A First Attempt

I started Caleb on solids at 4 months because he was READY.  He was a hefty little man, was eating 8 ounces per feeding, and was so interested in our food.  I remember the first attempt like it was yesterday, and it took a few tries but then he LOVED his solids. 

I have been going back and forth with the idea of solids with Mckinlee. She is so tiny, and she has seemed really content with just my breast milk. We also have her acid reflux under control, and I really do not want to stir that back up.  I was basically set on holding off solids with her until 6 months, but at 4 months the ugly 4 month growth spurt/sleep regression revealed its ugly head, and it had me second guessing myself.  I tried giving her one extra feeding a day before bed in an attempt to keep her from waking at night. It did not really work. I read that sometimes starting solids helps with this stage, and I thought I would give it a try. 

We geared up Mckinlee, camera, bumbo, and cereal and anticipated her first bite.  Lets just say little miss did not have it! She was not at all a fan of the consistency (even though it was super thin), and she kept gagging.  We probably only gave her three spoon fulls before we stopped. She was just not ready.

However, I had to document her "first" real solid on the blog.  I have to admit that I am kind of glad she was not ready for solids. I am all about her staying little for as long as possible, and if my milk is enough to keep her happy for right now, I am happy with that. After all, solids are just a big mess anyway. 

Boom Boom Pow

Last weekend we celebrated the fourth of July (I know a little late in posting).  We had a wonderful family weekend, and dada was able to stay home with us for three full days! It was an amazing time with our little family.

We celebrated the 4th on Saturday at a cookout with friends.  Caleb was in heaven playing with all the big kid toys, and we all enjoyed the fireworks at the end of the night. To my surprise Caleb was not scared of the fireworks at all, he kept pointing to the sky and signing more.  Bundle also stayed awake for them and just "oooo ahhhh'd" at them. 

We finished off the night around midnight, and both children stayed awake until we arrived home.  It was a great fourth of July. 

Mckinlee 5 Months

My sweet baby turned 5 months yesterday!! Geez.  I am going to have an emotional mommy break down this month with all this growing up.  Mckinlee is changing before my very eyes every day, and I find myself getting teary eyed over how fast her infancy is flying by.

Mckinlee at 5 Months:

Sleeping:  You are still sleeping from around 7:30-8 at night till 6-7 am the next morning.  You have stopped whining in the middle of the night, and you are sleeping like a champ again. We are still doing eat, wake, sleep with you, but you are starting to refuse a few naps. I am currently trying to get you on a good three nap schedule. You generally nap for about an hour in a half.

Eating: You are still exclusively breast feeding. I tried cereal with you one night, but you just gagged.  We will try again next month.  You are eating every 2 1/2- 3 hours, and you nurse one side for about twenty-thirty minutes.

Size: 0-3, 3, 3-6 clothing. Size 1 diaper.  You were 11.3 last month, and you are still so tiny!

Exciting New Things:

• Your looks have really started to change. You used to be dead on daddy, but now you are really taking on a lot of my characteristics.  People always say you look just like me now. 
• You roll everywhere.  You zoom across the room so quickly.
• You scoot all over your crib, and you even try to scoot towards toys.
• Everything goes in your mouth, and you drool all the time.
• You are starting to be okay with other people holding you.
• You reach for everything.
• You talk and squeal and smile all the time.
• You are still very easy going.
• You still only like the binky when you are trying to sleep.
• You still hate car rides.
• You had your first long road trip this month to Michigan
• You went to the beach for the first time (Lake Michigan). 
• Whenever someone else is holding you and you hear me talk you cry.
• You think Caleb is hilarious now. You love to watch him, and he never phases you.

You are such a perfect princess and I love you so much I could eat you with a spoon!!

Caleb 23 Months

Yesterday my BABY turned 23 months.  One month from yesterday he will be TWO!!!! How is this even possible?  I find myself swarmed with the details and planning of his second birthday, and I am still amazed that we are already here! I can so vividly remember planning his first birthday, and as cliche as it sounds, this year FLEW BY!  I mean in a blink! I can not believe that in one month I will have a two year old. I will no longer have two under two, but instead my baby will be replaced by a two year old boy! I am in shock, I am a mess of emotions, and I am loving every minute with my little man along the way. 

Caleb your last month of your one year old year you are:

Sleeping: In your big boy bed.  You take one nap a day for 2-3 hours.  You go to bed around 9 and get up around 7.

