October 10

I really cannot believe it's October. The weather today was so lovely, I was able to fill up Caleb's water table one last time and let him splash. And splash he did!

The whole time he did this, he was murmuring to himself, "Spashin, spashin, spashin..."

He was so happy!

Despite his runny nose. (Poor kid.) 

(Do you see the lovely snot rivulets?)

Later, we met my fam at a Mexican restaurant to celebrate Mom's birthday. 

Caleb enjoyed his Aunt Jenny, and the chips.

He also decided he wanted to leave his high chair and go to me. How did I know? He reached for me and said, "Up!" So I put him on my lap, and he promptly stretched both legs out and rested his feet on the table. I swear - we don't put our feet on the dinner table at home. But for some reason, Caleb was determined to put his feet on the table! It was pretty funny. But then, when my Mom has had 2+ margaritas, everything is funny!



October 9

Today is Caleb's 15-month birthday!

It's also our one-year anniversary of using cloth diapers. I have to say - it's pretty fantastic to know that, aside from a few incidental purchases for travel, I haven't paid for diapers in a year! We'll definitely keep using cloth diapers for Baby #2. In fact, I'm pretty stoked to try the new BumGenius 4.0.

Poor Caleb didn't feel well today. His nose dripped like a faucet all day, and he didn't want to nap much either. Hopefully he feels better tomorrow.

Since he was so sick and fussy, I didn't get the camera out until bedtime. So today, it's more bathtime photos!

Caleb was sitting in the sink after his bath, checking out his reflection in the mirror as he brushed his teeth.

He loves to brush those teeth!

October 8

I couldn't lose track of this day - today is my Mom's birthday!

Caleb and I went to pay her a visit and snuck in a trip to the park, too.

This is technically a neck pillow, but Caleb loves playing with it. He'll hold it and alternately say "raaarrr" and "ah-ah". He also decided (without any prompting from us) that it makes a nice hat. In this photo, he's checking himself out in his "Mommy-view" mirror.

I promise, he was not this bored at the park. He actually had a great time!

The child is never satisfied - here, he's swinging and signing "more" because he wants to go down the slide.

BTW, isn't his sweatervest darling? I scored it for 50 cents at the citywide garage sale a few weeks ago, and I couldn't be more pleased!



October 7

My poor kiddo had such a busy morning. We had MOPS this morning, which meant leaving the house at 8:30 and not getting home until after 1:00. (I was leading the creative activity, and had to get there early to set up and stay late to clean up.) So the poor kid missed his morning nap, and didn't have the common sense to sleep longer for his afternoon nap. (Seriously. Shouldn't he know better?)

Luckily, we had a fun, fun afternoon (photos to follow).

And then, just as I was making dinner (I had a pot of water boiling on one burner, and a pan preheating on another), the electricity went out. For no good reason. So of course we had to go out to dinner, during which service was slow, the restaurant was loud, and Caleb screamed and fussed like the obnoxious baby he definitely is NOT. It was a bit stressfull.

But now he's sleeping peacefully, and I've had time to lounge on the couch and watch The Office, so I can look over today's photos and declare that it was a Good Day.

See?

I let Caleb play with chalk for the first time this afternoon.

Once he figured out that he shouldn't eat it, he was really focused.

He loved it!

I might have helped him with this.

One of my favorite shots in a while - he's hugging my knees. Quite often, he'll stop whatever he's doing and give me (or Chris) a big hug. It's the sweetest thing ever, and I'm so thankful to have such an affectionate (but not clingy) child.

He's a joy, even if he did annoy every customer within a 20 foot radius at dinner tonight.

October 6

Oh boy... I'm losing track of the days!

Can I tell you a funny story, even if there's no photo to go along with it? Great.

So this morning, Caleb was in his jammies, playing with his toys in the living room while I ate breakfast and read the newspaper. Suddenly he got really fussy and whiny, and I figured something was up. I said, "Caleb, did you poop? Do you want to put on some clothes and a new diaper?" He immediately signed, "More, please," which also means "I want that" or "Yes!!!". So I carried Caleb upstairs, and started taking his footy pajamas off so that I could change his diaper. I pulled the arms off, and then went to remove the jammies by the feet and... out of his pajama leg came the remote control to our TV.

