Are You Ready for Some Football

We are officially on the 48 hour countdown to kickoff! This time tomorrow, we'll be in the car headed for Fayetteville. The Hogs are playing USC on Saturday night. I'm not very optimistic about the outcome of the game, but it will be fun, nonetheless. Jan is picking up Caleb on Saturday morning and he's spending the night with her and the Voises in Rogers. We're headed home on Sunday night. It should be a super-fun weekend!

So, what's been happening with us?!?

The most amazing thing that has happened this week: laughter! Last Thursday night, after an exceptionally hard day at work, Caleb made it all better. He was laying on our bed and I started tickling him and doing our usual afternoon playtime things. He opened up and laughed - really belly laughed! It was so amazing! You can share in Caleb's laughter at: www.dropshots.com/haleyvillines

We had a fun weekend with Mom and Mr. L. They came in on Friday night and we went to dinner. Rudy had to work, so he wasn't with us until Saturday morning. Mom and Mr. L. thoroughly enjoyed spending time with Caleb. Mom and I took a short trip to Gordman's on Saturday to update Caleb's "wardrobe" and get a couple of little happies for ourselves to. We had a great dinner at home on Saturday night and enjoyed visiting with each other. I stayed at home with a sleeping Caleb on Sunday morning while Rudy took my parents to the airport. We spent the rest of the day relaxing and getting some things done around the house. The brass group that Rudy plays with had a gig at a bridal fair, so he was gone for a while. I kept noticing that it was pretty warm in the house and I finally went and looked at the thermostat. It was set on 77, but it was 85 in the house. Hmmm... There was no way that we were about to call a repairman on a Sunday, so I turned off the A/C and kicked all of the fans into high gear. At about 9:00, it became all too clear that we were not going to be able to sleep upstairs, so we got out the big air mattress and inflated it in the basement, where it wasn't AS hot as the rest of the house. Caleb slept in his pack & play in the basement too and we were just one big happy family. As soon as I got a chance at work on Monday, I called a repair company and made an appointment for the afternoon. The repairman was right on time when I got home from work and fixed the A/C quickly. It wasn't a very big deal - but $150 later, we were cooling off! It was awesome to be in our own bed Monday night and we were cool enough to actually get some good sleep.

It's been a crazy week for us, as usual. We're all healthy and doing well, though, so we can't complain.

Go Hogs!!!!

We're All Better!

Oh, what a weekend! Rudy ended up with the crud that I had. We called Jerry and Sherry on Saturday and begged them to come get Caleb. (We didn't have to beg very much...they love him!!!) Rudy and I were sick bums on Saturday and Saturday night. I went to get Caleb on Sunday morning and went to church with Jerry. By the time I got home, Rudy was feeling much better and we're back to normal now. We're just keeping our fingers crossed that Caleb doesn't get it too!

Caleb's First BooBoo, Mama is Sick and Daddy's Students are Back

Caleb has completed his first full week of daycare and he lived to tell about it. When I went to pick him up on Monday, Carrie introduced me to a little girl who she said would only be there this week. Well, the first two days with that extra little pair of hands were difficult for Caleb. Monday, she screamed through naptime, so he didn't get a very good nap at all. On Tuesday, I knocked on the door and Carrie answered it holding Caleb as usual. He was facing away from me and she said, "Before you see him, we had a minor accident, it's really not that bad." He turned around and I could see blood on the top of his nose. Carrie explained that the little girl was trying to be sweet and "share" a book with Caleb, but got too close and scratched him. I didn't get upset - these things happen. She did go to time out and apologized. She even took the baby wipes to Carrie to help her clean up his cut. When we got home, it was still bleeding and did so for quite a while. It finally stopped and after his bath that night, it didn't look so bad.
On Wednesday, the school buses started rolling again in Rockwood. Rudy's days and evenings are once again filled with middle and high school students. I don't know how he does it. My days are now filled with phone calls to parents, testing sessions with 3-5 year olds and meetings, meetings, meetings. I always look forward to picking up Caleb at 3:15!

As for today, I have caught a nasty bug and have spent the day throwing up and sleeping. I have a touch of fever and I hurt all over! Rudy went ahead and took Caleb to Carrie's and he stayed there all day. I couldn't even go pick him up - Rudy had to go get him. Now, because of my fever, I'm afraid to be around him. I can hear him talking to Rudy downstairs and crying now and then. Rudy is being awesome to take full care of Caleb and let me just be sick. Mamas aren't supposed to be sick.

A Wild and Crazy Week!

Since the last time I posted, so much has happened in the Villines household!

On Saturday (8/5), Rudy and I were given the royal treatment at the Cardinals game! Caleb stayed with Monica, because it was just too hot to take him and it's so loud there. When Rudy's band played the National Anthem at the game back in June, there was a parking mix-up and it was a big mess! So...the group sales representative for the Cardinals offered us free tickets to a game and invited us onto the field for batting practice. Wow! We met him at the stadium and he took us straight onto the field. We stood right beside the dugout and watched the Cards take BP. It was awesome! Rudy even got Albert Pujols' autograph on a baseball for Caleb. We were then taken to a "party room" on the first base line. It was air-conditioned and had outdoor seats, plus there was a free buffet and drinks. The night was awesome and the Cards beat the Brewers. Albert even hit a homerun!

Last week was the dreaded "back to work" week for us. On Monday, we went over to Carrie's house so that Rudy could meet her and her family. We were all in agreement about her keeping Caleb for us, so that was a complete load off of my mind!

On Wednesday night, I packed my lunch and Caleb's diaper bag with a heavy, heavy heart. I knew he would be okay, but I just dreaded the beginning of a whole new chapter in our lives. The chapter we were in was so amazing and I knew that the next one could not possibly be as great - it meant less time with my baby.

