Cale: FOUR months!

**After checking out other blog options, I am going to stick with this one.  Mainly because I am just not technology savvy, I know how this one works, I enjoy using it at a family journal....and I can fork up a little dough to keep it going.  So...more posts to come!  I gotta get caught up on Thanksgiving, Christmas and everything in between!**

FOUR MONTHS

December 22, 2012

This has been an EXPLOSIVE month for Cale.  Explosive in a GOOD way!  I mean, there are the usual explosive poo blow-outs (the “up-backs,” the “front-riders,” the “side winders”).  But beyond that, there have been quite a few developments in Cale’s life. 

Cale is a roll machine.  You set the boy on his back, he rolls to his tummy.  Then he sometimes gets frustrated because he hasn’t quite mastered the tummy to back roll yet….though his first few rolls WERE from tummy to back!  He also likes to be held in a sitting position as he plays.  Sometimes we let go and he does the “tripod” sit, but for the most part, we hold on to our little man when he is in sitting position.

Cale likes to bounce in his bouncer.  That’s probably his favorite past-time…apart from being held, eating and interacting with Mommy, Daddy and Charlotte of course.  He enjoys grabbing toys and basically anything within his grasp.  And then whatever he grabs goes directly to his mouth!  His favorite toy right now is a little jingly ball that he can grasp with his hands and mouth while it jingles.  He is very vocal when he plays, which is fun to hear.  One of my favorite activities with Cale right now is “blowing raspberries.”  He gets a kick out of this and does the all-so-coveted belly laugh for me.  Then he blows raspberries right back at me.  It is perfectly safe to say, Cale has me wrapped around his baby finger!

Cale has blown through his 6 month size clothing and is already filling out his 9 month “wardrobe.”  Incredible, I know!  And Daddy thinks it is silly that I refer to Cale’s clothing as a “wardrobe.”  But…it is what it is, right??  Tease us all you want Daddy!  Cale weighed in at 16 pounds and 7 ounces two weeks before he hit his four month mark!  I was quite impressed, to say the least.  He had also grown in length and head circumference.  So much so that the nurse had to check the measurements twice.  She just couldn’t believe my boy’s head had grown that much so fast!  And the Doctor kept forgetting Cale’s age.  She had to ask me at least twice during our visit.  (I have since changed Pediatrician offices…I just figure a Doctor should at least check the chart before asking a kiddo’s age.  And she just didn’t seem as focused on what was best for my child specifically.  It was more of a “this is how you do things at this age” response.  Which I did not find helpful…)

Speaking of Daddy.  Daddy has been a riot this month.  Cale has given us a time of it in regards to sleep during his fourth month of life.  There was one glorious night in which Cale slept NINE HOURS STRAIGHT!  This happened directly after Daddy and Mommy exchanged a few heated words over how the nights have been going recently.  Daddy has been none too happy that his boy ain’t getting the memo and sleeping 3-4 hours (OR MORE) at a time ALL OF THE TIME.  And he expresses it.  Our routine goes like this most nights: Cale cries, Mommy asks Daddy to get Cale (because Daddy lays there trying to ignore it until Mommy applies the pressure), Daddy complains a bit, “UHHHHHH, why won’t HE SLEEP?”  or “I’ve already been up like TEN TIMES!”  or “GEEEEEEEEZ, this is AWFUL!”  or “WHAT is his PROBLEM!?”  or “I’m gonna just let him CRY!  He needs to stop waking up!”  or “WHY DON’T YOU DO IT!?  You never do ANYTHING!”  (That last one usually makes me laugh because it is so not true….), then either Daddy concedes and brings Cale to Mommy to be fed or Mommy goes and gets Cale, feeds him and then Cale is laid back in his crib until the next rotation. 

Now I must step in here to say I am super blessed to have Ben help at all during the night.  I know there are many Daddies who do not provide such partnership during the night time feedings, but Ben is truly a great partner and Daddy when it comes to nights.  (It just so happens that the lack-of-sleep is starting to negatively affect our attitudes just a bit.)

Anyway, we argued about Cale needing to sleep.  I agree, of course, that Cale should be sleeping more at night.  However, I also argue that Cale is just now four months old and should just now start to adjust to more of a routine.  On top of that, this has been a busy month with some inconsistencies in regards to schedule!  And since Cale is still ONLY four months old, we cannot set our expectations too high!  I continued to say that if we want Cale to sleep longer, I should probably not be the one to get him as Cale will think he just needs to EAT EAT EAT.  (Because seriously, Cale LOVES to eat.  And it shows!  In his nearly 17 pound self!)  We never did “conclude” this argument.  But I did put a pause on it and I prayed that God would just give us a little reprieve and let us SLEEP!  And lo and behold!  HE DID!  God gave us 9 straight hours of uninterrupted sleep one Sunday night in December.  Daddy woke up feeling like a “new man.”  And then Daddy expected it to happen again and again…

So all that to say, Daddy is a little unhappy with our little man at the moment.  It probably doesn’t help that Cale gives Daddy a run for his money when it comes to soothing.  Cale currently just plain prefers Mommy.  That little stinker will cry, cry, cry sometimes when Daddy is trying to give Mommy a break.  Then Mommy walks in and the cries turn off with a switch and a smile lights up that boy’s face and he even GIGGLES!!  Now, I gotta be honest here.  That does totally melt my Mama heart, but I can also see how this must be tough for Daddy.  I currently must remind Daddy that Cale will soon enough prefer hunting and baseball to Mommy any day!

But for reals.  I cannot believe how much I love my son.  I am flat out crazy about him!  He is just so stinking adorable.  And sweet!  I love how he cuddles into me and wakes up when he notices I am gone.  I love how he smiles so big and his eyes light up at the mere glimpse of my face.  I even enjoy the little lower lip trembles he gets when he has been out of my arms for a while and spies me from afar…  I love how determined he is.  He watches his big sister do things and I can just see those wheels turning in his head as he tries to figure out if he can attempt whatever it is she is doing.  I love the way his hands fit right inside the palm of my own, the way his little feet are always moving and how sturdy his baby thighs are!  Oh, goodness.  That boy has captured my heart for sure!  It will be one lucky gal who captures my son’s attention one day if God should have that in Cale’s future plan, anyway.

I know I am beyond blessed to be Charlotte and Cale’s Mommy.  And get to stay home with them!  I absolutely love it.  Oh, how I love them so!