All of the commotion of the holidays has finally worn down. Christmas decorations are tucked away for next year and routines are back in full force. I had some trepidation on how the chaos of Christmas and New Years would affect out littlest one. But despite the late nights and impromptu family gatherings, He did wonderfully. He didn’t want to sleep during the more exciting times, but quickly made friends with new people and was an all around pleasant baby.

Right after he turned four months old, He started scooting short distances. It takes a lot of effort on his part to move his enormous baby-girth but he is determined:

We also started him on solids about a week later. As you can see from the video below, he really disliked cereal so I switched to mild fruits and veggies. He prefers bananas and avocados but will only eat a small amount before he starts blowing raspberries. since he’s not a big fan, he really only eats any kind of solids about once every few days.

At about four and a half months, he sat up on his own! He usually slumps over to the tripod stance but he can sit straight up for a few moments at a time. He reminds me of a tiny gorilla when he sits.

I really love this chunky guy. He’s sweet, cuddly, and oh so handsome. Everyone keeps saying he’s such a happy baby, and it’s true! He is hardly cranky and always has a bashful smile ready to go.

This past year has been a whirlwind for this whole family. I remember announcing our pregnancy with Nathan at Caleb’s second birthday party. Now, a year later, That little blonde hair boy who spoke a lot but could barely be understood is now a doting big brother who has the most infectious laugh. He loves any and all sports, especially when they are played with his daddy. He looks forward to curling up in the reading chair or snuggling in bed with a book of his choosing. He has recently discovered music. He now sings every new song he hears and often makes up his own:

He is very routine and thrives on the predictable. He has his favorite stores we go to on a weekly basis, and because of his charm, he has made friends of the employees at each of these places.

At his 3 year check, he was quite the character and entertained the pediatrician with a robust round of the ABC’s complete with dramatic high notes. As far as measurements, He weighs 30 pounds (34%) and is 37 3/4 inches tall (59%).

I am beginning to see so much of myself in him. He is artistic, but has trouble organizing his thoughts. He lives within his mind so much that I feel as if I’m constantly refocusing his attention. This was exactly how I was as a child; too caught up in my own imagination to really notice what was going on around me. He is also a very emotional creature like I am, but he has a difficult time verbalizing his feelings. They will often surface in other forms such as outbursts or unexplained moodiness. Because I’ve been there, at least I know how to both foster and temper these personality traits.

We celebrated his birthday last Saturday with our family. The festivities included Pin the Tail on the Donkey and the infamous piñata bashing:

I asked everyone to bring a book instead of gifting toys since he will be overrun with toys come Christmas, and also because 50% of his books are still board books for infants. So after he got this pile of books:

I moved the baby books to Nathan’s room and made room for these older story books. We read half of them that night and have been diving into a new one every day since. He loves stories, even silly made up ones, and those are often his favorites.

Since his actual birthday was a dreary rainy Tuesday, I took Caleb to Jump Street to jump around with his cousin Kaiden. The kids AND adults all had a blast on the trampolines and bounce houses.

I’m stealing an idea I got from someone else. Every year on his birthday, Caleb will be interviewed on the same questions. It will be interesting to see how some things change and some things stay the same. I can already see  his personality shining through this year’s interview:

