Happy Birthday!

One-year old…how can it be?
Time swept past like a shooting star.
My baby boy is growing up,
Twelve months just seemed so far.

Your precious smile brightens my day,
Cuddles and kisses mark the night.
With your sweet little voice saying “Peas”
And your occasional strong-willed fight.

Your laugh brings joy to the day
Like golden rays of sun.
Your wobbly steps are still very few
Because crawling is much too fun!

The strawberry locks on your head
Frame your angelic face.
Your blue eyes twinkle oh so bright
Freezing time and space.

You love to talk and ramble on
You have so much to say
You get so excited to take a bath
This age I wish you could stay.

Your daddy and I love you so much
This stage we will surely miss
Even when you’ve grown taller than me
I will be here with a hug & a kiss!

I ask that God would equip us
To raise you strong and true
With a name that means “faithful & bold”
I know it is fitting for you.

As you grow, just remember this
Love God, be a servant to all.
Far after your grown and on your own
To my knees I will continue to fall.

"Walk Alone"

As Caleb is taking some steps by himself, I have been cherishing these "wobbly" memories. I have also been scouring books as I prepare myself to parent a "toddler" (it makes me sad just to type that word). I came across this beautiful metaphorical illustration of how a mother teaches her child to "walk alone."

"The loving mother teaches her child to walk alone. She is far enough from him so that she cannot actually support him, but she holds out her arms to him. She imitates his movements and if he totters, she swiftly bends as if to seize him, so that the child might believe he is not walking alone...And yet, she does more. Her face beckons like a reward, an encouragement. Thus, the child walks alone with his eyes fixed on his mother's face, not on the difficulties in his way. He supports himself by the arms that do not hold him, and constantly strives towards the refuge in his mother's embrace, little suspecting that in the very same moment that he is emphasizing his need of her, he is proving that he can do without her, because he is walking alone." -Soren Kierkegaard (from the book: Raising Faithful Kids in a Fast-Paced World by Dr. Paul Faulkner)

The best piece of advice I received from my recent readings is that no amount of advice or number of books replaces prayer in the process of raising a child. How often I forget that and think..."if I just read enough books, then I will know exactly how to raise him." I best be getting on my knees even more to ensure that Kevin and I bring our precious boy to the feet of Jesus while he is on loan to us from our Heavenly Father. And through unending prayer, my hope is that God will allow our family circle to be unbroken when we meet in Heaven someday.

A Very Merry Christmas and a Not-So Happy New Year

Caleb had a wonderful first Christmas. He was definitely spoiled by both our families and seemed to enjoy tearing into the wrapping paper. Here is a picture of him on Christmas morning. Santa brought him the Bee-Bop Band set as well as some books. I also made him a busy book that I sewed this fall and that was his gift from us.

And our family on Christmas Day with Caleb giving me a kiss on the cheek...

The past few days haven't been too fun. Caleb got sick on Sunday with a stomach bug and STILL has it (we just went into the office today for a Roto Virus test--they told us that sometimes a stomach virus can last up to a week and a half in babies). Kevin got the 24-hour stomach flu on Tuesday and numerous other members of my extended family also have had it over the past few days. Caleb was sick a total of two times in his first 10 months of life (both with just a common cold) and in the last month, he has had a stomach bug twice! We are hoping for a healthier next couple of months as we start out the new year!

Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree!

Yesterday we put up our Christmas tree! I know what you might be thinking...it is December 23rd and you JUST put your tree up? Yes, well I can explain. We decided to get a real, live Christmas tree this year that we will plant after we have used it in the house. To keep it from getting dried out, they say you are only supposed to leave a tree inside for 3-5 days, hence putting it up so late. It actually works out pretty well...only a couple days of telling Caleb that the tree is off limits (although he hasn't really been all that interested in it anyway). As you can see, our tree is very unique and Kevin and I agree that it is our favorite tree ever. It is imperfect...just like us and it reminds me of one of my favorite Christmas picture books called Why Christmas Trees Aren't Perfect. If you haven't ever read this book, you need to! It is so good!!! Anyway, we are enjoying our new tradition and are praying that our tree will make it after it has served its purpose indoors. :) We are planning on doing this each year that we have a child (for their first Christmases)...then it will be a reminder in our yard for years to come!

I hope each of you have a very Merry Christmas! When I was pregnant last year during Christmastime, I felt a special connection to Mary and the Christmas story because I understand what it was like to carry a child. This year as I look into the face of my precious boy, I can understand how much God loved his son and how proud He was of him. I hope to find a moment this Christmas to pause and reflect on the amazing birth of our Savior! Merry Christmas!!!

"Caleb...that's off limits" (as I said for the 10th time)

Caleb's First Christmas!

Caleb and Kevin putting up the star!

