Just Boys

I just love them... love them, love them, love them!

The boys, "playing trains"

Easter basket on the head, "Look at my helmet, Mom!"

Some of you might find it odd to see my five month old "standing" at the train table with. As my father affectionately calls him, "the stiff one" loves to stand. He gets really ticked when required to sit for too long. So, Jamie thought he was ready to watch Jonathan play trains. He loved it. I think he will be clamoring to keep up with whatever his older brother might be doing from now on!

It Takes a Village

I hear this saying often in regards to the benefits of living close to family when having children. We do not have this luxury. We depend on our friends. Since we moved to a place where we knew almost no one when Jonathan was less than one year old it proved to be a bit challenging. Enter: the Bare family. I knew Amanda from my little hometown in Iowa (our parents are neighbors) and she and her family have been one of the greatest blessings here. She lives a block from us now (what a small world!!!) and has three delightful children. Her husband can work some icky hours at times, as does Jamie.

Tonight was a night of icky hours for both hubbies. My children weren't the cleanest or in the best of moods but Amanda didn't care... she had us over for dinner. Caleb was fussy and she didn't care. "It takes a village"... and our village is an eclectic blend of friends God has provided. We're so very thankful for the Bare family (and other friends here)!!

Ready for Some Grub

The littlest Guild had his first taste of something other than mama's milk tonight. The rice cereal initiation has occurred. Caleb has been clamoring for food for about three weeks. He opens his mouth and and looks like he's ready for a bite whenever he sits with us at dinner. At first I thought it was just coincidence. Soon it became clear that he wanted a bite. Or two or three.

The doctor's recommendation allows for starting anytime after four months that they show readiness. I put it off for three weeks but he's five months old this week, and I decided it was time.

Caleb LOVED the food. He ate every last bite of that pasty, tasteless rice cereal. Guess he was ready. He had no trouble swallowing it, and spit out very little. Carla reminded me about Jonathan's two-finger chaser when he ate the cereal. After every bite he would stick his two fingers in his mouth. You could barely get the food in before the fingers. He also took a little more convincing when it came to eating. Caleb is an easy sell.

Here's to more happy eating in the Guild household ~

Using the Pedals

Jonathan has graduated from the Flinstone-style motor for his bike to using the pedals. He is quite proud of his accomplishment. He also requested that we put this helmet on him since he now uses the pedals like the big kids.

In Training

Jonathan wanted to "go running" with Daddy on Saturday morning. He got on his "running shoes" and some shorts and away they went. Around the block. Here they are, returning, from their run around the block.

Nostalgia

I have not been especially sad when my children have left one stage and moved on to the next. It seems like the next one is always so much fun that it is hard to imagine missing the previous one. Tonight I feel nostalgic about Jonathan. He is becoming so independent and grown up. He loves to ride his "red bike" and can use the pedals (video coming soon), he wakes up early in the morning because he has to use the bathroom and has a dry pull up (I think this is just amazing... I figured we'd be using pull-ups at night for a couple of years), and he likes to pick out his clothes.

I was watching the video of him reading "Gossie and Friends" from about eight months ago and thinking about how much I will miss those innocent, precious moments. I'll miss being the person who spends the most time with him. I'll miss being the favored playmate. I know there will be delight in the new things that will come when the other things have passed away, but tonight I feel sentimental.

Tomorrow I'll post some videos of the weekend...

Blankies

Both of my boys have blankies made by a family friend from Iowa. These blankies are a prized possession. Prized possession doesn't say enough about the beloved blankies. Caleb was having a hard time settling down in the evenings because his hands would flail about. He was D.O.N.E with the swaddling solution and I was looking for something that would keep him hands from just flailing everywhere. One night I was rocking him and he was very agitated. Gave him the blankie and presto! Magic! He settled immediately and has used the blankie to relax every night since. He doesn't sleep with it by him as five months seems a little young for that.



Jonathan loves his blankies. His eyes lit up when he saw that Caleb had one, too. He came over and said, "Caleb, look, here's how you put your finger through the ribbon in the blankie. Here, do it like this." Then, he took Caleb's little finger and put it through the ribbon hole in the blankie.



We left town without Jonathan's blankies when we visited Nate and Carla. We were 30 minutes from home and we turned around and went back for the blankies. That is how important these little gems have become.