1. What is your favorite color? I like blue and orange

2. What is your favorite toy? The vacuum

3. What is your favorite fruit? Apples

4. What is your favorite TV show? House Hunters

5. What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch? Chick-fil-a

6. What is your favorite outfit? My pjs

7. What is your favorite game? Zelda

8. What is your favorite snack? Bunny crackers

9. What is your favorite animal? Rabbit

10. What is your favorite song? Daddy’s Jesus song (Jesus Loves Me)

11. What is your favorite book? The Pout Pout Fish

12. Who is your best friend? Mommy

13. What is your favorite cereal? Grape Nuts like Daddy

14. What is your favorite thing to do outside? Rake

15. What is your favorite drink? Apple juice

16. What is your favorite holiday? Halloween

17. What do you like to take to bed with you at night? My teddy bear and fuzzy blanket

18. What id your favorite thing to eat for breakfast? Whipped cream and pancakes.

19. What do you want for dinner on your birthday? Chick-fil-a

20 What do you want to be when you grow up? Married

Even though our family is larger, Caleb will always have a special place in my heart. He will always be my little sidekick. He is gentle, caring and timid but at the same time silly, fun-loving and dramatic. He is our parenting guinea pig and has come out pretty resilient against all odds. He may have inherited my eyes and his dad’s sense of humor, but he is a special little boy who is growing into his own unique person. We love this kid so much. Happy birthday Caleb!

This great big boy is 4 months old today. He is fitting into clothes his brother wore when he was nine months old. His reddish blonde hair is getting longer and starting to stick up into a fuzzy crown on his head. He has sprouted not one, but TWO teeth this past week. His first tooth (the lower left front one) came about three days ago and the one next to it followed a day later. He loves to “walk” around the house while being supported under his arms. He especially likes to stand beside Caleb while they play at the toy kitchen. He loves feeling like he’s doing big boy things and frequently looks up at his big bro and smiles proudly. He can sit up in his boppy or with a pillow behind him. Here are his measurements at 4 months: Weight: 16.15 pounds (61%) Height: 26 inches (83%).

His new language is what Andy likes to call the velociraptor screech:

Nathan’s favorite person is by far his mommy. I can’t really leave him with anyone for more than a few minutes, including Andy. I can’t really blame him though, we spend every waking (and sleeping) minute with eachother. He really doesn’t leave my side except for the few hours between his bedtime and mine. I’m not really objecting to it though. We both enjoy this close bond and I know all too well how fleeting it is.

I mentioned this briefly above, but he really does admire his older brother. Now, Caleb is now discovering that Nathan is becoming his own person. I often sit the baby in my lap during mealtimes and turn him where he can face Caleb. Much of the meal is spent making silly faces, which then turn into giggle fits from all of us. Caleb is so caring; he will often run over to Nathan when he is upset and mimic my soothing methods to calm him down. After Caleb’s nap, he will ask where Nathan is. If he’s awake, Caleb will give him a kiss on the head and say hello.  I love watching these two little lives become intertwined and look forward to their growing friendship.

My little baby has graduated from a newborn to a baby with flying colors. He can reach for objects, hold his head steadily, can “stand up” when I hold his hands, rolls over, and is so much more aware of the world around him. He has blossomed into a happy, mellow baby who likes to watch what’s going on. He is perfectly happy lying on a blanket or sitting in my lap quietly watching Caleb and me play.He’s not a fan of new people and changes in the environment; big parties especially unnerve him, But once he becomes familiar with someone, he’s all smiles.

Nathan has recently discovered the endless entertainment that is his older brother. He loves watching Caleb play and whenever he catches his big bro’s gaze, he breaks out in a huge smile. I’m trying to teach Caleb to make eye contact with people to catch their attention and to help his listening skills. Nathan has turned into a fun practice buddy with all of his rewarding smiles.

This child is so easy going, I almost feel guilty for letting him sit in one place too long. Caleb was so easily bored, it seems I would have to change his play time up every 5 minutes. With Nathan, I can leave him on a blanket and he’ll be content to watch what’s going on around him. When he’s sleepy, all he needs is a kiss and a paci to fall asleep in his swing. When he wakes at night before I take him to bed with me, I only have to put the paci back in his mouth and shush him for a few seconds before he calmly soothes himself to sleep. This is such a stark contrast from Caleb’s sporadic sleeping habits, but I have to realize these are two very different children. Nathan’s needs are vastly different than Caleb’s. My oldest needs constant reminders he is loved. He is very emotional and reactive to our actions and words toward him. Nathan seems consistently happy wherever he is and only needs immediate attention when he’s sleepy or hungry. Other than that, he enjoys the many cuddles and kisses but doesn’t demand them like his brother did.

