Celebrating Christmas and Caleb is 7 Months Old!

Caleb is 7 months old! Didn't he just turn 6 months old? I swear, each month is flying by faster and faster. Before I know it, we are going to be celebrating his 1st birthday! Oh my!

It's been a crazy month, and here are some of his Baby Stats:

Baby Stats

• At his 6 month appointment, Caleb was 15 pounds, 13 ounces; and his height at the time was 26.25 inches. But Caleb got sick this month with a nasty cold (cough, stuffy nose, and a little wheezing), so we found out he actually gained another 5 oz in 3 weeks time.
• He is still wearing 6-9 month clothes, but can wear some 6-12 months clothes too.
• Caleb is wearing size 3 diapers now! Wow. I came across an usused newborn diaper that I still had in the bottom of his diaper bag, and it was just amazing to see the difference. He was soo tiny!
• He currently eats 5-6 oz of soy formula during the day (every 4 hours), and will eat 7-8 ounces of food twice at night (once before bed, and once around 3-4 AM).
• We are eating veggies and fruit each day now, in addition to cereal twice a day! Caleb loves fruit! So far, his favorite is bananas!
• Well Caleb now has 4 teeth! He has two top teeth and his two bottom ones! Oh my goodness! Growing so fast.
• He still sleeps from about 8-8:30 PM to around 7:30-8:30 AM. He wakes up once around 4 for food, and goes right back to sleep. It's been a little different over the past few days or so because Caleb has been sick with a nasty cold! So we have had him in the swing to keep him elevated, and he sometimes just wants to be cuddled because it sucks to be sick. I don't mind. I love that he knows I will be there to comfort him!
• OH boy does our boy talk like crazy! :) He does so much more than just coo and such. He is definitely playing with those babbles and they sound more like him making words. We believe "Nna - Nna" means he is hungry and wants food. We even heard Caleb say "Da-Da," and in the past few days, he says it a lot! He has even looked right at Todd when he said "Da-Da" and it melted his heart. We know he doesn't understand what he is saying, but it still is special to hear him say that! I am waiting for Ma-Ma now! :)
• Still not crawling, but he scoots and rolls to where he wants to go. He loves to stand still, and we practice walking a little with him. He is strong enough to stand, but just doesn't have the balance quite yet. He is getting closer though!
• He is so smart - yes I know, every mother says that. But I really believe he is super smart. After showing him twice how to work a toy, he really tries to do it! And every toy that has noise or moves around, he will pick up and try to find where the sound is coming from or how it is working. Maybe he will be an engineer, like his Mama? hehe!
• Recently, he has been jumping up and down with a particular whiny sound that signals me that he wants me to pick him up. He has been raising his arms for me already, but this was pretty new with the jumping up and down thing.
• He LOVES to jump! He loves that Jumparoo, but man, you don't need it for him to jump. He will jump sitting and standing! Or he will be laying, and he moves his feet like he is jumping too! He is soo active!

Much has happened in a month. I mentioned last month, that Todd had a bad fall and broke his elbow! Well, it's been quite a month with that too! He did break it the worst way possible. He had to have the whole elbow restructured with plates and bolts that will forever remain in his arm. He has been on short term disability (fortunately), so at least we are still getting paid. His surgery was two days before Thanksgiving. But over the past month, he has been improving more and more with physical therapy and exercises he does at home. He has gone from not being able to get dressed himself to somewhat being able to hold Caleb again and carry him. He is even able to drive! Praise God! If you had seen all he went through this past month, I am pretty proud of how far he has come. God has really been healing his arm and helping him through it. It's been a rough month because I have had to take over pretty much everything, and then Caleb has had to go to the sitter more often because Todd couldn't take care of him. But we are surviving, and every single day, Todd gets stronger and stronger. I am truly proud of him! I'm just so happy that Todd can now hold Caleb because it was killing him not being able to do that!

Todd and Caleb! I love that Todd can finally hold him again! 

Caleb had his first Thanksgiving and he had a ball! We spent it with my parents, and Caleb loves playing with his grandparents! He tried mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, and sweet potatoes! He was a big fan!

 Caleb and Daddy! This was after Todd's surgery. Caleb was good company for him!

There's our little Turkey! Most thankful for this guy this year! 

And because Todd was unable to lift a Christmas tree, my Dad came up to help me get one. I'm so glad we were able to get a tree too! Caleb LOVED the tree and loved playing with the ornaments that were low enough to reach. It was such a time of wonder for Caleb. He also met Santa for the first time. There were kids in front of us in line, and they got scared and left. But Caleb just sits on Santa's lap like a champ! He had no problem! That's my boy! He really likes people and is always happy to meet a new person.

