Someone has to help me with this. Okay, so I packed up the kid and headed to the store (it's the 30th - wa-hoo!). My first stop was Aldi to stock up on as much as I can to save my pennies. Put Caleb in the cart and started shopping. About half-way through my very delightful perusing, a guy comes by with his kid and says "hey, look at that baby, isn't she cute". Okay, I tell myself, not a big deal. He wasn't talking to me directly so I'm not going to correct him. I'm just going to keep pushing my cart and move on with my shopping. But then, as I go to check out, the lady at the check out counter says, "Oh cute kid, how old is she?" What? Really? I very politely said "Oh, he's almost 10 months" and left it at that. Usually people suddenly get less chatty when you underhandingly (that's probably not a word) tell them they are wrong.
But here is the thing that gets me. I generally make it rule to not dress Caleb in gender-neutral outfits, especially when we go out where there will be people who might make comments. Today, he was dressed in blue pants, little white socks and a blue and green striped onesie with a frog on it. Now granted, the blue and green are "baby blue" and "baby green", but dare I say, he's a baby. I just don't understand it - maybe I need to put a baseball cap on him or something!
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Friday, September 26, 2008
Fun in a Box
For all of those moms out there who are finding that their babies are bored with their toys, get yourself a diaper box. Fold the edges in, put your kid inside and give him a few blocks....wa-lah! Hours and hours of fun. Caleb sat in this box last night for at least 45 minutes. And when we took him out, he played with it for another 30, putting toys in and out. He also likes it when we slide him around on the carpet like he's in his own little sled - he just giggles and giggles.
Oh look, he found a friend.
Oh look, he found a friend.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
A Visit to Highland
Just a few pics from the weekend...
Apparently someone told them it was bedtime.
Thanks for the great blocks Aunt Amy!
The silver one makes the best noise!
Apparently someone told them it was bedtime.
Thanks for the great blocks Aunt Amy!
The silver one makes the best noise!
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Exploring the world
As you know, Caleb recently became mobile and man, he is loving it! So I wanted to bring you the top ten list of things that Caleb has discovered since he started crawling:
10. Bumps to the head - although most bumps go unnoticed, there are a few that still bring on tears.
9. The word "no" - I think that he has heard this word more in the last two weeks than he has his whole life. Has anyone else wondered why they put electrical outlets at such a convienient height?
8. Cabinets - boy are cabinets fun, they open and they close and they open and they close. Oh, and if you pick the right one, there are fun things inside to grab and see if they bounce on the floor.
7. The floor - yes, even the floor is exciting. Did you know that if you run your finger up and down on the tile it makes a squeaking noise?
6. Door stoppers - they make a fun "GOING" noise when you flick it.
5. Pants - if your pants are too long, and you try to stand up in your crib, your pants will come down. (it would have been funny if he hadn't been crying so hard about it)
4. Grass - despite what you might think, apparently grass looks very appetizing. And even when it's placed in the mouth, followed by a scrunched-up, disgusted face, he will still put it back in his mouth
3. The full-length mirror - did you know that there is a baby waiting on the other side of that mirror everytime he wants to play? :)
2. Stairs - (insert ominous music here) - yes, he has found and mastered the stairs. Alright, maybe "mastered" is going a little far, but he can go from bottom to top in less than two minutes flat if he puts his mind to it. However, see #5 for possible interference. He also makes a cute grunting noise as he goes up and likes to turn around every few steps as if to say, "hey, do you see what I'm doing?"
1. That he is a monkey - okay, maybe this is what mommy has discovered since Caleb became mobile. This kid will climb on anything and isn't afraid to try it, no matter how intimidating it might be. I see anti-anxiety medication in my future.
10. Bumps to the head - although most bumps go unnoticed, there are a few that still bring on tears.
9. The word "no" - I think that he has heard this word more in the last two weeks than he has his whole life. Has anyone else wondered why they put electrical outlets at such a convienient height?
