7 Month Update

Calvin is officially 7 months old....it has gone so fast! Here are some of his latest developments:

Sitting: Yesterday Calvin starting sitting up on his own! He doesn't really know what to do once he is sitting, but he seems to like it okay. He occasionally falls backwards, so we are still close to catch him. =)

Seeing/ Patching: We think Calvin is gaining vision in his left eye! At least, he seems to have a look of recognition with his left eye (like in this picture). Calvin is also more tolerant of the patch that he used to be. We are anxious to hear what Dr. Wallace has to say at the next appointment on 8/11. We've been patching for half of Calvin's awake time each day (about 4-5 hours--or as close to it as we can get). It had been a real struggle for a while because he kept "cheating." This new eye patch is much better! We don't have to adjust it as much because it is more his size...what took us so long?!


Gnawing: Ahh, I have been trying to catch this moment for weeks. He is showing off his razor sharp teeth. He chews on everything...toys, fingers, noses...



Lifting: So, Calvin is using his arms to lift his body when he is on his belly. Maybe he'll start to crawl soon! Here is a video of him hanging out with Daddy during tummy time. He was lifting himself like never before.






Growing: Calvin is still under the 3rd %ile in weight at 14 lbs 10 oz. He is "tracking" on the growth chart, but just under the curve. He seems healthy and happy to us, so maybe that is just how God made him. His height and head circumference are in the 50th %ile, so I think he'll just be long and lean like his Daddy =).

Sleeping: 10-11ish hours a night! Yeah!

Pooping: Just kidding...it is a big part of Calvin's life right now, but I'm sure you don't really care to know the details.

Chillin' Out, Maxin', Relaxin' All Cool And All...

Chillin' Out.........more fun than actually working to sit up.



Maxin'.....what ever that means....maybe sticking out your tongue. Calvin has been doing this a lot lately.


Relaxin' all cool and all.... Yeah, drinking cold water from a cup at 7 months is cool.

Good Bye Baby Bouncer

The "Zanzibar Bouncer" has been good to us. Calvin was usually happy in it for short periods of time, and it was always needed time....allowing Dan and me to eat meals together. This series of photos from March was probably taken in 5-7 minutes increments...you can see how Calvin and the bouncer usually spent their time together.




Lately we have been using the bouncer while we eat meals outside, where Calvin is content for quite a while =). However, Cal has recently been pushing his weight around, literally. He's been trying to roll over and hurl himself out of the bouncer and scoot his bum down to slide off the end (to no avail since he is strapped in).

It is time to move on to the Exersaucer. Calvin and the Exersaucer bonded yesterday...they are getting along quite well so far.



Best of all, it allows him to stomp his foot as much as he wants...he often does this when he stands up.

Like Father, Like Son

Both Calvin and Dan had dialated left eyes yesterday....funny story.

I put eye drops (including Atropine) in in Cal's left eye every morning. Residue from these drops turns into gunk in the corner of his left eye, so Dan and I often use our fingers to wipe it away. Yesterday, Dan used his left index finger to wipe Calvin's eye right after I had given him Atropine. He then went upstairs to use his left index finger to put in his left contact. Needless to say, he got a little taste of what Calvin feels like all day.

Here are some unrelated pictures from last week, too.



Cal is starting to sit up on his own. He likes to sit up with the support of the Boppy to play!


Calvin is eating lots of veggies....he likes peas, green beans, carrots, and squash. He does not like sweet potatoes! He does not usually feed himself....Daddy was letting him play. =)

Calvin is sleeping for 10 hours a night now...yeah! He always looks so sweet when he wakes up with his sleepy eyes. I tried to get a picture of them.

The Knocking Tummy Sleeper

Calvin has developed some mannerisms that I am sure he will have a hard time living down. One of them is "the knock." If there is something within reach of his little hands, he will knock. This is pretty cute while he is eating - he knocks on the tray with his right hand while we are feeding him. Here is a video of him knocking.

He has also just recently taken to sleeping on his tummy. Sometimes he pulls his knees up to stick his little heinie in the air, too. Awwwww.

Papa Doma!

