14 months

My sweet boy is 14 months old! 

He grew up so much this past month! I'm always amazed at how much a baby can change in just one month!  He pulls up on everything and walks along the furniture. And is so close to walking. 

We pulled out the shopping cart today and it was like a light went on in James' head that he could walk! He didn't want to stop!

He pushed that shopping cart all around the house - up and down the halls, needing just a little bit of help around the corners. 

We all stood around and cheered him on and he ate it all up - knowing how cute we all think he is! 

James really has such a great laugh - one of those hold your head back, let it out laugh!

I love how happy and smiley he always is. 

He lights up the room and can make anyone smile. 

James loves his books and loves that he can now get up into his rocker all by himself to read now!

He's just been doing it for about a week now - he gets up into his chair and then laughs and laughs  - so pleased with himself! He's able to get up onto the couch by himself now too and thinks it's the greatest thing ever! I love watching him try to get off. Still a little tricky. 

I love James' excitement about all the little things. I love how he points and says, "Ohh . . . ooo. . ." with his O shaped mouth. He's always learning and taking it all in - I love trying to slow down and see things from his eyes - something I need to do more often.

At 14 months James says little - mostly just points and says, "Oooo"

His small vocabulary is, "Wa wa" for water, "cacker" for cracker. "Bob" when taking about our bird. "Hi dad" - only has said hi to Spencer. 

He'll also copy or mimic us, like the other day when he made the g sound over and over again when I was saying. "Go go go."

He knows animal sounds for the lion and elephant.

Other things this month: James fell out of his crib this week. Poor guy - we need to lower it but he definitely learned his lesson. He now will just be on his knees when I come in. He's much more careful when standing looking over his crib edge now.

James grew 2 more teeth this month - his top back molars - putting him up to 10 teeth now. Totally explains his super high fevers at the beginning of the month. My guess is it might have had something to do with it.

James is still nursing but just once a day - right before bed. It's just been hard for me to give it up completely. When he was sick at the beginning of the month he didn't want to eat, but wanted to nurse all the time. I was glad I was able to do that and have some way to soothe him. I've never had a kid pull at my shirt - excited to nurse but James did that the other day and I was thinking, "ok, probably time to end this."

Oh how I love our sweet boy and his excitement and enthusiasm for life! He gives the best squeezes and gives them upon request. This really is such a fun and exciting stage.

Happy Birthday to ME!!!

It was a great birthday!!! Full of awesome surprises, great friends, a wonderful husband, and lots of kind messages, phone calls, and drop-byes!

The surprises started early when I opened the door to head out on my run and found balloons and a huge bouquet of flowers from the Putmans! I felt so very loved.

My friend Jessica Dalhquist threw a little birthday brunch for me at her house at 10am. it was such a treat to spend the morning with some of my very closest friends. I felt beyond spoiled!

My sweet visiting teachers stopped by on my way out the door in the morning with tulips (I LOVE tulips). SO so thoughtful!!

Cal went to school at noon and it was nice to have a break while James napped from 12:15 - 2:15pm. I was able to lay down and respond to many messages and text thank yous to all my friends who helped me celebrate my day!

I picked up the girls from school at 2:30 and Cal from school at 3pm, then home to regroup before piano lessons at 5:45. Karalee is so sweet and brought me a huge bouquet of flowers with a potted herb garden from Trader Joes. Love her!

After piano lessons we headed out to Cheesecake Factory for dinner as a family!

It was a great day celebrating turning 37!!

Things from March

March was jam packed starting with celebrating my new 12 month old, and ending with celebrating my big 5 year old! I sure love these boys and what sweet brothers they are. Cal is so aware of James and plays so great with him. 

We wrapped up Madi's 2nd season of basketball at the beginning of the month. 

Sadly it wasn't that great of an experience this year. Last year we had a phenomenal coach and it made all the difference. Madi totally lost interest this year and games didn't feel much like a team effort.

Broke my heart to see her dread games and not look forward to practices. 

We were glad to see the season come to an end. 

Still loving our Sunday morning walks and not having Sunday morning meetings!

March was the month for birthdays. The majority of Cal's preschool class turned 5 this month. This is at his friend Luke's birthday party! 

James and sisters loved the swing out back! 

Madi gave a talk in primary - which she prepared for and wrote completely on her own - and did a fabulous job! 