I am so thankful for this little guy. The other morning when I woke up to see him sleeping beside me, I couldn’t remember what our life was like before him. He adds so much joy to all of our lives.

He completes this happy family.

Nathan’s learning the back and forth rhythm of conversation, much to mine and Caleb’s amusement.

My tiny little baby isn’t so tiny anymore. As a two month old, he’s got great head control, is a master of tummy time, loves to hold conversations, and a charmer who can smile and giggle with the best of them. Unfortunately, Andy is the only one who can really get him going and by the time I race to the office to grab the camera, Nathan has already grown bored of Andy’s goofy noises. I was able catch a couple of laughs here:

This newest little man of the house is still such a mellow baby. He is perfectly content to lie on a blanket and engage with the closest person. He loves to cuddle and enjoys being swaddled and rocked. Some of my favorite times with him is when he snuggles up next to me for a nap while I lie down to read a book during Caleb’s nap. I call that time my  baby therapy.

At his doctor visit today, he measured 23 1/2 inches (77%), weighed 13 pounds, 14 ounces (87%) and his head circumference was 39 1/2  inches (68%). He is still an all around big boy and is growing well. Caleb tagged along to get his flu shot. This was a big learning experience for me. When the nurse asked which child should get his shots first, I quickly tried to rationalise which crisis I would rather deal with first. I decided Nathan should get his vaccinations first so Caleb could see what getting a shot was all about. Very bad idea. Even though I told him Nathan would cry, we weren’t prepared for the pitiful wailing that soon followed. Caleb, being the compassionate soul he is, instantly grew pale. He asked to leave right then and pleaded with the nurse that he didn’t need a shot. But even with all that apprehension, he did well, only crying for a few minutes and zoned out on the way home. I am hoping for a very good nap time from both boys today. All three of us need one.

Yesterday was a pj kind of day. Caleb wasn’t feeling his best and Nathan was boycotting any naps longer than 10 minutes. Since I had these adorable matching pjs, I had to take advantage of the moment. These pictures make me want throw on a pair myself and curl up with my boys.

During Caleb’s pregnancy, we splurged on a boutique 4D ultrasound. I still love looking at those pictures and comparing them to how he looks now. I didn’t want to miss out this time around so we found a reputable place downtown to get some awesome images of Nathan. The tech was amazing and Nathan cooperated for the most part. There was a few minutes where he wanted to bury his face into my back and cover his head with his hand. But we were able to jiggle him out of that position. Out of the 70+ images we got, here are a few of my favorites and a video of some highlight from the session:

I’m pretty sure Nathan and Caleb look almost identical. They have the same mouth, eyes, chin, and sleeping expressions. Caleb had huge poppo cheeks at this point and his nose was a little smaller but you can definitely tell they’re related. The tech also confirmed his gender (That would make this the third time we’ve checked. I just to make sure we don’t have to repaint the nursery!) and pointed out that Nathan has tons of hair already.  Seeing these images just makes me even more anxious to meet our new little guy!

Caleb’s rendition of “I’m a Little Teapot”

A few weeks have passed since my last update but everything has been relatively uneventful. First, I’ll update on our firstborn. Caleb is getting more and more grown up by the day. He is definitely easier to understand and has a huge vocabulary. I can’t keep him away from anything cooking-related - his kitchen, my kitchen, cooking shows, the appliance section at target…. I bought him an activity book the other day to help him develop his drawing skills and he’s taken off. He can draw smiley faces:

and flowers along with basic shapes and his favorite scribbles. Andy has already gotten him started on sports cards I think mostly so Andy can rekindle some old childhood memories:

He also learned how to ride and steer his tricycle and loves cruising up and down the hallway:

We’re working on decorating his new big boy room (Airplane themed complete with a big boy bed) before his little brother comes. Of course, me being the decorating fanatic that I am, he can’t sleep in there until we’ve painted it, hung up curtains, hung all the decorations moved in furniture, and His Aunt Brandi has painted airplanes on the wall. He’s already thrilled about the idea of a new room and has already deeded his old room over to his baby brother.

