Fall Fest Fun

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First Steps!!

Caleb took his first steps unassisted today! He and I were outside on the sidewalk waiting for Daddy to come home from a meeting at church. When Jon walked up, Caleb took two steps from me to his daddy. How cool is that!!

In other news, I think Caleb is finally getting through with his stomach bug. We had no incidents or accidents yesterday, and today he's eating more and seems to be feeling better. He's still pretty clingy, but I guess a week of sickness will do that to a person.

Sick Kiddo

Caleb's been battling a stomach bug since Sunday. He hasn't eaten a real meal since Monday evening. The poor guy is pretty well spent!

This morning we woke up at 4:30 to an extremely nasty diaper, then I got puked on, but the rest of the day went very well. I fed him little bits at a time--nursed him a little, a few bites of green bean, some chicken bits, a couple crackers--and tried to keep fluids in him. We made it through the whole day!

Jon came home and offered to watch Caleb while I took an hour to get out of the house. What a great guy! I wanted to try to nurse Caleb just a little bit before I left--his lack of wet diapers had me a little concerned. So I did...and he puked all over me. Everything he had kept down all day came back up. Caleb was pretty upset and I was pretty nasty. Jon took Caleb and I went to clean up. So much for my hour break...but it was nice to take my time in the shower!

When I got out Caleb was clean and sound asleep on Jon's chest. However, the transfer from Daddy to the crib woke him up, so I rocked him for a little bit. Jon went to the kitchen to work on making a pizza for us. I thought about how cool it was that Jon could so easily do whatever needed to be done, whether it was giving me an hour off, cleaning Caleb up, or picking up where I'd left off in the dinner prep.

We eventually switched, because despite his awesomeness, I do have the best knack for rolling out the pizza dough. :) When I was done rolling and the dough was toasting in the oven, we switched again. Caleb had by this time decided that he was not going to sleep until someone fed him something, so I gave him a couple crackers. Finally he settled enough for me to lay him down. The pizza is finished and Caleb's cries are diminishing over the monitor.

I feel so bad for our little boy! The doctor said yesterday that there's nothing to be done; viruses just have to be waited out, and all we could do was make sure Caleb was getting enough fluids. We're doing our best with that, but I hate seeing him sick. :(

Eleven Months

Caleb is eleven months old today! To celebrate, he's had his first bout of pukey-ness. Woohoo. I figure he just ate something weird, because the other kids he's been around haven't had anything. He's sleeping it off now with a nice long nap!

He is walking with assistance very well. He likes to have someone holding onto both of his hands when he's walking, but has let go with one hand more often lately. He's also starting standing more on his own. Sunday we counted to 10 before he finally grabbed something!

He's moved into 12-month clothes..and could probably stand to move up to 18-month in pants because his legs are so long! I bought him a pair of size 2 soft-soled shoes for walking, but I don't think he'll be in them for long.

I think we finally have our first word besides Mama and Dada! We think Caleb is saying "ball." It's more like "ba" but he says it a lot when he has a ball in his hand. However, he really likes Bs, and he often has a ball in his hand, so it could just be a coincidence. I think he's saying ball, though.

Caleb has tried pretty much every food we've eaten--except for ice cream and pizza and things like that. He did try an orange a bit back. Wasn't his favorite, but he ate it. His favorite food seems to be cheese. Mmm...yummy...my child indeed! It's neat to see him progress in his eating. Used to I would break up a piece of bread for him into bite-sized pieces, but now I can hand him the bread and he'll tear it himself or even bite it off himself. I can't do that with cheese; he just stuffs the entire piece in his mouth and will eventually spit it out because he can't chew it all. Spit-out cheese is not very appetizing.

Caleb loves to play peekaboo, loves to chase me around the house, loves to open and close doors (and drawers), loves ANYthing in the bathroom--toilet paper, toilet lid, trash can, tub--it's all fun! So we keep the bathroom doors closed. When we open them, I can hear him trucking it from wherever he is in the house to get into the bathroom. He does the same with the fridge and freezer. Silly boy!

