January 2014

January started off really crappy. We had tickets to go to the Chick-fil-A Bowl down in Atlanta to see our Aggies (and Johnny Football!) play! But ... I got super sick. There was no way I was going to be able to drive for 8 hours and then expose Michael's sister and brother in law to this crud. So we stayed home. After 3 days bedridden without being able to keep much down, I went to the ER so that I could get some fluids and get re-hydrated. With the anti-nausea meds I was finally able to kick it. Yuck.

Trying to get in a workout means trying to get a shower while Caleb is still awake ... he likes to tote around my train case so whatever works is what we do!

He taught himself how to plug his ears and figured out that it sounded different. This made for some comical conversations with him :)

Covering himself up with blankies:

Cheese! (He's learning to look at the camera).

Piling EVERYTHING into his wagon for a ride.

It was super cold and we got some snow/ice so we headed to the mall so Caleb could run around and get out some energy!

Piling all of these toys on my lap.

Setting up his bowling pins so that he could obliterate them from the table with his weed-wacker hands.

Talking to his (Granny J, Yaya, P-Mo:  take your pick, he "talks" to them all)!

Back at the mall ... epic fit after I made him leave this car.

In the boat ... his favorite spot bc it took a lot of energy to get in/out (and he was tall enough to do it by himself).

We stopped by the University to see Daddy and give him a little cookie break. Caleb promptly picked up sticks to run around with :/

His bowl hat.

(He reminds of one of the guys from Devo):

Cheese!

He'll smile if he can see himself on the camera :)

Giving Daddy hugs when he got home from school:

We found an awesome little hipster coffee shop our last 2 weeks in Petersburg. The lattes were amazing, sandwiches were tasty and Caleb loved the waffles!

Bailey was hungry, but she didn't want Caleb to get her so she was "hiding":

Visiting Daddy again (he was at the schoolhouse for over two days straight):

Playing with the water fountain:

Running outside:

What Momma?

Sweet boy.

The start of the packouts (before Michael's graduation), so we got to live in a house of boxes for 4 days :)

Michael finished first in his class of 147 Marines/Soldiers and was the honor grad for his logistics course! So proud of him!!

Shaking hands with the General:

Presenting the General with the class gift:

Jeff came up to help us celebrate! It is SO amazing to have family close by to experience milestones!

All of the Marines in the course:

Because Michael finished first in the class, he was presented with an Army Achievement Medal in a follow-on ceremony! The President of the University and other big wigs all came to congratulate him (again, SO PROUD!)

Presenting the award:

Michael's speech (although Caleb couldn't be contained anymore and kept running around the room and eventually ran up to his Daddy while he was speaking **hanging my head in shame**):

Jeff, Me, Caleb and Michael after all of the ceremonies!

Right after the graduation we headed up to our new house so that we could start Caleb-proofing before the first shipment arrived (we still needed cabinet/drawer locks ... can you tell!?) :P

Not much furniture ... so Caleb played with the rolling suitcases.

... and sat on the floor with his computer.

He also "helped" Daddy put on child locks.

1.5 days later we went back down to finish the packouts/load our stuff. Caleb was desperately trying to get out so he could watch what was going on.

Ugh. Again.

We went outside for a little bit and Caleb played in the snow:

What do you do when your kids toys are all packed up? Give him a vacuum.  Or two.

Then put him down for a nap. That he'll hate. Because its in a pack-n-play.

And when he wakes up? Give him a broken broom and let him run.

Happy as a clam :)

Then eat dinner at Chili's.