Caleb the inertia kid.
Daddy nicknamed Caleb that when he was just a matter of month old. And it is still holding true today. I have to tells this story before I forget (again).
The weekend that we got back from California, we went out to see Grandpa Bill and Grandma Judy. It was the city of Lake Steven's Aquafest. A street fair with food, arts, novelty things, animal shows and rides. The last item being the big interest when we drove out there.
Papa Bill offered to treat Caleb to a ride on something... but you wouldn't believe the rides the "Inertia Kid" wanted to ride on. If it was a free fall, a vision blurring twisty thing, or a upside down thing-a-ma-jing, that's what Caleb wanted to ride. I tried pointing out the "kid's" rides, the ferris wheel, the carousel. Those were just too tame in his vision of fun. There were some rides that were fast and interesting that he reluctantly said yes to, but sadly enough, even with an adult with him, he wasn't tall enough. Well, it was worth a try. I was sand for him. But he bounced back...slowly from the disappointment. He resolutely told me, "me get big, me do that". He said the same thing about Enchanted Village and Wild Waves when we drove by getting Tigger in June. Little does he know we would have to take out a second on the house to pay for those admission tickets. (35$ at the door, even for his age!)
I am sincerely hoping that the Evergreen State Fair, which is just around the corner, will have some rides that he finds interesting and that he is tall enough for! I don't know disappointing the little guy. This is why I'm not going to Disneylad until both boys are tall enough to ride on anything that their thrill seeking hearts desire. Even then, they better realize how lucky they are that their Mommy is willing to go along with them on those wild and topsy-turvy rides, because Daddy chooses to be safely on the ground guarding the stuff, and enjoying "fair food".
It just seems ironically funny that Caleb (and I don't think Josh is far behind) are into such crazy wild motion rides. Although I can't blame them. So I'm crossing my fingers that the fair will have a broader selection of rides and maybe Caleb will grow taller in the next month. I bet if I told him he will grow tall enough for the rides that he would actually eat meat... Hmm. Bribery, it's been known to work. I'll have to think about that.
Ok, well, I just want to share Caleb's craving for living on the edge activities.
Good night.
Monday, July 31, 2006
Saturday, July 29, 2006
Where does the time go?!!!
There is so much to tell.
First, Jockey is just about a total walker!!!! Can you believe it?! He gets up on his own without pulling himself up on anything! I wouldn't take him for a walk to the mailbox, but he gets around the house and backyard completely! He is still wobbly as a new colt, but he is determined to get around.... still with the priority to get to the next thing to put in his mouth!
Speaking of mouths, Joshy has gotten his 7th tooth! A molar. He is a little early (a month) for molars, but with an appetite like his, the teeth were needed to keep up. I can't keep the kiddo full. He has eaten all sorts of crazy things because his biggest joy in life is the permission to eat the things that we are eating. So when daddy eats marinated mushrooms, so does Jockey... the list of those food daddy eats and Jockey tries is endless. My 11 month old eats the same foods as the 3 year old. Fish sticks, chicken nuggets, pasta, daddy's pizza. He is allowed just about everything, the exceptions being peanuts (and peanut products), shellfish, honey, raw things. But other than that, for a kid who wants to put everything in his mouth it is better to supply food than allow him to find dirt and oddball things in the backyard.
More Jockey news. He is sleeping through the night. There have brief exceptions but wholly nomimal in light of the entire night's hours. I'm soooo glad. I needed the option to sleep through the night myself. I think Josh is actually happier, if that was possible.
Also, Josh has picked up the habit of drinking from the bottle. He likes it, and I suppose he likes what is in it. I think the formula holds him better. He sees the bottle coming and can barely get it to his mouth fast enough. In this heat, I've been happy to provide additional fluids. Things are going so well in the realm of the bottle that weaning has begun. We are down to 1 to 2 feedings in a day. And he wouldn't really need those from me (I want him to have a couple weeks more of natural nutrition though), if I was to give him more food or formula. He is going to be an easy weanier (that sounds funny). This is a huge landmark, and although getting to the bottle is late and unexpected, I'll take it for the blessing that it is.
Jockey's other unconditional joy... Water. He LOVES the water. He wants to swim in anything from the swimming pool to the bath tub to the dog's water dish. Like Caleb there is a certain fascination with the really big, large dog water dish that is big enough to sit in. I finally had to give up and just take his clothes off and let him enjoy this last week. But in this nice hot weather it wasn't a big deal. He loves the water and it's thrown by water splashing him or even getting his face wet. Such a little water baby, but he pushes off from me in the pool and wants to have an independence that his skill level doesn't permit. I guess it is time for a floatation device to enable the freedom in the water and maintain safety as well.
