The Smith Family

Caleb's 2 Year Portraits

2011-10-31T13:05:00.007-05:00

These were taken late August...such a fun photo shoot.

Thanks to Sean for capturing this fun stage with our little guy!

www.seancadzowphotography.com

iPhone Pics

2011-10-13T23:57:00.007-05:00

Jonathan recently updated my phone and downloaded all of my pictures. Now I have a million iPhone pictures to sort through. I'm sure a few of these are duplicates from previous posts. I thought I would post them in stages since there are so many. I don't think I've cleared pictures from my phone since I bought it in 2010. HA! Guess it's time.

My apologies for the blurriness!

Here are several from January-June 2011.

C, Zoe and Quincy
Sacked! Makeshift toddler bed until real bed arrived. He loved it!

Helping Daddy build flower box beds.

Sporting his cell phone case.

Spaghetti Night!

Cousin Nola came to visit!

Big buddy, Braxton.

My biking buddy.

Who says you can't put your toddler to work?

Caleb is a great house painter!

Enjoying a smoothie break with Cousin Luke.

Sonic date with Mommy.
No, he is not drinking Dr. Pepper!
All in good time. :)

Happy? I think so.

Yes, this deserved a picture. I should have taken a 'before' shot. The garage was out of control messy - SUCCESS, we did it! People say a messy garage is ok because it's not 'inside' your house. It's still a part of your house, people! Made me feel so good to get it clean:)

This one still melts my heart every time.

Get me away from these ladies!

For the Love of Boots

2011-10-11T14:32:00.002-05:00

Yes, my child loves boots of all kinds!

Even Mom's boots.

The Great Outdoors

2011-10-09T18:41:00.013-05:00

This kid is so excited to be in the car and going camping!

My supervisor. My helper. My right-hand man.

Love him to pieces!

Our tent.

Minus the rain fly.

I set up our tent solo again this year since Caleb and I went down early. No, solo and pregnant don't exactly go along with pitching a tent. Even though the tent is ginormous, it's surprisingly easy to pitch by yourself. However, this time I managed to switch two of the poles (which were different lengths). The result...a bent pole. Bent poles are not good for pitching tents! LOL! I can laugh about it now, but it was so extremely frustrating at the time. Before next year, you better believe we'll be giving Coleman some business for a new pole. Good thing they sell spare parts! Lesson: Don't force a tent pole that has no give! Don't. Even if you're a pregnant mother who is bound and determined to get your toddler down for a nap at a decent time. SuperMan Daddy fixed my goof-up when he got there later that night and the tent served its purpose well...and put the rain fly on! Frustrating start to what ended up being a perfect camping weekend.

Great friends. Perfect weather. Delicious food.

You just can't beat chicken and veggie kabobs and steaks on the grill. Tasted so good!

All of these wonderful things make you forget very quickly about a silly tent pole!

Other than necessities, the trucks were the best packing choice I could have made:)
Playing in the dirt...

What more could a little boy ask for.

"You mean we can't live here?"

Caleb spent most of the weekend in his froggy boots.

Happy as can be.

Baggo was a hit!

So. Much. Fun.

Golf 101.

"FOUR!"-Caleb

Leslie and her sweet puppies:)

Lilly and Petey were the best little campers!

Officially hooked on Lightning McQueen and Doc.

Giving both Loveys kisses.

Great tent napper.

Having the time of his life.

My two boys and me. 23 weeks along.

It's still possible to camp while pregnant!

Very tiring but oh so much fun.

Worth every second of setting up and breaking down camp.

Enjoying the camp fire with Daddy.

Eagle Scouts build great camp fires.

Good job, John Douglas!

Here are a few shots of Caleb's fellow campers:)

Jake is supervising Caleb during dinner.

Sweet Chloe.

I smell trouble.

Kira's scheming and John Michael is waiting on his instructions.

Quincy and his baby blues.

Caleb acquired a new mommy on this trip;)

Kira was so sweet to him.

The best camp site ever.

A very, very low Lake DeGray.

During the summer, the orange buoys are in deep water.

It's so strange to walk where you normally swim.

Ahhh...happiness.
C's camping hairstyle.
Such a fun weekend with the Cadzow, Telford and Douglas Families!

Looking forward to next year!

Growing Up...

2011-10-06T09:12:00.003-05:00

Caleb promoted to his new Sunday School class this fall and loves it. He has really warmed up to his new teachers. They are absolutely precious people. Caleb has several of his close friends in his class, and his teachers truly care about each of them. They have been so sweet to take pictures each Sunday and send them to us. Love this extra effort in letting parents see what their kids are up to during SS! I just wonder what Caleb is thinking in this picture. This shot captures our laid back little guy pretty well:)

Pumpkin Patch

2011-09-30T20:41:00.006-05:00

The lil' punkins from L to R: Avery, Caleb, Kate, Evie

Evie's Mom said it best, "Avery looks bored, Caleb looks cool, Kate looks confused, and Evie looks grumpy."

Makes me laugh!

Taking it all in.

On the hayride-headed out to the patch.

Looking for the perfect pumpkin:)

The gang.

Caleb and Avery.

Not sure if there was hand-holding or pushing going on here.

Whichever it was, it made for a cute picture.

This is the one.

Caleb: "It's a BIG punkin!"

The nice lady let C sit on the tractor.

This made his day!

Caleb and his love for bunnies.

C saw the goats and said, "They're pretty!"

Farmer Caleb

Welcome Home!

2011-09-28T11:13:00.006-05:00

Jonathan has been out of town on business, and we missed him like crazy!

So happy to see his Daddy!

And happy to get presents!
"I miss you, Daddy."

Flying in the bucket.
Fun for Caleb - Exhausting for Dad.

And Aunt Hannah got talked into flying too

while waiting on Daddy to come home.

A happy boy.

While Dad was away, Caleb filled the role of Man of the House.

Especially on Game Day!

I bet we called the HOGS a bazillion times:)

Fun for Mom!

2011-09-27T19:57:00.003-05:00

pinterest.com is my new hobby...well, my latest way to waste time on the computer! Having a place where I can save recipes, travel ideas, kid crafts, home decor ideas and tips...well, it's genius! I decided that I MUST.STOP.PINNING long enough to try a recipe or two. So...off to the kitchen!

Tuscan Pasta with Tomato-Basil Cream Sauce

(Southern Living recipe)
Photographing food is not my specialty, but it was delicious!

Thank you Pinterest and SL!

Next on the list to try...

Football Cupcakes!

Perfect snack for the Razorback game!

Caleb agreed! ;)

The best taste tester in town!

A Whole Lotta Fun!

2011-09-27T19:20:00.003-05:00

It's a bird...It's a plane...It's Superman!

2011-09-27T19:12:00.004-05:00

Still holding his Superman pose in his sleep!

Future Boxer?

2011-09-27T15:13:00.002-05:00

Not sure if boxing is in our future,

but it sure is a fun way to use energy around here these days.
Give me your best shot!

