Of A Different Spirit

Caleb had himself a very stuffy Christmas in Atlanta this year. Our Christmas Eve was spent running around the metro Atlanta area trying to find a place to get care for our red eyed, stuffy nosed, slobbery, grumpy little prince. My sister, Mindie, recommended a place and it REALLY paid off. If you are ever in the Atlanta area and are in need of a pediatrician, go to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, they are wonderful! Anyway, he received medicine and a blue bunny. Keith and I also got a little something too – relief that he would be back to our smiley Caleb soon, which, as all you parents out there know is a precious gift. So, shortly after midnight we started the first of many medication sessions (dubbed “torture sessions” by my family because he screams so much). By the way, the little angel sleeping in the picture above is Avery. He decided that he was tired, so he took a pillow from off of the couch, put it on the floor, and went to sleep. So cute!

After our Christmas Eve journey we were able to enjoy merry, noisy Christmas. It was so great to have everyone (17 in all) crowded into one house for a couple of days. I love being in a noisy,crowded house during the holidays. It just makes for a merrier Christmas! On Christmas morning the living room was transformed into a sea of wrapping paper and toys. It was a priceless moment as I looked around and saw the people I had once known as the kids swimming in the Wrapping Paper Sea holding cameras, reading instructions, and introducing their own little swimmers to traditions and magical Christmas moments. I now see mothers and fathers who that are building Christmas memories with their own kids and the two generations before getting to watch – it was beautiful.

Caleb was able to spend a lot of time with his Hill cousins while we were there, which was so much fun. He met his cousin Maddison for the first time. She is a beautiful little girl that can melt anyone’s heart. I know she has claimed both her mom’s and dad’s heart. Evan and Avery were loads of fun, as usual. Laycie and Torrie are great entertainers for all the younger cousins which is a big help – they are both so sweet and are growing up entirely too fast! I think Gramma, Nana, and Twodaddy were in heaven with everyone there and so many kids to laugh and play with.

You can really see how sick Caleb was in the picture above. This is after two doses of antibiotics! He was pitiful!

We also had some early Christmases here in Lakeland. Keith and I celebrated a sweet little Christmas with him on the Sunday before, so that we could reduce the amount of items we needed to pack, which was such a good decision. He was happy to wear his Santa hat while he and his daddy ripped into his gifts. Afterward, he munched on some cinnamon twists while Keith put his Little People play set together. The morning was topped off with a trip to church to be encouraged in God’s love. Can you ask for a more perfect Christmas celebration?
Later, we enjoyed dinner and exchanged gifts at his grandma and granddaddy’s house. He was also able to spend time with Mema, Uncle Kevin, Aunt Jessica, and cousin “Thrasher.” Caleb had so much fun with his new cell phone and blocks.

Thanks to everyone for all of Caleb’s gifts! He loves and plays with all of them. The bath toys he received this year were especially nice for me because they have made bath time a little less…trying. Our little home is now filled with toys. I have had to divide them up between the living room and his room because they don’t all fit in one room. Before Caleb came, this was one aspect of motherhood I wasn’t excited about. I was thinking about this yesterday as I was trying to figure out the best arrangement for his little treasures and I realized I don’t mind it at all. I don’t see it as clutter, but rather signs that a little mind is being developed. That he dreams, learns, and imagines here and that I certainly don’t mind cleaning up after that. Of course, one day soon he will be one cleaning up after a day full of learning.

Having a child to share this precious holiday with makes everything so much more special. I get as excited about giving him his gifts as I used to get about my own gifts as a kid. Keith and I return to our own childhood as we share our Christmas traditions with him. This year, what I have loved the most is reading this story of Jesus’ birth to him. Although I know that he probably doesn’t understand much of what I am talking about, I feel that I am planting little seeds of God’s love that will one day grow into a place under which he can find refuge, peace, and strength. Of course, that is something that I get to do every day, not just at Christmas, which is one of my greatest joys as a mother.

The New Year came will more smiles than Christmas. The runny nose and achy ears were all gone and he was completely back to normal. We had a quiet New Year’s Eve celebration here, which was nice. Although I have enjoyed the trips we have taken this holiday season, it was nice to just sit and relax without having to figure out if I had packed everything we needed. My only regret is that we missed the Kelso gathering in Tallahassee, but we decided that it would be best to stay at home and recoup from our travels. Maybe we can make it next year.

We are looking forward to a fun and happy 2010! I can’t wait to see what it holds for Caleb!

Caleb spent his second Thanksgiving in the beautiful state of Tennessee. It was packed with fun activities, good food, and special company.

He did well during the trip up. On our way, we were fortunate to be able to visit with Keith’s cousin, Michelle, her husband, John, and their son, Gabe. They will be moving to Washington soon, so we were very excited to see them before they go. Caleb liked Gabe a lot. He tried to show this by patting Gabe, but the only problem was that Caleb usually had a toy in his hand which I’m sure Gabe did not enjoy. We had a yummy dinner and continued to Atlanta to visit with my grandparents and rest.

Caleb always enjoys my Nana’s silliness when he sees her and this was no exception. She does crazy dances that he doesn’t get around here. He also visited with his Twodaddy , Aunt Mindie, and cousins Laycie and Torrie. He was glad to have plenty of playmates for the overnight stay and was even happier to be out of the car seat.

