Well, we did end up making pumpkin cookies. I got this infantino baby front carrier from my very cool and generous bro and sis in-law. I love it! I REALLY want Caleb to like it too. So far, he does OK. He did pretty well on this day. He has fallen asleep in it twice. It is a great way to carry him around so that I can still have my hands!



Mary Poppins returns. Mom did a retreat for the Southside Church of Christ Women last week-end. She did a GREAT job! To my shame, I took no pics.... not even of the breath-taking fall leaves... It was truly gorgeous. In my defense, however, I did have Caleb with me... He did great, but it's just not easy taking an infant to a retreat--just in case you were wondering.
I think one of the things that stuck with me the most from Mom's speeches was the Glory List. Mom encouraged everyone there to start a journal in which you list all of the things that you want to give God glory for. It's amazing how we forget to thank God for answered prayers, or unexpected surprises.
While we were there, Jon David got sick--fever, cold symptoms... A couple of days later, Don got sick, too. Exegesis paper due anyway...



Above: Mom telling Jon David and Luke a bed time bible story. Below, Luke on his field trip to the pumpkin patch. I was so thankful to be able to go. Thanks Mom!!


It was rainy that day, unfortunately. This pic below was too funny not to post. They were all sitting at a picnic table @ the beginning, waiting for the fun to begin. Luke did have a great time, but did not enjoy this waiting period, I guess. :) Unfortunately, he got sick too about four days ago.

Below, Caleb's 2 mo Dr.'s apt. He is growing and developing very well. :) Thank you, Lord!
And I managed to catch him sneezing. Ha!



"Easy babies are placid and easy to manage... Sure, they may have a fussy period in the evening, but it's not too long, intense, or hard to deal with... parents bask in their sunny dispositions.
But shortly... dark clouds may gather...." --Mark Weissbluth "Healthy Sleep Habits, Healthy Child."

Yea, dark clouds. Today was dark and cloudy--even though the sun was shining outside, if you know what I mean. Rough night: I wake up @ 8:30 thanks to Don. I change giant poopy diaper. Show Luke the giant poopy (Luke and JD are facinated w/Caleb's poops). Have breakfast. Get roast in crock-pot. Put Caleb to bed. Prepare to do excercise video. Get Luke a snack. Do excercise video for 10 to 15 min... Hear Caleb crying. Pause video. Feed Caleb, while sweet Luke watches TV or plays. Put Caleb in bouncy seat. Turn video back on, do more aerobics for 5 to 10 min. Caleb fusses again. Stop and give up on video. Pick up Caleb... Forgot what came next. Eventually put Caleb to sleep again. Fix Luke lunch, I think? Mop the floor somewhere in there--small miracle. Caleb wakes up after 30 min or less. Nurse again... eat lunch. Put Caleb to sleep again. Get ready to go get JD from school. Time to nurse Caleb one more time before leaving... sound asleep. End up having to wake him up... Screams in the car seat on the very short 3 min drive to JD's school. Screams again on the very short drive home from Jon David's school. I get Jon David and Luke a quick snack, and allow them to watch TV while I try to nurse and soothe Caleb. He falls asleep. I put him in bed. Tell older boys that I'm going to take a shower while they watch TV. Jon David comes to shower to ask for more snack. I tell him he will have to wait: duh! (sometimes I let him get his own. I guess he was hoping for that). Get out of the shower. Get Jon David more snack. Hear Caleb crying. Go get Caleb. Lost track of nursing schedule, so feed him again... Watch Martha Speaks w/boys while nursing. Funny show. Love PBS kids. Put Caleb down. Get more snack for Jon David (he said he didn't eat a good lunch at school today. Seriously!). Caleb is sweet in his bouncy seat! Hurrah. Jon David's neighbor/classmate comes to the door. "Can Jon David play?". Ok, I say, but come back in @ 5:00 to do your homework. Ok Mom. Luke goes out the door to back yard. Jon David goes out the door to back yard... I still have wet hair. I bring my hair dryer out to family room, so that I can watch events unfolding in backyard. Succesfully dry my hair. Now feel like I should supervise outside activities... Caleb getting fussy. I grab baby carrier. Change Caleb's diaper, put coat on him, and put him in baby carrier. Walk outside with baby. Watch older boys play for a while. Caleb starts to fuss a little bit, then falls asleep!!!!!!! IN carrier!!--other small miracle. :) Don comes home. Hurrah! Talk to my best friend in the whole world (love that man). Feel encouraged. Thanks Don! Caleb wakes up. Go inside to feed him. Older boys come inside. Jon David does homework while Don helps, and straightens messy house... Luke does his workbook too. I pump some breastmilk while checking e-mail for fusion group location tonight. Put on make-up. Help Luke with workbook briefly. Fix mac-n-cheese b/c roast is not boys' favorite. Fix green beans too to try to give them something redeeming to eat. Caleb gets fussy. Feed him again and put him to sleep. Hope that the expessed milk will help Don while I'm gone ( but it is not much at all). Shocked that Luke chooses roast over mac-n-cheese. When he says prayer for meal, he prays for himself to get better right away (he has been sick for about four days: fever, cold symptoms... but has been much better today). After prayer, I take his temp... 101.4. :( No school for him tomorrow. Go to ladies group and have a blast for 45 short minutes. Get the following text message: "He is awake and screaming" (evidently, he had sucked down the little breast milk that I had pumped, and promptly spit it up again). :( I come home, feed Caleb while Don and two older boys watch America's funniest home videos... Have a hard time laughing. Cry while Don puts older two to bed. The most awesome husband in the world comes back out and encourages me... again. :) Says it will get better, it's part of it, it's for a season.... that Caleb is a good baby--and he is right. I get something to eat. Then blog. :)




Above: carving pumpkins with Dad. I am pretty sad to say that I have no costume pics this year. :( To continue the sickness saga, Luke got sick Friday before halloween, and threw up right before Don and Jon David were walking out the door to go trick-or-treating... Ah, what a lovely life!
Momma said there'd be days.... right?