Giving Thanks

I have so much to be thankful for that I don't even know where to start!

Grateful for siblings:
It was so fun to have Jeremy and Lizzi come visit for Thanksgiving! I'm glad they were happy to just hang out at home, taking turns holding Caleb because that's about all that we did : ) It was fun just sitting around and talking to them and just being with them. It was also nice to take some naps and long showers while they held Caleb. Allen and I even got to go for a jog and go to Walmart without towing Caleb along!

Jeremy spun Caleb in circles

In Lizzi's words, "Aunts don't just hold/love Caleb when he's happy." She took such good care of Caleb!

Grateful for laughter:
One of my favorite foods/treats are the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory caramel apples! I love them so much! Last year Jenni and I made them together and even though they didn't look as pretty as the ones you can buy, they tasted delicious. Lizzi and I tried to make them on Wednesday night and we laughed harder than I've laughed in a while! I won't try to explain everything that went wrong but I did not know that microwaves can bake chocolate chips into a powder in less than two minutes! As a result, we had a shortage of chocolate and were left with two plain caramel apples but they all tasted good!

The second batch of white chocolate that we didn't mess up.

Lumping the powdery chocolate onto the caramel apples

Finished products . . . delish!

Grateful for plenty to eat:
I probably should have chosen a better time to read The Hunger Games than on Thanksgiving day, but it did help me reflect on how little some people have to meet their needs and how grateful I am to not have to worry about where my next meal is coming from or when I'll get to eat again. Our Thanksgiving feast was delicious: the turkey was so tender it practically fell off of the bone, the gravy didn't have lumps, the mashed potatoes were creamy and buttery (I won't describe every dish but they were all yummy) . . . but I can't leave out a new favorite of mine: Razzleberry pie topped with Blue Bell vanilla ice cream. Mmm mmm good!

Making Grandma Rabbit's rolls

The turkey just fell right off of the bones, so tender

What a beautiful dining table we have

Caleb slept so we could all eat

Grateful for a healthy body:
On Wednesday I got to go on my first "run" since about March. (I stopped exercising, other than going on slow walks, about three months into the pregnancy because any time I did, I had contractions. The last month of my pregnancy, when it was okay to have contractions because I was ready for Caleb to come, I started going on faster walks and doing the eliptical and light weights at the gym.)  It was a definite eye-opener as to what it feels like for people to begin exercising because I had never stopped before. I jogged one mile in 11 minutes and then stopped to walk for a little bit. It was gorgeous outside and Allen convinced me to not push myself on my first "run" so we just enjoyed the sunshine and 75 degree weather as we strolled another 1.5 miles very slowly. Eight months without much exercise = sore muscles after a short, slow jog . . .  it feels good to be sore and am excited to get back in the swing of exercising! As a side note that may be more info than some of you want . . . I don't know if I can jog any faster until I stop nursing! Those things are heavy and it's hard to find sports bras that fit and are supportive without exploding out the top of them. Any suggestions are welcome!

Grateful to be a stay-at-home mom:
I'm grateful that Allen has a good job (that he likes) so I can be home to take care of Caleb every day.While I sometimes miss working, I wouldn't trade the opportunity to be with Caleb for anything. It also makes nights like last night (when I only got to sleep in my bed for 15 minutes) more bearable, knowing that I don't need a functioning brain the next day and can try to fit a nap in.

The best stomach workout is to try to copy Caleb while he's laying on his back. His feet never touch the ground for the full 30 minutes! Straight leg raises, bicycle, etc - I may be better at rolling over but he has a stronger core/abs

Tummy time

I love my job!!!

Grateful for Caleb:
I love this baby so much! I can just sit and watch him for hours. He is sleeping on my chest/stomach as I'm typing this and keep pausing in my writing to look at his cute little face and watch his belly rise and fall with each breath. Sometimes I still can't believe he's mine!

