Caleb is 10 Months and other Family Updates

Caleb is 10 months old and starting the walking process!

 

Another month down, and now 10 months old! I don't even have the words! But here is what is happening withi Mr. Caleb:

Baby Stats

 Three weeks ago, he weighed in for his 9 month appointment at 19.1 pounds! I'm sure he weighs a bit more than that now, but man do my arms feel it! Such a big boy! He is also 28 inches long!

According to our 9 month appointment, they gave a test on his motor and social skills. This boy was at the top of the charts! He is pretty much excelling at all of the things they expect a 9 month old to do. Go Caleb!

He is wearing 12 and 12-18 month clothes exclusively now!

He eats about 24-28 ounces of formula each day. We are weaning him off the night time bottles since it is more out of comfort that he wants those bottles. We are also working on the sippy cup with him too!

Caleb continues to eat a lot of table food and baby solids. He is impressing us with how much he likes anything and everything. This past week, we ordered from the kids menu at a Mexican restaurant, and he ate the filling from his chicken taco, rice, and refried beans! He does so well! And it's funny, when I am eating cereal on the weekends, he crawls super fast to me and stands up with his cute face and almost begs me to have a piece of my cereal. LOL! Cracks me up. He's like a puppy in that regard.

Now that's a boy that likes his spaghetti!

Still teething...still only 6 teeth, but one of these days, I expect some more. His slobber has gotten crazy!

He sleeps from about 8:30-9 PM to around 7:30-8:30 AM. He takes less naps (1-2) a day.

Just two weeks ago, our boy stood on his own, and then just a week or so ago, he took his first steps to his grandparents without holding onto anything or anyone! He is definitely on his way! He uses the walls now to walk around the whole house. And he uses our hands to practice as well. I expect him to walk on his own probably this month at this rate. We shall see - and I'm not pressuring him to do it. I want him to do it when he is ready, but this boy is so independent already. He wants to do everything and has always seemed so independent at a very young age.

Standing on his own!

He now uses the wall to walk along it.

His love for reading has only expanded, and he loves to help turn the pages too! It's just so fun to watch his excitement and love to read already!

He had another cold this past week, which led to Mommy getting bronchitis. But, he seems to be doing better. I just didn't want another relapse from his RSV he had back in February. So thankful it doesn't appear to be the case.

He loves to climb on Mommy's lap and hold her hair when he is eating a bottle. Even if he is holding the bottle, he has to be holding Mommy's face or hair. It's too precious.

He loves to dance with Mommy. He will even shake his little bootie to dance some too!

We mentioned he stands on his own, and so since he learned that, he gets this super excited smile on his face, and almost jumps up (gets on his tippy toes) with excitement and squeals! He is so proud of himself too. You can see how much he loves learning a new thing!

He still loves people, and he is very flirtatious with women. He smiles and acts all bashful, but then gives them a little laugh or flirty smile. (I believe we have a little heartbreaker). But he has become a little more clingy (which I have read can happen). He needs a little more time to get used to a "new person" before he instantly plays with them or can be held by them. But after a few minutes, he warms up and forgets he was nervous at all.

 This upcoming month, we are sending out Caleb's 1st birthday invitations! Yes - that's what I said. Just two more months til our baby is 1! EEEK! I cannot believe it! Seriously! My baby boy is growing soo fast, and I don't know that I am ready. But ready or not, he is!

In other news - it's officially Spring! Yay! We are ready for the beautiful flowers, and taking Caleb to the park again! I look forward to finding an actual park that has swings and swinging him! I think he will love that! We just purchased a new to us, used car. It's a Toyota Carolla and so far, we really like it. This is replacing his Pontiac Aztek as it cannot function anymore. He got a good 10 years out of that car!

Todd had another surgery this past month to remove the antibiotic beads they put in his arm to remove that bad infection he has had for the past 3 months! Anytime they open him up, that leaves room for more infection. So we continue to pray that infection stays FAR away from him. So please continue to pray for Todd that the infection never returns. We are ready for good news, not more bad news. We just want to move forward and return to normal as soon as possible.

Commemorating 10 Years!

I believe most people know this, but I'm an engineer. I work in the environmental engineering field at CH2M HILL (I know it's a mouthful - but the name came from the initials of the founders back in the 1940's), and I have been working there officially 10 years! An entire decade! That's HUGE! And when I heard the statistic from our CEO that a majority of the 25,000 employees in the company have been with the company for less than 5 years, that made me feel old! But it also made me realize just how long 10 years is! So much has happened in my personal life in 10 years (dated Todd again, got married, started our family, etc), and then I think of all that has happened while working there. 

