Caleb's 18.5 month update

Age: 18.5 months
Weight: 32lbs
Size clothes: 3T

Interests: Caleb loves things that have a task or goal associated with it. Putting balls through holes, fine motor activities, placing lids on containers, shooting a basketball through a hoop, or stacking blocks or rings are among his favorites. He will also "make up" games to play with himself. He will see a high object and try to aim his ball over it. Our tower fan and his stroller are favorite height-based goals he has to throw his ball over. He is so funny! Caleb loves his new Songbirds music class we have been attending for the past 3 weeks. We have quite the music-obsessed child who now will request "bum bum bum" when he wants the his CD from Songbirds.  His favorite part of music class is when the drum sticks come out.

Challenges: Caleb is exerting his free will and will clearly show displeasure when he doesn't get his way. It has been challenging letting him experience normal emotions such disappointment, frustration, and anger. Caleb loves his food, but he will throw his food when he is in a "throwing" mood. Thankfully he will tell me when he is all done eating by saying "Ahh Duh" and signing all done, so I know for sure when he is finishes eating. Another challenge has been hats. We are introducing two different types of hats for him when we are outside, and it is not going well. He has light blue eyes and we would love it if he wore hats without protest. He would only let us put one hat on him when he was a baby, and once he outgrew it we haven't been able to find one that he will tolerate. Sign.

Milestones: Caleb started running everywhere! His receptive language (comprehension) is incredible and I am super shocked to see him respond to something someone has said. At the park today someone said the word "jump" in a conversation and Caleb started trying to jump. His sleep has been amazing recently. He started sleeping 8-10 hour around 17 months, then got sick and was up a few times again, and now is back to sleeping around 9 hours straight until 5 or 6 am when he wants his mama milk. Sometimes he will go back to sleep and other times he will cuddle for a bit then decide its time to welcome the day. Caleb's language has started to really pick up and he has so many words that he can synthesize or repeat. These include:

Ball
The Ball (Da ball! Da ball! is his favorite phrase right now)
Wow
Bubbles
Oh no
Uh oh
Yes
No
No more
All done
Eat (Eat Eat!)
Eggs
Nuts
Boo!
Mommy
Daddy
Hi
Up (Up Up Up when he wants us to pick him up)
Help
Ducks
Book
Bum Bum Bum (requesting music)
Read
Shoes
Animal noises like "Rahhh" for a lion and "Sssss" for a snake

Funny Memory: Caleb has really wanted to try to jump recently. Watching him try to lift off his feet without moving vertically is hilarious! He is putting forth such great effort and I know that it will pay off, but in the meantime it is so cute to watch him continue to attempt something he has not yet mastered. An adorable memory of the month has been watching his bond and relationship with John develop so much more deeply. Caleb and John have "Daddy reading time" a few times a week in the morning. Caleb will bring a book over to John and lunge onto his lap Saying "Book!".  Recently he has started to ask for "Daddy" when we are in the car or later in the afternoon when John will be coming home soon.  It is the most precious thing!

My silly guy!

Loving the splash pad at the YMCA

Songbirds Music class kitchen music-making

Loving his daddy 

Caleb found a goal to shoot for. Ball about to be launched! 

Playing peek-a-boo

Enjoying some food with his new haircut. 

Caleb's birth story: 1.5 years late!

I never published Caleb's birth story because i wanted it to be perfect, but with another one on the way I just need to get it out there!

** NOTE: If birth isn't your thing or hearing about childbirth makes you squirm, this post probably isn't for you. 

Caleb’s Birth Story

During my whole pregnancy I tried to convince myself that I would deliver past my due date. That’s what my mom had done for most of her pregnancies, I was a first time mom, and I don’t deal well with disappointment. At our 20 week ultrasound Caleb was measuring 5 days ahead of growth so I made myself believe that I would have a big baby born late. However, I had this secret sneaking suspicion that he would be a bit early but I tried to ignore and deny that that could be true!

On Wednesday, January 8^th I went to an intense yoga class. Half way through I felt “off”. I am very aware of my body and felt like I had gas but it was different. I went home where I started having back pains every 10 minutes or so. I decided to cook up a bunch of egg dishes to put in the freezer. Later that evening John and I went to our friend's house for an Advocare leaders dinner. I was still having the back pain about every 7 minutes or so and it would last for about 1 minute. I had John push on my back during our meeting and I told everyone our baby was going to born in a week or two.

