Visiting the M Family: June Edition

We just spent a wonderful weekend visiting with the M family at our house, so I thought it was about time I finally finished the draft on our trip to their house earlier this summer. Not only did we have a blast hanging out with them, but Dave and Christine made sure to plan in some special adventures that made it feel like a real summer get-away. 

We arrived the Friday before Caleb's 2nd birthday party. It was Caleb's first long distance ride alone in the back seat. He was a champ all 3 hours and didn't need mommy to go back even once! Dave and Christine welcomed us with an amazing grilled salmon and shrimp dinner. Yum!

Saturday morning, Caleb decided to wake at 5:15am. It was every bit as painful as it sounds. It made me thankful that we're all old parents now and had gone to bed around 10p the night before. Despite the early wake up call, we still didn't get everyone ready to leave for strawberry picking until around 8:45. That's toddler time for you : )

Caleb wants Elias to open his belated birthday present, but decides he needs a little help. Elias does not amused by this intrusion.

The farm where we went picking grew several different types of strawberries. After taste-testing, the "Early Glow" variety were the clear winners. Their season was almost over so we did a lot of picking through rotted ones to find the ripe ones, but it was worth it. Caleb was even able to help!

So. Grown. Up.

Daddy's helper

Elias getting a taste of a very fresh strawberry.

Our final adventure at the farm, bee extraction. Great teamwork guys!

We brought the boys back for naps and they were both snoozing by 11. After they awoke, Dave and Christine took us to an Italian deli/grocery to pick up subs (which were incredible!). We ate picnic-style at a nearby park and the boys wore themselves out.

What's a family photo without a dinosaur in the mix?

Elias looking too cool in his shades.

We came back to the boarding school where Dave and Christine live (yes, they live in a school, how awesome is that???) and let the boys cool off in the pool. Needless to say, they went to bed early, completely exhausted. We didn't waste those evening hours of course. David and Dave bonded by beating Super Mario Brothers together and Christine taught me how to do a perl stitch in knitting.

Splashing in the pool.

Another great way too cool down. Some of the strawberries we picked may have ended up in Dave and Christine's ice cream maker.

Sunday morning, Caleb slept in slightly more, and woke at 5:45. David got up, while I finished sleeping. I woke up around 7:30 and remembered it was Father's Day (face palm moment...). I gave David his card and promised I'd make it up to him next weekend (which I did). Being the amazing husband and father he is, he wasn't upset at all and told me he was only "doing what you do everyday". *Swoon*

We all headed to protestant service a little bit later. Afterward, David, Caleb and I explored some neat looking shops in the area. We took Caleb into one of those hands-on kids' places. Apparently little ones under 2 get in free! Caleb had a blast playing in a firetruck, riding in a toy helicopter (which he wanted to go "up, up!") and splashing his hands in a rubber-ducky lazy river. On the way back to the car, we found a neat coffee shop and bought a bag of beans as a souvenir.

After Dave and Christine got home from Mass, we put the boys down for naps and ate lunch (which involved Sonny's Sweet Sauce, so you know it was amazing). Our little guys didn't sleep long so we took them over to a pond on the school's campus and let them throw rocks in the water, which they were infinitely amused by.

After a little more visiting time, we packed up the car and headed home. Caleb was so worn out from his fun weekend, he slept most of the way. We made a lot of wonderful summer memories. Thanks Dave and Christine!

Goodbyes and Hellos

This past month brought two big events as we said "Goodbye" to David for his first two week trip since Caleb was 7 weeks old and "Hello" to my parents for a two week visit (woo-hoo!).We were blessed to have one week all together, which was when David and I squished in some important appointments and our lovely anniversary celebration in DC. We were able to make a few memories, but it was a rushed and busy time preparing for David's trip.

Finally the dreaded day arrived. After church on mother's day, David ate a rushed lunch, gave hugs and kisses, and left for the airport. I had no idea how Caleb was going to react to his most adored playmate being gone for an extended period of time, but I was thankful my parents would be with us the first week to ease the transition.

The first 2-3 days were definitely the hardest on him, especially in the mornings and evenings. He'd often ask me, "Daddy? Daddy?" tearfully. It broke my heart. Then, David and I got into a rhythm of skyping each morning before he went to work. Due to a time difference, this required David waking up at an insanely early time to pull off, but it made all the difference to our little guy.

Instead of asking "Daddy? Daddy?" in distress, he'd simply say, "Daddy?" calmly. I'd reply, "Daddy's at work." to which he'd always reply, "Mama?" and I'd say, "Mama's right here." and then he'd smile, giggle a little and move on. This ritual seemed to comfort him and continued both weeks.

