The Burnett Family

Where did the time go?

2011-01-14T14:23:00.003-05:00

We've hit the 6 week mark and seen our littlest man grow and change. Xavier is a joy as a baby and his big brother is embracing his big brother role. There have only been a few moments of jealousy but none recently (touch wood). Despite the lack of sleep that comes with two small children, everything is going well. Things I've learned... 1-- leave the cleaning and laundry... get some sleep. 2-- each child is different in many ways but overall, they are the same. 3-- accept the help, accept the help, accept the help. And so many people have helped us. 4-- you really can love a second child as much as the first. Looking forward to the next 6 weeks (days, months, years, vacations, holidays, family get togethers, trips, moments.....)

One Month and Counting

2011-01-06T14:01:00.009-05:00

Well the holidays have come and gone and to be honest, I'm tired. But it really doesn't have much to do with the actual holidays! Having a baby this time of year makes things a little more hectic than usual but there were some definite perks. I didn't get many cookies baked and I did wrap last minute gifts as I need to give them (Christmas Eve), but we were able to have many family members and friends come and visit which outweighed some of the other things. Santa made an appearance and Callum received the violin he asked "Ho Ho" for. He also received some new trains, art supplies, kitchen supplies and other miscellaneous items including a Thomas the Train tent. Callum's also developed a love for Disney's Toy Story due to his new set of Buzz Lightyear and Woody toys and his Toy Story 3 DVD. Xavier received many new clothes and some toys which will come to good use in the coming year. Speaking of Xavier, he recently passed the one month mark and is growing like a weed. He weighed in at 10 lbs, 13 oz on Tuesday. He's doing exceptionally well holding his head up and I think I got a brief smile out of him yesterday. His sleep is hit and miss. He can sleep up to 5 hours at a time but that's only happened a handful of nights. Xavier has a habit of making little cooing noises when he wants something at night. He's not a screamer like my first born son. Xavier tends to make little noises until you recognize his needs but if you put it off too long, he will yell. :-) Iain and I are very, very thankful for everyone's help during this time. We appreciate all of the cards, visits, meals and support we've been given after welcoming Xavier into the family. I am enjoying my time at home and have only really had one bad day/night with Xavier (yesterday!) and man was I grumpy by the time Iain and Callum got home. But since, it's been a month with the littlest one, and I've only really had one bad day, I count my blessings. Callum's doing OK as a big brother. He seems to like Xavier for the most part but sharing mommy, especially one who is breastfeeding, is tough. Callum does recognize Xavier has a part of our family though and always includes him when he talks about coming home from daycare. I think once Xavier is a little bit more fun, Callum will really enjoy him. I hope to be able to continue to post more frequently while I spend some time as a SAHM. God bless all of the full time ones!

Welcome Little One

2010-12-17T12:19:00.007-05:00

We had a surprise early in the month... welcome to Xavier Connor Burnett. Born 12/2/10 at 10:25 p.m. Xavier was 8 lbs. 12.5 oz and 22 & 1/4 inches long. Although slightly earlier than expected, he has been a joy ever since coming into our family. Callum has embraced his little brother and enjoys holding him and talking to him. The transition hasn't been perfect but things are going well. Iain and I have been blessed with help from many family members and friends which has made things easier. Wishing you a good week leading up to a special time of year!

Turkey Day

2010-11-24T08:38:00.004-05:00

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. I like the concept around celebrating it. I like the food (cranberry anything, mmmm). I like seeing family and friends. I like the concept of Black Friday but honestly prefer Cyber Monday. This year I'm thankful for my immediate and extended family as well as all of my amazing friends. My family never stops amazing me with their generosity, talents and kindness. The people I've gotten to know through my job are really amazing and sometimes I'm surprised that I've met them. I also have some really good friends some of which I've known for 10+ years now and still keep in touch with. Their families also always make me feel welcome. Finally, I am beyond blessed to have an amazing husband, healthy son and a new baby joining our family very, very soon! Happy Thanksgiving!

The countdown is on...

