Caleb - 13 Months

Our big little man made 13 months almost two weeks ago. Life has just been fast and furious. So, this mommy is just now getting to post an update!

I PRAISE our Lord that Caleb is HEALTHY & WELL & CHOCK FULL OF SPUNK! He is ATTACHED TO HIS MOMMY these days!!! Whew!!! Hence, the lack of blogging! I'm catching a break during naps.

Caleb is WALKING!!! HOORAY! HOORAY! He took his first steps the day he made 13 months! He's still a bit unsteady on foot, but he's getting there!

He's full of smiles, giggles and laughs!

He eats great! Chugs down about 24 oz of milk per day (suggested amount for his age per our pediatrician).

He still naps twice a day...about an hour in the am, about 1.5 hours in the pm.

Enjoys the outdoors! Loves play time with Daddy & brother. Enjoys cuddle time with Mommy. :)

His personality is proving to be quite determined! Lord willing, that will be a strength!

This big boy's just a mess, and we LOVE LOVE LOVE him with all of our hearts!!!

Here are some fun pics of what Caleb's been up to...

Learning to ride the 4-wheeler...

Of course, big brother jumps in to show him how it's done!

Eating Saturday morning biscuits with Daddy...

Evidently excited to be outside and with apple juice in hand! :)

A beautiful smile that his mama LOVES!!

Playing with pine straw...and, of course, always trying to eat it!

Happy 13 months, our precious Caleb!!! You are SUCH a JOY! Your personality is developing, and we learn something new about you just about each day! It's fun, and we look forward to many more months, many more years and a lifetime with you!

XOXOXOXOXO,

Mommy & Daddy

Rhys Starting School...

We prayed about the decision to 'send' Rhys to preschool this year, and we sensed the Lord's clear guidance to do so. I asked the Lord in that initial prayer to please confirm that we'd made the right decision, and He has {already!!!!} SO many times, and we're only into week 2 of preschool! I am so thankful!

Rhys on his first day of school... :) {I'm a proud, sappy mommy :)}

I asked him to stand up. :)

And after 3 days of preschool at our church, Rhys shared with me and Daddy this evening some things he's learning. This week, they're starting to learn the alphabet! So, this week's letter is "A," and Rhys brought home art work to help him remember what he's learning..."A is for Apple." He also brought home a Scripture verse: "Be generous and willing to share" (I Timothy 6:18), which is exactly what we're focusing on at home {with toys among both boys}!! So, yay!!!

Well, as if that weren't enough, I teared up tonight when Rhys started singing, and we finally understood that he was singing a PRAYER! Yay!!!! Evidently, his teachers are leading him through this prayer as they sit for lunch...

Absolutely melts a mommy's and daddy's heart. "Thank You, Jesus."

Caleb - One Year!!!!

Caleb makes ONE year today!

We got to celebrate with Pappa, Grandom, Aunt Kristie and Sierra, and I must say, Aunt Kristie has a talent for decorating birthday cakes and cupcakes! All I can say is, "Thank you! Beautiful! And YUMMY!!! :)" I think Caleb is saying, "Yummy," too, once he gets a taste!! ;)

The pictures tell the first-birthday story...

Russell's favorite picture. He narrates, "I got this thing down, yall!"

Yum!!!

Thank you, again, Kristie!!!

Seems like Caleb 'grew up' over night a couple of weeks ago! He's just gotten in his 3rd and 4th teeth (top front two), which was hard on him - poor guy - but he is using them to master eating all kinds of new foods! He eats blueberries, strawberries, grapes, chicken, hamburger, hot dog pieces, just about any kind of bean, homemade muffins, cheerios, and he's up for trying anything, thankfully! His FAVORITE would be graham crackers, just like Rhys when Rhys was his age! Caleb has also mastered drinking from a sippy cup, which is WONDERFUL!!! No more bottles! Hello, milk! He loves it!!!

He is pulling himself up to standing and stands very well, mostly still holding on to anything within reach. Caleb's also wearing a lot of outfits that Rhys wore, which is fun for me to see! Caleb's been in 18-month clothes since he was 10 months old! He's a big, strong boy! We are thankful!

This was just a cute picture...looks like he's singing along with the music of this piano-like toy. :)

Caleb's been crawling for about 2 weeks...So, no problem keeping up with big brother anymore! :) He and Rhys play so well together, which is truly something I've been looking forward to since we found out we were pregnant with Caleb! It's a dream come true!!! "Thank You, Lord! Thank You! Thank You!!" We are coming into a sweet season of new fun!

He has also graduated to his forward-facing car seat, which has been like a new world for Caleb! He enjoys watching the 'new' scenery, and I love it because it's easier to see him from my rear-view mirror!

It's been a good year with you, Caleb Christopher Wright, and I'm excited beyond words for more years to come, getting to really know who you are, big man!

Happy happy happy :) birthday!!!!

Love you!!!
Daddy & Mommy

XOXOXOXOXO...

Stats:

Height: (5oth percentile)

Weight: 21 lbs, 2 oz (25th to 50th percentile)

Life is Good.

This has been a FUN month! We've gotten to visit with Russell's parents twice in their new home near Memphis, TN, and it's been a blast!

Between 3 cameras this past weekend, we took just shy of 200 pictures! So, here goes...

Pappa & Grandmom with all the grandkids

All the Wright men

Finally, a recent family picture!