Show me your muscles!

Boxing with Bobo.

Mean right hook!

Best $5 I've spent in a while. He loves it!

Happy Birthday, Q!

2011-09-27T14:54:00.003-05:00

Buddies.

Pretty sure Caleb liked the cupcake!

Happy Birthday to our good friend, Quincy!

Back to School...

2011-09-27T14:45:00.004-05:00

Well, back to Mother's Day Out, that is. We call it "school" around here. Fall is in full swing with Caleb at MDO two days a week plus I started back to WINGS (our wonderful bible study for young moms). On my bible study days, Caleb gets to spend time with Grammy. And I need to be sure to give credit where credit is due...The very cute nap mat cover and pillow you see in the picture were made by Grammy. Yay for Grammy (as Caleb would say)! She did an outstanding job on it and Caleb loves it so much! Thank you Grammy:)

Welcome back to fall y'all! :)

This and That...

2011-09-27T14:10:00.005-05:00

Caleb's "Nite Nite Moon" pictures are in an earlier post, but I love the way Jonathan edited this. So I had to repost!

Airpane!

Caleb and Horsey.

Correction: Caleb and "My Horsey".

If you have a toddler, you understand how important the "my" part is there.
We're working on it;)

A very unsure Caleb:)

Quincy, John, Jonathan, Caleb

Bouncy party for our sweet friend, Chloe.

At the zoo.

Dinner date with Aunt Hannah:)

Helping with laundry.

Happy Birthday, Mama Boo!

2011-09-27T13:44:00.005-05:00

4 generations (if you include the bun in the oven)
Mom and Mama Boo

Thanks Mom and Dad for the delicious lunch!

Should I dig in Mom's purse or not? Hmm...

I wonder if Bobo will stop me:)

Yay for cute purses!

Caleb loves Mama Boo so much!

And he also loves her stuffed animals (just a tad).

This boy loves a good birthday party!

My sweet grandmother celebrated her 80th birthday last month! It was so fun being with her on her special day. Caleb just loves all of his great-grandmothers, and I am more than grateful that he is able to spend so much time with each of them. He helped us celebrate with laughter and putting on a show! :) We love you Mama Boo and loved spending the day with you. We'll be visiting again soon I'm sure!

Playtime with Uncle Wes

2011-09-26T22:24:00.003-05:00

Caleb loved getting to play with Uncle Wes - another guy to play trucks!

It's a BOY!

2011-09-26T21:32:00.002-05:00

We found out at our last appointment that we're having another boy, and we are overwhelmed with excitement! Caleb will love having a brother, and I can't wait to see them grow up together. Actually, I hope time doesn't go too quickly (but it always does, so we're prepared to soak up every second;).

Profile and arm.

Sweet feet.

Melt my heart.

Looking right at us:)

When I was pregnant with Caleb, I was reminded of James 1:17 over and over.

"Every good and perfect gift is from above..."

Again, I think of this verse so often now that little brother is on the way.

I pray for our boys daily - that they will trust the Lord as their Savior one day.

I pray they have a close relationship with the Lord as well as with each other.

So many reasons to be thankful...little boys are such a blessing!

My heart is full.

We love you, little brother. We can't wait to hold you in our arms!

Caleb's Big Boy Room

2011-09-26T20:52:00.005-05:00

To infinity and beyond!

This was such a fun project! And he loves it:)

Now on to the nursery for baby brother.

Destin - Part II

2011-09-26T15:40:00.013-05:00

Oh, how I miss this view!

This baby pool was perfect!

Work trucks + Water = Happy Campers
On the way to Destin.

Leaving the house at 3am is tough on a toddler!

Date Night:)

Thank you Hannah for two date nights!

Caleb pointed out every letter and number he could find.

Big jump!

One tired baby, one hungry baby.

Now on to skim boarding.

The beloved frisbee.

HUGE thanks to Aunt Hannah for helping out with the kids all week!

It was so fun having her there to hang out with too since we all get so busy and don't spend as much time together as we would like to. It was great! Caleb was super spoiled by the end of the week as far as getting Hannah time!:) If she wasn't in sight at any given point, "Where Hannah go?" Love you SIL!!

Our condo was across the street from the Destin Regional Airport.

Caleb was in airplane heaven, because jets flew over us all day long.

Each time, "AIRPANE!!" Each and every time. :) He loved it!

Sweet Zoe.
The sweet Telford Family:)

We had a great time with the Telfords,

and the little boys had so much fun playing together. Playmates for the week!

(When I can put my finger on our big group shot, I'll add it. I have no clue why it's not with the other Destin pics...)

Destin - Part I

2011-09-26T13:52:00.006-05:00

Caleb's first trip to the beach was a huge success! He had a fun time, and Jonathan and I learned what family trips are all about! Not exactly total R & R, but we loved every minute. Everyone who told me family excursions are "trips" and not "vacations" were exactly right!:) There are still diapers to change, messes to clean up, food to prep, mouths to feed - you get the picture. But with a backdrop like the ocean, I didn't mind any of those things. Pure heaven!

Caleb didn't care to wear his sunglasses or hat too much. He preferred to squint:)
Busy at work.
Caleb kept his Aunt Hannah super close the entire trip...very attached!
Hannah and her two sidekicks.
Sacked out in the pool.
And still sacked for lunch. He hadn't slept this hard before lunch in a very long time.

My family. Including our little bun in the oven. We found out we were pregnant 2 days before our trip (8 weeks along here). The best news and start to a fun week (although super tiring being early pregnant!).

Notice Caleb is keeping an eye on the water. Pretty sure he thinks the waves are going to come and get him. Terrified.

Caleb loved the pool, loved the sand BUT was terrified by the ocean. Red flags all week was no fun for this toddler! HUGE waves. But we had loads of fun in the sand and in the pool. Good thing we picked a resort with an awesome pool - for that 'just in case' scenario!

And this was his reaction to the ocean.

Dad and Caleb.
Lesson learned. With kids, go to dinner E.A.R.L.Y. Even earlier than what you think is early. :) This is a picture of Caleb being a super great sport with a 115 minute wait. Long wait, yes - but the food was incredible!
My sweet SIL!
Handsome fellas.
Giving it another try;)

Ahhhh Destin, we miss you!

In the Kitchen with C!

2011-07-29T14:22:00.003-05:00

Making one of our favorites: Blueberry Muffins!

Caleb loves to help me cook. He gets so excited!

"Just one more taste, please?"

Nite Nite Moon!

2011-07-29T14:02:00.004-05:00

Caleb loves telling the moon "nite nite" before going to bed.

Every now and then, we'll take him outside to look at the moon and of course, tell it "nite nite". :) On this particular night, Caleb wanted Daddy to take him.

I just love seeing these two together!

GNO

2011-07-28T22:21:00.003-05:00

Everybody needs a Girls' Night Out from time to time! I love spending time with these girls (plus the ones who couldn't be there). We have such a close-knit group of friends, and I'm more than grateful for each friendship!