Caleb is being a 3 year old. Endearing, smart, curious. Testing the limits, seeing if what the rules are really apply to him or just there for show. I love that little guy, and he says he loves me. He melts my heart when I say my tummy hurts and he puts his little hand on me and prays. But I shake with frustration when he dumps a few tablespoons of white powdered plaster on the floor after I've told him not to touch it. It's a phase, luckily. And until then, Caleb has gotten more familiar with the quite aloneness of his room, a punishment that seems to work and doesn't require spanking and actually allows me the break I need to calm down and clean up the latest tragic mess.
Caleb his spent the last week sleeping in the tent in the backyard. He is having a blast. It is something fun that all kids should get to do, and with the heat, sleeping outside wasn't such a strain for the rest of us. Daddy has taken most of the shifts, they needed guy time, and hey...let's be honest, the air conditioned bedroom was still cooler than outside on the days that it reached to over 100 degrees. Plus, I needed to be near Jockey if he woke up, wink wink. But regardless, Caleb has a great time, and I think he would love it if Uncle Brian brought his tent over and they had a camp out together. We'll see, the summer has many more days in it.
Well, I have more to say, but I'm just out of time. I've already stolen precious time from the other numerous things that I have to get done. I can't believe how little time I get to post here, it must be because so much is going on that I don't have time to talk about it. Well, to all those who are reading, I hope that you are having just as happy and busy a life as we are. TTFN
There is so much to tell.
First, Jockey is just about a total walker!!!! Can you believe it?! He gets up on his own without pulling himself up on anything! I wouldn't take him for a walk to the mailbox, but he gets around the house and backyard completely! He is still wobbly as a new colt, but he is determined to get around.... still with the priority to get to the next thing to put in his mouth!
Speaking of mouths, Joshy has gotten his 7th tooth! A molar. He is a little early (a month) for molars, but with an appetite like his, the teeth were needed to keep up. I can't keep the kiddo full. He has eaten all sorts of crazy things because his biggest joy in life is the permission to eat the things that we are eating. So when daddy eats marinated mushrooms, so does Jockey... the list of those food daddy eats and Jockey tries is endless. My 11 month old eats the same foods as the 3 year old. Fish sticks, chicken nuggets, pasta, daddy's pizza. He is allowed just about everything, the exceptions being peanuts (and peanut products), shellfish, honey, raw things. But other than that, for a kid who wants to put everything in his mouth it is better to supply food than allow him to find dirt and oddball things in the backyard.
More Jockey news. He is sleeping through the night. There have brief exceptions but wholly nomimal in light of the entire night's hours. I'm soooo glad. I needed the option to sleep through the night myself. I think Josh is actually happier, if that was possible.
Also, Josh has picked up the habit of drinking from the bottle. He likes it, and I suppose he likes what is in it. I think the formula holds him better. He sees the bottle coming and can barely get it to his mouth fast enough. In this heat, I've been happy to provide additional fluids. Things are going so well in the realm of the bottle that weaning has begun. We are down to 1 to 2 feedings in a day. And he wouldn't really need those from me (I want him to have a couple weeks more of natural nutrition though), if I was to give him more food or formula. He is going to be an easy weanier (that sounds funny). This is a huge landmark, and although getting to the bottle is late and unexpected, I'll take it for the blessing that it is.
Jockey's other unconditional joy... Water. He LOVES the water. He wants to swim in anything from the swimming pool to the bath tub to the dog's water dish. Like Caleb there is a certain fascination with the really big, large dog water dish that is big enough to sit in. I finally had to give up and just take his clothes off and let him enjoy this last week. But in this nice hot weather it wasn't a big deal. He loves the water and it's thrown by water splashing him or even getting his face wet. Such a little water baby, but he pushes off from me in the pool and wants to have an independence that his skill level doesn't permit. I guess it is time for a floatation device to enable the freedom in the water and maintain safety as well.
Caleb is being a 3 year old. Endearing, smart, curious. Testing the limits, seeing if what the rules are really apply to him or just there for show. I love that little guy, and he says he loves me. He melts my heart when I say my tummy hurts and he puts his little hand on me and prays. But I shake with frustration when he dumps a few tablespoons of white powdered plaster on the floor after I've told him not to touch it. It's a phase, luckily. And until then, Caleb has gotten more familiar with the quite aloneness of his room, a punishment that seems to work and doesn't require spanking and actually allows me the break I need to calm down and clean up the latest tragic mess.
Caleb his spent the last week sleeping in the tent in the backyard. He is having a blast. It is something fun that all kids should get to do, and with the heat, sleeping outside wasn't such a strain for the rest of us. Daddy has taken most of the shifts, they needed guy time, and hey...let's be honest, the air conditioned bedroom was still cooler than outside on the days that it reached to over 100 degrees. Plus, I needed to be near Jockey if he woke up, wink wink. But regardless, Caleb has a great time, and I think he would love it if Uncle Brian brought his tent over and they had a camp out together. We'll see, the summer has many more days in it.
