Can You Guess What We Did Today?

That's right. Caleb had his first taste of "real" food.

It was actually more like a soupy formula - rice cereal mixture, but anyways. I decided to go ahead and start him on rice cereal, just to get him used to eating from a spoon and used to eating while sitting up, and after Christmas we'll move on to other foods.



He didn't know quite what to do with the spoon, and I'm not entirely sure he actually swallowed any of the cereal, but practice makes perfect, and we'll keep practicing until he figures it out.



Look at that face ... "This isn't how I'm supposed to eat, what are you thinking?"

A Thanksgiving Recap

We spent a wonderful Thanksgiving celebrating with family. We started the day off by going to the Thanksgiving service at church and then we went to my sister-in-laws and had a fun afternoon and some great food. Caleb got to spend some time with his "Honey" and "Pops", his aunt and uncles, and his cousin. I should have taken some pictures ... I had my camera there ... but it didn't happen. Oh well.

There are so many things that I'm thankful for, and I won't attempt to list them all, but here are my top two. I'm sure you can guess them. That's right : my sweet husband and my cute little man. My guys are at the top of my thankful list this year.

I'll leave you with this. While Thanksgiving is over and it seems the Christmas season is already in full swing, thankfulness is something to practice all year long.

A prayer from our church service on Thanksgiving morning:

Almighty God, Father of all mercies, we Your unworthy servants do give You most humble and heartfelt thanks for all Your goodness and loving kindness to us. We bless You for our creation, our preservation, and all the blessings of this life. But above all, we bless You for Your inestimable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ, a willing sacrifice for sinners, our sole source of abundant life and our hope of glory. We beseech You, give us that due sense of all Your mercies, that our hearts may be unashamedly thankful. May we show forth Your praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives. May we give of ourselves and our substance to Your service. May we walk before You in holiness and righteousness all our days, through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with You and the Holy Spirit, be all honor and glory, world without end. Amen

Happy Thanksgiving

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving,

filled with time spent with family and friends,
and time spent reflecting on the many things
you have to be thankful for.

Traditions

Every family has traditions.

Maybe you always drive around looking at Christmas lights before going to bed on Christmas Eve. Maybe you serve a meal at the homeless shelter on Thanksgiving to help remind you of all of the things you have to be thankful for. Maybe Dad always cooks breakfast with the kids on Saturday morning. Something as simple as always having pizza and watching a movie on Friday nights can be a family tradition.

It's important to have traditions as a family. It brings you together, especially when everyone is busy and going there separate ways.

I've been thinking alot about holiday traditions that I want to start in our family. While Caleb is too young to take part in anything at this point, starting some traditions now, will ensure that we keep up with them once he does get older. These are a few that we are going to start this holiday season:

*attending the Thanksgiving service at church on Thanksgiving morning.
Because Thanksgiving isn't a "religious" holiday, it's easy to get caught up in the family time (which is great) and the wonderful food and forget to spend some time thanking God for all the wonderful things He has blessed us with.

*making "Christmas baskets" at church, which help provide a Christmas meal to local families.
This is something that Caleb, as he gets older, can participate in. I think it's wonderful for children to be given the opportunity to help those less fortunate than themselves, so that they can understand how much the Lord has truly blessed them.

*reading the Christmas story from Luke before bed on Christmas Eve.
In all the excitement of waking up to presents, a reminder of why we really celebrate Christmas in the first place is important for children ... and adults for that matter. We could all use a little reminder couldn't we?

I'm sure as Caleb gets older, and as our family grows, more things will be added to this list, but for this holiday season, these are the traditions we are going to start. They are things that will bring us closer together as a family, and closer to the One who gives us a reason to celebrate in the first place.

What family traditions will you take part in this holiday season??

Happy 5 months sweet boy!

Our little man is 5 months old today. We have loved every minute of the past 5 months (well maybe not every minute) and can't believe how quickly it has gone. There are lots of things that I love about Caleb at 5 months old, but I'll just give you a few.

