A Lot of "Firsts"

We've been so busy this summer - I can't believe school is about to start again!  It is bittersweet knowing that my friends are up at school getting their classrooms ready for new students to come.  It is surreal that I don't have a classroom to get ready this year.  I was up at school the other day and one of the teachers asked me if it was sad for me to be up at school, knowing that this season of my life is over.  I told her that yes, seeing such dear friends, and watching all the preparations for the new year take place does make me miss Providence.  Do I want to get a new class of students to teach 5 days a week from 8am-3pm everyday?  No way!  Only because that means that I would miss all of Cale's "cale-isms" for those 5 days a week from 8-3.  Cale has grown up so much in the past 4.5 months!  Everyone always told me the months would fly by, but until I lived it, I couldn't fully understand what people meant.  Now. I. Get. It.  And it makes me sad - kind of.  If I am being honest, I have to say (as most of you already know) I really don't like the newborn stage.  Of any child.  Even my own child.  Of course, I love Cale, but I joke now that I would like #2 to just come to me when he/she is 4 months old.  Those first 3.5 months are R.O.U.G.H.  When I say that now, most people who have children agree with me.  My response to them is, "well, why in the world did no one tell me that before I had Cale?"  All I was told is that newborns sleep all the time.  No one told me that when they are not sleeping, they are crying! :)  Okay, enough.  The good news is, Cale is WAY past that stage and he is SO happy!

So, back to my original post.  These past few weeks have marked a lot of "firsts" for us as a family.  See list below:

1) I am officially starting my "real" season of being a stay at home mom.  I know that I've been at home with Cale since he was born, but in my head, it was like I was on maternity leave and then summer break.  Now that school is starting (without me), it feels very official.  I AM a stay at home mom.

2)  Cale has become SO active over the past few weeks - it is just unbelievable how quick he is figuring things out!  We have been bathing him in a infant bathtub in our kitchen sink, but recently he has started trying to sit up to reach for things while he is in the bathtub.  So, we decided that it was time for him to move to the big bathtub.  I found a great tub chair for him to sit in while he's playing in the big tub and he absolutely loves the new freedom that comes with sitting up during bath time.  The pictures below are of the first night he took a bath in the big bathtub.

3)  Over the past month or so, when Cale thinks something is funny, he smiles SO big!  A few times I thought I heard a little giggle, but nothing major.  Yesterday, I was playing peek-a-boo with him.  When I had done this in the past, he just stared at me like "what are you doing, mom?"  Yesterday when he was laying on my bed, I got down on the ground and popped up...this is what happened.

4) As you know from my previous post, we have recently started Cale on solids.  I introduced rice cereal first and he never really like it much.  Next came avocado and butternut squash.  He loved the squash.  Verdict is out on the avocado.  On Thursday I gave him some peaches - which he devoured.  Sunday, I let him taste peas.  He cried when I put them in his mouth.  He's taken a least a bite of them everyday since Sunday - I'm determined the boy will eat some green veggies.  Yesterday, I let him taste some carrots...I think he likes them.  Here is a video to give you a glimpse at what mealtime looks like at our house.

 

Baby Food

At Cale's last well-check appointment, his pediatrician gave us the go-ahead to start rice cereal, followed by solid foods.  I was a little hesitant because 1) solids can be introduced anytime between 4-6 months and 2) dealing with only a bottle is SO much easier and more convenient than a bottle and solid foods!  When Cale starting showing signs that he was still hungry throughout the day, we decided to take the plunge!  Of course, there is a system for everything and, as you know, I do love systems!  Veggies should be introduced first and they should be introduced in a particular color order - yellows, greens, oranges, and so on.  (The exception to this system is avocado - that can be introduced first, and that is what we have started with.  So far, so good...)

