Three

Dear Calder,

 You are three!  You tell us all the time.  You hold up three fingers (you just figured out how to keep the little guy down and you tell us about it every time you show us three).  If we call you a baby or little guy you say, "no!  I'm a big boy.  I'm three!"  You talk a lot.  You always have been a big big talker and you still are.  We had a fun birthday party for you.  It was early because you still take a 2 hour nap every day (!!).  We had breakfast food and donuts instead of cake.  Can't complain about that.  You asked for a chocolate donut.  It was as big as your head.  

I asked Dad what I should write about you and he just said, "yelling and running."  That is your life right now.  You run down the hall yelling whatever comes to mind.  It is usually real words but sometimes it is nonsense.  You are so full of words and you think like crazy.  It is fun to see the wheels turning in your head when you see or hear something new.  The other day you and Dad went to Home Depot and the clerk asked if there was anything Dad needed.  You piped up and said, "A RACECAR CART!"  Apparently, they were out but the guy found one for you.    Not too long after that we were in line for the ferry.  When we got to the window to pay I said, "one adult and two kids two and under."  You hollared up from the back seat, "CALDER'S TWO AND A HALF!"  Oh, my word.  Nothing gets past you.

 

We gave you a scooter for your birthday.  You love to ride it around.  You would prefer to ride it without your helmet on.  But, when I ask you to get your helmet you run inside and grab it.  That seems like a big change to me.  You run inside by yourself now.  Just a little while ago I would have to help you.  You are independent and you are not a baby anymore.   If we ask you "What happened to Baby Calder?" you tell us that "He's in the picture."  Referring to baby pictures we have of you around the house.

 

 

 First Wipe-Out on the new scooter. 

 

Sometimes, when you don't have your shoes on, Dad or I remind you to walk flat.  Most often your response is, "I'll just run!"  That way you can be up on your toes and you can go fast. When that happens I smile because your personality is summed up in those three little words.  You don't want to go slow.  You will not let anything get in your way.  And who the heck cares if you are a little bit slow in the walking department, "I'll just run!"

We wanted to take a picture of just the kids...but who are we kidding.  Your friends came and you played and played outside.  Your favorite place to be.  Ever.  All the time.  Well, you also love to be in the garage with your Dad.  Fixing anything and everything.  The garage is your Disneyland.  It is magical.  Dad made you a work bench and you have some of his old tools including a drill that isn't quite powerful enough for him to use anymore.  But, you go crazy with it.  Need something fixed?  Call Calder.  You are constantly using your alan wrench to tighten the screws in our kitchen chairs.  They will never be loose again.

Lincoln and Lyla (future couple)

 

 You have a love hate relationship with your brother.  He LOVES you.  Oh, my gosh.  He loves you so much, Calder.  Whatever you are doing the second Lincoln sees you he toddles over and wants to join.  If you are playing cars he will pick up a car and copy you.  When you make your annoying monkey noises Lincoln starts making them too.  (It is way less annoying when Lincoln does it because he is just trying to copy you.)  You love Lincoln but you would rather he not touch any of your toys.  The other day you were playing cars and Lincoln came to join you.  You pushed Lincoln out of the way and then Lincoln leaned down and bit you.  Dad and I just looked at each other and shook our heads.  It has begun. 

You have a LOVE LOVE relationship with Tayler.  You just cannot get enough of her.  This morning when you woke up you called for her to get your out of your crib.  It is pretty sweet how patient she is with you.

Future Best Buddies

 Rhys gave you the best book you have ever read.  Goodnight Goodnight Construction Site.  And now when we pass a tractor or truck or work site you point out all of the construction-y parts.

Sienna, Your cute little future wife.

 



Your birthday dinner request was sushi.  You belong to this family.

We love you little man.  To the moon and back.

 

Calder's Birth Day

Slowly, ever so slowly, your birthdays are becoming less and less tinged with bad memories.  Another mom of a preemie wrote a really good post about the conflicting emotion of birthdays.  Even though Calder was born a lot later than her boy and I cannot imagine what her NICU stay was like some of the emotion still rings true for us.

Read about it here:  http://www.lifewithjack.com/2012/04/bittersweet-birthdays.html

Calder's first year was full of long, long, long feedings and pumping and nebulizer treatments and hospital visits, RSV isolation, nights of not sleeping due to croup and making sure Calder's head was in the right position so that he could breath.   We did not have a first birthday party for him.  We did not even think about it.  And while we celebrated his first year of life and were so incredibly thankful for our sweet boy, his first birthday passed with nebulizer treatments and a few gifts.  His second birthday arrived and we did have a party but it took a lot to convince me to do it.  Calder's birth day was still pretty fraught with emotion.  Calder's days were still full of nebulizer treatments and Physical Therapy.  Shane and I were both not sleeping.  I was feeding Lincoln and he was up every hour with Calder who had croup.  Again.  A party just seemed like a lot....too much.   But we did it because with the new baby we thought Calder needed his chance to shine. 

