Three months of fun

Somehow, it's already been over three months - 96 days, actually - since Isaac joined our family. It's so incredible to watch his little personality blossoming and to learn new things about him every day. My favorite recent discovery is how ticklish he is - I can hardly change his clothes without him wiggling and giggling if I accidentally (or intentionally!) tickle his tummy or sides, and even his little legs. He gives big smiles when we talk and smile at him, and especially if I kiss his cheeks, which really just encourages more and more of those things!

He seems so interested in the things going on around him, be it a book, his blankets, toys, or Caedmon, who can definitely hold his attention without even being aware of it. Isaac is going to learn so much from him, he's probably already taking mental notes! He's a strong little guy, too, really holding his head up steadily and rolling over onto his side and back several times every day.

Caedmon (who, to be fair, is 634 days old!) is growing up so much, so quickly. He amazes us with what he is able to do, and especially with his language. He has a word for just about everything, and we've been amused at the way he's picked up and turned around some of the phrases we tell him frequently, such as "Carry you, Caedmon?" (which he says when he wants to be picked up) "Help me" (if he wants to help us with something). He has almost memorized his "Sleepy Bear" book and although the language is very simple, we are amazed at how he can fill in almost any word we leave out, and sometimes tells us what is on the next page before we get there.

Some things don't change, though, as his favorite activity is still playing outside. If there is time after we finish our supper, Daniel will often look at Caedmon and ask "Do you want to go....outside?" Caedmon's little face absolutely lights up, his eyes get wide, and his mouth drops open as he nods his head - I can't imagine a more sincere or exuberant expression. He will immediately begin trying to get down out of his booster seat, saying out loud the things he needs to go out and what he wants to do - "Down! Down! Shoes! Sand! Water!"

Caedmon's attachment to his Duck has continued, and perhaps even deepened. Currently, Duck's sweet yellow fluff has become grimy and in much need of washing, so when I took a load of clothes out today to wash I brought Caedmon and Duck along. After he helped me put all the clothes in, I asked him to put in his feathered friend. He said, "No! Hold." and squeezed Duck tight. There was no convincing him to let go. It's been amusing to watch all the new things he does with Duck, though, as he learns to pretend - he has been riding Caedmon's little toy car, taking naps in his bed, drinking from his sippy cup and eating snacks. When Caedmon goes outside, he puts Duck by the door and says "Wait right here" and when he sits at the table for meals, we move Duck out of reach and so he can, as Caedmon says, "Watch you."

I'm sure we have a lot more of this in our future, but we had our first venture into a shared bath this week. Isaac was in his little bouncy seat, so we put him in it and set it down in Caedmon's bath water. There was just enough water for his legs to be able to splash around, and he kicked and kicked. Caedmon helped "wash" him by pouring water over his legs and feet and was really well-behaved with his little brother. We're not sure which little boy was more surprised at this new arrangement!

10 weeks, already?

That's right, our little Isaac will be 10 weeks old tomorrow! He's growing like a weed, was 13 lbs 2 oz (80th percentile) at his 2-month check-up, and 25 inches tall (97th percentile). We're so thankful that he's such a healthy little guy! Here he is on his 2-month birthday.


He really loves the quilts that his Granny made for him and Caedmon - they have bright colors that are just fascinating to him!

Such a sweet little sleeper! He loves to sleep on his tummy with his little feet tucked up under him and his arms pulled in. He does look pretty cozy!

Big brother-isms

There are so many things to learn and do as a big brother, and Caedmon has been very busy making sure he's the best big brother he can be!

First, he worked alongside (actually, on top of) his dad as they replaced the faucet in the bathroom. He had a wrench and while Daniel worked under the sink, he took care of everything else, making sure the cabinet doors, toilet, floor - really, anything in reach - were adequately banged on.

He has also learned the fine art of drinking from a water hose, something every little boy should know! In the heat, he has really enjoyed playing in the water, especially under the colorful umbrella his Gramma Janet shared with us. We have noticed a trend in the progression of his requests when we got outside...he'll first, of course, ask for the water hose. Once his feet get wet, he looks up and says, "Shoes off?" Sure, we'll take off his sandals. Then his shirt gets wet..."Shirt, off?" Sure, why not. Then his shorts...."Shorts, off?" Uhm, okay. That only leaves one thing..."Diaper, off?" Well...we might consider it, but all of this takes place in the front yard, so he doesn't get an affirmative answer to that final request! Once we come inside, though, he is ready, not just for any old diaper, but always a "clean, dry diaper."

