2.5 Year Portraits

Monday, January 10, was a good day for me overall. I had postponed Caleb's 2.5 year portraits three different times due to him being sniffly, schnarky or downright sick. I didn't want to cancel again, but I knew from Joshua's condition that he really needed to be seen by the pediatrician. I called at 8 am, and the receptionist told me that they had an appointment at 11:10 with Dr. Reilly. I was thrilled to get her because her specialty is asthma/breathing. So, I took it, knowing my appointment with Caleb was at 10 am and I've never been in and out within an hour. But, I also knew there was no reason I couldn't be - after all, they say they leave 10 minutes to take the pictures, and what takes the most time is all the stuff they do afterward with the pictures to try and get you to buy more, which I already know I won't do.

Grandma called as we were finishing up breakfast to see how the Bean was doing. She offered to come sit with him while I took Caleb in to JCPenney's to get his pictures taken. It worked out fantastically - thanks, Mom! Caleb & I got to the mall a couple minutes before they opened the doors, and one of my favorite three photographers greeted us. I gave them my coupon and explained to the guy that I needed to be out of there within 45 minutes to get my other son to the doctor's. His response was 'No problem! I'll take you right back.' I have never seen so many people working at one time! But, Monday was Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and with all the kids off school, they were ready for a busy day ahead. I was so thankful I got a 10 am appointment (their first one of the day).

Brian took us right back as he promised and positioned me where Caleb could see my expression and still be looking at the camera. Then he pretended to tickle me with a teddy bear, and I would crack up, causing Caleb to give a genuine smile. Caleb would only giggle for a moment before looking around, but this guy is one of my favorites because he snaps the picture quickly and captures the expression. I thought all the pictures were great! Then he had another woman check us out, and she didn't fool around with the digital photos before letting me see them. She made a couple collages and I told her that I was just going to use my coupon so she didn't have to bother. I made my selections quickly, and I checked out, using a gift card I had from a long while back. My total came to $1.50 after the coupon and gift card, and Caleb & I were back in the minivan by 10:15 am. Woohoo! It was an official record!

I got back home, gave the boys a quick snack and we headed to the pediatrician's office while Mamaw headed back home. Once again, they took us right back. I literally didn't even have our jackets hung up when they called us into the room. The first thing they did was take Joshua's pulse oxygen level, and it was good (praise God!). The doctor came in not long thereafter (we played the 'name the animals that begin with the letters of the alphabet' game before she got there), and she listened to Joshua's breathing. While she said he was moving air, she did hear his wheezing. She doubled his one type of breathing treatment and told us to do the 'rescue' variety every four hours for the next two weeks. She noted that she would typically want him to come back to be re-checked, but she knew that we as parents knew what to look for. She also told me that if we ever need to give back-to-back treatments, they should know about it, any hour of the night.

After the appointment was over, I called Daddy and asked if he'd like company for lunch. Much to my surprise, he said sure! So, we all went to pick him up from his work and had a quick drive-through lunch while I told him about our morning. It was nice to see him during the day. :) Joshua napped when we got home (Caleb refused and I didn't want him to keep a sick, exhausted Joshua awake so I let him play).

When Shawn came home that night, we had salads and homemade soup for dinner. Caleb told Daddy he couldn't wear that shirt - those were his jammy pants! We cracked up! Indeed, Shawn's patterned dress shirt did in fact resemble the colors and pattern of his pajama pants. That Caleb Luke is a silly boy!

Monday night into Tuesday morning, we got an inch or so of snow followed by freezing rain. I could hear the ice as Daddy shoveled the driveway. All the local schools were canceled, including the Bean's preschool and my Bible study. While I would have enjoyed a morning out, I was debating on whether or not Joshua should go to school (the pediatrician assured me that without a fever he wasn't contagious - his issue was asthma), and I was thankful for God providing the answer for us. Daddy went into work a little late to give the road crews time to clear the roads and to allow the temperature to warm up. I was glad he did - it's not worth risking your life or cracking up your car if you don't have to. Last night for dinner I made my messy meatballs with macaroni & cheese, peas and cheddar biscuits (similar to Red Lobster's). It turned out well. When it's cold, it makes you want to cook more!

Wednesday morning when we woke up, Joshua felt warm to me. I gave him his breathing treatment and then took his temperature. The thermometer said 100 degrees, but it typically reads 97 for the Bean, so I knew his body temp was at least slightly elevated. Once again, it was enough of a sign to me to keep him home. I was glad I did. While he played the morning away, he had another attack just after lunch (and soon after a breathing treatment!). It was scary, and I was glad we were both home. I was supposed to go shopping with my Mom while my Dad watched the boys. But, Joshua started coughing and wheezing and pretty soon he was vomiting from the forceful coughing but still couldn't catch his breath. I gave him another treatment and while he still sounded wheezy, his breathing was at a more normal pace again and he calmed down. Once again, while he didn't make sense when he was struggling to breathe, he could talk and understand what was going on around him. I sent Dad home and told Mom I couldn't go after all. I wanted to make sure he did okay. I also left a message for the pediatrician, just in case I should do anything else. She returned my call and told me that she wanted to see him Friday, and she got us in at noon, when I think she's typically on her lunch break, which I thought was really nice (since the rest of her schedule was full that day). Joshua was fine the rest of the day, praise God!

