Beachward bound!

This week has been full of a lot of firsts for Caleb.  On Sunday, we took him to the beach for the first time. I thought I might need toys and snacks to keep him entertained, but that couldn't have been further from the  truth.  He had so much fun just sitting on or near the towel playing with a shovel, a sifter and a bucket.  I forget sometimes how well the simple things entertain at this age.   He even left his hat on his head the entire time (perhaps because he saw mommy and daddy wearing theirs, too) whereas normally he takes hats off before you can really get them on.

After about twenty or thirty minutes of moving and scooping sand, we took Caleb down to meet the ocean.  I think we got him too close too soon at first, letting a wave drench his legs pretty good, but we backed off and just let his toes get the water, lifting him above it when the bigger waves came in, and he seemed to like it once he had done that for about five minutes.  On one of the big waves Jimmy lifted Caleb high above it, and the water went around he and Caleb and crashed on me, soaking me nearly up to my shoulders.  Brrr!  Wasn't expecting that one.  

Here is the link to see the second video on YouTube, when he was a bit more warmed up to the ocean and waves thing. (Video is too big for blogger and I haven't yet figured out how to cut them shorter)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Iy64PAXXAM

Our day ended with Jimmy cooking a live lobster for dinner.  Caleb had fun checking him out before get got cooked :)

Caleb's first flight and meeting Baby Deacon

Yesterday was Caleb's first time on an airplane, and what a cool experience he had!  Mommy was unsure of what to expect with such an active baby having to sit still during the flight (albeit short), but there was so much to look at that he was totally enthralled (Yay!)

Our morning started off with Nonna walking Caleb around as mommy checked us in.  We made it through security without much trouble.  I had an 8oz bottle of milk for Caleb that I knew was well over the limit for liquids, but I was going to just take it and see what happened.  They actually just pulled me aside nicely, and did a test on the bottle's contents: special paper stick held above open container, then distilled water dropped onto it.  (I guess if its something dangerous it is assumed to emit a gas maybe??)  If clear, that the liquid is deemed "safe" and they let you take it on.

Once through security we headed to the gate where the guy gave me a special pre-boarding pass for being "temporarily disabled" due to my pregnancy.  That was nice, because otherwise southwest apparently doesn't have a special boarding time for families only.  While waiting for boarding and looking at the airplanes out the windows I asked a pilot who was sitting near us to take a picture of Caleb and I.   I told him it was his first time flying, and he suggested that we peek our heads into the cockpit once on the plane.  I was excited that they still let kids do that!

With our disability pass we were the second ones on the airplane (although it turned out the flight was only about a third full, so it wouldn't have been a big deal).  We said hi to the pilot and he invited Caleb to sit in the other pilot's chair next to him so I could take a picture.  Then the pilot asked if I wanted to sit in the other seat with Caleb, he took some more pictures, talked to Caleb a little, and even let him play with the steering wheel and accelerator thing (I have no idea what it is called) until it made some beeping noises.  Caleb was totally in awe of all the lights and buttons, I don't think he quite knew what to think of it all...   Meanwhile I'm thinking 'this is totally cool that he's letting us do all this', and enjoying what was my first time in a cockpit, too.   After a good five or ten minutes, I thanked the pilot, he asked Caleb's name, and we headed back to find seats.   A few minutes later the captain's voice comes on to give his usual spiel, and at the end of it says, "...and we'd like to welcome Caleb for his first time flying" !  Of course Caleb had no idea what was going on, but I thought that was pretty cool and thoughtful of the captain to do!

Caleb ate a snack during takeoff as we looked out the window, then had his bottle once we were in the air, and to my very pleasant surprise about 25-30 minutes in to the flight he found a comfy position in my lap and actually fell asleep :)  By the end of the flight my whole left side was completely without sensation, but the flight had been relaxing and he was at least getting a part of his morning nap, so I was happy.  He slept right up until when the wheels (not so smoothly) touched down on the ground.  I can only hope the flight home goes as smoothly for us...

The second half of our day was when we got to go see David and Dana and meet Baby Deacon Gianni, who was born on Tuesday.  What a beautiful baby!!  He was 7lbs, 7oz at birth, with quite a head of hair, and eating and sleeping like a champ already. Caleb is very into babies right now - If asked where mommy's baby is he will sometimes point to my belly, and other times he has begun to point to his own belly); When I show him pictures of Baby Tessa or Baby Deacon on my phone he kisses the phone.  It was also a fun day for David and Dana because neither they nor Joey have seen Caleb since they were last home in January, when Caleb was only 7 months old, and SO much has changed with him since then.

Vacation is off to a great start, and we're headed to the beach now :)

The teeth are coming!!

