11 Month Comparison

Kaleb at 11 months. My little baldy.

Peyton at 11 months. My little chunk.

11 Month Update

How incredibly darling is this child?!

Age: 11 months
Weight: 21.6 lbs
Length: 29 inches
Sleep: Kid loves him some sleep. He takes a little nap when he gets home from preschool and goes to bed about 8:00 so there are some days when I only get to see him for an hour a day.     :(
Likes: His brother is still his favorite, but he also has become attached to me more. He's saying "mama" a lot now and kind of whimpers a little when I have to drop him off. It's sweet and pitiful at the same time. He really likes food and crawling around eating anything he finds on the floor...yeah, gross!
Dislikes: He has a rash on his little boy parts right now, so that's no good. He also cut a couple more teeth this month (up to 4) and it seems like he's cutting at least one more on the top. Still a very content child though.
News: My sweet, darling boy is standing up by himself. No steps yet, but I'm not in any hurry for them. I still like him dependent on me. He's eating baby food three times a day and has a bunch of Puffs or applesauce or other snacks. He's also started nibbling on fruit loops and other finger foods. At church Sunday they said he ate TWO donuts! My little heifer. Can't believe the next post will be his one year update!!

Fall To Do

I know that most people have long lists of things to do in the Fall since it IS the best season. However, I barely make time to cook supper so my list is mighty short. At least I know I will most likely do everything on it.

1. Go to Mitchell Farms -  There are a lot of fun memories to make at Mitchell Farms. They have a corn maze, pumpkin patch, hay ride, and playground. We didn't get to go last year because I was "great with child."

2. Make apple butter - I have never made apple butter before and don't really even know if I'd like it, but I know I'll love how it smells. I'll probably end up giving it to friends as Fall gifts. Thank you Pinterest!

3. Go to a USM game - Sure, they may not be on a winning streak, but they're still my team. At the end of October there is a night game and in November there is an afternoon game. Need to figure out which one to go to.

4. Make a new soup - I can make a pretty good potato soup and taco soup, but I'd like to try some kind of chowder. The plan is a corn chowder with cornbread and some friends. Hopefully some hot chocolate by a fire will also go along with that night.

5. Go to the fair - I didn't get to go last year due to the same child, but I freaking LOVE the fair. I can spend $40 on food alone. The grilled corn, turkey legs, ice cream, chocolate covered strawberries on a stick (yes, you read the correctly), cotton candy, root beer, etc. make me so happy.

6. Have Peyton's party - My little baby turns ONE on October 11! Hard to believe. We're going to have a nursery rhyme theme and it's going to be really low key and really cute.

7. Read a parenting book - I've never read a parenting book before. I know, terrible. But this fall I plan to read one. Suggestions welcome and appreciated.

So that's what's going on during my Fall. I may add some things later on, but it seems like a good place to start.

Book Review: The Spectacular Now

This book was also on the list of books I mentioned in my previous post. I knew that it won a bunch of awards at some film festival, so that led me to assume that either someone dies tragically or it ends up all being an illusion of someone's imagination. The Spectacular Now is about this high school kid, Sutter, who, in all honesty, has a drinking problem and parties too much. He meets an average, so-so girl, Aimee, one hungover morning and decides to help build her confidence by hanging out with her. The reviews say that she "changes his life" yada yada yada. Sounds like every other typical teen movie. I won't give it away, but the ending kind of makes you...wonder. Like I said, it's already a  movie and should be out at your local theater sometime later this year or maybe early next year. I'll definitely go see the movie just to compare the two. In fact, I've rewatched the preview three times since reading the book. Would I recommend it? Eh. It's a coming of age tale so if that's your thing, go for it. There is a lot of swearing so beware of that, but I really liked how the author writes. He writes how I would talk; that made it a quick read.

Book Review: The Fault in our Stars

I know it's been a while since I've blogged. I've just felt ick for the past couple of weeks and didn't really have anything to write about. During that time, however, I've had a chance to read a few books. I saw a list on Pinterest called something like 12 Books to Read Before Seeing the Movie. I had already read about 4 of them and was very uninterested in 4, but the third 4 sounded pretty good, so I added them to my Books to Read List. I've already read two of them: The Fault in Our Stars and The Spectacular Now.
 

 

This book as been highly recommended by several people I know, and it is very good. It's about a girl named Hazel and a boy named Augustus. All of the main characters have a terminal or chronic disease...cancer really. It's a very honest, real perspective about dealing with the fact that you know you're going to die and living each day without any regrets. It's a love story with a not-so-typical ending. I mean, everyone has cancer, so there you go. I definitely recommend you read it. There is a slight language warning so be on the lookout for that. It's going to be made into a movie sometime next year so you have until then to read it. Don't worry. It'll only take you a day or two to read it.