Now on to our new addition. We had the opportunity to sneak a peek at little Nathan at our 18 week ultrasound. He, however, was not being very cooperative. He was facing my spine the entire time and would squirm out of the way each time the tech needed to take measurements. Thanks to modern techology, we still were able to capture some pictures of him:

Here’s an image of his spine and torso.

It’s confirmed, He’s a boy!

His leg and two sets of toes.

His face.

Profile

3D of his face. Kind of sketchy based on his awkward position.

And here is a video of the the ultrasound. complete with captions so you can tell what you’re looking at.

First, let me get out the most exciting news discovered this week: we are having a boy! Caleb will have a little brother; a little pal to play with; Andy will have another little buddy; I will have another little boy to love. I can’t express how happy this makes me. Boys, to me, are simple, transparent, adventurous and have less obstacles to deal with in this society. I’m am so thankful and feel so blessed to be able to raise two of them.

Second most exciting news: we have a name! After much discussion and near misses, we’ve decided on Nathan Andrew. His middle name was known from the beginning as to pass down Andy’s name but the first name was nothing short of a challenge. We had a girl name easily picked out early on, but any boy name just sounded off. When Andy and I both heard this name, we knew it was a good fit for our next son and our family; plus, Caleb can pronounce it better than his own name!

Our little bun in the oven is 12 weeks old: his fingers can open and close, his mouth can make sucking movements, he can squirm in response to my movements. We had an ultrasound on Friday for some routine testing. Everything looks perfect and he’s right on track. The tech and the doctor were both certain he was a boy and were impressed with how well he behaved for the ultrasound, whatever that means. Here are some pictures and at the bottom is a video of the highlights. You’ll be able to see him moving around, his heartbeat, fingers, and a little dance move at the end.

I feel really bad for letting this blog go a bit. Between my brother and family moving here and the holidays fast approaching, I’ve been very busy. But that’s not a good enough excuse. So I’ll try to catch everyone up.

My brother and his family moved all the way out here from Louisiana to hang out with us in the desert. To say it’s been awesome to have them here is an understatement. We all get along so well together. Josh and Andy can chat all day about sports and games. Brandi and I are both artistic, love photography and are mothers to small children so we have a ton in common. Caleb absolutely loves his big cousin Krynn and follows here around wherever she goes. He also loves to take care of his baby cousin Cassie. Here’s a video of him feeding her:

This Holloween was the first we actually took Caleb Trick-or-treating. He actually loved it and was a pro by the end of the night. We dressed him up as a dinosaur and went out with Josh, Brandi and the kids as well as Emily and Ryan, Amanda and Kaiden. The big group made the night great.

As you can see from the first video, my mom paid a visit to her children and grand babies. Since Josh and fam were down here as well, it was like two vacations in one for her. We actually even got my oldest brother to fly down here for a few days for a Liebmann family reunion/Thanksgiving extravaganza. It was wonderful to hang out with everyone again and have Caleb meet his Uncle Jesse.

We spent our Holloway thanksgiving up in beautiful (and seasonably cool) Prescott with various cousins, aunts, uncles and grandparents. Our hosts live on a farm surrounded by golden fields. The kids had a blast chasing the chickens and jumping on the trampoline. Here are a few shots from the day:

Due to the holiday season, my photography has been super busy. I always love meeting new families and capturing that moment in their lives. You can check out some of the sessions on my photography blog. The link is in the lower right hand corner of this page.

