Davidson Connection: The adopted and the adopt-able...

Adventures with Caleb & Ella

11/8/12 - My cousin, Chelle, could not say her "s" sound when she was little, so "swimming suit" sounded like "himmin' hoot", which I still love to say :) But Ella's version is cute, so it might stick, too: "swimmeen swoot".

4/22/12 - Mischief of last week:

Ella filled our toilet with tp; Caleb flushed the child nail clippers down the toilet, telling me it was because he doesn't like them; and Caleb made a "boat" in our tub (which had 4 inches or so of bathwater from earlier) using all the pillows from our bed, adding a full bottle of baby shampoo for good measure.

2/27/12 - I am way behind on all of the funny things Caleb has been saying, but a few weeks ago he was laying on our bed with his eyes shut tight & said, "I turned out all my other lights!"

Ella's words are really coming fast! The other day she started saying "pop-o" for popsicle, and tonight when she said it and I said "popsicle?", she said "no", and we figured out she wanted Ring Around the Rosies. ("pop-o"="pocket full of posies":) Later she started to chant, "pop-o, at-uh, at-uh, ahhh dow!"="..pocket full of posies, ashes, ashes, we all fall down!" Made me so proud :)

Daddy: Once upon a time there was a little boy named Caleb. And one night Caleb's daddy knelt by his bed and told him a story about his mission.

Caleb: And Caleb said, "No, let's do a other one."

One Saturday afternoon, Joe & Caleb were playing with our guitars on our bed. When Caleb heard Mommy walk in the front door, he said to Daddy, "We better put these away!"

1/22/12 - A few days ago, while playing with his friend, Caleb said something about his owie hurting. So I said, "Where's your owie?" I guess he wasn't really talking to me, because he replied dismissively from across the room, "It's just owie, Mom."

This cracks me up--when I am in a hurry, trying to get Caleb to come to the door so we can leave, he will sometimes respond from across the house, "I'm coming, mudder!" And then he casually makes his way there, wandering through the house to look at this or that. I have no idea where he got that line--but every time he says it, it sounds like he is quoting something he heard. It's the only time he calls me "mother" (or something close to it)--ha!

Just in the past week, Ella's words have really started changing. A few examples:

Before last week, she said "buck" a lot--It meant "milk", "cup", or "bonk". Now, milk is "muck"; bonk is "bok", and as of two days ago she is saying "yeah" instead of just nodding. Surprises me every time I hear it :) And she is very good at "uh-uh" for "no". She is also good at being polite--she can say please (sounds like "pea"), and thank you ("tee-too"); and she loves horns & trains (says "too-toooo"). And at the end of a prayer, her "amen" sounds like "ah-meen." So cute :)

Ella likes to hiss--especially at Caleb when she is irritated or mad at him. I'm not sure what to do about that--every time I tell her not to do that, she laughs. And does it more.

12/5/11 - Caleb had on his firefighter rain boots, his fireman hat, and I helped him into his fireman coat. Then I said, "Ok, you're all ready! Are you going to go fight fires?" And he replied, "No, they're nice." :)

The other day, Caleb did something in the store parking lot (can't rmbr what) as we were getting in the car, and I told him to say sorry. He said, "Sorry! Sorry Jesus!" quite loudly.

12/4/11 - I have been slow to record Ella's talking progress, but she recently (as in, a few days ago) started really saying "Mommy"! Right before that, it sounded like "Bommy", which is cute anyway :) Other things she likes to say:

"Daddy" (this really was her first word I think)

"doggie" - sounds like "daggie" or "daddy" sometimes

"duckie" - also sounds like "daddy"

"p.u.!" - Then I respond, "Who's p.u.?" and she invariably says, "doggie!" (We've already trained her to blame the dog--ha!)

"uh-oh"

"Chee!" - cheese for the camera

"cookie" - this started today:)

And she loves to "say the prayer"--she repeats after us, sometimes making sounds that resemble our phrases, sometimes just making sounds. And she says "Jesus"--sounds like "Chee".