Well, I have more to say, but I'm just out of time. I've already stolen precious time from the other numerous things that I have to get done. I can't believe how little time I get to post here, it must be because so much is going on that I don't have time to talk about it. Well, to all those who are reading, I hope that you are having just as happy and busy a life as we are. TTFN
Tuesday, July 25, 2006
Monday, July 24, 2006
It's been a long time since the last post. But here it is.
We are back from California. We had a wonderful, although HOT time. But I guess Sacramento doesn't have the corner on HOT these days...
We flew down on Wednesday the 12th. The flight down was unfortunately very eventful with non-sleeping, very tired kiddos. And for some reason all of our ears were plugged, which made for a painful descent into Sacramento. However, once we landed, things immediately picked up. Caleb wanted to use the potty when we got into the airport. And Papa Bishop met us. Caleb within the first 30 minutes said "I love you" and shocked Papa Bishop and made the trip worth it. We got home and said hi to Grandma Bishop before she had to resume working on a project that needed to be completed before we left Thursday for South Lake Tahoe.
From the first moments that Josh was out of his car seat both grandparents were impressed with Josh's attempts at walking. And he literally began to learn and improve before their very eyes over the course of the vacation. By the time we left he was going down their hall or accross the room 10 feet! I think it is so cool that they could be a part of such a huge milestone in Josh's life. It's not often that a vacation can be timed so perfectly to see walking begin to happen in a little guy.
Josh had a good time down there. He was a real trooper. He went along for the ride and came with us to several activities and watched with contented interest or slept in peace. It was wonderful to have such an ammendable little boy on a vacation. He had fun cuddling and playing with both grandparents. Josh did well with the dogs. Josh's highlight, other than walking and playing with the grandma and grandpa was the visit from cousin Alexandra (approx 2 weeks younger). Oh, does he like babies! He wanted to play so much. He likes to reach out and pat and play and try to discover the eyes, nose and mouth of the other babies. It was very neat to watch the cousins interact.
Caleb had a fantastic time. It was a whirlwind of activity for him. He really liked seeing Papa and Grandma Bishop. It surprises me how quickly he adjusts to them each time, when he is often a slow to warm up little guy with many people. He quickly becomes attached to them and wants to go with them, cuddle with them, wake them up in the morning, or asks what they are doing. Caleb went with Papa Bishop nearly every morning and got Starbuck's coffee. By the end of the trip he was calling it "starbucks" not "coffee", and he was very sure that he was entitled to some of mama's mocha frappucino.
Thursday we got in the car and began the drive up to Tahoe. It was a nice drive. And thankfully we got into the "cool" mountian climate and enjoyed mid to high 80's temperatures. Once everyone was appropriately napped and fed we set off to have some fun. We took Caleb to an amusement park. It is a small town type carnival set under the ponderosa pines. I expected Caleb to be interested in the kids' rides... the small and slower rides. Not the "inertia kid", as daddy nicknamed him so long ago. His first choice was the ride that goes upside down. Now, Caleb is fortunate enough to have a mommy that would go on those rides with him, but he was not yet tall enough. So the first ride was a multi-tiered slide. The kind that you sit in a burlap sack and slide down in between little raised grooves. He squealed from the first drop all the way to the end. And he was such a small little guy that mommy got to go with him on everything for free. (Hey, who says there isn't any perks to being a mom?!) The next ride that Caleb went on was a BIG ride. It happily surprised me that they allowed us on. And it astounded me that Caleb had a good time. I was half expecting him to be scared half way through and scream to get off... which would have been okay since we were the only ones riding at the time. But I tried to get into a positive, encouraging mantra... "look how fast, this is the fastest swing ever" "look how high, taller than grandma and grandpa, look how far we can see, this is fun, look over there, we will do that next!" And of course, I held on tight. Caleb had a GREAT TIME! He would have done that over and over I think! But we tried the little roller coaster next instead. Again, he surprised me at how much fun he had and how little fear he had. What a great way to start a vacation. That, and after the amusement park we ate at McDonald's then stopped for Slurpees on the way back to the condo. Grandpa Bishop knows Caleb's weakness for cheeseburgers and slurpees.
The next day was packed with activities. The first thing. Fishing at the Tahoe Trout farm. This is the best way to guarantee catching fish. We were fortunate enough to be warned by a fellow to have our camera's ready because the fish were practically jumping into the buckets. I expected this activity to be a 2 hour process, little did I know that we would be there, fish, pay and leave in 30-45 minutes. The fast pace was perfect for the 3 year old attention span. Grandpa Bishop baited the hook and tossed it in. There wasn't ever more than 10 seconds before there was a fish on! And just ask Caleb to tell you about how the fish wiggles and struggled. He is very animated and shakes his whole body to show you. He pulled in 2 fish and said "I like fishing". I had to begin telling him only 2 more, ok now only 1 more. Because it is an addictive activity. As Daddy pointed out, it really gives a false impression of the sport of fishing because in real life it doesn't happen that fast. As long a Caleb has a good time, that is what is important. Grandpa Bill took Caleb out fishing in a boat with a lifevest... I'm not sure that the fish were so eager to bite, but I think the boat kept him interested. Two very different experiences. Caleb is lucky to have such wonderful grandparents that are willing to open up the world to him and let him experience it all in a fun and safe way.