On Thursday morning, I got up and got ready for work. Then, I fed Caleb and Rudy and I got him dressed and ready for the day. Of course, when it came time for me to leave, the little stinker gave me a great big smile that melted my heart! I left the house with tears in my eyes and met Monica for breakfast in Eureka. Rudy had the hardest job of all. He had to drop Caleb off at Carrie's and go to work. He called and left me a message afterward, saying that he had changed his mind and didn't want to be in charge of drop-offs. I told him that was just tough, because I couldn't do it. I'd rather do every single middle of the night feeding than have to do drop-offs in the mornings.

I made it through my first day of work and only called to check on Caleb at lunch. I was pretty impressed with myself! I was relieved to find that he was doing well and was actually napping when I called. When I picked him up at 3:45, he was playing in the floor with Carrie and was in a great mood! That made me feel so much better. When we got home, we took a little nap together and then got the house straightened up.

About 9:15, Jan and Chris made it here from Arkansas. Jan and I gave Caleb a bath and then got him ready for bed. The poor little guy was exhausted and so was I.
Jan and Chris kept Caleb on Friday, so leaving for work was a little easier. Just knowing he would be at home made me feel a little bit better. I couldn't wait to get home that afternoon to see him, though! Friday night, we went to dinner at Zia's on the Hill. It was good, but not great. Caleb was an angel. He slept all the way through dinner.

On Saturday, Rudy played in the Arkansas Alumni Association softball tournament. I worked the concessions and it was a long day! Jan brought Caleb out to the ballfield for a little bit and everyone enjoyed seeing him. We were too tired to cook dinner Saturday night, so we went out for Mexican food. Yum!!!!

Jan and Chris left this morning and we had a lazy day at home. I even put off running my errands until tomorrow. I guess Caleb and I will have a busy afternoon going to the bank, post office and grocery store. I did manage to do a little laundry today and get our things ready for going to work/Carrie's tomorrow. Caleb slept most of the day. I think all of the activity of the weekend was just a little much for him - and we all know he doesn't want to miss anything exciting!

As far as new developments for Caleb, it's all about the raspberries! We have laughed so much at him for blowing spit bubbles and making the craziest noises with his mouth! Sometimes he even spits on us. Rudy told him today that he looked like he was foaming at the mouth. It's pretty humorous, but I kind of miss the cooing and gooing from a couple of weeks ago. I'm so glad I got some video of it! I'll have to do the same thing with the raspberries.

Tummy time is getting a little better and Caleb's tolerance of the bathtub has improved a thousand percent. He is grabbing at things and taking them straight to his mouth. He has also developed a love for sucking on his fingers. It kills me to let him do it, but sometimes I have no choice. I've tried and tried to pull his fingers out and put in the pacifier. Sometimes, he even puts his fingers in his mouth and pops the pacifier out and across the room. If he ends up being a habitual finger or thumb sucker, it's not for the lack of me trying to avoid it! I gave it a valiant effort, to say the least. I just cringe when I hear him on the monitor at night sucking those fingers. My philosophy has always been that I prefer pacifiers over fingers/thumbs, because you can take away pacifiers at some point, but the state frowns on cutting off your child's thumbs. In my line of work, it's just so hard to imagine my child being a habitual fingersucker. Oh, I hope it's just a phase!

Childcare Search Success

Caleb and I went today to meet with the potential childcare provider that I mentioned in yesterday's post. I was excited to find that I was comfortable in their home and I felt like Caleb would be safe and happy there while I'm at work. So, my stress level has once again leveled off. The provider's name is Carrie and Caleb will be spending his days primarily with her and her 18-month-old son, Drew. She also has a 12-year-old daughter, Samantha, who doesn't start back to school for a couple of weeks. Her husband, Kevin, will be there in the mornings, but will leave for work shortly after Rudy drops Caleb off for the day. Because their house is so close to mine and because Rudy doesn't have to be at work until well after I do, he is going to do the drop-offs in the mornings and I'm going to do the pick-ups in the afternoons. That makes me one seriously happy Mama! I was dreading the drop-offs and this will make going to work so very much easier!

I decided that God was doing me a favor. The only way I can figure out his plan is to guess, but here's my guess. God knows that patience is not my strongsuit. God also knew all along that Caleb should be at Carrie's house when I went back to work. So...he provided a wonderful alternative for me to believe in and be comfortable with until Carrie was ready to open her home to us. (She just posted her advertisement a couple of days before I found her.) Kim's move is a surprise to us, but it was in His plan all along. God is good to me - in so many ways!

Another happy note about today - BAND CAMP IS OVER! For two weeks, Rudy has been working like a dog out in the 100 degree heat from 8:00 AM until 5:00 PM and then coming home dead-tired. Today was the last day of summer band camp and tonight was "parent night." The kids performed the parts of the show that they know - which is a lot - and they looked great! Rudy is pleased with the show and the way it's coming together. A happy band director is a happy husband and father.

Tomorrow night, Rudy and I are going to the Cardinals game. We have free tickets and the special privilege of going onto the field and visiting the dugout before the game. That's pretty cool! The Cardinals goofed up the parking situation when Rudy's band played at the game back in June, so we're getting the royal treatment to make up for it! Caleb is staying with Monica and she's taking him to a soccer game. I made her promise to face him away from the field. I don't want him getting any bright ideas about playing soccer. We like "Real" football in this house! Of course, because I say that - he'll end up being a soccer junkie. Oh, I hope not!!!!!