At seven weeks old: He can now reach his feet down to the end of his bath when he extends his whole body and holds a plank position. He likes to stare at his fists as he moves them around. Sometimes his focus changes from his hands to his nose and he stares cross-eyed at his nose until we get his attention focused elsewhere. He has better control of his hands, although he still hits himself in the face frequently . . . his depth perception needs some help. He has started to gnaw/suck on his hand but it usually just ends up with him licking his hands like a cat licks its paws (but much cuter than a cat).

Grateful for Allen:
Even if I tried, I could never find someone who is a more perfect match for me than Allen is. I won't go into any mushy details (because most of you won't want to read that and I know he never reads "our" blog) but he is my best friend and I'm so glad he is my husband. He is such an amazing dad too!

We visited Dad at work and everyone loved seeing Caleb

Caleb trying not to fall asleep

Caleb's already making funny faces at the camera

Dad babysitting

Grateful for temples:
Allen and I were asked to speak in church about the temple. Last week as we prepared for yesterday's talks, I was reminded of how blessed we are to know that because we were married in the temple, our marriage and our family are not bound together only "til death do you part" but for eternity. I can't imagine heaven without my family!

Week Six in Pix

 Week 6 : November 14th - 20th

Caleb has started to snort when he is really upset, which could also be due to being sick earlier this week and all of the extra mucus that entailed. It was a rough beginning of the week! Not much sleep for either of us because he wouldn't sleep for more than an hour at a time and only slept when he was being held. Teething, fever, diarrhea, spitting up a lot more than usual, but nothing too bad or to really complain about.

But, because I spent the majority of last week just holding him and soothing him to keep him from crying, I did not get hardly anything unpacked! The boxes aren't going anywhere, so I figure my time is best spent with Caleb, who will never be 6 weeks old again.

On Saturday Lizzi and Jeremy (my brother and sister) flew in to visit us for Thanksgiving and are the first aunt and uncle to hold Caleb. He's also their first nephew so he gets lots of extra loving with them around. And I get to have two free hands for important things like catching up on my blog and making Christmas presents (not unpacking though :)).

Here is some of his sixth week in pictures:

He is still so long and skinny and absolutely adorable! 

Caleb has really strong legs. He stands up when he's being burped and sometimes jumps

He has started to love his baths, especially when you rub his face with the warm, wet washcloth. He also pooped in the bath for the first time . . . 

Lizzi was the first aunt to hold Caleb, do you think she was excited?!

We went to The Woodlands' winter festival. They had a "snow area" you could pay $3 to play in melted, icy "snow" or $1 to go sledding down a little icy slide

Another cute picture with Aunt Lizzi

Standing by the fake snow and snow cone truck - rough winter we have in Houston . . . still eating snow cones in November

You can see the fake snow falling better now

Uncle Jeremy holds Caleb for the first time

6 weeks later, he does not fit into his coming home from the hospital outfit very well :)  It was huge on him when he came home, otherwise it would not fit. 

Getting ready to move - a couple of weeks ago

During week 5 of Caleb's life, we were getting ready to move from our apartment into our new home. As a result of being busy packing, I got very few pictures of this week with the camera but I started sending daily picture texts to Allen so I have a lot of cute pictures on my phone. I'm just too lazy right now to try to find the SD card adapter to put the pictures on my computer right now.

Picture of the week:

Sunday morning (Nov 13th) Allen was taking care of Caleb while I took a shower. When I got out of the shower, they were both asleep on the bed, with their hands positioned the exact same way! Caleb is his daddy's boy . . . 

Caleb's developments during week 5:

He is aware enough to realize that he doesn't like sitting in a wet/dirty diaper and lets us know when he is done sitting in his diaper . . . not that I used to let him sit in his dirty diaper for hours, but when I change him before he's done going I end up with a bigger mess to clean up (all over the changing table).

Dad got peed on for the first time (and second and third time)!

You can't see the wet spot on Allen, but this is the two of them dancing shortly after Allen got peed on. 

Caleb had his first trip to the DMV so Allen and I could get our Texas drivers' licenses. During our two hour wait, he made everyone laugh when he (very loudly) filled his diaper in a somewhat quiet waiting room.