11/29/11 - Cadee, the doggie, stepped in some leaked transmission fluid in the garage, so I took her to the tub and started washing her paws when I realized I needed a cup. So I asked Caleb to run and get a cup, any cup, from the kitchen. I figured he'd probably bring a dirty one since they are the most accessible to him, but I didn't care. After several moments, he came running back dutifully, carrying...an ice cube tray :) Sweet, valiant boy.

10/23/11 - The other day, while watching Finding Nemo, Caleb said, in reference to Marlin, Nemo's dad, "He looks Dad." I said, "He looks like Daddy?" Caleb responded, "Yeah, a lot." I couldn't wait to tell Joe :)

10/16/11 - Over General Conference weekend, my mom was reading Caleb a story from the friend that had pictures depicting some of the words, including one for the "Iron Rod". Shortly after that, he came to me excitedly holding one of the vacuum extension wands and said, "Look, Mommy, it's the ironing rod!"

The other nite, as Caleb sat happily on the potty when he was supposed to be in bed, I was exasperated and asked whether he really needed to go #2, as he had already done so two or three times that day. He gave me a dramatic 'trust me, Mom' look and then said "I need to poop a lot."

8/22/11 - Caleb recently watched (and re-watched...) a Blues Clues segment that had Mr. Salt & Mrs. Pepper going to the hospital to have a baby; and we've been telling him he may get a baby brother or sister soon. A couple of days ago he said, "I want a sister." I replied, pointing to Ella, "But you already have a sister." And he said, also pointing to Ella, "I don't like that sister." I couldn't help giggling, b/c I know that isn't true--he just wants a new baby! :)

8/14/11 - As Lindsay & Caleb watched me swim yesterday, Caleb said, "Look! Mommy's toes! Mommy's toes are swimming!"

Caleb likes to pretend to be bad guys with me, but he says, "We are mad guys."

Telescope is currently "skelecope"; Calmoseptine is "selmocamptine"; and skeleton is "skelecan".

The other day, after Joe got home from work, Caleb said, "You go to work Daddy?" Joe: "Yeah." Caleb: "You take care of sick people?" Joe: "Yeah." Caleb, in all sincerity: "That's really awesome, Dad."

8/11/11 - I keep forgetting to add this, but Caleb is REALLY into getting samples from the various counters at the grocery store--deli counters, cooking demo counters, etc. The other night at the dinner table, he was talking about "simples" (samples), stacking two bowls together and saying they were "simples." Then he said, "I'm a simple guy." He said that again today :)

8/10/11 - Caleb put the bean bag chair near the end of the couch, then climbed up on the arm of the couch and said, "I doing Humpty Dumpty."

The other day, while sitting in his booster at the table, Caleb looked at me and said, "I bein' dizzy!"

7/16/11 - Caleb was chasing his friend Cami around the house, and she was chanting "Naah-nanna-boo-boo!" As he tried to copy her a few minutes later, we heard him chanting as he ran, "I got a boo-boo! I got a boo-boo!" with sheer delight.

6/10/11 - Yesterday evening, as Caleb came in the back door for dinner, he kept saying, "I look hungry!" :)

Ella has started throwing things in the garbage--all the time. I think she is trying to help clean up, or maybe she just thinks it's fun. Yesterday I caught her trying to stuff a fabric book in, and when I checked the trash there was also Caleb's toy airplane we bought for him in Utah last month. So I turned the can around so that she can't lift the lid at the front, and boy did she get MAD. Hopefully she won't figure out too soon that all she has to do is lift on the side. :)

6/7/11 - We're dog-sitting this week (in a minor way), and also in the midst of a non-committal potty training for Caleb. This afternoon, as we let Jasmine the dalmatian outside & watched her go potty, Caleb said, "Like me! ...She's a big boy!"

5/26/11 - One day we asked Caleb about what a puppy said. His reponse: "Ruffin' and ruffin'. Lots of ruffin'!"