And, now, for some random pictures....

Notice Rhys' shoes below. Cousin Sierra was sweet to let Rhys wear her princess shoes. :)

The kiddos had lots of pool time!

Then bath time!

Sierra & Rhys kept each other company (which the mommies loved!! :)) non-stop!

Caleb is Pappa's little man!

Pettin' on Zeke!

Grandmom got lots of lovin' from her grandkiddos, too!

Playground time...

{How cute this one would be framed! Great picture, Aunt Kristie!! :)}

Staying cool with frozen go-gurts!

Caleb's been practicing walking! I sure enjoyed all the helping hands for so many days!! :)

Pappa & Grandmom were ready for all the grandkids with lots of fun toys!

Rhys couldn't get enough of these tractors! Pappa knows how to speak Rhys' love language! :)

Aunt Kristie LOVES her nephews!!! "Thanks for ALLLLLLL your help with the boys, Kristie!!"

Aunt Tami is amazing with the boys, too!

We had fun and look forward to MORE fun visits soon, Lord willing!!!

Caleb - 11 months

Happy {very belated!!} 11 months, sweet Caleb!!

Some of your favorites are...

-Rhys! :) You love to watch your brother!! You are likely learning a LOT from him!

-Matchbox/Hot Wheels cars, trucks, tractors, anything with wheels! This makes you and Rhys great playmates, since he like anything with wheels, too!

-JUMPING! We even borrowed a friend's Jumperoo for you! It wears you out nicely for nap time! :)

-Movies! I've had to resort to giving you bottles in front of a movie...distracts you just right so that you'll drink your formula. You become fixated on the colors and music and objects. We watch mostly Baby Einstein and Brainy Baby. Hopefully, you're already learning some fun things! :)

-Blocks! You love to 'clap' them together!

-Clapping! You enjoy clapping your hands!

-Clicking that cute tongue of yours...what a sweet sound!

-Bath time! Splish-splash, big man! You can definitely make lots of splashes...Mommy just about mops the floor after you boys finish in the tub! :)

-Graham crackers! It's all you'd eat, if I would let you!

-Daddy time, especially bouncing in Daddy's arms! You just giggle, giggle and giggle!!! We LOVE listening to you giggle!!

-Room time! Yay!!! Mommy is thankful you enjoy playing in your pack 'n play! You'll play for an hour at a time, which is very nice some days!! :)

Sweet man, we do wish you a happy happy 11 months! We have enjoyed getting to watch you grow up this fast year, and we look forward to celebrating your first year so very soon!

XOXOXOXOXO!!!!

Love, Daddy & Mommy

Father's Day 2011

Russell LOVED his Father's Day gift this year!!! The boys and I did well! :) Yay!!!

I believe this will be our new Father's Day tradition each year (per Daddy's request)...

Pictures taken by my very own friend! :) Thanks, again, girl!

Four Boys & A Tractor Out Front...

Pool Time!!

Summer time has always meant POOL TIME in my family, and, thankfully, my parents have a fun pool that they LOVE for us to use! So, Rhys just might learn how to swim this summer! We'll see!

He's sportin' his new suit...Hopefully, this will help ease him into pool independence!

He LOVED swimming and playing with Daddy!

Can you tell? :)

Caleb hung out with my mom (where I always was growing up...very much a lap baby! :)) and seemed to enjoy the water, too. I look forward to putting him in a float next time we're there. I think he'll be content whatever we do with him! :)

And my dad got some sugar :) from Caleb after we all had a yummy dinner!

Looking forward to more fun pool time soon!

Caleb - 10 months

Caleb, You are the most easy-going baby I think I've ever been around. I'm so thankful. You just go with the flow, which is such a help! You babble some these days; I look forward to hearing your first word! Your all-time FAVORITE activity is BATH time with big brother! The more bubbles the merrier! You are pulling yourself up to standing. One funny thing is that you'll roll over on to your tummy, but you won't (or can't?) roll back over to your back. So, you'll cry in the middle of the night for Mommy or Daddy to come roll you back onto your back if you get 'stuck' on your tummy! :) We don't mind because we know it's only temporary!!

You weigh about 22 lbs these days, and you have a good, healthy appetite for your bottles and food! You still only have two bottom teeth, so I'm still giving you baby food, but I know you're eyeing all of our sandwiches and other meals, ready to chomp your gums into them! Currently, your mouth is running like a faucet, so I'm certain some top teeth are on their way in! Yay!!

Here are some sweet pictures of you, sweet Caleb, living life with us crazies! Whew!

You LOVE to swing, and you have NO fear of going high! The higher the more giggles we get out of you! :)

You're getting SO interested in cars, trucks and four-wheelers, and you're getting so coordinated! You balance yourself so well on the big trucks!

I LOVE your precious face! Can you just smile for Mommy forever, please!???!!??

And here's a little plug in for our upcoming 4th of July!! This outfit was given to Rhys by Miss Ashley last 4th of July, when we were living in Missouri. He was 18 months, and you're wearing it at 10 months! It's cute...it has a monster truck on it and says, "Red, White & Vroom." VERY BOY! :) ("Thank you, Ashley!")

Caleb, you are such a delight! You'll sit for hours and play by yourself, you'll let anyone hold and love on you, and you are always so content! I am thankful! We love you and wish you a very happy 10 months of life!!!

XOXOXO

Mommy & Daddy