Event(s)!

A few weeks ago Cal started sprouting his first tooth! It is now fully through the gums, and since it has taken me so long to post about it, its neighbor has also popped up as well!

Cell Phone Clean Out

Now that I was able to get all bajillion photos off my phone on to the computer (thus, finally allowing my phone to operate at a slightly quicker than snail's pace), I can go through and post some of them, since I didn't have the chance (or ability) to do so before. It took a LONG time to whittle down the bajillion to the twenty something I have here, but here is a sampling from the last 4 or so months.

Daphne in her new (to her) boots:


Brotherly love:






Happy baby:












Already a bookworm:


He is flying!!!!


A messy, but enthusiastic, eater:


Play time:




Handsome boy:


Loves his sister:






Attending school functions with my FAVORITE second grader:

Girl Time: Take Me Back....

To November, that is... Back when we took these pictures on some random day after I picked you up from school before the big guys got home. And finally! I found the cord that connects my non-iPhone to the computer to import photos so they are not trapped on my generic phone forever!!!

Just us girls... and Cal, who is clearly startled to be included in the fanfare:


And aren't we so goofy??? Cal is not so sure about us crazy girls:


He seems to soften up as we cuddle up and love on him.


But you can tell he will continue to keep an eye on us...


Probably a good idea - who knows what we will do next!

The Bigs: An Update

First, Cooper...

Where to begin - well, let's see, second grade is coming along nicely, and he still really loves school and learning, which is fantastic. He is still very much little boy - tons of energy, so much so that even after an hour playing outside he will still be practically bouncing out of his either too loose but properly long or perfectly fit but highwater pants. In other words, he is a hyperactive string bean with limitless knowledge of things such as transformers and pokemon. He prefers his hair long, and we are graced with a groan and an eyeroll every single time we mention a trim. And while I am all for allowing my children to exercise their own style preference, the fact that he looks more sheepdog than child is becoming a bit of a problem. Although, on the plus side, he has developed a very nice hair swipe when I point out that I cannot SEE him. He is showing a growing interest in sports, which is super fun as we are a bit of a sports family... at least in that we watch a lot of sports and pretend to be able to play them from time to time as well. Cooper continues to adore his little brother, and they constantly lock eyes and giggle and go back and forth in a language that can only be defined as "brothers". The best thing we have overheard recently is Cooper saying "Now Calvin, remember, don't headbutt people who are trying to give you kisses." So true. Despite the fact that I recently completed my third half marathon (but perhaps because of the fact that I am clinging to these last 15 or so pounds of baby weight) it was to Cooper's GREAT surprise that I could beat him in a foot race. To his credit, it wasn't by much. To avoid upsetting him (and perhaps pulling something), I have started taking Cooper (and Daph) on practice runs, where we focus on pacing ourselves to go increasing distances. This is possibly my most brilliant stroke of parenting - I get each kid one on one for however long it takes to run the distance I have selected, and we talk while getting exercise without interruption and they think it is FUN! Cooper is up to 1.5 miles, with a break in the middle to stretch.

And now Daph...

She is up to a mile, with a break in the middle to stretch. This bodes well for her future career in football. Tackle football, to be clear. Because, according to her, tackling is "fun". She is definitely testing boundaries and trying to act out in ways she sees other little girls act out, which is about as charming as it sounds. Fortunately, those moments are fleeting, and the rest of the time she is truly a delight. She uses the word "awkward" way too often and only about 5% of the time in the right way. Which, now we do, too, because it is just so cute. Especially with her inflection. Her school has a dress code Monday through Thursday, with freedom on Fridays. Nonetheless, Daphne manages to never look like her classmates even on uniform days - she mixes pants with dresses or layers dresses with pajama tops... the options are endless. She has such a strong sense of self and I see it is my primary job from this point forward to do everything I can to try to help her maintain that, because GOSH girls can be mean. Even at 5. She has the most giving, loving heart- constantly making presents for the people in our house - paper hats, cards, bracelets. She is ever-growing, and at least once a month we find ourselves rushing to her room in the middle of the night because of her growing pains. She loves to play games, and is a quick study. She is a great reader, but lacks confidence in her reading ability (my secondary job from this point forward is to do give her more confidence in just how smart she is). Daph is as mischievous as she is sensitive, and has mastered the art of playing the hapless victim mere moments after instigating trouble with her brother. She is fearless on the playground and swings as high as the swings and her legs can carry her.

