I have had the delight this week of cooking for and hosting our friend Rachel this week as she visits us at the start of her road trip/sabbatical. She is an amazing photographer, thinker, musician, and friend. How glad we are to spend such extended time with her! Tomorrow's outing with Rachel and Caleb is the zoo.

Today's Caleb anecdote: This morning I made Caleb some scrambled eggs for breakfast (which he loves). But usually he's impatient to eat them right after they're done, when they're plenty hot and not ready yet for small fingers and mouth. So, I bring them over and pull them apart into little bits and blow on them, explaining that they're hot. He repeats "hot" (as he also does with the oven). fast forward to lunchtime I warmed up a hotdog for him, too hot unfortunately. So as I was cutting it up, I explained that it was hot and left it for him to discover, turning my back to clean up the counter while he ate. I turn back to find him blowing on the hotdog like Mama did this morning. Smart little guy and AWFULLY cute.

Caleb ate about 1/4 a 9x13 pan of pumpkin bars for dinner. sheesh.

He's outside.

We end up spending every moment he's not sleeping or eating outside. Namely, in the front yard where passing cars, school buses, garbage trucks, and the occasional ice cream truck are a fascinating parade. Or where he can watch the latest game of three-on-three football in the street. Or better yet, catch the dog next door or the one across the street being walked.

Lately, though, he's been "screamy". If he doesn't get his way, or we say no, or if I don't pay attention to him like he wants (like when I'm making lunch or something), he just screams. It's not a good habit and Brian and I are NOT fans. But we're at a loss as to how to make him stop aside from saying 'no' sternly and covering his mouth so he knows why we're saying no.

But, additionally, these last days he's also been overly tired (lots of eye rubbing and more snuggling than usual) and reliant on the pacifier for comfort (which reduces screaming, added bonus).

We think it might be the molar and front tooth coming in. We remember similar fussiness back when he started getting his first teeth, but that was before he knew how to scream with purpose and show his personality in such adamant ways. Hopefully this all fizzles out to bring back the old Caleb--less screams, less pacifier.

His current favorite games: dropping it, dumping it, throwing it.......and he's not even two yet

Caleb had a fever last night of 103.2 degrees. He woke several times before I finally found the thermometer and confirmed what I suspected from his hot face and chest. I gave him Tylenol and as much love as his sleepy little body and mind could receive before putting him down again. I checked him every 4 hours and his temperature was down to 101 degrees by 2:00am. It remained there until about 10am this morning when it finally lowered and his perpetual flush ebbed.

But it was scary.

I know a fever that high in an adult is cause for panic, but in an infant it's not. Still. Something about feeling a little chest burning under your palm and sleepy brown eyes watching you over a bobbing pacfier, saying, "Momma, make it better" is disconcerting.

So we spent much of the day chasing after the sleep Caleb missed last night. Napping between bouts of reserved play (no wily ways today) and generally being more snuggly, he seemed to perk up as the day went on. Hopefully tonight he'll find straight rest.

In other news, our white car has officially seen its last days with the Martins. A broken head gasket? That didn't mean much to me except that when they quoted the "best case scenario" price, it was WAY more than we were willing to pay. Especially when we don't know when the next thing will break (and this is a very real possibility). So Brian has a man who might buy it from us for a couple hundred dollars. We knew this was coming some day in the near future, the death of the white car. I'm thankful it lasted us the days when we needed two cars.

Caleb's latest food adventures: Raisins (FYI future parents: they come out like they go in)

I had my monthly doctor's visit today. Both Tobias and I are doing well and the doctor is pleased with us. My blood pressure is still low and I've gained a total of seven pounds. Tobias is very active and after listening to his heartbeat, Dr. Schreiber said it's in the right range, as is my uterus size. So that was encouraging.

But he gave me some exciting news, too. He said with my "history" of low fluid and hypertension, he would deliver Tobias no later than 39 weeks. Meaning: my due date is January 18th, but we'll get to meet Tobias more likely nearer to January 11th.

The latest and greatest of Caleb:
- He discovered the drain in our backyard and likes putting sticks (and his Nerf football, which Brian rescued)down it.
- Because he likes playing outside so much, we inevitably have sticks here and there inside that he's dragged in (refusing to leave outside). Thus, I actually have to throw sticks either 1) back outisde when he's not looking or 2) throw them away in the trashcan.
- He says "da" when he hears a dog bark. And today we were outside and saw a neighbor walking his dog (named Brandy). He stopped and let Caleb see her. Caleb crouched down and said "woof woof woof" to it. How great is that?
- He ate a bowl of macaroni and cheese today for lunch with a spoon. (Of course, I was holding the bowl and micromanaging the "spooning" so that stray fingers didn't try and pick up handfuls of pasta when he put the spoon in the bowl). But still, once there was at least one little elbow macaroni on the spoon (most of the time many more than that), he'd put it in his mouth on his own and come back for more.

Caleb's current favorite snack: Honeycomb cereal

I was reminded today that only God can see how good things come from what clearly seems to be evil, awful, or a small mistake.

Caleb had an appointment today at the Moog School for Deaf Education where he goes monthly for audiology and speech development due to his hearing loss. However, we never made it.

Our white car has been giving us little scares with potential overheating and it was only a matter of time before it actually overheated. Well, today on our way to the appointment, the temperature gauge was in the red and all I could hope was that we'd make it to the Moog before anything happened.

I made a wrong turn instead. And it took me to the road that crosses in front of Covenant Seminary, right in front of which my car, smoking, overheated and died.

Now tell me that God isn't good. Caleb and I could have beeen stranded anywhere on the highway until someone (hopefully police) stopped to help. Instead, we were within feet of where Brian was. What are the odds that a wrong turn would take me to where I would have the best help?

Another Covenant student was behind us and saw our smoking car and gave us the short ride to Covenant. i checked the library. No Brian. Nor was he in the student lounge eating or studying. So, having seen his car earlier, I thought we'd just wait for thim there. But as we walked back to his car, we saw him pulling out! So, pregnant and carrying 25lb Caleb, I ran, waving my arms. For some reason, he slowed and stopped. Why? Because he saw my stranded car and thought to himself (as he told me later) "That looks lke our car". It was only for that reason that I was able to catch him before he pulled out. Again, what are the odds that my stranded car would be visible from the exact place he was parked?

So, Brian,(with a friend's help)pushed the car into the seminary parking lot for the night, with the intention of having it seen tomorrow. The three of us came home together, safely and without incident.

For any parents reading this: Remember, God is good. He made sure the worst happened in the best place.

These last few days here at home have been wonderfully cool and delightfully nice for outside play. So Caleb has enjoyed several hours a day outside playing with sticks, leaves, sycamore seed balls, and anything else interesting and on the ground. Don't get me wrong-- it's not like he doesn't have balls, frisbees, and other toys nearby. Sticks are just much more interesting.

We got some money for our birthdays with the instrcution to use it for a date night, so we might end up doing that this Friday. It's all dependant on whether or not someone can come and stay here with the sleeping Caleb. Either way, Fridays are good for us. Brian doesn't have work and we know the next day he has the freedom to be home all day with us.

Tobias kicks at night. Does this mean he'll be a night person?

Personal apologies to Lance for taking the name (Tobias) he intended to name his first born son.