Last summer, I went to Russia with the high school kids at our church, and we helped out with a summer camp. The kids sang a song called "Papa Doma," which means "Daddy's Home." The kids and counselors alike in Russia LOVED this song. I didn't quite understand why it was such a big deal to have "Daddy home," but I think I do now.

Dan has been working a lot since he officially started residency a little over a week ago. His time with Calvin has been really limited since Calvin gets up after he leaves and sometimes goes to bed before he returns home. Dan had yesterday afternoon and all of today to spend with Calvin and me, and the time was precious.

Calvin lights up when he sees Dan. He can tell how much Dan loves him, and he loves it when his daddy is home. So do I! Here is a video of their sweet time together.

A Teething Pirate

Calvin got his first contact in his left eye today, which means that patching his right eye should be more effective now. Dr. Wallace told us to patch his good eye for 5 hours every day, which will be a challenge. Here he looks happy, but he does not like to be patched....can't blame him. He is too smart for his own good- constantly trying to "cheat" by rubbing his eye against something to shift the patch just enough to get a glimpse with his good eye. Needless to say, while he is patched, he needs constant supervision to recover the good eye. Maybe he will not mind the patching so much as time goes on.

I was hoping that there would be some magic procedure that would make the insertion and removal of the lens less traumatic than I would expect with a baby. Unfortunately, there is no magical process. It is brute force. Sad. It took 3 of us at the doctor's office to restrain his limbs, hold his head steady, and insert the lens. We'll have to do this twice a week (take it out one evening and put it in the next morning), so hopefully both Calvin and I will get better at it over time. There is the possibility that when he is 8 or so we could have a permanent lens surgically inserted, but the doctors seem to think that sticking with contacts for the rest of his life might be the better way to go.

Though it is challenging to do all this, we are thankful that he has this opportunity to maybe see out of his left eye if that is what God wants.

On a side note, Calvin is teething, and he already has 2 bottom teeth poking through! I could not get much of a glimpse as he rarely lets us see the teeth, so here is the best shot I could get.

The Jumper

Calvin loves to be in the jumper! It is wedged in the doorway between our bedroom and bathroom, so he hangs out there when I am getting ready in the morning or doing stuff upstairs. He kind of bounces/swings around with occasional bursts of excitement. I think he is pretty sweet in it. Here is a video of him bouncing/swinging around. Try to ignore the baby talk on the audio. =)

Our First Run!

Calvin and I took our first run together today! He loved riding along up and down the hills, but I learned exactly how out of shape I am. We only went about 3 miles, and I don't think I could have handled much more.

The scenery was beautiful along Woodcroft Parkway where we ran our "out and back" course. There were pine trees lining both sides of the street, and we were safely on the sidewalk the whole time.

I am hopeful that Calvin will do well as I try to run a bit farther with him in the stroller as he was a zombie the whole way. I am so thankful to have the Baby Jogger that my sister and brother-in-law gave us as an awesome gift! It is fun to run with Calvin instead of getting a sitter or waiting until Dan comes home.

Recovering Like A Champ!

Calvin had his second eye surgery today at Duke Hospital. He had the lens in his left eye removed, and he is recovering really well! He went into the operating room around 10, and he was back in my arms by 11:30. He has a bit of a sore throat from the breathing tube during the surgery, and we are giving him IBUprofin for his pain now that we are home. Other than that, he is eating well and sleeping well. He wants to tell you a little bit about it. Click on the video below for a detailed first hand description of the experience!



Tomorrow we have a post-op appointment at 9 where they will take off his eye guard and see how he looks. We'll also learn about how to insert and remove contacts then. Thanks for your prayers!

Pool Fun!

It has been really hot, but we've been going to the pool a lot. Calvin loves kicking around in the water. He dips his mouth into the water when we hold him horizontally in the water, and he kicks his legs when he is pulled through the water. He has two new tricks that Grandma discovered, too. He likes to float on his back with his legs leisurely kicking and his arms limp (see video). Calvin also "jumps" into the water! Ace put him on the side of the pool, and he would scoot his little bottom off the edge into her arms. Pretty sweet-and fearless.