Here We Grow Again!

They say that babies have growth spurts around 3 and 6 weeks, and then again around 3 and 6 months. I know Callen will be 12 weeks this Thursday and not a true 3 months until November 1, but his 3 month growth spurt is in full swing. The boy is eating me out of house and home!! not really, but if his habits now are any indication of what he will be like as a teenager, Doug and I need to start saving now for that grocery bill! I had done really well to have Callen on a schedule of eating every 3 hours during the day. He would require a little extra TLC around 2 hours and 45 minutes in order to make it to the 3 hour mark. These last few days we have made it to about an hour and forty five minutes before I get the 'Woody Woodpecker' attack to my shoulder. I am doing well to hold him off for 2 hours between feedings. Cal was also feeding for about 10 minutes total and that would satisfy him. Now he is easily eating for 15 minutes on one side and then eating 7-10 minutes on the other side before he is done. Whew...he is wearing me out during the day! I feel like I am feeding him nonstop right now. 

He is moving into 3-6 month clothing. Depending on the brand, 0-3 months is getting snug both lengthwise and widthwise. 3-6 month stuff is still a little big, but what I buy all the time now.  I can't believe how quickly he has grown out of some of these outfits. Sometimes I will just play 'dress up' with him so he can wear as many of my favorite outfits and onesies in a day in order to get good use out of them. 

After he feeds, we still get about 45 minutes of fun play time before he wants to snooze for 20-30 minutes. He is really starting to develop a little personality, and has been 'talking' so much more. He 'talks' to me, I answer him back, and then he talks back to me; this happens several times before he starts laughing. So cute! I have been trying to get it on camera, but I swear the boy knows when the camera or phone comes out. He stops everything fun and cute he is doing, and just lays there silent. Plus, I don't want to be one of those people that spends their lives behind a phone or camera waiting for something to happen and then miss all the live moments. I know I am guilty of doing this sometimes, but am really trying to take in all the moments as they happen.

I am hoping this growth spurt allows him to sleep longer in the night. He consistently sleeps for about 4 hours after first going to bed (from 8:00-12:00), but then normally wakes after 3 hours the rest of the night. He is usually up for good anywhere between 7:30 and 8:30am. I have heard from friends that their kids started sleeping longer at night once they hit the 14 pound mark. He is inching closer to that number, so maybe we will be lucky! I am fine with one wake up during the night since he goes to bed so early. Any stretch of 6-7 hours is fine with Doug and me!!!

This is what we have done the last few days...

Lots of milk!

 
 

Sleeping in a contorted position

Resting in my mommy's arms

Falling asleep to the vacuum cleaner

Here is a look back at his weight and length...

 I will be interested to see what his 3 month stats are!

Happy Happy Happy

Callen is a 'Happy Happy Happy Boy' as Phil on Duck Dynasty would say. 

The last few weeks have been awesome with Callen. He is starting to smile and 'laugh' more often. His laughs are not true giggles or belly laughs yet, but he gasps for air with a wide open mouth, letting you know he is excited! He rarely cries, which is great on two accounts...1. He is happy, and 2. I know when something is wrong with him. He gets fussy or cries out when he is hungry, tired, or has a wet/dirty diaper. We are doing cloth diapers, so there are certain diapers he feels wet in more than others. Figuring out he was crying over a wet diaper took a little longer than the other two. Callen usually snoozes about an hour and a half after eating. So, if it is not feeding time or nap time, it is most likely a wet diaper. 

Doug and Callen have a little 'game' they like to play everyday. Doug tries to look Callen in the eyes, but Cal turns away before Doug can look at him. They do this a good 10x before Callen looks at Doug and just laughs. It is so sweet to see the two of them together and even more exciting to see how happy happy happy Doug becomes when he is playing with his boy. I will try and get this on video and post it because it is really cute!

I have been enjoying the smiles around the clock. He is most fun and alert first thing in the morning. I wake up to him laughing through the monitor. I go into his room to see him looking up at the wall with the black safari mural. For some reason, that mural makes him laugh! After he feeds, we play for about an hour. He smiles nonstop during this time. He also enjoys tummy time best and has really increased his head, neck, and back strength. Even during diaper changes in the middle of the night, I will get a big gummy smile. As much as I am hating being up at all hours of the night, seeing that smile is so worth it. 

What has been really fun to see is how excited everyone gets when they see him smile and laugh. I love watching family revert to kids again trying to get him to laugh. It not only brings a smile to Cal's face, but to mine as well. This little guy has given so many people so much joy in such a short time. I hope and pray everyday that his personality is here to stay!

My New Job!!!

Today is my last official day as a full time employee of Shriners Hospitals for Children Greenville. I have worked there as a physical therapist for the last 6 years. This has been my one and only full time job since graduating from PT school in 2007. I have so many wonderful memories of the kids I have served and treated. The Shriners Hospital is such a special place and does so many wonderful things for children with special needs and orthopedic problems. I am going to miss the hugs and smiles I receive from my patients on a daily basis, and the satisfaction that I am making a difference in the lives of those I come into contact with. However, I have a much more important calling at home...one that is all of about 12 lbs!!! I am becoming a full time mommy, or as one of my friends posted in her blog...a play at home mom!!! 