8. Cabinets - boy are cabinets fun, they open and they close and they open and they close. Oh, and if you pick the right one, there are fun things inside to grab and see if they bounce on the floor.
7. The floor - yes, even the floor is exciting. Did you know that if you run your finger up and down on the tile it makes a squeaking noise?
6. Door stoppers - they make a fun "GOING" noise when you flick it.
5. Pants - if your pants are too long, and you try to stand up in your crib, your pants will come down. (it would have been funny if he hadn't been crying so hard about it)
4. Grass - despite what you might think, apparently grass looks very appetizing. And even when it's placed in the mouth, followed by a scrunched-up, disgusted face, he will still put it back in his mouth
3. The full-length mirror - did you know that there is a baby waiting on the other side of that mirror everytime he wants to play? :)
2. Stairs - (insert ominous music here) - yes, he has found and mastered the stairs. Alright, maybe "mastered" is going a little far, but he can go from bottom to top in less than two minutes flat if he puts his mind to it. However, see #5 for possible interference. He also makes a cute grunting noise as he goes up and likes to turn around every few steps as if to say, "hey, do you see what I'm doing?"
1. That he is a monkey - okay, maybe this is what mommy has discovered since Caleb became mobile. This kid will climb on anything and isn't afraid to try it, no matter how intimidating it might be. I see anti-anxiety medication in my future.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
What is Hearts at Home?
I get asked all of the time, "what do you do for a living?" And while my first and foremost job is a stay-at-home mom to Caleb, I am also lucky enough to work for a wonderful organization called Hearts at Home. Now unless you live in the area, you might not have heard of Hearts at Home, so I'm taking this opportunity to not only let everyone know what I do there, but also to encourage you to check us out on the website and to get to know what Hearts is all about.
My Story:
At the end of last year Gabe and I were preparing to bring home our little bundle of joy. And as many of you know, that can bring a lot of anxiety around finances, insurance and all those other adult decisions of life. Both of us really wanted for me to stay home, but we weren't sure that it would be possible to cut it on one income. So we prayed. And wouldn't you know, the Lord provided. My friend Kathy came to me one day and told me that Hearts at Home was looking for a Director of Creative Services to be in charge of proofing and some graphic design for their organization. This was truly a clear answer to the many, many prayers that we sent up. While it wasn't going to be much, it was enough for us to confidently decide that I would stay home. And can I just say how awesome God is -not only did he provide a job, but he also provided a job where I am actually using my degree - the best of both worlds! So I have now been working for Hearts for 9 months, where I do 90% of my job sitting at my desk at home and when the other 10% calls me into the office, Caleb comes with me to light up those ladies' day. Thank you, Lord for providing such an awesome opportunity to provide for my family (on two levels), to love the work that I'm doing and to have met all of the wonderful coworkers that I now call friends.
The Hearts at Home Story:
Fifteen years ago Hearts at Home hosted their first conference in Normal, Illinois. They expected 400 women; eleven hundred showed up. What a testament to the need that mothers have to be encouraged, to learn and to simply enjoy the fellowship of other moms. Our goal is still the same after all of these years - helping moms love their lives. Being a mom is rewarding, but it is also challenging, and Hearts at Home is here to encourage you in your walk as a mom. I would like to personally encourage you to check out one of our upcoming conferences. A Hearts at Home conference is like going to “mommy school.” You’ll laugh, you’ll learn, and you’ll be inspired to be the best mom you can be. Additionally, Hearts at Home offers books, an online mothering community, a bi-monthly magazine, and a free E-Newsletter. I strongly urge you to grab some girlfriends for a weekend of fun. Here is a list of where we'll be in the months to come:
October 3-4, 2008 Grand Rapids, Michigan
November 7-8, 2008 Rochester, Minnesota
March 13-14, 2009 Bloomington, Illinois
If I haven't done a good job at pumping you up about Hearts at Home, check out our website to find out all that Hearts at Home has to offer you! http://www.hearts-at-home.org/ If you've had the opportunity to go to one of our conferences or events, let me know what you loved about going (or maybe didn't love). I'd love to hear your Hearts at Home story!
