know that both Scott and his sister hate bananas (I figure that's enough to qualify it for this topic). I have feared that my children will not like bananas because of this. (I LOVE bananas so I've been fighting this "curse.") Last week we fed Caleb some banana/passionfruit baby food. He was NOT a fan. And I feared he had succombed to the "curse."
However, I was not ready to give up so yesterday I tried mashing up a fresh banana and he ate the whole thing! Hooray! That's one for my team (not to mention an indicator that he can survive in East Africa)! And now poor Scott now must endure the smell of banana while feeding them to his baby boy and he must pretend that bananas are yummy. This means endless joy for me! (I have been fighting the urge to put a bit of bananas in Scott's mouth and make him fake the enjoyement, but I know that this will eventually come back to bite me in the bum because Caleb will probably love cake - yes, I HATE cake - so I figure I should be careful how play my cards right now.)
In the Wright family, one of the most notable "curses" is that of laughter. I don't mean that we just have a good sense of humour, because there would be no "curse" in that. I mean that when we get tired we laugh and laugh and laugh. If you're tired enough, the laughter cannot be turned off and you end up crying, sometimes bawling. If this occurs in public, it results in quite the scene as tears stream down your face and people stare. You become paralyzed because you can do nothing but laugh. I don't know how many generations this goes back but I know it hit my grandma, mom, sister, and myself. And now: Caleb.
That's right, I don't think Caleb has been able to sidestep this Wright family "curse." I have noticed in the past few days, that when Caleb is most sleepy (ie: right before we put him down to bed) he is the most apt to laugh for extended periods of time about anything and nothing. Obviously, this is adorable and we have thoroughly enjoyed it. However, it hit me today that when he's older it will not be adorable, it will be a "curse" that he will be teased about. (Though I have to admit that I'd much rather him laugh endlessly than get really moody when he's sleepy.)
What are your family "curses?"
In the McFaddin family, one "curse" is a disgust for bananas. Actually, I don't know how far this "curse" stretches, but I know that both Scott and his sister hate bananas (I figure that's enough to qualify it for this topic). I have feared that my children will not like bananas because of this. (I LOVE bananas so I've been fighting this "curse.") Last week we fed Caleb some banana/passionfruit baby food. He was NOT a fan. And I feared he had succombed to the "curse."
However, I was not ready to give up so yesterday I tried mashing up a fresh banana and he ate the whole thing! Hooray! That's one for my team (not to mention an indicator that he can survive in East Africa)! And now poor Scott now must endure the smell of banana while feeding them to his baby boy and he must pretend that bananas are yummy. This means endless joy for me! (I have been fighting the urge to put a bit of bananas in Scott's mouth and make him fake the enjoyement, but I know that this will eventually come back to bite me in the bum because Caleb will probably love cake - yes, I HATE cake - so I figure I should be careful how play my cards right now.)
In the Wright family, one of the most notable "curses" is that of laughter. I don't mean that we just have a good sense of humour, because there would be no "curse" in that. I mean that when we get tired we laugh and laugh and laugh. If you're tired enough, the laughter cannot be turned off and you end up crying, sometimes bawling. If this occurs in public, it results in quite the scene as tears stream down your face and people stare. You become paralyzed because you can do nothing but laugh. I don't know how many generations this goes back but I know it hit my grandma, mom, sister, and myself. And now: Caleb.
That's right, I don't think Caleb has been able to sidestep this Wright family "curse." I have noticed in the past few days, that when Caleb is most sleepy (ie: right before we put him down to bed) he is the most apt to laugh for extended periods of time about anything and nothing. Obviously, this is adorable and we have thoroughly enjoyed it. However, it hit me today that when he's older it will not be adorable, it will be a "curse" that he will be teased about. (Though I have to admit that I'd much rather him laugh endlessly than get really moody when he's sleepy.)
What are your family "curses?"
Labels: Caleb
Recently Caleb and I have been spending more time playing upstairs because some people are working on the house and frigid air has been wafting through the ground floor. In any case, Caleb's favourite thing to do upstairs is look at pictures of his cousins (which are hanging on our closet wall). If he is within eyesight of the pictures, he is staring at them. Therefore, Caleb wanted to give a shoutout to his cousins: Fisher, Johnathon, Samuel, and Noah (in order as pictured). He can't wait to meet you guys! 
(This picture is a few months old but it's the most recent photo we have of all four kids together)
(This picture is a few months old but it's the most recent photo we have of all four kids together)
Caleb's loyalties to a baseball team appear to be flexible. When he was smaller, he was a Braves fan. He has now switched teams to support the Cubs. In due time he will switch back to the Braves. (Though in all reality he should probably be a Rangers fan.) I don't really care who he supports because I think that his little team outfits are just adorable (though few people over here in England can appreciate them)! 
In any case, today my little Cubs fan and I headed out to the shops. When we were inside one store, a German Shephard was roaming around (it belonged to the owner or person working there or something). In any case, after petting the dog myself to ensure that it was a tame dog and being informed that the dog loves babies, I took Caleb out of his buggy so that he could see the dog (he has never seen a live animal of any sort - except for birds, but those haven't been up close). I had no idea how Caleb would actually react so I positioned myself to jump up quickly.