I’m writing this entry on the eve of Caleb’s second birthday. I can’t believe my little baby is already two years old, running (and jumping) around, talking up a storm (even if we really can’t understand every word), making friends, and maturing into a sweet-spirited little boy. I am so proud of the person he is becoming. Even though I’m catching glimpses of the impending terrible two’s, the good definitely outweighs the bad. He is so so so sweet to his family and others, he hardly ever fights back and would rather have other children play with his things, than cause an argument. He laughs often and hardily, thoroughly enjoying playtime. He can count up to 12 by memory and knows his numbers up to 20. He knows all of his letters, several shapes, and all of the basic colors. Independence is something he’s beginning to feel more comfortable with and will often run off to play with his friends rather than stand by my side. He loves to cuddle, especially if we’re watching his favorite show, “Good Eats” on Food Network. Speaking of cooking, he has this new habit of sneaking off with my cooking utensils, pots and pans to use them in his play kitchen. Tonight, I actually let him stand on his little step stool beside me to “help” me cook. He was so diligent and stayed in the kitchen the entire time, throwing things away, and collecting requested ingredients. He loves to do things on his own, especially during his daily routines. For example, before bedtime he turns off all the lights in his room, turns on his sound machine, lullabies, and nightlight and climbs into his own crib, with a little help. He’s a great sleeper and will sleep 12+ hours at night and then quietly play in the morning until we wake up. He has also given me the new nickname of “Apple Mommy” and thinks it’s hilarious whenever he says it. His stats are weight: 25.4 lbs (19%), and height: 33.75″ (33%)

And now for the most exciting development in the Holloway family: Caleb is going to be a big brother! I am about five weeks pregnant and due mid-August. We found this out about a week before Caleb’s birthday party so we decided to reveal it to everyone then. It was so hard keeping this news a secret for an entire week but the pay off was definitely worth it. And for you lovely Holloblog readers, here’s a video of the big reveal:

We are so excited for this new little arrival as well as is Caleb. I know he’ll make a wonderful and nurturing big brother and our family will become more rich and full of fun. And now that I actually have a good reason to blog, I may just return to the trusty old Holloblog and update a little more often

It’s a problem in many homes - parents buy roomfuls of toys only to have their kids play with household items that were never intended to be toys. Caleb loves stealing my kitchen tools and hoarding them in his own play kitchen. He also loves taking the cereal boxes out from the cabinet and pouring the contents into his own bowls, then proceeding to throw the boxes into the recycle bin (at least he’s being green…) In this video you can see his new toy invention.

Being a photographer’s child can result in two ways. 1) they hate the camera and run away screaming every time it appears, or 2) they are fascinated by it and want to take their own pictures. Fortunately, Caleb turns out to be the latter. He loves taking the lens cap off my “work camera” but that’s as far as my trust goes. I passed down to him my old point and shoot, but he quickly jammed the lens. Now he has his eyes on my new little camera and loves sneaking into my purse to find it. I let him have a little supervised play time with it at Grandma and Grandpa’s house. Everyone in the room was astounded by how much he knew about cameras until I let him have full reign with it. I think I might have a future assistant in a few years. For the record, I never tell people to “say cheese” so I have no idea where he got that from.

And here are some examples of his fine artistry:

This was when he started taking pictures of himself. Narcissism at its finest….

We’re at the wonderful stage where Caleb discovers a new word everyday. He still talks in his own language most of the time, but his english is getting a little more coherent.

He’s also at the stage where Daddy is his superhero. This child hangs on every word, expression, and movement that comes from his father. He imitates everything he does, and if Andy makes any sign that he’s displeased, Caleb bursts into tears. As soon as Daddy steps in the door, Caleb is off showing him what he did that day. Recently he’s been very good at going “poo poo in the potty”. More times than not he’s gone. At first I’ve had to catch him mid-push and rush him to the bathroom, but now he’s coming to tell me he needs to go. His reward? A call to Daddy to exclaim his great accomplishment. This child LOVES his daddy. So this video seems fitting to show just how much they both adore eachother.

Caleb also got a Guitar of his own the other day. He loves strumming away at it. Since I don’t show many pictures on here (I just horde them all on Facebook) Here are a few of him and his new “gah-gah”:

Here’s a little video of us drilling Caleb on some words.