In the end, Caleb caught 4 trout. He told us which fish was for me, for Grandpa, for Grandma, etc. He was willing to share them all. His largest fish was 14 inches long.
Our next stop was an arts and crafts outdoor fair. This was fun, once Caleb was convinced to do it. He and Josh got moulds of their hands made. These are complete 3-D hands. You can see the fingerprints, the little creases, the fingernails, etc. Josh's hand is posed in a little baby wave with his little pinky curled. And Caleb's is cupped just like he is holding a ball (which of course would totally be typical of him). I love the pose of Josh's, and I LOVE the fact that we got Caleb's left hand, the one that he sucks the thumb on because the mould captured the little soft calouse pad on the back of his thumb! There isn't a better way out there to capture that trademark of Caleb and it is precious; I can't wait to show him when he is 30! (Or show his kids.)
That evening, we putt-putt golfed. Or in the case of Caleb... Whack-whack-whiff-whiff golf. He pursued each ball just as if he was on the driving range. He had a great time. But I had to adjust my frame of mind... I can't expect a normal game where you tee off once and hit the ball until it goes into the hole and then move on with any timeliness. No, no. With Caleb, as always, it is an adventure and a test of time and wills. He was very enthusiatic to try each hole, many times, and not always in the correct order. I was very glad to have shared this experience with him. And Grandpa Bishop and Joshy were wonderful to come and watch with patience and joy. We finished up the game with riding the quarter slot rides by the entrance. I think those made just as great an impression as the near 2 hours of golf. I'm always amazed that my little son is so happy with the affordable and easy to provide fun! (A blessing, truly.) And then we swam in the pool and hot tub that evening.
Saturday we woke up and went to pick up the finished and dried hands from the arts and crafts fair. Then to wear Caleb out for the drive home, we went to the amusement park and went on the big slide again. There are LOTS of stairs he has to climb to get to the top. Then we let him ride a few of the quarter rides again... and then it was off to pack, load, and drive home.
Saturday evening we went into the hot tub. It was a nice refreshing 89, perfect for a hot day.
Caleb really looks forward to swimming in the hot tub. It is something that he talks about alot, so we did that Sunday and Monday night too. On Sunday night, Grandma joined us. It was dark when we were out there. She showed him the stars. He found the Big Dip and the "New" star. And then he told her that he had stars in his backyard too and that he borrowed them, and she should say thank you. We also saw "flying stars", i.e. satellites.
Sunday, we got out to the Zoo! It was neat to see. Caleb liked seeing some of the bigger animals and the monkeys. It was starting to get hot out and time for lunch then naps, so we jumped on the little 1/3 scale steam choo-choo train for a quick spin around the city park before heading home. Caleb really liked this too, but he was too shy to stand next to the conductor for a picture.
Caleb and Josh got to spend some one on one time with Papa Bishop Sunday and Monday afternoon while Mommy and Grandma went out for a bit. I was glad to hear that the boys behaved well for Grandpa. Then Great Grandma Dyer and a family friend Phinas came over for dinner. Caleb had a good time interacting with both, although I think that he took extra joy in trying to impress Phinas. And Phinas gave him all the laughs Caleb was working so hard to get. It was a win-win situation, and even fun as a spectactor.
Monday morning the boy visited Grandma's work and then it was off to Check E. Cheese. Papa Bishop got Caleb hooked on this and it is fun for Caleb every time! For the restof us it requires patience. Josh is especially wonderful at the patience in this place where there isn't much for him to do but listen, watch and wait. Grandpa and Mommy trade off who chases Caleb around and help him play the items he thinks look fun. When we had enough of that, it was time for naps.
After naps, it was time for Grandma Bishop to get some time in with Caleb. Mommy, Grandma and Caleb went to the movie "Cars". Caleb really liked this. Great-grammy Dyer had given him a little toy car modeled after the movie and he liked playing with this on the floor. He sat still for most of the movie. And Caleb liked the snacks in the movie too.
Monday night, Mommy's Cousin Meghan and Caleb's cousin Alexandra came over. Caleb was interested in the new people. But it was Josh that really interacted. Caleb was very sweet in trying to bring Alexandra toys to make her happy etc. He liked getting into the pictures too. The little guy is either all shy or loves to be the center of attention. He also had to show us all his gymnastics tricks and splits.
The flight home, although delayed, was wonderfully peaceful. They both fell asleep and made up for the chaos they caused on the flight down.
So that was the trip. A great time and we can't wait for the next time. Hopefully it won't be in the triple digit temperatures. :)
Also, so much has happened since we have been back... but that is for another post when I have more time.
