Home sweet home

It's nice to be back home, with all of our dragons. ;-)

Goodbye Tahoe!

Just finished a fun hour or so at the kids snow park (Soda Springs) and now on the road back home. Had a blast and can't wait to come back! :)

Poking the snow with icicles!

Sledding down the driveway

Jon, Jeff and Jarrod hit the slopes today. While Callum had his morning nap, we took the kids outside to play in the snow. Logan had a blast sledding down the driveway. :)

Quiet Time

The kids were bouncing off the walls last night, yelling and running and generally having a smashing good time. Since we were starting to put some of the little(r) ones to bed, we gathered the older kids in the downstairs den to watch a movie, get their pjs on and quiet down.

Here's the two boys, very enthralled with Aristocats. ;-)

A beautiful day of boarding

For some reason this didn't send out yesterday. Could it be because I was blogging while boarding on top of a gorgeous mountain?!? Haha :)

Had a great day yesterday. Logan played in the snow (in the backyard) most of the day. He's really turned around since last year and I'm so glad!

Jon stayed at the cabin with the boys (and all the other kiddos/parents) while Nathan, Jenn and I spent a half day out on the slopes. It's been about 3 yrs since I last boarded but luckily it's like riding a bike when you get back out there. :)

We're here!!

It only took us 12 hours but whatever. ;-)

Loganism of the day

Look Mom, a lot of snow!! Because it's Friday now.

(We have been counting down the days to Friday, when we'd be driving up to the mountains, to the snow...)

South Lake Tahoe

We had to drive thru South Lake because Hwy 80 was closed. We just finished up a yummy pizza dinner and have our coffee in hands ready to hit the road for the rest of our drive up to Truckee! :)

(Logan is conflicted. He wants it to stop snowing - presumably because he's cold - but he also wants us to build a snowman.)

Windshield wiper broke

Operating under one wiper! Swapped the good one (from the passenger's side) over to the driver's side.

Good thing we have an ice scraper! :)

Wheee!

Slow going but we're having fun. Back in our element. ;-)

Winter wonderland

It's really gorgeous out! Now that Logan sees the snow he wants to get out and play. ;-)

Winter wonderland

It's really gorgeous out! Now that Logan sees the snow he wants to get out and play. ;-)

Getting ready for chain control

Perfect time for a nap! ;-)

Clapping

Getting ready for our trek up to the snow today and Callum busts out clapping (mimicking me) which he's never done before. So cool! :)

Packing for the snow

Boots to stomp in? Check!

Loganism of the day

"See Mama, my heart is broken."

Get me outta here!

A little monster trapped himself in the shower. Fun stuff until he realized he couldn't get back out. ;-)

The Drool Monster

Sadly, that is NOT a shadow on his shirt...

Blowing bubbles

Notice the shark toy resting on top of the kickboard, that must be in his sight at all times.

Back float torture

10 months old

Holy Moly Batman, Callum's 10 months old today!!

I didn't do my normal monthly update at his 9 month birthday because well, there were too many ear infections to count, travel for work and travel for play (about a trip I still need to post on), ear surgery, and then more travel and sick sick sick sick. 

Here we are one month later, we're all still sick and the house is a shambles and we've got circles under our eyes and it's raining outside and all I can think about is more travel that we have to get ready for.  ;-)

So, let's just say Callum was a charming 9 month old, taking off full steam with his crawling and standing at everything arms length and head height and when he could, he'd begin to let go and just balance slowly for a second or two, testing his sea legs all on their own.
 

But whooo boy now that he's 10 months old - it's a WHOLE NEW BALLGAME folks.

Because he's picked up RUNNING (or speed walking?) literally overnight!  Earlier this week he started using furniture to cruise around and by the end of the week (in a SINGLE day) he became a pro with his little walker and now this morning, he took his first step all on his very own!

Jon had predicted earlier in the week that he'd be taking his first steps by the weekend and I was like, "Oh - aren't you the cute little proud parent who thinks our kid is a genius superstar who excels at everything?"

But seriously, Internet, I think we may just have a genius superstar kid who will excel at everything.

Callum has also really increased his chattiness within the last month.  I have to think the ear tubes are a part of the reason for that, but it could just be the natural timing of his development.  Still, he loves to talk - loves to watch and listen to Logan talk too.  But loves to contribute as well.  He grunts and wiggles and waves his arms dramatically for attention (or food) and will run a string of "dadadadadada"s like nobody's business.