Anyways, some of my favorite photos are below:

First time laying under the tree

 

 The wonder of a child at Christmas!

 Ooh Mommy...Lights!

 



 So there was this night that he wasn't finishing his bottle before bed because he fell asleep.

Well, I layed him under the tree, and he woke up and just smiled. He stayed like this for the longest time!

 



 More lights...ooh!

Caleb and Santa!

And even though we were unable to go, my brother in love, Wes, graduated with his Masters at Old Dominion University. So proud of him! He is soo smart and loves history so much. He is truly passionate about it, and it was exciting to watch him on a Live Feed online!

 

I was able to get this photo from the live feed at his graduation! He's all smiles! 

Jen and Wes came home for the holidays, and we were able to spend time with them other than Christmas morning! They took our family photos as a Christmas gift to us (see some of the photos below), and they turned out great!

Jen and Wes also came to our home and played with Caleb for several hours...it was great bonding time with him! Caleb loves them both. Jen and Caleb truly are two peas in a pod! I am so glad they got some good bonding time with him since they live so far away. It was special! I swear, Caleb couldn't have a better aunt and uncle!

Two kids (Caleb and his Aunt Jen) looking at the pretty Christmas tree!

 Snuggles with Aunt Jen

 

Playing with Uncle Wes and Aunt Jen

Christmas Eve was our Christmas as just the three of us! See the video of Caleb opening his first present! He was confused at first and looked at us like "Are you sure, I can rip this paper?" It was soo cute!

 

Ready to open gifts!!

 

 

 Mommy helping Caleb learn how to put the shapes in the bucket!

Daddy and Caleb!

Caleb and I made Todd a footprint that Todd will always be able to cherish and look at! Todd really loved it! Someday we will look back at be like "wow...his feet were that small?" So fun.Todd got me a very special gift too! A charm locket that has the birthstones of everyone (Todd, me, and Caleb), wings for Gabriel, and a cross for Christ. And someday, should we have another child, we can put another stone in there. It was so special and beautiful! So all in all - wonderful Christmas Eve morning, and very special memories made!

 Caleb's footprint

 

My beautiful charm locket! My husband is incredibly thoughtful!

Up close to my charm locket! 

And then Caleb got to meet his other grandmother (Todd's mom) for the first time. He was so sweet with her right away and cuddled up to her immediately (That's my boy!). She got him this very fun firetruck that moves, and he was enthralled with the bag! Cracked me up!

Caleb with his other grandma!

Caleb loves the bag, and Todd is trying to get him to pay attention to his new fire truck toy! 

Then we spent Christmas day with my parents! So much fun! Caleb had a ball with everyone, and he was certainly spoiled! We had waffles and sausage for breakfast, and then Jen and Wes read the Christmas story before we all opened gifts. One of the gifts my mom said that Jen and I were giving her was we re-enacted our 1994 photo (see below). It's officially been 20 years later, and she made it possible to re-enact this look! I wish I could show you the photo, but she hasn't posted it online yet. However, it will be shared! :) Too funny.

Our cutie pie in his Christmas PJ's! Ho! Ho! Ho!

Aunt Jen helping Caleb open his gift!

Snuggles with Grandma!

Oooh this is cool!

Our friends who are family to us, Randy and Sue Ann Creamer, came over for Christmas dinner! We had a ball with them and we played Apples to Apples! Wes beat us all! He had won 22 cards, and the rest of us had 12 or less! He is really good at this game! It was a day full of laughs and much love! So thankful for this family! Love them all!

Through it all, Caleb has been sick with a nasty cold, but he still keeps smiling. We had taken him to the pediatrician two times, but he appears to be doing better now. He still has a cough and a little stuffy nose, but no more fever. And once you have a baby, it is so much easier to get whatever they have, so Todd and I both got sick as well. So we are currently getting through our own colds, but I think we are on the mend. I'm just impressed with how happy a baby can be even when he is sick. The only time he wasn't like that was earlier this week on Monday, when he was running a bad fever. I have never held Caleb so much, because while he loves hugs and kisses, he loves to play too. But on Monday, he was unable to do anything. He was so wiped out, and so he spent a good portion of the day asleep on me or on Todd. So glad he is doing better!

Now we just await the new year - 2015! I get to kiss two boys now! I'm so blessed to have these two guys in my life, and I look forward to more special memories made in 2015! I am also thankful for all of our dear friends and family who have prayed for us through the past year! Your prayers and your love are MUCH appreciated and doesn't go unnoticed! May you all have a blessed New Year!