The dog came over to us immediately and began sniffing Caleb. No response from Caleb; he just stared at the dog. The dog licked Caleb's hand and Caleb smiled. The dog then got right in Caleb's face. I really think their noses were touching. Caleb stared back. The dog licked Caleb's cheek. Caleb smiled. It was so cool and I'm so sad that I couldn't get a picture of it! Of course, even if I had the camera with me, it would have been difficult since I was holding Caleb in case anything untoward occured. Still, my baby had no fear. I think this is further proof that he's destined for some exciting career in an agency like the CIA or CTU. (We've been catching up on the 5th season of 24 for the past couple of weeks so I'm very one tracked thinking right now.) :)
In any case, today my little Cubs fan and I headed out to the shops. When we were inside one store, a German Shephard was roaming around (it belonged to the owner or person working there or something). In any case, after petting the dog myself to ensure that it was a tame dog and being informed that the dog loves babies, I took Caleb out of his buggy so that he could see the dog (he has never seen a live animal of any sort - except for birds, but those haven't been up close). I had no idea how Caleb would actually react so I positioned myself to jump up quickly.The dog came over to us immediately and began sniffing Caleb. No response from Caleb; he just stared at the dog. The dog licked Caleb's hand and Caleb smiled. The dog then got right in Caleb's face. I really think their noses were touching. Caleb stared back. The dog licked Caleb's cheek. Caleb smiled. It was so cool and I'm so sad that I couldn't get a picture of it! Of course, even if I had the camera with me, it would have been difficult since I was holding Caleb in case anything untoward occured. Still, my baby had no fear. I think this is further proof that he's destined for some exciting career in an agency like the CIA or CTU. (We've been catching up on the 5th season of 24 for the past couple of weeks so I'm very one tracked thinking right now.) :)
Labels: Caleb
This is an email from Darla Bennett, missionary in Kampala, Uganda. Many of you may know these people or others working or living in Uganda so I wanted to pass along this information.
Hello Everyone,
I have sad news to share from Uganda. Last night, Adam Langford, one of our missionaries in Jinja, was killed in an accident.
Adam was a single missionary about 30 years old. He had come to Uganda a year ago to work with his brother, Ben, in Jinja at the Source Cafe. The Source Cafe is an internet cafe, cafe/restaurant, coffee shop, library, and gift shop that the original Jinja team started several years ago. Adam worked there with Moses Kimeze, primarily working on the coffee end of things. Moses, husband and father, was also a talented wood worker.
Yesterday, Adam and Moses headed to Kapchorwa in eastern Uganda, just north of Mbale, in a lorry (big truck) to pick up a load of coffee for roasting. Heading back down Mt. Elgon on a steep and winding road, the driver of the lorry lost control. I am told that Adam jumped out of the lorry and died, possibly preferring to take his chances that way than heading over the embankment with the lorry. Moses sustained severe head trauma and died several hours later in route to a hospital in Kampala. The driver of the lorry is expected to make a full recovery.
Ben and Kym Langford and their son Elijah will be coming back with the body to Oklahoma City. Spencer and Emily Bogle, the Langfords' teammates, will also be returning to the States for the funeral. Mark and Lori Manry will stay in Jinja.
Please pray for this team, for the Langford family, for Moses' family, for the church in Jinja, and for all the Uganda missionaries as we walk through this difficult time.
Joseph Irwaat's brother also died today. Joseph is one of our Kampala church leaders. Emmanuel, one of our Life Care Group leaders also lost a relative yesterday. The presence of death is being felt here, but I know that God is still in control and even more present with us. Please pray for these two and for their families.
Thank you for your prayers.
Darla
Hello Everyone,
I have sad news to share from Uganda. Last night, Adam Langford, one of our missionaries in Jinja, was killed in an accident.
Adam was a single missionary about 30 years old. He had come to Uganda a year ago to work with his brother, Ben, in Jinja at the Source Cafe. The Source Cafe is an internet cafe, cafe/restaurant, coffee shop, library, and gift shop that the original Jinja team started several years ago. Adam worked there with Moses Kimeze, primarily working on the coffee end of things. Moses, husband and father, was also a talented wood worker.
Yesterday, Adam and Moses headed to Kapchorwa in eastern Uganda, just north of Mbale, in a lorry (big truck) to pick up a load of coffee for roasting. Heading back down Mt. Elgon on a steep and winding road, the driver of the lorry lost control. I am told that Adam jumped out of the lorry and died, possibly preferring to take his chances that way than heading over the embankment with the lorry. Moses sustained severe head trauma and died several hours later in route to a hospital in Kampala. The driver of the lorry is expected to make a full recovery.
Ben and Kym Langford and their son Elijah will be coming back with the body to Oklahoma City. Spencer and Emily Bogle, the Langfords' teammates, will also be returning to the States for the funeral. Mark and Lori Manry will stay in Jinja.
Please pray for this team, for the Langford family, for Moses' family, for the church in Jinja, and for all the Uganda missionaries as we walk through this difficult time.
Joseph Irwaat's brother also died today. Joseph is one of our Kampala church leaders. Emmanuel, one of our Life Care Group leaders also lost a relative yesterday. The presence of death is being felt here, but I know that God is still in control and even more present with us. Please pray for these two and for their families.
Thank you for your prayers.
Darla
Labels: Africa
Well, as I've previously mentioned, Caleb doesn't quite have the crawling thing down. However, yesterday I decided to video his attempts because he's been trying so hard. (I think he's a little jealous that all his blog buddies can already crawl and he can't. Granted, they're all older, but I don't think he realises that.) Basically, he pushes his bum in the air and pushes up on his toes. Then he twists and falls to one side. He hasn't figured out that he needs to get his knees involved yet!
Having said that, today I witnessed how he moves straight forward in his crib and it SO CLOSE to actually crawling!!! I think my mouth actually dropped open when I saw it! He pulled both his knees forward and then pulled with both his arms. So he hasn't figured out the alternating thing, but it was definitely moving him much more substantially than his tippy toe twist. Wow! He might start crawling sooner than I realised!
Having said that, today I witnessed how he moves straight forward in his crib and it SO CLOSE to actually crawling!!! I think my mouth actually dropped open when I saw it! He pulled both his knees forward and then pulled with both his arms. So he hasn't figured out the alternating thing, but it was definitely moving him much more substantially than his tippy toe twist. Wow! He might start crawling sooner than I realised!