We are back from California. We had a wonderful, although HOT time. But I guess Sacramento doesn't have the corner on HOT these days...
We flew down on Wednesday the 12th. The flight down was unfortunately very eventful with non-sleeping, very tired kiddos. And for some reason all of our ears were plugged, which made for a painful descent into Sacramento. However, once we landed, things immediately picked up. Caleb wanted to use the potty when we got into the airport. And Papa Bishop met us. Caleb within the first 30 minutes said "I love you" and shocked Papa Bishop and made the trip worth it. We got home and said hi to Grandma Bishop before she had to resume working on a project that needed to be completed before we left Thursday for South Lake Tahoe.
From the first moments that Josh was out of his car seat both grandparents were impressed with Josh's attempts at walking. And he literally began to learn and improve before their very eyes over the course of the vacation. By the time we left he was going down their hall or accross the room 10 feet! I think it is so cool that they could be a part of such a huge milestone in Josh's life. It's not often that a vacation can be timed so perfectly to see walking begin to happen in a little guy.
Josh had a good time down there. He was a real trooper. He went along for the ride and came with us to several activities and watched with contented interest or slept in peace. It was wonderful to have such an ammendable little boy on a vacation. He had fun cuddling and playing with both grandparents. Josh did well with the dogs. Josh's highlight, other than walking and playing with the grandma and grandpa was the visit from cousin Alexandra (approx 2 weeks younger). Oh, does he like babies! He wanted to play so much. He likes to reach out and pat and play and try to discover the eyes, nose and mouth of the other babies. It was very neat to watch the cousins interact.
Caleb had a fantastic time. It was a whirlwind of activity for him. He really liked seeing Papa and Grandma Bishop. It surprises me how quickly he adjusts to them each time, when he is often a slow to warm up little guy with many people. He quickly becomes attached to them and wants to go with them, cuddle with them, wake them up in the morning, or asks what they are doing. Caleb went with Papa Bishop nearly every morning and got Starbuck's coffee. By the end of the trip he was calling it "starbucks" not "coffee", and he was very sure that he was entitled to some of mama's mocha frappucino.
Thursday we got in the car and began the drive up to Tahoe. It was a nice drive. And thankfully we got into the "cool" mountian climate and enjoyed mid to high 80's temperatures. Once everyone was appropriately napped and fed we set off to have some fun. We took Caleb to an amusement park. It is a small town type carnival set under the ponderosa pines. I expected Caleb to be interested in the kids' rides... the small and slower rides. Not the "inertia kid", as daddy nicknamed him so long ago. His first choice was the ride that goes upside down. Now, Caleb is fortunate enough to have a mommy that would go on those rides with him, but he was not yet tall enough. So the first ride was a multi-tiered slide. The kind that you sit in a burlap sack and slide down in between little raised grooves. He squealed from the first drop all the way to the end. And he was such a small little guy that mommy got to go with him on everything for free. (Hey, who says there isn't any perks to being a mom?!) The next ride that Caleb went on was a BIG ride. It happily surprised me that they allowed us on. And it astounded me that Caleb had a good time. I was half expecting him to be scared half way through and scream to get off... which would have been okay since we were the only ones riding at the time. But I tried to get into a positive, encouraging mantra... "look how fast, this is the fastest swing ever" "look how high, taller than grandma and grandpa, look how far we can see, this is fun, look over there, we will do that next!" And of course, I held on tight. Caleb had a GREAT TIME! He would have done that over and over I think! But we tried the little roller coaster next instead. Again, he surprised me at how much fun he had and how little fear he had. What a great way to start a vacation. That, and after the amusement park we ate at McDonald's then stopped for Slurpees on the way back to the condo. Grandpa Bishop knows Caleb's weakness for cheeseburgers and slurpees.
The next day was packed with activities. The first thing. Fishing at the Tahoe Trout farm. This is the best way to guarantee catching fish. We were fortunate enough to be warned by a fellow to have our camera's ready because the fish were practically jumping into the buckets. I expected this activity to be a 2 hour process, little did I know that we would be there, fish, pay and leave in 30-45 minutes. The fast pace was perfect for the 3 year old attention span. Grandpa Bishop baited the hook and tossed it in. There wasn't ever more than 10 seconds before there was a fish on! And just ask Caleb to tell you about how the fish wiggles and struggled. He is very animated and shakes his whole body to show you. He pulled in 2 fish and said "I like fishing". I had to begin telling him only 2 more, ok now only 1 more. Because it is an addictive activity. As Daddy pointed out, it really gives a false impression of the sport of fishing because in real life it doesn't happen that fast. As long a Caleb has a good time, that is what is important. Grandpa Bill took Caleb out fishing in a boat with a lifevest... I'm not sure that the fish were so eager to bite, but I think the boat kept him interested. Two very different experiences. Caleb is lucky to have such wonderful grandparents that are willing to open up the world to him and let him experience it all in a fun and safe way.