I was a very nervous girl when I started. You see, I had worked at a small environmental company in New Jersey for a year and a half right out of college. The company had me start as a project manager right out of college (the word for that is stupid). I worked with all guys (except for our adminstrative assistant), and that wasn't what bothered me. What bothered me there was the jerky attitude these men had. What bothered me was the way they talked about women, especially their own wives. The way they made fun of Ohio, when they have nothing to be all that proud about with New Jersey. I mean seriously - New Jersey is the arm pit of Amercia. I know - I worked there! I know way too much about the environmental problems in that state. But anways, I digress...I hated my job. I hated being pushed into a position I wasn't trained for, I hated working with men who couldn't care less about me, I hated the egotistical attitude they all seemed to have, I hated that they had such low standards for safety (seriously, their safety message to me when I was told to go into the worst part of Newark, NJ was: "If you hear gunshots, DUCK!" So stupid!

I cried most days I went into work. I was quite unhappy there. I only worked on one engineering project the entire time I was there, and there wasn't too much engineering involved in it. The only thing I liked about living there was my church. I had good friends there.

But - then the day came when I was fired. They blatantly treated me differently and fired me because of it. My boss at the time told me that I would never make it in an engineering firm when I left. And instead of taking those words and letting those words destroy me, I really felt fired up! NO ONE tells me I can't do something. I hated that he was trying to demoralize me. But you know what - I listened to God. I knew that he was wrong for saying that. I knew God was doing something, but I wasn't sure what. So I spent 3 months finding a job. And then I found CH2M HILL back in Ohio.

I remember when I was really young, I always thought it would be cool to work in a downtown environment and work in a building that has revolving doors. Ha ha! Well my building is downtown Dayton and they have revolving doors! Funny isn't it?!

 

This company had a pretty good mix of women and men, and it would actually involve engineering! I started with a little hesitancy because I wasn't sure if I would survive. But every year I was there, I learned more, I developed more as a person and engineer, and I became a stronger person. I also eventually became a leader in the Dayton office for junior staff and I co-started a program called JuMP for the entire CH2M HILL environmental business group. I went from scared girl to a confident woman. I'm not saying I don't have a lot to learn still (I would be a fool to think that), but I have history with this company and I have done a lot of good work (their words, not mine). I appreciate them giving this girl a second chance. I appreciate them taking time to teach me to become a leader. I appreciate them wanting to invest in my career and wanting me to succeed.

Every company has issues, and mine is no exception, but I am incredibly grateful for these past 10 years. I really am a different person than I was when I started. And so much of that is because of CH2M HILL.

(Funny side note: I heard about a year later after leaving my former company, that the guy who fired me, was later found out to have stolen company information to form his own company. This guy was quite a hypocrite and had no ethics - yet he had the nerve to say I wouldn't make it?! It's nice when you know that you don't have to get even. I believe that when lies and lack of integrity are involved, you will always be found out.)

So today - today I celebrate 10 years! How many people can say that they have been anywhere that long?! And according to that former employer, I wasn't supposed to have made it this long. But - I give much of that credit to God. He believed in me and made it possible for me to work here.He believed anything was possible!  He knew I would do it. And so did they! I have mentors that knew. So thank you, CH2M HILL. Thank you for 10 years! Thank you God for helping me grow here! And here's to many more....

Where My Trust is Without Borders

This is a very vulnerable post. It shows the deepest feeling and thoughts I have on my own faith. But, yet, you ever just feel God is telling you to share something? Well, I think He wanted me to share my broken heart and my real faith in Christ. I think Christians put this air out to the world as if everything is fine or even act like they know everything or are better than others. This isn't that kind of post. I promise. This is full of deep truths...my truths!

Have you heard this song shown above? It's "Oceans" by Hillsong UNITED.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xoZE2RsthRg

I have a love/hate relationship with this song. While I love the music and the words are very trusting, the words are my biggest fear! In fact, when I first heard the words shown above "Spirit, Lead Me where my trust is without borders." I froze. Do I really want to sing that? Do I really want to say that? Because that could mean God will test me in that. And it scared me. I heard this song early last year and I would refuse to sing it because I wasn't sure that I was ready for a relationship with God that would make me trust without any borders. Yes - I said it. This girl still wants to control everything she can. As if I can. But still - I wasn't sure I wanted that deep of a relationship with God. It hurts to say and I wince at the thought. But it's the truth. I felt like we had enough drama and pain in our lives already when I heard this song, and I didn't want to find out what "trust without borders" would mean. I was more scared of what things would happen to my family than anything else. I wanted a great relationship with my Savior, one that wasn't mediocre, but I was also afraid.

So then jump to November 22nd when my husband fell and broke his elbow in as the Doctor's said "the worst way possible." Prior to that accident, our lives were busy as it was. We were learning this whole new parent role and also working. We had enough on our plate, and our marriage was also having some issues. I think anytime you become a new parent, it can take a hit on the marriage too because you have to learn so many newer things and yet maintain your marriage. Life got really hard, and we would argue over dumb stuff. I felt like we weren't communicating very well. And then his accident...

