Kaleb at 6 Months

Kaleb is now 6 months old! Or at least he was on the 3rd. At his Dr's appointment he weighed in at 20 lbs, 1 oz (90th percentile) and was 27.25 inches (70th percentile). So many things have happened for him over the last 6 weeks. Firstly we are having him sit up on his own in the bathtub. I tried that reclining chair for a little while (thanks for letting me borrow it jess), but he couldn't play in the water and he got so cold during the bath cuz only his behind was submerged in the water. SO we moved him back into the little bathtub, but without the ramp. He seems to like having bath toys as he was showing daddy:

We have moved him up to the bigger carseat that holds up to 30 pounds and we have even started giving him solids. Of course, rice cereal first and just this week we started him on veggies: so far, peas are his favorite. Next week, we will be doing fruits. It's very exciting!! Definitely makes our meal times more interesting. Below is a video of one of his first ever spoon-feeding sessions. It ends up being more a video of him trying to escape his dreaded Bumbo, but I think it's still cute:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PTyf5kqIvTo

Below are just a few updated photos of Kaleb... okay so they're almost a month old, but I really like his expressions!!

I just love Kaleb's cheeks, especially now that his back is so stable, his neck looks so skinny!!

Kaleb has been a lot more fun to watch and play games with. We put a mirror alongside him and he just got a kick out of that!!

This is a video of Ammon and I playing Peek a Boo with Kaleb. Makes us laugh so much:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iTDoRA5bmY0&feature=channel

And this is a video of Kaleb's first trick:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otVr4VkT-N0&feature=channel

He is also getting much more observant (unfortunately). He already knows which is his toy remote and which one is the real on and he was obsessed with the little picture on this sweater for a good five minutes.

Speaking of observant, Kaleb has gotten more into watching TV, or at least, watching us watch tv. The other day, we put him in his play pen behind the couch that faces the tv and when I turned around to check on him, i saw this: Kinda freaky!!

And with Kaleb's new observations means new toys:

Wrapping paper

This is the ring that holds his elephant... the rattle that hangs from the handle of his carseat:

And of course, video games:

With new toys, comes new friends... and apparently arguments with his new friends. Below is a video we caught while Kaleb was mad at one of his favorite toys. It must have been a very heated discussion because we can't seem to get his attention afterward!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M777-S3NhE4&feature=channel

Sick of Running on a Treadmill

I mean this figuratively of course since I haven't worked out much over the last few months. I just want to take a moment to vent... which is a horrible thing to do on the first real post in over a month, but I feel like these emotions need to be expelled in order for me to be rid of them, like a bad virus! Lately I have had this virtual depression come over me (almost like I'm completely overwhelmed) for about a month. At first I thought it was just the extra hours at worked combined with my desire to really be involved with holiday festivities... combined with preparing for our ward Christmas party. However, the word "overwhelmed" didn't ... it wasn't right. I'm not overwhelmed. Disorganized yes, but not overwhelmed.



However, something happened today that turned on that figurative lightbulb. I won't go into details what the last straw was, but I will say this: I am sick of running on a treadmill. I hate the feeling that I am working and not going anywhere. For instance, I am literally working but not making any more money... in fact, in the long run, I'm losing money by working. Also, I am given the opportunities to make decisions and then the very person who gave me those responsibilities re-makes the decision how he/she would prefer. And the worst one of all, that we have been praying for a full year for Ammon to get a good, stable job... and he still doesn't have one. I know the economy is what it is and we are definitely not the only ones suffering, if we are suffering at all! I know we are not doing everything perfectly to be able to even call up to the heavens and demand that we 'deserve blessings', but I feel like we are trying. Again, I reiterate, this is just a vent, something to let you know perhaps why I have not blogged in over a month.



That being said, I know that we are blessed. I feel it every time the heater comes on and see it whenever Kaleb smiles and my hubby hugs me. We are so lucky to have the support we have and still have our own house. So please don't reprimand a frustrated old woman for needing to blow off steam. I've just been thinking of that story of the man whom God asked to push a boulder, so this man pushes for months and months, but it never budges. Finally, the man asks God why the rock never moves. God tells him, "I didn't ask you to move the rock, just to push it. See how much stronger you are from all that you have been through." Hopefully, this means we are getting stronger... though most of the time I feel like I'm getting weaker. Go figure!

For the Love of the Muppets!!

The first has become a web-craze and is really hystarical!!

The muppets doing "Bohemian Rhapsody". For any who love the muppets, it's a good laugh!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgbNymZ7vqY



This next video is to help you get in the Christmas spirit:

Beeker doing "Ode to Joy". Probably one of the funniest things I have ever seen. Just remember to watch all of the different Beekers!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xpcUxwpOQ_A&NR=1

Videos

Some new videos. The first is just an updated video of Kaleb sitting. He can sit all on his own, but just can't get there on his own:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYdShZ8bfQc

I've had requests for more laughing videos, so the next two have Kaleb laughing:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7UD63qWK-U4


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yq1lqBJT5DY


This last video was taken late at night. You may need to lighten your monitor to see it in detail. Kaleb had been awake for two straight hours past his bedtime and refused to sleep, so we decided to try to make him tired. Well, he decided to play a little game with us:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v30KGSHm3Js

The Many Faces of Kaleb-5 Months

Tomorrow Kaleb will be five months old, so I am going to dedicate this post to all of his many faces. I've been getting a lot of requests for smiling pictures, but since Kaleb has many other fun expressions, I thought I should include all of them!!!

This is his, "You guys are weird, but I like it" Face

This is his classic smile... cute and coy!

Laughing smile, his cheeks are the biggest and his eyes are the smallest!!

Bubbles

What the?

Angry Smile... he's not angry, he just looks angry when he smiles

Sneaky...

