Big Man Standing

He pulled his first attempt at standing not 10 minutes ago. Perhaps consignment to the play pen corral has necessitated ventures into new activities. Little turkey was talking right at us when he let go that second hand and tottered from toe to heel for a good 20 seconds before TIMBERing down onto his posterior and erupting into a fit of giggles. We, of course, exploded with applause and "atta boy!"s.

His development seems to be advancing at mach 10 these days. He's already caught his fingers in a kitchen cupboard door and climbed over the impervious Short Lab. The Boxer continues to evade his advances - the first wise thing that big dummy has figured out.

Hope everyone's having as great a weekend as we are!

Kaleb's Co-horts:

Happy Home

The simple fact that I can observe a sticky, chubby hand reaching for my husband's lightly bristled face brings tears very close to the surface. The sun back lights the cozy elements of our living room. The riot of colour overflowing the toy bin, the little red barn, the warm green walls and even the cheap pile area rug all offer soft textures of life that elude the hard hospital environment. The frost crowds the windows and crunches underfoot on the deck. I can feel the crisply frayed edges of my stress and anxiety melting beneath the warmth of my family's peaceful actions. I've been plowing through this term of treatment with blinders on in an effort to just get through it. Our sudden release yesterday triggered an automatic opening of doors that I was not prepared for. The instant contrast blind-sides me with an almost painful, sweet relief.

Kaleb seems to be holding his good cheer - moon/tooth crisis over!! He continues to increase his daily intake of solids as well as formula. I think we're in another growth spurt - we can't seem to keep the little turd topped off! He slipped in to the home routine without a hitch, remembering his last visit here, for a change. His exploring is at an all-time high, to such a degree that we've had to resort to the play pen. We simply can't keep up! Forget a bathroom break. Our little shadow is everywhere and delicate puppy faces are the most fun thing to play with.

The progress on my shop has been hardy, if I do say so. I've got 2/3 of it painted and does it ever look like a new building! The work has been healing and forward-focusing, which is just so fortifying for the psyche. I'm really excited to open my doors with a whole new vibe and can't wait to start working again.

The light in our tunnel is blinding and I'm having a difficult time not jumping ahead. We still have the last round to get through - during the festive season, no less. I'm already trying to nail down a time line of what to expect once we sign out of the ward for the last time. I'm SO jazzed to get back to 'real' life. This nightmare detour is almost over!