How to Celebrate a Birthday, Caleb-Style

Balloons!

Birthday Cake.

Favorite Foods.

Stirring the birthday cake.

Playing and swinging at the park...

...with friends.

More favorite foods...hmm blueberry pancakes!

Kid-Tested Toy Award

It's been quite some time since I've given the illustrious Caleb-Tested Toy Award, but I think we have a nominee worthy of the prestige and honor that accompnanies the CTTA.

In addition to playing his "going to work" game this week, Caleb has been building all sorts of things (trains, houses, towers, etc.) with his Duplo blocks. He has a good collection already, due to the generosity of his aunt and grandparents. The question is, who plays with them more?

Caleb: "When do I get to play with it?" ;)

Answer: after Daddy. :-)

Building trains with Grandpa.

Doesn't he look so proud?

Daddy in Training

The pretend play has begun. This past week Caleb must have gone to work 20 times. He makes sure to get his "lunch" (one of the plastic storage containers Luke takes to work), picks up his keys from the front table, puts on shoes, blows me a kiss, and says "bye-bye." With his computer skills, he might get by at the local engineering company if he had an ID badge, but I suppose that would violate child labor laws.

Siblings

Considering her reaction the first time Caleb held her,

it's not surprising Sophia looked upon her older brother with some trepidation,

but after Caleb flashed his oh-so-endearing cheesy camera smile,

and after they had exchanged funny faces,

how could they resist each other's charm?

Caleb and Sophia, I hope your friendship only grows stronger from here!

Sophia is just starting to interact with the world around her, so she doesn't have much to say about her older brother, but it's been fun watching Caleb respond to his younger sister. Caleb loves to hold Sophia's hand and is upset when she lets go. He very generously shares toys with Sophia, especially ones he thinks she'll enjoy. When she's crying, Caleb will bring her medicine, bounce the bouncy seat, or rock the car seat. When Sophia wears a hat outside, Caleb wants to wear a hat outside. And if he finds a burp cloth, Caleb takes it to Sophia. The most difficult thing we've had to try and teach Caleb is to be gentle in his hugging and sharing of toys. We've been caught saying, "Caleb, that was very kind of you to share your ball, but Sophia doesn't know how to catch yet."

One Month

At one month, Sophia

• loves to be swaddled.
• loves to sleep tummy to tummy with Mom or Dad, but is learning to sleep in her crib.
• usually sleeps through walks to the playground with Caleb.
• looks most like Caleb.
• has a long torso and short legs.
• could compete with the Baker brothers in their burp contests.
• is fairly predictable in her eat, wake, sleep routine (much more predictable than Caleb).
• wakes up twice at night to eat.
• is starting to smile.

It's hard to believe that Sophia is already over one month old. Time does fly when you're having fun and sleep deprived! We're watching her closely for signs of reflux and/or food sensitivities since some days she seems to be in pain. The past few days have been better, so maybe it was just a growth spurt?? Anyway, at this stage of her life, I'm focusing on little accomplishments. I love when her eyes focus on my face and when she responds to my voice. I also love to peek in at her when she's sound asleep to see the peaceful expression she has on her face.

Mother's Day

Highlights from my Mother's Day:

• Seeing friends dedicate their daughter in church after they struggled through infertility for several years.
• Taking a nap.
• Not going to the grocery store. (Luke went for me.)
• Trying to get Caleb to color on cards for his grandmas when he only wanted to color on my card. (Sorry, Grandmas!)

Being Thankful

So they're either doing a photo shoot for their next top 50 album cover or someone loves pockets!

Sometimes I'm inspired by Caleb's genuine joy in the simple things. Today I'm a little sleep-deprived and choosing to be thankful. I'm thankful that...

• Caleb put away all the silverware this morning.
• oatmeal is easy to make, and Caleb loves it.
• I have a house that is warm, provides a safe place for Caleb to play, and is a place of peace and rest (at least some of the time).
• we've have the privilege of raising two kids, and I have the opportunity to get up with them at night.
• I didn't leave the monitor or library books outside the night it rained.
• I had a hot shower this morning.
• Sophia's look of utter peace when she's totally asleep gives me hope and warm fuzzies.