This year feels a little better.  Still not great....but slowly eeking towards better.  Calder hasn't been sick for a while.  He loves playing with other kids.  And he is aware of his birthday.  He knows it is a special day.  And we need to celebrate that.

Tomorrow I will do a post of all the great things Calder does at three.  We think he is amazing.   For now, I am going to enjoy the day and spend time with our little three year old.

Viking Fest Fun Run

Since we have lived on the Kitsap Peninsula we have ran the Viking Fest 1 mile Fun Run with Tayler every year.  This year T couldn't do the fun run (too many plans!) so we took Calder down for the little kids race instead.  We had never seen the little kid race but we looked it up on-line and they said for kids of all ages so we figured we were good.  When we got down to the run the littlest age group was for ages 4-5.  They said three year olds were welcome to run too so we fudged a little and said Calder was 3.  I am so glad we did!  Ever since we went to Tayler's first track meet his year he randomly yells, "Ready, Set, Go, BANG!" and starts sprinting.  Ready, Set, Go, BANG is his favorite game to play wherever and whenever.  We all think it is funny that he adds a bang after the go.  He did great at the 25meter dash.  He was quite a bit smaller than the other boys and it took him a minute to get going.  Shane and I were afraid he was going to bite it-he falls a lot.  But, he didn't.  He managed the whole race with out falling.  And he got a ribbon and popsicle at the end!  For a little guy we thought was never going to figure out walking...that is pretty cool.

 This is one of my favorite pictures of Shane sending him off at the start.

We framed this one.  We could not be more proud of this little guy.

Lincoln's Party

We had a fun little party for Lincoln.  It was during our spring break so we had it on a weekday and in the morning before naps.  Lincoln was not a big fan of the cupcake we got him.  He avoided the gross yellow frosting all together-good job, son.  Good job.  I think the highlight of his Birthday was watching all the other kids until he fell asleep in his swing.

 

We had a "no presents, please" party but we made Lincoln this new fort.  I hope the boys have fun playing in when they are older...we'll see.

One

Dear Lincoln,

This has been the fastest and craziest year of my life.  I know it is cliché but I feel like you were a baby for the blink of an eye.  We had so much happen this year.  The first few weeks you were home from the hospital, you and I would spend a good portion of our day lounging in bed, eating and sleeping while Calder was taking his nap.  I want to go back and savor those hours.

You are such an observer.  You watch the world around you intently.  And when you decide you want to do something you make sure we know what you want. 

You have always been pretty laid back.  But right now you are a mamma’s boy and even though I might act exasperated and tired I love it.  In the morning when I get you out of your crib you snuggle into my neck and don’t want to leave.  It is the best.  Your cheek nestled against my neck just like when you were a few months old.  I know this snuggling will end soon (and be replaced by bigger and better things) but at this moment I want you to, please, snuggle forever. 

Your very favorite thing in the world is your brother.  You think he is a genius.  You especially think he is a genius when he is doing something that you should not do.  You stare intently at him as he stands up on a chair and I can just see the wheels turning in your brain about how that is the most amazing thing you have ever seen.  Daddy does a running commentary on what you are thinking as Calder performs his antics.  A lot of the time it is just an intent stare and a, “my brother is a GENIUS.”  Dad and I are worried about when you two are older.  Just yesterday you started trying to climb up into Calder’s high chair.  Heaven help us.

Tayler is still the baby whisperer.  You love your sister.  If you are upset she can calm you down.  You want to play with her and you think it is especially funny if you accidentally throw something at her or drop something on her.  She is the most patient person I have ever met and loves you fiercely.

At your one year check-up you were not really walking yet.  You would take a few steps but would rather just crawl or hang on to furniture.  If you took a few steps and then realized it you would sot down and cry. You did love to walk around while hanging onto mama or daddy’s finger.  And you wanted to do this ALL DAY LONG.  I am not joking.  Dad and I thought we were going to go insane walking you around with one finger.  And if you let go of our finger, all hell broke loose.  You would sit down, throw your little body face down on the floor, and throw the cutest little fit we have ever seen.  Crocodile tears.   On Memorial Day weekend that all changed.  Suddenly you started walking.  Everywhere.  All of the time.  You did a lap around our house. Your walk is pretty funny.  You lead with your belly and your arms stick out on either side and you kind of waddle back and forth. 