These were taken in May, and that simply means it's time to get together again!

Baby Zoe hanging with the big girls...

Thanks Jennifer for hosting such a fun evening! Delicious food and wonderful fellowship as always!

Adding another branch...

2011-07-28T21:55:00.004-05:00

...to our family tree!

Baby Smith #2 is expected to be here February 3rd! We couldn't be more excited!

Jonathan and I went to my first OB appointment on Tuesday expecting to hear the doctor confirm that I was 8 weeks along. Well, the ultrasound proved otherwise! We were pleasantly surprised to find out that we are almost 13 weeks! All of you who have been pregnant know that to lose a month of waiting to make your announcement, plus simply losing a month of feeling yucky during your first trimester is WONDERFUL! When the tech started the ultrasound, we were shocked to see a baby moving around, moving arms and hands, rolling around, etc. We were expecting to see our little peanut and a racing heartbeat! And WOW, that was an incredible experience for us both! I asked the tech if we could watch our baby for a second longer, and she said yes of course. I couldn't get enough. Technology is amazing! We were in heaven just like when seeing C for the first time!

Feeling pretty good actually. I was extremely blessed to have an easy and very healthy pregnancy with Caleb, and so far this pregnancy has been pretty easy on me. I've had all of the normal symptoms - but that's good because it's normal, right?! Makes some days rough, but all in all, we're kicking right along! I'm still keeping up with Caleb, so I guess I'm doing okay:)

Caleb's Day of Fun!

2011-07-28T21:20:00.004-05:00

Caleb and I had such a fun day celebrating his birthday! His actual day was Wednesday (27th), and we had somewhat of a normal day - just spiced up a little! Since Daddy was at work and we celebrated all weekend, we had a low-key day together:) It was perfect.

Doughnuts for breakfast!

Caleb loves his Ms. Brandy! She makes visits to the gym very fun for C! Brandy had a fun little gift waiting for him:)

A quick trip to Kroger! Of course, Cozy Coupe style!

A dip in Aunt Hannah's pool! (The real highlight of C's day - seeing his Hannah)

Dinner at Chick-fil-A!

Flying the helicopter!

And to top off the day, a trip to the pet store! Caleb loves looking at the birds and fish - but most of all, the mice! I just know he's going to ask for one someday!

Caleb, Mommy and Daddy love you to the moon and back! You are so special to us, and we cherish everyday with you! We feel privileged to be your parents. You are growing up before our very eyes and learning so much - and wow, it's going by fast! The best part of watching you grow is hearing you pray and memorizing scripture. Right now, "God is Love" is the verse you're learning - you're doing great! We are so proud of you! Happy Birthday!!

Happy 2nd Birthday, Caleb!!!

2011-07-28T20:09:00.007-05:00

Good morning, Birthday Boy! Excited about his upcoming party!

Froggy party is about to be underway!

The party favors that I forgot to hand out! LOL!

Adorable froggy cupcakes made by Keli's Cakes! www.keliedwards.com

It's a good thing I couldn't get C's candles to light, because they went straight to his mouth!

Taking a break from the A/C to see all the action!

Fun Day!!!

M.I.A.

2011-07-28T19:21:00.006-05:00

(Taken in May)

Well, I've been off of the blogging grid for long enough! It's good to be back, and I have a lot of catching up to do. We have been incredibly busy lately! And I do mean, crazy busy! God has carried us through, as He always does!

We enjoyed a fun-filled week in Destin a few weeks ago. Caleb's first vacation (pics coming in a future post) was a big success! Jonathan and I experienced our first family vacation - those of you who have taken kids on a trip know what I'm talking about! Whew, we were exhausted! It took me ONE FULL WEEK to recover:) The Telfords went with us, and we had a great time catching some rays and eating delicious seafood!

(Taken in May/June - C's new belts came in the mail, and he had fun wearing them all at the same time!)

After vacay, I worked at VBS at our church, and WOW! It was a great week but very tiring! I hadn't worked in VBS in years, and I forgot just how much work is involved. I had the opportunity to work with a precious friend of mine (Samantha Chaney) and also met some new friends! Great week!

(June - Watching Pooh after nap)

Once VBS was over, I was able to concentrate on getting Caleb's birthday party plans in order. I've felt the need to freeze time lately, because I really REALLY cannot believe that Caleb is TWO! We all get older, yes, but wow, my baby is TWO! How can this be?! And how can time fly by so fast?! Caleb's first year went by pretty fast, but his second flew by much faster! Birthday post coming soon!

(Taken in June - Car wash!)

It's good to be back! :)

A Musical Treat

2011-05-02T15:22:00.005-05:00

Caleb's sweet teacher, Keli, took this video at Mother's Day Out today. The song is about building a house for Jesus. Precious. I was in the middle of cleaning out my closet when I got this. I always welcome a break from huge tasks, but this break completely made my day!

This post is especially for the grandparents. Enjoy:)

Boy Bunkin' Party!

2011-05-01T16:11:00.006-05:00

Caleb had his friend, Quincy, over for a bunkin' party last night while Q's parents enjoyed a quiet anniversary dinner date. We had a blast with the kids!

Running in the swamp:)

After raing all night and all day today, our backyard is going to be a lake!

Baking cookies.

And there go the sprinkles!

Hot dogs on the grill!

Yummo!

Sweet Quincy!

Silly boys!

Little men.

Stickers provide lots of fun!

Two sleepy cuddle bugs.

Quincy loved his big boy pallet.

Caleb wanted to be down on the floor with him...

BUT no one would have slept a wink if that had happened:)

Caleb was so excited to have Q spend the night. He kept saying "Hi Kinsey!"

Believe it or not, they both fell asleep pretty quickly and both slept all night despite the super loud stormy night! Way to go boys!

Pretending to be asleep.

Rise and shine sleepy heads.

All ready for church!

Very successful and fun first bunkin' party for these sweet guys!

This and That

2011-05-01T15:58:00.003-05:00

Ready for school!

Caleb loves going to Mother's Day Out twice a week.

He loves his teachers and his new big kid class. :)

His new class is more structured with time for songs, crafts, a trip to the playroom and of course, cozy naptime. I can't believe summer will be here soon! We're going to miss his teachers, Keli and Laura when he moves up next fall!

Painting the house.

A bucket of water and a paint brush will occupy a toddler for quite a while.

He loved it!

It's difficult to see, but there's a worm on the edge.

Caleb and I spent a looong time in the dirt this week weeding the flower beds...

and playing with worms. ;)

Never a dull moment around here...and I wouldn't have it any other way!

Cookies and a Car Wash

2011-05-01T15:09:00.006-05:00

Caleb and I made bunny cookies a few weeks ago.

Thank you Grammy for the cute bunny cookie cutter:)

Signing "help" to use the mixer.
Caleb loves my mixer. I guess it catches his eye because it's shiny and noisy.
Two of his favorite things:)
Butter and sugar is always a treat.