Caleb has really been into the movie "Meet the Robinsons" lately. One day, he pushed a laundry basket into the kitchen, and I could see he'd piled a few random things on top of the couple of clean linens in the basket. He said, "This my futures!" I didn't fully understand what he said or the importance of it, but later, when I went to put the things away, he screamed in protest, "No, das my futures!" When we realized what he was saying, we cracked up. I guess Louis's invention on the movie looks like a wagon full of "stuff" to Caleb :)

5/2/11 - The kids were playing with the little bikes in our garage, and Ella's tipped over (and she with it). Caleb saw her sprawled over the bike, and said, "Man down, Ella". (Definitely learned that from Joe:)

4/26/11 - Sunday morning we were watching Finding Faith in Christ, and at the beginning it depicts when Jesus is sleeping on the boat during the big storm that is about to capsize the boat. We were talking about the storm as we watched, and Caleb said comfortingly, "It's ok, Jesus."

We drove our little stray kitty, Tigger, to the vet today (finally), to get vaccinations. As we headed up the steep hill to the vet, Caleb said, "Hey kitty! Hold on tight."

4/8/11 - Today began the "What's that?" phase. At the craft store and Ross, everything he saw he said, "What's that, Mom?" and if I didn't look and answer to his satisfaction, he'd keep it up on the same item. I can't believe how suddenly this seems to have come on!

Caleb loves to try to sit/lay on Ella, and I always get after him for it, but she is seeming to love it lately--she squeals and laughs, and they are starting to chase each other around and wrestle a bit. It is getting to be so fun to watch them interact :)

Caleb thinks that rolly-polies bite, I guess, b/c sometimes after he's been looking at one, he'll suddenly back up and say, "Ow, buggy!" in an accusatory tone. Yet he didn't seem to mind much when he got 3 or 4 ant bites on his little foot one afternoon. In fact, he seemed quite proud after the fact (and they stayed there for days and days!)

One morning last week, as I was getting the kids their oatmeal, a small lump fell on the table and I made quite a few tries to scoop it up with a spoon before giving up and pushing it against Caleb's bowl, then sliding about half of it up and back into the bowl. Apparently Caleb was watching this, b/c he said, "Nice, Mom. Hah-five (high-five)!"

He says "Hah-five" a lot, actually. If someone finishes their dinner, he says, "Eat it all gone? Hah-five," always holding up his little hand for the high-five. :)

Words to remember:
~dandelion (now said correctly, bummer) used to be "dallin-dylan"
~Our neighbors next door are Johnny, "Morse-mary" (Rosemary), and "Puh-silla" (Priscilla)
~hummingbird is "honeybird" (so is honeybee, I think:)
~"after later" (he started saying this when he was pretending to bring a tray of hot cookies to me--then he carried it over to the counter & set it up there, saying "for after later")
~"tohn-trail" (con-trail--The condensation trail that sometimes is left behind airplanes. He does his nerdy mommy proud :)

3/26/11 - A few weeks ago, Caleb started asking, "How you doin' Mommy?" After a day or so of this, one time I answered, "Good, Caleb, how are you?" and he said, "I'm doing well."

This morning, while getting ready to head out the door, Caleb held up a little picture of the Resurrection, and said, "Look, Mom!" I said, "Oh! That's a picture of Jesus & Mary at the tomb." And he said, "I like tombs!"

Caleb was eating a cheesestick while we drove in the car, and he was trying to show me the wrapper which had a cartoon of some sort on it.

Caleb: Look, Mom!

Mom: Oh, is there a picture on there?

C: Yeah.

M: Is it an animal?

C: No.

M: Is it a person?

C: Yeah.

M: Is it a boy?

C: No, jus' a person.

2/19/11 - At dinner last night, Caleb took his paper napkin and laid it over his hardly-touched dinner plate.

Caleb: I save it. (then, lifting it up as though to move it from the table,) I bring it.

Daddy: Where are you bringing it?

Caleb: Neighbor.

Daddy: You want to give it to the neighbor?

Caleb: Yeah. (I about died, but saved my giggles til Joe & I were going to bed:)

A couple weeks ago, I took the kids to the duck pond park to feed the ducks. Instead of throwing his bread, Caleb held out a piece in his hand and one of the none-too-shy ducks bit it right out of his hand, getting his thumb in the process. After he'd cried for a bit, and settled down to eat his lunch, he waved his hand at the ducks to shoo them away, saying, "Don't bother me. Don't bother me."