This month Caleb has started developing his own opinion about things. He whines and cries when he doesn't get his way or I take something from him. I've had to give him a firm, "No sir, we do not whine." a few times. He has even started refusing food we feed him with a spoon, preferring to eat it himself, even if that means a very messy meal. Thankfully he doesn't do that every meal, but I see it coming soon.

All in all, we have a very cool little boy. We love his laughter, his chattiness, his determination, his tears. I miss my baby, and as I'm starting to wean, I'm missing the cuddling times. I guess that's why many siblings are about two years apart. Their mamas missed those things, too!

Lemonade

Trying lemonade for the first time. Not sure if it was the lemonade or just the novelty of drinking from a cup, but Caleb was a fan! Taken 10/9.

Walking with walker

I think I could watch this video over and over again. Taken Oct. 12.

Recent firsts

Every day there are new firsts in Caleb's life. I guess that comes with the territory for a child his age. Some are not really the ones you want in the baby book, like the other day when Caleb farted and it was the first time I actually smelled it. Others are sweeter, like my first kiss from Caleb (Sept. 29). Some are subtle, like the repetition that Caleb has begun: I drop something, he picks it up and puts it back in my hand, and we repeat. Tonight I might have even heard his version of "uh oh!" when the ball dropped, but I'm not really sure about that.

It's so neat to watch Caleb; people ask me what I do all day, and I really do stare at Caleb for quite a bit of the day. He's so fascinating! He's trying to figure out the way the world works, and that's really fun to watch. He has a toy that has a ball he drops into the top and it rolls down the spiral and out the spout at the bottom. He loves it, and recently I have found many toys in the spout--other balls, a telephone, and even his baby pumpkin have made their way into it.

Here is a first, walking holding on to my hands. It actually happened Sept. 28--I know, a bit back, but I'm hoping to catch up on a few videos and I have to start somewhere!

Farmer's Market Fun

I distinctly remember the Saturday before Caleb was born. Jon and I slept in, and I thought to myself, "This is the last time in a long time that we will be able to do this." And finally--ten months later--we got to sleep in on Saturday! The night before, Caleb was at the babysitter's house while I was at a church function. I went to pick him up around 9:30pm; he was fast asleep and I ended up staying and chatting for quite awhile. I finally got him home and to bed by 11:30. The trip home had started to wake him up, so for expediency I went ahead and nursed him to get him back to sleep. I guess that late-night feeding did the trick, because Caleb didn't wake up until 9:00 the next morning!!

Sure, I was awake by 8:00, but that didn't keep me from staying put in bed until I heard a peep from the monitor. And sure, by 8:25 I had the monitor turned as high as it would go and pressed to my ear, because even ten months into it I sometimes still fear the worst, and I was listening for rustling, breathing, anything.... So I might not have been sleeping for that last hour, but it was still pretty great. I know it won't happen again for awhile, and I'm so glad we had an open day to enjoy it.

When we did all finally get up, it was a cool grey day, perfect for watching football and going to the farmer's market! We managed to fit both in, though the Baylor game was more than disappointing. So...the farmers market:

"I've got the keys, mom! Let's go!"

"Hm...nice pumpkins...but not as big as the one I have at home!"


"Please mom? Can I have this one?"

Testing for ripeness....

"What?? 25 bucks?! That's outrageous."

"Well, this one is more my size anyway, and the market lady said I could have it for free!"

"The stem is perfect for chewing."

Daddy and me.

"My new pumpkin..."

"...and my sweet new ride!"

Ten Months

I love ten months! We've had so much happen! Let's see if I can think of it all....

Caleb has his sixth tooth now! So four on top and two on bottom. He's tried corn and cheerios. He did really well with the cheerios, so we're not going to be buying the Gerber Puffs any more--just too expensive! He's also had mac-n-cheese with tuna, and got a sip of my pink lemonade yesterday! I thought it would be too sour for him, but he didn't seem to mind!