Childcare SNAFU...and Some Good News

Yesterday, I got a phone call at about 6:00 from Kim, the lady who is supposed to keep Caleb this school year. She told me that her husband has been transferred to Kansas City and she will be moving as soon as her house sells. OH MY GOSH! I was in total shock and didn't really know what to do. It was about 10:30 last night before I got my thoughts together and decided that I needed to get on the ball and find someone else before I go back to work in one week. I sent out an e-mail to everyone I know in this area who might possibly know someone who could keep Caleb. I also got on the same website where I found Kim and frantically sent e-mails to several people. I finally got in bed last night after 12:30 and watched the clock for a while with my head spinning. This morning, I had 2 phone calls and a couple of e-mails from people I had contacted. I narrowed it down to 5 potential people and then did some phone interviews. Of the 3 phone interviews that I did, I'm really only interested in 2 of the people. I'm going to meet one of them tomorrow morning, so we'll see. Hopefully, Caleb will have a fabulous place to go next Thursday when I go to work and this will all work out just fine.

On a happier note, I think Caleb's blocked tear duct may be getting better. This is the second day in a row that I haven't had to wipe his eye at all. His eyelashes are even dry tonight and his eye isn't running at all! I was really hoping for that to clear up on its own, because I didn't want to have to go through with the surgery to repair it. Here's hoping it stays dry!

Three Months Old

Caleb is now three months old. I can hardly believe we are a quarter of the way through his first year. He continues to grow and change and amaze us. He has started to really enjoy looking in the mirror and has even "talked" to his reflection a couple of times. Bathtime is SO much better lately. He even seems to enjoy it a little bit. I never thought I'd see that day! He is becoming more and more vocal and he is starting to look like a little boy instead of a newborn. He still hates tummy time with a passion, but we have seen some improvement in his ability to lift his head when he's on his tummy. His head is now about 95% stable when he's upright and he loves to be upright! The child doesn't want to miss anything at all - he wants to see it all! Caleb is responding more to us from a distance and now smiles when he sees us across a room. He is reaching for things and batting at them a lot. He even manages to grab them from time to time and when he does, he won't let go! This includes my hair!

Things that I love about my three-month-old baby boy:
- our "conversations" about the world
- the way he makes his grandparents (and mine) smile
- the fact that he tries to ooh and goo at me with his pacifier in his mouth when I'm trying to rock him to sleep (this will not be cute when he starts talking for real!)
- that toothless grin
- the fact that he is so easygoing and easy to take out and about
- the way his Daddy's eyes light up when they play together

Happy Three Month Birthday, Caleb!

A Trip to Arkansas

It's been a whirlwind week for us! Where do I even start?

Last Monday, I took Caleb to Weight Watchers with me and asked the lady to weigh me twice - once with him and once without him. With some "fancy math skills, " I found out that my baby boy now weighs 16 pounds! He's officially in size 2 diapers and it's time to switch over to those 3-6 month clothes. At this rate, he should have no problem meeting the 20 pound rule at one year to have his car seat turned forward. Actually, at this rate, he may be driving at one year!

On Tuesday, Becca came to our house. We went to the mall to get a shirt for her to wear to her shower, had dinner with Jimmy (who was in the area for work) and bought Caleb an outfit with an airplane on it for his first plane ride! We ran errands until bedtime and then hit the pillow hard!

Wednesday morning, we were up bright and early to get ready for our trip to Arkansas. I packed everything that Caleb and I would need for a five day vacation and then got him ready to go. When we got to the airport, we realized what a sight we were: Becca at 7 1/2 months pregnant and me toting Caleb around. We were certain that nobody wanted to sit with us! The flight went great. Caleb didn't fuss at all. I put his pacifier in his mouth for takeoff and landing so that his ears wouldn't bother him. He slept most of the trip! I am so fortunate!!!! When we got to the airport, Mr. L. and Becca's dad and sister were waiting for us. We rounded up our luggage and said bye to Becca, since she was going to her dad's for a few days. Mr.L. and I loaded all of our stuff in the car, changed Caleb's stinky diaper in the back of the Jeep and headed for Hot Springs. Caleb and I were both exhausted when we got there, so we laid down for a nap. The next thing I knew, Mom was in my room and couldn't wait to see us. We got up and visited a little bit, then got on the boat and went over to Pepapa and Anna Joyce's house. They were glad to see us and couldn't believe how much Caleb had grown in just a month. When we got back home, we had some dinner and headed for bed.

On Thursday, Mom had to work, so I took the opportunity to go over and see Memmie and Poppie in Sherwood. We had a great visit and Caleb showed them all of his new "tricks." He even "talked" to me like he does at home - constant cooing like he's really having a big conversation. Memmie thought that was the funniest thing ever! We were sad to leave their house, but had to get back to Hot Springs before the traffic got too bad. The weather was gross and I was driving Mom's car, so I wasn't too keen on getting stuck in rush hour traffic in Little Rock.

When we got back to Hot Springs, we freshened up and then went to dinner at Applebee's with Stacy Schmidt, my dear friend from Rogers. She was in town for the state Special Ed conference, so we just had to get together. She was so excited to meet Caleb. We had another treat when some of the ladies from the Rogers Special Services office stopped by to see us while we were there. Linda Stewart, my former supervisor and dear friend, brought Caleb some adorable gifts and he thanked her with several great big smiles and a Caleb-style conversation! We had a great time visiting with all of them and it was awesome to see everyone.

On Friday, Mom took a vacation day and we spent our time doing some shopping and errands for Becca's shower. I had to go to the bank and open an account for the Alumni Association, so Mom and Mr. L. kept Caleb. They didn't seem to mind.

On Saturday, Mr. L. kept Caleb for a couple of hours while Mom and I did a little more shopping. It was a low-key day and that was nice and relaxing. Unfortunately, it was way too hot for us to go for another boat ride. Saturday night, Joyce came by to visit. The Holmes crew showed up too for a few minutes. Caleb got to meet Julie and Chris for the first time and got a very cute blanket from Leigh Ann and Bill.