We arrived in Mt. Juliet, TN late on Monday and Caleb greeted everyone by screaming his head off. I think it was a mixture of exhaustion, frustration, and unfamiliar surroundings. He soon warmed up to things thanks to the three angelic beings that live there – also known as his cousins Owen, Ivan, and Aron. He was watchful for a little while as I tried in vain to get him to eat a good dinner. He started playing soon after and had fun from then on. He also received his first set of Duplos courtesy of his Uncle Kris, Aunt Mary, and cousins. He has really enjoyed them and is trying to get the hang of putting two blocks together. Every once in a while he will be successful at it. Before long he will be making all sorts of things. Thanks guys!

We went for a walk in downtown Nashville on Tuesday. It was a beautiful day for a walk and Caleb took advantage of it a little bit. He even gave us some trouble about staying in the stroller, which didn’t bother me too much. It shows that he is eager to strike out and explore on his own and I am happy to encourage it. It also helped that he can’t walk very well and needs to hold my hand most of the time anyway.

While at a war memorial, Caleb decided that some of the leaves there needed sorting. His grandma and granddaddy told me that he would pick up each leaf, inspect it thoroughly, then carefully set it down on the ground. Organized behavior! I can check that one off the emotional development milestone list!

Wednesday was a mixture of getting ready for Thanksgiving and celebrating Ivan’s 4th birthday. That afternoon, we took a train into Nashville to have dinner. Owen and Ivan loved it, while Aron was less excited about the first trip, but was just fine during the trip home. Caleb was a little different. He was anxious from the start, maybe taking a cue from Aron. I’m not sure what it was that he didn’t like, although I know he wasn’t crazy about the train whistle, but he was very clingy and eventually clung to Keith for the ride into the city and didn’t move until we arrived. He enjoyed dinner and babbled throughout the evening. The ride back was better for Aron, but remained the same for Caleb. He just clung to me until we arrived at our station. It was still a lot of fun and a great idea to celebrate the occasion. Later we had cake and ice cream and Ivan opened his gifts. All in all, an enjoyable evening.

Thanksgiving was a busy day and Caleb was a little more tired than usual which worked out well for preparations. I no longer give him a morning nap, but because he was so tired I thought it was a good idea. So, I was able to eat without having to be concerned with him, which was nice, and he worked up a good appetite for Thanksgiving dinner by sleeping through what is usually his lunchtime. He ate a good bit and enjoyed it. I think his favorite was the sweet potatoes. Later I gave him some of my dessert, a little pumpkin pie and a little apple pie, which he ate gladly.

We also took pictures of the Kelso cousins on Thursday. They weren’t perfect, but I thought they turned out well. To me, they show all the personality of boyhood, which isn’t always perfect but has so much joy and playfulness that it doesn’t matter. Sometimes, it’s an imperfect picture that captures the perfect moment. Mary did a great job of picking out the shirts, they look great!

On Friday, we made the trip to visit some extended family that lives nearby. I always love spending time with Donald and Brooke Kelso (cousins to Caleb’s granddaddy). They have big hearts that seem to have no limit. I was excited at the chance for Caleb to meet them. We had lunch with their family in their beautiful home. In the basement sits a carousel that at one time was in a store here in Lakeland. Donald can remember riding it as a child. He now owns it and his grandchildren ride on it. Caleb got to enjoy it as well. After lunch, he was able to take in some good mountain air while we took a stroll around their property. Later we visited his great-aunt Gloria’s grave. I was overwhelmed by the beauty of the area and the sweet little church that she is buried near. I know that the memory of her life is preserved in our hearts, but I couldn’t help thinking how that gorgeous place is a perfect place to preserve the memory of her life. I am so glad that we had the chance to see it.

On Saturday we started the long trip home. Caleb went through periods where he was bored and tired of being trapped in the car seat, but overall he did well. He even slept some, which is unusual for him when on a trip like that. Keith and I were certainly exhausted by the time we made it home, and were very glad to greet our cats as they were to see us. We all enjoyed the holiday. It was a great start to the Christmas season!

On the update side of things, Caleb is doing well. He had a little problem with the sinuses before our trip, but was well before we left. He is struggling a little bit now, but I think it will pass without too much trouble. I am trying my best to stay ahead of it.
He is making great strides in walking since we returned from Tennessee. I think it is a combination of watching his cousins run around and exploring on his own. He uses the wall to steady himself so that he can walk almost anywhere. He will let go from time to time to walk short distances and does very well.

Caleb continues to grow more independent and is more open with his dislike for any situation in which he is not allowed to do something for himself. For instance, dinner time can become difficult if I serve something that I have to give to him instead of allowing him to pick it up with his fingers because it is too soupy.
He loves exploring and is curious about everything. He is especially interested in how things work and will flip his toys over to investigate. However, frustration quickly follows because it seems that he can tell that they have hidden the inner workings and he cannot get to them.

I have been playing Christmas carols a lot lately and he has loved it. He will dance and smile. His favorites are the live tracks when he can join the audience in clapping after the song is through. I am having a lot of fun sharing the joy of the season with him.
Caleb is moving from baby to toddler and while it is difficult to loose the baby,I can rejoice in his pursuit of understanding more about himself and his environment. It is such an amazing process!