Lately

Lately, mowing the grass and walking your horses or circus animals, has become your thing.
Lately, mud has taken up residence on those sticky fingers and squishy toes.

Lately,
you've been surrounded with family. Down south and up north. Camping and hanging out with aunties and uncles, grandparents, and friends. This makes us so happy that you get special time with those who love you.
Lately, you've forgotten how to go to sleep on your own because you got to sleep with mom and dad in the tent camping for a week and mom helped you go to sleep for a week down south. This has caused some sleep troubles in your bed now that we are home. We're working on it.
Lately, you've become really interested in puzzles and can now do most of your puzzles independently. We love watching you figure them out and can't believe how fast you are learning!
Lately, you are learning so many new words and love repeating everything we say and copying what we do. You are always such a good helper too!
And lastly,
Tonight we finally had a breakthrough with you in your big boy bed. Since our trips you have not fallen asleep by yourself. (Unless Nani put you to bed. What is up with that Caleb? Much as we tried, you cried, we tried more, you still cried and stood at the door until we finally lingered a couple minutes too long and you closed your eyes and fell asleep in your bed, but with Nani, not a peep, and you stayed in your bed, hmmmm) Anyway we didn't weaken or cave tonight Caleb. Our hearts hurt but we knew you could do it! You were sleeping so well in your bed before our travels began last month. We just knew we had to be strong for you, to help you learn again. So we listened to you cry when we left the room, we heard you at the door calling mama and dada, we checked in with you and reminded you to go to sleep every so often, and after one hour 15 minutes, you figured it out. And for the first time since our trips-tadaaaaa, you went back to bed-ALL BY YOURSELF!! And I can not tell you the reassurance that gave me Caleb. I needed just one time of you going back to bed on your own, like you used to, to know that-YES. You can do it! You can sleep in your bed. ALL BY YOURSELF. No Mama, no Dada, in the room. And we can do it too.

Oh Caleb. We love you so very much. From those muddy little toes to those chubby little thighs, right up to that little buddah belly, and each little finger, we love your squishy nose and big blue eyes, those two dimples that light up your face, and your sweet scent of baby boy face. We love your silly side, your sweetness, your cautiousness, even your face scrunched in anger, and your rolling on the floor in a fit side, we love every little thing that makes you, you. Every worry, every stress, and upset, every bit of patience that has grown because of you, we love you for. Because you Caleb, have made your mama and your dada, a little big stronger, a little bit wiser, and a little bit more loving every single day. Just because you are you.