Kaleb is two months old!

A blog post is needed to catch up on past photos in order to bring us up to date with life in the here and now. So... here is a quick recap of the past few weeks!

We went to the neighborhood children's center one day before Kaleb turned eight weeks old in order to get him into the health care system here and also to get weighed and measured. He weighed 5400 grams and measured 60 cm in length (11.9 lbs and 23.5 inches). How cute are these changing tables by the way? Moms meet here for coffee in the mornings, babies see their doctor here monthly, and once a week parents can take their children in to get weighed and measured.



Becoming more alert by the day...



And grabbing hold of his toys...



Daddy went to Belgium for a couple of pre-season games and brought mommy home some delicious chocolates. It was just what I needed after being a "single mom" for a couple of days!



Kaleb, now nine weeks old here and sporting his new hat. Love it!



We went to one of daddy's pre-season games and wore these noise canceling headphones as we knew it would be loud.

Not enough time to process what I am wearing yet...



Hmmm.... not too sure about these things!



Warming up to them.



Well, I guess they aren't too bad!



I get my binky now? Even better.



And, now it is bedtime.



Kaleb turns two months!

Little chubbster. Pretty sure he is getting enough to eat. ;)



He is also being increasingly aware of his hands.







TWO MONTHS!







Our little man doesn't seem so little any more...



He is also becoming more mobile in his crib and we usually find him in this position in the middle of the night and in the morning. Why are the cribs so small here? I am pretty sure this is what wakes him up some times. Think if I would get more sleep if I found a larger crib? ;)





Miss Jo was the first non-family member to give Kaleb a bottle! Our husbands were in Russia and I had the ladies over for dinner. Thankfully Jo was able to give Kaleb a bottle while I finished making dinner.



I was reading to Kaleb the other day and couldn't help remembering John and I reading it to him on of the first days we came home. And I looked down at our sweet little boy and tears came to my eyes as I realized how big he had already gotten. I love that he is becoming more and more interactive. I love his sweet smiles. But all the same, I know that every moment passed is a moment in time I will never get back. I must treasure the past, enjoy the present and look forward to the future.

Saturday Morning Smiles.

Kaleb must be happy that daddy gets home from Russia today! I don't mind waking up early for this. :)

Groupon.

For those of you who love a good deal, do yourself a favor and introduce yourself to the world of Groupon. I have had my eye on Canvas Pop to do some printing of Kaleb's newborn photos, but the prices seemed a little steep for my liking. Until I discovered Groupon that is! I just purchased $80 worth of credit to Canvas Pop for only $40! I'd say 50% off is a pretty good deal.

Now is your chance to save. You sign up according to your region, but you are able to purchase a deal from any city. (The Canvas Pop coupon was available through Witchita.)

Here is a referral link... I'll let you know if I stumble across any other good finds!

http://www.groupon.com/r/uu8333674

Game time.

Kaleb has done really well at his daddy's games recently. I think it has to do in part with the noise canceling headphones he has been wearing. Here he is after his first ever Euroleague qualifier game. He slept until the very end and was quite content with his pacifier until we could get up to the VIP lounge to feed him.


John is gone in Russia right now, leaving me as single mother for four days. Is it bad that it isn't even eight o'clock and I am already exhausted? We are on day two already, so almost half way done! I find myself really missing John, and not just because he is a great help, but because I miss his company and watching him interact with Kaleb. I feel like I am missing my other half, especially now that we are parents together. As the saying goes... absence makes the heart grow fonder. We are eagerly anticipating his return home. I will try to post more later, but for now I am going to relax with a cup of tea.

Kaleb's Newborn Photobook.

I must admit, I haven't had a lot of free time to do much lately. But one project I made a priority was getting some of Kaleb's newborn photos designed in a book and ordered. I knew if I procrastinated the task too long it would never get done. I also had to let go the perfectionist in me, that wanted to wait until I had to time to create a "perfect" book because I knew that day would never come. Here is what I have done for now and if I design a more elaborate one later, then even better.

