Howdy all,

Well, the flu bug has bitten us again. Jockey has a deep phelgmy cough and he will see the doctor tomorrow. Caleb got a fever last night; at about 2:00am I'm was working to get it down from about 102 degrees. And I've slowly gotten worse and worse as more and more nights of dimished sleep keep me from rejuvenating and healing. So we are all passing it around and around. As a result, happily I can still kiss my little Jockey's warm fuzzy head, and he kisses back without the worry of new germs because we have shared them already.

But we also regrettably had to cancel from seeing AuntD and Uncle Jeff today. Caleb really is an Uncle Jeff fan. Caleb told me that he was going to grow tall and strong with muscles like Uncle Jeff. And we went out with Uncle Brian, and Caleb kept asking and looking for Uncle Jeff. (Sorry Uncle Brian.) We will have to reschedule because Caleb asks so much about Uncle Jeff. And as we have discussed, AuntD your days of appreciation will come someday, until then there is always Jockey.

Caleb's bouncy house came. Unfortunately, it was the wrong one they shipped to us. So there is more waiting. But I got a preview of how much Caleb would enjoy it. He was very excited to play in it, he could barely wait for it to be inflated. And when it was reboxed (after figuring out it was the wrong one) he kept saying that that was "My bouncy house". What I also am grateful for is that the correct one is on it's way and it has a slide in it's configuration. That will keep Caleb's attention way longer than this one with just a jumping area.

Caleb also talks nearly non-stop (while in the office where he sees the pictures) of the new puppy. He keeps saying that his "little puppy", as he holds up his index finger and thumb indicating the size of a pea, is coming. He tells me that he is going to hold it and that I'm going to hold it and that it is coming home with him. He tells me it will play with him and sleep with him; yes on the first, no on the last my dear Caleb. Caleb is so excited, he asks me what the puppy is doing right now. I tried to explain why the puppy has to stay with it's mom for a while, how the eyes and ears will open and it gets bigger and healthy. He just says no, the puppy isn't sleeping right now it is eating. He loves to look at the pictures and asks lots to do so.

He talks and talks. Which is amazing that he can conceptulize something he has only seen pictures of and heard talk of (similar to Jesus, and thankfull he's getting that down too). It's also amazing how much Caleb is talking in general. He is definately at the watch out what you say phase!!! Some of the funniest things come out of his mouth, and to date the most awful is he was saying the word dummy. I don't know where he heard it, but I corrected him promptly.

Caleb has a friend. This is one that he has made all on his own. I haven't tried to force him to have friends with the children of the parent's I'm friends with, so I find it noteworthy to say that this is HIS friend. And yes, it does help that his mom and I are friends. His friend is Donovan, whom he refers to as Donny or Don. He can't quite say it. Caleb now asks to go to playgroup to see Donovan. And when I say we are going he says that he wants to see or asks if he will see Donovan. This Monday, Donovan arrived and was still in the lobby and Caleb had to rush out and see him and call him and motion to him to come in and play. He chases and runs with Donovan, and shares toys. He even had grapes in his pockets and ran up and shared with Donovan when he first arrived too. The most touching was that when it was time to say good bye, they hugged and I think kissed to say good bye. The innocence of such young friendship. They don't know the social norms, they just know that they are friends and that as friends that deserves kindness and caring. It is wonderful to see that before the social pressures make it unacceptable for little boys to hold themselves back from being honest about the friendships/feelings. Donovan is just 7 months older than Caleb, and now is the perfect time to have them play with each other. Any younger and they would not be at the same skill level. Donovan might be going off to preschool this fall since he'll be almost 4 then, but I am looking forward to many more playgroup days and otherwise arranged playdates. This friend might be the friend to invite to Caleb's upcoming birthday party too.

Well, that's all time that I have for today. The kiddos are asleep and I should be.