His uncontrolled, super happy smile!! My favorite!

Halloween

Kaleb's first true holiday... Halloween!!! He was a white tiger, not a zebra as many people guessed. So cute!!! We were in charge of our ward Trunk-or-Treat and overall I think it was a success. Ammon really earned all the credit by monitoring the hot dog table and doing all of the PR work. I held the cuteness and gave out candy, tough stuff!

Grrrr!!

Kaleb even carried his own Treat bucket... for about five seconds!

Such a happy baby, now that Mommy is not drawing all over the face with eye-liner!

The Happy Halloween family



Jess and Chris and the munchkins joined us for our ward's Trunk or Treat. I think the adults had more fun than the kids. This picture kinda shows Christian's attitude,
"I'm only here for the food!"

Kaleb conked out really early that night. He was so well behaved the whole time. Then at about 7:30, fussy for five minutes, then asleep in Mommy's arms!!

This was our stash at the end of the night. What Kaleb collected and what we didn't get rid of.

Kaleb Newness

Some new updates on Kaleb, now 4 and 1/2 months. But first, I just want to take a quick moment to declare how lucky we are to have such a wonderful baby. He's so well behaved and almost always really happy, not to mention super-healthy so far. He's so much better behaved than I ever could have hoped for and I'm SO grateful for that. Anyway, back to the updates:

**His first tooth has emerged. Right now it's just a white little snag on his gum(s?), but it has definitely broken through. His bottom right tooth. The left is trying desperately to catch up. So exciting!!

**Recently I noticed that Kaleb likes to cross his feet a lot, something that I tend to do when I sit on the bed or on the floor when I have back support. Just one of those funny quirks that my baby has inherited.

**Kaleb is now rolling over quite easily. Below is the link to a video showing his expertise. Plus it shows how much he likes to hear my duck voice. It's almost always a guaranteed smile!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7DI0NGZDyl0&feature=channel

**So now, of course, because Kaleb can roll over, he finds himself in very odd positions while he is trying to get to sleep or when he wakes up from a nap. Sometimes he rolls over and can't remember how to get back on his back, so he'll just start wailing in frustration until i come in and roll him back over. He strongly favors being on his right side and has often taken 2 hour naps completely on that side... waking up with a swollen eyelid and fuzzy red marks all over his face. Below is a video of me finding him after a nap in what seems like an awkward position:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LH6yYh_nVxY&feature=channel

**And lastly, Kaleb now is getting really good use of his very large hands, from shoving them in his mouth to grabbing random toys and my hair. Now he is learning to hold his bottle on his own. The bottle in this video is small, but his hands totally engulf it. It makes me so thrilled to see these little advances in him!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YyMKKVzJtA0&feature=channel

Egg Oddness

This is totally random, but below are some odd eggs we have picked up lately. Both are compared with normal "Large Garde A Eggs". The first is our freakishly tiny egg. I haven't opened it yet to see if its got a yolk yet:

The next is our freakishly larg egg, the size of a goose egg. Ended up having a double yolk. Pretty exciting for us farmer folk ;-)

"Economom"

I heard this term the other night when I was watching Dr. Phil (something I hardly ever do ironically enough). He was discussing the roles of mothers: working outside the home versus remaining at home to only raise the children. He said that because of the way things are going, there are now "economoms" who are forced to go back to work because the fathers aren't working anymore. I feel that I have always been supportive of the overall feeling "whatever is best for you and your family." I can't make a decision for other people to say they should go to work to make a better living for their family or to stay home to nurture their children. I still feel that way. However, I can see how my own personal emotions toward being a working mom has changed.

After I got laid off, I went through a depression, partially brought on by pregnancy hormones. I ALWAYS saw myself as a working mom. Part time preferably, but definitely someone with an outlet. However, I found a way to fill my time until I got so pregnant I couldn't do much anyway. Then after Kaleb was born, I realized just how much I want to be a stay-at-home mom and not work outside of the home. I basically refused all offers and opportunities for work until I went into Brilliant Sky, the toy store I now work for. Ammon and I had a great feeling about me going back to work part time. However, since I have gone back to work, I feel myself torn. I really enjoy my work and I'm good at it and I feel a renewed sense of belonging and community. BUT every time I have to say goodbye to my adorable baby, who is always in GREAT hands, I am close to tears. I miss him so much! If the store does well during the holidays, it will stay open permanently and I know my manager would keep me on if that's the case. Financially, I'm still receiving unemployment so working right now is basically just extending my unemployment, not bringing in extra money. I don't plan on quitting and overall I am comfortable with my decision, but I wanted to get everybody's input on being a working mom or stay-at-home mom and pluses or minuses or how they "deal" with it. Then maybe I won't feel like such an "economom" who is forced to work. What do you think?

So Far Away...

Now you'll have that song stuck in your head for the rest of the day... Mwahahahaha. Anyway, Ammon left this morning for the Navajo Reservation to do some concrete work. He is going to be back on Friday, then gone again on Monday for another week. I can't say that I am thrilled at the prospect of being alone for five whole days, but at least I have a ton of friends and family nearby and my cute little Kaleb to always keep me company. I'm more scared for Ammon since the reason he quit doing concrete work was because it absolutely killed his lower back. On friday, he did a job for the same company down in Tucson. They picked him up at 3am and he was back at 3pm, in bed at 6pm and didn't get back up till 8am. That's gonna give you an idea of how tough the work is. I'm so proud of him though. It's something he REALLY didn't wanna do, but because it's a bit of extra money, my sweety is making the sacrifice. Plus he has been so focused and humble in trying to find a job... any job, and being a terrific Mr. Mom while I'm off working. My husband aint perfect, but he is awesome, so I just wanted to take a moment to brag!