Turning our cookie dough "kink".

Guilty! ;)

Sneaking taste after taste.

Cute bunnies.

Yum!

Helping Daddy wash the car.

Daddy's right hand man!

Easter Weekend

2011-04-27T22:49:00.006-05:00

The Easter Bunny came!

And yes, rainboots were the shoe of choice Easter morning.

At least for the drive to PB.

C and his favorite person;)

"My Daddy" as C so lovingly refers to Jonathan.
This holds special meaning for me.
When we were in preschool at First Pres,
this is where our portraits were taken.
Special:)
Sweetness.

A yummy gift from Mama Boo.

You can count on Bobo to be the cake feeder.

C is showing off his new Boz movie to the great-grands:)

We enjoyed going to church with Gigi and Bobo this morning and then having lunch together. Delicious food and great fellowship (hilarious conversations!)

Very fun day!

Thank you Gigi and Bobo!

A little egg huntin' before heading out.

More fun and excitement was waiting on us back in LR!

The Easter Bunny not only came to our house and Gigi's house,

but he also came to Grammy's!

Caleb loves his Mamaw! She had him rolling!

The beloved carrot toy. Big hit!

Bubbles!

Grammy and C.
Thank you Grammy and Poppy for such a wonderful time!

More delicious food and a great time around the new table!

I am really looking forward to teaching Caleb about what Christ did for us on the cross. We're about to wrap up our year of studying Luke in CBS, and the lesson this week was on the crucifixtion. Whether Easter Sunday or any other day of the year, my prayer is that I will keep my focus on Him and be humbled daily by the meaning of His sacrifice. Truly living for Him without reservation. We serve a risen Savior!

I am beginning to work with Caleb on reciting scripture/scripture memory. There's nothing sweeter than to hear a child's voice repeat scripture after you. "God is love." and "Jesus." coming from this little toddler's mouth melts my heart everyday. Every night, I say a prayer with Caleb before bed. This morning, I was holding him after he got upset over something. He had his head on my shoulder and began saying "Amen...again". That's his cue that he wants to say our prayer. Sooo, it wasn't bedtime but we stood there and prayed together. Pure little heart.

Eggs...Uh Oh!

2011-04-23T08:41:00.010-05:00

Ready to roll!
Checking out all of the colors!

Making a mess is our specialty!

Feeling accomplished!

A mini egg hunt before bed:)

It'll probably take several soaks in the tub

to get the dye off of his hands!

Hey Sully!

2011-04-19T12:48:00.002-05:00

Happy 6th Birthday, Sullivan!

Sully loves this new toy. It has the loudest squeaker that I've ever heard!

What was I thinking?!

We've had to really keep our eyes on this little guy lately, because he's still sneaking out of the fence to look for Phoenix. He's been getting lots of extra attention especially by the little man of the house. Caleb loves to play chase with Sully, loves to talk to him, loves to put him in his cage, and always tells him bye-bye before leaving the house. Caleb fully accepts Sully as a memeber of the family:)

Caleb will greet everyone in the room multiple times including his puppy. So we hear "Hey Sully!" quite often. When Sully chimes up (which he does often), Caleb gives him a firm "hush"!

Well, since Caleb and Sully are both napping, I'm off to get us loaded up for an afternoon bike ride!

Family Time

2011-04-07T21:40:00.006-05:00

Caleb and I headed down to Pine Bluff for a quick trip last weekend.

We missed Daddy but enjoyed lots of much-needed family time! Here's a picture of Caleb swinging with Gigi and Bobo. One of C's favorite things to do at their house. As of this weekend, I believe my Dad's grandfather name has been officially changed from Jojo to Bobo. Caleb has been calling him Bobo simply because he cannot get the 'j' sound out yet, but he says Bobo with such heart - I'm fairly certain he's won my Dad's heart over with that sweet voice saying "Hi Bobo!" They're big buddies. Another picture of Dad flying. More pictures on earlier post "Blue Skies". I know Caleb will absolutely love flying with Bobo one day! I know this picture looks extremely out of place! This is an air crane. When you walk in the hangar, it's obviously the first thing that catches your eye. It's massive! This picture doesn't do it justice. I'm thinking I'll be heading back down in a few weeks to watch this take off. I think it's pretty cool that it's being kept at the PB Airport for now.

Caleb showed a lot of interest in this hat, and what do you know?

It came home with us:) He loves it!

Uncle Win and his new Ducati.

Brave Gigi!

Caleb wasn't a fan of Uncle Win's new toy.

Maybe one day.

He was a fan of the slide however:)

We all congregated over at Nannie's house for a visit. More like a visit in shifts. Some were coming-some were going:) This is Caleb with his cousins Hutch and Nola. They are absolutely precious cousins and were so sweet to Caleb. You can see Nola is trying to calm Caleb down.

It was great getting to see Nannie at home!! She's recently had knee replacement surgery and is so happy to be in the comfort of her own home. We're all happy that she'll be pain-free now! All we need now is to photoshop little Evelyn in this picture, and we'll have a complete group of great-grands:) We missed you Evelyn!

Great time catching up with family!

Hello Spring!

2011-04-07T16:11:00.003-05:00

First ride of the season. Happy day.

Spring fever used to hit me very hard when I was in school and even later when I taught school. Now that I'm home with Caleb, it's no different! I feel like a kid when spring rolls around each year. I remember being so anxious to get outside after school, and I especially couldn't wait for summer. It thrills my heart to see Caleb love the outdoors like Jonathan and I do. He loves going outside and doesn't ever seem to want to come back in. ;) I completely understand kiddo! Biking has become a fun little adventure for our family. Jonathan and I have biked for a while now but taking Caleb with us makes it that much more enjoyable. Caleb is at the age where he's really enjoying the Burley. It's no nice, whether jogging or biking, to be able to load him up and take him with us. Fresh air for all!

Blue Skies

2011-04-07T14:55:00.004-05:00

Blue Skies is not only one of Caleb's favorite bedtime songs, but it is what I got to see up close and personal last weekend! My dad took me flying, and it was a blast! It was, in a way, surreal being up there with him - just the two of us. Getting the chance to experience what he enjoys almost daily was amazing. Fun day in the sky!

Dad, the pilot.

New toy.

Co-pilot. ;)

The Arkansas River just before it meets the Mississippi River.

Thanks for the fun flight, Dad! Hope there are many more!

Adventures with Grammy and Papa

2011-03-31T00:00:00.006-05:00

Grammy and Papa,

Caleb loves the new fort!

Many adventures to come!

20 Months

2011-03-30T23:42:00.002-05:00

A brief look at 20 months...more things I want to remember about this stage coming soon.

Daddy's right hand man. One cool dude.

Work gloves are on the list.

I'm sure a Daddy and Me trip to

Home Depot is in the near future.

After Cousin Evelyn brought C's jumper back,

he thought he'd give it a whirl...still fits!