In the end, Caleb caught 4 trout. He told us which fish was for me, for Grandpa, for Grandma, etc. He was willing to share them all. His largest fish was 14 inches long.
Our next stop was an arts and crafts outdoor fair. This was fun, once Caleb was convinced to do it. He and Josh got moulds of their hands made. These are complete 3-D hands. You can see the fingerprints, the little creases, the fingernails, etc. Josh's hand is posed in a little baby wave with his little pinky curled. And Caleb's is cupped just like he is holding a ball (which of course would totally be typical of him). I love the pose of Josh's, and I LOVE the fact that we got Caleb's left hand, the one that he sucks the thumb on because the mould captured the little soft calouse pad on the back of his thumb! There isn't a better way out there to capture that trademark of Caleb and it is precious; I can't wait to show him when he is 30! (Or show his kids.)
That evening, we putt-putt golfed. Or in the case of Caleb... Whack-whack-whiff-whiff golf. He pursued each ball just as if he was on the driving range. He had a great time. But I had to adjust my frame of mind... I can't expect a normal game where you tee off once and hit the ball until it goes into the hole and then move on with any timeliness. No, no. With Caleb, as always, it is an adventure and a test of time and wills. He was very enthusiatic to try each hole, many times, and not always in the correct order. I was very glad to have shared this experience with him. And Grandpa Bishop and Joshy were wonderful to come and watch with patience and joy. We finished up the game with riding the quarter slot rides by the entrance. I think those made just as great an impression as the near 2 hours of golf. I'm always amazed that my little son is so happy with the affordable and easy to provide fun! (A blessing, truly.) And then we swam in the pool and hot tub that evening.
Saturday we woke up and went to pick up the finished and dried hands from the arts and crafts fair. Then to wear Caleb out for the drive home, we went to the amusement park and went on the big slide again. There are LOTS of stairs he has to climb to get to the top. Then we let him ride a few of the quarter rides again... and then it was off to pack, load, and drive home.
Saturday evening we went into the hot tub. It was a nice refreshing 89, perfect for a hot day.
Caleb really looks forward to swimming in the hot tub. It is something that he talks about alot, so we did that Sunday and Monday night too. On Sunday night, Grandma joined us. It was dark when we were out there. She showed him the stars. He found the Big Dip and the "New" star. And then he told her that he had stars in his backyard too and that he borrowed them, and she should say thank you. We also saw "flying stars", i.e. satellites.
Sunday, we got out to the Zoo! It was neat to see. Caleb liked seeing some of the bigger animals and the monkeys. It was starting to get hot out and time for lunch then naps, so we jumped on the little 1/3 scale steam choo-choo train for a quick spin around the city park before heading home. Caleb really liked this too, but he was too shy to stand next to the conductor for a picture.
Caleb and Josh got to spend some one on one time with Papa Bishop Sunday and Monday afternoon while Mommy and Grandma went out for a bit. I was glad to hear that the boys behaved well for Grandpa. Then Great Grandma Dyer and a family friend Phinas came over for dinner. Caleb had a good time interacting with both, although I think that he took extra joy in trying to impress Phinas. And Phinas gave him all the laughs Caleb was working so hard to get. It was a win-win situation, and even fun as a spectactor.
Monday morning the boy visited Grandma's work and then it was off to Check E. Cheese. Papa Bishop got Caleb hooked on this and it is fun for Caleb every time! For the restof us it requires patience. Josh is especially wonderful at the patience in this place where there isn't much for him to do but listen, watch and wait. Grandpa and Mommy trade off who chases Caleb around and help him play the items he thinks look fun. When we had enough of that, it was time for naps.
After naps, it was time for Grandma Bishop to get some time in with Caleb. Mommy, Grandma and Caleb went to the movie "Cars". Caleb really liked this. Great-grammy Dyer had given him a little toy car modeled after the movie and he liked playing with this on the floor. He sat still for most of the movie. And Caleb liked the snacks in the movie too.
Monday night, Mommy's Cousin Meghan and Caleb's cousin Alexandra came over. Caleb was interested in the new people. But it was Josh that really interacted. Caleb was very sweet in trying to bring Alexandra toys to make her happy etc. He liked getting into the pictures too. The little guy is either all shy or loves to be the center of attention. He also had to show us all his gymnastics tricks and splits.
The flight home, although delayed, was wonderfully peaceful. They both fell asleep and made up for the chaos they caused on the flight down.
So that was the trip. A great time and we can't wait for the next time. Hopefully it won't be in the triple digit temperatures. :)
Also, so much has happened since we have been back... but that is for another post when I have more time.