Caedmon is also learning how to care for his little brother, picking up on our cues to know how to meet his needs. He likes to put a "blant-et" on him when he's in his swing, attempts to insert a pacifier in Isaac's mouth when he's upset, and tries to get him to hold a rattle when they're playing on the floor. He even imitates the way we talk to him, getting right up in front of him and saying "A-boo. A-ooo." It's so sweet! Of course, they do have their moments. I didn't know if our admonitions were really sinking in until I overheard Caedmon talking to himself while I made lunch..."Do_NOT_hit_Isaac. No_Sir." He even emphasizes like we do! We really have to watch what we say!

Isaac is fascinated by Caedmon. We've tried to give them opportunities to play "together" by encouraging Caedmon to demonstrate his toys or show Isaac his books, although Isaac is much more interested in watching his brother than anything else!

Probably because we spend so much time with Isaac in our arms, the phrase I hear the most lately is "Carry you?" Caedmon has decided he wants his fair share of being held and toted around, and seems to really enjoy directing us to things that would normally be out of his reach. His vocabulary is amazing to us, and we don't have to repeat new words to him often before he soaks it in and begins using them himself. It's so fun to be able to carry on a real conversation with such a neat little person!

Isaac's baptism

This past Sunday, we welcomed sweet baby Isaac into the family of God through the sacrament of Holy Baptism. What a joyful occasion! We are blessed to have his Uncle Taylor and Aunt Amanda as his sponsors. He did great during the baptism, as did big brother Caedmon, who stood with us up front.


In the last week or so, little Isaac has been busily perfecting his smiles. They are so precious! We enjoy watching and interacting with him so much that we normally don't want to take the time to grab the camera and risk missing the moment, but I did manage to catch one gummy little grin. What a darling!

Isaac's one month birthday came and went so quickly - we did take a picture to commemorate the occasion, but I didn't get a chance to post it until now. Hopefully we'll be able to take photos each month with this little stuffed giraffe to watch his growth. It feels like he is blossoming before our eyes, it's so amazing how quickly babies grow at this age.


Today is Isaac's 7-week birthday. How time flies, it seems like just yesterday we were still wondering when he was going to make his grand appearance! How blessed we are to have him in our family now!

Big Day!

Today was a big day for our family of four! We enjoyed getting to spend a Saturday at home together as we continue to learn how to adjust to our new schedule (or lack thereof) and how to meet the needs of each family member. Caedmon and his Dada got to watch the neighborhood 4th of July parade and spend time playing outside, which they thought was pretty great. Later, we decided it was time, again, for him to get a haircut, as it had grown out quite a bit. This time, rather than going to the kids' salon, we cut it at home! It looks straighter in the pictures from being wet and combed during the cutting, but I think it will still be long enough to curl.


After that, we all convened in the bathroom to give Isaac his first bath in the baby bathtub! We had to wait for his umbilical cord to heal completely, so now he gets to experience a real bath. He was okay with it at first but was ready to be done by the time his hair was washed. Caedmon got to sit on the counter at the base of the tub and supervise, and helped wash little Isaac's feet.

Isaac was contentedly having a little tummy time in his crib this evening while I stepped out of the room briefly, and while I was gone I heard him start to scream. I suspected I knew what had happened, and when I dashed back in to check on him, my suspicions were confirmed - he had rolled himself over onto his back! Such a strong little guy!

We knew it had been a tiring day for Caedmon, who refused an afternoon nap, but didn't realize just how tired he was until we were finishing our supper. He ate his spaghetti and vegetables heartily, then went right to sleep in his chair! He stayed that way for several minutes (while we took pictures and video, of course.) Poor guy!

To wrap up our busy day, Daniel was able to feed Isaac with a bottle for the first time. We weren't sure what the little guy would think about it, but once he realized he was being fed, he took right to it and quickly drained the ounce of milk that we offered.

We continue to be amazed at both our little boys as they grow and change so quickly. Caedmon is on the verge of running, and loves to go for walks around the block (he walks the entire way by himself, pointing out all the "bumps" in the sidewalk.) He is able to identify several colors with a fairly high degree of accuracy, and his imagination is blossoming, as he enjoys "feeding" his Duck and toy farm animals, and putting them to bed ("night-night.") At 3 weeks of age, Isaac has already given us several nights of 6+ hours between feedings, and slept in his crib in his room for the first time on June 25. He really focuses steadily on objects and faces around him. Every day is something new - we are so humbled and amazed that the Lord has blessed us so with these precious boys!

Welcome, baby Isaac!