* He is so happy. If he's awake, there's a good chance that he's smiling. I don't know if I've ever met a happier baby.

* He has finally mastered rolling, in both directions. So there is no more going into his room to put him back on his tummy to sleep.

* He gets excited to see Mama and Daddy, which is just super cute.

* He's still very cuddly and likes falling asleep in my arms, although I try not to let him too often.

* He has the cutest little voice, and "talks" all the time.

* He's getting more active, and doesn't stay still for long.

* He plays very well by himself, which I hope continues.

* He is almost too big for his bouncy seat (he stretches his legs and leans back, and I'm afraid he's going to tip it backwards) but he loves his new activity bouncer.

* He chews on EVERYTHING, (hands, pacifiers, toys, blankets, and anything else he can get in his mouth) but no teeth yet. I think they're coming soon.

* He loves reading books and singing songs. We do alot of singing around here. His favorite songs are Jesus Loves Me, The Wheels on the Bus, and My Girl (which has been changed (by me) to My Guy)

* He is sleeping better at night. He kind of backtracked for awhile, but he's been sleeping about 9 hours the last few nights.

* He's just adorable.

Caleb,
I am so happy to be your Mama and have loved watching you grow the last 5 months. It makes me so happy to watch you smile and play and learn new things. I love you more than you'll ever know. Mama

A little book review

If you know me at all, you know that I love to read. I'm hoping that this is something I can pass on to my little man. He already enjoys reading books, or chewing on them, whatever. But we have been reading to him since he was born, and he truly does enjoy listening and looking at the pictures.

Caleb has several Bible story books, all of which will get plenty of use. But I was having a hard time finding one that we could begin using now. I needed lots of pictures, to keep his attention, and few words. Most Bible story books are really geared for toddlers and up, so they are a little more wordy than Caleb can handle at this point, but I wanted to begin reading these wonderful stories with Caleb now.



We now have exactly what I wanted. "Pops" and "Honey" (Charles' parents) got Caleb a series of Bible story books for his baptism that are perfect. Charles loved these books as a child, and I have a feeling Caleb will love them just as much. He already loves looking at the big colorful pictures.





Read-Aloud Bible Stories by Ella K. Lindvall comes in 4 volumes and each book contains 5 classic stories from the Bible. They are short enough to be read in a few minutes, and the pictures are big and bright, perfect for keeping the attention of even the most energetic child. I'm hoping to read from these books regularly and use them to help Caleb hide God's word in his heart.

Fall colors and bedtime pictures

I'm sure you noticed the changes on my blog. I thought we needed some fall colors around here.

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I leave you tonight with some bedtime pictures. No wordy post tonight because I'm holding a sleeping baby, and my one-handed typing skills need some practice.

Goodnight.

Ready already??

Who knew there was so much information out there on feeding solids to your baby??

I've been debating starting Caleb on solids recently. There are those who swear by starting at 4 months and claim that baby's sleep vastly improved with the introduction of those extra calories. And then there are those (like our pediatrician) who say to wait until 6 months, to be sure that baby's digestive system is fully prepared for this new stage in the feeding game. Caleb is almost 5 months old, so I've thought about going ahead and starting. He'll be 6 months old a few days before Christmas and with all the Christmastime activities going on I would like for him to either be somewhat established on eating solids, or I'd like to wait until after the holiday season to start so that I can be more structured in my approach. So basically, it's either 5 months or 6.5 or 7 months.

Tough decision.

I think I'll probably wait until after Christmas and New Year's and then start him when he'll be about 6.5 months old. Breastfeeding is going well, and there is nothing as nutritionally perfect for him as breastmilk so why replace it with other things before I need to?

The next question is: when I do start him on solids, what solids do we try first? I've heard everything from banana, to avocado, to the traditional rice cereal. I haven't spoken with my pediatrician about this yet, but my guess is that she'll recommend rice cereal. I guess if they've never had anything else, the blandness of rice cereal won't be an issue, whereas starting with something sweet, like banana, might make rice cereal seem a little boring.