Thursday morning, Caleb told me his ear hurt, and he kept telling me it was the right one. But, his cold seemed better for the first time in over a week. I wasn't sure if he had slept on it strangely, but soon his whining turned into bawling and almost screaming. I called the pediatrician, who gave me an appointment for three hours later (their first available). A nurse called me back, which surprised me since I had only talked to a scheduler. She told me to give him motrin or tylenol and a warm compress over the aching ear. Caleb calmed down as I snuggled him in my arms for the next couple hours, also doing the suggestions from the nurse. By the time we went to the pediatrician, he seemed better. But, I wasn't going to risk it! Grandma came to stay with the Bean, who was still sick, so he didn't have to come out in the cold. Sure enough, Dr. Krack diagnosed Caleb's right ear with a minor ear infection and gave us an antibiotic that he said would also wipe out any remnants of the cold if it had turned into a sinus infection. We spent a loooong time trying to drop off the prescription (since the computers at the doctor's office were down), and an even longer time picking it up. I'm guessing almost everyone in Lancaster County is sick!

By Thursday night,  I was feeling a little stir crazy, so I suggested that we warm up the mini van and all go to the drive through to get Caleb's prescription filled to spend time together as a family. Both kids fell asleep upon leaving the house (neither had napped that afternoon) - I think the sitting up (and strapped in upright) made it easier for them to breath and their throats feel better than laying down. We drove around for a little while then to give them time to rest, grabbing Starbucks on our way back through. When we got home, Joshua had another major attack. Once again, he was disoriented. In fact, he begged us to stay in the van (and normally he wants to be first one to the door to prove that he's the fastest!). He was completely out of it and breathing quickly. We rushed him inside and gave him another breathing treatment. Thankfully, he recovered and calmed down. Both boys slept well that night, but I woke up throughout the night worried about the Bean and checking on him.

Friday morning, both boys woke up with more color and more energy. We had more snow overnight; while they had called for half a foot and we only got another inch or two. Thankfully Daddy shoveled the driveway before going to work and cleared off my ride as well as his. I went to the noon doctor's appointment, and while Joshua's pulse-ox level (or the amount of oxygen in his blood) was lower, he sounded much better. The pediatrician told us to continue with the rescue breathing treatments until his cough was completely gone (which I would say it is now) and continue giving him the treatments to beef up his lungs twice a day through February. It was a good report overall! Once again, we met Daddy for lunch - only the boys fell asleep on the way there and slept through the entire time we were with him. Joshua slept until 4 pm, and I think he was catching up on some much-needed rest. When he woke up, he asked if we were still going to meet Daddy for lunch. I responded that instead we would see him for dinner once it got dark and he came home. Both boys seemed back to themselves, more or less. And I was thankful to God for keeping them safe during this season!

In other news, on morning after doing my typical Bible reading, I asked the boys if they'd like to hear a story. So, I told them how Pharaoh wouldn't let the Israelites go and worship God, so God brought plagues upon them like FROGS (ribbit-ribbit) and three days of darkness and locusts, etc. Eventually he brought the plague of the firstborn, and Pharaoh let them go...but then changed his mind and pursued God's people. Then Moses raised his staff and God parted the waters so the Israelites could walk across, like at the beach, but he put the waters back when the Egyptians went through. Joshua listened intently, and asked me to tell it over and over and over again. Then he took a turn telling it. It wasn't exactly right, but he got the gist of it. He loves stories, and I think of how many opportunities I miss telling them about Bible stories.

We've been struggling to get Caleb to go to bed this past week. I think he's discovered that if he's cute enough, Daddy will tuck him in just one last time. He's using every trick in the book... I need more water, I need a fresh diaper (and he's been waiting to do his business at night in the diaper rather than his big boy undies that he wears during the day), I want a story, I'm not tired, etc. Tuesday night Daddy took a trip to Walmart, and Caleb would not lay down. Joshua said over and over again how tired he was but Caleb kept teasing him. Then I heard the tears - not sure what the Bean did to his little brother, but Caleb was not happy. He came out to me and said "rockabye me!" Who can resist that? So, I scooped him up and sang him a couple songs, only to hear more tears. "Caleb's not in his bed," cried Joshua. While he didn't want his little brother pouncing on him in his bed, he's now used to going to sleep with his younger counterpart. I offered to snuggle and rock him, too, and he agreed to one song before telling me again how tired he was. In the meantime, Daddy came home, and we put the boys to bed once again. I'm hoping Caleb gets done with this phase soon! But, I do love to rock my kiddos.

Caleb has also been waking us up in the morning saying "I'm happy to see you!" I tell you, it's the best way to wake up. Joshua usually wakes up first, and he immediately wakes up his little brother who comes and pounces on us. But, Shawn & I both agree it's better than waking up to alarm clocks (other than the fact that we could be sleeping in a little bit longer before having to get up).

I'm trying to think of anything else that's been going on. Lately the boys have been really into playing with Caleb's tool set he got for Christmas. Joshua tells us he's building us a house. They also are drawing all sorts of pictures on their Doodle Pros. The only sad thing about that is that those pictures get erased immediately to make new ones. Joshua will draw ones of his family, a helicopter, and a house. Caleb says he's writing his name, but it doesn't quite look like it yet.

Right now the boys' favorite thing to watch is the Veggie Tales movie on forgiveness. They love the "Grapes of Wrath" and then the one with Bob & Larry and the bamboo and coconut (Joshua thinks the word coconut is the funniest thing ever!). But, I can tell beyond the silliness that much of the movie is sinking in as they say sorry and forgive one another. I also think it's funny to listen to them laughing at the same parts when they watch the movie. They also started watching the one on King George with the duckies (based on the story of David with Bathsheba). The King (Larry the Cucumber) tries to take the other guy's ducky for a bath when he already has plenty of duckies. This story teaches the importance of sharing and not taking. The boys are enjoying TV time, and while I'm not normally a fan, when they've been sick and want to cuddle up and watch something that's teaching them good values, I can't really complain.