A Wonderful Weekend

This weekend we traveled 8.5 hours to Lubbock, Texas to visit my mom's family. We had a great time and Caleb was able to meet his Great-Grandma (Oma) and his Great-Uncle Bobby, whom he had never met before. We stayed at my aunt Missy's and had a great time playing games with her kids. I was SO worried about the long haul to Texas, but Caleb did great both coming and going. He is such a good baby and I really don't give him enough credit! We opened presents (thanks everyone), ate WAY TOO MUCH food (thanks to Ken, Missy, and Oma's cooking) and even got to go to a great rock concert (okay, not really rock but it was a Christian artist named Josh Wilson who could really rock it out...believe me I know, I was covering Caleb's ears throughout much of the concert because I was worried about his little eardrums). We loved getting to see everyone and look forward to next Christmas with the Dillon family!!! Well, I think I have used enough parantheses for a lifetime, so I will stop writing. :)

Kellie, Caleb, and my twin cousins Hannah and Jenna

Caleb and his new BFF (aka my cousin Zack). He adored Zack and wanted to play with him the whole time!

Us with my Papa Dillon and Nana

Let It Snow!

Caleb got to play in the snow for the first time today! He wasn't sure about it at first, but then liked it once Kevin was able to play with him. He doesn't exactly have the perfect "snow attire" on, but we made do with Size 2T snowbibs ($3 at the Britches & Lace sale), squeaky shoes, 2 hats, and mittens with no thumb holes. Next year we'll have to invest in some boots and waterproof gloves, but he's still pretty little to do any heavy duty playing. :) On another note, we are really going to have to start working on being nice to other kids. Caleb's cousin Evan came over for a few minutes on Saturday and they fought over the same block over and over. The ending of this video is so embarassing! Sorry Evan!!!

Scared of Santa?

As a first time mother, I have looked forward to my child's first Christmas with anticipation since he was born! I dreamed of sitting him on Santa's lap and capturing a beautiful smile filled with love and appreciation for the "right jolly old elf." Well, that wasn't exactly the way that it happened...Caleb is apparently terrified of Santa! And this was even the best Santa ever with a real beard and a jolly disposition and everything! Oh well...I guess it will just give us something to laugh at for years to come. My mom keeps a small photo album of all of our pictures with Santa from every year since we were born and it is so much fun to look back on them each year. I am planning on doing the same thing with our child(ren)'s Santa pictures. Caleb's first picture will just be a red-faced babe with a wide-open mouth and streaming tears...poor baby!

On another note, I have been "tagged" by my friend Kristen. Here it goes...

8 TV Shows I Watch
1. The Office
2. Worst Week
3. ER
4. 24
5. American Idol
6. Grey's Anatomy (off and on...it can be pretty racey, so I pick and choose when I watch this show)
7. HGTV and the Hallmark Channel (but only when we're at the lake...we don't have cable)
8. Most recently "The Wiggles". Caleb rarely watches TV, but whenever he is SUPER fussy, "The Wiggles" does the trick! "Hot potato, hot potato", anyone?

8 Favorite Restaurants
1. Sonic (but not for their food, just for their Dr. Pepper's)
2. Outback
3. Olive Garden
4. Carrabba's
5. On the Border
6. Freddy's
7. Panera
8. Carlos O' Kelly's

8 Things That Happened Today
1. Caleb slept in until 8:20 (he normally gets up between 7:30 and 7:45)...this meant that I woke up when Kevin left and was able to get myself ready without tiny hands taking EVERY SINGLE THING out of my makeup drawer as I try to get myself dressed!
2. Went to JoAnn's Fabrics
3. Stopped and got a Dr. Pepper at Sonic (Thanks, Crystal M., for the gift card) :)
4. Took Caleb to the Baby Story Time at the Andover Library
5. Changed a Wet, Poopy Diaper before putting Caleb down for a nap
6. Came downstairs to check and see if we sold the truck on E-Bay yet
7. Talked to my wonderful husband on the phone for a minute or two (yes, I am really searching for 8 things...it's only 11:00!)
8. Writing this blog post!

8 Things I Look Forward To:
1. Caleb's First Christmas!
2. Each new and exciting stage that Caleb has and will go through
3. Having more children
4. Weekends
5. Date Nights!
6. Getting to spend time with girlfriends
7. The Baptism of each of my children
8. Seeing Brian again in Heaven (along with the rest of my family)

8 Things I Wish For:
1. To teach my child(ren) to love Jesus and ultimately be in Heaven someday
2. The country of Zimbabwe to be rid of their horrible dictator that is causing starvation, sickness, and death
3. To be a servant to all
4. For the health of each member of my family (immediate and extended)
5. To make a difference in the world
6. To instill in Caleb (and any other future children) a love for others and a desire to do good in the world
7. For pain and suffering around the world to cease
8. The love that Kevin and I share to be as strong as it is now (if not stronger) for the rest of our lives

8 People I Tag:
1. Crystal H.
2. Julie
3. Beth
4. Kristen
5. Mercedes
6. Emily
7. Sharla
8. ??? I don't know any other bloggers... (I know that Numbers 3-6 have already been tagged, but I can't think of anyone else)