We have a baby boy! Isaac Caleb was born on June 10 at 8:52 p.m., weighing 8 lbs 14.3 oz and measuring 22.5 inches in length. We are so blessed! What joy has been put in our lives!


Every baby is a miracle, and the Lord certainly proved that again with Isaac. After Caedmon was born via cesarean, it became my strong desire and prayer to be able to deliver future babies without surgery. The "plan" throughout this pregnancy was to have a TOLAC (trial of labor after cesarean) and deliver more naturally. I didn't anticipate any real bumps in the road with this plan, and was more than a little surprised when our Little One didn't decide to make an appearance before our due date - or really make any measurable progress in that direction. As one of my doctors described to me, going post-term was our first "strike" against a TOLAC, since it's not safe to artificially induce (via drugs) following a cesarean.


I had a routine check-up and sonogram that morning, knowing that we would have to make a decision about scheduling a c-section, depending on what my doctor gathered from the sonogram. The estimated weight of our baby was 8 lbs 8 oz - exactly the point at which the baby is considered "large" and not a good candidate for a TOLAC (trial of labor after cesarean). Strike two! But, we were shocked to learn that at my appointment I was already dilated to a 4 (I'd been having contractions that morning) and my doctor was willing to give labor a try, since I felt so strongly about that. We grabbed a quick lunch in the cafeteria and checked into the hospital!


After a couple of hours of getting settled, signing paperwork, drawing blood samples and having IVs put in, and feeling significantly stronger contractions, the anesthesiologist came and gave me an epidural - ahh! Daniel and I had a very enjoyable afternoon of discussing names, resting, and getting a few last-minute loose ends tied up while my body did the work of labor. Finally, around seven hours after we checked in, it was time to start pushing! We were so excited to know we would be meeting our baby soon!


Daniel was a great support and encourager during the last phase of labor, and after an hour, little Isaac was ready to make his appearance! What joy - our hearts were bursting! Everyone in the delivery room was surprised by his size - my doctor even commented that she might not have let me go the TOLAC route if she had known how big our boy really was! I guess the Lord just wanted us to see what HE can do, if we give Him the chance!


Like his brother, our little Isaac is truly a miracle and gift from God. His arrival didn't happen the way we expected, but in the end the Lord's plan was better and more amazing than what we planned for ourselves. We are so thankful for these precious boys!

Caedmon is settling in great to his role as big brother. He is curious about Isaac, but willing to leave him alone when we ask him to (naptime). He is working on saying his name, so far it's pretty much just "Ise" but we'll get there. One thing is for certain - his Dada is home right now, and for Caedmon, it doesn't get much better than that. We are basking in the opportunity to spend these precious days at home all together!

HAPP-y! (Birth day?)

We have been so amused lately by Caedmon's ever-increasing ability to repeat what we say, sometimes remembering words and using them on his own later. Even more than what he is able to communicate to us is what he understands, both in our conversations with him and with others. After he mimicked several things that I'd said one day this week, I jokingly asked him if he was a little parrot, and without missing a beat, his reply was a confident squawk! (There is a picture of a parrot in one of his books and we make the sound when we see the picture - even though we haven't read that book in several weeks, he apparently remembered it!)

Although his vocabulary is growing rapidly, our favorite thing to hear from Caedmon's lips is "thank you," which sometimes sounds more like "kan koo." He's used it appropriately without our prompting a few times now, which is even more fun. Although, a few nights ago I was combing his hair after his bath (not his favorite thing) and when I finished, Daniel suggested he thank me. He did - but it was the saddest, yet sweetest "kan koo" I've ever heard!

Our little guy is also starting to have very strong feelings about what he does and doesn't want. He usually doesn't ponder long to give a confident "yes" (more accurately, "yeah" - we're working on that!) or "no" answer to our questions. He has also become more interested in what he is wearing, sometimes refusing one pair of shoes for another or insisting that we put (and leave) socks on him, no matter how warm it is. One day recently he found a pair of Daniel's black dress socks and felt it was absolutely necessary for him to have one on - even when it was time to go outside and play. Any attempt on our part to remove it was met with strong resistance...so...he and Daniel had a grand time playing in the yard with the sock in place, even though our neighbors came over to check on him, concerned that he had hurt his leg!