Caleb's teeth have been slow in making their appearances.  His bottom two started to show right at 11 months, and then in this past two weeks (right around 13 months) he seems to have several teeth trying to come in all at once.  The two front teeth have actually cut through, and this picture shows that the two next to them are not far behind.  He seems to be handling them surprisingly well, other than daytime fussiness.  I think this kid has a high tolerance for pain...
(Disregard the big bite of food in the right side of his mouth... He was giving great smiles while eating lunch and I happened to have the camera close by..)

Crazy Sleeper

We have found Caleb sleeping in some very unusual, seemingly uncomfortable (in our opinions), and sometimes just funny positions in the past few months. There is no doubt that he is a cuddler and likes to have things pressed against his face...pillow, stuffed animal, crib bumper...  Here are a few of his curious sleep poses:

(Just for a comparison of positions, although he's awake here...)

Cuddle bug... I love how he sleeps with his butt up in the air!

Man, this job of playing all day long just wears me out!  

Another proof-of-a-cuddler shot...

This one just might take the cake...  His eyes kind of look like they are open, but he was fast asleep.

Sound asleep but with the bottle still in his hand, and then still in his mouth

Loving on Lambie...

I went in to check on Caleb and this is how I found him.  He had cried himself to sleep, and while upset, apparently had thrown his pillow out of its normal position, then ended up laying across it with his head hanging off the edge (yet touching the crib bumper).

I don't know if you can tell by the pictures, but Caleb is pressed up against the bumper and his arm is actually up vertically against the side of the crib:

In the words of the Cowardly Lion, "Put 'em up, put 'em up!!"

**Post topic likely to be continued...  :)

Hands free

Each day this week Caleb has gotten noticeably closer to walking on his own.  Tonight I was in the kitchen and he came walking around the corner with his baby walker, which he had stood up to on his own, and was also able to maneuver and turn it, which he couldn't do just a few days ago.

(Click on link:)  Pushing and steering his walker  

(After struggling with upload of this video for over an hour, trying to trim it shorter, and still having no luck, I am hoping the link for your to see it on YouTube will work!  Sorry...I'm a novice blogger :P)

An hour and a half later, I stood Caleb on the kitchen floor in front of me and let go of his hands...  He stood completely on his own for about 7 or 8 seconds the first time (before the camera came out), and about 5 seconds the next couple of times after that!

So close...

It seems that any day now Caleb is going to just let go of us and take off running.  He is getting more comfortable and confident every day, and has even started to let go of things for a couple of seconds at a time (haven't been able to capture that on camera just yet...).  Thursday night we went to Farmer's Market and La Fuente for dinner and he got lots of practice walking around (or should I say 'charging' around?)  Its so funny how he leans forward so much, as if he were treading through water!

1 year and counting...

July 8th marked 1 year for our little Caleb, can you believe it?!  This year has flown by, with those first, most challenging months seeming so long ago, and so many great moments in more recent memory.  It was certainly a difficult year, juggling the roles of wife, new mommy, and new teacher, but I am LOVING all the time I am getting to spend with Caleb these days!  Here is an update on what Caleb is up to these days, as well as some pictures of this first amazing year of his life:
 - Still doing the hilarious scooting on his bottom, and boy is he quick!
 - Practically running forwards if he has a hold of your finger in each of his hands
 - These past three days has been testing his balance standing without holding on - letting go of the ottoman for about 2 second, with a big grin on his face
 - Still eating virtually everything we give him, except mashed potatoes - his first rejection.  Our choices, however, are somewhat limited with only TWO teeth
 - Sleeping pretty well most nights - usually wakes once unable to find his paci, but goes back to sleep quickly, and many nights without my assistance (finally!).  Sleeps from about 8pm to 7am.
 - Babbling all the time, sometimes sounding like he is telling a story
 - Some random words being spoken: bread, broom, barbeque (bar-be), light (ight), fan (ffffff, while pointing to one), up (uph, uf)
  - Pointing to "where the baby is": For the past couple of weeks, I have been telling Caleb, "There is a baby in mommy's belly", and pointing to my belly.  Last week while he was on the changing table I asked Caleb 'Donde esta el baby (spanglish..)', or 'Where is the baby?', and two times in a row he pointed to my belly!!  I was amazed!  He did it one more time the next day, too.  Guess he is comprehending some part of what I am saying, even if he doesn't really know what a baby in mommy's belly means :)
 - Has awesome belly laughs when we tickle him - on the chest, tummy, armpits, and leg joints, feet - you name it, its ticklish.
 - Recognizes family members in pictures and waves to them with a big smile on his face