I always thought it would be fun to make Cale's baby food.  Plus, I love that it is the least expensive option!  Since I'm no longer teaching so that I can stay at home with Cale, and Adam is in his last year of Pharmacy school and not working, we are on quite a budget!  I'm happy to know that I can give Cale good quality food and not blow the budget!  So, this past weekend I began to stock our freezer!

First, came the need to re-organize...

The  "before" picture of my freezer!  Kind of a mess!

Next, I pulled out my baby food cookbooks.  I know, it sounds ridiculous that there are cook books out there that tell you how to liquefy food.  I promise - some of the techniques to puree certain foods are a little more labor intensive than one might imagine!

These are my two cookbooks.  The one on the left is my "gourmet" Williams-Sanoma cookbook (just in case Cale ends up with Adam's taste buds!) and the one on the right is my "basic instructions" cookbook.  Both are really great!

Then, I began...

Step 1:  Steam veggies

I do love my $15 double-decker steamer that I purchased at Target several years ago!  This makes the process go so much more quickly!  Most of the veggies and fruits I bought fresh.  The peas, carrots and green beans I bought frozen, just to save some prep time!

Step 2: Food Processor

 Before

After

I love my mini food processor!  It is the perfect size for making baby food!

Step 4:  Press pureed food through strainer

Of all the steps, this one is the most labor intensive.  Because the puree is typically not too runny, I had to mash the puree through the strainer with a spoon.  It took a while, but this is not a step I could skip.  When I was finished, I found seeds, skin, and chunks that would not have been good for Cale to eat.

Step 5:  Spoon into ice cube trays

I love the Oxo trays, because they have lids.  I just  stacked them in the deep freeze for a few hours.

Step 6:  Pop them out of the trays and  into a Ziploc!

Then, into the freezer!

After 

(a little bit more organized)

Now, I have a whole section in my freezer full of Cale's avocado, yellow squash, carrots, peas, green beans, butternut squash, plums, peaches and bananas.  So far we've only tried avocado, but we're making our way down  the list.

Freezing the food in ice cube trays is great, because each cube is a 1oz portion - perfect for Cale's dinner!

It's been really fun making Cale's food - I might get adventurous and whip up something from the Williams-Sanoma cookbook....maybe peas with mint!  :)

7.16.11 - Four Months Old!

Weight:  15lbs. 15oz. (75th percentile)

Height:  26" (89th percentile)
Head Circumference:  42cm (50th percentile)

Well, another month has passed by quickly!  I can't believe Cale has been  in our family for four months now.  Those really difficult first few weeks seem like years ago!  Cale is becoming such a little boy with his little personality coming out more and more each day.  As of now, he definitely looks more like me as a baby.  Even his dark hair is a Kreul trait - my little sister was born with the same dark hair.  I'm sure as he continues to get older, we will see more of Adam's features in him.  As for personality, he seems to be a mix of both of us.  He has a very serious side, like Adam, and concentrates diligently on things.  He WILL NOT sleep in his car seat, his stroller, or on our shoulders (which leaves his crib or pack 'n play), because usually when he is in his car seat, his stroller, or on on of our shoulders, there is WAY too much going on for him to miss.  He wants to be apart of it all.  He gets that from me - social butterfly...

In Cale's fourth month...

He found his toes!  Now, he rarely lets go of them!

Everything has started to go in his mouth...including those fingers!  Fortunately, he still has not found his thumb and he only sucks his fingers on occasion.

He has started to read books...literally.  When I read a book to him, he likes to join in.  

Video to come.

He has started grabbing at things - EVERYthing!

He has decided he loves his Lovey.  Usually, it covers his face when he sleeps.

He learned to roll from back to tummy!

He has decided on a favorite toy - his keys!

This past weekend, Adam's mom, Danon, and her friend, Dorothy, came to visit.  

Adam's mom was playing with Cale and he started cracking up - I mean, a full belly laugh!  As soon as I can get it on video, I'll post it.  His laugh is precious!!

And, just for a little Cale-ism...