I also got to sneak in to hear her play the prelude before primary. 

Spencer had 2 back to back trips in March - first to Oakland on March 8th and then to Chicago on the 15th. We celebrated dad coming home from his first trip with dinner at In-N-Out. 

The girls are still going strong with knitting and have surpassed their goal of one per month. This month they knitted scarves for GrandPapa and Grandmother Rudd. 

Then wrote the sweetest notes . . . 

before we mailed off to Ontario. 

And then we got to FaceTime with Grandpa and Grandma to see them wearing their new scarves. 

We said good-bye to the Clegg's this month. It was sad to see them leave.

But boy are we excited to have Bob a part of our family! 

Everyone loves him and he's a great addition to our family! 

We had a gorgeous week of weather which meant dinner outside every night. 

We celebrated beautiful weather with our first flat of Camarillo Strawberries . . .  

 . . . James' first ice cream cone . . . 

 

, , , and lots of park outings!

Cal had a preschool field trip to the ZOO and the boys had such a great time that we went ahead and bought passes for the year!

All shades of green for St. Patrick's day!

St. Patty's Day park day was a blast!

Lots of brother play time! I love watching these 2 play so well together! 

On March 21st I got to go to the Ellen show with my friend Jessica. She also invited one of her good friends from San Diego. It was a blast hanging out with these ladies for the day!

It was an awesome experience being on the Ellen show - Jessica and I got picked (with about 12 others) to be part of a focus group where we had to perfect our screams and practice our reactions to being called down on stage. It was fun, but totally stressful - thinking I might actually get called down for a game or something. That's just not me, so I was happy with just a walk by from Ellen.

We went home with a $250 gift card to PetSmart and $150 Visa card!

At the very beginning of the month Elle came home from school telling us about a "Rocks, Gems, and Minerals" show at the Ventura County Fair grounds that she wanted to go to - telling us it was all free, except for parking. We figured that would be a fun Saturday family activity, so we went. 

The first thing they all did was color a dinosaur picture to enter into the coloring contest. 

All the kids wanted to sift through the sand to find beautiful rocks - three scoops in the container and then they got to pick out a dozen of their favorites. 

They also each chose a "grab bag" for $2 a piece filled with different rocks, gems, minerals. 

It was fun to come home and see all the cool things they each got!

Which Madi later neatly organized into an egg carton. 

The best part about the whole thing was that at the end of the month I got a call saying that Madi and Elle had both won the coloring contests for their age groups!!

They each received cute little envelopes filled with 5 different prizes!

Notice Elle already wearing the shark tooth necklace and carving out the dinosaur fossil as soon as she got home from school. 

Madi quickly joined in . . . 

Cal got in on it too! 

The last Saturday of the month, Sister Sanchez (Madi's old primary teacher) invited her over to learn some painting techniques for the acrylic paints Madi got for Christmas (and has been too intimidated to use). Madi had such an amazing time and was So proud of her finished piece! 

Papa was also in town this weekend - meeting with Spencer's partners at the firm to discuss financial stuff. 

What a treat it was for us to have him here!! He arrived Friday morning after the girls had already gone to school, so the boys got some one-on-one time with Papa first. James warmed up right away! 

Saturday night I got to take Madi out for shopping and dinner (she requested In-N-Out), then onto he General Women's broadcast. I love hanging out with my girl one-on-one. 

On Sunday Cal gave the talk in Primary! 

Spencer and I were teaching our strengthening marriage class 2nd hour so Papa helped him out.

He did such a great job!!! 

Then after church we had an early birthday celebration for Cal.

Cal got to FaceTime with Gram who was in North Carolina taking care of the Calhoun cousins.

He was thrilled about his new super hero guys!

Papa flew back home Monday morning after Cal's birthday breakfast.
That evening we got to celebrate Cal with Jenkins cousins, aunts, uncles, Grandpa Al, and Boppi. 

I loved this cute pop-up card Madi made for Cal. 

 Sorry so many pictures of it, I was just impressed with her creativity and skill! 

We finished the month off with Elle celebrating Ella's birthday with friends. Such beautiful girls! 

And a daddy.daughter talent show for Activity Days! 

Spener and Madi pulled off an awesome magic show!! 

Such a fun night and great end to the month of March!!