As the first week progressed, I became a pro at finding ways to make him feel connected to daddy. I'd give him kisses from daddy, look at daddy in the photo album, build a model of daddy out of playdough (don't laugh, the kid loves it!). Caleb learned to blow kisses to daddy through skype and one night, he was even able to stay up late enough for daddy to read him his bedtime story!

This was the photo in his album Caleb chose to fixate on most often during the week. One night he didn't take his eyes off of it during his entire bedtime story.

Dressing up as daddy was a big hit!

 Despite the challenges of David being gone, my parents and I were finally able to slow down and savor a wonderful week playing outside, visiting a local greenhouse, going to the park, and just spending time together.

 Fun Times with Grandpa and Granny 

He's so excited to be hanging out with Granny and Grandpa!

Grandpa was his special buddy

Relaxing in the backyard

Field trip to the greenhouse.

They take gardening seriously up here. Those beautiful baskets line downtown from spring to early fall and I love it!

Checking out the tadpoles and fish. Caleb's favorite part!

Fun at the park!

Getting a free ride from Granny during toddler time at the roller rink

Mom and I even got a girls night out thanks to Dad babysitting!

On Saturday the 19th, I drove Mom and Dad to a nearby town to catch a shuttle to the airport. It was hard to see them go. I don't think Caleb really understood they were leaving until I put him back in the carseat and Granny and Grandpa didn't reappear. He had a few minutes of hard crying, but luckily my sweet friend Julie who lives nearby (and was many days overdue for welcoming her newest addition) had toys waiting to distract him. We had a great play date and she got to meet her adorable little man the next afternoon!

After that hurdle, the week flowed pretty smoothly. We had three rainy days in a row so we went to the library and the skating rink to burn energy and avoid cabin fever. Friends met up with us and came over for dinner. One friend slept with her phone beside her bed as our "on-call" person all week should an emergency arise. Other friends reminded me to call if we need anything, and I knew they meant it. Our neighbor let me hang out in their back yard while my son mooched animal crackers ; ) I don't think I will ever get over how incredibly blessed I feel to have so many supportive people in our lives.

On Thursday we got a very special piece of mail- Daddy sent us a post card! I told Caleb it was from his daddy and he ran all around with it and cried when I hung in on the fridge so I gave him a piece of tape and let him hang it on his fridge. He seemed satisfied with that solution.

Finally Saturday arrived. I wish I could have somehow captured the joy at that reunion, but photos will have to do!

He hears someone on the stairs and somehow he seems to know who it is...

First sighting of Daddy!!!

Telling him all about it...

He instantly wanted David to play with him

Daddy kisses...

Lead to long Caleb hugs. He latched on and didn't let go for several minutes.

Caleb hugging the special surprise Daddy brought home just for him. We both have fond memories of our dad's bringing us special momentos from a trip and David continued the tradition. 

There were more precious moments, but I didn't capture them on film because it was my turn to get a big hug!

A Golden Friendship...and the story of how I met my husband

At the end of summer camp each year we used to sing a song, "Make new friends, but keep the old. One is silver and the other gold." Since moving to Pennsylvania, God has blessed us with so many wonderful friends through our church, David's coworkers and our neighbors. Yet, there is always something so precious about spending time with those who've known us for years.

This weekend we were finally able to make it over to Philly to visit our friends Dave and Christine. The role they've played in our lives is a story worth telling. Dave M. and my David met when they were matched up as random room mates during their first year of gradschool at FSU. Dave M. and Christine were dating, but Christine still lived in Pennsylvania. After a year of doing the long-distance thing, she moved down to Florida so they could determine if God was moving them towards marriage.

I met Christine and Dave when they started attending the same church as me for their protestant service (Dave is Catholic, so they went to Mass also). Apparently, after the first time I met Dave and Christine, Dave went back to the apartment and informed David, his room mate who was 27 and had never had a girlfriend, that he needed to come to church to meet the woman he (David) was going to marry. David responded by rolling his eyes.

After a month of hearing Dave insist that this girl had a neon sign above her head that read "David's girl" on it, David finally caved in and came to church with them. He was in a bad mood since he already had a church home of his own across town and thought meeting a girl was a terrible reason to switch churches for a morning. I had no idea any of this was going on, but after being introduced to Dave's room mate, trying to start a conversation and receiving mono-syllabic answers...well, let's just say it wasn't love at first sight.

Dave convinced David that he needed to get to know me through the Weds night Bible study where he could actually have a conversation with me that went beyond, "What's your major?". Since David's church didn't have a Weds night service, he agreed.