2/16/11 - After he helped me wash the car :) Caleb and I were playing on the sidewalk in front of our yard. He picked up a handful of dead grass/weeds from our winter lawn & handed it to me. I said, "Oh thank you! What should I do with it?" He replied, "Uh, throw it." When I did, he said, "Nice!"

Later, I showed him the rose that Aunt Dawn got for Valentines, and I asked him if he wanted to smell it. After smelling it, he said, "Raspberry." :)

12/11 - We went to Home Depot to find our Christmas tree, and when we were ready to leave, Caleb spun circles with his eyes closed and arms stretched up and out, saying, "Decorate! Decorate!" He's been so excited about decorating :)

11/27 - The other day, I was pulling Caleb in a cardboard train that we made out of Costco boxes and rope, and as we left the living room, he turned around and waved at the empty room, saying,"bye!"

Caleb has started pretend-playing.

Caleb, walking toward the front door: "Ri back!" ("Be right back")

Mommy: Where are you going?

Caleb: "tore" (store)

Mommy: Oh! Are you going to get bananas?

Caleb: "nanas"

Mommy: Ok, see you later!

Caleb: (suddenly distressed, I guess that he might actually be leaving?) "no!" ....

He did it again more recently, and even came to give me a kiss before saying "bye!" So cute :)

11/01 - Daddy helping Caleb say our Family Home Evening opening prayer:

Daddy: Dear Heavenly Father- (say "Heavenly Father"!)

Caleb: Hebby Fah-duh

Daddy: Thank you for Family Home Evening- (say "Family Home Evening"!)

Caleb: family home ee-ning

Daddy: Thank you for the treats-

Caleb: Mmm!

10/22 - We went to our church's chili cook-off and trunk-or-treat, and Joe handed out candy while I walked Caleb around the parking lot to "trick-or-treat". For a while, he clutched the first piece of candy given him, and would not let go or put it in the bag, which I carried for him. But after several adults had put candy in his bag, and I showed him how many treats he'd accumulated, his face lit up, he reached over to put his piece of candy into the bag, and then took the bag from me and took off running and laughing toward the next car. I think he gets it now :D

9/15 - A couple weeks ago, Caleb caught onto the Bingo song, and had us sing it over and over again. After a few days, he could be heard singing, "Bingamo, Bingamo.." and later, "B-O-Bingamo, B-O-Bingamo.."

When one of us is feeding Ella, Caleb will often run over and reach up to put a hand on the bottle. He even looks away, as though this is just a mindless job he has to do. After about 2 seconds of "helping" feed Ella, he lets go and runs off to do something else.

9/12 - Walking outside with us, Caleb pointed to a silver fire hydrant. I said, "That's a fire hydrant. Can you say 'hydrant'?"

Caleb (waving): "Hi".

8/19 - We went to feed the ducks today (maybe our 3rd time). I always tell him to break off little pieces and throw them to the ducks, and he always accepts his bread from me, and without taking his eyes off the ducks, breaks off pieces and stuffs them into his mouth. It's hilarious :D

Caleb's favorite word has been 'popsicle' ("gah-gi-cuh"), but it's been replaced the last couple of days with "no." It's still cute, b/c he always has this sly look on his face and says it kinda slowly, "nooo." :)

8/16 - Our caseworker came in the morning for our first of 5 visits before Ella's finalization. Things were going really well until Caleb came out of the kitchen carrying a knife-! We try really hard to not put them in the dishwasher where he can reach them, but I guess one was missed. Thankfully, the caseworker thought it was hilarious.

8/15 - I got Caleb all ready for church, and then he ran to the door, wanting to go. I told him I had to get Ella ready before we could go. And thankfully, at some point during my getting her ready, I looked down and realized that I was still in my pajamas as well :)

8/14 - Caleb has really been into the birthday song for the last couple of weeks. When he sees a picture of a cake, or candles, he sings loudly, "To youuu!" Yesterday he started stringing together the first line of the song, and it sounds like, "Hoppy daddy to youuu!"