By Saturday, both boys were back to normal, I'd say. I'll post more about this past weekend another time. But, I would venture to say that Lord willing, Joshua will be back to preschool this week (he missed the entire week last week) and Caleb & I will be going to Bible study tomorrow morning. Praise God!

Butterflies & Breathing

Saturday January 15 was Uncle Kevin's birthday - hope it was great! That morning we washed the mini van (of course, picking the wrong line and being there for a loooong time!) and around lunch time, I went shopping with Grandma for an hour. There are slim pickins in maternity clothes these days at the mall. That afternoon we celebrated Faith's 7th birthday. I took the boys with me while Shawn stayed home to get work done. Here is a picture of her with her butterfly cake(s) my sister made.

We had gotten Faith a monogrammed towel, which she'll use taking swim lessons this winter. We also signed Joshua up for swim lessons that start the first week of February at the Manheim Township High School. I hope that he enjoys them!

Saturday night, Joshua started having a little runny nose and slight cough. It didn't really concern us... until Sunday. We missed church yet again because his condition worsened overnight. Sunday night into Monday morning, he had a major attack. I could hear his quick breathing in his room as he called for us. I insisted on a breathing treatment, and he was so disoriented by that point that even though he had had one earlier in the day, he couldn't remember what to do. He didn't know where he was or what was going on. It was scary! Eventually, his breathing evened out and he calmed down. Then he told us he was really tired and we tucked him back in bed. I called the doctor's office as soon as they opened the following day...

Makes Me Wanna STAMP!

Long time, no post. We've been busy with sickness, unfortunately. But, I'll start where I left off. Friday morning (January 14), we were all healthy and started out our day in the typical fashion, which is getting dressed followed by breakfast. Breakfast that morning was the kids' favorite - waffles. They're quick and easy, and the kids think they're downright delicious to eat like toast (another favorite of theirs). I always ask if they're a hungry-bungry. Lately, I've heard Caleb repeat the expression, along with 'tired-bired.' So cute! You don't even realize the things that you say on a regular basis until you hear little mouths repeating them. I love to hear that he's a hungry bungry or tired bired.

After breakfast, I got out another craft that we had gotten the boys for Christmas. They each got a stamper set; one was Mickey Mouse, the other Cars. Joshua chose the Cars theme, and Caleb was happy to have Mickey's gang. The sets came with sheets of paper, stickers, three stampers and an ink pad. The kids highly enjoyed the activity. Bad mama moment - when we were done, I threw the stampers away (who wants a container of ink laying around?). Joshua asked for it later and was devastated that I didn't have them anymore. DOH!

Another funny game the boys started playing together is one will say something they're going to do. Typically it's something they know they're not supposed to do. For example, one will say "I'll pinch you really hard" and the other will immediately reply with "you better no-ot" (in a chorus-y little voice) and the the first will respond "oh, yes, I wi-ill" in the same chorus-y voice. They laugh and laugh and then the other one starts it so each one gets to play the role. I giggle at their silliness. Neither of them has any intention of doing whatever they say they're going to - they just want to play this little game.

Both of them have been climbing and jumping off things. Oh, how I miss warm weather where we could get out our energy doing productive things! I'm worried that they'll hurt themselves.

Here's Caleb Luke enjoying the stamp activity. Enjoy the pictures from that morning!

More Son-shine

 

IT'S A BOY!

In case you can't tell what you're looking at in the above photo, picture that the baby has sat on a copying machine. His little bum cheeks are in the right corner of the photo, and his leg bone shows up bright white stretching out to the left of the photo. In the middle of the black area is his little manhood - no guessing, this is for sure a baby boy!

We woke up to four inches of snow on the ground on Wednesday morning. Even still, Joshua's preschool didn't close but simply had a one-hour delay. So, I took him to school and then raced Caleb over to Ma-maw's house and flew to my first doctor's appointment. I wasn't late, but they took me right back. Dr. Jones had no problems finding the baby's heartbeat and said it sounded good. The nurse had also noted that my blood pressure was low. Low is normal for me and normal for pregnancy whereas high can be a sign that something's wrong. So far, everything looks good. Dr. Jones answered my questions and told me that we'd schedule the c-section at my next appointment. Yeah!

You're looking at the baby's head in the middle of the photo above, with the dark circles being the eye sockets. His little back is on the left of the picture.

After my appointment, I drove over the Olive Garden, where I was supposed to meet Shawn for lunch. Unfortunately, my cell phone wasn't charged and died that morning. DOH! And unfortunately for me, Shawn's meeting went LONG and his message on my cell never reached me. Double DOH! So, I waited and waited and waited for him to come, hoping that he was okay on the snowy roads. As luck would have it, friends from our life group had decided to dine there that afternoon as well and upon hearing that I had been there 45 minutes waiting for my dear husband, they offered to let me use their cell phone to call and make sure he was okay. He was indeed fine but running extremely late and now stuck in traffic. Knowing he was on his way, I went and got us a table and ordered our lunch awhile, which came out right away. He arrived shortly thereafter, and he was extremely apologetic. While I was annoyed at first, I remembered before he got there about how much grace he always has for me, so I told him that it wasn't a big deal. It was just bad luck all around! And, we had a nice lunch together even though it was a quick one. Our service was excellent and we made it to our ultrasound in plenty of time. Shawn joked that my low blood pressure worked out to his benefit. Haaa!!! I was just glad he was safe and there.

