Give That Guy A Hand!

Or, let's hear it for the boy...

OK, I'm sure there is no actual correlation between Callan's motor skill development and my appendix, but let's just say that in the absence of the appendix, things around here are changing awfully quickly! And it seems like an awfully big coincidence!

Callan is no longer approaching, instead he has officially reached, the don't-turn-your-back-for-a-second stage. If you sit him down to play with his toys he will be inching, scooting, creeping, sliding and end up 40 feet from where you put him in approximately 1.2 seconds. It is amazing!

He has also learned to clap---which is timely so that he can clap for himself and all of his great new feats. Here's a video of the applause...

Callan has also started pointing to let you know what he wants, what direction he would like to go in and who he would like to see---NOW. (I think that those are all the skills you need to work in an office? He is so advanced!) That combined with a little 'eh-eh-eh' noise, and we catch on eventually. His pointing skills have also allowed him to be able to find new body parts---like nostrils. Both mine and his....and if I had to guess probably my mom's too. When he discovered I was trying to take a picture of him doing this, he decided to trick me a few hundred times. So here's our 'close enough, I'll remember what the picture was supposed to be of' picture.

It does seem as though there were some great things that came from my surgery (besides the obvious of not having an organ burst), Callan and I were spoiled to have my mom and dad come stay with us for a few nights while Eric was out of town. We had so much fun! (At least as much fun as is post operatively allowed and recommended.) Not ever leaving the fabulous big O I have been blessed to see my parents very regularly, but not typically for more than a few hours at a time. So it was fun to have a 'sleep over' and get to spend a lot of time with my Mom. To watch she and Callan together is truly a joy. I don't know who loves the other more---they are quite the pair! Here's some of the fun we had with Grandma Char! Of course Grandpa Mike was also in on the action---Callan even treated him to some vocalization that sounded remarkably like "Grandpa!" I don't think I am speaking out of turn to say that was the highlight of Dad's day!

The 'ol cardboard box race car---zoom zoom!

Callan's first flash light---out for the storm that gave us the hail pictured below. We had an impressive emergency kit gathered. Flash lights, radio, water, food for Callan and cookies for my mom and I, you know--just in case. Impressively, even after 30 minutes in the basement, all the cookies survived.

In other family excitement---congratulations to Eric! He has been studying for months for a certification---which he passed today! Hurray!!!! All of those Saturdays that Eric told me he was "studying" to get out of diaper duty really did pay off!

And, of course, we have a birthday wish for Uncle Ethan! Hope you have a great day tomorrow--we love and miss you and are looking forward to your visit in June!