One day you wouldn’t take two steps the next day: Do not pick Lincoln up, do not touch his finger, do not help him in any way or he will get mad!  I think this is a big part of your personality.  You don’t talk much yet either.  You kind of say ma-ma and kind of say da-da.  But, that’s pretty much it.  I think you are just going to start speaking in sentences one day.  You shake your head back and forth all the time. I think it is a copy cat move from your brother but you do it when you do not want to do something.  The problem is you do it so quickly it always makes you and us laugh.  So, your attempt at saying "no" turns into a laugh fest.  

You are happy all day long.  You love to eat.  I asked Dad what I should say about you and his response was, "three handfuls-one bite" and "stuff, stuff, chew."  Your favorite foods are sweet potatoes, oranges and toast.  You don't really care for a lot of meat but you will eat it.  You've never spit anything out since the sad phase where you did not like avocados...but you love them now! 

You love the tub.  You do face plants and go under water and just about give me a heart attack every night.  We need to get you in swim lessons soon.  You do not love to get out of the tub.  That is a full on crisis.  But, we persevere!

We love you sweet boy.  You are the best surprise we could ever dream of.  You are totally worth all of the progesterone shots that Dad gave me while you were cooking.  You are our observant, thoughtful, chunker of a boy and our family would not be complete without you.

Love, Mama and Daddy

Tayler, Tayler, Tayler

Tayler's presence on here is slowly fading.  She is a teenager and respecting her privacy is important to me and her.  She is a pretty open book but she is not a huge fan of me taking a thousand pictures of her.  She is almost done with her 8th grade year.  Next year:  High School! 

This weekend she has the big 8th grade party/dance.  It should be fun.  It is CRAZY how into it all the parents at her school get.  She does attend a pretty affluent school but the amount of work that goes into this thing is insane.  They transform the entire gym/commons area.  And when I say "transform" I mean it.  They spend three whole days working on it.  And it isn't just streamers and balloons. In fact, I'm pretty sure there are no streamers and balloons.  They do huge landscaping and make the whole area into a new scene each year.  They bring in dirt and build hills or stages and mountains or whatever the theme for the year is.  I wanted to volunteer to do something...but...instead I am just bringing the actual volunteers food one afternoon. 

That is called the easy way out. 

 I will try to get some photos of her and her friends in their dresses.  She and a big group of friends are going to have their nails done before and then they have scheduled a good four or five hours to get ready for the dance.  I have no idea what they are going to do for that long as none of them are make-up/hair girly-girls.  I'm not going to be much help as I didn't even spend that much time getting ready for my own wedding.  But it is a milestone and it should be fun. 

She did track this year.  I took zero pictures.  She wasn't interested.  That was good because it rained cats and dogs at each meet and I was nervous to take out my camera.   She only had three meets this year but she improved in most of her events.  This year she did Discuss, Shot, 100m and 200m.  I had to leave one of her meets early because Calder had a fever and was falling asleep standing up but her Dad stayed and he said he thought the 200m could be her best event.  One of the coaches told her she had the form for distance running.  We all laughed because she clearly doesn't know T very well!  We love this girl and it is a different ballgame having a 14 year old teenager.  I cannot wait to see her grow through high school. 

Easter Was Perfect

We went to Spokane for Easter because it lined up with Spring Break and Grandma Karene's birthday.  The weather was as close to perfect as I can ever remember it being. Apparently, it was like that all over the state but we felt especially lucky to be in 70 degree Spokane.  We did not plan for the warm weather so Tayler, Shane and I were melting in our jeans and long sleevers the whole time we were there.  We played and played outside.  Aunt Kadene brought bubbles which were a huge hit with Calder.  Cousin Madalin has a toy vacuum that he also loved and was obsessed with.  There were tons of outside toys and acres of grass to play in and all Calder wanted to do was take the pink toy vacuum outside and pretend to vacuum up the grass.  Uncle Nick and Caitlin made ham for Easter dinner and it was amazing.   I also got to meet baby Delaney!  In love with her tiny face and red hair. Babies from Green Bluff moms are the best!

 I love bee hives.  We have one as a nightstand and we need another one!  That turquoise one...I am thinking about stealing it! :)

 Bubbles, bubbles and more bubbles...until Calder spilled the bubbles.

 Probably Grandma Karene's favorite thing.  A grandbaby falling asleep while she rocks him or her.

 Does the Easter Bunny hide your Easter Baskets?  He hides ours.  Calder found his on the pink toy vacuum cleaner (where else!).  Tayler's was under the antique sewing maching.  Lincoln's was in the wood box. 

 Cousins finding eggs.

 Birthday!  Calder sings the loudest, most off tune version of Happy Birthday.  It was cracking us all up.