43 weeks old

Well we are making some progress in the sleep department.  We decided to stop feeding him at every waking and instead initially offer him some water and then just keep laying him back down (I still nurse him once per night).  The first night went shockingly well (up a lot, but back to sleep in under ten minutes each time).  The next night was amazing...slept 7:45-5:30 and then back to bed until 7:00.  Since then, it's been ok.  Up 2-3 times a night and going back to sleep ok at most wakings, but we've had a couple take 30-40 minutes to get him back to sleep. He'll get there and we are all more rested than a week ago, so that's progress.

We've also successfully gotten him to wear and keep on shoes!  As it's getting colder, I wanted something to put on his feet when we are out and about that he can't take off.  I had some soft soled shoes that I thought would be perfect.  I got Calvin's foot into them, they fit, but Calvin disagreed about them being perfect.  I took them off, and thought, "oh well,"  The next morning, he crawled over to them and started to play with them and then attempt to put one on.  He's worn them whenever we've left the house since and can't get them off and doesn't seem to mind them.  Hopefully he doesn't learn to take them off for a few months so he doesn't have cold, bare feet all winter.

Calvin enjoyed another USD football game this weekend.  He even got to stay the entire game and stayed awake for all of it. He was really tired by the end, but did really well.

He's really starting to get more and more confident on his feet.  He will push his puppy around and "walk" behind it and will cruise along the couch.  We've seen him stand on his own without holding on, but anytime he realizes he's doing that, he instantly sits down.

I wish we had a good video of his laughter at story time tonight. We've been going to pajama story time on Monday nights and Calvin does ok for a while, but gets a little restless since it's close to bedtime.  Tonight they did a parachute game (like the parachutes from gym class), and Calvin just thought that was hysterical!  He laughed harder than I've ever heard him laugh.  At one point, he was out of breath from laughing so hard.

Still loves his baths

Favorite book right now

First time wearing shoes...hated them!  

Messy, messy, messy.

First time in the sand, and didn't even eat any!

42 weeks old

Not too much new in Calvin's world this week.  He had his first Halloween and really wasn't sure what to think at all the excitement and his costume.  He was a little monster, which we thought was fitting since I always call him "the monster."  He was content on the Halloween parade through the nursing home and did fine trick-or-treating as long as I was holding him.  He did great with the time change adjustment and slept until 7:00 new time.  No one get too jealous of our good luck with that, we're still up 3-5 times a night!  In other news, Calvin has learned how to walk a few steps in a row behind his puppy.

Trying to crawl away from the pictures. 

Trying to pull Liz's hair. 

41 weeks old

Well, night time sleep is still not going well.  On the upside, we made some progress.  He will go to sleep pretty well most of the time on his own, and is still napping well.  Talk to us in a few years and hopefully we've slept more than a handful of hours in a row.

Some things Calvin's up to:
- taking his socks off all the time.  We still haven't ever successfully put shoes on him and I don't see it happening anytime soon.
- only using his pacifier at bed time.  With both kids, I've aimed for less pacifier use around six months and taking it away at awake time at nine months.  Calvin's mostly there.  I do let him keep it when he goes to the gym daycare as he's still not a huge fan of that and on longer car rides, but for the most part, it stays in the crib.  I don't even take it with us when running errands or going to play dates anymore.  Can't believe in about three months we will be trying to take it away completely!
- his first Pumpkin Palooza!   Liz and Calvin hung out with the moms while the dads and older kids played outside.  Not a lot of pumpkin carving took place, but we sure had a great time.
- eating, eating, eating.  We went out to dinner and he helped us finish all three meals we ordered, plus a pouch of baby food.  And I don't even want to discuss the things he eats that aren't food...leaves, wood chips, play dough, play foam, cardboard, paper, etc.  Or what about the way he chases the broom around looking for scraps or the way he crawls around the kitchen looking for scraps, or probably his worst habit...taking the tray off the Swiffer and foraging for food.  If I had to pick right now, I'd say apples are his favorite foods and grapes are his least favorite.  He won't even touch a grape.
- using the toilet to pull himself up.  It was easier to keep the bathroom door shut when only grown-ups and a baby lived here.  Oh and Travis may or may not have found him splashing in the toilet today!
- short baths.  He still loves the bath, but I can only make him sit back down so many times before he gets upset and just has to get out.  He thinks the tub is the perfect place to stand up.
- figuring out a straw cup.  I don't know how to get a baby to use a sippy cup.  Caleb struggled to tip it far enough to get anything and we are having the same struggle with Calvin.  But man does this little guy love to drink water with a straw cup!