Fifteen years ago Hearts at Home hosted their first conference in Normal, Illinois. They expected 400 women; eleven hundred showed up. What a testament to the need that mothers have to be encouraged, to learn and to simply enjoy the fellowship of other moms. Our goal is still the same after all of these years - helping moms love their lives. Being a mom is rewarding, but it is also challenging, and Hearts at Home is here to encourage you in your walk as a mom. I would like to personally encourage you to check out one of our upcoming conferences. A Hearts at Home conference is like going to “mommy school.” You’ll laugh, you’ll learn, and you’ll be inspired to be the best mom you can be. Additionally, Hearts at Home offers books, an online mothering community, a bi-monthly magazine, and a free E-Newsletter. I strongly urge you to grab some girlfriends for a weekend of fun. Here is a list of where we'll be in the months to come:
October 3-4, 2008 Grand Rapids, Michigan
November 7-8, 2008 Rochester, Minnesota
March 13-14, 2009 Bloomington, Illinois
If I haven't done a good job at pumping you up about Hearts at Home, check out our website to find out all that Hearts at Home has to offer you! http://www.hearts-at-home.org/ If you've had the opportunity to go to one of our conferences or events, let me know what you loved about going (or maybe didn't love). I'd love to hear your Hearts at Home story!
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Enjoy!
Just thought I should post some recent pics. I don't have anything specific to write about, and let's face it, the pictures are the best part. So here are a few that I thought you might enjoy.
Caleb (9mos) and Grace (7mos) at Great Grandma Maxwell's
I just love to play with my mommy!
Show me again, dad. Okay, is this right?
Go Illini!!
Thursday, September 4, 2008
No Pictures, Please
I'm a day behind, but still thought I should write. We had a pretty exciting day yesterday, beginning with a visit to the pediatrician for Caleb's 9 month appointment. No shots - yeah! Everything looked good. Here are the stats:
Weight - 17.8lbs (10%)
Height - 28" (50%)
Head - 17.75" (50%)
I guess we just have a lean machine on our hands! And while we didn't have shots, they did do a finger prick to check for anemia and lead levels. Caleb just sat there like "hey, what's this lady doing" and didn't even cry when she pricked his finger. But truly the most exciting part - he got 2, yes 2, Snoopy band-aids. Oh what a strange new thing that was.
Our plan was to have Gabe come and meet us at the appointment during his lunch break, but those pediatricians are just so efficient (haha) that we were in and out before he got there. So off to Grove we went, with lunchsack in hand. Caleb had a good time watching all of the kids and smiling at the teachers. On our way out, we had to walk through the parking lot which is right by the playground. You would have thought he was a celebrity. Swarms of children of all ages came running at the stroller saying "it's Caleb, hey look it's Caleb". I was a bit overwhelmed, being the mama-bear that I am, but the kids kept their distance for the most part. Good thing there weren't paparazzi or it would have been an exhausting day.
Weight - 17.8lbs (10%)
Height - 28" (50%)
Head - 17.75" (50%)
I guess we just have a lean machine on our hands! And while we didn't have shots, they did do a finger prick to check for anemia and lead levels. Caleb just sat there like "hey, what's this lady doing" and didn't even cry when she pricked his finger. But truly the most exciting part - he got 2, yes 2, Snoopy band-aids. Oh what a strange new thing that was.
Our plan was to have Gabe come and meet us at the appointment during his lunch break, but those pediatricians are just so efficient (haha) that we were in and out before he got there. So off to Grove we went, with lunchsack in hand. Caleb had a good time watching all of the kids and smiling at the teachers. On our way out, we had to walk through the parking lot which is right by the playground. You would have thought he was a celebrity. Swarms of children of all ages came running at the stroller saying "it's Caleb, hey look it's Caleb". I was a bit overwhelmed, being the mama-bear that I am, but the kids kept their distance for the most part. Good thing there weren't paparazzi or it would have been an exhausting day.
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