Some of these are simple; some are not. Either way, I plan on adding to the list throughout my day today. Join me?

Baby Product: Carrier

I suppose I'm starting a series, since this is my second post on this topic (if I actually get this posted). We'll see how long the series lasts. ;)

I think my second favorite baby product (not counting disposable diapers and wipes) is our baby carrier. We have this one. Since this is the only one I've used, I can't comment on whether it's better or worse than any other brand or style.

Using this carrier has allowed me to...

• walk to a nearby playground with Caleb and Sophia (and hold Caleb's hand while we're on the busy street).
• spot Caleb as he climbs ladders and rock walls at the playground without leaving Sophia unattended in a stroller.
• go for a walk with a friend without stopping to pick up sticks, rocks, and dandelions along the way. (This included 2 strollers, 2 adults, 2 babies, 1 toddler, and 1 enthusiastic dog.)
• use two hands and hold a baby at the same time.
• go on "off road" hikes. One of our favorite hikes is through Palisades State Park.
• (most importantly) accumulate points for the Health and Wellness Physical Activity Challenge for our health insurance.

I like it so much, we're thinking of getting a bigger-kid backpack for Caleb instead of a double stroller. For those of you who are ahead of me in this parenting equipment business, any opinions? When/how do you use your double stroller? Do you think it was worth the expense?

Is that a family name?

Sophia Constance
May you wisely and faithfully

remember and reflect the one true God

who is perfectly wise and persistently faithful.

Dear Sophia,

You received your name from the one person who has inspired us the most and loved us the best—God himself. When you are not sure where to find your identity or significance, we hope you will look to your Creator, who made you for a purpose and has a good and perfect plan for all your days. May your name remind you of this one true God, who is perfectly wise and persistently faithful.

The name “Sophia” means “wisdom,” which is the ability to discern what is right and true matched with the power to act accordingly. In God we find the ultimate manifestation of this knowledge and power. With this knowledge and power, he created the world--with fragrant Magnolia blooms and thunderstorms, tiny toes and fathomless galaxies.

I pray you will come to be in awe of this God, who knows far more than we can ever comprehend and who powerfully acts accordingly. There are many things I will never understand about God, but I can trust that all he is and does is good and wise. I've seen his wisdom when he sends an encouraging comment my way, just as I was about to give up. I've also seen his wisdom when I haven't received what I wanted, only to find out later that he had better things in store. Sophia, I pray that you will know that God, in his amazing wisdom, created you—with all your beauty, quirks, mystery, passion, and talent. I pray also that you will believe that he is wisely working for your absolute, very best interests in and through Jesus Christ. I pray you will trust him for just that.

As your first name is a reminder of God's ultimate wisdom, we pray that your middle name will remind you of God's constancy. God is constant and never changes, and because God is already perfect, that’s a good thing! When I think of God’s constancy, I think of his faithfulness, his persistence, his trustworthiness and dependability, and his determination. God is who he says he is, and he does not change. We can count on him. God will do what he promises; he will not change his mind. We can trust him. God will not give up when a situation seems impossible to us. In him, we can have hope. When God sets his mind and heart on something, we can be confident that he will persist until he accomplishes it. With that in mind, I hope your middle name, “Constance,” reminds you of God’s “never stopping, never giving up, unbreaking, always and forever love” (to borrow a phrase from your brother’s current favorite bedtime story in The Jesus Storybook Bible). I pray that you will trust God for his faithful love, for all that he says he is, and for all that he says he’ll do.

While your name reminds you of God’s character, I pray also that your name will inspire you. I pray that your life will reflect God’s wisdom—that you would seek to discern what is true, right, and just and then act appropriately, according to the strength and ability God gives you. And in some ways, I pray you’d reflect God’s constancy. While I hope that you continue to grow, learn, and change throughout your life (unlike God), I also hope that you’d be true to who God created you to be and true to your word, just as God is true. May this wise and faithful God be the “anchor for your soul” (Heb. 6:19) and the inspiration for your life.

Love,
Mom