Although our plan was that Calvin would be exclusively breastfed until he was at least 6 months old, there are just some eventualities that we did not plan for, and Calvin has become a peruser of much more exotic fare.
Calvin's newest dietary interests include blue elephant, multi-colored giraffe, purple rhino, and blue monkey. We have heard, after all, that one key to a healthy diet is seeking lots of color in your food.
Though the photo shoot took place almost two weeks ago (on September 9, the day he turned 3 months old), we only just got the digital prints to share with all of you. We had some pictures taken in his baptism outfit, and some in a favorite outfit of Cortney's. And here are a few of them...to see the rest visit the three month photo shoot album
photography shiver me timbers.
humor, photography We need to warn all of you who might be owners of video game consoles - there is a video troll on the loose. We returned home today 
to find that our house had been visited by said troll, and, though we have not removed our gaming equipment from the TV cupboard for over three months, this (see picture) is how we found our living room upon our return - two controllers and a microphone removed and left on the floor. We don't believe there is any danger in being the receiver of such visits - nothing else in the house was disturbed, and even the gaming equipment was unharmed and left in neat little piles, but we wanted to let you all know anyhow.
[Disclaimer - it is highly likely that no such troll exists and that, instead, the disruption of equipment that was noted upon our return is due, in its entirety, to a cat wishing to enjoy the warmth inside the entertainment cabinet. ]
Today was a very special day for all three of us - today was Calvin's baptism. In the Presbyterian church the sacrament of baptism takes place within a normal 
worship service immediately following the offering, so we fed Calvin during the sermon so that we'd have a better chance of him being happy and alert during the actual ceremony. There we were, parents, godparents (Ann and Curtis), and ministers, gathered round the font with a very alert and happy Calvin. Throughout the reading of the charges Calvin was completely taken by the speaking minister, gazing directly at his face with a look of befuddled concentration - the congregation seemed to be holding back giggles. Even cuter, however, was the broad grin Calvin gave him a couple of times when he paused in his speaking - and the congregation stopped holding the giggles back. The sweetest moment, however, was the walk of introduction when, following the administering of water, the congregation sings a hymn (this time, a hymn written for Calvin by his father) and the minister 
walks the child through the aisles for the church to meet their newest family member. Calvin seemed to know it was his moment to make a good "first" impression, and, as the minister held him high and faced him towards the people in the pews, he gazed out at all those people with his best "you have to love me" look - and, so we were told, many of them cried. We know we did. It was a moment that we had been eagerly anticipating for, well, three months, and now it is over. It's amazing how fleeting the most important points in our lives are; this one lasted for less than ten minutes, but it was as beautiful as it was brief.
We are very blessed to have such an accepting and loving church, and equally as blessed to have such supportive families. The day was made all the more special by the presence of so many family members - 
all four grandparents, as well as Cortney's Aunt Wendy and Uncle Jack, and her Aunt Cookie (who happened to be visiting from Washington), Calvin's Aunt Ann, who is doing us the honor of being his Godmother, and Patty and Uncle Curtis, who is doing us the similar honor of being his Godfather. Following the baptism we continued our celebration of this wonderful new life by going to brunch at the Gandy Dancer, where we even got to talk to Cortney's cousin, Kate, via phone connection all the way from the Netherlands. We all laughed and had a wonderful time. Calvin is very loved indeed.