Since I was a kid, I have wanted nothing more in life than to be a mom. Growing up, I didn't dream about the big fancy wedding, the kind of car I would drive, or the house I would live in. I only thought about having babies and being a mommy. I honestly never thought I would be where I am today. I was the girl who never dated, and figured I was not going to marry and probably not have kids. I figured it wasn't in God's plan for me. When I met Doug and got married, I could not have been any happier. He makes me smile, laugh, challenge myself, and just be the person God made me to be every single day. I still look at him and think, wow! we are married. I could not have asked for a better mate/best friend in life. When we decided we were ready (if you can even say you are ready!) to start having kids, I was ecstatic! We tried for over a year to become pregnant without success. I thought to myself...I have a wonderful husband and maybe it is not meant for us to have children of our own. I can love on all the ones I treat at the hospital. We continued with fertility treatments for another few months before one took, and we became pregnant!!!!!!!! I finally had tears of joys instead of tears of sorrow and even fear.

August 1, 2013, became one of the happiest days of my life. I knew we had the baby we so longed for. I also knew that I could not leave Callen on a daily basis to go to work. I know there will be days when I am wearing more spit up, food, etc. than Cal has managed to take into his mouth. There will be days we compete to see who can change the most outfits (I think we are tied at 4 a piece in one day!), he cries nonstop, won't sleep, and drives me to tears. I know those days are coming (if they haven't already!) with this new adventure. 

I am sure he will be Mr. Crabby Pants at some point!

But I also know that I will be able to witness and enjoy all the laughs, smiles, and milestones that come with being a parent. We have been able to surprise Doug for lunch at his favorite spot, hang with Aunt Kimber at school for a few hours, FaceTime grandparents in the mid morning when Cal is in his best mood, and just be bums on rainy yucky days. I know if I was going back to work, these things would have only been possible during my maternity leave, and not for months and years to come. I treasure every day I am able to spend with Callen, no matter how easy or hard the day is. I try not to complain about his minimal napping at times, or his constant crying on a day when he is overly tired. I know these days are short lived and in years to come, I will not remember them. I will only remember all the fun, laughs, smiles, and giggles we will be able to have on a daily basis.

When Callen smiles, laughs, or does something new, I know I am doing the right thing. I worried so much about telling work, and especially the families I work with. I called each family I am close with and personally told them my news. Every mom and every lady
at work expressed to me how happy they were with the choice I had made. Most wished they could have done the same thing, while the rest said they had done the same thing and wouldn't trade in those years for anything. So, Monday starts my official day as a play at home mom! I still plan to work PRN at Shriners, but don't want to do that for a while yet. I would like Callen to be older before I leave him for an entire day. This momma ain't ready for that yet!!!

How could I leave this sweet face?!?!

Or miss making these smiley faces and laughing?

He is such a happy baby! I love this boy so much!!!

So, Happy Friday to everyone. I know we are going to have a great day in whatever we get ourselves into! Have a great weekend and enjoy the wonderful fall weather.

Sky Top Orchard

This past Sunday, we headed to Sky Top Orchard in Flat Rock, NC, to go apple picking. Doug and I have been apple picking almost every year since we were married. We enjoy getting outdoors and picking our favorite varieties of apples. We usually go twice each season; early to pick Gala and Fuji, and then later to pick Pink Ladies. We have had so many fun times at Sky Top, and wanted to take Callen this year. As you will be able to see from the pictures, he enjoyed the outside air so much that he decided to sleep the entire time! The boy will not sleep in his crib for more than about 30 minutes during the day (he used to go 3 hours!), but can sleep outside all day long if you let him. He loves the continuous sounds and noises that the outside brings. If you know of a way to bottle it up and play it indoors let me know!A noise machine helps some, but the real thing is way better!

Picking his first baby apple

Watch out dad...it's coming towards your head!

Who am I going to have to worry more about getting hurt...Doug or Callen?

Already climbing trees! He had to wake up for climbing.

Those belly rolls make him look like he ate an apple or two!

What a great day. A little warm in the mountains, but still a good time. Now to make applesauce and can it. I am going to give canning a try so I can store homemade applesauce and prep myself for making Callen's baby food in a few months. Wish me luck...or any tips you have since I have never canned before.

Happy Friday!!!

Have a fabulous weekend!!!

Callen's First Clemson Game

This past Saturday, we spent the day in Tiger Town for Homecoming and the Clemson vs. Wake Forest game. We tailgated before the Georgia game a few weeks ago, but came home to watch the game. Doug and I were excited to bring him into his first game as well as enjoy all the festivities of Homecoming prior to game time. 

It was a long day for Cal. We left Greenville around 9:00am and didn't return home until 7:00pm. However, little man did great. We enjoyed walking through Bowman field and seeing all the float displays.

I love this picture of Callen. He is supposed to be Dabo, but he was having nothing of it! It was time to eat, and he was not playing games!!!

We hung around the tailgate until game time. Lots of people stopped by and everyone at the tailgate enjoyed holding and playing with Cal.

Meeting Carol for the first time!

Uncle Scuba always takes good care of me!

Callen and Papa

We took Callen into the game in our front carrier. Doug got to be the lucky one who had Callen attached to him! It was a warm day...I feel for the two of them. They both had to be burning up. Callen slept for the entire first half. He did not flinch one time with the cheering, cannon sounding, or fireworks booming after each score. He did great. We took him out at half time to feed, and he was awake for the 2nd half.

Just before the Tigers ran down the hill

Beautiful sight! Go Tigers!!!

This is the position Cal had the entire 1st half

Too bright in the 2nd half. Needed to shade our eyes somehow!

We had a fantastic day. Callen did awesome and best of all, Tigers Win!!! Success for Callen's first college football experience. We hope to take him to most all the remaining games this year. Doug and I both grew up attending college football games (Clemson for me and Georgia Tech for him), so we would like to take Cal to as many games and tailgates as possible.This is what we hope for...............