Labels: Caleb
A month ago Caleb moved to his own crib at night. (Up until then, he had been sleeping with Scott and me.) The transition meant two key things: 1) I could sleep MUCH more deeply at night because I was no longer being kicked constantly by my wiggly boy; 2) Scott and I once again have time to ourselves in the evening because Caleb can go to bed before us. These changes were wonderful and Caleb was sleeping just as soundly as before.
And then things changed.
About 2.5 weeks ago, Caleb began waking up at night. Some nights it was only once or twice and some nights it was more. Now, he wasn't completely waking up and he wasn't needing to eat or be rocked or held, but he was making enough noise for me to wake up and go check on him, only to find that he had an appendage (usually his arm but occasionally a leg) stuck out of the crib or down the side between the mattress and the slats. I would simply move him back into the center of the crib, typically stick a pacifier in his mouth, and he'd be back asleep immediately (this was also true at nap time). It wasn't a huge deal because his room/crib is about 8 steps away from the bed and I could always go straight back to sleep, but it was still frustrating because he's been sleeping soundly through the night since he was 8 weeks old.
As a mother, I find it exciting when Caleb learns new things, such as rolling. I am equally excited about his attempts to crawl (which will eventually be successful). However, I didn't realise what I was getting myself into. I have been prepared that the house will need to be baby proofed (which will take a while) and that I'll need to figure out some way to gate the stairs (which will be a bit annoying). I did not realise that Caleb's new limited mobility would cause problems when he was sleeping because he would move so much in his sleep and then be unable to move back.
Anyhow, I began to notice a pattern with Caleb's movements when he was sleeping. Every time Caleb was stuck hanging out of the crib, he seemed to be reaching for his pacifier, which had found its way to the floor. Was it possible that he was trying to get it on his own and then had gotten stuck? Maybe. But I wasn't convinced. After all, he was only 4 months old and that seemed a little ahead of the game.
A few days ago, however, my suspicions were confirmed. Every night, we leave a couple extra pacifiers at the head of the crib, in case his gets lost in the dark and he wants it at night (it's much easier than me feeling around on the floor and in the crib in the dark, trying to find the lost pacifier). Apparently Caleb recently realised that we were making these extra pacifiers available. Instead of moving to the side of the crib and reaching through the slats (which had proven unsuccessful for the past couple of weeks), he began moving himself to the front of the crib to get another pacifier! Not even kidding. Now, I have NO IDEA how he is doing this because he does not crawl yet (that I know of) and I have never seen him move himself forward more than an inch or two. He's pretty good at moving side to side or in circles, but front to back is a completely different story. However, in order to reach his pacifier, he's moving a good 12-18 inches forward.
It took a couple of days to get this new manuever down because he would get himself moved forward but then end up on top of the pacifiers, unable to get one in his hand and then on into his mouth (which is a skill he's had for about 2.5 months now).
But last night he succeeded. I heard him in the crib, grunting and talking (which is the first step before he starts to get upset) and I knew he was working his way to the front of the crib. I waited a few minutes and then heard the inevitable wimper (he never cries very loudly unless I just completely ignore him). I tried waiting it out in hopes that he might succeed, but then I heard two pacifiers hit the floor simultaneously and he began to get a bit louder so I put on my glasses and headed to his room. Remember: it's only about 8 steps.
By the time I got to his room there was nothing but silence. I looked in the crib and Caleb was sound asleep in the front corner of the crib with a third pacifier successfully in his mouth! Hooray!
I still have no idea how he's moving forward. This morning when he woke up and was playing in his crib, I snuck in and took away the pacifier that was laying beside in hopes that he'd move toward the front. I then hid behind the crib so he would not see me. However, he was not at all interested in his pacifier, thus my plan was thwarted and he just continued playing.
Now he just needs to learn how to move himself backward or turn around so that he doesn't get stuck in the corner of the crib, hitting his head on the front (which I forsee as the next sleeping problem he will be tackling). Still, I'm so proud of my little problem solver! That's a CIA or CTU future, I do believe. :)
And then things changed.
About 2.5 weeks ago, Caleb began waking up at night. Some nights it was only once or twice and some nights it was more. Now, he wasn't completely waking up and he wasn't needing to eat or be rocked or held, but he was making enough noise for me to wake up and go check on him, only to find that he had an appendage (usually his arm but occasionally a leg) stuck out of the crib or down the side between the mattress and the slats. I would simply move him back into the center of the crib, typically stick a pacifier in his mouth, and he'd be back asleep immediately (this was also true at nap time). It wasn't a huge deal because his room/crib is about 8 steps away from the bed and I could always go straight back to sleep, but it was still frustrating because he's been sleeping soundly through the night since he was 8 weeks old.
As a mother, I find it exciting when Caleb learns new things, such as rolling. I am equally excited about his attempts to crawl (which will eventually be successful). However, I didn't realise what I was getting myself into. I have been prepared that the house will need to be baby proofed (which will take a while) and that I'll need to figure out some way to gate the stairs (which will be a bit annoying). I did not realise that Caleb's new limited mobility would cause problems when he was sleeping because he would move so much in his sleep and then be unable to move back.
Anyhow, I began to notice a pattern with Caleb's movements when he was sleeping. Every time Caleb was stuck hanging out of the crib, he seemed to be reaching for his pacifier, which had found its way to the floor. Was it possible that he was trying to get it on his own and then had gotten stuck? Maybe. But I wasn't convinced. After all, he was only 4 months old and that seemed a little ahead of the game.
A few days ago, however, my suspicions were confirmed. Every night, we leave a couple extra pacifiers at the head of the crib, in case his gets lost in the dark and he wants it at night (it's much easier than me feeling around on the floor and in the crib in the dark, trying to find the lost pacifier). Apparently Caleb recently realised that we were making these extra pacifiers available. Instead of moving to the side of the crib and reaching through the slats (which had proven unsuccessful for the past couple of weeks), he began moving himself to the front of the crib to get another pacifier! Not even kidding. Now, I have NO IDEA how he is doing this because he does not crawl yet (that I know of) and I have never seen him move himself forward more than an inch or two. He's pretty good at moving side to side or in circles, but front to back is a completely different story. However, in order to reach his pacifier, he's moving a good 12-18 inches forward.
