The Pokey (dotted) Little Puppy

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

I want to preface this entry with a pat on the back for myself. For Callan's first Halloween, I was able to limit myself to buying just one costume!!!!!!!!! Which is about 5 less than I wanted. I mean seriously---putting the world's cutest baby in a super cute Halloween costume, it's exponentially cute. It's just simple math. I compensated for my purchase urges by putting Callan in his costume as often as possible, and by dressing up Vegas. Here are a few pictures of Callan---a few from his 3 month photo shoot, and a few with his puppy, who is dressed as a baby (although his diapers are hard to see in these pics.) They make a rather dashing pair! It sounds like the weather on Friday may be nice enough to allow us to actually Treat or Treat! I've been practicing with Callan---I ring the doorbell and give myself candy. I imagine we'll have to renegotiate the split next year, but for now we've agreed on baby/mom= 0/100.

Hope everyone has a great Halloween!

Lots of love!

Callan, Vegas, Eric & Joslynn

These are Bananas? B-A-N-A-N-A-S?

Our food journey continues! Callan is very much enjoying solid foods---he seems to prefer them to his previous all liquid diet. He loved applesauce, butternut squash, peaches and pears. Noticeably absent from the list is bananas. I tortured the poor guy with them for three days...thinking he might acquire a taste for them, but he just doesn't like them. Having a food nemesis myself (aurgh, how I hate you mayonnaise!) I can't help but wonder if I seeing a lifelong distaste or a passing disinterest...we'll try mixing them in w/a few other fruits to see if they become more tolerable. The good news about it was that I saw a volume miracle--two ounces of food in a small bowl can completely shellac a baby. He spit out so much fruit I think that he somehow multiplied it in his mouth. I wasn't able to capture the banana rejection on video, but in other fruit related news, here is Callan displaying his talent for raspberry blowing.

Hair today, gone tomorrow

Our boy is ever changing! Along with his tremendous growth, he also has a lot of folicular changes. Most of his 'baby' hair has fallen out and had gradually been replaced by our 'big boy' hair. The last hold out appears to be his 'mohawk' which is quite a shape changer. My personal fav is when it styles itself into a little curl Whohawk ala Whos (as in the Whos from Whoville).

What's up, Cuz?

Callan got a special treat on Friday--dinner with his cousins!!! We met Eric's folks, sister Gwynne and his nephews and youngest niece for pizza on Friday night. It was a perfect place---food, a little bit of noise and lots of entertainment. Grandpa gave Ryan, Luke and Rachael each a ziploc bag full of quarters and turned them loose in the retro arcade. Callan decided not to show off his killer PacMan skills and sat and people watched instead. He was so delighted to see that some of the kids from the restaurant followed us home! And thrilled beyond belief to see one of them follow him to his room! Little Miss Rachael was quite a hit---he couldn't take his eyes off of her. Rachael helped us with our bedtime routine and Callan wasn't a bit sleepy as long as she was around for entertainment. It was very sweet.

Inch by Inch

Callan was four months old on October 12! We celebrated the day with a blow-out shopping trip! We went shopping with my folks and my sister, and during our trip Callan had a blow-out diaper. It required a new outfit for him, and had I better packed the diaper bag, I could have used a change of clothes myself---lesson learned. Now that is a 'mother moment' not thinking a thing about finishing your shopping while you have a little bit of baby poop on your shirt and only a baby wipe to clean it up. If you carry the baby with just the right posture, no one is the wiser!

I absolutely cannot believe how fast the last four months have gone! Truly a blink of an eye. I feel like he gets bigger every day, and the pediatrician confirmed that last week! Callan is just over 27" tall and weighs about 17 lbs! He may have my eyes, but that is his dad's height and metabolism. (lucky boys!) At our appointment we got some very exciting news---we were given the go ahead for solid foods!!!! Eric's sister Gwynne stopped by just in time to witness our first spoon experience and act as photog for us. Callan wasn't nearly as interested as Vegas was! We ended up with more cereal on us than in us, but we have made progress in the last few days! Practice, practice, practice!!! My mom helped me make baby food this weekend and Callan seems to enjoy apple sauce---up next, butternut squash!

A Roll in the Hay

or

Our first injury

or

The Great Pumpkin Patch Pain

Actually, 'and' may be a more appropriate separator than 'or.' I know I have fallen behind in my posts...so here come a few to get us all caught up!