Bright Spot

2011-03-30T23:35:00.004-05:00

Sweet Phoenix

2011-03-30T21:39:00.003-05:00

Make an on-line slideshow at www.OneTrueMedia.com

We really, really thought Phoenix was going to pull through and recover completely, but unfortunately he did not. I wanted to put this video together for Jonathan to have all of Phoenix's best of the best pictures in one place. I know the video is a little long, but I don't care. The pictures speak for themselves and show all sides of his personality. To cut anymore pictures out just wouldn't be right. Phoenix was absolutely the sweetest pup! Truly a gentle giant. Although he looked intimidating and ferocious on the outside, he had the biggest heart. Anyone who was ever around Phoenix knew he was intelligent, hilarious, quirky, clumsy, protective in his sweet way and sneaky. Boy, was he sneaky! Phoenix was the definition of 'sly dog'.

The stories about Phoenix are too numerous to count, but I'll share one with you that sticks out in my mind.

From the beginning, Phoenix was an inside dog who enjoyed the luxury of sleeping on the couch, sitting in the recliner, enjoying a nap in front of the fireplace...you get the idea! S-P-O-I-L-E-D beyond repair! A few years ago, we moved into a new house and starting the process of replacing living room furniture. I wanted to begin un-doing (HA!) Phoenix's furniture habits. It was time to start training him to stay off furniture. Old habits die hard, but Phoenix was very intelligent and he knew exactly what we were telling him not to do. But, being the sneaky little thing that he was, he'd stand close to the couch and raise one paw while looking at you! Just testing how much he could get away with. Phoenix slept (at that time) on his big dog pillow in our bedroom, and I guess he thought he needed something a little more plush. Every now and then, we'd find him on the couch the next morning. Who knows how long he'd been there? Well, two can play this game! I remember one night I heard him walk into the living room (there is no mistaking the sound of his claws on the pergo floor!). I decided to let him get settled on the couch and then I'd sneak up on him. I heard him lie down (Yes, I HEARD him lie down...when you are a 115 lb. Doberman, anything you do makes noise), so here I come tip-toeing around the corner. Keep in mind, he knows he's not allowed on the couch and knows Mama means what she says. I walked up behind the couch and said, "What are you doing?!" He shot off that couch so fast and made a beeline for his dog bed! It was the funniest thing I'd ever seen! Apparently, all this taught him was to be ULTRA quiet the next time because we'd catch him trying to get to the couch some nights. Phoenix never walked through the house quietly. So loud! But somehow, he learned how to make it to the living room without making a peep, no claw sounds on the floor or anything! Did he develop a special skill of retracting his claws?! Who knows, but he mastered it! One night, I was actually awake and found him on the couch...must have been in stealth mode. Never heard him. Smart guy!

Call me crazy for making a video of pics and posting about our pup, but I just had to! He's been such a big part of our little family for almost 5 years! We love dogs, and I'm sure we'll get another dog one day. But there will never be one quite like Phoenix. We miss you buddy!

Dish Paint

2011-01-31T23:37:00.002-06:00

A friend of mine had the great idea of finger painting in the dishwasher!

Let 'em paint and then run the rinse cycle.

Easy enough and Caleb loved it!

Mom, this does not taste like ketchup!

Look at what I did!

I ran a quick rinse cycle (w/no dishes of course) and the dishwasher

is paint-free again. Great idea, Samantha Chaney!

A good way to capture dish paint pictures...

Just press a sheet of paper down on top of the painting and voila...you have a print!

Fun in a Fort

2011-01-24T14:49:00.003-06:00

18 months

2011-01-22T21:29:00.006-06:00

Caleb will be 18 months on Thursday...time is passing before our very eyes!

A few recent pictures...
Jonathan's sweet grandmother submitted C's picture to her local newspaper, and what do you know?! He made the paper! Atta boy!

Lil' Stinker.

We enjoyed our mini-snow day with a free lunch from Firehouse Subs along with a fire hat for Fire Chief Caleb. Fun day!

Happy 18 months, Caleb!

You bring us so much joy everyday!

Mommy and Daddy love you to the moon and back!

Play Play Play

2011-01-21T19:15:00.009-06:00

Today has been a day full of playtime. It's pretty normal for us to have 1-2 playdates per week, but today the playdate total reached THREE! It has truly been an amazing day for many reasons: time with friends, time with family and getting to witness a precious new life!

Playdate #1: Our day started off with fun playtime with friends from church. The kids (and moms) had a blast sliding, crawling through play tubes, swinging, climbing... Needless to say, we were exhausted! Caleb was completely drained (3 hr. nap was evidence of that!). Fun start to the day!

Playdate #2: We had a fun little playtime with our sweet cousin Evelyn. She is growing up so fast! Caleb was in full-force ham mode! He was showing off for Evelyn left and right. Lots of fun watching them interact!

Sittin' pretty.

Would you take a look at these sweet faces?!

Playdate #3: We had the pleasure of spending time with Quincy while his brand new baby sister, Zoe Kate made her entrance into the world today. Quincy is such a good little friend to Caleb, and he loved having him over to play. These boys kept me laughing (and on my toes). :) They ate dinner, played in the bath, watched a little TV and played, played, played. It's really fun to watch little boys at this age make each other laugh! Congratulations Quincy, you are now a big brother! We are so proud of you!

They found a way to keep themselves occupied while the cook was in the kitchen. :)

"having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude." Colossians 2:7 (NASB)

Mean Face

2011-01-12T20:58:00.000-06:00

Mr. Clean

2011-01-11T09:14:00.002-06:00

Snow Day

2011-01-10T20:45:00.005-06:00

Big Smith & Lil' Smith.

Sully. Snow. Stoked.

Little chef stirring the chili.

Mama's little helper.

It's no fun when you are covered in snow.

Ready to rock 'n roll.

Daddy vs. Dobie

Snow days...lots of play...inside and out.

It's been a great day!

Christmas 2010

2011-01-10T18:34:00.012-06:00

In random order...

Video Catch Up

2011-01-10T16:50:00.003-06:00

Since I've posted my videos with YouTube, I see that the tags (that I added) may link our videos to others. Please know that if anything inappropriate pops up, I am so so sorry! I will not be doing tags in the future. Newbie slip-up! :)

Santa

2010-12-20T13:33:00.003-06:00

Waiting to see Santa.

Santa made eye contact with Caleb and waved at him a few times...Caleb was beaming.

I was completely prepared for him to cry once in Santa's lap but very curious to see how Caleb responded to him from a distance.

Who knew?! Caleb started blowing kisses to Santa! He loved him. Santa blew kisses back and forth with Caleb about 5 times. Sweet little Santa moment. And then...

They met up close!
Waterworks started and didn't stop until I scooped him out of Santa's lap.
When I walked Caleb up to Santa, he was smiling and very interested in him. Grinning the entire time.
Once he landed in his lap...well, you can see for yourself.

Santa: "Are you sure you haven't been naughty this year?"

Bless Santa's heart, he tried everything in his bag of tricks.