Cal: 6 Months

Squeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!



Seriously, oh my gosh you could not get any more delicious. You are 6 months of squishy adorable woofy haired gloriousness. You are also an unruly tyrant that MIGHT be teething. Seriously, having all of us home for more than 2 weeks, plus visits from both sets of grandparents has turned you in to a total goober.



You are pretty darn sure that someone is on hand to hold you on demand. You are absolutely positive that there is at least one person available to give you unwavering eye contact every second of every day.


*Here you are shortly after I laid you down to play, your facial expression makes clear your rejection of this idea*

You have determined we could hardly get by more than 30-45 minutes at a time without your enchanting presence, thus have sacrificed any semblance of a schedule or a nap. You have realized that to be heard in a busy bustling house you must raise your voice to volumes (and octaves) you (or most dog whistles) had heretofore not explored.

And yet… your smile.



You have the most insane enthusiasm for life. It’s hilarious, because sometimes, by the time you are ready for a nap, I am about to pull my hair out from trying to keep up with you, and I will have just texted your Dad “omg your son is a monster”, then I will give you a snuggle, place you in your crib, walk out the door, and instantly miss you. You may be a real pain in the… behind sometimes, but if I were throwing a party, you would totally be top on my invite list.

Here you are in your "streetfighter" look - pants and no top and spitty:



Earlier this week I would have sworn you had an ear infection because you kept making a fist and then swatting at your ear/right side of your head and were grumbling off and on all day. Thus, we made a quick trip to the doctor on Tuesday, where I was promptly told your ears are in great shape and your demeanor was either part of your charming new persona, or you are teething.



Oh, and the smacking yourself, that’s just… lack of eye-hand coordination?



For some reason I was going through the archives here (ah, yes, to find an old video of Cooper for your Dad), and, omg, it was insane to see how much you look just like Cooper when he was a baby. Those are some handsome footsteps to follow, if I do say so myself. As for personality… we will just say you take more after your sister. And those, my friend, are some loud windpipes to follow. I kid. It is just that I totally remember talking about how Daph always did things, shall we say, enthusiastically.

In other words – you have the best of both worlds in many ways and are also completely, uniquely, you.



I would presume to say you are “ahead of the curve” on socializing. You vocalize all sorts of consonants and vowel sounds. You are highly interactive and responsive. Everywhere we go, someone will stop and admire you and you will smile and coo at them, and I will be told what a happy (and handsome) baby you are. And you so are. You are the happiest, smiliest baby ever.



However… on the physical milestones, it seems we may be holding you a bit too much. You are definitely not sitting up on your own yet, and I have not seen you get anywhere near clapping (these being the random milestones that are listed in the 6 month old column on the chart at the pediatrician’s office).



Eh – what can be done?



It isn’t like we are going to hold you less.



You love to read books and we can usually make it through about 80% of one before you yank it out of my hands and shove it in your mouth. You love to hold teething biscuits and bang them against your highchair tray. You love to eat fruit, carrots and sweet potatoes, and will tolerate squash. We have let you try a couple yogurt puffs, pre-broken in to tiny pieces, and I am convinced you would devour an entire bag if permitted, but given your digestive… issues, we are limiting dairy-ish items. We won’t elaborate on that, but suffice it to say, prunes are on regular rotation in this house. You love to grab Daddy by his beard, and have ravaged his (and other) faces with the fierceness of your affection.



You love to play peek-a-boo. You love “Wheels on the Bus” and “Itsy Bitsy Spider”. You will lay on your back in your Daddy’s lap for extended period of time, but will buck if I try to lay you in my lap for more than 15 seconds.



We are slowly getting the house more in order in anticipation of your upcoming mobility. We are soon to haul in and Clorox wipe down the great baby gate so we can create a baby jail up in the gameroom and allow you some safe restricted freedom.

Lord help us.

I am thinking there is no real way to Cal-proof the downstairs, so I plan on spending much of the first half of 2017 on the second floor.

Onward and upward, little man.