Sunday was the big day for Becca's shower. She had a great turnout and got some awesome gifts! Of course, she was excited to get some Razorback things for baby Maddox! Caleb was very well behaved during the shower - as always. He eventually fell asleep and I put him down for a nap in his bed.

On Monday, we had a relaxing day and then headed for the airport. Mom and Mr. L. helped me get everything to the Southwest counter and then Caleb and I were on our own to get on the plane and head for home. After we got through security, I put him in the Baby Bjorn and fed him. I decided it would be a good idea to change his diaper while we waited for our plane to board, so we went into the ladies' room. As soon as I walked in there, I realized that I needed to go to the bathroom. This was my biggest fear about flying alone with Caleb - what was I going to do with him while I went to the bathroom? I had nowhere to lay him down and nothing to sit him in. So, I did the best I could! I left him in the carrier and he basically sat in my lap while I did the public bathroom hover maneuver. It was quite a feat, but we made it! We got on the plane with no problem (I love pre-boarding!) and the flight home was as easy as the flight there. Once we got on the ground in St. Louis, we got our suitcase and Caleb's carseat and took the shuttle to our car. It was about 102 degrees outside, so I was really sweating by the time I got the car loaded and the carseat installed. The whole thing was a big challenge, but I did it all by myself and I was pretty proud of the way it worked out!

When we got home, Rudy was SO excited to see us! He told me that he couldn't believe how much he missed us and that he might not ever let us leave for that long again! Band camp has been going well and he's pleased with the year so far. That helped, I'm sure! Rudy watched Caleb while I unpacked our things and then we crashed into the bed!

Caleb has been getting back into his routine the past couple of days. It has taken some time, but he'll eventually get straightened back out. Yesterday, I had a doctor's appointment and then we went to Wal Mart and Schnuck's. He's so used to be hauled around everywhere - he was a trooper and slept through a lot of it! He went to bed last night at about 9:00 and woke up to eat at 4:00 AM. I put him right back to bed and it's now almost 10:30 AM and he's just now starting to stir. I think he was just completely worn out from the trip and has been catching up on some much-needed sleep.

I will post Caleb's 3-month birthday post later today or tonight and I'll add the 3-month pictures to the Shutterfly site too. I've already uploaded the pictures from our trip to Arkansas, so make sure you check those out.

Only 8 more days until I have to go back to work!

This Little Piggy Blew a Bubble...

This week's developments: Caleb has found his toes and he's started to blow spit bubbles. Sometimes he just sits and stares at his feet like they are the most amazing things he has ever seen. I find it pretty funny!

Out of nowhere, Caleb has started to blow spit bubbles and the drool factory has kicked into gear. I had just noticed it yesterday and then I read something about the expected milestones for this week and it mentioned an increase in drool. I guess that means he's right on track.

This week should be an exciting one for us. On Wednesday, Caleb and I are flying with my cousin, Becca, to Arkansas! I'm not nervous about flying with him, I'm just nervous about packing and hauling all of our junk through the airport. Mom has already informed me that she has diapers and formula on hand and has borrowed a pack and play so that Caleb has a place to sleep. That will make the travel a little easier. Rudy is sad that we will be gone for a few days, but he's in the full throes of band camp, so he is a little distracted (and stressed) anyway. Maybe with us out of the way, he'll be able to concentrate on work for a few days without feeling like he's being torn between work and home.

We're still struggling with tummy time! Caleb hates being put on his tummy to play and he just yells at us like we're killing him. We've tried putting all sorts of interesting things in front of him, but he still hates it.

Since Rudy started back to work last Thursday, Caleb and I have had a lot more time to ourselves. I find it to be very stressful and very fulfilling all at the same time. I don't get much done except for when he's napping, but the time that we spend together is priceless. Now that he's napping for about 2-3 hours every day at noon, I have time to get some things done around the house, but I'm usually so sleepy myself that I have to make myself keep moving. Once Rudy gets home in the evenings, he's ready to have some Daddy time, so I'm able to get things done then. I have a whole new understanding of stay-at-home moms - not that I ever thought that would be easy!

Caleb's First Cardinals Game

For the second time in his life, Caleb slept all night on Thursday, June 28th! I bathed him, fed him and put him in bed at 9:30. He didn't make a sound until 5:15 Friday morning! I kept waking up during the night and listening to the monitor and I could hear him breathing soundly, so I went back to sleep.

On Friday, Rudy's band played the National Anthem at the Cardinals game, so we all went. Of course, Rudy was busy with the band, but Caleb and I got there plenty early so that I could see the new stadium. Wow! It's really nice! Since we were there so early, we stopped at the Build-A-Bear Workshop and bought a Fredbird for Caleb. We made it to our seats and Jerry and Sherry came shortly after that. The band sounded great on the Anthem and then we settled in to "watch the game." There's really no watching the game when you have a 2 month old baby! Even with Jerry and Sherry more-than-willing to hold him and do whatever we needed, it was a challenge. It was pretty warm out there and it got really loud sometimes, which scared Caleb. I took him down into the concourse and walked around with him for a while, which calmed him and we went back to our seats. Sherry and I worked hard to keep Caleb's ears covered when it got loud and he made it through until the end of the ninth inning. When the game went into extra innings, we had to leave. I was worn out and so was Caleb! Overall it was a good night, but it was exhausting.

It's HOT!