This was my favorite picture from the ones given to us that day. While it's hard to see here from the scan, the baby is laying ever so peacefully almost on his stomach (how the rest of my boys - including Daddy - like to sleep). His little face is so dear in this picture!

We went right back to our ultrasound, but we had a different tech than normal. I liked the other one better, I'll admit. But, it's the doctor that's most important to me, and we got to see Dr. Bayliss. He told us that everything looks "in tact" with this baby. He's growing very normally, weighing over half a pound already. His brain looks good, his spine looks good, his lungs look good (he actually asked me to diagnose them, joking that I would know as well as anyone if they were healthy or not - this was for the benefit of a student who was shadowing him that day, I think), and his heart looks good. Dr. Bayliss also explained that the placenta is on the back wall. I asked him what that meant, and he said with c-section patients, sometimes the placenta can attach itself to the scar tissue near the incision, which can make it extremely difficult to get the baby out and causes a lot more complications for the mama. Instead, my baby is in a great position, right where he should be.

I thought the baby looked a little alien-esque in this photo, but you can really see his skull, nose, lips and jawline. 

Dr. Bayliss said the face is forming nicely, and he also joked that there's "no need for arrows on this boy's picture - you can definitely tell he's a boy." He also asked if we'd ever seen the show "My Three Sons." While I hadn't, I had heard of it. He joked around with us quite a bit (we talked about how sometimes ugly parents have beautiful children and vice versa) and then he explained to the med student that "The Good's and I go way back." I'm sure that comment was for our benefit, but we always enjoy seeing him. He explains things well and he also makes us laugh. While everything looks great, he said he wanted to see us back toward the beginning of our next trimester just to confirm that the baby's completely healthy (adding that Caleb is a good indication that this baby should also do just fine). We scheduled our appointment on a day where we should be guaranteed to see Dr. Bayliss again.

After hearing his comment on "My Three Sons" I was trying to think of other three's. Of course I thought of the Three Musketeers and the Three Amigos and smiled. Then I thought of the Three Stooges and shook my head. God is a holy trinity, but I don't believe my kids to be deity (even though I think a lot of their Daddy!). There's the three little pigs, and the boys love the story about the three bears (but that was a Daddy, Mommy and Baby so that one doesn't count). Anyway, I don't know if I'll think of more or not, but this was the start of my list.

The baby loves to have his hands by his face. In this photo, you can really see his arm and hand. Every time the tech wanted to see something, our little guy would put his hands right where she wanted to scan. He would also 'run away' as she put it. But, they got what they needed.

Joshua was extremely disappointed to hear that he wasn't going to have a sister after all. As Daddy said, we could always adopt some day. Either way, I know that he'll be thrilled when the baby comes. Caleb has wanted a boy all along, and he insists that we name the baby 'Mater.' Every time I ask him, that's his suggestion. Joshua says 'no, silly, that's a truck!' We laugh. The baby will not be named Mater, but we haven't officially decided on his name yet.

Here's the baby's development over the past couple weeks:

Week 18

Fetal Development

Our little one is nearly half a pound now and very human looking. Pads are forming on the fingertips and toes, and the eyes are looking forward rather than out the sides of the head. Meconium, the baby's first bowel movement, is accumulating within the bowel. If your baby is a boy, his prostate gland is beginning to develop. If you notice your belly making jerky movements in sync, don't panic; your baby may have the hiccups!

Maternal Changes

Feeling dizzy, lightheaded or faint are normal during pregnancy. These symptoms aren't harmful unless they occur frequently or severely. "Postural hypotension" is low blood pressure due to a change in position and happens frequently in pregnancy because your cardiovascular system doesn't react as fast.

Inspirational Thoughts

If you bungle raising your children, I don't think whatever else you do well matters very much. ~Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis

Week 19

Fetal Development

Along with the lanugo, vernix caseosa forms on your baby's skin. Vernix is a white cheesy substance that protects your baby's skin from its aquatic environment ~ imagine how your skin would look if you sat in water for nine months! The placenta continues to grow and nourish the baby.

For us, knowing we'll have a c-section, this is the half way mark in the pregnancy! :)

Happy 1/11/11!

On Sunday morning, our family missed going to church for the second week in a row. Caleb had been coughing, and we didn't want to risk getting the other kiddos in his classroom sick. But, we were grateful to Grandma for agreeing to watch the boys at her house that night so we could go to life group. They enjoy playing in her finished basement! We enjoyed having time as a adults with friends. Our evening included a video by a guy (whose name escapes me at the moment) describing a day when he, his wife and his son were shopping at the mall. His son desperately wanted a toy that wouldn't be good for him, and he threw a fit right there at the kiosk, saying "but I thought you loved me!" The father scooped up his two-year-old and took him to the car as he was kicking and screaming. But, the parents knew that they were heading across the street to the sporting goods store, which they had already been planning to do. There, they let the little boy pick out his own kickball, and the little boy was thrilled! The point of the message was that God is the giver of all good gifts, and there are times we think that we want something - to the point that we're upset with God - when He has something even better in store for us. As a group we went around and discussed the questions that were included with the video. It was a good reminder that God has good plans for us (Jeremiah 29:11), and we don't always see the bigger picture.

