Awwww, Calvin's parents are growing up.

We often flaunt the wonderful milestones that Calvin achieves, but rarely do we pat ourselves on the back.  Well, we think it's time that we got excited about something we did for once (hey, this blog used to be about us and only us), and tonight we are busy congratulating ourselves on finally moving Calvin into his own room.  Before he was born we'd said he would sleep in our room for a few weeks.  Then a few weeks became a few months, and we just kept adding months after that.  Every time we thought we were ready we changed our minds.  Well, Saturday night we finally did it.  We can't really say that we got brave, in all actuality once he started crawling and sitting himself up he could no longer safely sleep in the bassinet so the move was a few days overdue.  And, as with most fears of this type, once the move was done we felt much better.  Calvin had no trouble with the move at all, and this morning we were awakened an hour early by the sound of the spinner on the Aquarium crib toy - he had woken up early and was amusing himself!  He then fell back asleep and we all got up at 7 as usual. 

And the special today is....

We've had a special week filled with milestones and celebrations.  Monday's special was a birthday dinner at the Hillers' house.  Tuesday's special was Calvin's introduction to bananas, and to "chunks" of food.  Wednesday had several specials:  Cortney's birthday (the big 3-0 - shhhhhh);  Moose's birthday (the big 3-5, in human years, that is); Calvin learning to sit himself up; and, Calvin learning to truly crawl (Not on his tummy like in December, and not backwards like earlier this month, but forward while on hands and knees); Thursday's special was...well, Thursday actually wasn't special; but Friday?  Friday's special was (is) a celebratory work party with Jon's bosses and co-workers and Calvin's introduction to drinking water (which, by the way, he loves).  We think our downfall was Wednesday, when Calvin's friend, Liesl, came over to celebrate [Moose's] birthday and showed him how to crawl, but it was worth it because she brought with her Cortney's friends Becky and Julie who took her to lunch (a very courageous outing with three kids under the age of 14 months), and even brought a maize and blue cake, Spartans though they are.  This afternoon may have brought some reprieve, though, following a nice birthday lunch that Cortney and Calvin shared with friends Erinn and Leah, in the form of a book that doubles as a sort of play pen.  Yes, a book/play pen of sorts (thank you, Leah).  You'd have to see it to believe it so we took pictures.  It may not be sturdy enough to hold a determined child, it might be just the thing to deter a considering one.

Bananappeal

Calvin had his first taste of banana today, and it was a comical one.  The funniest part about it was not his reaction to the spoonfuls of mashed banana, that he liked well enough, but his consternation regarding the the small piece of banana that his mother gave him.  Now that you'll just have to see to understand.

Calvin's new smile

At least, we think it's a smile.  It started out looking like a smile when he did it while playing on his safari roller, but then at dinner it kind of looked like he was freaked out about something.  Smile...freaky scary face...whatever it is, it's kind of cute.  Or freaky.  One of the two.  He mostly does it between bites at the table, and we think it's his way of saying "hurry up with my next bite, will ya?"  And it goes along with his whole new found love of speech.  You know, baaa, daaa, maaa, naaa... whatever he's saying it sounds wonderful to us!  Except for the occasional deafening shriek, and the excessive crying that is now accompanying naps.  Last week he dropped his third nap and went to two, and immediately he went back to sleeping through the night - woo hoo!  But the nap time crying we could do without.  We've said this before and we'll say it again - why is it that the people who need the naps the most are the ones who want them the least?

A converstaion and a bit about the weather.

It has been a really weird winter.  Snow in October, temperatures in the forties and fifties throughout December and January...very weird.  And then, finally, winter hit with a vengeance in the form of a weekend ice storm that broke trees, downed power lines, and left our deck slippery enough to cause trouble for the poor dogs.  Monday saw many schools and businesses closed due to power outages and downed trees.  Even Jon got the day off because his office was one of those without power, and today his bosses moved operations to their institute location, as the power likely won't be restored until tomorrow or Thursday.  But, and this is easy for us to say since our power is on after only a brief interruption, everything sure is beautiful with a fine covering of shining ice, and the air seems so fresh when it is crisp and cold, with the sun shining brightly, albeit very coldly, all afternoon.

And Calvin must have really loved the day, too, because he and his mother had a long conversation about it at dinner:  Calvin "huh, huh, huh,"  (that was fun being out in the cold today) Cortney, "huh, huh, huh" (for you maybe, you were covered up), Calvin "mmmmm," (I like to watch the snow out the car window), Cortney, "mmmMmm" (you should have been sleeping instead), Calvin "aahmmm" (more squash please), Cortney "AAhmmM" (eat what's on your face first)...and so on.  You get the idea.  They conversed like that for upwards of two minutes, which had Jon laughing nearly to the point of tears.  This is the first time that Calvin has really seemed to talk to us, or to mimic in any way.  It was a beautiful conversation!