The jingle bells didn't even help.

As soon as I picked Caleb up, he started smiling at Santa again!

Where Did My Little Boy Go?

2010-11-23T18:46:00.003-06:00

Ready or not...big boy haircut! Sadly, the curls are gone, but I love the way it turned out!

Music Man

2010-11-14T20:52:00.003-06:00

13-14 months.

Making a joyful noise.

14 months.

Playing Rock Band with Daddy.

14 months.

Playing the piano with Grammy.

First Camping Trip...

2010-11-14T14:59:00.012-06:00

and definitely not the last! Caleb loved everything about being outside for the weekend. The tent. The dirt. The tent. The rocks. The tent. The sticks. The tent. The sand. Did I mention he loved the tent? Every time he went inside the tent, he'd get super excited! J's sweet parents gave us a new tent that is HUGE...it felt like were in a hotel with room for all of our stuff, C's stuff, and we could have fit about 20 more people in there too! Thanks Bruce and Veda for the great gift...we love it!! Perfect timing for Caleb's first camping trip, and boy was it a success!

The lake was down by at least 10 ft. if not more.

Where we're standing is where we're normally loading the boat.

It was so much fun camping with such a great group of friends!

The Telford's, Cadzow's, Douglas's, Smith's and us. I'm so sorry that I didn't get pictures of everyone.

I spent so much time chasing Little Bit around...I didn't take nearly as many pictures as I had hoped. Snaps to the Douglas Family!! They were the camp cooks for the weekend and did a fantastic job. Smoked pork, yummy kabobs and dump cake! Delicious! I think everyone had a great time. I know we did!

This was our first time to camp in the fall, and I must say it's the way to go!

The weather was so nice! I'm sure we'll always be summer campers, but we're definitely adding an annual trip to the fall plans from here on out.

Caleb discovered that snacking is one of the most important things we do when camping.
Big hug!

Crazy hair for Mommy.

Crazy hair for Caleb.

Having a ball.

John Michael wearing his chair.

I have no other words. :)

Jake and Michelle chillaxin'.

Leslie and her cutie patooties.

The 2nd night of our adventure...well, things truly became an adventure.

The radar showed every color you could imagine. Do we stay and weather it out or do we pack up and hit the road? We decided to stay and tough it out. As it turned out, the storm wasn't all that bad. High winds and lots of rain but nothing dangerous. Sleeping in a tent during a storm is actually very relaxing! Slept like a baby.

Caleb kept himself busy reading his Elmo book and watching Baby Einstein DVDs while we were semi-packing things up in case we needed to make a break for it in the middle of the night.

He was such a trooper! I'm so glad he had such a fun time, because we love to camp...and there will be many more trips in the future. :)

Tuckered.

Punkin Patch Round Two

2010-11-14T14:25:00.020-06:00

I really think Caleb would live here at the patch if we'd let him.

Caleb loved this puppy. Kept calling it "Kitty!".

Looking at the baby calf.
The closer the cow walked to the fence, the further Caleb backed up.
A little too close for comfort, I guess.

He shook his head "NO" to this pumpkin because it didn't have a stem.

Off to find one with a stem.

This is the one, GiGi.

According to Caleb, the water sprinkler was the best part.

Our punkin a year ago.

The difference a year makes.

15 months

2010-11-13T15:07:00.005-06:00

He was so excited to be outside!
Every time we go outside he talks to the pumpkins,

touches the flowers (and the dirt), and bends down to see the scarecrow's face.

Caleb turned 15 months on 10/27...yes, I'm waaay behind! Trying to play more of the never-ending game of Catch-Up today. So, we are now 15 months old and busier than ever! There are so many places to explore, so many words to say, games to play and books to read. Truly, there is never a dull moment in this house, and I'm loving every minute of it!

C's 15-mo. checkup went very well. Right on target developmentally and ears are looking great!!! YAY for healthy ears! We currently have non-functioning tubes, so clear ears are a huge blessing. Weighs 21 lbs. 1 oz. (8%) and stands at a proud 31 1/2 inches tall (63%). We just love Dr. Keathley! She's always complimentary and gives great advice. Very good appt!

Things of interest right now...

Learning new words everyday - vocabulary is really starting to take off!
Talking all the time
Discovering new foods (I know you're my son by your love for food)
Sleeping 12 hours at night and taking an afternoon nap everyday
Exploring all around the house and everywhere else we go
Still dancing to the tune of just about anything
Drums with Daddy and on your own
Animals-especially Doggy and Kitty
Trucks and trains (well, anything with wheels)
Books, books, books
Playing with Daddy after work
Creating little games of your own and initiating play (love it!)
HUGS HUGS HUGS...you give hugs all the time now!

I'm sure I could go on for pages...each day seems to bring new adventures and experiences. This is by far one of the best stages in terms of play and interaction...plus who wouldn't love watching someone's personality come out. Especially one with a lot of spunk!

One of Caleb's favorite snacks right now is a Strawberry Banana Smoothie. Thought I'd share...

Put all ingredients in blender.

12-14 ice cubes (more or less depending on how icy you like it)
1 c. orange juice
1 c. vanilla yogurt
5-10 strawberries
1-2 bananas

Blend until smooth. Enjoy!

Hope everyone is having a great weekend!

Happy Fall Y'all!

2010-11-13T13:04:00.012-06:00

DISCLAIMER: For some reason Blogspot has a glitch or two today. I'm unable to move my pictures around. I'm pretty OCD about putting my pictures in order so it's grating on my nerves BIG TIME! Please bear with me...this post has no order to it whatsoever. Oh well...

Amy and Firefighter Drew.

Caleb with his candy sack.

Wrapping up a fun night of trick-or-treating.
Elmo paying Grammy and Granddaddy a visit.
Looks like he's about ready to come out of his costume.

Taking calls at FunFest.

Fun Fest at church.

Halloween party at Amy's.
Elmo walking with a purpose.

Trick-or-treating with GiGi and JoJo.
Quite the fan of riding on JoJo's shoulders.

With trick-or-treating, FunFest at church and a super fun Halloween party...Elmo was able to make several appearances. Each time the costume came out, we would hear a very enthusiastic "Mo-Mo!" or "Melmo!" Great costume pick, Gigi! He really did love dressing up!

I started Community Bible Study this fall and was able to reconnect with Amy, a dear friend of mine from college. It's been great seeing her so often and meeting her precious little boy! I've also loved meeting a lot of new friends and getting the opportunity to do a couple of things with this sweet group of moms and their kiddos. It's fun making new friends plus I think it's great for Caleb to be around other children as much as possible. Anyway, Amy "the hostess with the mostess!" threw a wonderful Halloween party for all of our little kiddos complete with yummy food, games, crafts and take-home prizes! Caleb loved it, and I recall him taking a super long nap that afternoon! ;) Successful party!