It took a couple of days to get this new manuever down because he would get himself moved forward but then end up on top of the pacifiers, unable to get one in his hand and then on into his mouth (which is a skill he's had for about 2.5 months now).
But last night he succeeded. I heard him in the crib, grunting and talking (which is the first step before he starts to get upset) and I knew he was working his way to the front of the crib. I waited a few minutes and then heard the inevitable wimper (he never cries very loudly unless I just completely ignore him). I tried waiting it out in hopes that he might succeed, but then I heard two pacifiers hit the floor simultaneously and he began to get a bit louder so I put on my glasses and headed to his room. Remember: it's only about 8 steps.
By the time I got to his room there was nothing but silence. I looked in the crib and Caleb was sound asleep in the front corner of the crib with a third pacifier successfully in his mouth! Hooray!
I still have no idea how he's moving forward. This morning when he woke up and was playing in his crib, I snuck in and took away the pacifier that was laying beside in hopes that he'd move toward the front. I then hid behind the crib so he would not see me. However, he was not at all interested in his pacifier, thus my plan was thwarted and he just continued playing.
Now he just needs to learn how to move himself backward or turn around so that he doesn't get stuck in the corner of the crib, hitting his head on the front (which I forsee as the next sleeping problem he will be tackling). Still, I'm so proud of my little problem solver! That's a CIA or CTU future, I do believe. :)
Labels: Caleb
I can't believe how big my baby is getting! I walk through the mall and see all these newborn babies and I realise that Caleb looks nothing like that anymore. And even though (or probably because of the fact that) I've been home with him every single day of his growth, I have no idea how he got to be such an independent little boy with an obvious personality instead of a baby that was so dependent on me for everything.
In any case, this is Caleb in his new coat and first pair of shoes (courtesy of Aunt Amy and Uncle Barrett). What a big kid! (He's in another growth spurt and has grown another inch in the past couple of weeks, meaning that he's half a foot longer than he was when he was born!)
Okay, I'm not delusional and I realise that he is still very dependent on me for many things and I still have a lot of years of him living at home, growing, and changing. It's just amazing to me how quickly the last 4.5 months have passed.
In any case, this is Caleb in his new coat and first pair of shoes (courtesy of Aunt Amy and Uncle Barrett). What a big kid! (He's in another growth spurt and has grown another inch in the past couple of weeks, meaning that he's half a foot longer than he was when he was born!)
Okay, I'm not delusional and I realise that he is still very dependent on me for many things and I still have a lot of years of him living at home, growing, and changing. It's just amazing to me how quickly the last 4.5 months have passed.Labels: Caleb
"The most random things you probably never needed to know about someone"
What's your name spelled backwards?: Niddafcm Nnyl Lyrehc
What did you do last night?: Went to the gym, ate dinner, fed and played with Caleb, watched The Office
The last thing you downloaded onto your computer?: I hardly ever download things. Probably an e-mail forward
Have you ever licked a 9 volt battery?: I think I can safely say the answer is "no"
Last time you swam in a pool?: May 2006 on our cruise boat on the Nile River (though "swim" is a bit of an exaggeration since I was enormous. "Float" would probably be more accurate)
What are you wearing?: Pajama pants, long sleeved shirt, slippers
How many cars have you owned?: 2
Type of music you dislike most?: Heavy Metal
Are you registered to vote?: In TX, not in England
Do you have cable?: Never have but I own a freeview box! (America really needs to get on board with this)
What kind of computer do you use?: A Mac (I'm told there is no other). Though at work I use a PC
Ever made a prank phone call?: Yes
You like anyone right now?: I like lots of people
Would you go bungee jumping or sky diving?: No doubt. I've been sky diving. I'd go bungee jumping but it's not on my list of "to do" because it just couldn't top hang gliding.
Furthest place you ever traveled?: Furthest from where? Probably Australia. It seems to be far from everywhere.
What's your favorite comic strip?: I can't really say that I read comics enough to have a favourite.
Do you know all the words to the national anthem?: The American National Anthem, yes. If England has one...no.
Shower, morning or night?: Morning (but if I go to the gym then I end up showering morning and night)
Best movie you've seen in the past month?: Casino Royale (let's face it, we haven't seen a lot of movies recently, but we now belong to a Netflix type organisation so that might change soon)
Favorite pizza toppings?: Pepperoni and Salami
Chips or popcorn?: Depends. Chips with a sandwich. Popcorn with a movie.
What cell phone provider do you have?: My mobile phone provider is Vodaphone
Have you ever smoked peanut shells?: I'm pretty sure I haven't
Have you ever been in a beauty pageant?: I'll leave people guessing.
Orange Juice or apple?: Orange
Who were the last people you sat at lunch with?: Scotty
Favorite chocolate bar?: Ooh! That's tough. Maybe a nutrageous or a Take 5 (Is that the name? I've been out of the country too long! Something with 5 in the name.) :)
Who is your longest friend and how long?: Ryan Kirksey. Since sometime in elementary school.
Last time you ate a homegrown tomato?: Tomato = ICK!
Have you ever won a trophy?: Yes - lots when I was little
Favorite arcade game?: I'm going with ske-ball too. I'm not a big arcade game kind of gal.
Ever ordered from an infomercial?: No, but I have purchased something from a store that used to be on an infomercial.
Sprite or 7-UP?: I'm not too picky. Sierra Mist would be my favourite of that genre, however.