I finally went to bed at midnight and shot awake at 2:30am with the ever so present back pain. I took a herb called Valarium to go back to sleep, but I would drift in and out of sleep and stayed in bed until 5:45am.  I woke up to go to the bathroom at 6am and I had the “bloody show”. I told John this meant we would have a baby soon and this was indeed real labor. I was terrified and felt so unprepared! Immediately I threw up everything that I had had for dinner the night before. I was really worried because this was supposed to be my nutrition to get me through the biggest workout of my life!

I laid down on the couch and called my midwife, Vickii, around 8am. She told me to rest, stay off my feet, and to check back in with her later to see if I could keep anything down. I labored on our couch on my side while John worked from home and fed me bits of toast, rehydrate, and water. I was riveted to peppermint oil and kept sniffing it to prevent the nausea! I had no idea at the time that peppermint oils should not be used later in pregnancy because it can decrease your milk supply.

I called our midwife after I threw up a second time and she recommended I come into her office to get out of the house, get some acupuncture for the nausea, and to check my progress. Getting out of the house and to her office was the worst! I was so uncomfortable in the car felt like I was sitting on a bowling ball. My contractions were so intense because I had been lying down for most of my labor, and now I was upright. I was moaning in the car, and since we didn’t have AC the windows were down and I remember being nervous someone would hear me at a bus stop.

When I arrived at our Vickii’s office, the acupuncture really helped with the nausea and I felt a lot better being able to talk with her. I lay down for my internal exam and braced myself to be told, “well, you are at 1cm and we have a while to go!”. What I heard instead shocked the living daylights out of me. She told me that I was 8cm and almost fully effaced on one side. I panicked because I wasn’t ready for this baby to arrive! Vickii quickly informed her partner midwife Nicole and their student midwife Wendy that we needed to go back to our place as soon as possible because a baby was coming soon! When we arrived at my home it was very chaotic. The bed needed to be prepared for the delivery or post delivery if I delivered elsewhere in our home, the tub needed to be inflated, all the medical supplies needed to be organized and laid out, and I needed to call my friend Stephanie to come over to help with the labor. All the chaos caused my contractions to slow down significantly, especially since I decided to take the role of host instead of laboring mother.  

Around 5pm, Vickii suggested that everyone leave the house so john and I could be alone and hopefully my labor would pick back up to the intensity level it had been at before the environment changed. Stephanie went home and all the midwives went for a walk. It felt much better to be alone with John. John was an amazing support, working right along side me for every contraction. At this point I always felt the contractions in my back, I never had any sensation in my tummy area. I really wanted John to push on my low back to block the pain. This was amazing and worked really well to minimize the sensations of the contractions. The midwives came back an hour later to check on me and I told them I was doing much better and the contractions had picked up. I asked them to continue to stay outside and they went to grab some tacos for dinner down the street. When they came back I was checked again and I was still at 8cm. I lay on the right side to open up that side of my cervix. After throwing up again around 9pm ( I lost track at this point with how many times I had thrown up), I wanted to get into the pool, hoping to get some relief and to be able to eat. I had a smoothie and some bread in the tub but mostly felt like I was drifting away and wasn’t grounded. I got the break that I was looking for but unfortunately it wasn’t helping move my labor along and my blood pressure was getting higher and higher. Caleb’s fetal tones were good and he did not seem to be in distress, only his poor mother was.

I got out of the tub and Nicole suggested we get go for a walk, do some side lunges, and stay on my feet to get gravity to help. Lunging during a contraction wasn’t any fun but it definitely helped! I got all dressed up to go outside. I had on the most ridiculous outfit. A yellow sundress with a pink sports bra, black socks, pink ballet flats, and to top it all off John’s grey flannel shirt. Walking around the block was refreshing and hilarious. I would waddle to a shadow when I felt a contraction coming on and John and I would slow dance while he pushed on my low back. I didn’t want anyone to see me, and I would play it cool if someone was walking too. Nothing to see here folks! Just a mama in a ridiculous outfit taking an evening stroll and deciding to slow dance while moaning. No big deal.

When we got back inside my midwives wanted to give me an IV to rehydrate me and since I couldn’t  keep anything down still. I sat on the exercise ball while Nicole attempted to put an IV into my twisty veins that were not cooperating. After several attempts she decided to put the IV in the crook of my arm. I needed to keep the arm straight so she taped a wooden spoon to my arm. Talk about improvisation!

