1 Year Checkup

I forgot to fill everyone in on the awesome first birthday that Caleb had, aside from his big ball birthday bash! First, he woke up really happy and opened presents. Then he had a pancake breakfast. Then, he played for a while and went down for a good nap. He woke up right before his party and had a great time. After that, we all bundled up and went with my parents to the... drumroll please... NFL PLAYOFF GAME! Hahaha! It was not too cold, so we went for it! Caleb had a great time. He clapped when the whole crowd clapped, and went "aaay!" When we would yell, "Yay!" He was a great sport. What a first birthday!

Handsome boys in matching hats!

He even got a little nap during the game.

I mean CHECK OUT the snowboots and the puffy coat. Can it get any cuter? I submit that it CAN NOT! :)
So remember how Caleb used to be on the large end of the scale as a small baby??? Well, now he is as follows:

Weight: 21.5 pounds, 25th percentile

Height: 30 inches, aka 2 1/2 feet tall, 50th percentile

{Noggin: Off the charts again!}

So he is tiny now! The low end of the charts! Weird! I know, you mommies are thinking, "Well, duh, he's moving all OVER the place." It's true. I just didnt know it would happen with Caleb because he eats soooooo much! But I am kind of happy. I dont want him to get too big too fast. :) As long as he's still growing, it is fine by me that he is tiny.

So below is a clip of Caleb at my Grandma and Grandpa Hiatt's house. He loves the trampoline already!!


And below, he is already a man after his daddy's heart!

Caleb's Big Ball Birthday Bash!!!

Caleb had an awesome birthday party! With just a week of planning, inviting, shopping, sewing, decorating, and cooking, the party really turned out great! At least 40 people showed up, kids playing all over the place, people eating, and Caleb running around enjoying the company. So many different kinds of balls everywhere, he was thrilled!!

Cozmo was a large part of the festivities, of course!

Caleb had fun opening his gifts. Every gift he'd open, he wanted to play with, but I'd have to put it to the side and grab a new one. He kept saing "woah.... woah... woooaah..."

He sat in his new chair from momma and da-da to open his gifts.

He was a great sport!

The food turned out awesome, meatballs, and everything round that we could come up with! Even round ball-shaped apple juice bottles!

The little kids at the party helped Caleb blow out his candles! He had one on all of his cakes. The baseball cake was specifically his though.

He wasn't so sure about cake. He let me feed it to him, but he didnt want to dig in himself. His grandpa put his hands in it to encourage more of a "shoveling" effort, but he just wanted the sticky stuff to get off his hands. He thought it tasted good though!

Ball lights, kids playing with ball toys, ball picture frames!

Caleb in his birthday shirt!

My mom and I sewed a big felt "1" on the back of his shirt, it looked SO cute!

Basketball party favors for party people to take home! They had round candy in them, Gobstoppers!

The ball cakes! I had a blast creating these creations, and I was very excited with how they turned out, especially the baseball! So fun!

Grandma helped us so much for Caleb's party!

He had a fun party! Yay for Caleb's First Birthday party!!!

1 Year

Exactly a year ago at this moment, I was laying in a hospital bed experiencing the most intense and exhilarating pain. I was 60 pounds heavier than I am right now, swollen, draped in a beautiful shabby hospital gown. But, I was excited because Caleb was soon to arrive! It has been a year since I had a baby growing inside of me. A full year of love, joy, sleepless nights, emotional craziness, smiles, laughs, tears, milestones, thrills, and many blessings.

I am so grateful that two years ago, God put the desire in me to have a baby. I know that it was pure inspiration from God to begin trying to get pregnant. Caleb was sent to us at this time for so many special purposes that have already been prevalent in our family.

Dear Caleb,

I cannot count how many hours
I have walked in circles, rocking you to sleep
I cannot forget the instant love
I first felt for you so deep

I will never ever find boredom in
Hearing your laugh and seeing you smile
I will never regret the sacrifice
Of carrying you in my tummy for a while

I cannot believe it is true
That God entrusted your precious soul with me
I cannot imagine, either,
Any other way it should be

I will never stop feeling gratitude
For being blessed to be your mom
I will never stop praying for God to help me
To be gentle, dependable, and strong

I cannot stop loving you
I never will, throughout all time and all space
I cannot imagine the world without you in it
With your smile lighting up your face

Love, Mommy

Already???

I can't believe it, I am kind of freaking out. Caleb is going to be ONE in 3 days. You know what, I really am freaking out because I have already decorated our house for the party... 2 days ago... and the party is on his birthday in 3 days. I have also taken on sewing projects. Yeah, that is crazy for me. I made a birthday banner (<--click on this phrase to see directions)! My mom helped me of course. It was really fun and turned out AWESOME! Something I added to it was a piece in the middle to put "1st" or whatever number birthday it is. I put the number on with velcro so I can change it!

