Toddlerhood with Caleb (14 months) and Update on Todd

I mean, can he be any cuter?! 14 Months Old!

  

I am amazed at the changes our little man has made in just a month's time. He is 14 months old and wow, does he act like a toddler. There are wonderful things about that, and as we are learning, not-so-wonderful things. Like tantrums! haha! I was only being slightly integrated into tantrums last month, and now we are getting more. He is very stubborn and wants what he wants, but we are learning to talk to him at his level and tell him No (and trying hard not to involve yelling, but stern voices). But  most of why he may act up is if he isn't the focus of attention when he wants to be the focus of attention. He is perfectly fine with playing by himself when he wants to do it. But, if he wants your attention and you are doing something else, he will throw a toy, a book, or just look at you and get mad. He scrunches up his face and may even yell. We understand though that he just wants our attention and not because he wants to be "bad." So we try to focus his attention elsewhere and distraction. Sometimes we can't stop what we are doing, so he is learning that he can be okay for a little while, as long as we do end up giving him the attention he desires after we are finished. He definitely tests us too. There are things he wants to grab/touch/get into still, and so we are consistently having to tell him no. But he knows he shouldn't. He will look straight at us as he is about to touch it. And we will say No, but he will inch that hand closer and closer til he touches it. It's so cute, but we try hard to hide the smiles we have (because he is so cute) to emphasize he needs to listen to us. This is definitely a learning time for all of us.

But the fun things about this boy...so many. He is learning more words, which makes it so much easier to understand what he wants. Here is his list of words we have heard him say. There may be a little more...I can't think of them right off hand. But his vocabulary is growing:

• Uh - Ooooh!  (He really draws out the Oh). He has been doing this for a few months now.
• Mama
• Dada
• Daddeee
• Sooooo Biiiiiii (So Big). This is his favorite book and it has Elmo!
• Baba (bottle)
• Ick (stick)
• aaa saaaa (applesauce)
• cack (crackers)
• gock (yogurt)
• awwwwww (he does this when he hugs a stuffed animal or when he puts his cheek next to our cheeks)
• Yeah (he definitely says this more when he is showing he is agreeing with you on something. For instance, If I ask if he wants something, he will Yeah like he agrees)
• Nana (banana)
• Ahh Dahhh (All done) - and he does this with his hands up as he says all done!
• ah si (outside)
• Guck (duck)
• Ditty (kitty)

He is sleeping better now. We took a weekend a litte over two weeks ago to really sleep train him again. And it worked. Within one day, he was sleeping better and in his bed! So yay! We are all getting a little more sleep now! Even if that means he wakes up between 7-7:30. I know at least he will sleep.

He has also gotten his first two molars (left and ride bottoms) and more are definitely coming. So we now have 10 teeth!

He is so much more affectionate. I love how he gives me kisses more often now and puts his cheek next to mine and says awww. It's so sweet! I can help myself when he shows me that love!

We play a fun game where I will run away to another room, and I will say "Where's Caleb?!" And he squeals and is all excited and giggles and then runs to find me. When I see him, I yell "Boo!" and he laughs very hard and runs away and we repeat that for a while. It's sooo cute!

The weekend before July 4th, we had a cookout with friends north of Columbus, and we had a ball. Our friends have a farm, and they have chickens, turkeys, and pigs. Caleb LOVED to see them. Plus, they also had some dogs, and Caleb loved to chase after those dogs! And then when we went to a park/farm nearby a week or so later, he got to pet a donkey and sheep, and also chase chickens and a cat. He even says "ditty" for kitty! It is so sweet! I love how much he loves animals. He has the best giggle when he is around them, and it's just so fun!

 Ecstatic about the animals!!

 Petting a donkey!

We also started a new tradition on July 2nd - we put off balloons in the sky in honor of Gabriel in heaven as a family. Caleb loved the balloons, and we always want to emphasize how valuable life is. How even at such a small age in the womb when Gabriel went to heaven, that he had a purpose. His life was short, but his life had purpose. I believe we advocate for the unborn even more, and we have an awareness and understanding about miscarriage that we never had before. I believe that the unborn deserve a voice, and because they don't get a voice in this country, someone has to be their advocate. I am more vocal about my miscarriage as well because I believe people should talk about it. Women feel way too alone during a miscarriage in this country, and it's no surprise that it is because many people don't view these little ones as a life. And even though I am an advocate for the unborn, I believe I am even more of an advocate of love and compassion to those mothers that feel like they have no other choice but abortion. I believe they should be shown love and grace. I hate abortion, but not those women. Women should be told the WHOLE truth about abortion. They should be told that there are other options. I believe women who have abortions are given misleading information and scared. We should do what we can to help them choose life. And instead of advocating abortion, what if that money would go toward adoption or helping the mother take care of her child herself. That way, no one has to die. Just my thoughts, but again, I feel this so strongly because of what happend to us three years ago! And perhaps Gabriel's life will always be a testament to why we fight for those babies!





This past Wednesday, we had a trip to Newport Aquarium (his first visit to an aquarium). We had intended on visiting Cincinnati Zoo because it was $1 admission; however, when we got to the exit for the zoo, it took us well over an hour to drive to the zoo because of the LONG line. Then, when we got there, there was NO parking anywhere. UGH! So by this point, we had been in the car for 3 hours. So as a Plan B, we drove to Newport to the aquarium. I think we would have enjoyed it more had we not had such a band experience at the zoo. Plus, there was a line to wait in to go into the aquarium (and a toddler waiting in line is not really fun, when all he wants to do is run around). But we paid and went in, and he saw all kind of fish, turtles, jellyfish, alligators, stingrays, sharks, and of course my favorite - the penguins! He really loved it when a fish would swim right up by the window of the aquarium so he could act like he could touch it. He would squeal and laugh. It was fun! Plus, he really got a kick out of walking under the aquariums that had fish overhead. He loved the reflection of the water on the floor, and he would go back and forth through them squealing and laughing! Too cute! And when we saw the penguins, there was one in particular that was pruning himself, and he just laughed and laughed at him. :)

Looking up at the fish over us!

Walking under the water with Daddy!

Back and forth he would go!

And he loved to touch the wall of aquarium to "touch" the fish

So lots of fun things happening with this boy just in one month.

In other news: Todd's elbow is still healing. Where they did the skin graft, the elbow is actually starting to look like skin and it is now scabbed. YAY. Just waiting for those scabs to come off, and then we will feel better. As long as there is a possibility of an open wound, there is still a chance for infection. But, so far so good. I hope next month, I can say even better news! But Todd will likely be starting work up again the first week in August. So please keep him and us in your prayers about that. We want that to go smoothly too!

Even though, he has had so many surgeries, the good that has come from this is that Caleb and I have seen Todd more. We have had more time together as a family, and I am thankful for that. But, I know Todd is bored during the day when both Caleb and I are gone, so he will be happy to be busy again.

Can't believe how fast this year has been going. I guess surgeries and toddlers will make time fly! At any rate, we appreciate your prayers, love, support, and encouragement. We couldn't do it without that! Much love!