7 months of life with a boy

I'm tired of starting each post saying I'll surely post more frequently. Or that I can't believe it's already been a month (or three). So, I  won't. But what I will say is that my kids are incredibly fun....when I'm not letting them drive me crazy; and life is always crazy round here right now; and I'll just have fun filling people in as I get the chance because, quite honestly, when I have five minutes I want to sit and stare into space....or read. Reading is always a good option. I have 20 chapters of Jane Eyre to read by next Thursday....think I can make it? The last time I read Jane Eyre  I was in middle school. I'm stoked to read it again because I'm positive 75% of the book went over my head, who knows what treasures I might find? If I can only pick it up and begin....I love book clubs. And I hate that a chosen book suddenly transforms into homework. How does our inner psyche do that?

I need to go to bed, but before I do: Calvin turned 7 months last week.

 He started crawling last week. I was taken aback by his voracious practice habits. From 7:30am to 7:30 pm all this boy did was try to crawl. For three weeks. The last week involved much wailing and tears. He is proud as punch. And rightly so.

He also has the most joy-filled smile this mama has ever seen. I catch my breath sometimes when he unleashes one straight at me. I wish I could catch it on camera to save forever. I know in 18 months this stage will be a haze and I'm pretty sure everything will fade to a fuzzily warm clarity.

 

Abigail is proud of Calvin ( Ca-in she calls him. Or Big Man. No idea where she got that moniker, it's all her own and it's adorable) for crawling but largely unsure of this new state. He's spent 6.5 months plotting out which toys he desires...and they all happen to be hers. 

 He's a sinner. A cute one, but definitely a sinner. :o) He has perfected the "I want that" cry and Abigail is quickly becoming enured to it.

 

The day that Calvin turned 7 months, Abigail rang up 28 of them, I celebrated my 366th month, AND John and I celebrated 5 years of marriage. How's that for consolidating dates?! 

But back to Abigail. She's entering that stage where she can more completely express thoughts and handle past and future thoughts better. All of this leads to absolutely hilarious phrases coming out of her mouth. 

Tonight she told John that he was 'quishing' her hands. Or, if she has something in her hands but wants to pick up another object, she'll look up at me with wide eyes and say: "I jus only got two hands Mama. Hep me." When she is trying to wheedle her pacifier out of me her line of reasoning runs : "I cold Mama....I hot....I sweepy....Mama, I jus' need sumpin in my mouf."  

We're also going on 8 months of potty training....I know. Sometimes I just want to bang my head against the wall. 

But she is getting it. Slowly. Very slowly. Slow like molasses. At least we get the benefit of comments like

"I jus' don know when my poop coming Mama." or, no matter the condition of her underwear, as soon as you take it off and wipe her bottom she'll proudly proclaim " I cwean an dwhy!" 

Her favorite place to do her business is in our WC while John is in there sitting. No joke. And he often lets her. Which just goes to show you never can tell what kind of pull a daughter will have over her father. 

Who could resist a face like this? 

This smile is her Papa's fault. He taught her how to do a grimace and it's become her go-to expression. 

 That's how we roll around here. Signing off until next time we're footloose and fancy free ( or pants-free, depending on the day)

Much love, 

Katy

Calvin at 6 months

He is 6 months old this week. It's flown. Before Calvin's birth my friend Anna, who has two children, mentioned that her second seemed like an infant far longer than her first. As if she had to wait longer to know who that baby was.

It didn't make sense at the time, but now it does. Abigial at 4 months seemed so full of personality. Every new thing she did made her seem so 'old'. Calvin has seemed like a newborn in comparison....because my comparison is running around the house in her underwear  and a tie while making up songs.

So it's been a lot of fun this past month watching Calvin start to blossom. He's sitting up, he's jabbering, he's reaching for what he wants and laughing at Abigail running around in her underwear.  He's 15.5 pounds, 26 inches long, has more smiles than any baby I've ever met, and is generally a good sleeper.

This is also his 5 month photo.....I just never got it up.

He also loves his daddy. And, coincidentally, happens to be wearing his daddy's outfit in this picture. I love that it says 'superbaby' all over. Makes me wonder if this is, perhaps,the precursor to "If you think I'm handsome you should see my daddy." and "I'm cute" .......but Calvin wears it well.

As a side note: One of my favorite aspects of digital cameras is seeing the progression of the photo shoot. Some are hilarious; this particular one was just sweet. So I'll let you see a few ( because I know you're dying to).

He makes me smile. 

It helps that I'm his favorite right now. 

Halfway into his first year we declare him a keeper.

I two.

That's what she'll say on a very good day. On a normal day, in response to "How old are you?" she'll say  "I Abigail." which is close, but no banana.

As of December 19th, this is sweet girl is, in fact, two years old. 

She has also had the flu this past week, so when I tried to take pictures, this is the best I got out of four. Yep, just four. That's all she would sit for. Oh well :o0 At least her nose wasn't running at the time. 