One of Caedmon's new favorite things is to sing "Happy Birthday." My birthday was last Sunday, and he and Daniel surprised me with a delicious homemade breakfast in bed of Belgian buttermilk waffles with glazed bananas (oh my!) and fresh fruit. As they were bringing the tray of food down the hall, I could hear Caedmon saying "Happ! Happ!" At first I thought he was saying "help," as in, he was wanting to help carry something, but then I realized they'd been practicing "Happy birthday." Whenever he hears it sung, he gets excited, chimes in occasionally with "Happ!" and sometimes even the whole word, emphasizing the first syllable - "HAPP-y!" He's never strung together the whole phrase, but since this song has now made it into our naptime and bedtime repertoire, I've heard him say "HAPP-y day!" and include "Mama" and "Duck" as who we were singing to. His favorite part is the end, though, because he gets to clap and say "yay!" every time.

Ironically, as we've been singing the birthday song all week, we continue to have to guess and wonder when our newest family member will be joining us. Today, June 5, is our official due date, but as of yesterday our little baby was showing no signs of an imminent arrival. A sonogram revealed an estimated weight of 8 lbs 2 oz. We're thankful to have such a healthy, growing baby, but hope that he or she will decide to join us soon so that blessed event can occur without the help of another cesarean. We've been amazed to watch all the kicks and wiggles coming from the inside and are ready to see those teeny toes and sweet face in person!

Haircut

When out and about, we get more comments on Caedmon's sweet curly hair than anything else. It's been so much fun to watch it grow out, and although we've talked about getting it cut for months now, we just couldn't bear to do it. It finally reached a point, though, where it was in his eyes, tickling his ears, getting tangled, and just seemed to be bothering him, so we made an appointment yesterday to get it cut.

We went to a salon for children, and he got to sit in a "taxi" while the stylist gave him a trim. He could play with the steering wheel and seat belt, and there was also a television with cartoons going at each hair cutting station. He wasn't really interested in the tv, but was really good the whole time his stylist was working!


He wasn't crazy about having his hair wet down with a spray bottle and didn't want the drape over his clothes (it probably felt too much like a bib) but sat amazingly still the whole time. We had been talking to him about getting his hair cut, so perhaps having someone combing and messing with his hair wasn't too much of a shock.

Although it seems like I always leave the salon with a lot more "product" in my hair than I'd prefer, for some reason I was very surprised that when she finished, Caedmon's stylist put a conditioner and "Mango Mousse" in his hair. We weren't as crazy about the wet, spiky little curls, but knew that once we washed it at home we would have our soft, sweet hair back.

Everyone warned us that once we got his hair cut, Caedmon would look so much more grown up. We intentionally left some length so that we didn't lose the curls altogether - and although he does look older, it's a good first step for us! We brushed it straight after his bath last night, though, and he did look like quite the big boy!

But, it's an appropriate time for him to take another step towards big boyhood, as our due date for Itty Bitty Baby is just two weeks away! All is well as we eagerly anticipate the arrival of Caedmon's little brother or sister!

First Sentence?

Caedmon loves getting to play with his "Dada." Whenever he arrives home from work in the evenings, Caedmon rushes to the door yelling "DaDA! DaDA!" Normally, he is in the highchair when Dada leaves for work in the morning, and they have a routine of saying goodbye to each other. This morning, I think Daniel inspired Caedmon's first sentences...after he left, our little guy got really quiet for a few minutes, holding Duck, then he looked up at me and said, very seriously, "Bye, Dada. Dada 'b-b-b-b.'" (a rolling "b" is his sound/word for "car.")

Sandman

As I've mentioned before, Caedmon loves to be outside, and one of his favorite things to do outside is to play in the dirt. He's never been picky about the type of dirt, where it is, if it's muddy or dry, etc. But that was before he experienced sand. He has a sandbox at his Gramma and Grandpa Dude's house, which has provided much entertainment for him. On a recent visit, his Gramma brought him a bucket of sand with some smaller buckets to fill and empty - oh, the possibilities! He puts sand in little cups, scoops it with his shovel, flings it into the air, pours it into his sandals, makes piles and then scatters them, and just generally has a grand time. We hope to get a real sandbox for him soon, but until then he seems to be completely happy with his bucket!



Our little Sandman has also been amazing us with his transition to sleeping in a big-boy bed. It's been two weeks since we first put a twin sized bed in his room, and although he slept in it the first night (we think he wasn't certain how to get out) he had gotten up every night since then until we finally put him in his crib. This past Tuesday, however, we put him in his bed, told him goodnight, and went into the living room to wait for him. A minute passed, then two...then ten...and we realized that although we could still hear him "talking," he was not getting up. Since then he's slept in his bed every night and for most of his naps. Wow! Such a grown-up little guy. I can't get a good photo of him sleeping because I'm afraid the loud camera shutter will wake him, but I did snap this one from the door - what nap would be complete without a duck, blanket, and good book?