We've been slowly introducing the table foods.  Crackers, cheese (which he LOVES and literally JUMPS for joy when he sees me pull out), soft pastas, peaches, bread of any kind, juice and water.  He's interested in the table foods, but still has trouble mashing them up with his gums and ends up mostly playing with them, with his tongue, before they dribble down his chest and onto the floor for the dogs to slurp up.  He loves his juice, although he's still trying to figure out the sippy cup and whether it's actually meant for drinking liquids, or just gnawing on, out of the side of his mouth. 

While he's extremely social, smiling at everyone who gives him a second, he's also becoming more cautious of strangers these last few weeks.  Just the other night, we had a couple stop by to buy a few of our baby things that Jon had posted on Craigslist and while Callum was VERY interested in these new people, he was also very cautious and concerned and only allowed a teeny tiny smile for them to see.  I remember Logan hitting this stage as well (which is so hard to think of now, as you watch Logan, with this very same stranger couple, DEMAND that they come with him to his toy room and play with him and his trains, pulling on their hands to COME WITH ME, PLEASE?) - it's remarkable how many of the developments that these little guys go through are the same, and yet so different.

Callum continues to amaze us with how quickly he picks up on things and learns - and also at how fast he's growing - day by day.  I struggle keeping up with swapping the dressers out with the old clothes and in with the new.  And honestly think, if he keeps this pace up, he will soon be wearing the same size clothes as Logan and perhaps outgrow him all together!

We are absolutely in love with our little guy and are so very happy he's a part of our little family.  :)  Oh, and, in case you were wondering, Logan is in love with his little brother more than ever too.  Have no fear.

Off running!

I got the walker out the other day and Callum was simply interested in playing with the toys on it.  But, this week, he's been showing more and more interest in walking - cruising around the coffee table and chairs, and pushing benches and stools along the floor to help him walk.

So, today (he had to stay home because he had a couple vomit episodes at school yesterday - great timing since it was the first day I had returned back to work after being deathly ill all week!), I stood him up next to the walker and showed him how he could use it to walk.

AND OFF HE WENT!

Speedy Gonzales fast too!

Jon took a video, but sadly Socialcam can't yet embed videos on other sites.  So, you'll have to actually go to their site to check it out.  I promise you though, it's worth it!  :)

Tattoos, candies, and toys, oh my!

Logan scored TONS of valentines from his friends. He loved it and was jumping for joy with excitement when I picked him up, wanting to show me everything he had collected for the day. :)

Callum also had a great day. He stood up by himself, and without anything around him (so from sitting to standing unassisted) twice today. The teachers were thrilled, excited to show me the pics they took of him standing on his own (for about 30 seconds each time they said). He also made quick use of my parents' coffee table, cruising around it all evening (which is the first time I've ever seen him actually "cruise"!).

I, on the other hand, stayed home sick as a dog, still fighting this cold I've had for a couple of weeks. I went in to see a doc, who prescribed me with meds to battle the lingering cough and sinus infection that I'm dealing with. Let's hope they work! I'm tired of being sick. :(

Happy Valentine's Day!

The finished product. :)

Homemade Valentines

Logan and I are in the middle of making our very own MONSTER Valentines! (said in a three year old growly voice)

Loganism of the day

Whispering to me, on the drive home today:

Daddy has a surprise for you!  It's a necklace.

Oh really? What color?

Blue.

(Daddy should know his boy can't be trusted with a secret. Hehe.)

Hearing results

Callum had his ENT follow up this afternoon. His ears look great!

He did much better on his hearing test as well. He's within normal ranges now, a 400% improvement to his pre-tubes test. What a relief. :)

Loganism of the day

Hey Mom, when you have a lot of kids, it makes you happy. When you have one kid, it makes you sad. You need two babies and two boys.

(FYI. Right now I only have one kid btw. Callum doesn't qualify since he's a baby....)

Two front teeth

Well, I'm home and so happy to see my boys. Even if we're all miserably sick.

Last week while Jon was gone, Callum's top two front teeth started to show signs of breaking through. Now that I'm back, I see they've not only broken through, but grown a bit as well, like two little buck teeth ready for chomping.

I'm curious if they'll make a difference in his favorite pastime of clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth. ;-)

Hotel lanterns

Probably too big for my house but nice looking.

I've been traveling for business since Monday. Sick as a dog and miserable (unfortunately, Jon's had a sick Callum on his hands at home too). Flying home today, hopefully the weather treats me nice!

Loganism of the morning

As we're saying goodbye to Jon from the car this morning:

"That's my friend Daddy."

I think we're all glad he's back home. :)

Another sign, another letter?

Look Mom, that has two sides, just like an "L"!