So many choices. I'll have to do a little reading over the next month or so before I make these decisions. I'm excited to start solids with Caleb, but at the same time, WHAT? He's already ready for solids?? People weren't kidding when they told me it goes by quickly.

Isn't it amazing the difference a few months makes...

on his birthday

2 months old

4.5 months old

New Trick

Well, new in the last week or so.

An awesome responsibility

We attended our nephew's (Caleb's cousin's) baptism this morning. He is 3 weeks old. Caleb was baptized about a month ago, at 4 months old. Why do we baptize these babies? They obviously don't understand or appreciate what's happening. Wouldn't it benefit them more to wait until they understand what baptism is and let it be their choice to be baptized? No, most definitely not, at least not in my opinion.

We believe that God, in His mercy, chose His people before the foundation of the world, and infant baptism is a beautiful illustration of this. These little ones are not baptized because they are Christians, because they love the Lord, or because they are so sweet and good. They are born sinners, and yet Christ, gave His life for them. Because they deserved it? No. Because they somehow earned it? No. Simply because He loves them. The water that is sprinkled on their little heads represents the blood of Christ that cleanses them of all sin. He makes the first move, not them. They don't even understand what is happening at the time. Just as in our Christian life, it is only by the grace of God that He softens our hearts and causes us to long for Him. A longing that we could never have in and of ourselves.

As Christian parents, we do not believe that the act of baptism saves our children, nor is it necessary for salvation, but it is established by God and therefore it is good.

"The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off- for all whom the Lord our God will call. And I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you. Believe on the Lord Jesus and you will be saved - you and your household." (Acts 2:39 ; Genesis 17:7 ; Acts 16:31)

As Christian parents we are called to unreservedly dedicate our children to God, and to promise, in humble reliance upon divine grace, that we will endeavor to set before them a godly example, that we will pray with and for them, that we will teach them the doctrines of our holy religion, and that we will strive, by all the means of God's appointment, to bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

This is an awesome responsibility and one that shouldn't be taken lightly. Infant baptism is a glorious reminder of the love that God has for us and the unending mercy He shows us daily. We do not deserve His love but His wrath, but just as these little ones are not baptized because of their goodness, we are not accepted by Christ because of ours. He loves us because he choses to love us and that's it. There is no other reason. And it is by His grace that we can make these promises for our children and strive to keep them.

Only 5 ??

A friend of mine is making a list of must have baby items for another friend who's pregnant, and it got me thinking. If I was going to have a newborn again and I could only have 5 baby items, what would they be? Now this is assuming that all of the necessities are taken care of (clothes, blankets, diapers, carseat, etc.) It's hard to chose from the hundreds, maybe thousands, of baby items that are out there. I mean, there are whole stores devoted to baby and all the things he or she might need during babyhood. Only 5 ... I'm not sure I could do it, but if I had to here is what I would want.

(In no particular order)

1. Moses basket or bassinet. Caleb slept in our room for the first 6 weeks in a Moses basket, which I absolutely loved. It was small enough to fit easily in our not so big bedroom and easy to move around (although I didn't need to move it much). This is definitely something I would want to have again because as a new mom I wanted Caleb close to me at night, and it made it very convenient for those middle of the night feedings for the first few weeks.

2. Boppy pillow. I have used this more than anything else since Caleb was born. It's a nursing pillow, so it, of course, gets used alot for that purpose, but it's also a nice comfy place to lay baby. Caleb still occasionally takes a nap lying on his boppy pillow and now that he's bigger I use it behind him when he's practicing his sitting skills. It gives him just enough support and keeps him from falling backwards or sideways.

3. Snap-n-Go stroller. Everyone has a stroller, but this is a small compact stroller frame (no seat) that you put the infant carrier on. Alot of strollers can hold an infant carrier, but they are so bulky it becomes a hassle to lug them out of the car for a quick trip into a store or something. This stroller makes it very easy to quickly pull it out of the trunk, set the infant carrier on top, and head inside. And let me tell you, it doesn't take long for that infant carrier to get very heavy.