If anyone has any sites they use to order prints, canvases or other photo related goods... please share your tips as I would love to do something more professional looking eventually and your advice just might motivate me to do so. ;)

Click here to view this photo book larger

Kaleb's Music.

When we arrived here in Groningen, the team had set up a nursery for Kaleb, and they even went so far as to have a little toy here waiting. The older Kaleb gets, the more he appreciates it. He follows the lights with his dark blue eyes and seems to be listening intently. Although this video was taken shortly after we arrived (Kaleb was just four weeks old), I am posting it per my mom and sister's requests for more videos. :) I will have to post a similar one taken in more recent days to show how much he has changed!

Loving Europe.

I will admit, most years I start getting the itch to head back to Europe by the end of the summer. This year, I wasn't really that excited to head back. The thought of traveling with a newborn and adjusting to life overseas without family nearby didn't sound terribly thrilling. Now that I am here though, I am enjoying our relaxed lifestyle once again. Yes, it is hard to be so far away, but I must focus on what I like about life here as this will be but a brief moment in our lives in the whole scheme of things.

What am I loving right now? European coffee. And pastries. And Vla. Fresh bread and delicious cheese. Chatting with friends over one euro breakfasts at Ikea. The new fall line at H&M.

John and I went on a date last Friday night. It felt good to get out and intentionally spend time with just the two of us. (Well, Kaleb was with us, but already in his jammies and sleeping by the time we got there.) It was a perfect evening with the sun setting as we arrived at a local restaurant on the lake.



The host recognized John, introduced himself and led us back to a table with a view of the lake and outdoor patio. We enjoyed cafe lattes and desserts, mine complete with a homemade crust topped with marscarpone and fresh blackberries with lemon sorbet on the side.





The next morning was game day, thus we headed outside to an outdoor court for John to get some shots up. There is a trail through the field behind us which links up to biking/jogging paths. At one point in the morning John exclaimed, "I kind of like the country." Ha! The smell reminded me of my days spent on my grandparents farm, bringing back many good memories.

Does anyone else find this strange though? Bulls that appear to be able to escape at any given moment. Not going to lie, kind of freaked me out. Yet I took a picture of Kaleb with them anyway. I figure there must be good reason behind them not being gated in.



I am hoping that this flooring serves a purpose of keeping them where they belong...



because I wouldn't want to meet up with one of these creatures "head on."



Alas, John finally got his shots up before game time. I alternated between rebounding and checking on Kaleb until he finally got hungry and I found a bench "courtside" to feed him.







We did manage to get a good laugh in when we saw a horse strolling by. How bizarre. Oh, and we also saw a lady pushing her daughter in a jogging stroller while rollerblading. Talk about talented.



Our apartment is finally starting to feel more like a home. We had a painter in here last week and a flooring company in here yesterday. I felt as if I might go crazy with the mess, but it is worth it in the end. Funny how a messy house often makes me feel as if my whole life is in disarray. Not that is is always clean... but I can only handle the disorder for so long.

I guess that is how life in general is. When one thing is out of balance it often feels as though it spills over into the other areas as well. The more hats we wear, the more of a balancing act it becomes. I have already found I struggle most with wearing a "mom" and a "wife" hat. Right now Kaleb demands so much attention that I feel a tendency to neglect my husband in the process. It is only getting easier and easier though and thankfully John and I make a pretty good team. I am feeling a bit more rested with each day, especially since Kaleb has started sleeping eight hour stretches at a time at night. What a good little boy. Now if only I'd start going to sleep when he did....

Milk: It does a body good.

(This is what happens when you face plant into a pile of your own spit up!)

Kaleb Rolls Over!

Kaleb first rolled from his tummy to his back when he was two and a half weeks old. The little guy just doesn't care to be on his tummy! Nonetheless, he shocked me and I put him back on his tummy for him to repeat it again. He has done it several times since, but I always miss getting it on camera. Until yesterday that is. Finally, a month later I have proof.