John and I went into the bathroom so I could labor in the dark on the toilet. The IV was hanging from the shower curtain, I couldn’t move my arm because  of the spoon, and I was still in that ridiculous yellow getup. I was a sight to be seen for sure. John started praying for me, and I truly believe that God showed up and surrounded me with his love and protection. John was my rock during those moments. 

I didn’t feel the urge to push but I did little pushes to hopefully move things along because I was ready to meet my baby! After a while I stood up and felt like I was going to faint, so I told the midwives I needed to lie down. I moved to the bed on my side, hoping to get some relief and rest before the big event. John nailed a nail into our bedroom so my IV could hand there while I was on the bed.

 Within 5 minutes of lying down I my body started to push and I started to shake and quiver. This was not the rest I was looking for! Pushing was the most crazy experience. My baby and my body took over and I simply partnered with the pushing my body was doing to help Caleb come out. I was on my left side and Wendy (who is super strong) was holding my right leg up while John was spooning me and pushing on my back. The midwives asked me if I wanted to stay in my yellow sundress and pink sports bra, or if I wanted to undress to welcome my baby skin to skin. I quickly scrambled between a contraction to undress. I was naked except for John’s black socks. I started screaming while pushing in a high pitched yell, and the midwives kept telling me between contractions “Low tones Ebey, high pitched tones aren’t going to bring him down”. I remember pushing and yelling “LOW LOW LOW” to remind myself as I slipped into a baritone moan. I felt a gush of relief during a push and I knew my water had broken. The next push Vickii told me she could see lots of hair and she guided my hand to touch the top of Caleb’s head. One big push later and his entire head was out. I think he did a little cry when his body was still inside of me! I didn’t quite know what to do next and Vickii instructed me to push my baby out the rest of the way while she guided him out. John sat up to watch and with a final hurrah he was out and delivered onto my chest.  Feeling that slippery naked bundle of baby was the most surreal experience. Time all but stopped as he let out a big wail and started kicking his way up my chest. As I was holding him I reached down and felt his man parts and exclaimed “it’s a boy, I can feel his balls!”. He started doing the breast crawl and I brought him up to nurse. He latched on like a champ and soon enough my placenta was delivered. About 20-30 minutes after delivery, the midwives were shoveling sweet potatoes, a placenta smoothie with berries, and lots of honey water down my throat and I was gladly gobbling everything up because my appetite had returned with a vengeance!

A hour later the midwives had John hold him so I could shower off, go pee, and get checked for tears. My tummy felt so funny! It looked like I was 6 months pregnant still but it felt like I had a hole in my insides. When I got checked out I had two external tears and an internal tear from his elbow. Caleb was born with his shoulders sideways and his hand near his face. This may have been a part of the prolonged late stages of labor. While I was sutured up Caleb slept on John’s chest on our bed while I gripped the living daylights out of his hand. Apparently John fell asleep and had no recollection that I was gripping his hand so hard. I think getting sewn up was worse than pushing a baby out, and from what I have heard, Vickii is one of the most amazing people you could ask for to sew you up after having a baby.

After I was sutured they did Caleb’s newborn exam and weighed him. He weighed 8lbs 10oz, and 22 inches long! Apparently he had been born at 12:43am, but time had no meaning to me in those first few hours. The moments were long and precious but the hours seemed to fly by. Around 4am or so the midwives all left after cleaning up everything. You would have never known a baby had just been born! John and I got to snuggle this little bundle of joy in our own bed, undisturbed my anyone until the first rays of morning sun started to stream into our window. This was a slice of heaven.

The last official bump picture I had at 38 weeks

Lying down resting as per the Midwife's orders!

Trying to get ready to go to Vickii's office, but first let me get through this contraction! 

On our way back from Vickii's office after learning I was at 8cm and needed to scurry home

Moments after Caleb was born

The first time John got to hold our little one

Sorenson Foursome: Baby #2 arriving in December!

Welllll.... We are going to be a family of 4 in December! We cannot be more thrilled!

Caleb loves finding my belly button 

I will answer some common questions I have had from a lot of people so that you can get excited with us!