He went to his first Webelos activity. He only lasted a few minutes being in the room with five loud 10 year-old boys building catapults.

Over the past couple of weeks his hairline has gone from being like his dad's to being like his maternal grandpa's.

He has developed an "I'm not getting my way" cry. I hear it most frequently when I try to burp him mid-eating.


I'll finish off the post with my bad idea of the week . . .

Allen drank the rest of my water at dinner and after complaining I was still thirsty, he decided to be funny. He filled up the entire pitcher for me to drink instead of just refilling my glass that he drank. So, I decided to be funny and I chugged the whole pitcher of water. It ended up being funny not only because Allen didn't think I would do it, but also funny (for him) because my stomach hurt for the next couple of hours and I was up all night going to the bathroom. 

Trick or Treat - week 4

Okay, so the title isn't any more creative than last week . . . but it will do.

Every day for the past four and a half weeks I have been faced with a dilemma that is common to all mothers: the baby is asleep, what do I do now? Do I shower? Sleep? Clean? Do laundry? Exercise? Eat with both hands instead of one? The hardest part of the decision is that I don't know if this nap will last 5 minutes or 2 hours. (once I have more kids, this dilemma will change since there are more things to factor in but I'll cross that bridge when we get there)

Today was one of those rare days where Caleb has taken more than one real nap, which means that I got a nap during his first one and got to shower during his shorter second nap! And now I even get a chance to type with both hands because I am sitting indian style (I guess cross-legged is probably the politically correct term for that) with him propped in my legs and the computer on the coffee table/ottoman in front of us.

This past week was full of trips to our new house to get everything move-in ready . . . Monday: fridge delivered, Tuesday repair man fixed oven and stove, Wednesday: electric company, Thursday: gas company, Friday: I can't seem to remember anything about that day except we may have eaten at Arby's on the way back from the house, Saturday: moved some boxes over and then Monday of this week had internet set up (and had stuff stolen by the installers that we are still trying to get back . . . thanks Comcast).

Saturday is the day we are moving in, which means I really should not use Caleb's nap time for sleeping or showering, I should be using it to pack!

Monday was Caleb's first Halloween and he got to dress up as a jack-o-lantern from the costume I made while over-due and waiting for him to be born. We went trick-or-treating to one friend's house to show him off and Mom ate his candy. If he were older, I'm sure he would have reacted like one of the kids on this funny video whose sneaky mom ate all of their candy.

I unknowingly prophesied which tooth Caleb would have when he wore his jack-o-lantern costume.

He's so cute I couldn't just add one picture!

A pumpkin to make it festive

Candy corn makes it even more festive!

Dad and Caleb trick-or-treating

Caleb's tooth still hasn't broken through the surface but Monday it was hurting him a lot so I called the pediatrician to ask if I could give him Tylenol. Here is how the conversation with the nurse went:

Nurse: I think you gave me the wrong birthday. When was your baby born?
Me: October 10, 2011
Nurse: That's this month.
Me: Yes
Nurse: Babies don't teeth that young. What are his symptoms?
Me: There is a white thing poking through his gum, he is crying a lot and will only stop sometimes if I rub his gum with my finger or his pacifier.
Nurse: So his only symptom is irritability? No fever?
Me: I don't think he has a fever, but his primary symptom is the tooth pushing through his gums. At his two week appointment the pediatrician confirmed that it is his tooth growing in.
Nurse (in a very snotty tone): I wish I would have seen that. Babies don't teeth that soon.
Me: Well, I wish my three week old wasn't teething. Can I give him Tylenol or not?
Nurse: I'll talk to your doctor and have someone give you a call back.

That frustrated me and I felt so bad for Caleb that we just sat on the couch and cried together. I wish there was some way to take Caleb's pain away! I suppose that is one of those refining things about motherhood, that you begin to love in a way that you would gladly take any pain just so your child wouldn't have to suffer it. (Eventually another nurse called me back and told me the dose of Tylenol I could give Caleb and that helped some.)