It's officially HOT - 100 degrees to be exact! It has been so hot this week and we have done everything possible to stay inside and stay cool! It's pretty warm in our house, especially upstairs, so we have the fans running on high speed and Caleb has been spending a lot of time in nothing but a diaper. On the positive side, he didn't get cold when he had his bath.
I heard a beautiful sound a couple of days ago and I can't wait to hear it again. Caleb laughed! He really laughed out loud. Oddly enough, though, he was asleep when he did it. The child makes more noise when he's asleep than he does when he's awake. Sometimes he starts crying as if he's in the most horrible pain imaginable and two seconds later, he's smiling!

We had our first visit from our parent educator today. Missouri has a wonderful Parents as Teachers program and it’s even free. We enrolled through the school district where we live and we are excited about it! Our PE's name is Amy and she is very nice! She came this morning to meet us and shared some great information with us.

The past couple of weeks have been big for Caleb - and for us. On the 8th, he spent the night with Jerry, Sherry and Rebecca while Rudy and I went on our date. According to them, he did great and was a complete joy! Last Friday night, we went to see Tim McGraw and Faith Hill in concert and Caleb stayed with Monica. She took him to Daniel's baseball game. She said that he was the easiest baby ever!

On Sunday, Rudy went to Branson for an overnight golf trip with Chad. Caleb and I were all alone from early Sunday morning until Monday afternoon. Sunday was a lazy day for us, but we had fun on Monday running some errands and meeting Monica for lunch. When Rudy got home on Monday afternoon, he was so excited to see Caleb! He swore that the child had actually grown while he was gone!

I've been getting caught up on my scrapbooks in the past couple of weeks. I went to a crop at church and got a ton of pages finished. Today, Rudy agreed to let me have a Mom's Day Out and I went to the Archiver's store in the mall. I scrapbooked for hours and I was so excited about the pages that I finished! I'm even going to a crop at my neighbor's house on Friday night. I'm really trying to not get too far behind since there are SO MANY pictures of Caleb to be used!

We had a few scary moments tonight. I hadn't been home from scrapbooking for long when it suddenly got very dark and windy outside. The weather turned nasty very fast and we headed for the basement. We had a terrible storm, but we were very lucky. Our area is one of the only areas in St. Louis that didn't lose power tonight. There are over 300,000 people without power right now in the metro area! We didn't go out after the storm to check for damage or anything, because it was dark. I guess tomorrow will tell. I don't think we had any damage, but a lightning bolt hit very close to our house. Rudy estimated that from the sound of it, it couldn't have been more than a couple of hundred yards away! It was LOUD! Dewey was a total wreck - like he always is in storms, but Caleb slept through it all in my arms. I learned what it feels like to become protective of a child. I wasn't worried about myself or my house or anything else - just making sure that Caleb was safe. Amazing what motherhood does, isn't it?

Band camp starts tomorrow for Rudy, so Caleb and I are on our own during the day for the next couple of weeks. Unfortunately, that means that the school year is quickly approaching and I'll be headed back to work on August 10th. I'm having a hard time imagining the whole thing - leaving Caleb and getting back to work - and it makes me more than just a little sad. On the other hand, I'm ready for a little more routine in my life and I know that I can't provide the type of life that I want Caleb to have unless I go to work. So, I'll take the bad with the good, and as I always say, "Put on my big girl panties and deal with it!" I'm just going to enjoy the last days of pure freedom with my favorite little baby boy!

Discoveries!

In the past couple of days, Caleb has made two major discoveries: his hands and Dewey! We noticed just yesterday that Caleb was staring at Dewey for the first time.
As for his hands, he's been trying to put them in his mouth for a couple of weeks now, but just in the past week, he's been staring at them. It's so hard for me to imagine being so helpless that you don't know that you have hands.

The cooing and gooing is almost nonstop these days too. Caleb "talks" to us all the time. Of course, we talk back to him - either cooing and gooing right back or pretending that we really know what he's saying. He just smiles and lights up when we talk to him. What a great feeling!

We're still working on the nap schedule. The past two days have been pretty consistent. Caleb slept for about an hour in the morning, then 3 hours mid-day and then about an hour in the late afternoon. He's getting very consistent about getting sleepy around 9:00 or 9:30 at night and going right down to bed then. I usually get up with him once during the night for a quick feeding and then he sleeps again until at least 5:00 or 6:00, when Rudy gets up with him.

We're working on giving Caleb more time on a blanket on the floor so that he can learn to roll over. He HATES being on his tummy, but he's getting a little bit better about it. He likes to lay on his back and look around the room or play with the toys on his baby gym.

I am amazed every day by the changes that I see!

Mother of the Year

I blew it! My chances for Mother of the Year went out the window in the past two days. Okay...so maybe I wasn't in the running, but here's the deal -

Last night, I put Caleb in front of the TV so that we could have 20 minutes to eat dinner. I know, I know - shame on me! Here's a secret, though...it won't be the last time. He was being so clingy and fussy yesterday and just was not content in his swing, where he usually sits while we eat. Rudy and I had made a nice dinner and we really wanted to eat at the same time, so I put the bouncy seat in front of the TV, turned on the Baby channel (it's developmentally appropriate!) and sat down to a peaceful meal. Caleb loved the Baby channel with its bright colors and sing-song voices. We didn't leave him there long, but just the fact that I did it was enough to make me feel guilty.

Tonight, I was trying to clip Caleb's fingernails and took a plug out of his finger! He screamed bloody murder and I felt like a horrible person for making him bleed. He bled and bled and when it finally stopped, I swaddled him and laid him down to sleep. Oh, it's a good thing he won't remember it.

Tomorrow night, Rudy and I are going on our first grown-ups-only date since Caleb was born. We have dinner reservations at Sam's Steakhouse and then we are going to spend the night at a nice hotel in the city. Jerry and Sherry are keeping Caleb for us. Hopefully, we won't spend the whole night worrying about how he's doing. I'm sure I'll wake up during the night to "listen to the monitor", but hopefully I'll sleep peacefully, knowing he's in good hands.

