Brotherly Love

The boys are having a fun summer so far. It's been so hot out so I have to admit we don't spend tons of time outside. But we did go up to Maggie and Papa Jack's lake house over the fourth of July and Caleb spent the majority of the day naked in this little bucket to keep cool :) He loves to splash.  Water on his head does not bother him at all right now.

Josh spent the majority of his time naked in the water with Papa Jack.  Those two loved picking up rocks from the bottom of the lake and throwing them.

Josh has enjoyed playing and building things on his own.  He did this all by himself before he knocked it to the floor.

I love watching these two boys together.  They really do love each other.

Caleb got 2 teeth (around the middle of June).  I expect more to come soon the way he has been chewing on everything he can, waking up more frequently and  drooling.  But he still is a very happy content baby.  I had been nursing him to sleep at night and for naps but realized (thanks to Jeff) that no one else can put him to sleep very easily.  So last night it began...we made him cry himself to sleep.  He cried for 20 min last night.  Cried for 10 min for naps today.  So not too bad.  Not nearly as hard on me as it was making him cry a month ago.  So hopefully we are on the right track.  This grin is on his face all day long. He is in 12 month clothes and weighs about 19 to 20 pounds.  He is close to crawling. He rolls everywhere and loves to pull up on things.  But doesn't seem to realize that he can't let go and stand by himself yet.  He has many "falls" a day. 

Josh has been reading, jumping off the couches, and continues to ask a zillion questions a day.  He made homemade ice cream with daddy today, loves to play in the bubbles in the sink, and he likes to pick the berries and crab apples from our trees outside.  And he has been eating me out of the house.  He is wearing 4T clothes and weighs about 39 pounds.  

The sweetest sound

It doesn't get much sweeter than hearing your two kids laugh and interact with each other. I could listen to this all day.  

6 Months and Wax

Well it appears I am behind again on getting Caleb's monthly pictures up.  But nonetheless, here are a few to get you updated.  Let's see...

He can sit up on his own now.  That is wonderful!

This kid loves his feet and toes. As soon as he is on his back, they are in his hands or mouth.

It's hard to get mad at this sweet little face. 

He and daddy played out in the rain the other day.  He loved it.

And we are giving them baths at the same time now that Caleb can sit up more and play.  I love watching them together. 

Caleb is 6 months old.  He went for his well-check and weighed 18 lbs 4 oz (50-75%), 26 1/4 in (25%!!), and his head was 17 1/2 in (75%!!!) I think it's safe to say that our kids will just have big heads. He is growing great and has been very healthy.  He got his first tooth (bottom left) on Saturday June 16th. I actually cried a little because I thought maybe it had been in there for maybe a day or two and I just hadn't noticed?! I have a tendency to feel guilty about not giving Caleb as much attention as I gave Josh when he was that young.  But Caleb doesn't seem to mind.  So then on Thursday June 21st, he got his second tooth (bottom right).  Caleb has been sleeping through the night (from about 7pm to 6am) most nights.  If he does wake up, his paci usually gets him right back to sleep.  That has been life changing for me.  I can't tell you how much happier I am during the day. Actually Jeff could probably tell you :)  

Caleb sits up on his own, rolls over both ways, loves eating his toes, eats rice cereal and usually a veggie every evening for dinner and nurses about 6 times in 24 hours.  

Josh is enjoying life as a 2 1/2 year old.  He loves talking and asking questions.  "Why" is his favorite word. It is IMPOSSIBLE to do something without Josh seeing it happen even if you think he wasn't looking.  He loves his little brother.  Loves his friends Jace and Will.  Something funny recently...he has become an expert at stalling at bedtime.  His new thing is wax in his ears.  He does have waxy ears so one night, I asked him if I could take a q-tip and try to get some out. So I used 6 q-tips and removed a bunch of wax. haha.  Now, every night since then, as we go to shut the door to his room at night, the desperation of trying to keep us in builds and he yells out "Mom! I have wax! Wax in my ears! Wax!" Jeff and I can hardly contain our laughter.  He is pretty funny.   He is 37 lbs and in 3T/4T clothes. 