It's so hard to leave him at bedtime - even though by that time we're generally exhausted too - he's such a little character! After his bath we read books together, then he climbs up into bed to say prayers. We pray and tuck him in, then he looks up and says insistently, "Je-ja!" which means he wants us to sing "Jesus Loves Me." We comply, then the rest of our conversation sounds something like this:
Us: "Caedmon, it's time to sleep in your bed now."
C: "By-y-e!" (said with somewhat of a Southern drawl - and about three syllables)
Us: "We love you."
C: (makes kiss sound)
Us: "Night night."
C: "Nigh nigh."
Us: "Sleep good. We'll see you in the morning."
C: "By-y-e."

Most of this is punctuated by him sucking his thumb, and occasionally re-requesting "Je-ja." It's so hard to stop talking to him - his responses are so precious!

We are also practicing self-feeding. While we generally make a fork and spoon available and encourage him to use them, Caedmon still generally finds it much more convenient to eat most foods with hands. However, as he demonstrated for me with his yogurt at breakfast one morning this week, he's actually quite adept with a spoon. He ate almost the entire bowl by himself, hardly dripping any yogurt at all!

The Many Faces of Caedmon

After commenting in my last post that I've been having difficulty capturing Caedmon's face (since he's always on the move) I had a great afternoon of photography with him. I'd love to know what he's thinking sometimes!





There's definitely a lot going on in that sweet little head, whether we understand it or not. He has learned how to "pretend" a few things, which is fun. First of all, when he's in a silly mood, he will make himself laugh at random things. It's a very fake laugh, but it usually makes him laugh genuinely at himself afterwards anyway. He has also learned how to smack his lips and say "mmm!" when tasting something - whether it's something he thinks is tasty, like ketchup on a waffle, or yucky, like his bath wash.

We are just coming out of a phase where it seemed like everything elicited the same response from Caedmon - a hearty "whoa!" I heard it many, many times a day for a week or so, but now he appears to have gotten it out of his system. It was pretty amusing while it lasted though!

Almost all of Caedmon's furniture and toys are now in his new room, and he has had a great time checking it all out, romping around in the extra space, and most of all, figuring out his new twin bed. He has been great about taking naps in that bed, and even slept in it overnight the first night we had it! Since then, he's learned how to get up out of bed, though, so we're still practicing with the naps, and on the second or third "get-up" at night, let him go back to his crib. He's well on his way to being prepared for us to welcome his new little brother or sister into the nursery!

Curls

That's what I see a lot of these days - wispy blonde curls. Our sweet little boy has grown so much - and so has his hair! It's adorable, and I get a great view of it as I chase him around on his daily adventures. It's becoming increasingly difficult for me to photograph him facing me, as our curious guy always has another destination to explore.

Caedmon loves to be outside - or as he says numerous times a day, "aut!!" I think exploring the different terrains of our yard has made a huge difference in his balance and stability as he can now walk confidently through our grass, down the sidewalk, and up and down inclines without any difficulty.
One of his favorite outside toys is this little pull-toy chime, which has made countless trips around our yard and driveway, up and down our block, and even through the neighbors' yards. A $2 find at a consignment sale has provided hours and hours of fun for him and us. Thank you, Grammy! He does play with it in the house, too, but really loves exploring the outdoors with it in tow.
Caedmon has become more interested in all animals - and his repertoire of animal sounds is ever-expanding - but the majority of his first-hand interactions are with Andre. He's gotten much better at being "soft" while petting him, calls "kitty kitty" (sounds like "k-k-k") and makes meowing noises, which admittedly, sound like a cat in a bit of distress.

A new family friend has really become quite important to Caedmon, and so, to all of us. His Gramma and Grandpa Dude gave us this sweet little yellow duck for Little Baby Schwarz at Christmas, but Caedmon has claimed it and has it with him most of the day. We don't let Duck (who he calls by name) go outside most of the time, but he goes almost everywhere else with us. One night Duck had to leave the crib after Caedmon went to sleep so that I could wash him, and the next morning, Caedmon was determined to find him before we could do anything else.

We are almost ready to move Caedmon into his new bedroom (formerly, our guest bedroom) so that the nursery is ready for his new little brother or sister. He's already had so much fun watching us moving things around and romping around the big empty room. We're 31 weeks along in this pregnancy, and know that the next two months will go by so quickly! It is such a joy to know we'll soon be meeting our little blessing and miracle!