Have you ever had to wear a uniform to school/work?: For work I've had certain shirts or colors that I had to wear
Last thing you bought at Walgreens?: I have no idea. Probably birth control (can you tell I haven't been to Walgreens in a while?!) :)
Ever thrown up in public?: I was pregnant for nine months. Need I say more?
Would you prefer being a millionaire or finding true love?: I'd take true love any day (and I realise that sounds incredibly mushy)
Do you believe in love at first sight?: I believe in attraction at first sight. Love? I don't know.
SpongeBob or Jimmy Neutron? I've never seen either. How about Smurfs or Scooby Doo or He-Man?!
Did you have long hair as a young kid?: Sometimes
What message is on your voicemail machine?: I have no idea. One that probably needs to be updated.
Where would you like to go right now?: Where to even begin? South Africa, Thailand, Spain, Greece, Prague, Morocco, Texas... I have a pretty long list.
What's the name of your pet?: No pets. And half our families are allergic so I don't know if it'll ever happen.
What kind of bag do you have, and what's in it?: I have a diaper bag/purse combo, which includes: diapers, wipes, diaper bags, my wallet, phone, chapstick, onesie, sleeper, a couple of toys, keys...
What do you think about most?: How little time is left until I go back to work
What's your name spelled backwards?: Niddafcm Nnyl Lyrehc
What did you do last night?: Went to the gym, ate dinner, fed and played with Caleb, watched The Office
The last thing you downloaded onto your computer?: I hardly ever download things. Probably an e-mail forward
Have you ever licked a 9 volt battery?: I think I can safely say the answer is "no"
Last time you swam in a pool?: May 2006 on our cruise boat on the Nile River (though "swim" is a bit of an exaggeration since I was enormous. "Float" would probably be more accurate)
What are you wearing?: Pajama pants, long sleeved shirt, slippers
How many cars have you owned?: 2
Type of music you dislike most?: Heavy Metal
Are you registered to vote?: In TX, not in England
Do you have cable?: Never have but I own a freeview box! (America really needs to get on board with this)
What kind of computer do you use?: A Mac (I'm told there is no other). Though at work I use a PC
Ever made a prank phone call?: Yes
You like anyone right now?: I like lots of people
Would you go bungee jumping or sky diving?: No doubt. I've been sky diving. I'd go bungee jumping but it's not on my list of "to do" because it just couldn't top hang gliding.
Furthest place you ever traveled?: Furthest from where? Probably Australia. It seems to be far from everywhere.
What's your favorite comic strip?: I can't really say that I read comics enough to have a favourite.
Do you know all the words to the national anthem?: The American National Anthem, yes. If England has one...no.
Shower, morning or night?: Morning (but if I go to the gym then I end up showering morning and night)
Best movie you've seen in the past month?: Casino Royale (let's face it, we haven't seen a lot of movies recently, but we now belong to a Netflix type organisation so that might change soon)
Favorite pizza toppings?: Pepperoni and Salami
Chips or popcorn?: Depends. Chips with a sandwich. Popcorn with a movie.
What cell phone provider do you have?: My mobile phone provider is Vodaphone
Have you ever smoked peanut shells?: I'm pretty sure I haven't
Have you ever been in a beauty pageant?: I'll leave people guessing.
Orange Juice or apple?: Orange
Who were the last people you sat at lunch with?: Scotty
Favorite chocolate bar?: Ooh! That's tough. Maybe a nutrageous or a Take 5 (Is that the name? I've been out of the country too long! Something with 5 in the name.) :)
Who is your longest friend and how long?: Ryan Kirksey. Since sometime in elementary school.
Last time you ate a homegrown tomato?: Tomato = ICK!
Have you ever won a trophy?: Yes - lots when I was little
Favorite arcade game?: I'm going with ske-ball too. I'm not a big arcade game kind of gal.
Ever ordered from an infomercial?: No, but I have purchased something from a store that used to be on an infomercial.
Sprite or 7-UP?: I'm not too picky. Sierra Mist would be my favourite of that genre, however.
Have you ever had to wear a uniform to school/work?: For work I've had certain shirts or colors that I had to wear
Last thing you bought at Walgreens?: I have no idea. Probably birth control (can you tell I haven't been to Walgreens in a while?!) :)
Ever thrown up in public?: I was pregnant for nine months. Need I say more?
Would you prefer being a millionaire or finding true love?: I'd take true love any day (and I realise that sounds incredibly mushy)
Do you believe in love at first sight?: I believe in attraction at first sight. Love? I don't know.
SpongeBob or Jimmy Neutron? I've never seen either. How about Smurfs or Scooby Doo or He-Man?!
Did you have long hair as a young kid?: Sometimes
What message is on your voicemail machine?: I have no idea. One that probably needs to be updated.
Where would you like to go right now?: Where to even begin? South Africa, Thailand, Spain, Greece, Prague, Morocco, Texas... I have a pretty long list.
What's the name of your pet?: No pets. And half our families are allergic so I don't know if it'll ever happen.
What kind of bag do you have, and what's in it?: I have a diaper bag/purse combo, which includes: diapers, wipes, diaper bags, my wallet, phone, chapstick, onesie, sleeper, a couple of toys, keys...
What do you think about most?: How little time is left until I go back to work
I had been wanting a haircut for a month or two, but had been waiting until my hair stopped falling out and I stopped going bald (which happens after you have a baby, for those of you who didn't know). This time had finally come and we have scheduled family pictures for next week so I figured this weekend would be perfect timing for a haircut.
I'm not a haircut fanatic. I don't go every 3 months, as recommended. I'm lucky if I make it there every 6 months (in which case I think I'm doing pretty well until I start getting that lecture from the hair dresser about how it's not healthy for my hair to come so irregularly). Because of this, I do not have a regular hair dresser in England - I simply have not been here long enough to find one that I like. Therefore, every time I go, it's a crap shoot. The first time I seemed to come out even. The next time I lost big time (and had to go back to have it fixed). So yesterday I was yet again gambling on somebody new, always risky, particularly if you have to have photos made in a week. Still, I figured I figured my odds of looking decent on picture day would be worse if I just did without the haircut. So I made an appointment and went.