We are blessed!

Better late than never...

Well I guess it's better late than never.  Caleb is almost 6 months old but I have yet to post any 5 month pictures.  So here you go!  He's a great baby.  Still waking up once a night but super happy and never fussy during the day.  Such a cuddler!  

No he's not standing on his own yet :) But I propped him up for this picture.  Couldn't resist getting  a glimpse into what he will look like soon.

He is sitting up on his own pretty well though.  He still tips to the side and doesn't catch himself occasionally.  And as soon as he is on his belly, he rolls to his back.  

My grandma had this quilt made for the boys.  I love it!

Josh and Jeff set up the tent in the backyard and had a blast playing in it. We haven't slept in it yet.  I think I'll leave that up to the boys to do :)

We had the best time a couple weeks ago...Jace and Will came and stayed the night with us.  Amy and Greg welcomed their sweet Allie Claire on May 16th.  We took the boys a couple nights later and had a blast!! 

4 Months

Caleb is now 4 1/2 months old.  He is still such a happy baby.  He weighs 15 pounds 10 oz (50-75%), head is in the 75% and length between 25-50%. A peanut compared to his older brother!  But both checked out great at the doctor. Josh is in the 97% for everything! He is 3 feet tall, weighs 35 pounds and has a head that is enormous :) Josh has been wanting to be treated like a baby (wants a paci, wants to be held, wants all of Caleb's toys, and wants in the bouncer).  Josh also is OBSESSED with wearing a basketball jersey, basketball shorts, basketball socks and shooting his basketball :)  It's hilarious.  He has been in this jersey for at least 5 weeks.  EVERY DAY.  I wash it DAILY.   His sweet babysitter found him 2 other jerseys last week at a consignment sale and he now loves a different one.  Either way, he is in a jersey every day.  And he is potty trained.  He is waking dry from naps and dry from night time about 90% of the time. I am just a little nervous to make the final jump. 

Caleb is rolling over from his belly to back, laughing, babbling, grabbing toys, putting everything in his mouth, and loves to stand up (assisted!).  He is just so much fun to talk to.  Super smiley and happy.

Here are some pics!

My BIG baby :) 

Josh wanted Caleb to have some yogurt.

This is how he goes to the bathroom :)

Caleb was dedicated to the Lord Sunday April 1st. Family picture afterwards.

We love you Caleb!

Having a blast with all the cousins at Easter.

Grandpa Clark with the grandkids.

So what if I'm a little chubby?

Happy baby!

Easter with my side of the family.

Can we be any happier?

We love these two!

Josh-isms

Well I can't do a post without a couple pictures so here are some recent ones. I love this face that Josh made. So serious about trying to smile.

And our little sweetheart. He melts my heart! Can someone say "HUEBER?!?!" I can't see much Clark in this little one.

But for the main reason of posting, Josh has been saying some really funny inquisitive things lately and I don't want to forget them.

We recently went to Veggie Tales LIVE in Fort Wayne and Josh HATED being there. He was freaked out with the lights out and loud music. Ever since we got home, he has been asking "Why did they turn the lights off at Veggie Tales Mommy? Why?" It's hilarious. We have tried explaining that it was because we wanted to see Bob and Larry on stage better but it's a hard concept for him to understand.

Here's our conversation from last night when I was putting him to bed:

I had been singing "Amazing Grace" and rubbing his head. Here is the conversation that followed:

Josh: What's grace?

Me: (thinking how in the world am I supposed to explain this one?!) It's when you overlook an offense

Josh: What's an offense?

Me: It's when you do something wrong

Josh: What's wrong?