Dear Four Year Old Kaleb

Dear Four Year Old Kaleb,

             I can’t believe you are four years old! I know I say it every year, but you have grown so much in the last year! I think this year held the biggest changes so far. When the year started, you were in diapers, sleeping in your crib, and staying at a daycare. Now you sleep in a big boy bed, wear underwear, and just finished your first year of preschool. You know all your letters and sounds, can count up to 20 (most of the time), sometimes you can blend sounds together and read words, and you can say the Pledge of Allegiance. I’m so impressed with everything you’ve learned.

            You’ve also been quite a challenge this past year. The place you stayed before preschool was all girls and there were only 3 of you. In preschool, you have many boys to roughhouse with and you took advantage of it. You are ALL BOY and, honestly, very strong-willed. You are also showing your temper more this year. (You get that from your daddy) If something doesn’t go your way, if you get in trouble, or –heaven forbid- you lose a race, you yell and stomp around. We’ve really had to crack down on your behavior.

            Probably the biggest change you’ve experienced this year is your new baby brother, Peyton. I’ll be honest. I was a little nervous when we found out you were going to have a little sibling. You’ve always been the center of attention and the apple of everybody’s eye – now you’ll have to share the limelight with a newborn. I wanted you to still get all the attention, and I was a little worried about how you would handle it.

You have always been a sweet, darling child, but when Peyton was born you started acting out at preschool. You have been super sweet with him, but school was different. It has been one of my greatest pleasures to see how you act towards your brother. Your daddy says that it won’t always be this way, but I refuse to believe it. Peyton adores you and you’re mighty crazy about him, too. You call him “my baby” and “brother.” If he’s crying in the car, you’ll start talking to him in a sing-song voice saying, “It’s okay brother. It’ll be okay. We’re almost there.” You make Peyton laugh until he’s blue in the face. He thinks you are funnier than anyone else.

You are still really into cars. In fact, you tell us that your favorite thing is transportation. No lie. You use that word. You can tell us the difference between a backhoe and an excavator (apparently, a backhoe has wheels and an excavator has tracks), name any and all types of transportation, and ask countless questions. You recently started becoming interested in dinosaurs. Cars are still your favorite, but Mimi bought you a dinosaur book that you really like too. Oh, and you really love The Lorax. We watch most every day. Thankfully it’s a really cute movie!

You really enjoy going to church now. Your favorite bible stories are Jonah and the whale and David and Goliath. We can’t wait for you to learn all about Jesus and really understand how much He loves you.

As far as family goes, PDaddy and Mimi are now in the running for first place for your affection. I mean, you LOVE all of your grandparents and you’ve even started asking to go to Mammaw’s house. That’s Daddy’s grandmother. Your grandparents have had to start being a little harder with you because you like to assert your, shall we say, independence. Aunt Millie is having a baby in December, so that should be really interesting.

Kaleb, Daddy and I love you so much and even during the hard times, we are always talking about how smart, amazing, funny, kind, and strong-willed you are. I hope you never change - except for growing in the Lord - and I can’t wait to write you a letter this time next year and see how much you’ve changed again!

 

Forever and Always,

Mama and Daddy

First Birthday

Second Birthday

Third Birthday

Fourth Birthday

10 Month Update

Age: 10 months!
Weight: 21.6 lbs
Length: 29 inches
Sleep: We're back to daycare this month so he's on a nap schedule there. Most days he finishes up his nap when he gets home then goes to bed between 7:30 and 8:00.
Likes: He ADORES his brother, but he also loves to be around any people. He can't sleep without his paci, but he doesn't have a particular blanket he must have. He just needs to snuggle. He also likes when people act silly, throw him up in the air, pretend to drop him, and blow raspberries on his belly. He likes watching "Color Crew" and eating. He really likes eating....especially Puffs. He didn't like them last month, but he eats them by the handful now.
Dislikes: If he's crying, it's almost always because he's hungry. He still doesn't like the stage 3 food because of the "chewing" he has to do with his gums.
News: Peyton is now pulling up on everything. I put his snacks all around the ottoman so that he has to travel to get them. He'll take some steps holding our hands but so far none on his own. He's in 12 month clothes still and wears a size 3 diaper during the day and a size 4 at night. He is absolutely precious and incredibly sweet-natured.