There are certain things that you don't want to hear from your hair stylist when you get your hair cut, including: "mullets are cool" and "the lady whose hair I just finished was here for 3 hours because I was so hung over this morning that I couldn't stand straight and was screwing up her highlights." I heard both these things within the first 10 minutes of getting a haircut yesterday afternoon. Panic! If he had not have already started cutting, I may have gotten up and left at that point, but as it was he was already in progress. So I sat tight and prayed hard.
Turns out, it's the best haircut I've had since entering this country and I will probably return to this same guy the next time. He loves working with curly hair (which many hair dressers seem afraid of) and offered several good suggestions. Guess I should not have judged him so quickly. However, I think in the future I may avoid weekend haircuts and ensure that they are not scheduled in the morning in order to prevent any hangover disasters from the hair dresser.
I'm not a haircut fanatic. I don't go every 3 months, as recommended. I'm lucky if I make it there every 6 months (in which case I think I'm doing pretty well until I start getting that lecture from the hair dresser about how it's not healthy for my hair to come so irregularly). Because of this, I do not have a regular hair dresser in England - I simply have not been here long enough to find one that I like. Therefore, every time I go, it's a crap shoot. The first time I seemed to come out even. The next time I lost big time (and had to go back to have it fixed). So yesterday I was yet again gambling on somebody new, always risky, particularly if you have to have photos made in a week. Still, I figured I figured my odds of looking decent on picture day would be worse if I just did without the haircut. So I made an appointment and went.
There are certain things that you don't want to hear from your hair stylist when you get your hair cut, including: "mullets are cool" and "the lady whose hair I just finished was here for 3 hours because I was so hung over this morning that I couldn't stand straight and was screwing up her highlights." I heard both these things within the first 10 minutes of getting a haircut yesterday afternoon. Panic! If he had not have already started cutting, I may have gotten up and left at that point, but as it was he was already in progress. So I sat tight and prayed hard.
Turns out, it's the best haircut I've had since entering this country and I will probably return to this same guy the next time. He loves working with curly hair (which many hair dressers seem afraid of) and offered several good suggestions. Guess I should not have judged him so quickly. However, I think in the future I may avoid weekend haircuts and ensure that they are not scheduled in the morning in order to prevent any hangover disasters from the hair dresser.
For the past couple of weeks Caleb has been eating rice cereal. While he has eaten okay, it has been obvious that it hasn't been his favourite food. I tasted it and, let's be honest, it's not the tastiest stuff. So after some deliberation we decided to go ahead and start trying Caleb on some other foods as well. The past two nights he has eaten pears/pineapples. A definite improvement. Perhaps his love for fruit began in utero. After all, fruit was the only thing that would stay in my stomach with any consistency for the 9 months that he was cooking. In any case, Caleb wanted to show his fans how yummy he thinks fruit is.
He also wanted to show off his new "big boy" footless, two-piece jammies from Grandma and Grandpa. Yes, these are 6-12 month jammies but there is NO WAY that they will fit him in 7.5 months!!!
He also wanted to show off his new "big boy" footless, two-piece jammies from Grandma and Grandpa. Yes, these are 6-12 month jammies but there is NO WAY that they will fit him in 7.5 months!!!
Labels: Caleb
I love being a stay at home mom (which I know was a shock to most people, including myself) and I absolutely love being with my baby all the time. However, I have to admit that at times life becomes very monotonous. Caleb is great at finding little ways to spice things up, though.
Caleb has been giving little baby kisses for quite a while now, but recently he has been handing out kisses more freely (and, at times, more aggressively). Starting this week, he has begun kissing me as soon as I pick him up in the morning or after a nap. What a way to greet me! Yesterday at Rhymetime he was standing on my lap facing away from me so he could see the other babies, but he would periodically turn around, grab my face, and plant a kiss on me. This is his new thing that he does randomly all throughout the day. It's these little things that melt my heart every time and make being a stay at home mom totally worth it. Baby kisses are the best (albiet, they are also the wettest) and make everything better.
The only down side of this is that when he grabs my face to kiss me, he either gets my ear in a death grip to bring my face forward, or my hair finds its way into his clutches. (We're now working on being gentle.) Still, it's so cute. (Sorry, I am unable to get pictures of this on my own and it's hard to capture otherwise because it's so spontaneous.) Now I just have to make sure that my little flirt doesn't start handing out these kisses freely to all the ladies! :)
Caleb has been giving little baby kisses for quite a while now, but recently he has been handing out kisses more freely (and, at times, more aggressively). Starting this week, he has begun kissing me as soon as I pick him up in the morning or after a nap. What a way to greet me! Yesterday at Rhymetime he was standing on my lap facing away from me so he could see the other babies, but he would periodically turn around, grab my face, and plant a kiss on me. This is his new thing that he does randomly all throughout the day. It's these little things that melt my heart every time and make being a stay at home mom totally worth it. Baby kisses are the best (albiet, they are also the wettest) and make everything better.
The only down side of this is that when he grabs my face to kiss me, he either gets my ear in a death grip to bring my face forward, or my hair finds its way into his clutches. (We're now working on being gentle.) Still, it's so cute. (Sorry, I am unable to get pictures of this on my own and it's hard to capture otherwise because it's so spontaneous.) Now I just have to make sure that my little flirt doesn't start handing out these kisses freely to all the ladies! :)
Can you tell we're iNerds? (Translation: Can you tell Scott's an iNerd, I humour Scott, and Caleb is destined to iSuffer from his dad's obsessions - at least until he's old enough to protest?) Still, I have to admit that it's pretty darn cute.