On Monday, my original plans were to take the boys to the mall to get Caleb's pictures that we had missed on Friday. But, he was still schnarky, so I called and rescheduled. Instead, Caleb fell asleep in my arms, and I played the 'question' game with Joshua. Cousin Jordon had given us a "Brain Quest" a long time ago that said it was for 5-6 year-olds that was to give children a 'smart start.' When we got it, it was a little too old for the Bean, but I pulled it out as we were reorganizing toys over the weekend, and I used that day to ask the first set of questions to Joshua. I was sincerely impressed that he knew 99% of the answers! The ones that he typically got wrong were dealing with money. I haven't taught him the value of the various types of coins, so he didn't know which ones would add up to 6 cents or would pay for a 35 cent toy, etc. But, the rest he did really well with. I was surprised. He enjoyed the questions game, and took it with him to bed when it was time for him to nap. We continued with the same theme into the evening, so Monday night was family game night at our house. We played Memory as a family, Dominoes, Chutes & Ladders, etc. The kids had a great time!

This date also started a week of palindromes. Each date would be read the same forward or backward. :)

I had been looking forward to Tuesday, January 11 for a long time. I recognized it as being 1/11/11, and I had scheduled a babysitter for that evening so Shawn & I could go out and celebrate (after all, 111 is a special number to me). It was also the start of the women's Bible study. But, the morning didn't go my way at all. Caleb was coughing so hard that he started vomiting. I called my sister, who thankfully took the Bean to preschool and brought him home. She also picked up my materials for me, but I hadn't gotten to go and participate that morning. Caleb was feeling better, but I wasn't sure if we'd get to go out or not. I was feeling a little bummed in general.

But, Grandpa Georgia said he didn't mind the cold that Caleb had so long as he wasn't still throwing up. He also said he didn't mind that the weather was calling for half a foot of snow that night. So, he came over anyway. And while Caleb was extremely pale, he did fine with Grandpa and ate some waffles for dinner (rather than the pizza I made for Joshua & Dad to eat). My husband brought home a beautiful bouquet of roses with him and we went to Carrabbas right down the street with my gift card from Christmas. While the roads were slick (Shawn slid once in the mile home), they were passable. We also ran into our next door neighbors at the restaurant. Great minds think alike! When we got home, the boys said "Daddy, Daddy, it's snowing! Merry Christmas!" We laughed. Silly guys! They were well behaved for Grandpa, who also slid on his way home. After the boys were in bed, Shawn & I started watching the second Narnia movie "Prince of Caspian." I am blessed to have such a wonderful husband. And I'm thankful to Grandpa for watching the boys and the boys for letting us go out and have a night to enjoy! Happy 1/11/11!

Classic Parenting Moment

This morning, I was dealing with Caleb's sickness (which I'll post more about in a bit) and Aunt Jen was coming to pick up Joshua. I knew that even though we had been up for a long time, we were going to be pressed for time to get ready. I asked Joshua to please get dressed while I took Caleb's sheets off his bed. He said "No. I want to play." I explained that we needed to keep moving, so he was all done playing if he wanted to go to preschool. I asked him to go to his room and grab his sneakers. Again, his response was "No." Next, I told him to take off his jammies so we could get dressed. He said "No" in his whiny voice. I was done with the No's. I sat him down and said in a very firm voice that we don't say "no" when Mommy asks us to do something. If he said "no" again, he was getting a time out (which he HATES! No toys and no interaction are torture for him!). I ended our talk with "Now, are you going to say 'NO' again?" He looked at me with big eyes and shook his head saying "Nuh-uh." I giggled. Had I set him up for failure or what? Haaaa!!!

Caleb Turns Two & a Half

Saturday, January 8, was Caleb's 30-month birthday. The night before when we were tucking the boys in bed, Joshua prayed that it would snow more overnight so that he could build a snowman. When he woke up and saw the big white fluffy flakes coming down, the first words out of his mouth were "Thank you, Jesus, for the snow!"

Since it was snowing, we decided to work on indoor projects. The first thing we did that morning was organize our office/play room. We made a box of toys that Caleb has officially outgrown, which we will save for the next baby. Then we organized where we wanted the rest of the toys to go, finding space for the toys the boys had gotten for Christmas. This also required that Joshua take all the toys he had hoarded in his room (where most of the Christmas toys were) and bring them over for us to put away. When their room was empty, Shawn put Caleb's big boy bed up (we had just had him sleeping on his mattress close to the ground) and I put on sheets & a comforter set that we had bought for Joshua back in the day before finding his quilt set. While I like the quilt set better and still hope to find one for Caleb that's identical, this bedding works for now. Now we just need to put up his letters that he got for Christmas.

Speaking of letters, Caleb knows how to spell his name. If you ask him, he will say "C-A-L-E-B." He also spells Joshua, since the Bean says it when we ask. Caleb is a sponge these days. He picks up on everything! I hear him say things that make me think of Daddy & his older brother.

Caleb still has his sweet little voice, though, that melts our hearts. And he'll often cup our face with his hands and tell us "I love you." It is seriously the sweetest thing ever. He'll do it at night or whenever the thought strikes him. He also says "Josh-u-wa" so cute! We love how it sounds almost like a long 'o.' Caleb doesn't always do everything that the Bean wants him to, but Caleb definitely wants his brother nearby.

Caleb's potty training has been going well, I'd say. But, he's sick again. It started off with a barking cough on this special day and has gradually gotten worse and worse. Poor little guy! My guess is that he picked it up at his well check, but you never know. Please pray that he feels better!

Footprints in the Snow

Friday morning, January 7, we woke up to an inch or two of snow on the ground. Joshua wanted to make a snowman, and I told him that there wasn't enough snow to make Frosty. We made a few snowballs and then I asked them who's boot made a larger print, Mama's or there's? Joshua thought the idea of making footprints in the snow was great, so the boys walked all over the yard.