2010-11-22T19:31:00.005-05:00

Well I'm posting a belly pic that although it doesn't show the complete picture of how pregnant I actually look, it's one I am okay putting online. Great part about controling your own blog! I've posted a poll for picking Baby Boy's arrival date so please cast a vote if you stop by! We've finally decided on a name and... we'll let you know it when he makes his entrance. :-) Sorry. We have to save SOMETHING as a surprise. But it's taken us several months and we're really pleased with it so we hope you are too. And if you aren't, don't tell us. We're going into a short work week (thank goodness!) and the three of us look forward to a few days at home and preparing for the holidays. I'm counting each remaining day I have working and cannot wait to have a chance to stay at home and truly relax! Finally, I wanted to post a pic of little one's snowsuit. We had 60 degree weather today so I am praying I won't need this until February but after last December, I figured better safe than sorry (hence the purchase of a vehicle with 4WD)!

At 36 weeks and counting... literally

2010-11-17T20:33:00.004-05:00

I reached 36 weeks today in my pregnancy and I am feeling all 36 weeks of it. The Braxton Hicks have started- typically later in the afternoon and early evening. I think it is my body's way of telling me to rest while I can! Baby Boy is still very active but he's starting to take a toll on my lower body/back, legs and ankles (SWOLLEN!). I am sleeping well thank goodness but I still make at least two nightly trips to the bathroom at 12:30 a.m. and 4:3o a.m. respectively each night. There are some things I have yet to get done that in the scheme of things don't really matter but I would still like to tackle while I can in between periods of rest. Most of these things relate to the baby and Christmas so I know they will work themselves out one way or another. Iain has been keeping up with the bulk of the housework, chores and playing/bathing Callum so I can relax, especially after work. Yes, I won't miss working for a few weeks once leave begins in December. This is likely true until I realize that the real work is at home and I'm ready for a good cup of coffee and brief adult conversation. Once leave begins, I am hoping for one day to do nothing before the little one arrives and maybe a second day to bake some Mocha Frosted Drops. Callum's newest obsession is Christmas trees so he'll be thrilled when we put our's up immediately following Thanksgiving. I hope to post pictures soon!

Autumn Update

2010-11-10T08:06:00.004-05:00

Hi everyone. It's been awhile but I haven't had two minutes to think during the day so the blog's been neglected. I thought I would try and post an update. October was a fun month. Callum really embraced Halloween and enjoyed all three times he was able to dress up as a farmer. I do think by the end of the daycare Halloween party, he was a little burned out on it. But he had a great time at the Shippensburg Halloween parade, trick or treating and at the daycare party. He was a little more shy this year for trick or treat than he was last year. He wanted one of us to carry him up to the door each time and he wouldn't actually say trick or treat. He said thank you a couple of times though. I think the biggest thrill of the night was that I let him have a Tootsie Pop when he got back. Callum's also developed a taste bud for Smarties but he's eaten his way through all of those. Iain and I have gotten a lot done around the house in preparation for Baby Burnett #2. I need to get a few more things put away and to pick out some pictures for the walls, but we have a place for him to sleep and a car seat which are the important things. And, no, we haven't picked a name. Really. We have a list and a couple that we keep coming back to. I had thought we had selected one last week until we realized once we dropped the middle name, it sounded sort of dumb. I guess we'll decide like we did with Callum-- when I'm in labor. Another treat was the Baby Sprinkle my co-workers threw for me in honor of the new baby. We were blessed with many items that will make welcoming another child into our lives a bit easier. Many thanks to my friends at work and my family and friends who attended. Callum is doing very well and is a spunky little boy. I've seen his behavior mirror what I would can only assume it is like being a parent to a teenager. Some days, he is perfect and other days, he is a challenge. On those days, everything we suggest or say is wrong. We've seen tantrums for things that literally the day before didn't bother him in the least. But overall, he is a lot of fun to be around. He does very well playing by himself as well as sharing toys whenever we have guests. Taking him to the store is something we rarely do, however, because he is sure to throw a tantrum if we don't allow him to ride one of those dumb mechanical cars in front of every store known to man. I loath the people who created those things. Iain and I have been spending our weekends relaxing and trying to get ready for life to change again. I have just over a month until my due date and just under a month until my maternity leave begins. So far, no contractions, but some backache, slight swelling and difficulty sleeping all night. Fingers crossed that I make it until December... enjoy the rest of this beautiful autumn we are having!

