The Carman Crew: Caleb, You're Growing Up!

I hyperbolize. A lot. But this week, I have seen some of the most precious things I've ever seen in my whole life, and that's no hyperboly. (however you spell it)

First, Caleb has now started crawling over to Rick or me, patting our knee or chest or whatever is in reach, and saying "Mama" or "Dada". It is adorable! It's like he just wants us to know that he knows our names. Or maybe he's checking to be sure he has our names right ... I don't know. But it's the first time that I've been completely sure he knows what he's saying when he calls us by name. If Rick walks into the room, Caleb will look up at him with a huge grin and say "Dada!" I love it!!

Second, last night I said, "Caleb, would you like to read a book?" I talk to him like he's an adult, because otherwise I would go crazy from having no interaction with people all week. He looked at me, got out of my lap, crawled to the bookshelf, stood up and pointed and said, "Book?" I didn't expect him to really understand me!! He's getting so big!

Third, he is starting to understand simple things on his own. Like if he gets thirsty, he goes over to his chair, struggles until he's on his tip toes and can reach his glass, and pulls it off to drink some water. Or if I hear him saying "more more more", I know somewhere around me he sees a Cheerios box or some puffs. He's saying "hi" to new people, "bye bye" whenever he's ready to leave, and "car" when he hears cars pass by. It's crazy to see his brain working like that! I know those sound like simple normal things, but it's amazing to see him grow from a no-thinking baby to a real thinking child!

Oh! And he's been giving kisses for a few weeks. I read Jill's blog about Abby kissing, and realized I hadn't blogged about Caleb's kisses yet! I can't believe I almost forgot to record that in his "Baby Book" which is this blog right now! Unlike Miss Abigirl's precious dainty pucker up kisses, Caleb opens his mouth, plants it on our cheek, and leaves it there long enough to let some drool run out onto the "kissee". Sometimes (especially if Rick and I are hugging and he thinks he's missing out), he'll just go back and forth, kissing Daddy, kissing Mommy, kissing Daddy, kissing Mommy. Ha ha!

Here is the only video we have of him kissing so far. I need to get a better one!

Now when he sees duckies, he says "Bath!" (which is more like "ba", but still distinguishable from "ball")

No walking yet, besides holding on to things and walking with them. But I'm not really rushing him. I figure he'll do it when he's ready!

What? If I'm not supposed to have it, you shouldn't have left it within reach.