When/how did you find out?
I found out on April Fools day 20 minutes before a scheduled dentist appointment. Ha! There was a question on my online form that said "Are you pregnant?", and I had this moment where I thought "I might be able to test today, and just in case I would want to know if I'm pregnant before I get x-rays". Sure enough, two pink lines appeared on the cheepo dollar store test I had on hand. Ha! It was hilarious sharing the good news with John later that evening at the beach. I had to be very clear that I would never joke about being pregnant. Especially with how many mamas have lost babies, are trying to conceive, or who are unable to have children. You just don't pretend with that type of stuff. John was super excited and we celebrated with a beautiful sunset on the beach with our little family.

When are you due?
I know the exact date of conception because I track my cycles with FAM. However, I do not like publicly announcing my due date (because it should be called a guess date) because I believe it puts the idea in peoples brains that our baby SHOULD arrive close to his or her due date. Some babies come early, some babies come late. The last thing any moms wants in her last few days of pregnancy is a slew of texts asking why the baby hasn't arrived yet.  I hope it does not offend anyone that I am being elusive about my guess date, but if you must know, is likely that the baby will be born in the month of December. Haha, a range for sure, but an accurate one. The people who need to know when we are due already know, and anyone who needs to know in the future we will make sure to tell!

How have you been feeling? 
No nausea, just like last time. My energy wasn't as low as I expected it, but I definitely was more tired than usual during the first trimester. The biggest hurdle has been my sacrum/hip. The ligaments that are connected to my sacrum will go out of alignment, causing my sacrum to tilt down on the left side and up on the right side. This pinches the nerves and causes a lot of pain. I am getting awesome chiropractic care, but it still will go out frequently. I have been doing yoga and swimming, which seems to help.

Are you having a home birth again? 
We are planing on it! We are using the same midwife as we did with Caleb's birth. I love Vickii and I am so thankful for such awesome maternity care! My appointments are usually about an hour long, and her office and appointment room are super kid-friendly. Caleb loves trying to climb into her toy box and loves the latches puzzle she has. This pregnancy has flown by so far, and in a few weeks we will have our one and only planned ultrasound to find out the gender and do an anatomy scan. I am looking forward to delivering at home again, because I had such an amazing birth experience the first time around.

Will you continue to nurse Caleb?
I am continuing to nurse Caleb as per his request, usually between 4-6x in 24 hours. Nursing through a pregnancy is usually safe for most women, and it does not affect the development of the new little one in a healthy mom. My supply has dropped a bit, but breastmilk is still very much a source of hydration, nutrition, and comfort for Caleb. I have also been asked when I will wean Caleb so that I can get ready for nursing the new baby. I don't have any plans plans to wean Caleb; my goal of at least 2 years of breastfeeding as per the AAP and WHO recommendations still stands. I will let Caleb make the decision of when he is ready to stop nursing, and I would be thrilled it if Caleb chooses to nurse alongside his sibling, something called tandem nursing. If you are curious about tandem nursing, here is a really great Myths vs. Facts section from my favorite breastfeeding resource. Caleb might stop nursing during this pregnancy if my supply drops or he isn't interested anymore, and that is something I will need to mourn. I absolutely love the bond we have and my most precious moments are during bedtime when our family is in our bedroom and I am nursing Caleb. John will usually request to stay and watch the exchange of love between me and Caleb as he calms down for the night and snuggles in to nurse. John will pray for our family and for Caleb as he is nursing. Changing those moments makes my heart feel sad.

Is Caleb excited?
Caleb really doesn't have a clue what is going on, but he does enjoy trying to shove toys down my belly button or play the bongo drums on my growing belly. In a few months we will get Caleb a baby doll and start talking to him a little bit more about what the new baby will be like.

What are you most excited/nervous about having #2?
I am sad that our family dynamic will change. Caleb and I have a really great groove right now and I know that the addition of a new squish will change our relationship. All the work that will go into the transition is a little bit overwhelming to think about. John and I are both really excited to have a newborn again! John is dreaming of a baby sleeping on his chest again, one of his favorite parts of being a dad. I am thrilled that Caleb will have a sibling close in age to grow up with!

Me and my silly guy

Playing with his sibling? Or shoving toys down my belly button...