Caleb helping Mom cook . . . thanks for the sling Grandma

It is fun seeing Allen and Caleb together! Allen gets excited when he walks in from work and just wants to hold Caleb and play with him. Caleb recognizes his dad's voice and looks for him when he can't see him. At night, if I can't get Caleb to fall asleep after eating then Dad takes over and does such a good job getting him to sleep. He's got a magic touch . . . and a magic trick: when Caleb is fighting falling asleep and keeps trying to hold his eyes open, Allen "manually" closes his eyes. If he can get them to stay closed for about 30 seconds, Caleb will be out.

Dad and Caleb watching some football or an RSL game, I can't remember which one... either way, it was some manly bonding time, I'm sure. 

Dad helping Caleb get the poops out

Caleb has started cooing more and making fun noises. He also laughs in response to noises we make.

Caleb playing with Mom

Mom cutting and filing Caleb's nails since he gave himself his first real cut this week on his face. It drew blood and everything.

His umbilical cord also fell off last week so he got to soak in a warm bath. At first he is unsure about what is going on and cries for a few seconds until he realizes that the bath feels good, then he just relaxes and wiggles his legs around in it.

The other bath picture I have of him is cuter but not internet appropriate

Outgrowing the newborn clothes, lengthwise but not in width yet

Well, I only had one diaper change and one feeding interruption and I think it's longer than anyone will want to read . . . plus, I just got peed on so time to go change both of our pants and his diaper again. So . . . th-th-th-th-th-that's all folks!

Caleb Week 3 . . . I'll get more creative with the titles

 Last Monday at Caleb's 2 week appointment he was 22" long (90%), 8 lb 5.5 oz (38%) with a head circumference of 15.24" (84%). The doctor was surprised at his tooth, especially since he hasn't lost his umbilical cord yet. He also mentioned that Caleb holds his pacifier really well for only being 2 weeks old, it's hard to pull away from him and he keeps it in unless he doesn't want it. 

Still a smiley, happy baby

Caleb's tooth is actually breaking the surface now, you can feel it with your fingers. Other than rubbing his tongue along his gum and biting on his pacifier more, he hasn't really been more fussy about teething... I guess he doesn't know any different since his tooth has been coming since he was born.

A few times when I've checked on Caleb, he has had his head covered with his blanket as shown in the picture. I have to make sure I don't tuck his hands under his blanket, otherwise he covers his face when he brings his hands up to his face, so he always has cold hands. 

I could take pictures of him all day

Wednesday night he slept for 6 hours straight! Unfortunately I didn't take advantage of it as I was awake for the first two hours of it and didn't sleep for the last hour because I couldn't believe he was still asleep and kept checking on him to make sure he was okay. He has not repeated the feat. 

Caleb and Dad like to cuddle too

He rolls onto his side on the changing table to see the pattern on the changing pad better. Sorry if this is more information than you want, so just skip the rest of this paragraph about potty talk. It is now not as funny or cute as I first thought it was when he pees while on the changing table and soaks his clothes and lays there smiling in a puddle of urine. He also is a master of peeing out of his diaper. If his legs are straight when he pees, it shoots out the top of his diaper, which we can't put on any tighter or (until his umbilical cord comes off) can't put any higher. 

When other people hold him, he recognizes his mom and dad's voices and turns to look at us. 

Big smiles for Dad

I love how he holds my finger in his fist while he eats and occasionally takes breaks while eating and gives me big smiles. After he eats I love how he smiles up at me and then falls asleep laying on my stomach/chest. 

We closed on our house on Friday and are now home owners! Or in Allen's words, home owers...  To celebrate, we went to Lowe's and spent more money buying a fridge, washer and dryer! Saturday we went to the house to clean for a couple of hours. We will take our time moving our stuff over there and won't be moving our furniture from our apartment for another week or two. Caleb was the star of the show at the closing. Our realtor, our mortgage officer and the escrow closer all loved him. He was sleeping in his carseat and any time he made any noise, all three women would stand up and look at him and ooh and aah about how cute he is. Eventually we took him out for them to hold him.

Cleaning our new home !