Sunday, July 09, 2006
Caleb's First Prayer, all by himself
Caleb has repeated after us before, or agreed with us while we pray, but Caleb said his first prayer all by himself last Thursday. I started to pray and he stopped me and said "Me know", meaning he knows how to pray. And then he did. It was wonderful, and yet it nearly broke my heart all at once. The first thing that he prayed about was "make Titan ears feel better, make him ears no hurt". Can you imagine. And then he prayed for Joshy that Jesus would help Jockey when he bumps his head and hurts. And then he wanted Jesus' help to be good and happy. Caleb is so sensitive and caring. The things that are in our hearts come out of our mouths. This was a glimpse of Caleb's heart.
Good night.
Caleb has repeated after us before, or agreed with us while we pray, but Caleb said his first prayer all by himself last Thursday. I started to pray and he stopped me and said "Me know", meaning he knows how to pray. And then he did. It was wonderful, and yet it nearly broke my heart all at once. The first thing that he prayed about was "make Titan ears feel better, make him ears no hurt". Can you imagine. And then he prayed for Joshy that Jesus would help Jockey when he bumps his head and hurts. And then he wanted Jesus' help to be good and happy. Caleb is so sensitive and caring. The things that are in our hearts come out of our mouths. This was a glimpse of Caleb's heart.
Good night.
Thursday, July 06, 2006
Life continues.
Caleb enjoyed the 4th of July. He was really excited about seeing the fireworks, he saw some "over there", and "over there" etc. He liked pointing out where they were coming from as if each one was a discovery and each one brought him happy amazement. Josh slept through the majority of the evening displays (and noise). And for those of you who care, our newest little Tigger was AWESOME with the fireworks. He seemed not to notice unless he was outside and they were exceptionally close and directly over head and the exceptionally loud ones. Other than that he didn't care, but he did prefer to be inside.
We had a picnic at the club and then went for a swim in the pool. Caleb was very happy about that. He likes playing in the water. Having Grammy and Papa in the pool was very fun too.
Josh is the one that continually surprises me on how much he likes the water and how much interaction/movement he has in the water. He waves his arms and paddles, and he kicks his legs. He lets me put him on his back and face the ceiling. He laughs and coos. He is just happy to be in the water. He really is the water baby.
After swimming, we came home and did the normal household routines. And then watched the fireworks from the house. The best place to watch from when it is raining. Both kids went to sleep before the fireworks had ended, but there was no way they would have been able to stay awake until after midnight.
This last Sunday, the boys and I drove up to see Uncle Jeff and Aunt Danene. It was a nice visit. Aunt D got her Jockey time and she made a delicious fruit salad. We took a walk around the neighborhood. They met Tigger. Uncle Jeff and Caleb picked strawberries in the backyard. I think that Caleb had a good time, but in a new environment he was testing the boundaries. Alot. And little Josh was testing everything by mouth!
Well, Caleb must have had a great time because this morning he went on and on about Uncle Jeff's motorcycle and truck. Unlce Jeff has a motorcycle, he saw it in the garage. Uncle Jeff's motorcycle is cool (pronouced coooal), and it makes loud noises, and it is big, but Uncle Jeff also has a little motorcycle (as Caleb holds his fingers to show the size.... the size of an ant). It all made an impact on Caleb. Of course, for the overall evening, his behavior was sub-par and just ask him about sitting in the bath tub by himself. It was the nearest thing mommy could find to a safe/padded room for a time out.
But life goes on. Joshy can walk about 4-6 feet, but he really chooses not to because crawling is so much faster! He's of the opinion that if he wants something why wait or try hard to get to it when the shortest distance between him and that object is to crawl! Josh does love the outdoors though. He finds so many interesting things to put in his mouth. Yikes. Good thing a little dirt/grass never hurt anyone.
Caleb is very helpful with Josh, sometimes too helpful. Lately, Caleb really likes helping Joshy walk. It is fine in theory, what a nice big brother to take such an interest in his little brother, but in practice... Josh could end up landing on something hard or at the bottom of a pile up. For such a little guy, he weathers it all great and with huge laughs, which is very surprising. Josh must be an attention monger and of the opinion that ANY attention is good attention. Josh really does find joy in watching, playing with and trying to be like Caleb. Just a day or so ago, Josh was walking/pushing Caleb's big wheel trike around the backyard, just like big brother! It was cool because it was a new thing to see him do, a surprising display of his new abilities, and it was just like a little Caleb 2 years ago when we spent time in the backyard that sunny summer.
Caleb and mommy also had a camp out. We slept under the stars in the backyard. We got all cozied in and I read a couple stories out in the night. The only thing missing was a camp fire. Caleb kept creeping out of the covers and running to get raspberries (picked in the dark, how many do you think were actually red?) and then he would run back with raspberry breath as he whispered "hold me mommy". We looked at the trees, felt the breeze, and pointed out stars. We fell asleep. Fortunately for mommy, Zuma came out and sniffed and I woke up and switched out with Daddy who then took the second shift. The second shift woke up to rain. But I heard it and rushed outside to get them and all the blankets inside before anything got wet. Caleb has now asked to sleep outside again, but I told him we had to wait until after the 4th of July because it was raining. I'm sure that we will sleep outside again if I can figure out a softer surface to sleep on. And if Daddy can take the Jockey shifts inside.