Caleb is pretty consistently sleeping through the night now. He is getting on more of a sleep schedule. He usually sleeps from about 9:30 or 10:00 at night until about 4:30 in the morning. I get up and feed him and then put him back to bed. He sleeps from that point until about 7:00 or 8:00. Rudy gets up with him then, feeds him and goes for a walk with Caleb and Dewey. Sometimes, he'll take a little nap when they get back and sometimes he's just ready to talk and play with his Daddy. Rudy usually wakes me up around 10:00, because the only really good sleep I get is from the time he gets up with Caleb until then. It's just something about knowing that someone else is responsible for him and I don't have to listen for him to wake up - I really sleep hard during those few hours. Once I get up, we usually play and talk and then I feed Caleb before I have my lunch. Caleb sits in his swing while Rudy and I have lunch and usually falls asleep sometime around then either in his swing or in one of our laps. He doesn't sleep very long during the day! After he wakes up, it's feedings every 3 hours and a couple of catnaps here and there all mixed with playtime with whichever parent can play and some time in the swing and the bouncy seat. This is when we run errands or go out to do things outside of the house. Caleb begins to get pretty tired around 8:30. If he needs a bath, we do that before his bedtime bottle. When bedtime rolls around, I have the absolute joy of spending snuggle time with Caleb. I swaddle him, rock him and sing to him until he's almost asleep, then lay him down in his crib and we start the whole cycle over again. These are the best days of our lives!

Two Months Old

By the time I finish writing this, it will be July 3rd - but as I start it, it's still July 2nd, so it's still Caleb's "birthday." I continue to be amazed at him. He is growing and growing and just when I think I can't love him any more - he does something or looks at me a certain way and my heart expands just a little bit more. Caleb is smiling so much now that I wonder if he knows something I don't. He hardly ever cries and has slept through the night 2 of the last 3 nights.

In the spirit of my one month post:
Things that I love about my two-month-old baby boy:
- his "goos" and "gahs" in response to our voices
- the way he lays in his crib and "talks" to the Razorbacks on his mobile
- the loving gaze that he gives me when I sing to him at bedtime
- those chubby cheeks!
- the way his whole face lights up when he smiles
- the feel of his breath on my cheek when he's sleeping on my shoulder

Happy Two Month Birthday, Caleb!

Two-Month Well-Baby Visit

Yesterday, Rudy and I took Caleb to see Dr. Koenig for his 2 month doctor's visit. Everything checked out just fine. Dr. Koenig has no concerns about Caleb at all! I was blown away that he weighed 13 pounds, 10 ounces (90th percentile) and his length (I can't remember exactly) was in the 50th percentile. I guess that means that even though his eating is sporadic and driving us crazy - he's getting plenty to eat! After the checkup, it was time for Caleb's first round of vaccinations. I've never seen him so mad - even after a bath! He screamed and screamed, then went to sleep. When we got home, he was cranky and it was just obvious that he didn't feel well. His temperature got up to just over 100 degrees, but a little Tylenol and some time in Mama and Daddy's arms made life better. He slept well last night. I put him in his bed at 11:00 and he slept until 4:00 AM. I fed him then and put him back down and he slept until 8:00. He seems to be feeling okay this morning, just tired. As I write this, he's asleep in his swing. I expect that he'll continue to get back to his usual happy self as the day goes on. Our next doctor's appointment is September 11th.

I got an exciting phone call yesterday! One of my very best friends, Cindy, had her first baby in Tulsa! Haven Paige Brixey was born on her parents' wedding anniversary - what a great gift! Cindy's sister sent me pictures and boy, is she cute! Cindy broke the pattern of the YaYas having boys, since Les and I both have sons. Congratulations to Cindy and Tyler and Welcome, Baby Haven!

Eight Weeks Old

How hard is it to believe that Caleb is eight weeks old?!? I look at him now and I can't believe that he is getting so big and has changed so much. Our neighbors across the street had a baby boy a couple of weeks ago and he weighed almost the same as Caleb did when he was born. When I held him earlier this week, I couldn't believe the difference between Caleb and Gabe! It doesn't seem like he should be able to change so much so fast! We have a doctor's appointment tomorrow, so we'll see just how much he's grown.

Eating is our newest issue. Just before we went to Arkansas, Caleb was consistently eating 4 ounces every 3 hours, except at night when he would go for longer stretches. He decided to throw a kink into things and one day after he ate his usual 4 ounces, he started fussing and putting his hands in his mouth, so we knew he was still hungry. We gave him another 2 ounces and he was a happy camper. Well, that was the beginning of the confusion. Now, we never know how much he's going to eat. Some feedings, he takes 2 ounces, sometimes 4, sometimes 6. How on Earth are we supposed to prepare for that? We usually make a 6 ounce bottle and hope for the best. Surely he'll even out soon and we won't be wasting so much formula every day. Rudy and I have decided that while it's not ideal, it's not the end of the world to waste a little. We'd rather be prepared for Caleb's feedings than have to scramble to make more when he's still hungry.

As for our eating issues, it's time to tackle the pregnancy pounds. I didn't gain much, but what I did put on HAS to come off. Plus - there are some pounds that didn't need to be there before I got pregnant. So...Rudy and I have jumped on the Weight Watchers wagon. I'm actually going to meetings and doing the whole program and Rudy is following my lead, but isn't going to the meetings. As an incentive for myself, I had a "Mom's Day Out" yesterday after I went to the dentist. I bought some clothes so that I can wear something other than the maternity clothes that I've been wearing for about the past 11 months. Like most everyone else, when I feel better about the way I look, I'm more likely to do what I need to do to feel even better. I'm optimistic about this plan. I've done it before and it really does work!

