Caleb is 11 months old!

Caleb David is 11 months old!

Weighing in at 31 lbs on our home scale.

Still HUGE, still HAPPY!

Our sweet boy is trying so hard to walk. He's taking 2 steps here, 3 steps there but not quite committing to walking. I know he can do it, I just don't think he's decided it's better than crawling yet. (Or being carried around like the little prince he is!) He is becoming a little bit more opinionated about what he's eating and has found joy in throwing the food off his tray to the begging dog below. He has not mastered the art of drinking from a sippy cup yet but his bottle days are coming to a close real soon. Looks like we'll be practicing that this month! He tries to follow his brother everywhere and in a lot of ways is playing and interacting on a peer level. It's very fun to watch when they're getting along but less fun when they're trying to scream over the top of each other. Caleb still loves the wrestling attention from Levi but often the times that begin as "hugs" or "kisses" often turn into Caleb face down with Levi lying on top. Obviously, they require complete supervision. :) Caleb can officially crawl up our slide at home and the slide at the park and can zip up our stairs faster than his Mommy can chase him. He's getting to the age where he has opinions about where he wants to be, when he wants things done and how he wants things done but he's without the words to verbalize those wants. That leads to a lot of yelling from him and frustrations for all of us. I know this stage will pass but it's extra hard to watch our happy guy be so frustrated. We should step up our game with the baby signing because that really seemed to help Levi transition last year. It's so hard to believe that my baby will be ONE in less than a month. I know it's cliche, but time really does fly! Can't wait to enjoy our fall chasing around my two big boys.

We added a baby gate to the bottom of the stairs and the playroom.
Whenever the gates are in place this is what happens: two boys trying to break through.

Playing at the park like big boy.

Caleb is officially pacifier free but has since become a little more attached to his blankie. This is how I found him the other day.

He happily wants to be right in the middle of the action.

 Happy 11 months Caleb! Can't wait to celebrate you in a few short weeks!

While Daddy's Away the Kids Will Play...

We got home from the mountains and Dave had to take off for a work trip for the rest of the week. It was his first long trip in a very long time but we all managed to make the most of it. The kiddos and I had fun going to some parks, playing outside, visiting Grammy and running lots of errands while Daddy was busy and working hard. 

This big guy is ready for his first steps. Any day now...
And he's is officially pacifier free since last Wednesday! Way to go Caleb!

We got both boys some very needed haircuts. They sat very still and look very handsome although even the hairdresser didn't have any suggestions for what to do with Caleb's many cowlicks. It is what it is, I guess! :)

Mommy tried to make an Old Navy run with two boys by herself. It was semi-successful. I got some fun new fall clothes but lost my necklace to the tug-o-war brothers and had to try on clothes while trying to convince the big one to keep the door closed. That's just life with kids, right? I did get this great picture of Levi holding the mannequins hands. He just grabbed on and then started walking in place as if he was walking with them. He also tried to tell me they were giants but I had to convince him that just because his Mommy is short that doesn't make other people giants. Funny kid.

Then after lots of fun Levi and I managed to pick up a virus. We were out for the count on Friday and had to cancel plans with our favorite Auntie and Uncle from Merced. (Mommy was especially bummed about that.) Thankfully it only lasted for a day, Grammy came to help out in the afternoon and Daddy made it home to help get the kiddos in bed. That sickness is the absolute worst. Yuck.

The weekend wasn't a total bust, thankfully. We got our new swim floaties in the mail and had to try them out. Levi is our little fish and he was able to swim all around the pool on his own. Caleb, not so much. Maybe next year!

But Big C is a GREAT floater! And he loves spending time with Daddy.

Labor Day Weekend Vacation

This Labor Day weekend we headed up the mountains to our (extended) family cabin with our cousins. It's so fun to watch our kids get along and become friends and it's especially exciting to watch them have some of our same memories at the same place. This time was new for me because we have only ever been at the cabin during the wintertime and we'd pray for snow the entire drive up; but this time we got to enjoy the cool mountain breeze, the big backyard, biking in the driveway and fishing and swimming. It was a great trip!

Jack and Levi ready to go fishing at the secret fishing hole.
Levi is saying he's very "excited" to go fishing!

Levi, Ashley, Jack and Uncle Joe

Showing off their catch.
Levi was not so "excited" about the actual fish. 

On Sunday we got to head down to the club (think 'The Great Outdoors') and swim in the pool, eat at the snack bar and swim in the lake. The kids loved it and we did too!

Caleb and his smirky smile loved sitting the shallow lake waters and playing in the sand.

Trying to get ice cream for 5 kiddos is a bit of a challenge...

But worth all the smiles and thank you's!

Caleb and Jack

Dave and I were there too, wrangling all the crazies :)

And cabin time would not be complete without movie night!
Jack, Ashley and Levi all cleaned up, in their jammies, watching a movie. 

Honorable mention: Both Charlie and Caleb had a great time at the Arnold Farmer's Market while the big kids were fishing. They also mastered the art of going up and down the green shag carpeted stairs. It's only a matter of time before they figure out that sleeping bags make excellent bobsleds to zoom down those stairs! :)

Not-so-honorable mention: Levi got carsick. Both on the way there and on the way back. The first time we were totally unprepared and he was strapped into his carseat. Yuck. The second time we pulled over in the nick-of-time. Poor guy. I know first hand how terrible that feeling is. Not a great way to start and end a trip but at least we know to pay attention for it now. :(