Merry First (Real) Christmas Caleb!!

Merry First (Real) Christmas Caleb!! Last year he was only a week old so it didn't count really....He was OUR Christmas present last year....

This year Caleb really didn't know what to do with the presents. Even upon urging, the wrapping paper tearing really didn't interest him that much. He was much more interested in the boxes that the toys came in. Daddy got him lots of stuff including a red wagon, an activity table for his trains, an art easel with a chalkboard on one side....and my favourite, his Thomas the Train robe. We were calling him "Hef" for Hugh Hefner (aka 'Puffin') all day long.

Pic That Stacey Took

I had to post this pic that Stacey took over the weekend (that's my boss in the background)....

Caleb sure has a funny expression on his face....

Happy First Birthday Caleb!!!!

We had Caleb's first birthday party yesterday and Jay and I both agreed that it was a success. We had just the right amount of people and we had lots of food and cake for everybody (more than enough cake) and even though Caleb slept through the first 2 hours of the party, he woke up in time for the presents and most importantly, the cake.

There were so many cameras going yesterday and Kristen took sooooo many pictures of Caleb eating cake and opening presents. I had to pick through and just post the highlights but I'm sure that I'll have to devote another blog entry just to incorporate the other photos.

We're so happy with all our guests that came and we hope that they had fun at Caleb's party. Being able to throw a party for Caleb is something that I think that we'll be looking forward to every year. It was so much fun and presumeably, this will be the only year where the party was really for Mommy and not really for Caleb since he really had no idea that the party was for him anyways.

We wish that Auntie Michelle was here since today is also her birthday (Happy Birthday Lil' Sis!) and we look forward to seeing her soon in the new year.

We are visiting Vancouver for a few days in January but we're not advertising that we're coming since our stay is so short, we won't be doing much other than letting Great Grandma hang out with her great-grandson (whom she's never met yet) and other family type stuff. I apologize to everybody else but we're working on another trip soon (hopefully longer stay) where we'll be able to visit with everybody.

Happy Belated Birthday Daddy...

It was Daddy's birthday on Monday! (No! I didn't forget,....I just didn't post a blog about it)...with Caleb going to the doctors and him having to work (he's usually off on Mondays), it just blew by.

He'll be sharing Caleb's birthday cake on Sunday when we celebrate Caleb's 1st birthday.

Pediacare Decongestant Plus Cough??

Yesterday Caleb went to the Doctors again since he kept us up all night whimpering and whining and wouldn't go to sleep. He appeared to be really congested and I was worried about another ear infection episode.

Turns out he had a viral something or other and he's on Albuterol (for his airways) again as well as an inhalation steroid and a oral steroid for his lungs.

Also, the doctor suggested "Pediacare Decongestant" (in the little orange box) and the pharmacist informed me that the no longer make that formula? Pediacare now only makes "Decongestant Plus Cough"??....I've searched the internet but have found no information on this. Anybody else know anything about this? From what I've read from before, the formulas are quite different and I thought that it was better (or safer?) to use just the Decongestant and not the one with the "Plus Cough"...??

The doctor assures me that babies who are 9-12 months in the winter time often do get sick a lot since this is the time in their lives where they lose all of the immunities they gained while they were in the womb as well as what they gained through nursing.

It just seems like he's always sick with something or the other. I just hope that he outgrows this stage soon.

Anybody have any tips on keeping him sick-free?

Who Me? I Wasn't Doing ANYTHING!

The Thomas Collection Begins...

I just can't believe that in 14 days, he'll be a year old. This year has flown by! That footed sleeper that he's wearing in these pics is an 18-month size! He just loves this little car thing that his Uncle Mattias let him have. Daddy pushes him in it all over the house and he just thinks that it's the best thing there is.

Right now, we're in the process of moving some of the things that he's outgrown (like the baby swing) into the guest room and we're starting to fix up his baby room to be more suited to a toddler.

We've also decided on his Christmas and Birthday presents. Over the weekend, we went to Target and got the Thomas take along tracks & some trains for his birthday....and for Christmas, we got another set of 'elevation' tracks and some more trains. All we need now is a train table and he'll be set. Thanks to my boss Stan's educational & extensive discussion on Thomas stuff, he was the one that told me the difference between 'take-a-long' Thomas and the regular Thomas.

From what I've seen in the stores, the take-a-long Thomas stuff is a little smaller and the tracks are a little narrower. It also appears to be much cheaper than the metal die-cast full size Thomas trains as well, which is a bonus. On the box, it says "exclusively for Target".....does that mean that from now on, we can only shop at Target to buy these trains? If so, that's a great marketing gimmick since new parents are the ones that are inclined (or have to) buy new toys for their toddlers since we don't have anybody to hand me down any toys.

Seeing the amount of stuff available for Thomas train collectors at Target, this will give us something easy to choose for all future presents until he figures out what he really likes and what he's really into. (At least that's what I'm hoping ...)

All The Way Across the Living Room!

Caleb walked his first steps today! He walked across the living room from Daddy all the way to me!! And he was smiling the whole way!