Well, we did it. After four and a half months of non-stop baby action, went out on a date and left Caleb with a babysitter. And we didn't cry or stress out or call to check on how things were going. (And by saying "we," I really mean to put more emphasis on "I") It was odd to walk out the door and not have my baby with me. I won't lie and say that my thoughts didn't wander to Caleb and how things were going or that I didn't pick up my phone to text or call and see how things were going because, well, I did. I did not ever cave to the desire, though, and all in all I think I did pretty well.
It was Scott's birthday yesterday so my friend Carrie (who is another American social worker here) babysat for us. Our original plans were to go see Wicked in the city. However, Scott also originally had plans to take the entire day off, which did not end up happening. In the end, we decided our evening would be too rushed to make it up to the city for a show and that we wouldn't have time for a good dinner. So Scott opted to see Casino Royale at the movie theater (after all, we haven't seen a movie at the theater since July, at which point I was so enormously pregnant that I could not bear to sit through an entire movie in those seats). I was less than thrilled with his pick of movies, but you can't exactly argue about it on your husband's birthday. So I went reluctantly (though I didn't admit this to him until afterward). To all of you non-Bond enthusiasts out there: this was a good movie. I have never been interested in James Bond movies and only made it through about 30 minutes of one I tried watching before, but I would highly recommend this film.
Sitting in the theater, I observed how much my life has changed since Caleb has been born. We now watch movies so quietly at home that we often have to turn on subtitles. This is to ensure that we hear Caleb if he wakes up (his room is upstairs and we decided not to invest in monitors). I was not ready for the intense volume of the theater that seemed to rumble my seat - I had forgotten how loud movies are! I had also forgotten how uncomfortable movie theater seats really are after 2.5 hours. (Or maybe I attributed my memories of discomfort to pregnancy.) Still, it was fun to be out.
After a delicious dinner of Spanish tappas, we headed home, only to learn that our baby had been sick (as mentioned in the previous post). That's right, he had vomited EVERYWHERE. Poor Carrie got a lot more than she had bargained for! The odd thing was that he had never vomited before and he was totally fine and happy when we left and totally find and happy when we returned. If I hadn't seen the proof on Carrie's clothes, Caleb's change of clothes, and the wet portions of the couch (where it had been cleaned), I would have sworn that she was just trying to trick us. Caleb was just laying there, smiling, and happy as can be. We talked to Carrie for a bit and then Scott walked her back to the main road and I decided to try feeding Caleb again (after all, he appeared to be fine). Nope. He ate a little, I sat him up to burp him, and he vomited everywhere again. Then, when I laid him on the floor so I could get a rag to clean up the mess, Caleb looked up at me, smiled, and rolled over to his stomach for the first time ever. He wasn't phased by any of it and chose that time to try new tricks. What a bizarre little kid!
We played with Caleb for a little while, having him roll for us repeatedly, and then I put him in bed, preparing myself for a long night. After all, he didn't have anything in his stomach and obviously something was not right (though he was acting fine). Scott and I went to sleep and didn't hear a peep from Caleb until the alarm went off this morning. I have NO CLUE what happened last night, but he's been fine all day. Maybe it was his way of getting revenge for us going out and leaving him at home.
It was Scott's birthday yesterday so my friend Carrie (who is another American social worker here) babysat for us. Our original plans were to go see Wicked in the city. However, Scott also originally had plans to take the entire day off, which did not end up happening. In the end, we decided our evening would be too rushed to make it up to the city for a show and that we wouldn't have time for a good dinner. So Scott opted to see Casino Royale at the movie theater (after all, we haven't seen a movie at the theater since July, at which point I was so enormously pregnant that I could not bear to sit through an entire movie in those seats). I was less than thrilled with his pick of movies, but you can't exactly argue about it on your husband's birthday. So I went reluctantly (though I didn't admit this to him until afterward). To all of you non-Bond enthusiasts out there: this was a good movie. I have never been interested in James Bond movies and only made it through about 30 minutes of one I tried watching before, but I would highly recommend this film.
Sitting in the theater, I observed how much my life has changed since Caleb has been born. We now watch movies so quietly at home that we often have to turn on subtitles. This is to ensure that we hear Caleb if he wakes up (his room is upstairs and we decided not to invest in monitors). I was not ready for the intense volume of the theater that seemed to rumble my seat - I had forgotten how loud movies are! I had also forgotten how uncomfortable movie theater seats really are after 2.5 hours. (Or maybe I attributed my memories of discomfort to pregnancy.) Still, it was fun to be out.
After a delicious dinner of Spanish tappas, we headed home, only to learn that our baby had been sick (as mentioned in the previous post). That's right, he had vomited EVERYWHERE. Poor Carrie got a lot more than she had bargained for! The odd thing was that he had never vomited before and he was totally fine and happy when we left and totally find and happy when we returned. If I hadn't seen the proof on Carrie's clothes, Caleb's change of clothes, and the wet portions of the couch (where it had been cleaned), I would have sworn that she was just trying to trick us. Caleb was just laying there, smiling, and happy as can be. We talked to Carrie for a bit and then Scott walked her back to the main road and I decided to try feeding Caleb again (after all, he appeared to be fine). Nope. He ate a little, I sat him up to burp him, and he vomited everywhere again. Then, when I laid him on the floor so I could get a rag to clean up the mess, Caleb looked up at me, smiled, and rolled over to his stomach for the first time ever. He wasn't phased by any of it and chose that time to try new tricks. What a bizarre little kid!
We played with Caleb for a little while, having him roll for us repeatedly, and then I put him in bed, preparing myself for a long night. After all, he didn't have anything in his stomach and obviously something was not right (though he was acting fine). Scott and I went to sleep and didn't hear a peep from Caleb until the alarm went off this morning. I have NO CLUE what happened last night, but he's been fine all day. Maybe it was his way of getting revenge for us going out and leaving him at home.