I'll post again tomorrow after Caleb's doctor's appointment.

Back from "Vacation"

We got home yesterday from our whirlwind tour to visit friends and family in Arkansas and Oklahoma. It has taken me more than 24 hours to get unpacked, go through mail and e-mail, make a dent in the laundry and get settled into being back at home. Now that Caleb is here - vacation will never be the same. Where to start? I guess it only makes sense to start at the beginning!

I had my 6 week postpartum doctor's appointment on the 13th. Woo hoo - what fun! Actually, it wasn't all that bad - could've been worse. She checked me out and said that everything is healing just fine, but I'm not quite where she would like for me to be just yet. I'm supposed to "take it easy" for a couple more weeks.

Jenny and Michael came over for lunch on Thursday, the 14th. We had a great time visiting and catching up. Michael enjoyed seeing Caleb for the first time since he was 2 weeks old! After lunch, Jenny and I went out and about with Caleb for a while. I had some errands to run and just needed to get out of the house!

On Friday, Rudy, Caleb and I left for Arkansas! We weren't sure what to expect when traveling with a 6-week-old baby, but he did awesome! Honestly - Caleb is a dream to travel with. He slept about 90% of the time that we were in the car. He only woke up when he was hungry and only got a little fussy when he had been in the car for hours and hours on end. To tell the truth - I was starting to get a little fussy myself. :)

We made it to Rogers at about 4:30 Friday afternoon. We had a great time visiting with Grandma and Grandpa Voise. They fell instantly in love with our little man and he returned their love with tons of smiles.

On Friday night, we needed to give Caleb a bath, but we didn't bring his baby bathtub, so we had to figure out how we were going to go about the process. I had read online that a lot of people had success with just getting into the bathtub with their babies, so I thought we'd give it a shot. It worked like a charm! Caleb was much calmer and more relaxed in the tub with me in there with him. He didn't scream until we took him out of the water to dry him off. If anyone has any suggestions to make that less traumatic - I'm listening! We already close the vents in the bathroom and run hot water to get it nice and steamy so that it's not too cold. He just hates it!

Saturday morning, Rudy took Caleb and I over to Les and Nick's new house in Bella Vista. Les and I were braving the idea of taking a 6-week-old baby and a 3-year-old boy to Tulsa for Cindy's baby shower. We're either brave or crazy - I'm not sure which it is! Turns out - we're neither one - just blessed to have the best boys in the world! Caleb and Jackson traveled so well and we were thrilled with the way the trip turned out. Cindy's shower was great and then we went to her house and sat in her baby's nursery and talked for hours! I love my girls. I don't know what I would do without them. I honestly cherish every minute that I get to spend with them and our babies have made our bond even closer. There's just something about motherhood that makes us part of a club that only we can understand. I count it as one of the pleasant surprises of being a mom - a closer relationship with my best friends. After dinner, Les and I loaded the boys back up and headed for Northwest Arkansas. We had so much fun talking that the trip went quickly.

Rudy's mom, Jan, flew into NWA on Saturday while we were in Tulsa. She was excited to see Caleb when we met up with them on Saturday night. She stayed in Rogers with us Saturday and Sunday nights.

Sunday was Rudy's first Father's Day. He had picked out a new golf bag for himself as his Father's Day present. I added to that by giving him 3 books to read with Caleb that are about Daddies. We enjoyed being with Rudy's family on Father's Day and had a wonderful meal with them to top off the day.

On Monday morning, we were up bright and early for the second leg of the tour! We went to Spiro, Oklahoma, to see Rudy's Grandma and Grandpa Morris. We hadn't seen them since Christmas, so we were glad to get to visit with them. They enjoyed meeting Caleb. After we had lunch in Spiro, we loaded back up and headed for Sherwood, Arkansas, where we spent the night with my Memmie and Poppie. They are so very special to me and I could not wait to introduce Caleb to them! Watching them smile when that baby boy looked at them was possibly the highlight of the trip for me. As much as Poppie loves his four granddaughters, he has always wanted a grandson. I am so grateful to have been able to give him a great-grandson! We had a wonderful time playing our marbles game with Memmie and Poppie, pigging out on Memmie's fabulous food and just visiting. Memmie even hemmed some blankets for me to use to swaddle Caleb. I sure didn't know how to do it myself! Pat came over for a short visit on Tuesday. When it came time to leave, I thought we were going to need a crowbar to pry Caleb out of Poppie's arms! He got pretty attached to the little guy pretty quickly!

The final stop on our tour was Hot Springs. We got there on Tuesday afternoon and Mom and Mr. L. were anxiously waiting for us! I guess I should say they were anxiously waiting for Caleb. We got all settled in and then my family started arriving for our cookout. Mr. L. made burgers and we got to show off our pride and joy to Pepapa and Anna Joyce, Aunt Harolyn and Uncle Poppie and Jimmy and Kim. It was a very fun night. By the time everyone left, Caleb was exhausted from being passed around. For the first time, Rudy and I saw the slight signs of stress in his little body as he got overwhelmed by all the new faces and the noise that comes along with a family party. He handled it beautifully, though. He didn't fuss or cry and when he seemed stressed, he calmed quickly with just a few minutes in my arms or Rudy's. I wouldn't have traded that night for the world. Seeing my son in the arms of the family that has loved me all of my life was one of the most amazing experiences that I can imagine. When I caught a glimpse of Pepapa giving Caleb a kiss, I felt a peacefulness that I can't explain. Family is an amazing thing.