 

 

Here are the other three.

 :o) 

She is growing like a weed, I can tell because I've been holding her a lot this week and her legs drop down much, much further. It's almost unbelievable how much she's changed this year, the unbelievable part being how much I've already forgotten. It's scary that the memories become a distant blur so quickly. If it wasn't for the quick notes I occasionally jot down there's no way I would have any memories of her second year of life.  Because she has changed so much I'm putting up 12 pictures, one a month, so you can enjoy her change too...what more could one ask for, huh?

 

January 

She is playing her chapstick, aka kazoo, I think. She started giving us peeks into her sense of humor around one year old, and I love it. She thoroughly enjoys a good joke, especially if it's on her papa.

 February

This picture makes me laugh, because she still does this ( she's doing the laundry). We start 'em young around these parts.

 

 March

Bringing in the flowers. Nothing funny to say here. She's just cute.

 April

She grew up a lot from March to April, I can see that as I look back. No, we did not start potty traning in April ( though I wish we had....it's taking long enough now), but she had fun experimenting. She also had fun playing in her birthday suit in the backyard. We did that a lot this past summer, a cute tan resulted. 

 

May

She picked up her pacifier the day she was weened from nursing.....and she's kept it ever since. We managed to keep it hidden whie she was  a flower girl in her Aunt Sarah's wedding. I love this last picture. I love my husband and how much fun he has with his little girl. Makes me weak-kneed.

 June

The serious business of blueberry picking requires serious accessories.  

July

we have no pictures in July. John? Papa? Will? anyone? 

 

August

left to right: One of my all-time favorites: Abigial pushing her best-buddy Amelia. Drinking from a 'big' cup. Always take your bike safety seriously: wear your helmet. And last but not least, the value of a well-protected baby doll can never be underestimated.

September

She grew up a lot from August to September as well. Some of that might be the addition of a new baby, but her hair grew too and that lends an appearance of age somehow.

October

Clockwise: Proper black walnut picking costume; a hoe-down skunk; good accessories make the outfit (or make up for the lack thereof); and taking care of the baby (she'll lay down and say "baby, tomach, mama. Baby tomach")

November

She went for her first ever hike over Thanksgiving and loved it (we came back with pockets laden with acorns). She walked at least half of a 2 mile trip, and wanted to carry the backpack for the home stretch. She would fall backwards without extra support. Kind of how the Lord's yoke is light and his burden easy.....

                    I love being with her. She makes me smile, knows how to push my buttons, is growing in understanding every day, and is a delight to know. May the Lord continue to grow her into a woman who loves him wholeheartedly and loves life with abandon.

Happy birthday punkin.

Calvin at 1 and 2 months (now that he's almost 3 months)

I feel like my photography skills have decreased with Calvin's birth. Or maybe it's just that as I try to take a picture of the baby, I am simultaneously trying to keep Abigail from eating dirt. Concentration has been difficult.

One month photo. That's what the following is. The following is this. This, unfortunately , was as good as it got that day. :o) But at least he's upright, has on clothes and the monkey looks cute. 

 Two months

 My skills are improving ( I think Abigail was only eating bark here.) Not only is Calvin upright and clothed, but he's awake. Still no smile ( which is a shame, as he is an incredibly cheerful baby. I thought Abigail was happy....but this little man showed me just how many levels of happy and content there are), but maybe next month. At two months he was a little over 12 pounds, maybe 23ish inches, and now has cute little fat rolls all over. 

Not as cheeky as Abigail.

But he's his own man. And rightly so. 

with joy, 

Katy

It's here!!!

One year old today! Hip, hip, Hooray!!

Happy Birthday my sweet Abigail!
 From the very beginning you absolutely filled up our hearts,

but somehow each day brings even more fullness, and we love it. And you.

We love your funny faces,

how easily you get tickled at yourself,

(we were out for a walk on a 32 degree day. Christmas Story anyone?) 

 

 

and the simple joys you find in each day.

they all delight our hearts on a regular basis.

chasing Mimi

And the delight we find in you must be, I think, just a small taste of what God's delight in us feels like.

 We love you sweet girl, I'm so glad your ours!

11 months

Mmm, mmm we already have a disk full of photo shoot pictures! Nate & Arancha Photography did a fantastic job editing and we're really, really pleased.

We now are the proud owners of an 11 month photo ( or several), Christmas card pics, and the temptation to print out way more poses than good sense dictates.

She was cold; had a runny nose, watering eyes and a hungry stomach... but Abigail persevered ( with the help of a graham cracker) and we got some fantastic shots  (and Arancha did some great editing!).

This, to me, looks like Amelia Bosma? Anyone else?

This is her "about to starting fussing" face. So we quit here :o)

 Sigh; I'm one content mama. 

 Plus, I felt pretty,

 

 and John looked handsome.

....seems like a winner to me.