I always think it takes way more time to get them both dressed in their outerwear than it does to enjoy the snow, but it was worth it that day. I have a habit of asking the boys (and Daddy) what their favorite part of the day was, and Joshua said that making footprints in the snow was the most fun for him. I waited until it was a little warmer in the afternoon to take them out, and I think they enjoyed it more that way. They both had on a long-sleeve shirt and a sweater or sweatshirt over top, warm jeans and snow pants, a heavy coat, warm socks, boots, gloves and a hat. Joshua also had his scarf on.

That same afternoon, both boys climbed onto my lap to hear stories. We read bears books and Thomas books and all sorts of stories together. When asked, I said that was the favorite part of my day. I love cuddle time! One of my favorite things is snuggling with a little boy who smells like the syrup from his breakfast. :) :) :)

That night when Daddy came home, we decided to use up the last of our gift card to Joshua's favorite pizza restaurant. I had cooked all week long (spaghetti on Monday night, Chicken & mashed potatoes and a veggie on Tuesday night, Brown Butter noodles & beef with gravy and veggies on Wednesday night, pork & stuffing with a veggie on Thursday night), and I had asked Shawn what sounded good for dinner that night. He suggested we do the pizza restaurant and I wholeheartedly agreed. Joshua said that evening though he was really tired, he was game. :) Both boys ate extremely well. In fact, Caleb had four slices of Alfredo pizza besides some noodles, a bread stick, some peas and a sticky bun!

That week we had watched "Lady & the Tramp" as a family. I had forgotten how cute it was! I loved how Lady called her parents "Darling" and "Jim Dear." The boys loved it, especially with the puppies.

Friday night I gave Caleb Luke a quick bath - Joshua said he'd rather go straight to bed than take a bath, and Daddy agreed to wait until the next night. Then I read them a story (since the Bean was still awake), we did our typical bedtime routine of cuddling with them, singing and saying prayers, and then Daddy & I went downstairs to enjoy a movie since the boys got to bed in record time. It was a nice day overall!

2.5 Year Caleb Well-Check

On Wednesday, January 5, Caleb & I dropped Joshua off at preschool and then headed straight to the pediatrician's office for his 2.5 year well-check-up. We arrived early and went into the well child room. I explained to Caleb that the other room where most of the toys are is for kids who are really sick, and we want him to stay healthy. When other kids came in, he said a prayer for them, ending with "in Jesus' name, AMEN!" I thought it was so sweet. He so wanted to play with the other kids - here he is making a friend through the glass!

It took awhile for them to call us back, but eventually it was our turn to go see Dr. Tifft. First, they had him take off his shoes and step onto the scale. Afterward, they had him stand against the wall to measure his height. Even differences in how they take measurements remind me of how big my little 'Bluke is getting! Here are his stats:

Weight: 31 lbs (64.96%)
Height: 37" (72.7%)

So, my little guy is over three feet tall, and according to the doctor his BMI is 38%, which is good. Dr. Tifft said he's growing normally and looks healthy. Before he came in, the nurse was there taking his measurements and asking us the normal routine questions. As I heard how tall he was, I said "where did my baby go?" to which Caleb replied loudly "It's in your belly!" The nurse laughed, and I smiled. I said "why, yes, but I meant my baby Caleb... he's getting to be such a big boy!" Caleb smiled back. He loves to be a big boy!

After the nurse left when we were in the room all by ourselves, Caleb looked at me and then pointed to the instruments on the wall and said "I don't want them in my ears!" I knew that they would check his ears, but I just started playing another game with him. Dr. Tifft came in shortly thereafter and asked me all sorts of questions. He seemed legitimately surprised that Caleb knew his entire alphabet and their sounds already, as well as his numbers. I explained that we have an older son, too, and the doctor reminded me that while older brother may help, truly it has to be Caleb's capacity to learn the information. He noted how intelligent our little guy is. :)

He also asked me if he's developed a hand preference, and I replied that he typically uses his right. Dr. Tifft said that most children show their preference by age 3, so that makes me think that Caleb's a righty and Joshua is most definitely a lefty. (Daddy prayed for a left-handed pitcher, so we'll see!) Dr. Tifft also asked us how potty training was going, and I said we were just starting to have major success in that area (he's been keeping dry other than nap times and overnight - or when we put a diaper or pull-up on him to go out - but those are times that he chooses to do his official business, too.) Dr. Tifft said that the average age for a boy is 3.5 years, so it's fine to start working on it if Caleb shows interest and it's fine to wait if he loses interest. I'm hoping we'll just keep the momentum going!

Dr. Tifft noted that Caleb rubbed his cheek and it turned red and scratchy. He gave that condition a name (which I promptly forgot and much to my dismay is not written on my paperwork). He asked if Caleb had any allergies, and I responded that there are none to the best of my knowledge. The doctor said that sometimes skin like this is a sign of allergies, but it doesn't have to be. If we see any changes, we can contact the office. Otherwise, it's nothing to be concerned about. In fact, he said that Caleb is a healthy little guy who is growing nicely.

He asked me about his temperament and then he started his evaluation of my Bluke, telling him to sit on my lap rather than making him get onto the table. Caleb climbed up onto me and put both his hands over his ears. Dr. Tifft chuckled and said "I'm taking it that you don't want me to look into your ears today." He listened to his heart and breathing, checked his eyes, checked under his pull-up (when Caleb's hands left his ears!), and then told my little one that he had to look in his ears. He explained to Caleb that if he didn't move, it wouldn't hurt at all. The more still he could be, the easier it would be to see, and there would be no pain involved. So, Caleb cooperated and I asked him afterward if it hurt, and he said no.

