Seven Months

Our little friend Calvin is getting closer and closer to one year and it is just making me a little bit sentimental. Good news is that he is probably the sweetest thing that has ever existed (not that I am biased or anything), so I'm pretty happy to watch him grow up and take on a strong personality. We went to the doctors today and the stats are................ 26.5" (17%) 18.7 oz (51%) and 18" head circumference for his genius brain (91%). We are still deciding who he got his big head from. ha.ha.

He is a little toothless wonder still, although we seem to think he is teething every other day because of all the drool and finger chewing. We think he is just going to be a gummy for life. He started solids at 5 1/2 months and hasn't looked back. He hates baby cereal (unless I mix it with Vanilla Yogurt and applesauce), saurkraut, baby food (unless its some sort of applesauce). His favorite thing by far is probably eggs (good thing he isn't allergic!) and bread. He is getting much better at feeding himself smaller items, so we usually just put his food on his tray and let him go at it. If we are eating something that we need to spoon feed him he has a meltdown if we don't feed it to him fast enough. It was funny the first few times.....now it's just a little crazy. We are teaching him the "more" sign in sign language. He knows what it is, but doesn't do it. Silly Boy. 

He is a champion at sitting up, and knows how to get onto his stomach or back without just flopping over and banging his head. He will scootch a little bit, but he definitely prefers to be sitting up and playing with his toys. When he is playing with something he usually hits it like he is giving it a "high 5", over and over again. It's pretty funny. 

He is a very curious little boy and has to touch EVERYTHING or else he gets hoppin' mad. He loves to scratch the sofa or his rocking chair. When he is nursing it has to be dead silent; whenever he hears a nice his eyes pop open, looks and me, and then looks around until he can see what is going on. It's cute, but also somewhat irritating when I just want him to eat so we can move on to the next activity.

 He nurses about every four hours, and dropped his last nap, so he is just down to two naps a day. His bedtime routine is the same (bath, lotion, PJ's, song, bottle from dad, and down in crib). When he sleeps, he falls asleep with his bum in the air, and curled up with his blanket. He sleeps from about 7:30 pm till 6:30 or 7 the next morning. Every once in a blue moon he will wake up around 4, have a nice chat with himself and fall back asleep. He LOVES bath time and has figured out splashing. It's the cutest. When he gets excited he does a cute little high pitched squeal/chirp noise like a tiny dog or a bird.

He has discovered that he can roll over while staying on his changing table, which has made both dressing him, and changing his diaper an adventure. The little man doesn't like to stay still, that's for sure.  He has started his own way of communication; when Robert gives Calvin a bath he usually puts his hand in the water and squirts water at Calvin. The other day Calvin grabbed Robert's hand and put it into the water and started to get so excited when Robert started to squirt him. He also will grab both of my hands when he wants me to pick him up.

Whenever he gets excited or is just playing with his toys he started doing this head bang thing and it's hilarious. He also loves it when we shake our head, and then he will do it and laugh and laugh and laugh. I love it so much.

We are loving this little bundle of joy more and more each month. I didn't think it was possible to love him even more, but I do. At night if Robert is studying and I am out of a good book to read I miss the company of this little sweet thing and am tempted to wake him up. He really has a genuinely sweet disposition and has cheeks that everyone just wants to pinch. We got pretty lucky with this guy.

Viva Las Vegas, Again.

The first week of February my sister Natalie and her little boy Emerson headed down to Vegas. It also happened to be the week of one of Robert's exams, WIN! Since we don't really see much of Robert during exam weeks (let's be honest, every week :), and he seems to do much better when we aren't there, we decided to meet down in Vegas. It was absolutely beautiful, I LOVED it. 

We had a jam packed week. We did a lot, and it was nice that Calvin was older, and he is much more flexible with his eating times and naps (which is mostly due to the fact that he is a crazy solids eater now). He also got to use his cousins convertible car seat while we were there and loved it. We finally bit the dust and got one (which should be coming soon!). 

              

We visited grandpa-pa at work, where Darwin frequents, and knows how to answer the phone. 

 We went to story time at the library, and I was able to see one of my life long friends and her little boy!

Calvin was even big enough to take a wagon ride with Oma!

 We visited the Bellagio gardens:

And we went to the Children's Discovery Museum. We went last time we were in Vegas but Calvin LOVED it so much more this time. Mostly the water world, since he is obsessed with water. 

The little boys got really enthusiastic about a rollie pollie.

Vegas, you didn't disappoint. Robert even rocked both of his exams and got the highest score on his anatomy exam! Whoot Whoot. We are already planning a trip for his next exam ;).

Christmas Time

Yes, I know it's the middle of February. Better late than never, right?

This year we spent Christmas with my family tucked away at a cabin in Ogden canyon. It was absolutely perfect. It was a long first semester of medical school for Robert, and both Calvin and I were in need of some Robert time. 

We flew down to Vegas a few days after Robert finished up his finals and spend a week with the Davis'. It was a lot of fun to be down in Vegas with family! I didn't get tons a pictures, but we did get to go to Kristi's Winter orchestra concert. Calvin loved it.

Calvin wouldn't stop staring ay my dad like this. It was hi.lairous. 

A week later we were at the cabin! It was complete with Christmas Eve Palooza (dinner around the world), matching pajamas, snow, Chopped Challenges, games, and just all around wonderful festivities. 

Robert and I were in charge of the Chopped Challenge this year. It was so. much.fun! For breakfast it was Melissa vs Natalie (and a parter of their choice). I wish I got better pictures of the food, but I didn't. Sorry to whomever is reading this.

Calvin loved the madness of the chopped kitchen.

For lunch it was Micah (mom and Caleb) vs. Collette (Justin).

Dessert it was Me (Robert)  vs. Layne (dad)

On Christmas Eve I came down with the flu and missed out on Palooza. I made Spanakopita, Robert made Crepes, there was also sweet potato hummus, potato soup, and a few other things but I don't know what (I was in my room for most of the evening).

 I came out for the post dinner festivities since I was feeling a little better. We opened pajamas, tried to get a picture of all the grandsons, which was obviously a raging success:

Men folk in their NASA and Siracha gear:

 And the women folk in their LOFT PJ's (good job, ma!)

After PJ's and the little ones were down Collette & Justin led us in a round of Wait Wait, Don't Tell Me which was epic, and then for our always wonderful White Elephant party (which I was back in bed sick for :/).

T'was a wonderful Christmas!