David and I share a love of reading and discussing the Bible and it didn't take many Wednesday nights for us to become friends. We also shared similar tastes in movies and books and jokingly said we should combine our libraries. I admired David's singleness, as, at the time, I was pretty certain I was going to devote the next 5-10 years to teaching before settling down as wife and mother, if indeed that was something God had planned for me at all.

Dave M., however, had other plans. As the four of us became better friends he was there to, not so subtly, make sure David and I got to spend lots and lots of time together. Dave made sure that no matter how awkward or inconvenient it might be that wherever we went, David was the one sitting next to me, opening my car door and driving me home. Never mind that Christine and I were leaving at the exact same time and my apartment was on her way home, Dave was quick to volunteer that "David could drop you off." David was ready to murder him sometimes, I would just turn red and nod...yet somehow neither of us could be heard to complain...

When David finally worked up the courage to ask me to date him, Dave's advice was "Just kiss her!" Advice that was, thankfully, ignored. I'm grinning as I reflect on all these things. Although David was ready to kill Dave for his pushyness at times, I think we both needed a bit of a shove in the right direction!

Since those days, life has been busy for all of us. Dave and Christine married in 2008, David and I followed the next year. 2010 brought Caleb, and 2011 brought their son Elias. Both couples have moved at least twice and now here we are, all back in Pennsylvania together.

It would have been impossible for me to imagine, playing cranium and talking theology until 2 in the morning at the guys apartment in Florida, that in 5 years we'd all be hanging out again, this time in Pennsylvania. We're still talking theology...but not past 10:30 because we all have to be ready to greet our energetic toddlers in the morning. Now, I can't imagine it any other way.

We feel so blessed for this friendship that has survived distance, moves, and life changes. We're thankful for friends who remind us of those days when we were first falling in love, who challenge us, who are willing to be transparent about how difficult marriage and parenting can be, and who know what it's like to survive colic and a baby who doesn't sleep.

Of course, it's not all theology and serious discussions. The guys went climbing Saturday morning, despite the fact that this was the view outside the window.

Christine is expecting a very special delivery in 6 months, so she and I stayed home and played with the kiddos

Once the guys got back home there was even more fun. Dave and Elias chasing Caleb.

Daddy is base!

Caleb: 18 Months

18 months, otherwise known as when life begins to return to normal, or so I was told by one of my most encouraging mom friends. And, with 5 kids under age 8, she knows what she's talking about. Both she and her husband affirmed to David and I that life would seem a lot more similar to life "before baby" around 18 months. They were so right!

I think, at some point, every mom probably feels like their pre-baby self is gone forever. No matter how hard I worked to make David and I's marriage a high priority...mostly, I just wanted some extra sleep and to feel less overwhelmed. Over the past year-and-a-half, I've often wondered...will life ever go back to "normal" again? The answer, finally, is "Yes!" This past month has brought many new joys with Caleb and the return of more time for David and I to spend together.

Caleb is getting easier and easier to leave with a sitter, especially if they have kids of their own for him to play with. Caleb is able to understand most of what we tell him now, which means we can work on tasks as a family or even *gasp* sit next to one another on the couch as long as we can see Caleb : )He still loves to climb, put things in his mouth and do all the other toddler things that required us to be within 6 inches of him at all times, but now, he knows and (mostly) listens when we say things like "gentle", "sit", "put that down" or "no eat!".

Clearly, we're still working on "no climb"

As Caleb's understanding of the world grows, so does his self control. One of Caleb's favorite games is to shut David or I in his nursery and run into the living room to jump out and surprise us. He will wait almost indefinitely. In fact, thus far, we always break first! It's amazing to me that our 18 month old can be so still and silent while waiting to pounce.

Along the same lines, a source of pride for me this season has been Caleb's great Christmas tree etiquette. After a few days of reminding him not to yank the ornaments and praising him for pointing at them instead, Caleb is safe to be around any Christmas tree, which has been a huge blessing as we have traveled to hotels, homes without toddlers and other public places with Christmas trees laden with breakable ornaments. He is so quick to learn and eager to please!

Caleb brought more even more joy to the Christmas season than I could have imagined. Seeing him begin to understand that "the star" and "the angels" on the tree all have something to do with the tiny baby in the nativity has been so powerful.

There have been so many moments to treasure. The way he asked for Christmas carols to be turned on every morning and reminded me to put a new CD in whenever the music stopped. The look on his face as he ate his first Christmas cookie, and second, and third...

This month we also had the pleasure of spending a week in DC while David took a reverse engineering class nearby. Our hotel was 2 metro stops from both the National Zoo and the National Mall. Caleb and I had a blast strollering all around DC and I felt super-buff when a scale at the zoo informed me that stroller, baby and diaper bag combined added up to a whopping 50lbs.