A Conversation

2010-10-17T20:21:00.002-04:00

So Callum and I were playing this morning and we had a conversation that made me laugh out loud... his tractor and several animals/farmer fell off of the table. Callum looks at me and says "You pick it up". I respond "Mommy will pick it up for you, but you have to ask her nicely". Callum "You pick it up nicely". :-)

First Fall Weekend

2010-10-03T20:30:00.014-04:00

The Burnetts spent Saturday getting Callum a haircut and enjoying the fall festivities at Stoner's Dairy Farm in Greencastle. The weather was perfect and Callum was able to indulge in tractors galore. He stayed awake from 6:30 a.m. until almost 2 p.m. when he crashed in the car. He slept the whole way home and then went back to sleep in his room for one hour and then on the recliner with Mommy for another 45 minutes. Must have worn him out but it was a lot of fun!

Month 7 Update

2010-09-21T11:56:00.002-04:00

Okay, so all I can say is that life has been busy, busy, busy. Work is busy, home life is busy and the pregnancy is going fast. I hit week 28 tomorrow which officially begins trimester #3. Updates are as follows: *Baby Girl Burnett is actually Baby BOY Burnett (Yes everyone, I saw his male parts) *Baby Boy Burnett's second ultrasound showed that his development is perfect so no worries with this. He is extremely active and has a full head of hair, or at least a mullet from the pictures I received last week. *Callum is a full fledged toddler since he is now using the potty regularly but not consistently. It's mostly at night before he goes to bed, but still it is progress. I'm not too worried about this but we try to talk about it everyday with him. *Callum's been moved into a "big boy bed" and he is LOVING it. And, to touch wood, has yet to get out of it when he wasn't supposed to. We moved him in on Saturday night and he has slept there for three nights and one nap without the urge to leave. When he wakes up, he yells for me. I'm planning to get him some big boy sheets and a comforter this weekend. He's been perfectly happy with cream colored sheets and a velux blanket but I figure the kid needs something with a tractor or Thomas on it. *We're trying to get our house prepared for Baby 2 although I am definitely starting to run out of steam. Work is so busy, in every sense of the word, that I'm not really sure how I'm going to get everything done. Fortunately, I work on a semester basis calendar so I know that by December, the students will be going home, just in time for me to give birth (lucky me). *Callum's relinquished his crib very willingly for his new bed, and once we get some furniture moved around, we'll have another room ready for a little one to inhabit it. *We're anxiously waiting good news from across the pond for two little nieces who will be joining the Burnett Family in mid and late October. We hope you are well and I promise I will try and update my photos soon.

End of Summer/Six Month Post

2010-08-31T19:56:00.006-04:00

Well month 6 ends tomorrow and I enter the third trimester in three weeks. Sounds sort of dumb but any woman who has ever been pregnant will tell you that you're actually pregnant for ten months. I think a male doctor must have come up with the 9 month concept. I'm feeling good but honestly, I'm really for the weekend. It's been go, go, go for about two weeks and we'll get a reprieve this weekend given the Labor Day Holiday. I also have a pedicure planned with friends as well as putting up all of my fall decor. YAY! I love autumn. If only the weather would cooperate and cool the heck down. This 95+ degree heat is killing me by nightfall. Oh well. Baby Girl is VERY active--even more so than Callum ever was. Callum used to kick me crazily whenever I sat down and would shift after meals and when I'd be at my work desk. Baby #2 beats me up no matter what I am doing-- standing, sitting, walking, in meetings, eating, etc. She also lets me know when she is hungry (hey, you, feed me) and when Callum's poked her the wrong way (hey, you, get off of me!). I have my 7 month check up next week and my second ultrasound the week after that so I'll post an update when I have some news. I think I also have a diabetes test soon. On the Callum front, he has moved into the older toddler room at daycare and is interacting with children from ages 2-3. The only way he moves up again is when he's finally potty trained. Only God knows when that might actually happen. He enjoys sitting on the potty and telling other people he uses the potty, but is actually fibbing about that. Guess we'll be using size 4s for a bit longer. His vocabulary is large and he's pretty articulate with what he wants. The other week he was making soup in the bathtub. This means he was stirring water in a plastic cup with a sand shovel. He told me "I make soup". I responded "Oh, ok. What kind of soup". Callum: "Chicken soup". I respond "Mmm, okay, what will you put in your soup?" Callum: "I put chicken and corn and carrots and noodles (I'm impressed at this point because the ingredients make sense) and pancakes"... Oh well. :-) I didn't sample it.