He talks ALL the time. Really. ALL. the time. It's still just jibberish, but there are a few things I know. He definitely says "Dada" and means it. When he hears Jon unlocking the door or when he comes in the room, Caleb will say it. He's said "Mama" before, too, but definitely not as consistently. He says "Nanananana" when things aren't going so well. It's a sign that it's time for a change--usually a nap!

Caleb has started waking up pretty consistently at 7:30am, which I am loving! I have been doing much better getting to bed at a normal hour, so it's been easier for me to get up by 6:30 and be showered and ready for the day when Caleb gets up. So the schedule has been nice, and has really helped me feel more on top of things during the day. It also gives me a chance to do stuff on the computer, because Caleb loves to "help" when he's awake, usually by pressing any button he can reach. He's managed to changed settings on my computer that took me awhile to figure out how to fix!

Caleb is walking! Not by himself, of course, but is doing really well with us holding on to him. It's fun to see where he takes us. Holly had him walking just holding on to one hand at the garage sale last week, though he's definitely more stable when he's got a hold of two hands.


We have such a happy baby. Usually it take him awhile to warm up to situations. At places like Wal-Mart, he closes up because there are so many new things to take in. (People often tell me he looks like he's ready for a nap, but it's because he shuts down a little.) Well, on Monday he was all smiles during our Wal-Mart trip. Quite the flirt was he! So maybe we're slowly moving beyond this stage...and maybe his separation anxiety will lessen soon, as well!


We've brought out lots of new toys for Caleb to play with--toys that encourage lots of crawling and standing. It's been fun to see him play with them! It also makes our living room seem pretty messy most of the time! Oh, well. It all gets put away most evenings.

And he loves to read. His fascination with turning pages is becoming a fascination with what is actually on the page. He likes the "touch-n-feel" books with textures, and he'll put his thumb on eyes and mouths. It's neat to see his playtime progressing as he learns new things.


As I say every month, Caleb is not our little baby any more. Many people have noticed that he looks more like a little boy--a little Norvell boy, to be precise! We are so blessed!

Caleb at our garage sale: "I see a customer!"

Sophie and Caleb. Sophie and her mama just moved away, and we will miss them!!


Sophie, Caleb and Sophie's cousin

Caleb's First Pumpkin

Look Mom, my very own pumpkin!

I want to eat it all!

"Oh, my beautiful orange PUUUUMPKIIIIIIIIN.....I love you SOOOOOOOO!!!"

Beautiful face...and drool.

Hi, Daddy. Do you see my great pumpkin?

Does everyone notice my pumpkin?

Yes, it was a good time had by all. Caleb was thrilled to beat on his pumpkin in the grocery store, and the enchantment didn't wear off when we got home.

I've got my new shoes on....

With the rain and cooler weather this past week, it's felt just a little more like fall lately, and I've finally pulled out the shoes for my little boy. He hasn't consistently worn shoes since he was a newborn in winter. All summer he's been our barefoot Arkansas boy!

Here are some little Nikes from a friend. How impractical are these? But so cute!


Then today I pulled out some shoes I bought several months ago. These are soft-soled and more lightweight than the Nikes.
Caleb got his second haircut last night, and I think he looks so sweet in this picture. Makes my heart melt!

The other week Caleb was a little under the weather, so he contented himself with sitting on his tractor and sorting our recycling. Quit the job, that.



Today he has a fever again. We had gone to the dr. on Friday for his cough, but he didn't have a fever then, so he came home with a prescription for cough medicine and that's it.Not sure what is going on, but he doesn't seem too uncomfortable, so I'm not worried about it. Colds are going around lately (hooray, Fall), so it seems inevitable.

He's started saying "mama" and "dada" pretty consistently this week, and his fifth tooth came in! He tried Mexican food for the first time today--ate beans, rice, taco meat and queso! No complaints! He's our son indeed!

We brought out new toys for Caleb this week as well, and he's enjoying all the new activities--mostly things that encourage him to stand. I need to find a walking toy for him, though, because he's pushing his things around, and I think he would enjoy it. One of the activity tables has a telephone, and he's already mimicking me by putting it to his ear and talking! He loves when I talk into it and say, "Caleb, it's for you!"