Mom and I took Caleb to her office and Mr.L's office on Wednesday. Everyone was happy to see him. Then, the adventure really got into full swing! Wednesday evening, we took Caleb for his first boat ride on Lake Hamilton. Mr. L. bought him an infant lifejacket, which we call the "shark suit" because it has a shark on it. It is possibly the cutest thing I've ever seen in my life! Once we got Caleb into it, we set sail for a cruise around the lake. He was asleep within seconds and slept like an angel almost the whole time we were on the boat! He loved the noise and the vibration of the boat and the water.
We packed up and left for home on Thursday. We stopped in Little Rock to have lunch with Chad, Ronni and Owen, then hit the road for St. Louis. The trip home was as easy as the trip down there. We got home about 8:30 last night and crashed!
Caleb has changed so much in the past 2 weeks, it's unbelievable. His face is changing and becoming more "boyish." He's smiling almost nonstop and is starting to use his hands to bat at things even though he doesn't have much control over them. The greatest thing that has changed is that he is now cooing at us. When we sit down and talk to him, he coos nonstop and just smiles the whole time. Who could resist that?

I think Caleb's nickname has finally set itself in stone. For some reason, I can't stop calling him Caleb-bug or sometimes, just plain "Bug." It just fits him!

Before we left for our trip, we decided that we would move Caleb to the crib in his room when we got home. Last night was his first night in his "big bed" and he did awesome! I hooked up the monitor and he slept just as peacefully as always. I even slept better than usual. I don't know if it was because I was so tired or because I couldn't hear every single gurgle that he made. Either way - it was wonderful. I'm trying to develop a bedtime routine to help him sleep better at night. Last night, I took him upstairs and changed his diaper, changed him into a onesie, turned down the lights and gave him his late night bottle. About halfway through the bottle, as he was getting sleepy, I swaddled him, turned on the sound machine and sat in the rocker with him for the last of his bottle. When he was finished, I held him close to me and said a nighttime prayer, then laid him in his crib to sleep. I walked out of the room with a little tear in my eye, but a peacefulness in my heart. He's there again tonight after the same routine and has been asleep now for 4 hours. I keep thinking he'll wake up any time for another bottle, but maybe I'll get lucky and this will be the beginning of his longer stretches of sleeping at night. Here's hoping!

It has taken me over an hour to write all of this. I can't imagine how long it will take for you to read it. I promise my posts won't usually be this long. There was just so much to tell this time! Make sure to check out the Shutterfly site for the pictures from the trip!

Six Weeks

Caleb is 6 weeks old. I absolutely cannot believe it! I keep thinking that if he had been born any earlier in the school year, I would be going back to work this week. Whew! I'm so very glad he was born when he was. The timing couldn't have been better.

A lot of people have offered their congratulations on our ability to get Caleb to sleep through the night at less than 6 weeks. Though they are much appreciated - hold on to your congrats for a while. That all night sleeping was a one-time thing. He hasn't done it again, but we are almost certain he is sleeping just fine for his age. I would be astonished if he were already sleeping through the night consistently.

I go for my 6-week postpartum check-up on Tuesday. Yikes and double yikes! I'm certainly not looking forward to it. Wouldn't it be a little weird if I were?

Rip Van Winkle

Caleb slept through the night last night! Becca was here to take Aunt Harolyn to the airport and she spent the night. Rudy went to practice putting and Becca and I gave Caleb a bath. I fed him at 9:30 and we all went to bed at 10:00. He didn't wake up until 5:00 this morning! I was amazed. I would like to say that I got a good night's rest last night, but it wouldn't be true. I had to look the gift horse right in the mouth! I kept waking up to check on Caleb and make sure he was okay since he wasn't awake. I think he was so worn out from his bath that he zonked out and didn't even think about waking up until 5:00. Rudy says we need to give him a bath every night if that's the case - no thanks! I'd rather get up for a peaceful nighttime feeding than endure the torture of giving him a bath every night. He hates it!!!!

And In This Corner...

Caleb has had a stuffy, snuffly nose for about two weeks now. We started using the nasal aspirator (AKA: booger sucker) and Caleb hates it! When we started pulling stuff out of there that made us gag a little, we decided it was time to call the pediatrician. We went in on Saturday morning. The first thing they did was put him on the scale. OH. MY. GOSH. My one-month-old baby boy weighs ELEVEN POUNDS, SIX OUNCES! That is a three pound weight gain in one month. The doctor didn't say it was a problem, but we're thinking about entering him in a tough-baby contest because we think the other babies would be scared of him. :) Why are fat rolls so cute on a baby and so unattractive on adults????

After we got over the initial shock of the weigh-in, the doctor came in and checked Caleb over. She said that the nasal congestion doesn't appear to be anything more than just that - not a problem at all. It sounds awful, though and it's enough to keep me up at night making sure he's still breathing! The other thing we had checked is the doggone baby acne. Bless his little heart, Caleb is just covered with it! His cheeks, chin, forehead, neck and shoulders are all red and bumpy. There's nothing we can do about that either. He's just a mess! It's a good thing he's cute...and sweet. :)

On Saturday night, Rudy's uncles, Ken and Dennis came over for a cookout. They were in town for a few days. We enjoyed visiting with them and they enjoyed meeting Caleb.

We took Caleb to church for the first time on Sunday. He was so good! He didn't fuss at all, but did make some pretty funny noises in his sleep. The sermon was called "Sing When the Spirit Leads You." I told Caleb that the preacher was not talking to him and he needed to please stay quiet during church.

Yesterday, Becca and Aunt Harolyn came to spend the night. Jimmy met us for dinner and we had a great time. Aunt Harolyn fell in love with Caleb and just couldn't believe what a good baby he is. She kept saying that she thought we were drugging him. We swear we're not!!!! He's just that good! Aunt Harolyn and Becca "babysat" for us this morning while Rudy and I went to the dentist. I'd say the babysitters got the better end of that deal.