Hey another week has been lived!

We have had some wonderfully sunny days in which a few walks have been squeezed in. Caleb even tries to bike ride the distance. He is maxed at the 2 miles it takes to get to and back from the park... of course he runs around and plays at the park and that could be why the return trek includes many (MANY) helpful pushes from Mom or Dad.

We, of course, went to play group this week. Caleb really does look forward to those days o the chance that he will see his friend. He plays well with all the kids, but he has his favorite. Josh does well at playgroup. He is getting more and more curious about the other kids, but the individual toys and balls have a greater interest still.

Josh is over his flu, has been for this week. Thank goodness for that. However, he is getting two more teeth. Painful, but they will help him keep up with his eating habits... ALOT! He can out eat Caleb most days. Although, we are battling an awful rash from our new experience with peanut butter this week. Josh is so demanding and somehow lets us know tht he is HUNGRY! And lately, he is thirsty. He has discovered all things liquid. Caleb spent the the last year and a half liking Apple Juice (and the occassional Slurpee), but Josh wants no such limitations. If we have it and are drinking it, then he insists quite vocally and loudly, that he is entitled to some.

Caleb is getting remarkably better at eating with the family at the table, and eating what the family is eating. Fish is his favorite so far, with yams, squash and fruit as his favorite side dishes. He eats it up, although sometimes Daddy has to bribe him. But if all else fails, he has discovered which drawer in the fridge has the apples in it. If I hadn't have stopped him, he would have eaten 4 (FOUR) full apples yesterday. And he is ever so helpful, because when he gets an apple, Josh wails to get one too, so Caleb doles them out to Josh too! I think I will have to take up stock in an Apple or Nectarine orchard!

Caleb is getting smarter in how to reach things that have previously been out of reach. He discovered how to get a chair pushed to the kicthen counter, get up ON the counter and then reach the top shelf IN the cabinets! I found him eating straight brown sugar... the stuff I use for cooking. What possesses him somedays! But he is always so generous to share with Joshy. Yeah, thanks Caleb. What I actually thankful for is the kindness and sincere appreciation that Caleb is showing lately. He is constantly saying thank you anything: for cooking him dinner, for cooking Joshy and Daddys dinner, for putting in his Rescue Hero movie, for helping do anything, for cleaning "his" house/toys, for taking him bike riding. He says thank you without prompting and sometimes even a day late, but I am very proud of him for his polite and kind behaviors. Somethings you try to teach and they never take, and other things you can teach and the kid surprises us by going one step further. Caleb is the later; he has surprised me, and I feel very blessed by him. He is also beginning to grasp the concept of "you proud me, Mommy?" He is very interested and excited to do things that make mommy or daddy proud of him. And is sounds so cute when he asks. I hope that this is something that in the future will motivate him to do good and correct behaviors and push him towards challenges and seek success. I'm also trying to instill the idea of being proud of himself. He needs to get self-esteem from inside as well as from outside influences.

Josh is getting a little taller and the heights that he is able to reach are higher now. I have had to move things up to a safer level to avoid his grabby hands too. And he is an earlier climber too. I think he had watched and learned from big brother. That has been this week's motto... "Caleb, Josh saw you doing that and now he wants to do it, but neither of you should be doing it!" Josh is a really smart guy. He understands no, but thinks about it and decides that he wants the object more than he wants to give it up. He said Moon and Banana this week. And Caleb says he heard Please and Thank you out of Josh. Amazing. Josh refuses to sign language anything, but he is talking. Caleb was the opposite, for the longest time he knew the words and chose to sign!

Well, we have begun to get all the laundry in the house completed so that we have as many options for packing as possible. We leave next Thursday for a week long trip to California. Caleb has been talking about this for a month. He is excited to see the Grandparents Bishop, and he knows that he has to ride a plane to get there. And Grandpa Bishop has planned all sorts of fun activities. I'm sure that we will keep Caleb busy! And a busy kiddo takes naps and sleeps through the nights!

Well, I have quite a few pictures to post here, the next time that I get a few moments to take. But for now, this is all I have time for. Hope to post again soon. TTFN.