4. Bouncy seat/swing. This really just depends on the baby. Caleb always preferred the bouncy seat, but it is very nice to have somewhere you can put the baby when you need to get things done around the house and he isn't napping. He still uses the bouncy seat, though not as much as he used to.

5. Pacifiers. Some people hate them, some people love them. Mine is more of a love/hate relationship, but I would want it none the less. Newborns (maybe not all, but most) are born with an intense need to suck on something ... anything. Caleb had his mouth working from the minute he was born, and pacifiers are a great way to help them fulfill this need. Now the hate part comes in later, at least for me it did, when the little one begins to need the pacifier in order to go to sleep. Thankfully this was easily fixed for us by simply not giving him the pacifier every time he went to sleep, although it took many nights of endless trips to his crib to give him his paci, or us to figure it out.

Well, there's my list. Thank goodness I don't actually have to abide by it and my supply of baby items is much, much larger. There is alot of good stuff out there, but be careful, because it slowly begins taking over the entire house.

The things we do for these precious little ones.

No Excuses

I have fallen desperately behind in posting on this blog, and I have no legitimate excuses for that. There are plenty of people, with lives much busier than mine, who post diligently every day, or at least every week, and I haven't even been able to do that.

Things are about to change.

I started this blog so that those who wanted to, could keep up with the goings on in our lives, but more importantly (at least to me) I started this blog so that I could have a written record of important things that happen in our lives, as well as pictures. Lots of pictures. Pictures that are out there for me to look at whenever I want to instead of just sitting on some computer drive until I decide to do something with them.

Before now, I was a scrapbooker. Not a very good one and not a very committed one, but one none the less. I have made scrap books for all the "important" events in my life for the past few years. I have one that documents my college years (meeting Charles, dating Charles, getting engaged to Charles), one that documents our engagement, and one that documents our wedding. I started one for our honeymoon, but life got in the way and it never got finished. I didn't want the same thing to happen with Caleb, so blogging became my "new" scrapbooking (in a somewhat more modern, technological way).

So I am committed to keeping up with this blog for that reason alone. It is my digital scrapbook documenting Caleb. Before I know it, he'll be 5 and it'll be wonderful to be able to look back and read what he was doing at 4 months old, and see what he looked like at 4 months old.

So, prepare for more frequent posts. It may just be a picture and a few words, but it will be there.

And now to catch up on the past few weeks.

Caleb is mobile. No he's not crawling or anything (he's a little young for that), but he can now roll from tummy to back and from back to tummy. So essentially he just rolls around to get from place to place. Gone are the days of laying (or is it lying? I'm still not sure) him on the bed for a quick second while I get dressed or leaving him on the den floor while I go grab something to drink. Just a few seconds unattended and he could be halfway across the room. My solution for this was to put up a play pen. Like we have room for one more baby item in this house!! At least it contains him.

He also got a new toy in the past few weeks. Its an activity center that bounces and he loves it. I think if I let him he'd spend hours in it, but I don't, of course. He was getting a little bored with his bouncy seat, and its been weeks since he's spent more than 5 minutes in his swing, so this was a wonderful early Christmas present from Nanny and Poppy.

Caleb took his first trip to the zoo last weekend. I really wanted to see the new exhibit and the weather was PERFECT! Could not have been any better and Caleb, while he slept for most of the time, he also enjoyed riding in his stroller and looking at the animals and people. I'm looking forward to taking him to the zoo when he's a little bit older and actually knows what's going on.

Caleb's hand compared to a gorilla handprint.








This was Aunt Rachel's doing.

That's it for now, but I'll leave you with a few more pictures of our cute little man.

Trick or Treat ... a few days late

We aren't big halloween people,
but I just couldn't resist dressing Caleb up
in this cute little outfit that he received as a gift.