6th Month Update

2010-08-16T20:47:00.004-04:00

As we drag along this hot, hot summer, I'll post an update about life and baby # 2. The heat hasn't bothered me too much but there are some evenings that I feel like a big blob from the weight of the baby and the humidity in general. I haven't been swelling like last time (as if that could happen twice in one lifetime), but occasionally I am wiped by 7 p.m. Like tonight for instance, I sat down on the couch after cleaning up after dinner. Iain had Callum upstairs so Callum could watch Iain cut his hair. They were gone for almost 45 minutes and I fell asleep from the wave of exhaustion that swept over me. Now I feel great but possibly too wide awake for 9 p.m. Anyway, baby #2 is very, very active. One of the main differences between this baby and Callum is that this baby moves around all the time, whether I am sitting, standing, in a meeting, walking, shopping, etc. She (if she is actually a she) also likes to poke me when she's hungry or if Callum's just bashed her head with his elbow. I think she may be saying "get... off...of...me!). It is sort of funny. Another update on baby # 2 is our ultrasound results. All in all, everything is going well with her development. The only thing that's been brought to our attention is that the baby's head is slightly smaller than her abdomen. However, because everything else is perfect, and our testing for generic disorders was negative, the doctor emphasized that it was nothing to be worried about. The doctor has ordered a second ultrasound in approximately a month so we'll get some new pictures and another analysis of the baby's growth. The doctor told me that ideally the baby's head and abdomen are the same size and they need to keep an eye on this to ensure that the baby doesn't have any sort of infection. There really isn't anything I can do for now and she stressed that there was no need to worry. Her bigger concern was that month's weight gain, which, of course, was painful. I so don't gain weight pretty. Anyway, I'm almost 7 months pregnant now so I'm not going to beat myself up. I'll be counting Weight Watcher Points before I know it and trying to squeeze into my Levis. On another note, Callum's jabbering about this, that or another thing. He really never stops talking which is fun although exhausting when you try to read him a story. I'll post more on him later in the week with some new pictures. Hope everyone is staying cool. Drink a lemonade for me!

Likely to be pink

2010-08-02T20:47:00.006-04:00

I had my 20 week ultrasound today and despite the desire to wait to find out the baby's gender, I let my curiosity get the best of me. In all actuality, Iain and I decided together to find out the baby's sex for planning purposes. I think that planner is really my middle name-- not Elizabeth. Anyway, the technician did the ultrasound, which I forgot was kind of painful given my full bladder and the pressing she did to get an accurate picture of the baby. The picture was very clear and it was extremely cool to see body including parts like the brain, heart (beating), spine, eye sockets, feet, arms and even the placenta. This time, I was watching while she typed. Last time, I was trying to call the gender on my own. The tech then asked if I wanted to know the gender of the baby and I said yes. Although quite professional, quick and to the point, she spent a few extra minutes on the stomach/legs/genital area of the baby and said that she didn't see anything that indicated male (nothing was sticking out). She did mention that sometimes the baby's penis can be tucked in so it really isn't 100% until he or she arrives. So we figure that we may have been blessed with a girl but if a little boy arrives, we are well prepared for him as well. Onto the next 20 weeks...

Vacation Pics

2010-07-27T12:45:00.015-04:00

Swimming

2010-07-20T20:56:00.014-04:00

Update on Callum: he's talking in 4-5 word sentences, gaining a sense of humor and become a very picky eater. Likes: popsicles, swimming, the Wiggles, trains/planes/automobiles, especially fire trucks and tractors. Dislikes: being told what to do, bedtime, most vegetables. Update on Baby Burnett # 2: approaching week 19 (tomorrow!) and flips and kicks are coming galore. He/She really seemed to like today's menu of sandwiches, chocolate and salad covered with Ranch dressing ... mmmm. Cravings: none. Food eaten: too much. As the 20 week ultrasound approaches, I am VERY tempted to find out the gender so you may get some news if we opt to go this route. Pros: it would make planning easier and end the surprise. Cons: it would end the surprise. As of lately, we've done some traveling, most recently to Pittsburgh to visit Jen and Jason. Callum really liked asking about Jason, both on the way to their house and whenever Jason would leave the room "Where'd Jason go, where'd Jason go". This gets somewhat exhausting-- even more so after the 20th time he's asked. We also all ventured over to Jen's parents house for some swimming and a BBQ. Lots of fun was had by everyone, Callum in particular. We had to pry him from the pool but fortunately Papa Bell needed some help bringing the flags in at the end of the evening. Callum was able to jump in and assist.