Caleb 17 Month Update

Age: 17 months
Weight: 31ish lbs
Size clothes: 3T shirts, 3T shorts. Pants still don't fit unless they are Love and Lotus yoga pants

Interests: Caleb is really enjoying any type of physical activity. Since learning to walk a few months ago, he runs. Everywhere. He really likes parts, and is interested in more fine motor activities like stacking rings, putting cards into a key hole shot I made, or doing a straw drop. The "destructive" phase is still very much a part of how he plays, but he is starting to do more "synthesizing" activities. He continues to love playing with any size ball (especially basket balls) and he can chuck it. Caleb can throw a ball like 15-20 feet sometimes.  Its crazy to see how incredible his coordination is. He will do the outfielder type throw, running and throwing in perfect unison.

Challenges: Caleb is so incredibly active it is hard to keep up with his needs to get out of the house. My saving grace has been going to the YMCA to work out. He gets to run around in their outside playground area, playing with basketballs, "cook" in their play kitchen, and play with the train sets. He will last about a hour and a half while I do I class and take a shower. He gets some energy out, and I get to have a break and get my sweat on. Another challenge has been helping him keep up his hydration. He doesn't like to drink water as often as I would like. I have added homemade almond milk and more smoothies to his diet, and he seems to be doing better.

Funny Memory:  Caleb likes to lie flat on the floor occasionally. It is so funny to walk into the living room and to see him flat on his back, just chilling. It lasts 10 seconds at most, but it is so darn cute! Another funny memory from this month is Caleb's recent affinity for putting thins on his head. Baskets, blocks, any toy, and especially food when he is done eating. Its hilarious to watch him try to balance things, and then when they fall off he will bring the item to me and put it on my head.

Kissing Daddy 

Caleb LOVES playing basketball

Caleb chilling 

This guy wants to try to climb everything

"I made a huge mess, and now I must rest"

Caleb 16.5 month Update

Age: 16.5 months
Weight: 30lbs 5 oz
Size clothes: 2T-3T. He is the size of the average 2.5 year old according to his pediatrician.

Interests: Caleb continues to love any type of ball. He loves going to the YMCA child watch when I go to the gym because they have several basketballs that he loves to play with. I will peek on him and he always has a ball in his hands, even if it's half his size. He will ambitiously try to shoot it in the hoop in there that is 10 feet in the air. Gotta love that persistence! Caleb loves putting objects in other objects, or threading rings onto a stacking stick. He has a best buddy that he enjoys spending time with immensely. I nanny him on Tuesdays so Caleb always gets some great friend time in that day! It is so fun to watch those two guys together having a blast! They love to chase each other, make each other giggle, and play outside together sweeping Ezra's patio.

Caleb and his best bud doing some water play

Challenges: Caleb has started toddler tantrums. JOY. They are mostly surrounded around losing an object. Usually when I ask him for an object that is unsafe or that I do not want him to play with he will give it to me and them pitch a fit. Tantrums also happen when I shut the door to to bathroom, go into the kitchen beyond the gate, won't let him take my phone when I am on a call, or he can't reach a desired object. Although this is a completely developmentally appropriate behavior, it is still challenging to know how to help him work through his feelings and calm down. I have gained a lot of insight from Aha! Parenting and a few other gentle parenting resources. I will say "you seem mad because I needed to take the _____ away from you. Its not safe to play with. Do you need a hug?" He will usually run over to me for a big mommy hug. These feelings can be so hard for our little ones to deal with and they need lots of parental support to feel safe enough to calm down.

Mommy hugs make everything better!

Milestones: Caleb is definitely babbling a lot more, and I think he believes he is speaking in full sentences. His favorite words are "no", "no more", "mama milk" and "OHHHH!!" He says a few others but these ones are the main topics of conversation. Caleb is trying to run now, which is quite challenging when he is so speedy! Caleb is able to climb up heights about tummy level to himself, and safely get down as well! He is stacking blocks (when he wants to), will usually turn to look at you when you say his name, waves (when he wants to), and loves to give high fives, hugs, and kisses. He is learning body parts, and loves to pull up his shirt and point to his belly button when you ask him where it is.

Big guy holding an acai smoothie 

Funny Memory: I have a few, but will share two. Caleb loves large cleaning tools. Brooms, mops, anything to sweep, or vacuums. It is comical to watch him try to clean the house, or walk around with a broom outside. Another hilarious memory was surrounding mama milk. I needed to pump in the morning since he didn't nurse off that side for a while and it was getting painful. He was watching my pump, and after I was done must have been jealous. He asked for "mama milk" and after a few minutes popped off and pointed to a cup just out of his reach. He tried to put the cup on my boob like I was a fountain drink! Sorry pal, it doesn't quite work like that. Milk is always on tap, but you can't expect it to fly out into a cup. The wheels are definitely turning in his head with the connections he is making, however hilarious they may be!