I'm praying for the night that Jockey starts sleeping through the night. I'm trying not to feed him during the night, but he still wakes up crying and needing comfort. So until I convince him that he is not hungry, I still have to hold and rock him in the middle of the night, multiple times.
On that note, Mommy is tired and calling this posting to an end. Catch ya later.
Caleb enjoyed the 4th of July. He was really excited about seeing the fireworks, he saw some "over there", and "over there" etc. He liked pointing out where they were coming from as if each one was a discovery and each one brought him happy amazement. Josh slept through the majority of the evening displays (and noise). And for those of you who care, our newest little Tigger was AWESOME with the fireworks. He seemed not to notice unless he was outside and they were exceptionally close and directly over head and the exceptionally loud ones. Other than that he didn't care, but he did prefer to be inside.
We had a picnic at the club and then went for a swim in the pool. Caleb was very happy about that. He likes playing in the water. Having Grammy and Papa in the pool was very fun too.
Josh is the one that continually surprises me on how much he likes the water and how much interaction/movement he has in the water. He waves his arms and paddles, and he kicks his legs. He lets me put him on his back and face the ceiling. He laughs and coos. He is just happy to be in the water. He really is the water baby.
After swimming, we came home and did the normal household routines. And then watched the fireworks from the house. The best place to watch from when it is raining. Both kids went to sleep before the fireworks had ended, but there was no way they would have been able to stay awake until after midnight.
This last Sunday, the boys and I drove up to see Uncle Jeff and Aunt Danene. It was a nice visit. Aunt D got her Jockey time and she made a delicious fruit salad. We took a walk around the neighborhood. They met Tigger. Uncle Jeff and Caleb picked strawberries in the backyard. I think that Caleb had a good time, but in a new environment he was testing the boundaries. Alot. And little Josh was testing everything by mouth!
Well, Caleb must have had a great time because this morning he went on and on about Uncle Jeff's motorcycle and truck. Unlce Jeff has a motorcycle, he saw it in the garage. Uncle Jeff's motorcycle is cool (pronouced coooal), and it makes loud noises, and it is big, but Uncle Jeff also has a little motorcycle (as Caleb holds his fingers to show the size.... the size of an ant). It all made an impact on Caleb. Of course, for the overall evening, his behavior was sub-par and just ask him about sitting in the bath tub by himself. It was the nearest thing mommy could find to a safe/padded room for a time out.
But life goes on. Joshy can walk about 4-6 feet, but he really chooses not to because crawling is so much faster! He's of the opinion that if he wants something why wait or try hard to get to it when the shortest distance between him and that object is to crawl! Josh does love the outdoors though. He finds so many interesting things to put in his mouth. Yikes. Good thing a little dirt/grass never hurt anyone.
Caleb is very helpful with Josh, sometimes too helpful. Lately, Caleb really likes helping Joshy walk. It is fine in theory, what a nice big brother to take such an interest in his little brother, but in practice... Josh could end up landing on something hard or at the bottom of a pile up. For such a little guy, he weathers it all great and with huge laughs, which is very surprising. Josh must be an attention monger and of the opinion that ANY attention is good attention. Josh really does find joy in watching, playing with and trying to be like Caleb. Just a day or so ago, Josh was walking/pushing Caleb's big wheel trike around the backyard, just like big brother! It was cool because it was a new thing to see him do, a surprising display of his new abilities, and it was just like a little Caleb 2 years ago when we spent time in the backyard that sunny summer.
Caleb and mommy also had a camp out. We slept under the stars in the backyard. We got all cozied in and I read a couple stories out in the night. The only thing missing was a camp fire. Caleb kept creeping out of the covers and running to get raspberries (picked in the dark, how many do you think were actually red?) and then he would run back with raspberry breath as he whispered "hold me mommy". We looked at the trees, felt the breeze, and pointed out stars. We fell asleep. Fortunately for mommy, Zuma came out and sniffed and I woke up and switched out with Daddy who then took the second shift. The second shift woke up to rain. But I heard it and rushed outside to get them and all the blankets inside before anything got wet. Caleb has now asked to sleep outside again, but I told him we had to wait until after the 4th of July because it was raining. I'm sure that we will sleep outside again if I can figure out a softer surface to sleep on. And if Daddy can take the Jockey shifts inside.
I'm praying for the night that Jockey starts sleeping through the night. I'm trying not to feed him during the night, but he still wakes up crying and needing comfort. So until I convince him that he is not hungry, I still have to hold and rock him in the middle of the night, multiple times.
On that note, Mommy is tired and calling this posting to an end. Catch ya later.
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