Isn't it October?

Don't worry, you didn't miss out on the Halloween fun, it isn't time to go buy the turkey, and Santa isn't at the mall yet (well, actually he might be but you'll have to talk to the money grubbing retailers about that).  No, it really truly is still October, it just doesn't look (or feel) like it.  We often talk about whether or not the first snow will come by Thanksgiving.  Sometimes we've even talked about whether or not it will shower flakes before Halloween, but this is ridiculous!  We realize that it won't stick (or, at least we're hoping), but since I have to clear the snow and ice out of the dogs' feet before they come in from the yard I think it counts.  So here is Calvin's first snow.

Is that a laugh?

Calvin is working hard these days to gain control over his arms and hands, but he still has a long way to go. He can see those feet... but they are a lot harder to reach than he thought (use the force, Calvin, use the force!). The number of times that he hits his target (and is able to hold onto it) is only marginally greater than the number of times he misses. It's important to keep a sense of humor and be able to laugh at yourself during times like these. And if you can't laugh at yourself, at least laugh at green and blue plastic dog rattles...
Here is a video of Calvin's greatest accomplishment yet - his laugh (yes, it really is a laugh, not a frog in his throat), which he has been using increasingly over the past two or three weeks so that we finally caught it on tape.

4 month old stats

We interrupt this regularly scheduled blog to bring you an update on Calvin's progress.  He had his 4 month old pediatrician this morning and we are pleased to be able to announce that he is happy and "handsome" (their words, not ours, although we are inclined to agree).  He has actually lost a little weight (less than a pound) over the last couple of weeks, probably owing to the fact that he is so much more active now, what with the rolling and the scooting and the sitting up and launching himself at toys.  Today he weight 15.75lbs and measured 26 inches with a head circumference of 42cm.  These numbers place him in the 50th, 75th,and 30th precentiles.  While at the doctor we did discuss increasing his Zantac dosage so we start trying that tonight, hoping it will make a difference in how comfortable he is after eating.  And even though he is gnawing and drooling on everything in site, the peidatrician said that teeth do not appear to be eminent.  We don't  mind.  What Calvin really seems to mind, however, are the four injections he had to get today!  Man, love sure is tough...

By the way - we realize that we got way behind on our journaling here, so this is the most recent of four new backlogged entries we have added.  Just scroll down to see the rest, and we will try to do better this next week.

To Calvin, who is four months old today

Oh, Calvin, you just never cease to amaze us. You are growing and changing at lightning speed, and it is hard to keep up with you!  The days roll into weeks, weeks into months, and here you are, already a quarter of a year old! We have spent the past month introducing you to Michigan football on the weekends, and you can tailgate with the best of them!  You also enjoy fall walks, and meeting the neighbors.
There are many people there who love you very much, as do so many others aside from your parents.  You are a very beautiful and very loveable baby.
In our quieter moments at home you continue to baffle us with your strength; last week you (re)started rolling over, something you did a lot your first month but this was the first time since, then two weeks ago you sat up from a reclining position all by yourself, and since then you refuse to lay back to play.  Even when you are riding in your swing you insist on leaning forward to sit up, which ultimately balances out the weight of the swing so that it is no longer swinging.  You think its funny when we then rush over to restart the motion and make you sit back.  This is just one example of how much more involved you have become with the world around you, as you begin to understand cause and effect, and sequences of events.  As you work to gain control over your arms and hands you are beginning to purposefully bash your hands down on buttons, or pull on hanging toys, in order to make them play sounds or flash lights, then you squeal in response.  And you can tell that nap time has come around again as soon as your mother shuts the nursery door and turns off the light, and that is when you begin to cry.  You have begun to develop individual tastes:  you love African rhythm music, massages, and being sung to, and will now sit through three books at a time, as opposed to just one a month ago.  And now that you are learning to control you hands you have begun to put everything in your mouth, even things that don't fit, which makes your parents laugh.  We could not ask for more.  You continue to spoil us with restful nights and days full of smiles, gurgles, and coos, and this month you added the beauty of your own individual laugh.  It's a funny and joyous sound, more like a grunt than a chuckle, and it makes us laugh aloud with happiness.

Beautiful weekend for celebrations

On Saturday we received two "prank" phone messages, one on Cortney's cell phone and one on our answering machine.  We're not talking heavy breathing here.  Worse, they were, quite simply, the Michigan State Fight Song.  We overcame the horror of said messages quickly, or at least by 5:00pm.  We won't dwell too long on the victory, just long enough to rub it in for the State fans that LOST on Saturday.  Now, if the State players had even a touch of the athletic talent that Calvin displays here, it might have been a different story...

Sunday was an all together different kind of celebration.  For months our church has been planning an "all church supper" to celebrate the beginning of a new season and a new stewardship kickoff.  We have to admit that when we heard they were planning said supper to be held in the great out of doors in the middle of a Michigan October we were skeptical.  We were, however, pleasantly surprised by the Indian Summer weather, with sun and 70 degree weather.  This was a celebration not only for the church as a whole, but for Cortney and her committee, which was in charge of planning and putting on the event, and her fellow deacons, who were challenged to bring in and host at least 300 of the church's almost 2,000 members.  Well, the event, complete with meals served at the tables and a live band, went off without a hitch, and over 500 members attended!  Cortney hosted 14 people at her table alone, and Jon found himself acting as part of the entertainment - not with a piano, with Calvin.  Most people cannot resist cooing at a cuddly baby!  As our pastor noted to us over supper, many people have begun to refer to Calvin as the church's baby.

And what is celebration without cake?  Since Jon's birthday is October 10th we also took advantage of the beautiful weekend to sneak in double birthday celebrations.  On Saturday night we celebrated with Jon's parents, and enjoyed a wonderful post-game tailgate style dinner (mmm...) and a fantastic homemade carrot cake (Jon's favorite).  On Sunday night we celebrated with Cortney's family, where Jon shared the candles on a yummy chocolate ice cream cake with Curtis, who shares the same birthday.  So we have a wonderful football team (shh...don't burst our bubble just yet), a wonderful church, and wonderful families - that was a lot to celebrate.