The Feat of Feet or Just Kickin' It

Last week the hands...this week their partners, the feet. We've expanded our kicking from the mobile to other toys. Our "Clip of the Week" is Callan trying out the baby version of Dance Dance Revolution...he's a natural!

Our biggest and best news of the week was from the Cardiologist. We learned that Callan's murmur is still present, his ductis is still not completely closed, but that it is very, very small and should close on its own by the time Callan is six months old. If for some reason it does not close it should not in any way effect his development, physical activity or health---phew!!!! The Dr. told me that if I left with any reason to worry about Callan's heart then he had not been clear enough. So I was able to officially cross that off the To-Worry list. One down, nine million seven hundred and six to go. ; ) And, since nothing says "thank goodness we have a healthy heart" like bacon, we went out to breakfast with my parents to celebrate! (guess who dressed him!)

Our runner up for best news is, drum roll...........................................................................EIGHT & A HALF HOURS OF SLEEP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Last night Callan slept from 10p until 6:30a. Holy cow do I hope that is the beginning of a new pattern and not just a fluke!!!! Next time it happens I will worry less (one more off the list!) and try to enjoy/participate more. I woke up at three and then spent most of the rest of the morning checking on Callan. Here's hoping I get another chance soon!

Callan is just growing so much, so quickly! As of last Friday he weighed 14.9 lbs and is officially wearing six month clothes. It is really amazing to realize that every day that goes by he is the smallest he'll ever be...every inch and ounce is one closer to laughing, sitting, talking---walking. I love watching how he changes and learns, and it reminds me to enjoy every second. Even the ones in the middle of the night. I'm sure it won't seem like long until he is keeping me up all night because he has missed his curfew.... I better enjoy the simple reasons like hunger and wet diapers while we have them!

We are looking forward to a great Labor Day weekend with lots of company. Aunt Angela and Uncle Joey, Great Grandma Gladys and my dear friend Amanda! Good thing Callan is getting lots of rest so he can be ready for all of the playing!

Here are a few other pictures from our week....

Callan trying out his new Bumbo (thank you Gerry!) while Vegas looks on. And one of my mom and Callan having a little conversation.

Hope everyone has a happy and safe holiday!

P.S. HAPPY BIRTHDAY SMITY!!!!!

Haha SUCKER!

Look at us--our first video!!!! Yesterday, my mom reported that Callan spent most of the day working on getting his right thumb into his mouth. While this was obviously exhausting work, he got quite a bit of practice in and is now very proud of his latest accomplishment---fist sucking. I'm not sure if this skill will be honed into thumb sucking or not, time will tell. I found it pretty entertaining to watch him try this (and my mom did too!!!) so I thought we'd try a little video...if there were sound you could here the sweet little suck suck suck he is doing. He is pretty enamored with this...last night I had to hold his hand just to see a smile without a fist in it.

In addition to finding his fist on a consistent basis, Callan has been working on a lot of new things. He is showing a lot more interest in his surroundings. He will follow people's movements across a room and is starting to enjoy his toys a little more; holding his rattles (see pic) and looking at pictures in his books. His favorite toy right now is the mobile--he loves to watch it and listen to the music...and according to Grandma Char, he also enjoys kicking it when you hold him near it. Of course we do not encourage such behavior!!! ; )

Since our last post I have "officially" returned to work and Callan has been spending his days with my mom. While I miss him like crazy, Callan loves my mom and I can tell he enjoys being with her. And Grandma Char thinks he is pretty special, too! Vegas is working on adjusting to the idea that she is not coming over just to see him...he has been experimenting with some attention seeking behaviors...such as borrowing Callan's bottle. While this is an improvement from diaper ingestion....it is still pretty irritating! I don't know if he thinks the bottle is the reason Callan is being held and cuddled and therefore if he has the bottle he'll get the same treatment, or if he knows it is food of some kind and just can't resist. I suppose the third possibility is he just wants to make trouble--but that seems so unlikely!!!!! ; )

I was talking to my brother Grant this week and he was telling me all the fifty things he did this past weekend and then asked me what I did and I said "besides hanging out with Callan, I went to Target!" At the time it was legitimately the only other accomplishment I could think of besides enjoying my time with Callan, but I felt super lame to throw Target out like it was a place to go for entertainment/socialization/recreation! I might find a grocery store with a cooler name so it sounds a little more adventurous. Or maybe I will take to lying...

In actuality, we did have lots of fun last weekend because we had visits from both sets of grandparents! Callan was in such a great mood last Friday when my folks were here....he smiled almost all night long. He was such a little prince my mom, dad and I would all three go to change him just so we didn't miss out on his smiling and cooing. Such a fun day must have worn him out---he wasn't quite as happy on Saturday for Roger and Elaine's visit...he was much more interested in eating than he was in visiting. Here's a picture of Eric's dad (the Cubs fan!) and Callan in his Cubs outfit (courtesy of Aunt Angie and Uncle Joe). After looking at this picture and the one of Eric and Callan--I think our son might be a bit of a chameleon...looking a little bit like whoever is holding him!

This week we are looking forward to visits from my friend Monica who will be visiting us from Kansas City, and Sarah who will be visiting us from Connecticut. We also have our Cardiology appt. on Friday....wish us luck!

Happy Birthday to us!

Callan is celebrating his 2 month birthday today!!!! We celebrated his birthday the only way we know how---with shots. Not quite the way we used to do it...there is still the element of physical pain (but more instantaneous) but this version comes with much more emotional pain (at least for me). During our check-up our pediatrician graciously answered my LONG list of questions/concerns, and we learned that we have grown two inches taller and gained almost 4 pounds!!!! Callan is getting so big!!! And he is really starting to get social! He is cooing and jabbering away! (He said "Hi" at my mom and dad's this weekend. I swear! We have witnesses!!!) He smiles often and is starting to grasp toys and rattles. He can see quite a bit further and can track our movements from across the room. It is really amazing how much he has grown and changed in the last 8 weeks. The time has gone by so quickly! TOO quickly! (here's a picture of Callan from this weekend versus one from his first day...amazing!) We have had a fabulous summer! We've gotten to see and spend lots of time with our families, and friends and introduce Callan to all kinds of new things and people. We are very lucky!

Callan's two month birthday also means that I have to go back to work tomorrow...and while I am lucky to be going back to a great job, I will really, really miss spending all my time with my baby boy! However, it is a tremendous comfort to know that Callan will not be missing me, since he will be spending his days with Grandma Char! And, as Eric reminded me, I am not very good at camping and would probably not fare well living out of our car if I chose not to go back to work. He's so funny it is painful sometimes. ; )

Speaking of Eric and work...Eric bought his first items of clothing for Callan! He ordered Callan a set of "uniforms." (Eric has a work uniform=khakis and polos, and a home uniform = shorts and Tshirt) So, like father like son, Eric found this onesies at his company's store and thought that Callan could use a few. They say "Daddy's Little Apprentice." Considering the running joke in Eric's family is that he has been working since he was two...the onesies were a hit at his family party a few weeks ago. And I guess maybe it is time for Callan to get to work, too!

We did get a bit of concerning news today. Our Dr. heard Callan's heart murmur again. So to determine if it is truly the same problem that hadn't resolved itself as we thought it had, or if it is something new, or (our third and clearly favorite possibility) something was wrong with the Pediatrician's stethoscope and it is nothing; we will be going to the cardiologist sometime next week.

One final note for today....Vegas has become a very good big brother. He got a special treat last night---a nearly empty peanut butter jar. Here's a picture of his struggle to get his tongue all the way to the bottom.