He also handed me something for the first time this week. Babies usually hold things out: "Behold...my treasure that I found." But don't try to take it from them. Not a good idea. However, last night during Caleb's bath, I was pouring water out over his hands. I eventually stopped and put the bucket back in the water. He picked the bucket up and handed it to me to keep playing! I don't know what you think about that, but that classifies him as a genius in my world. I'm sure you agree.

One more note: Caleb has been pure Mama's Boy lately, always wanting me at the end of the day when Daddy wants to give his son one last cuddle for the night. I've felt a little bad about it, though I know it's just a phase. Well, that phase may be coming to an end. Yesterday Caleb hit his head on the nightstand, and his first reaction was to cling to his Daddy! Jon tried to pull back to examine the wound (hardly noticeable, by the way), but Caleb would have none of it. "Hold me, Daddy!" Then Jon watched Caleb for several hours both Saturday and today, and he and Caleb had a grand time. I think it was good for both of them, and for me too!

9 1/2 Month Update

Caleb is now 9 1/2 months old. I can't believe how quickly the time is flying! He had his 9-month checkup a couple of weeks ago, and here is what we learned:

Weight: 18 lbs 7 oz (25th percentile)
Height: 29in (75th to 90th percentile)

No shots this time, but an iron test to make sure Caleb has enough iron. He does, so that means that if/when he weans, he can go straight to Vitamin D cow's milk instead of needing formula! That's great news because formula is very expensive, there are lots of brands to try and figure out which one would work, etc. It would just be a hassle, and I'd actually figured I'd keep pumping through to the end of Caleb's first year, when traditionally he could move to normal milk. I was dreading that, so I'm glad to find out he can move to cow's milk when he's ready. He is still nursing, but it really is becoming more like snack time between his solid food meals. I asked about snacks, and the doctor said that Caleb's nursing would serve that purpose, and it seems to have without me doing anything. He generally nurses well in the morning and at night, but the other feedings are quick as Caleb wants to move on to doing something else. He nurses about every 4 hours during the day, so about 4 times a day.

Sleeping: Caleb had gotten into the habit of waking up once every night. It started when he was teething and the habit was solidified during the month of July when we spent so many nights in the same room together, and we would pick him up and try to get him back to sleep so as not to disturb anyone else. The doctor wasn't too happy about that, and suggested we just let him cry it out one night and break the habit. So that's what we did! That night we listened to Caleb on the monitor for an hour and a half, crying his little eyes out. I did go and check on him once, and finally he fell asleep. And it does seem to have broken the habit! He's only woken up in the night a couple of times since then! Hooray! He gets to sleep between 7:30 and 8:00 and then wakes up between 6:00 and 7:00 in the morning. He takes two naps during the day, usually 4 hours apart.

Eating: Caleb is officially on 100% table food! I think it's kind of early for it, but he seems ready, and it just kind of happened that way. He opens his mouth for pretty much anything we offer, and he'll also feed himself with bite-sized pieces we give him. He's had roast and veggies, scalloped potatoes, grilled chicken, chicken pot pie.... It has certainly caused me to cook healthier! On nights when we make pizza or something like that, I just heat up some cooked chicken and green beans that I keep in the freezer.

Developmental Markers: Caleb claps and he started waving on the 15th of August. He likes to wave! He also loves to talk. He's fascinated by doors. He opens and closes his door and our bedroom door. They're so big and swing so wide that he has to crawl to the door, swing it open, crawl to where it swung, swing it back....it's a workout, but he does it tirelessly. He also likes the doors on the front of our entertainment center. He enjoys pulling the DVDs down into a pile. He's got the pincer grasp down, using his tiny thumb and forefinger to pick up all kinds of things; I fish things out of his mouth several times a day lately! He's also figured out object permanence: he knows there's a toy underneath his blanket now, and he's pretty proud when he reveals it.

Our little guy is lightning on his hands and knees. I sit him down in the living room to play while I do something in the kitchen, but he's in the kitchen almost as fast as I am! He's very comfortable in the house, and goes exploring even in places where we are not. He will follow our voice and will generally come when asked, though maybe because we're smiling and clapping more than because we've asked him to come.

