Boys will be Boys

I have few memories of kindergarten, but one thing I can clearly remember is spending my free time playing with red cardboard bricks. We made forts. We made houses. We used them to make walls to keep the boys away. So, when this package was opened at Christmas, I was so excited. I didn't even know they were still around. Thanks again, Peltons.



I couldn't wait to see what creations his little mind would conceive. I pictured us spending quality time together building fortresses for Caleb and houses for "Wala" (his koala).

Instead, this is what Father and Son spend quality time together doing:









...over and over and over again. You should hear the laughing as the blocks crash on top of him. I don't understand those two half the time, but I enjoy them pretty much all the time.

What we've been up to...

A Summary of November:

** Brandon's mom, Hope, came to visit us. We had a great time with her. We always enjoy being around her, and we look forward to seeing both her and Barry, Brandon's dad, in a few weeks.

** We raked leaves for the first time since leaving the midwest. Our trees are yellow and lovely, and Caleb got to experience the joy of leaf piles for the first time today. More pictures to come.

** Brandon's hernia surgery went well, and he is recovering well. He feels lots better, and he has had no more blood clots. Even with his inability to pick up Caleb, we are managing really well. Caleb is becoming really independent and can do everything except get into grocery carts by himself.

** Caleb's sleeping has been up and down all month, but we are getting more creative in our parenting. I think we are all learning together how to help that little boy get the rest we know he needs.

** Donnie and Renee Begay reported to NMSU to officially join us on campus as Cru staff. They are a Native American couple who went to school here and have begun the first ministry within CCC to Natives. We are SO excited that they are here! We got to spend the week with them while they stayed with us as they were moving in to their new home. They have moved just a few blocks from us, and we love our new neighbors. They have a one-year-old, Natalia, with whom Caleb has quickly fallen in love.

** Caleb has developed a habit of taking every single book off his shelves (and because I was an elementary ed major, he has a lot). He pulls them all down, and sits right in the middle of them and reads forever. It is the cutest thing. Though the cuteness factor is quickly wearing off the more time I spend cleaning them up.

** I am sure there is more, but that is all I can think of right now...seeing as how it is pretty late. Hope you all had a wonderful November...and are enjoying the start of the Christmas season.











** Oh...one more thing...Caleb seems to have learned to smile for the camera. I am sure it is temporary, but I will enjoy it while it lasts. :-) I so enjoy that smile.

Fye-a-tuck

As most little boys do, ours loves fire trucks.  Our friend, Mark, is a fire chief at a station here in town, and we went to visit him and check out a real life fire station...since we have been reading about them so much lately. 

Just as we were getting ready to go, they were sent out on a call.  Caleb was fascinated to see the firemen leaving to help people.  He especially loved the lights and sirens.  

Mark and the other firemen were great...and so willing to answer our questions.  It was a really fun experience...and one I am sure we will try to repeat with friends someday. 

"Bye fye-a-tuck!!!"

"Swiiiiiiing!!"

At any park we go to, all Caleb wants to do (apart from hanging out with every family besides his own) is swing on the swings.

So, Brandon built him a tree swing.  He has always been fine on the big kid swings, so we thought he would do just fine on this one.  Brandon built it from some wood we had for one of his many learning activities he takes people through. 

He hung it from a perfect branch in our front yard. 

And Caleb LOVED it!

That is, until this happened.  It was a pretty big "owwwwieee,"  but not too bad that I didn't take a picture of his sweet little face.  

And now this is what the tree swing looks like.  

Caleb just points at it and says, "swiiiiing!"  Sometimes he accompanies it with "owww."  For now, the poor swing lies motionless, but we're sure it won't be too long before he begs us to swing him again.  This time we just probably won't push him as high. 

A Few Random Updates

Brandon had an ultrasound last week, and we found out that his clot has hardened.  This is good because it means that it is much less likely to break off and cause an embolism.  Really good news.  We also found out that it is in a superficial vein and not a deep vein.  Also good news. Although our doctor had diagnosed it as a DVT, the technician thought that it was never in a deep vein.  Our doctor thinks it was and that it has just dissolved.  Either way, we are happy and still so thankful for the diagnosis. 

We are still moving ahead with the house but there isn't much that can be done over the weekend.  We are still very excited, and I spent too much time this weekend looking at decorating magazines.  :-)  

We finally went on our first hike with a walking little boy.  He loved it!  We went up and did a tiny hike in the Organs at La Cueva.  It is pretty slow paced, but we notice a lot of things that we wouldn't otherwise notice...due to our very observant child.  The first picture is from that trip and the second was Memorial Day weekend when we tried to have a cookout at a park with a lake.  Bad idea.  Caleb seems to have no fear of water.  Wish I could say the same for myself.

 

A Jam Session

This is just one of the many jam sessions we have daily in our home. 

Anything gets converted into a guitar. 

And they really get into it.  :-)

If you think this is funny, you should hear them in person.  I think this last picture might just become an all-time favorite.  :-) 

Balloons in books...and some pics from the park today...

Caleb has really been enjoying Hippos Go Berserk by Sandra Boynton lately.  He particularly loves to point out the telephone, the sun, the moon, the hats and the balloons...all words  he has been learning lately.  It is super cute.  In fact, he is amazingly good at finding balloons not only in books but in Wal Mart as well.  He is on the hunt as soon as we walk in the door, and he goes crazy when he finds the lost balloons that are hiding up in the rafters.  I like balloons now too because they keep my child occupied while we're grocery shopping.  He calls them "oooooons." It's also not uncommon for us to come home with a free balloon that someone has given us because a certain little boy has freaked out upon seeing it.  :-)

We have a park near our house where we go regularly to let Caleb run.  My parents have expressed a desire to see more pictures of Baby Pelton (as my dad calls him).  So, here you guys go.  :-)

Caleb put a feather in his mouth, and he poured a handful of dirt and sand in his hair.  Gross.

Thanks, Mamie, again for the new shoes.  We love them.  :-)

Happy Birthday to Brandon...

almost a week later.  :-)  Brandon turned 32 on Thursday, though we didn't get to do much to celebrate.  We only saw each other for an hour after I got home from Saint Louis and Brandon took off for his Thursday night Cru meetings.  So, we decided to celebrate on Friday.

After our family breakfast in bed (Caleb and Brandon had Cheerios and I ate Trix), our team came over and had cake with us.  That night, we went to El Paso with some friends to our favorite restaurant...Taco Tote.  It was a great time.

I just wanted to put these pictures up of Caleb and Daddy playing together.  They definitely enjoy one another.

All of these are blurry, but I think they capture Caleb's wrestling/freefalling quite perfectly.  :-)

Current Favorites

Since I am just starting this blog and it is pretty bare...here are some pictures to decorate it!