FIRST two weeks ago (Oct.12) Eric and I decided to celebrate the wonderful fall weather by taking Callan to a pumpkin patch. In theory, a fabulous idea, no? In practice, a pretty terrible one. The weather was beautiful--the pumpkin patch---not so much. We went to a smaller pumpkin patch instead of the most popular one. I can't remember if that is how the group of adventuring business men got off track in Deliverance...but it we probably should have just surveyed the 'patch' from the car and called it a day. First clue...large wooden structure which looked like a great climbing thing for kids was roped off w/yellow crime scene tape that said DANGER--BURIED ELECTRICAL LINE. Huh. Second clue, the first animal we took Callan to visit was a sweet little calf who had a terrible eye infection. At this point, I had both hands in the diaper bag digging for the Purell. Third clue, warning sign to pet animals at own risk---next to three little 'petting' areas. Seriously, this place was a wreck. But it was swarming with kids (and flies.) and I think Callan had a great time watching them all run around. It was definitely the most kids he has seen at any one time---I think he was pretty jealous of their freedom while he stayed strapped into the Dad-pack. Thinking I couldn't stand to miss a great photo opp of our sweet little pumpkin with a little pumpkin, Eric and I started to look for a place to take a few pictures. Low and behold, we found a great little place complete w/pumpkins, hay bales...the works. I was in charge of the camera and Eric was positioning Callan. Here are the two pictures in order...please note, photo one contains parental arm supporting baby. Photo two contains pumpkin supporting baby.

If there was a photo three it would be of me crying because Callan tipped over and scratched his face on the hay bale. I felt TERRIBLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Callan recovered in about 30 seconds, I think I was scared permanently. I decided that over protective is definitely winning out in favor of under protective. Please ignore the bubble wrap that Callan will be wearing for the next 25 years. I'm sure it isn't as uncomfortable as it looks.

Love,

Jos

So Much to Say!

Callan was talking our ears off last night! He wanted to talk about the debate, what 'economic crisis' means, and when we thought he might be able to start eating cereal--you know, the big things. Here are a few of his thoughts on current events.

All in the Family

I think I can safely speak for Callan (and Eric) when I say what a fun weekend we had!!! Lots of family time and lots of new 'firsts!'

Callan loved getting to see Ethan and Liza and meeting his "cousin" Baxter. Baxter is about 5 months old and as cute as can be---Callan was the first baby that Baxter has met, and she was so sweet with him. Giving him lots of smells and tons of gentle kisses...I think both Callan and Baxter were equally curious about each other. Baxter is the first non-Vegas puppy that Callan has gotten to meet. I felt like you could kind of see him process...hmm. I've seen someone do those same things before--the licking, the smelling, the tail wagging....you look a little different than that guy...I wonder if you two know each other? Either that or maybe he was thinking, oh boy, here we go again!!!!

I think Eth was surprised at how big Callan has gotten. Heck, I'm surprised at how big Callan has gotten!!!! Callan was particularly fond of Liza's finger---on both Friday and Saturday he grabbed her by the pointer and wouldn't let go. Though literally he was wrapped around her finger, I'm not so sure it wasn't figuratively the other way around.

On Saturday we went out to enjoy the beautiful fall weather and take in one of the last Farmer's Markets of the season. It was a great morning! Uncle Grant bought us breakfast at the Upstream and while we all were sitting outside Callan got to see his first fire truck and got a wave from one of the firemen. He was happy to be outside and was loving the people watching (he was not alone on that front)...we had to cover his eyes while he witnessed his first act of parking-spot-stealing rage and then saw his first bird (and not the kind with feathers). It was a fun and eventful morning! Callan was so tired he fell right asleep on our way home, and knowing how badly he needed a nap I wanted him to keep sleeping, so we drove until he woke up....almost two hours later. Had I known how sleepy he was, we could have driven to Hastings to visit my Grandma! He definitely needed the rest as we had another big night of company with Eric's parents and his sister Gwynne coming over for dinner. We wrapped up the weekend w/dinner at my parents to say good-bye to the New Yorkers. Grant and Johanna were there and it is always fun to see them--they are both so busy--I never know how they have so much energy! Pretty impressive!

Not only is Callan growing so much, he is learning so much! Mostly through his sense of taste---everything he can get a hold of goes into his mouth! It won't be long and we are going to have to get a little more serious about baby proofing around here. My mom said that he was grabbing his toes this morning, and sure enough he showed me exactly how this evening. Won't be long until those make it to his mouth too! And, my Mom also backed up a claim Eric and I made this weekend---Callan waves!!!! If you call to him from across the room he will wave at you---not an open/close hand wave but a whole arm wave. Then again, he is moving all the time, so perhaps it is just repeated coincidence, but I prefer to imagine on the side of amazing advancement/potential genius.

XXX,

Jos