A week or two ago, Caleb started singing what sounded like, "Nemo, Nemo". I finally realized he was mimicking my little "Clean up, clean up" song. :)

Grandpa = "Dappah"

Grandma = "Nammah"

Peter = "Petey"

Lindsay = I don't know how to spell or pronounce this, but he sure loves her! ;)

Kimball = "Nammoh"

8/12 - Caleb stood close by where I sat burping Ella, and she spit up some formula. A tiny dot landed on his arm, and he looked at it and said flatly, "Ew."

Then that afternoon, I got the mop out to try to clean up the bubbles we'd been blowing in the kitchen (b/c they made the floor really slippery, and Caleb was slipping all over the place--bad idea, btw). While I mopped, Caleb stood up, went over to where his highchair sits, picked up a large crumb of food off the floor, and came back to put it on top of the mop head. I think he gets the idea :)

From the mouth (and hands) of Caleb

5/14 - Likes to say:

~"pitty" (pretty)
~"cah" (car)
~"hah-by" (heavy--my favorite:)

Caleb LOVES to watch video clips on our computer that we've taken with our camera. He often waves and says "hi" to whomever is in the clip.

4/16 - Recent words:

~"bi-bi" (binky)

~"go"

~"ghee" (cheese)
~loves to say "byeee!"

4/4 - This morning on our walk with Sam the dog, Caleb put the hand waving and "hi" together--so, every time we saw a person, near or far, he would wave and say, "Hi! Hi! Hi!"; sometimes it turned into "yah! yah!"

The other day, Caleb's word for "banana" changed. Now, instead of "nana", he says "nani". No clue why :)

Recently got him to say "ewwww" while looking at a pile of dust/dirt/lint I had just swept up. Without prompting, he leaned waaaay over toward the pile and said loudly, "ewwwwww!"

3/26 - Tonight while I was feeding Caleb, he threw his cup on the floor again, then tried to dump his cereal on the floor. I said "no, no, Caleb", and he repeated "no, no, no". I couldn't help laughing, and he laughed, too :)

3/21 - now says "la-la" for "light"

Caleb likes to take the cell phone from me when I'm on it, and close it. Recently, I was talking to Joe on speaker phone (so that Caleb could hear), and Caleb took the phone, and while shutting it, said softly, "Bye-bye Da."

3/17 - Caleb woke up this morning and wanted to play with his bubble train. Usually we leave the bubbles turned off, b/c he was terrified the first couple times we tried them. But today, as the train drove around, he said over and over, "bubble, bubble". -!

~"ba-bah" (basketball)

3/15/2010 - I wanted to do this forever-ago, but had some technical difficulty... But, as of today, here is what Caleb can say/sign:

~"hi"
~"boo"
~"puh-buh" (Peek-a-boo)
~"uh-oh" (used to sound like "uh-uh", before he figured out the "oh" sound)
~folds his arms if he hears the word 'prayer', and says "may-meh" (amen) at the end, or sometimes just when HE is done with the prayer being said ;)
~"mi-mi" (mommy--took us forever to figure out this is what he was saying--finally!)
~"cracker"
~"moo" (could mean either Moon or the sound cows make)
~"bup-pee" (puppy--my fave)
~"cocker" (helicopter)
~"stinky"
~signs "more" and says "peas" (please)
~does little action for "elephant"
~does little arm action for "airplane"--which he loves to find when he hears them!
~"bee" (usually says "bee bee")
~"baby"
~"nana" (banana)
~"da-da", "daddy", "da-dai", "da-du" (naturally this was first ;)

...or rather, the able-to-adopt-! YES, WE RECEIVED OUR LETTER OF APPROVAL TODAY!! This means that we are legally approved for adopting a child! And now, we "advertise" ourselves, through the LDS Family Services website, as well as by word of mouth through family and friends (hint, hint). :) And we pray that the right birth mother finds us (soon!).

As for the adopted, I wanted to post a couple more pics of our kitty Zek, just for fun.

He loves the computer chair...and the desk. But mostly, he just loves to be wherever we are :) And he loves to chase this long piece of red ribbon that Joe found in my craft supplies.