Big helper cleaning up

Caleb sweeping up the patio 

The Station eatery! 

Caleb loves the Zoo! 

Playing with a firetruck at a friend's house 

Caleb's (late) 14 month update

Age: 14 months plus a few weeks
Weight: 28lbs
Size clothes: 2T


Interests: Caleb continues to enjoy throwing balls and heavy objects. He has recently mastered how to put objects inside other objects, so he is very busy fitting cups inside each other, putting balls in his ball drop, and putting toy cars in bowls. It is so fun to watch his little brain work! He also has enjoyed having food fights on a daily basis. He hit grandpa Danny with a pile of sweet potato during our visit last week! Caleb's favorite part of his day is bedtime wrestling and belly flops with Daddy. It is hilarious to watch those two have a blast being silly! Caleb continues to enjoy his little friends, and play
dates are a highlight of his week.

Challenges: The food throwing is quite challenging. He does it when he is starving, in between bites, and when he is done eating. Oh my! Caleb has also started head thrashing, body lunging, and feet kicking when he is having a mini tantrum. Usually this happens when I have asked him to give me an object that is unsafe. He throws it at me and then starts with his mini tantrum. Big feelings! ANother challenge is the fact that Caleb LOVES fruit in smoothies, but will not eat in in whole form. He will be drinking a berry smoothie, and be poo-pooing the berries I have offered him on his plate. So silly!

Milestones: Caleb has been pulling to stand and cruising for a while, but recently he has started to push up to standing without support, and take 1-3 steps before belly flopping on his bed. Caleb has added "Uh-oh" to his vocabulary, and will say "Ma ma ma" for "mama milk" when he wants to nurse. Caleb has also started sleeping longer stretches at night, and has gone up to 8 hours without nursing at night. My baby is growing up!

Funny Memory: I was able to visit my family last week for 5 days and it was a blast! The funny memory of the month was actually a bit my fault and quite tragic. On the airplane I opened Caleb's straw cup for him to drink some water. The pressure from the plane caused the water to fire hose him in the face for 1-2 seconds, shocking both him and me.  About 2-3oz of water flew out of the cup, and not only was his face entirely wet, but my clothes, the window, and his pants were as well. Caleb started screaming (not funny) and it took me a a while to help my shocked and upset baby to calm down enough to strop his protest. At the time it was NOT funny, but looking back I can't believe I forgot about air pressure!

Sleepy beauty 

Loves climbing 

Major bedhead 

I love my smoothie, but won't touch fruit

Water play with friends!

Visiting Great Grandma M! 

Life Update

Its been a while since I did a true "LIFE" update.


The Baby (of shall I say toddler)
Caleb never ceases to make me smile. God put all of his light into this little guy to remind me to smile. Caleb's recent antics include watching his food drop off of his highchair, throwing balls around and chasing them like a puppy, and playing peek-a-boo. He is saying "uh oh" and it is quite cute. This little guy's favorite place to be is outside, particularly the beach. We are learning while he cannot walk yet, he sure can climb. He can climb anything that is about bellybutton level or lower. Stairs are a piece of cake.

The Hubby
John has been working really hard at his new job with Fortune Builders. He is a real estate investment coach and is really great at what he does! So far he has gotten really positive feedback, and I have to say it is a relief to have him come home excited to share what new things he has learned and how he is growing. It is such a blessing to see him thriving in an environment that he can use so many of his skills and talents. He is such a great speaker and leader, and it is wonderful to see him use his gifts in the workplace. John has been leading a men's morning prayer time at Flood Church once a week for a few months now (5am start time, whew!) and he is loving the little community of guys that is growing out of that time.

The Family
We took a wonderful family vacation to palm springs last weekend! It was a blast to get away for a few nights and to spend some intentional time making some family memories. We stayed at the Westin and got a little bit of the resort feel. We had a blast swimming at the pool, going out to Thai food, and exploring the gondola base camp. Caleb's favorite part was seeing falling snow for the first time on our way home! It was such a nice and needed rest but it already feels like it was ages away since the daily grind started back up again this past Monday. We need more family getaways!

