Kaleb-Pretty Much 8 Months

Kaleb will be a whopping 8 months on Wednesday, and since he has gone through so many changes over the last 6 weeks I couldn't wait to make a post all about him! Let me tell you, it's a looloo!!

***Like a Weed!***
Firstly, Kaleb is FINALLY growing out of his clothes! He's always in the top 75th percentile, but we really haven't had to worry about him growing out of his clothes very much. However, in the last three or four weeks, I've noticed that he has definitely had a bit of a growth spurt. So out with (some) old and in with some new!

Here is a picture of Kaleb at 2 months:

And here he is in the same onesie a few days ago. BARELY fits!

Almost looks like somebody blew air in him like a balloon.

***All I want for Christmas is...***
I should've mentioned this in my last post, but totally spaced it. Kaleb got his two front teeth for Christmas. We didn't really notice for a few weeks since he was sick, but now that they're over a month old, they're almost visible in his smile... but not yet, so I don't have any good pictures of them!


***My little Angel?***
While Kaleb was sick, he was almost always the sweet little boy that we have come to know. However, near the end of that month-long cold, he started becoming what I like to call "a normal child" which for him is cranky and wheepy! Unfortunately, even after he got healthy again, it didn't quite stop. Things have gotten better over the last week or so since there have been several changes to his life, listed below:

1. We are finally getting into a 2 nap schedule. I still have to work out the kinks, but at least now he doesn't spend an hour or more a day crying in his crib.
2. Feeding him more. Kaleb is much like his parents. When he is fed he is happy(er), so I stopped being so stingy on his foods and he has been more calm more often. I don't know if this is necessarily the correct way to do things, but as long as he's not spitting up, I'm not gonna worry about it too much. We even started feeding him crackers and baby snacks, and it has been an easy transition that he has really enjoyed!
3. New toys and experiences. There is more on that later
4. Crawling. Also more on that. See the rest of the posts.



***Big Boy***
We lowered Kaleb's crib when I found him after a nap, kneeling on his bed and gnawing on the top rail. I knew he had no problem pulling himself up, so before Kaleb did a Sargeant Syler and flew head first over the edge, we lowered his crib.... now he can see more of his room and he seems eager to escape when he wakes up from his nap!


***Speaking of new toys***
Since Kaleb is more aware and getting bored with his old toys (even the ones we just got for Christmas), we have had to get really creative with finding cheap alternatives to buying new toys. This has included a computer keyboard, a ladel...

and his favorite new toy is a metal measuring cup. He loves how shiny it is, the taste of metal and especially the sound it makes when knocked against other things. Below is a video of him enjoying this random little toy. Please make suggestions for baby-safe toys that you have 'invented'!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CdXcBf9yKeM

***And new experiences***

Kaleb has become obsessed with new things now that he is in the discovery age, so now I find myself making excuses to go somewhere outside the house at least once a day. That way both of us don't get cranky! Another alternative is to have new people visit. Kaleb is really starting to enjoy his little cousins (like when Ellie came by the other day).

***CRAWLING, finally***
Before I had a baby, I was very misinformed. I always thought babies started crawling by 6 months. (even with 6 nieces and nephews, you would think I would have known better). However, as I did the research, I became aware that a lot of babies don't start crawling until 9 months. Well, Kaleb has a tendency to grow exactly with the norm. He isn't slow, but he definitely is not ahead of the game, so I was getting so anxious for him to crawl. PLUS he was getting UBER frustrated when he couldn't get to whatever he wanted. Anyway, this past week he FINALLY started crawling.

I have the before video taken the day before he started crawling:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ttWL1lZ9YI&feature=channel

And the video the day he started crawling:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=MYKzsnLdN5k&feature=channel

Life is now easier because Kaleb is happier, but also harder because now I realized I gotta babyproof EVERYTHING!! Either way, we are excited for this little accomplishment!

*Kaleb Cuteness*

"Dada" is Kaleb's favorite word right now. He technically said Mama first, but now he can't stop saying "DADA" I thought it was appropriate to end with Kaleb wearing his Dada's hat. Is there anything cuter?