Then Dr. Tifft let Caleb pick out a sticker and told him to get one for his brother, too, which I thought was sweet. Caleb picked one for himself that said "SUPER!" and another one that said "OH YEAH!" I told him what both of them said, and he kept them apart, knowing which was which when it came time to give one to his big brother. Joshua was thankful for his sticker and gave Caleb a big hug for getting it for him. It was a good check-up!

The Last Day of Winter Break

Monday, January 3, was Joshua's last day off of preschool for the winter break. Since Daddy didn't get a day off for New Year's Eve or New Year's Day (because it landed on a Saturday), he also had some time on Monday to spend with us. We went to the mall to make a return, and we took the boys downstairs to eat lunch and play at the playground. They had a blast! I love when they get to run and burn off energy in the winter. It was a fun day together.

I must share a story about how 'old' my beloved Joshua is getting. As we were all sitting at the little table and the boys were enjoying their chicken nuggets, he got up and said "I'll be back in a minute." Um... excuse me? I said "Where are you going?" He replied "I have to go potty." He was fully intending on going by himself! While he goes on his own at home, there was no way I'd let him go to the mall bathrooms alone. So, I explained that he'd have to go with one of us. I'm so glad that the mall has family bathrooms, too. I dread the thought of him going to the men's room without me some day!

Another 'grown up' moment this week: I asked Joshua why his teacher wanted him to bring in gloves or mittens to class one day. The explanation we as parents got was "have your student bring them to class; they will be returned to you at the end of the day." I didn't know if she had explained to the kiddos what they were doing, so I asked the Bean. His response? In a very matter of fact voice, he looked at me and said "I don't know - we'll see!" The way he said "we'll see" sounded SO adult that I giggled. He is getting bigger by the day!

But there are also times that I'm reminded of just how little he is. We called Daddy's cell phone one night, expecting that he would be on his way home. Instead, he was still busy at work. I had our phone on speaker, and Joshua said "Daddy, it's dark now, so it's time for you to please come home. We're missing you!" The way he said it in his little voice made my heart melt. I'm sure Shawn felt the same way. He promised to leave ASAP and come home to us. :)

'P' is for Potty

On Monday, January 3, Caleb finally had his first real success in the potty. And he's been going ever since! We've had a couple accidents where he told us he needed to go and we didn't quite make it, but we've had more success than not overall. If we put a pull-up or diaper on him, he goes in it immediately. But he seems to grasp that he should keep his big boy undies dry. Please pray for continued success!

We gave him one M&M for doing such a great job. Each time he goes, he gets one. He LOVES them! While this reward system never really worked with Joshua, Caleb looks forward to his tiny piece of chocolate, and his favorite color of M&M is blue. I think how he says M&M is adorable. He keeps asking for his "M's." He'll say "I need an M!" Love it! Shawn & I both think it's so cute. Great job, little buddy! Let's try to be potty trained completely before the baby comes! :) :) :)

Yeah, Buddy!

Cousin Jess told us about a website that will print your blog in book form. I finally figured out how to format the pages (which takes a LONG time!), and it costs a small fortune (my first book of years 2006-2007 cost $65 to print with a coupon). But, I was thrilled that I could print out the memories that I've been recording. After all, I haven't done a great job with keeping up with the baby books, but I do try to get many things into the blog when I have time.

Last night after I had spent a couple hours working on the year 2008 (after the boys were in bed), it dawned on me that they may never read these books. The first one was almost 300 pages, and this next one looks to be even longer. Will they ever be interested in what they were doing as a baby enough to read them? Truthfully, I don't know. And then the thought occurred to me that God must feel the same disappointment I felt at that moment. After all, the Book He created for us to read is meant to help us on this journey of life, give us wisdom to make the right choices, and to know Him and grow closer to Him. I've read the entire Bible, but I can't say that I know it all. There's always more to learn!

I hope that some day the boys will want to read about their childhood when they have extra time. But, more than that, I hope that they want to read the Bible everyday, as it is God's inspired Word.

More Celebrations!

On New Year's Day (1/1/11 - cool number!) the kids woke us up early, even though they had stayed up late. The boys & I went to Aunt Jen's house to enjoy pork & sauerkraut for a prosperous New Year while Daddy stayed home in hopes of a nap. But, he didn't end up sleeping, I don't think, as I saw that he had adjusted the crib up to its baby height and did some other things around the house. He's such a good husband! The boys enjoyed playing with their cousins, and Joshua was devastated when it was time to go. He was so exhausted, though, that he fell asleep (as did Caleb) in Aunt Jen's driveway as she came out to look at our new ride. They also sent along some pork & sauerkraut with me and I devoured the leftovers the next few days. While I'm not normally a huge fan of sauerkraut (I don't hate it but I wouldn't say I love it), the baby must REALLY like it because I couldn't get enough. I was sad when it was all gone.

Sunday morning we headed up to Berks County for our last Christmas gathering. As we were wrapping our gifts the night before, we realized that two of them hadn't shown up yet - DOH! We hadn't worried about them since we knew we had an extra week for them to arrive, and then lo and behold we forgot until it was too late. So, we'll have to make a special delivery.