The Home
A few weeks ago I started the "40 Bags in 40 Days" challenge. you can read more about it on this amazing blog.  The point is to get rid of 40 bags of "stuff" during the lent season (or any random 40 day period). So far I haven't gotten rid of as much stuff as I would have liked to, but I have reorganized and transformed so many spaces in our house! In addition, my parents have gotten on board and made some serious strides to revamp their garden, and a few of my friends have taken up the challenge too! With things like this I will usually get really pumped, make make a commitment to clean regularly, and then will easily become derailed after a few days, maybe weeks if I am lucky. The reason why I picked this particular challenge was so that it had a clear start and end point, with simple and flexible instructions. I'm excited to see the end result of how much lighter our lives will be once this 40 day challenge is over.

Before

after

The Mom
I am stretched pretty thin right now but have had glimpses of relaxing . I haven't been sleeping a ton due to Caleb having a few nighttime wake-ups, which John graciously helps out with by bed-sharing with Caleb on his twin mattress frequently in the middle of the night. I am struggling to find things that are truly life-giving and refreshing that I can do throughout the day to recharge. I know one of them is cooking myself a yummy lunch when Caleb is napping, but I am on the lookout for some ways to do some quick self-care. In the midst of dirty diapers, laundry, shopping, cooking, doing dishes, and keeping a human alive it is hard to prioritize ME. God has been showing me that I need to slow down and enjoy simple things, and I hope that I can find out what those simple things might be!

Enjoy some more pictures of out crazy climber!

He got himself all the way up there

Caleb 13 months

Time has really truly flown by! Caleb's birthday came and went and I haven't given a proper update for over 3 months. Oops.


I will do some quick updates about our little man-child. He is such a fun guy and we wish all of you could spend time with him!


Age: 13 months
Weight: 28 lbs
Size clothes: 2T shirts, custom made baby yoga pants from Love and Lotus are the only ones that fit!

Interests: Caleb has continued his hobby of ball-throwing. He also enjoys standing up and trying to pull stuff off of our couch. His little arms always seem to be a tag longer than we expect! He loves to play with his buddies and looks forward to going to the YMCA childcare while I workout or having play dates. Caleb is fascinated with the outdoors and is very interested in observing people, vehicles, airplanes, and animals. Caleb absolutely loves the park! Well, any park to be less specific. He can climb up any stairs and scale great heights by crawling up, up and away. We need to be quick because this guy doesn't stop!

Challenges: A big challenge we are working through are molars. Caleb cut through two of them in tow days this week and has been irritable due to the pain and discomfort. It makes me want to help him so badly! Another challenge is communication. Caleb is starting to communicate his wants, needs, and desires but has a hard time when we set limits and boundaries for him. Extension cords are not safe buddy.

Milestones: Caleb started pulling to stand up a while ago, and is now working on standing independently. He will bravely push off the couch and throw his hands in the air for a few seconds before falling backwards. Caleb is starting to form the pointing finger and enjoys poking himself in the mirror and poking our teeth. He is also starting to form more and more words (or sounds that we think are words). He says "go", "no", "dada", "mamama", "mem" "oooo", "yeah", and "ah-da" (all done).

Eating/sleeping/pooping: Caleb can now eat tons of foods, but he definitely has his favorites! Any type of meat he will devour. He also loves paleo banana pancakes, green smoothies, fruit smoothies, almond-flour muffins, raisins, bananas, and of course sweet potatoes. We are still following the WAPF recommendations for food and are avoiding grains and dairy for now. I might introduce soaked oatmeal soon but we shall see! Caleb loves his "mama milk" and is nursing 5-8 times in a 24 hour period. He is sleeping a lot longer stretches but will be a silly goose in the middle of the night when one of us goes in to sleep next to him. He is nursing less at night, which confuses me to no end when he wakes up and refuses the boob. The one things that was a magic "go back to sleep drug" isn't working anymore.  Solid poops are kinda gross, and I have switched to disposable diapers until Caleb has his morning poop. It used to be a mystery when he would poop, and now it is so obvious when he is getting busy in his diaper! The faces he makes are priceless.

Funny Memory: John and I have really enjoyed wrestling with Caleb at night after his bath. We read this article about the importance of roughhousing with your kids so we decided is was high time to comply. Its soooo much fun! Caleb's favorite activity is to "belly flop" on his bed. He will stand up on the ground and lunge onto his bed and completely lay out. It's awesome!