while packing

I'm really starting to feel like a military wife with all this packing and moving and settling in, just to have to start over again because plans changed. Doing all this with a baby boy running around unchecked is even more of an experience, but it had it's entertaining moments...

I put out this empty diaper box with the idea that Caleb might want to play inside it (you know how kids are with boxes), but instead, our little explorer saw that it had potential for climbing. I snapped this picture right before the cardboard gave way and he went sliding down to the floor.



There was only so much room in the car for all the items that were going into storage, so I had to make several trips over the span of four days to get everything packed up to drive out there. Every time I went outside I closed the front door so Caleb wouldn't get out. He'd get mad that I left, come crawling to the door, then kneel beside it and try to open it (sometimes successfully if it was still open a crack), so I couldn't get back in the house without knocking him over. I decided it was best then to just leave the door open so he could keep an eye on me, and he loves being out where there's sunshine and birds and trees and so many unfamiliar things to look at.

At first he just sat there, looking around and taking in the scenery, being a good boy... Then he saw the grass and the mud, and like any other little boy, he wanted to get dirty. I could've said "yuck!" and made him stay inside and out of the mess, but I decided as long as he kept the filth out of his mouth, I didn't mind him having a little fun.





I'm glad he can keep himself entertained and stay out of trouble for the most part while I get us all packed up. Now I can only hope he can do the same on the car ride back to the homeland this weekend. We're leaving on the 2nd, hoping to be there by the 5th, so we'll be seeing some of you soon!

that's what you get

"Caleb, if you play with the socks while I'm trying to sort them, I'm gonna put them on your hands. That's right. What are you gonna do now?"

getting into everything

Note to self: don't leave box filled with mini bags of chips unattended while 7-month-old is on the loose. At least he's happy, and it was an easy clean-up.

Since he learned how to stand up two weeks ago, he's been testing his limits on everything he can get his hands and elbows on. The bed, the couch, the cupboards... mommy's jeans. He'll follow me into the kitchen when I'm doing dishes or cooking and use my legs to hoist himself into a standing or at least kneeling position and tug at my pants. He's lucky if I notice him creeping up on me before I accidentally knock him over. He can even open doors if they're left open a crack. We try to keep him out of the bathroom because it's "yuck," so of course that's where he wants to go more than anything. He's so inquisitive.

He's been tearing at all the books on the bottom shelf since he realized they were there, and now he can reach the second shelf. What's a mom to do? I know! Give him an old magazine he can go to town on and we'll both be happy. Seriously, he loves pages, and hearing them crinkle and rip. Thank goodness it's not one of my Twilight books!



Check out the do. And check out this face Michael's making! Right when I was pushing the button to take this picture, Caleb let out a rather gravely burp. The daddy gets easily grossed out by those kind of things - which means he hasn't changed a poopy diaper in about 7 months - but it also gave us this priceless photo.

congratulations Michael

Michael received a Good Conduct Medal at his three-year mark, which means he hasn't gotten in trouble for anything since he joined the Marine Corps on September 11th, 2006. He's been through all that intense training and stress and long hours without ever being late, or violent, or drunk, or even so much as getting pulled over by a cop. As easy as it would've been to sleep in fifteen minutes, or go 5 mph over the speed limit, or not do the extra two hours of work when he just got home from thirteen... he always did what he was supposed to. I know he didn't want to get punished for doing anything like that, but he also didn't want to let me and Caleb down, and for that I am very greatful. I've heard horror stories of guys that lost their pay and had to stay in the barracks for 45 days because of stupid decisions like underage drinking, and their wives had to suffer with them. I'm glad I never have to worry about ever being in that situation, because Michael is such a good, responsible, and disciplined man.

toy box

I used to put a couple small toys here and there around the livingroom for Caleb to find and hopefully keep him entertained. Now he's on to bigger and better things, like weaving through the furnature and kicking the oven because it makes a loud noise. But look, he's paying a visit to his toy box again, picking out one colorful hunk of plastic and fabric after another just for the pleasure of having the indipendence to do so. I guess I'll have to get used to an unnecessary number of toys on the ground from now on.

da-da

I've been working with Caleb for over a week, drilling him on his D's so he can learn the second most important name he'll ever say. He would watch my mouth so carefully, and mimmick what my tongue was doing in my mouth, then finally he put his voice behind it and out it came... "Da-Da!" It was so beautiful.

That was five days ago and he hasn't stopped saying it since. I'm a little jealous, but mostly happy that Michael can now feel the same pride that I've enjoyed the last month and a half, that Caleb seems to know who we are and what he wants from us. He still says ma-ma when he's sad or tired or hungry, and da-da's more of a playtime word... go figure. I think he really likes how it sounds, and so do I.

And man can that boy jump!

a couple late announcements

I just realized that I failed to make two very important announcements at the end of July. The first and happiest was the arrival of Caleb's newest cousin, Danielle Louise Gemmer, on July 29th. She's beautiful and lucky to be part of such a wonderful family. I so can't wait to meet her next month.



The next is that Michael found out he has to go to Afghanistan afterall, sometime at the end of October, so the three of us will be coming to Washington on his pre-deployment leave in a few weeks. Caleb and I will be sticking around while he's away, and then come next September our happy family will be together forever :).