FunFest at church was great. We played several little games and had hot dogs for dinner while watching all of our little goblins run around checking out each other's costumes. Melmo took a few phone calls during the carnival...business is business no matter where you are. :)

We decided to take a stroll down the street to trick-or-treat at a few houses, and I'm so glad we did!

And Halloween would not be complete without trick-or-treating at Grammy and Granddaddy's house.

Hope everyone had a fun and safe Halloween!

Fishy, Fishy

2010-11-12T23:46:00.007-06:00

Where in the world do you start a story when you know it has a sad, traumatic ending? Hmm...

Caleb brought two goldfish home from our church carnival a few weeks ago. We passed by the Go Fish game, and I said, "Come on, let's get Caleb a goldfish!" Jonathan said, "We don't need a fish plus it'll be dead in a matter of days." I quickly convinced him that it'd be well taken care of and that Caleb would love it. Both of those things ended up being true. I did take very good care of the two fish AND Caleb did, in fact, love his goldfish. He'd watch them during meals and say "Fishy!" and he'd help me feed them...surprisingly very careful around the fish. I might as well go ahead and repeat the fact that I did take very VERY good care of these fish...did everything I was supposed to do to keep them alive. I don't have a very good track record with fish. In college, I had a few Betas that never lived very long, so Jonathan was kidding me from the get-go that I'd end up killing these poor little fish. SOOO, I set out to prove him wrong. ;) Well...

About 10 days later, I found the smaller one floating...oops! I disposed of it and then thought it'd be best to clean the water. I was in the process of changing the water in the bowl when the bigger fish flopped out of the bowl and into the sink. Not just into the sink...but DOWN THE DISPOSAL!!! My heart about stopped! How in the world am I supposed to get this spastic floppy fish out of the disposal without cutting my hand 25 times and not end up with fish parts? Fortunately during all of this, Caleb was asleep. I would have cried if he were standing there watching. Anyway, I had to do what I thought was best...and this is where my new name 'fish killer' comes from. I knew I wouldn't be able to get the fish out of the disposal, so I turned it on (very quickly!). I immediately felt like the worst parent alive ultimately killing our little fishy pet, but trust me, if you'd seen just how spastic this fish was, then you would understand...and I bet you would have done the same thing too.

So far, no signs of Caleb remembering Fishy and Fishy. He recognizes fish when looking at pictures and seeing the fish at the doctor's office...but he hasn't missed them I don't think.

Whew! Next year, I think we might pass the Go Fish game right on by!

Until next time, be kind to your family pets! Don't worry...Phoenix and Sully are safe.

Punkin Patch Round One

2010-10-07T21:01:00.007-05:00

We met up with Quincy and his sweet mom this week to visit their neighborhood pumpkin patch. The boys loved the teeny tiny pumpkins. The weather was absolutely perfect for a stroll to the patch and to the library. Thanks for the fun afternoon, Molly and Q!
The pumpkins came with a sheet of stickers to decorate the pumpkin
(and the boy!).

Happy baby, happy pumpkin.

Looking forward to taking Caleb to the big patch soon...

two new loves

2010-10-06T15:14:00.008-05:00

Happy Birthday, Quincy!!!

Elmo and juice boxes. 'Nuff said' if you ask Caleb.

Our little friend, Quincy, had his 2nd birthday party last month, and Caleb had the best time. Q had an Elmo party so Caleb was able to see Elmo everything! Elmo cake, life-size Elmo, Elmo pictures, Elmo party favors, etc. Elmo definitely made an impression on Caleb that day. Ever since the party, Caleb does his best to say Elmo and grins from ear to ear whenever he sees anything with Elmo on it (including his Elmo diapers). So, I decided it was time to take a trip to the toy store and buy an Elmo. The second I handed him his brand new Elmo in the store, he said with a HUGE grin on his face, "Mo Mo". Love it! The boy is crazy about that fuzzy little guy!

Caleb stood here beside Elmo just staring at him for the longest time.

Caleb and Elmo

Now for the juice boxes...it doesn't matter if it's Capri Sun or Apple Juice - it's just oh so fun to drink out of a box or a pouch!

Great party, Telfords!! Caleb had a blast!

the 3 little piggies

2010-10-06T14:48:00.003-05:00

We always love it when fall rolls around, and it's especially fun having friends over to watch Razorback games. It's funny how it changes a bit once kiddos are in the picture. You may end up watching a little bit of the game, but mostly it's a 'watching the kids party'. :) We loved spending time with the Telfords and the Smiths!

All 3 boys playing together but all 3 doing separate things. :)

(Luke, Quincy and Caleb)

Caleb trying to swipe Daddy's wallet

while he's distracted by the game.

One of many faces Caleb makes these days.
There is no telling where he was headed
but he is obviously fixated on something
and determined to get there.

GO HOGS!!

new wheels

2010-10-06T14:21:00.003-05:00

Caleb had a surprise visit from his grandparents the other night with a car full of toys...one of the toys being a Cozy Coupe. To say he loves his new car just doesn't cut it. He walks over to the car first thing when he gets up from naps and in the mornings. A few nights ago, I was putting Caleb's PJ's on him and before I knew it, he had escaped from his room to play with his car one last time before bed. So, he hopped in the driver's seat and we 'drove' to bed that night. :) Thanks Grammy and Granddaddy! It's a hit! (Along with all of the other fun toys)

a boy and his dog

2010-10-06T14:02:00.003-05:00

Caleb is really interested in playing with Sully now. He'll approach Sully and try to pet him or hand him his stuffed soccer ball. Sully immediately tenses up not knowing what's about to happen being the skittish little yorkie that he is. Sully will surprise us though. He'll bring his soccer ball to Caleb from time to time and want him to throw it, and Caleb then sits there staring at Sully and the ball waiting for something to happen. Funny little guys!

In these pictures, I'm getting Sully loaded up to go spend a day at the vet. He was feeling a bit under the weather, and Caleb is explaining to him that everything is going to be ok. :) I'm sure Caleb is telling Sully that the shots won't hurt too long and that the doctor is really and truly your friend just like Mommy says. A little heart to heart pep talk before the stressful ride to the vet. What a great big brother! He sure does love his puppy.

First Haircut

2010-09-10T15:05:00.007-05:00

Caleb's hair. Oh his hair! I absolutely love it that C has his Daddy's curly hair. Before having Caleb, I would always think people were nuts talking about not wanting to cut their baby's hair for the first time. Why the big fuss? It'll grow back if you don't like it. Yeah, right! I see now what the big deal is...and it IS a big deal!

Caleb has a head full of hair, and the curls are really starting to take off except for the front. It's been long in the front for a while now, so we've been sweeping it over to the side to keep it out of his eyes. We just knew the front would start flipping, then we wouldn't have to cut it for a while longer. But...no flippage! So, off to the barber shop we went! I promised Caleb I wouldn't call it a salon. :)

Here are a couple of BEFORE shots. Now do you see why we always sweep it over to the side? The poor boy couldn't see!