This remote is pretty close to a foot long. Somehow, he must have managed to slide it down the back of his jammies, where it lodged in the leg. I can only imagine that must have been pretty uncomfortable - hence the fussing. And in the meantime, I win "World's Worst Mom" for not noticing that my child had a REMOTE CONTROL in his pants.  What a funny morning!

This is much later, in the evening. When Chris comes home from work, he's always exhausted from his hour-long commute. He grabs a snack right away - usually a granola bar and string cheese - and shares it with Caleb. I'm pretty sure it's the best part of Caleb's day.

Eating string cheese.

"More, please!"

October 5

My boy likes his bicycle. A lot.

He's so happy to be outside in the sunshine! (He's actually a little overdressed - it was seriously warm today.)

This is his tough-guy biker dude pose. I think he's mimicking his Grandpa.

Making "bbbbbbbrrrpppptttt" noises as he rides.

What a happy kiddo!



October 4

I am ridiculously tired, so this will be short and sweet.

Caleb went down for a nap at 4:18 this afternoon. He woke up (or rather, Daddy woke him up) at 10:18. What's the deal? No idea. All I know is that it's after 11 now, and I don't do after 11. Luckily, my fabulous husband is taking care of Caleb's dinner and bath and bedtime, so I can go to sleep. What a good man.

"What do you mean, it's after 10 pm? I'm ready to play NOW!"

And that's the only picture you get today. Goodnight!



October 3

Yesterday's post is the most exciting one you'll see for a while - I hope you don't expect me to keep coming up with fun announcements like that very often. Today is just more of the same.

Caleb was pretty pleased when we finally helped him into the baby swing. I wonder what he'll do when there's a real baby in there, and not just a Cabbage Patch Kid that he can unceremoniously dump onto the floor...? 

Also, remember a few weeks ago, when Caleb had a fever for a few days and was fussy and annoying? Apparently he was getting a molar, and I've just now realized it. I think I win "Crummy Mommy of the Year" for that one. How could it have taken me two weeks to notice my child has sprouted a new, impressively large tooth?  Also, that was a miserable period,and it only produced one molar. Will we really have to go through that 3 more times?

I think he's trying to show you his new molar. Too bad I had my 50 mm lens on, and not a zoom!

This is my child being silly at dinner. It's a common occurrence.

Yep - more silliness. That's how we roll!

October 2

If you know me, you probably know that I can be a little... impatient. And see, I was going to wait until the blog's one-year mark to tell you this, but I just don't think I want to wait any longer.

So.

Did you read the shirt? Did you?

That's right.

How do we feel about it?

(This is Caleb cheering at today's Cardinals game. It was cold.)

We're excited to share that we're 11 weeks pregnant with baby #2!

Our little one (we're toying with the name "Baby Bellybutton". What do you think?) is due April 25, which means our kiddos will be not quite 22 months apart.

We were lucky enough to get an ultrasound at 8 weeks. Really, it's just a blob with a little bit of yolksac, but the important part to us is that it's a blob with a lovely heartbeat - 179, to be exact.

Caleb has no idea what he's getting into, and really neither do I. And yes, this baby's gender will be a surprise, just like Caleb's was. But despite the unknowns, we're totally excited!

October 1

I love October. I love fall! We didn't get to revel in the autumn-ness of the day today, though, because today was payday, and thus, grocery-shopping day. All that to say, I didn't get my camera out until bedtime. But what a fun bedtime it was!

The first thing Caleb does every time he enters his room now is turn his radio on. It's really kind of funny - sometimes in the morning, I'll nurse him in my bed, then put him down on the floor. While I lie in bed, I can hear him scoot across the hardwood floor that separates our bedrooms, then scoot into his room. Then - like clockwork - I hear the radio turn on. Apparently, the kid really likes music! (As if I didn't already know that...) The sad thing is that the we bought the radio merely for its clock purpose. It's a cheap, cheap little clock radio, which means it's hard to find a radio station, and when you find one, it's still staticky.

Which means the only station that comes in clearly is of the booty-shaking, completely-inappropriate, dance-club variety. And he likes it. 

This is Caleb's nudie Friday night dance party. 

Oh yeah. We know how to get down.

And this is a calmed-down, cleaned-up baby who is about to put his jammies on.  

Bedtime is such a fun time at our house!