Picture Post!

Showing off his new 'hopper' (belly)...


His favourite drawer in the kitchen... no pots? no problem!

Bath time! Note how he just loathes it.

Head Remains Firmly In Sand

Every new stage he reaches, I'm sure it's GOT to be the most fun one yet. He's such a large individual in a gorgeous little package. He loves broccoli. It's taken me almost 30 years to enjoy it in any form. Loves raisins, too. I'm glad he seems to be developing his father's broader palette.

We're all eating healthier and being more active. I feel my phsycial strength growing, shoring up my fractured emotional strength, slowly, hopefully. I'm finding it difficult to bring the pendulum back to a state of reasonable. I suppose it will take some time. The busy little dude in the back of my short-circuiting brain is always considering counciling to teach me some good skills for this dilema. The machismo side of me just wants to plug on, building my business, filling the empty hours with quality horse time and stocking up on all this awesome family time.

I refuse to allow any doubts about Kaleb's future health invade my waking conscience, blocking out the possibilities like the most stubborn Warner Bros. Road Runner. Certainly, I feel like I have sand in and between my ears most days.

I'm actually SO excited about my horse season this year. I'm determined to take back something that once consumed so much of my life, that made me so whole. I've taken a 3-year hiatus and am ready to own it again.

I truly hope Kaleb comes to love our horse life. He was quite excited to see Daddy on the 'big puppy' today. We won't push it on him, but I'm barely containing myself at the prospect of having an eager little pardner!

little feet

We rarely see him crawl anymore. His hair is coming in nicely - still too short to be curly. We can never seem to top him off. Just an insatiable appetite for any food we pesent to him, though he does prefer gravy and sauces.

We continue to meet amazing people, thanks to 'the colossal detour of our lives'. So many stories of struggle and perseverance out there, even when things don't turn out as you hope. I continue to be humbled by such strength and bravery.

The quest for Kaleb's care while we work has begun. We don't want to be in a bind once things get rolling and anticipated a long process in finding someone. We've tried a few places to see if we could find a good fit for us and them. It's difficult to think of letting him go even for a couple of days a week when the feeling of just getting him back, all to ourselves, is still so fresh. We're really getting spoiled, being with him through each precious discovery and development. I flop back and forth on whether or not we're (I'm) ready.

Horsey Healing

Don't let the photos fool you... He may spend a large part of his days consuming Daddy's yummy casseroles, chewing on a good leather shoe and doting on the dogs, but this kid has entirely 'nother side...

His latest favourite trick has become the "throw down, roll around on the ground" trantrum. Wasn't this kind of thing supposed to wait until his second birthday?? Yet at 11 months, he's mastered it. I'm almost afraid to take the little beastie out!

He's also RUNNING. He has yet to figure out how to stand without a landmark, but the monster runs to you or FROM you.

He's coming to understand things that are off limits, such as the cupboard containing the lizard food and the stairs, though we have finally installed a gate there.

We are finding reprieve from slow and worrying business growth in our equine pardners. It would seem that my young, spaztic horse has finally started to mature, in this his 8th year of life. I can finally see some serious riding on our horizon, almost as good as 'the old days'. I'm very excited about how far he's come, about my readiness and about spring fast approaching!!!

Soaring Hearts

I barely can express what this tiny person does to me every single day. To simply sit and watch him grow and develop into his own little self is so awe-inspiring and comforting both at once. I guess all mothers go through this at some point and I'm just soaking it all up.

Something as simple as picking his favourite foods out of his chopped-up medly on the tray just has my heart filling my entire chest. I took him to the grocery store for the first time yesterday and to see him gleefully sitting in the cart, wonderously peering around, gripping the handle bar in one hand and the list in the other... it was all I could do not to dance in the aisles. Of course, he's a total flirt with the cashier, just like his dad.

The simplest things are my sweetest joy.