Here are a couple of DURING shots. You see he's not a happy camper, BUT Tony said he did great because he was actually very very still. He was able to cut his hair super fast because Caleb didn't move around or put up a fight. Just fussed a tad. :)

Here's an AFTER shot of my son who can see again! Tony did a great job...super pleased with the way it turned out! It makes me sad to see him looking older now, but it had to be done. I guess this mom will have to get over it. I'm going to have to prepare myself to let go of some of the curls by the time his next haircut rolls around, because they'll be too long by that point - and we do not want a mullet! Baby steps, right?!

Our handsome fella.

We still have the curls!

Sprint Triathlon 2010

2010-08-17T10:09:00.011-05:00

Caleb giving Daddy last-minute pep talk.

Big buddies.

Big thank you to Granddaddy for keeping Caleb occupied

so I could follow Jonathan to get better pictures.
Staring down the competition.

Off they go!
J is the 2nd from the bottom.

2nd leg of the race.

Need for speed. Check.

Need for snacks and play. Check.

Last leg of the race.

While Daddy ran, we cooled off in the lake.

Caleb helping Daddy cross the finish line.

They did it!

Cooling off.

Notice the beautiful rainbow behind J.

We're super proud of our Daddy!

First one down, many more to go.

12 month portraits

2010-08-09T14:03:00.009-05:00

12 month stats

2010-08-04T13:09:00.004-05:00

Caleb had a great 12 mo. checkup. Super healthy and growing just as he should be! C-man now weighs 20 lbs. 1 oz. (12%) and is 29 3/4 in. long (50%). Caleb, you have gained 11 lbs. 4 oz. and have grown 9 1/4 inches this year! Way to go!

Headed to the doc! 1st trip facing forward. He thinks this is pretty cool!

It's so nice that Caleb can face the front now in his carseat. It's been so hot lately, and it takes a while for the A/C to circulate to cool him down when facing backwards. Now, he can feel the air immediately, plus he can see where we're going and not where we've been! :)

A Look at Caleb's First Year...

2010-08-01T15:06:00.007-05:00

Caleb's first night at home

1 month old

2 months old

3 months old

4 months old

5 months old

6 months old

7 months old

8 months old

9 months old

10 months old

11 months old

12 months old

"Every good and perfect gift is from above..."

~James 1:17

Happy Birthday, Caleb!

2010-07-28T20:54:00.017-05:00

One year has come and gone. How can time fly by so fast?! This past year has been the most amazing journey watching Caleb grow and develop. He is discovering new things daily and exploring the world around him all the time! And, I do mean ALL the time!
I have a feeling trains are going to be a big part of our future! Caleb's face lights up whenever he hears his train songs or sees trains on TV. Loves choo-choos already! Look out Thomas!

As for the cake, I'll just say I'm glad I was able to finish it the night before. It would have been impossible to decorate it the day of C's party. I can't believe I actually considered waiting until party day to do the final icing and to decorate it...what was I thinking?! Only getting 4 hours of sleep isn't much but WELL WORTH IT!

A look at C's first year!

Caleb's party guests! :) He loves his family!

In perpetual motion.
Caleb loves all of his presents! "THANK YOU!!" from all 3 of us for Caleb's fun presents! He loves the loud ones, the quiet ones, the animated ones, the riding ones and the swinging ones! ;) We are so glad you all could come celebrate with us...we had a wonderful time with you!

We missed you, Mamaw Helen! Caleb loves the book you sent to him...Thank you!! And Benj, you were a great uncle for coming early to play with Caleb...he loved it!

Money!

Caleb taking a party break with Daddy and his new helicopter.

The classic cake scene.
The blurriness in some of these pictures is due to my inexperience in photo shop. Still learning! The originals are clear as a bell but after resizing them...well, blurry! Here are a few of my favorites that are sized normally.

Last Saturday, my Dad, Wes and Jonathan spent the day building a swingset for Caleb. It was very, VERY hot outside! A big thank you to GiGi and JoJo for the great swing! And C thanks all of the big boys for working so hard! :) It turned out just perfect!! It's going to be so nice having a swingset that can be added on to later. Great job guys!!

Playing with Daddy after everyone went home.

Winding down from chocolate icing and a very fun day with Baby Einstein.

Caleb giving his great-grandmothers a dashing smile covered in chocolate!

Happy Birthday, Caleb! We love you!!!

Go Hogs!

2010-07-22T14:43:00.003-05:00

Little Pork Chop. Woo Pig Sooiee!

Walking with Daddy

2010-07-20T21:43:00.000-05:00

11 months and going strong!

2010-07-19T20:43:00.006-05:00

I have really dropped the ball on getting Caleb's 11 month post up. I have made so many attempts to sit down and get it done but it has been one crazy-busy month! I know Jonathan is so tired of hearing me say, "I really need to sit down and get C's post done"! To say it's been a busy month just doesn't cut it. My mom told me that I'll be glad to see fall roll around because we have had so many summer plans and I'll be so ready to catch a break. I think she's right! ;) We have had a couple of day trips to the lake, planning / getting everyone packed for vacation (getting J and myself packed was a breeze compared to packing Caleb's stuff...whew!), planning C's birthday, plus a bunch of stuff around the house not really worth mentioning. Jonathan and I just took a super-relaxing vacation to Miami, and Caleb got to spend tons of QT with both sets of grandparents. He had a great time and was a super trooper! It was a great trip (one that we really needed!), but we missed our little guy so much. Getting that big boy hug when we picked him up melted my heart! 7 nights is a long time to be away from your little boy! We're already looking forward to next summer - it'll be our first family vacation. As for now, J and I feel rested and rejeuvenated!

Taken from the plane before we landed.

The water was amazing! No oil whatsoever...completely clear and blue!

Caleb will be 1 year old one week from tomorrow, so I HAD to get his 11 mo. "fun things" posted. He is growing and changing faster than I can keep up with actually. Every time we turn around he's doing something new. Baby talking a ton! Says a few words, but we feel he's about to really take off. Walking while holding our hands. Has taken a step on a couple different occasions but not interested in letting go just yet. Still crawling with the turbo boosters on...speedy gonzales!

Dancing is the new BIG thing around our house! When the music starts, Caleb starts moving and doesn't stop!

We're in the middle of switching over to whole milk and using sippy/straw cups full-time. Thanks to my good friend and partner in crime, Sam...we are tackling all of the baby hurdles together! It's so great having friends who are going through the same stages at the same time or who have gone through them recently. Thanks Sam for your great advice today! Caleb loves his new straw cups!

Fun things C is doing these days...clapping his hands, waving his arms in the air (directing his music while he dances), laughs so much as always, making his indian sounds, blowing raspberries, picking up his unwanted food from his tray and throwing it on the floor for Sully, playing with the dryer door, and the ongoing battle to claim the 3 remotes and cell phones once and for all! ;)

There are so many things I could add about this stage, but I'll save them for another day. G'nite sweet little love...can't believe you're growing up so fast! Hugs and eskimo kisses!