Not only could my husband not use his right arm, he was on medication and literally couldn't even try to help me with Caleb. Being a new parent is hard enough as it is, let alone, with a husband who needed surgery and would be out of commission for how long? As we found out, it would be longer than we expected. He has had two infections that caused him to have two other additional surgeries. So for three months, before Todd returned to work, I had to literally do it all. I was happy to help at first. After all, I love to help my family and do what I can. But over time, and after things weren't improving with his arm (the infection being the culprit), I was tired of doing it all. I found myself being snippy with Todd a lot more, and even blaming him for his fall. It's not like he wanted to fall. It's not like being on short term disability is a vacation really. I can attest to him being BORED! What a horrible attitude I had. I acted in such a horrible way to him. I am quite ashamed of this fact.

And as if Todd's pain and the exhaustion I was feeling wasn't enough - the medical bills! Can I just say how scary that is! Not knowing what kind of costs are involved, what insurance will cover, what they won't, etc. I was petrified. And then Caleb got RSV. And a trip to the hospital that led to him being admitted. Can I just say, I had no idea what to think. I found myself more alone than ever before. I was scared for son's health of course, but I also kept thinking...more medical bills? How are we going to withstand this? And now, we have to have a car payment because Todd's car bit the dust. So on top of medical bills, we now have a car payment. And with Todd on short term disability, we also had less pay because short term with his company covers only 75%. So again - where is the money going to come from?

And during the past 3 months, I have heard this song almost every single day. I actually believe God was calling me to have this kind of relationship. I actually believe He had been telling me that He wanted to have a relationship with me where He wanted me to trust Him NO MATTER WHAT! No borders! None of my "Well, I trust you with this and this...but not this."  We talk about being faithful to God and trusting Him in every situation, but when the time comes, you will encounter something in your life that tests you more than ever before. And I knew when I first heard this song, that somehow down the line, I would be tested. Would I trust in God NO MATTER WHAT?!

So where are we now? We have a lot of medical bills! We have a car payment! And it feels like NOTHING else can happen. I do a lot of "fearful" praying. What I mean by that is - "Oh God, please not one more thing."

And I really do feel that way. Not one more thing. But will there be one more thing - I don't know. I pray everyday that there isn't. BUT - I need to trust that God is going to provide even if there is one more thing.

But then I think of the good we have: We were able to survive 3 months on 75% of Todd's paycheck. Todd received a bonus at Christmas time. Todd received a wonderful raise at the beginning of this year (and he wasn't even working). My husband's arm is starting to heal and so far, no more infections. Our little boy is healthy and doing just fine. Our marriage has been improving on communication, and I believe there is more appreciation and love for each other than ever before. Because Todd wasn't working, we could witness Caleb crawling and standing up together, which wouldn't have happened during our normal schedules. God gave me more strength than I ever had before to take care of both Caleb and Todd. He has somehow provided the funds to pay for more daycare. God is present in our lives and while I still have my fearful tendencies, I have been praying that when that comes on, I pray that I have peace. I believe God is molding this awful situation into something for His glory. I just don't know all that this will look like. Maybe in the next few months, I will see more clearly.

I am also learning that He also provides when you need it, not when you think you need it. That verse where it says to "lean not on your own understanding" - yeah, these 4 months have been a lesson in leaning on God and not on what I see. I don't see how things are going to work, and yet God is helping us through it.

So when I ask for prayers, I ask for them for the healing of course, and the help we need (healing and financial help). But, also for me to be a different woman than I was. I ask for the prayers to become a woman that doesn't even question if God is in control anymore. Real faith - this is hard, knitty gritty stuff! It's hard! God didn't say life would be easy. He knew it would be hard, but He is with us.

I am not anywhere near the faith of a person that "trusts without borders." I still get a sick feeling in my stomach when bad stuff happens. Just being honest. I think of people like Paul in the Bible, and I am amazed at his strength and faith in Christ. But then I am reminded of where he came from. He used to kill Christians. He used to mock them and torture them. And through a long arduous journey (literally and figuratively) after being transformed, he became a man that trusted God without borders. So it's a journey. And sometimes it's a long journey. But then I think of the verse that says "For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus." Philippians 1:6. So I guess He is going to continue to mold me...I am a work in progress!

We really want you all to know that we appreciate your prayers, love and support! We appreciate them deeply! We still need them! We would like to return to a life that even seems boring. It would be nice to have some boring time! LOL! But we truly do appreciate you! Thank you for being faithful to God and being a blessing to us by praying! And for those that send encouraging words, thank you for that as well. God knows we need that encouragement. So thank you! We do love and appreciate you too!