Caleb understands the word "no" and usually obeys it. We praise him when he does, because we know that soon he will realize he can refuse!

He has maintained his reputation of being a laid-back boy. It was questionable for a few days while teething, but undeniable as we house-hunted. He missed his morning nap, we pulled him in and out of the car several times, it was hot, he wasn't allowed down on the floor, and to top it off he had a cold that turned into a sinus infection. But, give him a sippy cup of water and a toy and he's a happy camper. We also got to help out with some friends who had a baby recently, and Caleb was very good sitting in the hospital with us. We mentioned to the doctor about how easy-going Caleb is, and suggested that perhaps something was wrong (because what is a parent if not always finding something to worry about?). The doctor said he was fine, and it just meant we'd be hit with a jolt of reality with the terrible twos come! So, I guess we'll enjoy our easy baby while we have him.

To be certain, he is not always easy, and he's definitely very opinionated about things, and usually has a bout of screaming once a day or so, whether it's because he wants to roll on the changing table or because I'm sucking ew from his nose or maybe because he just didn't want a shirt on. So it happens, but it's rare and short-lived, and for that I am thankful.

I often use Ian's development as a marker for what I'm supposed to look for with Caleb. What Ian was like at 9 months is very clear to me, because that was when he came to the hospital to visit when Caleb was born. There had been one thing I'd been looking for that I remember distinctly: playing peek-a-boo. And lo and behold, while we were visiting Great Grandma and Great Grandpa, it happened!

The Great Paper Caper

The day started like any other day, only for whatever reason (I forget now), I could not wait for Caleb's naptime to take a shower.* He's too big now for his bouncy seat, so I drug his exersaucer into the bathroom so I could keep an eye on him. (He's almost too big for that, too, but it works in a pinch.) Once I was in the shower, Caleb started complaining. He wasn't too happy that he couldn't see me and he was stuck in his exersaucer. I started singing to him, talking, anything I could to keep him entertained. He finally quieted down. It wasn't until I got out that I realized why....

*My camera data tells me I took these pictures on Sunday, August 16, so I'm guessing I was getting ready for church. Usually Jon plays with Caleb while I'm in the shower on Sundays, but that must have been when he was working a week of nights, and he was trying to catch up on sleep before church.

Feeding the ducks...and Caleb!

Caleb and I went to the park the other day to feed the ducks and geese. Caleb was very interested in the geese and their honking. He stared at them a long time. The ducks were not as interesting, or as interested in eating bread.


But we still had fun, and I got shots of Caleb's four teeth!

That's right! FOUR. He went from one to four in about a week. He's got his two top and two bottom teeth to match. And he's got two more coming in! I've tried to start giving him food with a little more substance to them: bits of chicken, ground beef, graham crackers, crunchy Gerber snacks, chopped up broccoli, cheese.... He seems to be doing well with it. He didn't seem to like banana bits, but those are kind of slippery and hard to handle, so maybe that's why.

We basically moved to complete table food on our trip to Great Grandma and Great Grandpa's house. Great Grandma had such yummy (and healthy) food, that it was easy to give Caleb a few bites, and--just like I remember as a kid--he ate more at Grandma's than he's ever eaten at home! Everything just tastes better there!

Here are more pics from the trip to the park:

Ooh...button....

Pulling up!

Caleb pulled up in his crib for the first time the other day. He'd pulled up on many things before--his daddy, the couch, the dining room chairs, the desk chairs--but never in his crib. He was in a particular fit of crying because he did not want to take a nap. Then I came in with a camera and called Jon in, and darn it all, that boy turned from tears to beaming smiles when he realized what a thing he'd accomplished amidst his tirade against naps.

He loves to be up, but hasn't started "cruising" quite yet. Cruising, I've learned, is when a baby can move around the room hanging on to stuff. Caleb still drops back down to crawl, then pulls back up at his new spot. Though today he did move from the chair to his play table, so maybe it's starting!