Eating:  You are picky! You still love all fruit, peas, and green beans. You are still a vegetarian, and you love milk.  You are obsessed with fruit snacks, applesauce, and gold fish.  You are really good at feeding yourself with a spoon and fork now.

Size: You are wearing a size 5 diaper, size 6 shoe, and 24 month clothing. 

Speech:  Your speech has blown up this past month.  You are saying so many new words, and you try to mock us more and more. Your favorite words right now are "Aeeeyyy" (abby), "ball", "poooo" (pool), "bluuuee", "da", "ma", "ellla" (bella), "fish", "cheeese" (still said in a whisper), "siiiddee" (outside), "go go" (car), "choo choo" (train), "GOOO!!" (when you are bossy), "O" (you find O's every where). I know there are more but that is all I can think of right now.  You still do not speak in sentences really, but I am so glad that your vocab has started to develop more. You still sign a lot. You say more, and help a long with the sign.

Exciting New Things:

• You are a water bug! You are obsessed with your pool, the water park, fountains, your water table, bath time etc.  As soon as you get up in the morning you point to your pool and say "poooo". 
• You recognize O, B, A and sometimes C.
• You still will not stay in the church nursery, but you did wonderful sitting with us last Sunday.
• You can put your shoes on yourself, on the wrong foot, but on.
• You still sign scared a lot but not as much as before.
• You howl at meemaws because they have a Husky that howls (you have been doing this for a few months).
• You love to climb and you always count "Two two two two" now.
• You do the "Come here" sign and say "mere mooom" when you want me to follow you.
• You still do the sign for diaper change when you potty.
• You are still obsessed with your binky, and I am letting you take it in as much as you want this last month. I am going to try to break it once you turn two.
• You are cutting your bottom two canine teeth.
• You love to mock Mckinlee.
• You always want to hold Mckinlee and you are so sweet and gentle.
• You have been a huge mamas boy lately and I love it.
• You are GREAT at kicking a ball. You love to run around the backyard and kick!
• You are obsessed with any and all cars.
• You always want to climb in my bed, and you know which pillow is mine and which is Dada's. You always want dadas.
• You laugh at funny videos now, or when we laugh.
• We always watch funny AHV on you tube in the morning in my bed while I am nursing Mckinlee.
• If we mention Abby or K's name around you when they are not here, you always hold out your arms and whimper. (you want them to hold you).
• You know cars really well. The other day we were leaving a store and you saw a car like K's in the parking lot. you yelled "K's!!".  So smart you are.
• You love play dough.
• You love to draw on your chalk board.
• You always want me to read books to you in your bed.
• You know what so many objects are, and you are trying to learn their words.   
• The two year old tantrums are still coming out, but getting a little better.

You really are the sunshine of my life sweet man.  This past ALMOST 2 years with you has been greater than I could have ever dreamed or hoped for.  You are everything that I prayed you would be and so much more. God really did break the mold when he made you, and I am so blessed to be called your mom.  I may hug and squeeze and cuddle you to death this month as I take in my last month with my 1 year old man! I love you to pieces Monkey!

Mama/Caleb Day

I am so thankful that the pool ban in our area was finally lifted.  At the beginning of July our area placed an order that no un-potty trained child could enter any public pool due to an outbreak of shigella in daycare around the area.  Talk about a major let down! I was so beyond excited to spend my days with the kids poolside, and the ban was a pain in my booty!! However, as of yesterday the ban was lifted!!!!!

I was so excited when I heard the news last night, and I could not wait to head to the pool today!! I asked my mother-in-law if she could watch Mckinlee for a few hours, so I could spend some one on one time with Caleb.  I left him all weekend last week, and I needed some Caleb time myself.  I am so thankful that we had the time today to enjoy each others company!

My child was so excited when we entered the water park today.  Generally he is a little timid and shy at first, but today he was WILD!! (So glad Mckinlee was not with me).  He ran right into the kiddie area, and he was splashing, running, dunking his body to his chin and saying "cold".  He was so adorable I could have just eaten him up right there! He loved loved loved the fountains, and he was obsessed with trying to get into the deep water. He could not understand why I had to hold him in the 4 ft area :).  My little independent man.  He was not a big fan of the lazy river. I think he became bored because he kept screaming at the people in front of us "GO!!".  Luckily they thought he was cute (we will discuss manners at another time). 

We enjoyed a nice lunch together, and even laid out on chairs side by side. After about 3 hours he was done and ready for a nap, but it truly was a GREAT day!