That's right, he can finally make it from his back to his front. As soon as he realises he can put the two different rolls together and take off around the house, I'll need to start babyproofing a bit more! :)
You'd never guess he just projectile vomited twice tonight. Seriously, he's a beast! Nothing keeps Caleb down.
You'd never guess he just projectile vomited twice tonight. Seriously, he's a beast! Nothing keeps Caleb down.
Labels: Caleb, Milestones
Babies are funny. Those of you who have or have ever had a baby know that they are constantly making new faces as they discover new things that their mouths, eyes, eyebrows, etc... can do. Sometimes these faces last a few hours, sometimes they last a few days, some will probably be around their whole lives. The past few days this has been Caleb's new face. I suppose he has discovered that he has a lower lip and thus feels the need to bite it, perhaps because we have been listening to the Veggie Tales song "Love My Lips!" (And in case you guys are wondering or starting to get concerned, he's NOT always in this "activity centre." It just happens to be a very convenient place for photos!)Labels: Caleb
The past week has proven challenging as both Scott and I have been sick. Keeping up with an energetic 4-month old is not easy when BOTH parents are suffering from cold/flu symptoms and lacking any energy. Scott began feeling better a couple days ago and I think I bottomed out yesterday so I should be on an uphill climb now. Of course, Caleb chose yesterday, when I was at my worst, to decide that he didn't need to nap. While Scott was at work, Caleb took only two naps of about 30 minutes each. The sad thing was that I couldn't justify forcing the issue any more because when he woke up he was totally happy and energetic, not fussy and acting like he needed more sleep! He made it up to me by sleeping a solid 11 hours last night, however, which was definitely welcome.
Being sick the past several days also means that: our Christmas tree was not taken down this past weekend as planned; the Christmas gifts for other people that finally arrived just before Christmas have still not been mailed (sorry guys but it's been hard to ship stuff since there's been somebody constantly sick since the post offices reopened after Christmas!); no grocery shopping has occurred in several days (hooray for toast!); New Years Eve was spent lying on the couch at home and watching everybody else in London on tv as they took in the fireworks over the Thames; and Caleb has not gotten out of the house much recently (we normally go out every day, which he prefers).
Caleb has been a trooper with his recent "blah" days, however. He has given me lots of kisses to make me feel better (baby kisses are the best!) and has enjoyed playing in his new "activity center" quite a bit as I lay on the couch praying that it will entertain him for a while. He is also finally learning to turn in on his own and work every station - except the record scratcher, though Scott loves playing with that part of it!
So that's been our life since my parents left a week ago. I hope to get out of the house in the next couple days, if nothing else to go to the post office to mail very overdue Christmas gifts and apply for Caleb's visa (which is going to cost £335!!! - don't even get me started on the unjustness of this cost for a Bristish born child.) After the visa comes in the mail, I will be actively planning our next out of country trip - Spain? Greece? Prague? Southeast Asia? There are simply too many choices!
Being sick the past several days also means that: our Christmas tree was not taken down this past weekend as planned; the Christmas gifts for other people that finally arrived just before Christmas have still not been mailed (sorry guys but it's been hard to ship stuff since there's been somebody constantly sick since the post offices reopened after Christmas!); no grocery shopping has occurred in several days (hooray for toast!); New Years Eve was spent lying on the couch at home and watching everybody else in London on tv as they took in the fireworks over the Thames; and Caleb has not gotten out of the house much recently (we normally go out every day, which he prefers).
Caleb has been a trooper with his recent "blah" days, however. He has given me lots of kisses to make me feel better (baby kisses are the best!) and has enjoyed playing in his new "activity center" quite a bit as I lay on the couch praying that it will entertain him for a while. He is also finally learning to turn in on his own and work every station - except the record scratcher, though Scott loves playing with that part of it!
So that's been our life since my parents left a week ago. I hope to get out of the house in the next couple days, if nothing else to go to the post office to mail very overdue Christmas gifts and apply for Caleb's visa (which is going to cost £335!!! - don't even get me started on the unjustness of this cost for a Bristish born child.) After the visa comes in the mail, I will be actively planning our next out of country trip - Spain? Greece? Prague? Southeast Asia? There are simply too many choices!
fgkdx m mcdxc .gfdf
fd fgdvxbgcxbygfdd
b mrnmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmbnnnnnm
ij`ghh
fd fgdvxbgcxbygfdd
b mrnmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmbnnnnnm
ij`ghh
About me
- From Fort Worth, Texas, United States
- Husband of an angel, father of two great boys, and a follower of God saved by grace.
- My profile
Currently Brewing
On my Touch
Blogs I Read
- Kicking At The Darkness - Micheal Felker
- The Unsinkable Kristen Chapman
- Though The Fire - David Chapman
- Living Above The Line - Michael Chaffin
- Uncle Robb Clanton
- The Raich's Adventure (Our ex-pat friends now living in Minnesota)
- Between The Sheets - Daisha Sheets
- synchronous snapshots - Ashley Saint John
Last posts
Archives
- August 2005
- September 2005
- October 2005
- November 2005
- December 2005
- January 2006
- February 2006
- March 2006
- April 2006
- May 2006
- June 2006
- July 2006
- August 2006
- September 2006
- October 2006
- November 2006
- December 2006
- January 2007
- February 2007
- March 2007
- April 2007
- May 2007
- June 2007
- July 2007
- August 2007
- September 2007
- October 2007
- November 2007
- December 2007
- January 2008
- February 2008
- March 2008
- April 2008
- May 2008
- June 2008
- July 2008
- August 2008
- September 2008
- October 2008
- November 2008
- December 2008
- January 2009
- February 2009
- April 2009
- May 2009
- June 2009
- July 2009
- August 2009
- September 2009
- January 2010
ATOM 0.3