Super Caleb!!!

On our way to 2!

Caleb will be 2 in less than a month. I have been feeling so reminiscent of all how much he has grown up this year. Its been a while since I have posted a milestones update, so here goes nothing!

• Vocabulary! Caleb is pretty much a walking dictionary. He is SO proud of himself that he knows so many words. While we drive, I hear from the backseat "Bus! Bike! Car! Truck! Tree! Bird! Dog!" Around the house its, "Door! Chair! Vacuum! Cat! Kitchen! Window! Daddy! Mommy!" Its just adorable!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  
• Caleb began talking in sentences a few weeks ago. He now says things like "Get up!" "More milk" "TV ON!" "Grandma's house" He also uses 3 word sentences, but I can't think of any right now.
  
• We're branching out on our TV shows. Caleb's favorites are Yo Gabba Gabba, Sesame Street, Blue's Clues, Dinosaur Train, Backyardigans and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. He knows most of the characters on the shows. It cracks me up when he bursts out laughing at a show.
  
• I went back to work full time in January. Caleb is with a babysitter about 20-30 hours a week. He is a little out of sorts being away from home so much. He's been waking up early and in the middle of the night, we think he misses us. I hope he adjusts soon.
  
• Caleb had about 4 ear infections in December & January. We were referred to the ENT for ear tubes. Caleb had a hearing test, which he did very well on but he was experiencing slight hearing loss. His hearing was below normal for regular toddlers, but on par with toddlers with lots of inner ear infections. Even though his speech is great, we decided we didn't want to mess with his hearing & having him always being uncomfortable with EI. He got tubes put in on 1/26. It was an easy surgery and I hope we are through with EIs!
  
• Caleb can recognize a few shapes including stars, triangle, hearts and circles. We are working on colors but he can usually pick out the color green.
• Reading! Caleb loves "story books." He has gone through phases being obsessed with certain books including "Green Eggs & Ham" and "If you give a Moose a Muffin." Caleb loves to point out items in the books.
• Caleb loves to dance & jump! He often points at us and says, "Get up! Jump!" He is such a crazy boy!
  

Crazy, Christmas & Cousins

Caleb was able to spend a lot of time with his closest cousins in December. We spent the weekend of Christmas with them, and then he stayed with Aunt Beth & the kids for a WHOLE WEEK! He had a blast. Beth sent me a few pictures of Caleb during his stay. He enjoyed a trip to the aquarium and his first time fingerpainting!!!



On Christmas Day we got all the kids together for a group shot, they were being characters! Daniel loves to make a silly face so all the kids joined in! I LOVE this shot! Check out their first group shot here.
The kids enjoyed opening presents together...


(Daniel's eye looks so strange because he had eye surgery just a few days prior)


Then a rare December snowstorm...