We're home :)

And so happy to be back. We spent the past few days down in Santa Clarita while Dave was at a Conference in San Diego for work. It was nice to be down with my family and not alone up here while Dave was gone. Caleb was spoiled by his Aunties and Nani and Pops (They were sneaking him frosting and chips and giving him foot massages and ear rubs; lucky him). It's nice to be back home though. And as a Welcome Home treat Caleb got to visit his favorite tree...


When Caleb isn't throwing a TT (and he's been throwing a few of those lately)... He's busy throwing apples instead...

My Wish

When I see this picture I think of the song My Wish by Rascal Flatts and I am reminded of the line..."When one door closes another door opens..."
When I took a leave from school while I was earning my teaching credential and had Caleb, I knew I would go back to finish one day when Caleb was older. I was thankful that I already had my bachelor's degree but it was still hard to stop with one semester left because I felt like I was quiting. At the same time I knew I couldn't have him and finish because of the stress and because I knew that it was more important to have my time with Caleb and my family. I knew school would always be there. It was one of the hardest decisions I've ever had to make. I don't regret a thing. My time with Caleb has been the most precious gift I could have ever received. The early days were tough. I would watch Dave leave the front door and wish that it was me instead of him getting to leave the house. It was so overwhelming at times. Things are so much easier now for me and I love my days home with Caleb and having the freedom to take him places and the joy of watching him discover new things everyday. My prayer for Caleb is that he will always know that God will place us exactly where we are meant to be. His timing is perfect. More than I can put into words Caleb is the sweetest gift to us. And being blessed with the privilege to be his mom is something I am always grateful for.

13 Months

I realized this is almost a week late but I completely forgot that Caleb turned 13 months this past Monday, sharing the day with Auntie Laura's 22nd birthday and my parents' 30th wedding anniversary! And more birthdays this month. Happy Birthday to Grandpa G who had his birthday yesterday and Dave's is next week :) Wow!

Here is what Caleb has been up to this month

Fully recovered from 2 ear infections and croup
Taking steps a lot but still not walking ind. all the time
Says MaMa or Mum, DaDa, Nana, RaRa, BaBa, WaWa, and (Pop,heard it just this week) still without meaning
Puts things into other things
Loves opening and shutting everything
Enjoys peek-a-boo
Loves to be chased
Sleeps through the night (unless we are traveling, boo) and takes a morning and afternoon nap that last about 1.5 hours, those 30 min cat naps are long gone!
Eats with abandon everything we give him. Especially enjoys peas (even better frozen on those teeth), lentil soup, pj sandwiches, farm pears, peaches, and applesauce, and pasta :)And I don't kid. This child seriously eats everything...for now anyway.
I'm waiting for the toddler picky appetite to kick in.
Drinks whole milk from his sippy and is no longer nursing
Gives kisses
Waves bye and hi without us telling him to, to himself and to strangers on the street.

We love you Caleb. Happy 13 months!

Backyard Exploration

Today Caleb seemed to be all over the place. He wanted to walk all over. He took almost 8 steps to Dave which was pretty exciting (that's the most he's ever taken) He was so full of energy all day. Letting him play in the backyard lets him get all his steam out. I was pretty entertained because usually he stays pretty close. But not today. He was on a mission to get into everything and has taken notice of the trees it seems. I should mention that he has a thing for apples. He loves them. We peel the skin off and he eats it to the core. Somehow he figured out that we have an apple tree in our backyard and since that discovery he must crawl over, stand up, and try and take down every apple in order to have a little munch. At the munching point we distract but it's so funny how he has figured out the source of all apples :)
Here's a little photo play by play.
From here... to there...

to somehow up there

First tree...

and then along to over there

to the apple tree

eye on the prize

stretching as far as those arms will go
and on the tippy toes

Victory! (Okay, I may have let him take a little nibble, or two as evidenced by the bite mark on apple number 1). I couldn't help myself. He was working so hard to get those apples off of the tree. I couldn't deny my little apple picker after all that tough work. I think we may have a farm boy in training! We'll have to take him apple picking for real now.

Sigh. All in a day's work for this little guy. I was exhausted just watching :)

Family Bike Ride

Yes. I admit. We are a bit nerdy :)

Sisters ;)

My little man.

We were so excited to go on a family bike ride on a bike path! It has been so long since I have been able to ride with Dave. Caleb's finally getting used to his helmet and was sitting straight up the whole ride trying to take it all in. We've been practicing. Biking around town, to the library, to the park. He's becoming a champ bike passenger.

Halloween 2010

Pretty impossible to get a picture of these cuties in their Halloween costumes. They all attended their first Halloween Party hosted by that cute little pumpkin in the picture. It was a good time and fun way to celebrate.

We had my sister up too for the weekend. You can't see in the pic but we are wearing some pretty good looking stockings. Dave went as Christopher Robin. Caleb, Pooh Bear.


My little beggers who wanted a taste of some chocolate chip pumpkin muffin. I can't blame them. I was stuffing my face with more than a couple. They were delish..
Happy Halloween :)

Snug as a Bug

And somehow Caleb took a nap like this...arm wedged, legs crossed. It just does not look comfortable.