This is how he drinks his bottle.  Hand over the eyes, eyes closed.  It cracks us up!

Rice Cereal

A few days ago, we thought it would be fun to give Cale his first taste of rice cereal.  He has started showing signs of wanting to eat and his tongue thrust reflex is gone, which makes him pretty good at eating off of a spoon.  It wasn't quite as messy as I thought it would be!

 First taste...

"Mom, what in the world is that stuff!?!  I'm not so sure..."

So, about 30 minutes later, we went for the second attempt, but in one of his favorite places...the bathtub!

Second attempt...

"Hmmmm...this tastes familiar."

"Hey, this isn't so bad!"

First Plane Ride & Trip to Kansas City

This past weekend, my mom and dad hosted a huge party in their backyard.  It started out as a joint Graduation party for my sister and a "Welcome, Cale" party, so a few of my parents friends could meet Cale.  It quickly morphed into a "Party on the Patio", complete with a live Beatles cover band, a margarita machine, food that was to die for, and 50-60 of their closest Kansas City friends.  We had a blast!  It was so much fun to see so many people that we had not seen since our wedding.  

Let me just say, traveling with a child is not an easy task!  Besides all of the extra things that have to be packed, working around a nap schedule proves to be a bit of a challenge.  Thankfully, my mom wanted to stock up on all the items we might need (car seat, pack n' play, bathtub, diapers, wipes, formula, bottles, outfits, etc...), so we really didn't have too much to pack, and we got lucky and managed to schedule flights that worked with Cale's schedule! 

We boarded Southwest on Saturday afternoon.  Cale was wide-eyed throughout the entire process at the airport.  I think he loved all the action!  As soon as the big jets started up, his eyes shut and he was out the entire ride.  We could not have dreamed it to go better!

We arrived in Kansas City around 4:00, and made it home just in time to put Cale down for a power nap.  He slept well, and was able to stay awake until 8pm.  His usual bedtime is around 7, so he was exhausted by the time Adam put him to bed.  We set the pack n' play up in my sister's closet, and Cale slept through the band and the noise of 50+ people going in and out of the house!

The next day, my mom and I took Cale to the neighborhood pool to go for his first  swim.  I thought that he would probably love the pool, since he is such a fan of bath time.  I was right...

He was such a little stud in his shades and hat.  He loves his sunglasses - he is actually able to open his eyes in the bright sun when he is wearing them.

When we finished swimming, we lounged a bit...

Later that evening, we were hanging out in the living room, and Cale became completely captivated...

"Captivated by what?", you might ask... that would be the T.V.!  LOVELY.  He's starting early.  If the T.V. is on and I turn him so that he is not facing the T.V., he will crane his neck to find it.  I guess the T.V. will be turned off a bit more now - perhaps that is not such a bad thing.

Bear got his attention again - check out that smile.  P.R.I.C.E.L.E.S.S.

From Sunday to Wednesday, we....

...hung out with people we love...

Courtney & Brett

Bear, Sugar-Lady & Cale

Daddy & Cale hangin' out on the back porch.  Cale LOVED the weather in KC!

...had lots of bath time...

All smiles!

Who can resist those buns?!?

Like father, like son...

...sat on the back patio...for a long time...

...made new friends...

Erin (a high school friend) & her son, Cooper, who is 6 weeks younger than Cale

Ashlee, a friend from high school

Kathy, a very fun next door neighbor

Lizzy, a good friend and second mom to me!

Cale met a lot of other people, but unfortunately, we didn't pull the camera out fast enough when they came to visit.  We'll get those pictures during the next trip to KC!

We flew home Wednesday afternoon.  Cale, once again, did great on the flight.  We were so thankful to have had the opportunity to spend some time in Kansas City.  We were also thankful to return home and get back into normal routine.  The great news is, Cale seems to like airplanes better than he likes his car seat.  At least he is okay with SOME mode of transportation! :)