Christmas Through Little Eyes

Christmas was a quiet day at home that started with cinnamon rolls for us and bananas for Caleb. We made the typical Christmas morning last all day long breaking for naps and other favorite Caleb activities... wagon rides, listening to Daddy play and singing with Baron.

The next day Aunt Kat and future Uncle Matt joined us for dinner and brought goodies too. The singing dog from Grandma was a big hit.
Caleb is so proud of his dancing skills and his ability to get anyone to dance with him. You'll probably want to take a look as it will soon be the next craze.

Christmas Eve

The three of us enjoyed Christmas Eve at Church for our Carol and Candlelight service. We sat around two of his buddies, Byron and Sarah Beth. By the end, all three were playing in the foyer and Byron showed Caleb how to successfully scale the stairs. Caleb enjoyed the music and serenaded the people sitting behind us.
To help Caleb from such a young age focus on giving rather than receiving in celebration of the season's true gift, we used his brand new stocking that Aunt Dottee made for him. He loves to fill anything and filling his stocking with money was no exception. This was his Samaritan pouch. In years to come, he can decide whom to bless but this year it was up to Mommy and Daddy. In the morning it was replaced with goodies just for Caleb...yes there were apples and oranges just like Matt and I remember.

All Dressed Up

Last weekend we enjoyed a wonderful time with friends and appreciate the Baders for hosting. Caleb even had a room to hang out with his buddies so it was a fun night for all. During the day, the temperature was near 70 dropping below freezing by the time the night was over. Gotta love Arkansas!!
Before our fun evening, Caleb played in the pantry. After pulling many things down with eyes on the prize, he was able to get out the yardstick. Daddy envisioned light saber sound effects, however, Caleb's excitement is much cuter and my amateur blogging skills are limited. Note that he ends his performance with an applause!
Here is one more video of him in the kitchen. He will, and Kathryn confirmed, entertain himself a long time just listening and dancing to the music from his refrigerator toy. It is so cute!

Lots of Lights

This week we made two stops for pictures. One evening was warm enough to be outside at the Promenade. Caleb was quite impressed with the lights, but not so much with Santa. Our second attempt was at the Mall, but again not impressed with Santa. In fact the highlight of the trip was helping Daddy pick out a belt. A favorite toy has been his Little People Nativity scene. I'm sure he throws baby Jesus in the manger with the sincerest respect. Another favorite is a animal toy that goes on the refrigerator that Mrs. Betty also brought. He stops, dances, and claps when he hears this or any music. Mommy's favorite new trick is smacking his lips and leaning in for a kiss. Sweet! Sweet!

6 Years

When asked what I wanted for our anniversary, I had a genuine reply of nothing. What I meant was that I enjoy our Sunday afternoons so much that nothing sounded better than a typical day. As far as a gift, I couldn't beat this daily list...
5. gentle encouragement (with energy drink in hand) in consideration that I'm not a morning person and filling our day with laughter
4. Allowing dreams of becoming a chef come true at the Casa de King
3. Being the best Daddy he can by daily pouring his heart into Caleb as he manages working and caring for our little guy with such a positive attitude
2. Consistently praying over our family on a daily basis
1. Keeping me a distant second on the priority list as the spiritual leader in our house.
So...do I want something different...no I'll enjoy my daily blessings. Happy Anniversary to my favorite guy and my best friend!













We finally finished the tree with lots of help this year and had a special visitor with birthday and early Christmas surprises. He sat and played with his new nativity set for a long time. He conked out before bathtime but he will love the new hooded towel as his other small ones are not quite doing the job anymore.

Little Monkey

This endearing name refers not to his speediness around the house, but his new love of bananas. Before making a DHS call, know that we do cut them up but his trying to take on the entire banana truly captured his new craving of the fruit. He reaches for them
whether in the fruit bowl at home or as they are placed in cart at the supermarket and can easily eat up to four a day.
We have also spent the week putting up the

Christmas tree. It has become a longer process as we have to decorate it as it is going up due to its height. Caleb took the opportunity to have fun in the branches and reorganize the ornament boxes.




Here is a picture taken as we were leaving Jonesboro. He seems to love his new car seat even if it means less sleeping and more watching.

The birthday balloons hung around a while and were mighty fun to play. I also caught this cute one of him playing peek-a-boo with Baron whom he still considers his best friend.

Birthday fun and turkey too

This Thanksgiving Caleb was not the only turkey Mommy had. For Caleb's birthday, he enjoyed seeing family and friends at the church. He liked his cupcake and taking a ride in his new red wagon. The next weekend we joined the Batson's for Thanksgiving, traveled to Little Rock to enjoy an unbelievable football game and traveled on to spend the weekend in Jonesboro. Caleb didn't know what to think about riding forward in his new car seat not understanding why I could see him but wouldn't get him out. All of this excitement and some snow too!

Birthday Boy

I've watched the days on the calendar and the months on the ticker pass by, but I still can't believe Caleb is a year old. I sound like every other mother but no less amazed. I tell Matthew all the time that I would miss the previous stage if the next wasn't even better. Each month I have a new favorite age. Over the past ten years, I have watched so many babies grow, insisted to so many parents they should think their child is the neatest in the world, have years of background in child development, but I am still dumbfounded by the tiniest milestones met everyday, that a precious voice calls me ma-ma and maybe more so that this precious gift from above was undeservingly blessed to us. Each day he is less a baby molded into a sweet little person...already resembling my favorite guy more and more each day. His gummed smile now has 4 sweet specks of white, he is in cahoots with Baron, dropping cheerios all over the floor, operates the remote and vacuum, but at the end of the day he still cuddles with Mommy, somehow erases every worry of the day and proves each day that it is possible to love him a little bit more.

Sunday Afternoon at Devil's Den

Caleb's First Boo!

Caleb enjoyed his first Halloween! He started the day joining mommy at school for the school book character parade. The "Poky Little Puppy" was poky getting there because a quick storm came filling the yard with hail. Caleb had fun with his friend Kaylee Beth who was also adorable dressed as an elephant. Later that afternoon we carved our pumpkin and Caleb found it was just the right size for him. We joined the Batsons for dinner where he convinced everyone he was a starved child as he couldn't get enough applesauce and puffs. I guess having extra applesauce will have to be a prerequisite for us visiting because mommy underestimates his ability to pack it away. He also found something new to explore...stairs. During dinner, we received an exciting call but will wait to tell as it isn't our news to share.
Saturday morning he woke up happy and dancing to the music. He took a bubble bath in Mommy's tub and he wanted no part of it. He decided bubbles were not for playing in...they should only be on Daddy's iphone.