Caleb at the national mall. Did I mention the highs were in the 40's during our stay?

Caleb and I in front of the Christmas tree at the Smithsonian

Invesitgating rocks at the Smithsonian with his buddy Christopher

Completely conked out at the Metro station

Caleb has also discovered the joy of hugging his friends this month. Unfortunately, not all of his friends appreciate his affection : )

Giving his DC travel buddy Christopher some love

Caleb added a new word to his vocabulary this month, for his very favorite food, "Broc!" (broccoli). For reasons beyond our comprehension, the green leafy veggie is the one thing I can always count on him to slurp down like it's chocolate. Well, besides Christmas cookies, of course.

Caleb is such a joy to us and we feel so blessed to be his parents. David is especially enjoying being the "favorite" parent at the moment. Caleb loooves his daddy and stays firmly attached to David's hip when he's at home. I love watching their relationship grow each day and seeing Caleb's face light up whenever he can do something "just like daddy".

Thanksgiving 2011- Part I

This year, my parents graciously allowed us to have an early Thanksgiving with them so we could attend a friend's wedding on the 12th. We avoided a ton of traffic, which was a huge blessing with an active toddler in tow. As a bonus, Uncle Josh also made the trip with us, and Caleb especially enjoyed having him along.

We broke the trip into 2 days, stopping overnight at the Tews. No matter how short our time together is, it's always sweet. The kids had a blast entertaining Caleb.

His adoring fans

After we arrived in Florida, Brian (David's next youngest brother) and his wife, Amy came to pick up Josh. It was Caleb's first time meeting his cousin and our first time getting to snuggle our nephew. It was a wonderful, but brief reunion. We are certainly looking forward to getting more time with them at Christmas!

Meeting his cousin for the first time. So precious.

Family photo time. I love how coordinated our clothes are, considering this was totally spontaneous

Trading babies. Everyone always asks where Caleb got his blond hair and where Zachary got his brown hair. Despite this, we decied not to make the trade permanent ; )

After a night of rest at my parents house, we headed to Tallahassee for the weekend to visit David's Grandfather and our church family in there. Our time in Florida is always so busy, but it was so wonderful to see how friend's children have grown and changed and see them interact with our son. It's still surreal to me that I left less than 3 years ago, a new bride.

Our visit with Grandaddy was a treasure as always. We met at our favorite restaurant, Hopkins, a little deli near Lake Ella. Our time together was brief, but it was so special seeing the two of them interacting, passing Caleb's fire truck back-and-forth across the table. Caleb ate his very first kids meal out, a grilled cheese sandwich. Mommy was too hungry to share!

Visiting with Grandaddy

After an overnight away, we returned to my parents house in the country. Caleb had a blast getting to know all the animals on the farm. In preparation for the trip we'd been working with him on learning to pet dogs and cats gently. Not only did he do a great job with that, he also learned to "call" the animals to himself. After watching David, he began standing still, sticking out his hand and clicking his tongue a few times. Ocelot especially was very willing to come over for a few pets when called.

Caleb taking over Jimbo's bed

Caleb and Ocelot

It was wonderful seeing Caleb interacting with his grandparents. He was definitely spoiled rotten with stories, play ground time and all the attention he could possibly want. By the time we left for our overnight away, I knew he would be totally comfortable being cared for by my parents. He did wonderfully the whole time we were away, but did break down a little when we started packing for PA. We kept reassuring him that he was coming with us this time. I definitely wouldn't leave him often at this age.

Grandpa Snuggles!

Swinging with Grandma

Group photo!

We had a wonderful time celebrating the wedding of Dan and Kristen. David and Dan were room mates in college and I got to know Kristen a little bit during my last year at FSU. Seeing their joy and being there as a couple, were such wonderful reminders to not lose sight of treasuring one another in the fun and busyness of parenthood.

The bride and groom. I love the look on Dan's face!

Weddings are pretty much the only events for which I will go through the hassle of straightening my hair : )

Photo Op with my handsome husband outside the church

Jeff, another one of David's college room mates, dragged me out to the dance floor and David snapped a photo

Unfortunately, the trip also brought Caleb's very first stomach bug, which we were still struggling with on the way back. It was fairly mild, no puking (whew!), but lots of pants changes. Combine that with 16 hours in the car over 2 days with an active-despite-being-sick toddler and we were worn out by the time we reached PA.

However, the time with family and friends was more than worth it and we have yet another "first" that we've survived : ) Stay-tuned for Thanksgiving- Part II, where in I commit to my own big bird and make my very first Thanksgiving meal from start to finish *gulp*!