Anyways, I just love my little boy and am so nastalgic about him turning one on Saturday. This year has been full of joy and sweet moments I will always cherish. Love you C-Bear.

PS - Now we have 2 beggars in the house!

Christmas 2008... Caleb's First Christmas... Christmas in Utah...

Caleb and cousin Connor in Uncle Erik's lap first thing Christmas morning!

Caleb's First Christmas. It was so special! We had so much fun.Uncle Terry helping Caleb open his Christmas presents on Christmas morning.

Our family of 3 finding out what Santa brought us in our stockings! Blake and I got a bunch of junk food and oranges. Caleb got a banana and goldfish! Santa knows him well.

This is Caleb playing with cousin Preston's christmas present. :)
Caleb wearing the Christmas present cousin Elise got him! Baby Gap! Adorable!
On Christmas night, us girls and Bryson painted fingernails. I got pink nails with black zebra stripes and sparkles. Chelsey rocks at painting nails.

I absolutely loved spending time with my little boy in Utah. We spent every day together and had a blast.

It was a WHITE CHRISTMAS for us!

Caleb and cousin Skyler had a great time together. They took baths and pushed each other around in a stroller.

When all was said and done, we had one little tired bear.

Merry first Christmas, Caleb. You bring so much joy to our lives.

Stomach Flu on Vacation

Oh what a day yesterday. Blake, Caleb, and I are in Utah for Christmas family time this month. Yesterday, Blake and his dad left to go skiing early. I woke up nauseous. I thought, "Maybe it's because I went running after dinner last night." NO... I was very wrong. I threw up all day. I had to take care of myself and Caleb, and I was bent in half like all day. It was so hard. Everyone here was busy trying to not get sick or getting things done. I wanted my mommy. Blake finally came home at 4:30 and I went to sleep. I woke up and got a blessing. I washed all our clothes, sheets, took a shower, and threw away my toothbrush. I hope no one else gets sick.

Caleb is freakin hilarious lately. OH man. He has been cruisin around his Grandma and Grandpa Haines' house. He picks up an item of choice, walks from one end of the house, around the couch, through the kitchen, through the dining room, around the dining room table, through Lori's area, and then back again. I cant believe how fast he is growing up. I am so going to miss the little baby Caleb, but I'm dang excited about this new stage!

In this video, Blake and I are trying to teach Caleb that my name is "mama." So, I point to myself and say, "Mama!" and then he points to himself and says, "Dada!"

And can I just say I have the funniest 11-month-old baby EVER???? Okay, so Caleb discovered his love for playing the piano. Lori brought out this awesome toy for him to play with and man did he LOVE it!!! Make sure you watch all the way to the end!

NO, Alexis. I'm not pregnant. Not ready for that again, yet! :)

I apologize if my last blog was misleading. No, there will not be a second Caleb YET. :) The other day, I asked a youth in our ward, "What should Blake and I get Caleb for Christmas." He said, "A brother." No... I am not ready for that yet!!!!

Do we look alike here???

Late afternoon is when Caleb snoozes the best for naptime. Sometimes, lately, we have to go wake him up so he'll go to sleep at night! That's new for us.
He plays hide-and- go-seek with da-da!

He still likes his little walker, even though he walks all over the place without it. I am sad because I'm gonna miss his little wiggly bum while he crawls. But it's good for him to walk!

Check out his outfit. Harley Davidson shirt from his Grandpa. Etnies from his mommy.

He gives Cozmo "loves."

Oh so sweet.

He looooooves Cozmo. What a sweet puppy!

Gorgeous trees across the street from us. The fall this year was breathtaking.

The Hard Way?

I will not make an entire batch of Fudge to keep at my house when I am the only one here who eats chocolate!



I will not let any of my close friends go without researching and hand picking their wedding photographer, and make sure that he or she is at least NICE to the bride.


I will not put dirty dishes directly into the sink rather than the dishwasher.



I will NOT have a place for everything without putting everything in its place.



I will eat like my mom.



I will not stay up until 12:30 am every single night, even after being exhausted already, and knowing well that Caleb would probably be awake by 5:55 am.



I will not talk when I am in a terrible mood for no reason.



I will not hold my newborn every second of the day baby is asleep, so that baby can learn how to soothe baby's self without 10 months of sleep-training and sleep deprivation.



I will hold my newborn every second of the day he or she is awake, though.

I will love unconditionally like my pug Cozmo.

I will not bring my 10 month old shopping the morning after Thanksgiving sales... bless his heart.

I will exercise daily!

Life rocks. :) Live it. Love it. What have you learned (the hard way) lately?