6 weeks! New tricks and good friends.

 

He's a mover and a groover!

Hiking in the Wissahickon in the beautiful fall-like weather! - If you look carefully you can see a Cal hand peeking out.

This week Cal had the pleasure of meeting his Auntie Meaghan and Uncle Dylan from Chattanooga. We went on a hike, walked around Chestnut Hill and the neighborhood, went to a birthday party and even learned a few new tricks - including lifting up his head, scooting around in a circle on his play mat during tummy time and talking (see video at bottom of blog)!

Uncle Dylan and Auntie Meaghan wanted to get in on the tummy time action.

Blueberry eyes and sweet smiles

No big deal - Cal is just lifting up his head and upper body now. Soon he will be crawling??

Snuggling before bedtime

All dressed up for Rachel's birthday party. His first button up shirt.

Sneaky, sneaky.

5 weeks old - Cal's first baby friend and sweet smiles

Callahan had some special visitors last weekend all the way from Raleigh, NC and Memphis, TN! It was our friends Kevin and Ponni and their sweet baby girl Anjali and our friend Sean. Anjali (3 months) and Cal quickly became friends -as seen below - they talked and bonked each other in the head with their arms and kicked each other with their legs - that's how all new friendships begin, right?

Cal fell asleep on Sean as soon as he told a story. 

This week was the best so far because of Cal's new smiles! He is looking directly at Matt or I and really doing it! Sometimes he smiles at inanimate objects too but I blame that on his baby vision. Matt "happy cried" on a few occasions because of the joy the smile brings and I may have teared up a few times too. :)

In other news, Cal found himself in some new sleeping positions this week.

                       

                       

Matt and I on a walk with Cal to get some coffee at High Point.

4 weeks old

I can't believe my baby is 4 weeks old! Really, I feel proud that Matt and I have worked as a team for the last 4 weeks to care for him and make sure his needs are met and this is only the beginning! Cal continues to be a pretty easygoing baby - he loves to be pushed in the stroller by Dad after he gets off work, he likes to lift up his head when held on my chest, using intense focus and collapsing his head back down when he's tired. He just started using a pacifier, and he likes it sometimes. After he finishes eating, he lays on his back with his eyes closed and arms and legs sprawled out like he's in heaven. 

On to what we did this week...

Auntie Kristen came to visit all the way from Denver. Kristen has been my best friend for over ten years and it was such a treat for her to visit and meet Cal. We mostly relaxed and enjoyed chatting and snuggling with Cal, but one day we decided to be brave and take the train downtown. I carried Cal in the Ergo and he did great! We walked around Reading Terminal Market and then when we decided to leave... There was a downpour! We were wearing t-shirts, shorts and flip flops and there was no sign of the rain letting up. At least I had a cover for Cal's head but we didn't have anything for ourselves! So we bought an umbrella to share and we started on our trek to Rittenhouse Square... Many many blocks away. Needless to say we had to stop short because Cal needed to eat. We found a Macy's and figured it would have nice lush couches in the women's room to sit on... Up to the third floor we went on the opposite side of the store and to our surprise we found two plastic chairs. Thankful there was at least a place to sit, we stayed there while he ate. Eventually, I had to change his diaper and it was a big mess, so I had to wash my hand, turning my back for a second I look back and see Cal spitting up all his milk. He is covered. New clothes and a wipe down as people come on and out. Cal just laid there quietly the whole time. Knowing he would need to eat again but not sure when, we went back to the first floor and headed for the street when... Cal shared with us that he was hungry by his constant crying. Back to the third floor we went and fed him again - successfully this time. We got back on the streets, still pouring and laughing that we even did this to ourselves, decided to call it quits and eat some lunch and then get back on the train and head home. Cal was asleep the whole way after Macy's and probably had no idea about trekking in the rain, but I will remember and tell him about this day. There is no photographic evidence unfortunately as we were just trying to not get soaked and slip on the tiles outside. Photos below from dinner with Kristen and a denim outfit that I regretfully put Cal in not realizing that he would end up being extremely sweaty and resembling a sloppy Elvis. 

         Trying to get the collar adjusted

                        Sloppy Elvis 

    I think he was singing Jailhouse Rock

         We will miss you Auntie Kristen!

                     Good night!

                 Close-up with Daddy

3 weeks old - The faces of Cal

This week has been full of Callahan's expressions, growth, walks around the block in the stroller with Dad, 2 week doctor's appointment, 3 AM party time (he's a little confused about when morning starts), New Mom's group, and bath time with Dad! We love him more every day and love every snuggle and every sound he shares with us. 

Cal's Stats

Length: 22.13 inches - 95.51 percentile

Weight: 10 lb. 12.7 oz. - 94.37 percentile - He's huge!

Head Circumference: 38.4 cm - 97.76 percentile

I think he communicates with his eyes... although I'm not sure what he's communicating.

So tired he would have slept anywhere.

I love these moments.

Who needs to be swaddled when you sleep like this?

Dad helping Cal sleep during 3 AM party time.

Our family.

Meghann came to visit Cal and he decided he would fall asleep and snuggle up. :)

He likes to think. 

2 weeks old

Cal continues to show us new expressions and more of his personality each day. He loves to be outside - eyes looking toward the sky, seeing the big world. He likes to challenge himself on his tummy by kicking his little legs. Once he gets tired on his tummy, he tries to bring his thumb to his mouth, sometimes successfully, sometimes not. He likes reading books with Dad at night,  especially Freight Train.  He likes the car (so far), often falling asleep from the bumpy cobblestones on Germantown Avenue. He likes to drape his arms over Mom's back and move his little fingers (giving her a teeny tiny back rub). He loves it when Mom makes up songs for him, even if they are the same words over and over, his little eyes fixate and listen in.

A little bit of this week...

Night time

Daytime sleeps

My favorite smile yet.

Daddy and Cal getting ready for a walk.

I am very serious.

This is how I kick my legs.

Cal loves his time with Daddy.

1st grocery shopping trip - Cal did great, slept the whole time Mama was shopping.

Martha came to visit and make us dinner. Thank you! It was so yummy!

Sucking his thumb put him right to sleep during tummy time.

Michelin man toes as mentioned in the 1 week post

When he wakes up from naps, he likes to make 100 different faces just as he is stretching out.

We gave him his first bath on his two week birthday - and he didn't mind! He did seem a bit surprised by the water, and would open his mouth each time I touched him with the washcloth, while not completely sure what to think of it all. He's the cutest little bather in the world.