Cute boy in blue jeans

Playing outside.  We are loving the nice weather well into October!

Big week ahead...Halloween!  Calvin is going as a monster, which is fitting because I refer to him as "monster man."

40 weeks old

Well this week can officially be known as "the week of no sleep."  Seriously, Calvin slept worse this week then when he was a newborn.  Beginning Wednesday he was up every 2 hours in the night...I take that back, he did sleep one three hour stretch.  The worst part was he didn't even know what he wanted. Usually when he wakes up, he wants to nurse and then lays back down and goes to sleep.  Now, it was anyone's guess what he wanted.  He didn't want to be rocked, he didn't want to lay down, it was unclear if teething tablets helped, he only needed a diaper change once, etc, etc.  I think the issue is he still can't figure out how to lay himself down from standing up.  He immediately pops up when laid down and then cries and cries, but gets super upset if we come lay him back down. He's never been a baby who liked to rock to sleep, so try as we might, he would fight that for an hour before finally just passing out in our arms.  Sunday night was better, so hopefully we are turning a corner on this.  I'm taking any and all suggestions on how to teach your child to lay back down.  He can't figure out how to sit down or lay down once he's standing up other than by falling over.

And I'm pretty certain I went 7 days without taking a picture of him!

Nine months old!

The best news from this week is it appears Calvin is not allergic to corn!!!  Who knows what the rash was caused by last time, but he's had corn three days this week and nothing.  Now that our little monkey man is nine months old, here is what he's up to:

- pulling up on everything
- climbing the stairs...I left him at the bottom of the stairs while I ran up to grab something.  I came back to find him on the third step.
- crawling all over (still army crawling)
- dancing - loves to dance along to music
- eating - man does this little guy love to eat!  If I had to pick a favorite food for him, I'd say apples.  Just take a couple of bites out of one and hand it to him and he will go to town on it.
- babbling and making noise.  He has a very, very loud babble and it's often hard to tell if he's happy or sad when he's babbling.
- thinking about cruising along the furniture.  He will move a couple of steps and then forgets to move his feet and just leans for whatever he's trying to get to.
- standing up in his crib all the time which is leading to some rough nights of sleep.  I'm convinced he does it in his sleep and then wakes up mad that he's standing up.
- finally made the move to his convertible car seat.  He's still rear facing, but seems to love the extra room.

Showing off crawling on his knees. 

Ha ha Mom, I'm not going to let taking my picture be easy

Just a boy and a bowl of apples. 

Loves his new seat!

Cozy shirts for a fall morning. 

Baptism pics

As promised, here are some pictures from Calvin's baptism.  Hopefully our kids realize how loved they are!

 

Week 38

This week Calvin decided baby food is for babies, and he is not a baby.  He will only let us feed him his pureed baby food if that is the first thing he gets.  Once the finger food is out, game over on the purees.  Oh well, guess that means I don't have to keep making baby food!  For breakfast this week, he had an entire waffle with either a banana or clementine. He's getting better at pulling himself up and was even found standing in his crib.  He enjoyed his first USD football game and he even caught a nap at half time.  We didn't make the brunch or parade on account of a long and late morning nap, but it was worth it to have a happy baby with us for the game.

Sleeping at the game.  Held my hand tight over his ear to block out the noise.  He slept close to an hour like this. 

Investigating his food. 

Crazy boys getting dressed for church

Lunch, and no, this wasn't enough food for him. 

Did someone say they were cooking, I'll be right in. 

Reaching for the last few bites of banana