We enjoyed a nice big breakfast of scrambled eggs, waffles, grapes & bananas, biscuits & sausage gravy, potatoes and bacon. Everything was delicious. Poor Caleb Luke desperately wanted bacon, too, but we said no as it typically comes back up. Joshua didn't want to eat; he was there to play with his cousins! Once again, they enjoyed hunting down the kitty cat. Soon enough it was time to open gifts. Caleb got some nice trains and tracks (thanks so much!) and Joshua got a little Mac truck with a Lightning inside that he had asked for, along with Ham (or Evil Dr. Porkchop) and Jeremy the Airplane. He also got two new sweaters, one of which he's wearing to school today. I told Joshua to hold up his Ham to show me so I could take a picture, but he thought I said 'hand.' I giggled and took it anyway.

Both boys were still tired from not catching up on their sleep from the holiday weekend, so we left just before 2 pm and once again they passed out in the car before we even hit the street. It was a nice morning, though.

It's in the Bag

Joshua has been joined at the hip to 'bags' now for several months. We would hear "I want the bag" if we were handing out treats, crackers, fries or anything that can come in what looks like a bag. Thankfully, Caleb was okay with getting a pile and we could give Joshua his beloved bag.

Now the bag has turned into a carrying tool for his toys. He has become a bag lady, or man. He has been a hoarder of toys for some time now but as he collects more and more, they become cumbersome to carry around. So, he started putting small toys in a bag that his Cars toys came in. Then he moved on to the gallon-size baggies that carry more toys (I may have started those as I would pack suitcases for trips; I would organize toys into smaller bags for easy access). Then he received toys in gift bags at Christmas and he would load them up with more toys. Most recently, he has a GI-NORMOUS handled bag from Gymboree that stores his little Mac truck, his new Ham/Evil Dr. Pork Chop, his Jeremy the Airplane, his King & Chick Hix, various trains and cars, his Leapster, and more! Whatever it is that he can't part with that day goes into the bag, and he lugs it around with him everywhere, even taking it to bed with him. He was devastated when the bag ripped. It simply can't hold all his precious things. And while he doesn't mind sharing some things, he likes to keep his important stuff close to him.

Shawn & I just laugh most days about the bag. Our Bean will either grow out of this phase (and I'll be glad I have this record of the memory) or he will grow up to be on that show Hoarders that I've never seen but heard about. Silly Joshua! ;-)

New Year's Eve

The Bean woke up just before 5 am on New Year's Eve. He came over and hopped into bed with us, hoping for some snuggle time. But, much to his dismay, Daddy was getting up to get ready and leave for work. Joshua cried and cried that Daddy left before the sun came out. I explained that New Year's Eve is a busy day for Daddy at work, where they do inventory. He said "Christmas Eve?" Nope, but it's still another holiday. :) He cuddled with me for a little while and then asked to be carried back to his bed. I took him over and tucked him in, and he slept past 8 am that morning! In fact, Grandpa Georgia came over to see our new minivan, and it was the doorbell that woke him up (Caleb had gotten up before him but hadn't been up throughout the night). Grandpa enjoyed a cup of hot tea while Caleb ate his breakfast (Joshua was not interested in eating that morning), and then we showed him our new ride. After he left, we decided to venture outdoors because it was a gorgeous day out (for PA, that is).

It was sunny and the temperature was above 40 degrees, or perfect weather to go for a walk around the neighborhood. I always ask the boys to tell me what they see, and we often talk about the same things that they notice. But, Joshua pointed at one tree that was still hanging on to quite a few of its dead leaves. We had not noticed it before. He was sad that everything was brown and not green. Yes, my little love, winter is a rough season! When we got back from our walk, we played in the garage and driveway. Joshua wrote his name, and Caleb wrote a 'C.' Then Joshua finished Caleb's name for him, and they continued to draw pictures. Thereafter, they got in their cozy coupe cars and went to the 'store' to buy some milk & cookies (now that we know Santa likes them). They were having a blast! Eventually, though, we came in because it was time for naps. I made a quick lunch of leftover ham, easy mac 'n cheese and peas & carrots (since the boys love them) and they both ate a little bit before passing out.

Daddy got out of work a little earlier than I was expecting, but not in enough time to get a much-needed nap before the boys were awake and pouncing on him. He's such a good dad! Instead, we got ready and headed out to Joshua's favorite pizza restaurant, where we used our gift card. The kids ate relatively well, and the place was PACKED! From there, we headed up to Nonie & Poppy's house, and the boys were so excited to see their cousin Jordon (pictured with them - thanks for the photos, Nonie!). We dropped the boys off and left to go see a movie called "the Fighter." It was based on a true story, and while a boxing movie would not normally be my favorite, it was pretty good. Shawn loved it. He also enjoyed just relaxing after a long day at work. When the movie was over, we tried to stop at Starbucks for some caffeine, but they were already closed. So, we headed back to Nonie & Poppy's where we visited with them for awhile and their company. The boys were "trying to find the kitty" (as Caleb kept telling us). Their cat does NOT like the attention and runs and hides, so the boys kept looking for her, and when they would find her, she'd run off again. They thought this was a FANTASTIC game, which kept them occupied most of the evening. 

We changed Caleb into his PJs - Joshua got changed by himself in the bathroom - and since we could tell they were both tired, we said our goodbyes and headed for home. We walked in the door around 11:30 pm, and we tucked an already-sleeping Caleb into bed. We took turns snuggling with the Bean and tucked him into his covers, and by the time we got into our pajamas, it was close to midnight. We turned on the TV in our bedroom to watch the ball drop in Times Square, turning it off after wishing each other a Happy New Year and passing out from a long day. But, before we nodded off, I said "Oh my! We're going to have another baby this year!" And that was it before I heard the soft consistent breathing of my exhausted unconscious husband. Happy New Year!