Me: Something bad

Josh: I want to be bad

Me: No, it's ok, you want to be good (He thinks that he needs to be bad to get grace)

So after I tried reassuring him that he doesn't want to be bad, I got up to leave.

Josh: Mommy, stay here, lay with me right here (with a sad face as he patted his pillow)

Me: Josh, I was laying there with you for awhile, now it's time to go to bed (I lean up really close to his head and whisper: I want you to know how much Jesus loves you. He is so proud of you. I hope someday you ask him in your heart).

Josh: I want to ask him now

Me: You do?

Josh: Mmm Hmmm

So we said a little prayer and it was so sweet! Immediately after we prayed Josh said "Mommy, why did they turn the lights off at Veggie Tales, why mommy?" hahahahaha not quite sure he got the idea

So then tonight I was putting him to bed again, rubbing his head and singing "Amazing Grace" and he said he wanted to be bad again.

Me: Do you want grace?

Josh: yeah

Me: You don't need to be bad to get grace. Jesus and mommy can give you grace and Jesus can help you do what's right. When Jesus lives in your heart, He helps you do what's right if you listen to him.

Josh: Where's Jesus?

Me: He lives in Heaven but also in your heart.

Josh: where is my heart?

Me: In your chest (And I tried showing him where to feel his heart beating)

Finally Jeff came back and the first thing Josh asked him was "Where's Jesus?"

I got up to come check on Caleb and Jeff finished putting Josh to bed. Jeff later told me that Josh asked for him to sing so Jeff eventually sang "he's got the whole world in his hands".

Josh: Where's the whole world?

Jeff: In God's hands

Josh: Where's God's hands? Where are they?

Just a little taste of the questions we are getting! I love his mind and how it works. He doesn't let much get by him. Jeff and I are going to have to be at the top of our game for these theological questions!!!

Caleb is doing great! Last night he slept from 8:30pm to 4am. I am thankful for that! He is a super happy baby and very easy going. Usually he eats at 7am, 10:30, 1, 4, 6, 8:30/9 and then once again in the night sometime. He loves his daddy's voice and really gets excited to watch Josh do whatever he is doing. And he takes a bottle which is great! One of his favorite toys is a teething ring that Josh loved. We feel so blessed with 2 great boys!

3 Months

Well, 3 months have passed since this little cutie patootie entered our lives.

He is becoming more and more interactive every day. He loves to hear farting noises...go figure. And smiles a lot at his daddy.

We took these two goobers to Branson along with Amy and her boys. So it was 2 adults and 4 kiddos. Way outnumbered. Thankfully (and only by the grace of God), Caleb only cried for about 20 minutes of the entire way there and back. He just loves his car seat at this point. I was seriously singing praises (in my head...Veggie Tales was overpowering my own voice :) the whole way there and back. Caleb truly is a great second baby. I am eating dairy now (which is WONDERFUL). Although the spit up continues, it is manageable and he is still smiling. To celebrate that momentous occasion, Jeff and I went on a date to La Charreada's and I got cheese sauce on my chimichanga! Then he went shopping with me to get a wallet, look for Josh more underwear (finally keeping underwear on him when we go out), and did some grocery shopping. It was incredibly thoughtful of him to spend his date night doing things I like to do :)

In matching jammies thanks to Uncle Nate and Aunt Erica, Hannah and Seth.

Josh wanting to hold Caleb (rare!) but likes to take his paci out and tell me that baby Caleb doesn't need it.

And here are a few of his 3 month shots. This was the day we got back from Branson. I didn't even think about putting a different outfit on him. It's not even Easter yet. Oh well.

Josh had to get in on the action. Notice no pants but must wear his basketball jersey.

I woke Josh up from a nap the other day with this little cutie. And Josh rolled over and wanted to cuddle with him. Too cute. I can't even get Josh to cuddle with me.

And pics from today. Love his sweet gummy smile.

We got out the jumper for Caleb to use here in the next month or so but of course Josh wanted in on the action.

That's all folks!