June-July Update

2010-07-07T12:16:00.014-04:00

I wanted to post an update since a lot has been happening. Iain and I had a lovely night away at Nemacolin Resort for our anniversary. I'd definitely recommend it to anyone who needs a relaxing evening away. I had a pedicure and he had his first massage. Very nice. My spa technician had recently done work for both Taylor Swift and Brad/Angelina which impressed me. But hey, it doesn't take much! We've also had a wonderful visit with Gran and Granddad Burnett that began in Washington D.C. and lasted until Tuesday. We ventured to the zoo in D.C. which was a challenge because Callum woke up that morning at 4:30 a.m. and didn't go to sleep that night until 10 p.m. This was not our doing. He just wouldn't sleep. Fortunately, I suggested to Iain that the mattress in the hotel be pushed onto the floor for Callum. Iain woke up at 3:30 a.m. to find our little guy curled up in a ball on the floor next to the mattress. Thankfully he didn't fall out of bed or at least fall far enough to wake up! Gran and Grandad had several fun filled days with Callum and boy was he tired by the end of each day. Something I was thankful for-- he started sleeping past 6:00 a.m. Don't know how long that will last though. Iain and I were lucky enough to have in-home childcare in order to find the time to purchase a new car. We'd been sharing the commute for almost 7 months, and I know at least I was getting burned out. Fortunately car #1 is paid off and hopefully car # 2 will last for a long, long time. Honda's have a good track record so fingers crossed. Grandad Burnett also fixed everything in our house that we knew didn't work as well as some things we thought did! As you can see, the ceiling fan for our living room that we bought in March is finally hanging. And looks amazing. We can't thank him enough. For the past three days we've been spending time in Callum's baby pool which is actually big enough to fit all three of us. I told Iain I wanted a pool in our next house but I guess this one will have to do for now. Stay cool everyone!

Five Happy Years

2010-06-18T08:23:00.005-04:00

June 18, 2005

I'd like to wish Iain a very happy anniversary. We've had a very good five years. Like every married couples, we have had our ups and downs, but there is no one else I like to talk to before I go to bed at night or when something important happens. I look forward to celebrating another happy five years (in Vegas). Ha Ha.

November, 2009

13 weeks, 6 days and counting

2010-06-15T11:56:00.003-04:00

I had my three month check up today and all in all, everything is normal. I had some blood work which came back fine, and they checked my weight and blood pressure - all good. I even got to hear the little one's heartbeat which was really nice to hear because they couldn't quite get it last time. I feel good and am enjoying the summer we've had so far and the trips and visiting that is coming up in the near future. We'll be on the move for awhile off and on but we are excited to spend time with family and friends. I'll need to buy Callum a t-shirt that says "Road Warrior". Speaking of which, last weekend Callum and I made a last minute trip to Pappy and Grandma's house for an impromptu Sloan "reunion". I only see my brothers and their families a couple of times of year and last weekend ended up being one of those weekends. Iain's been working like a dog due to a big project so I figured I'd try and brave a trip without him. Thankfully all worked out well given the fact that we had a loaner portable DVD player that in retrospect likely saved the day. Callum was glued to it for 3/4 of the trip. We may have to splurge and purchase one. Many thanks to cousins Ben and Mindy for this assistance! Callum did very well on the trip and I am pleased to now know I could take him for a reasonably long drive alone if need be. I also have one funny story I will end this post with. So I reminded Callum that Mommy is having a baby. His response was "No!". I reminded him again and asked him if he wanted a brother or sister. His response again was "No!" Then I asked him again- "Brother or sister". His response was "I want a Ho Ho". Ho Ho is Callum-speak for Santa. Hey, if my mom had been due to give birth in December, I would have wanted a Ho Ho too.

Nesting, okay, not really

2010-06-07T09:01:00.003-04:00

Hmmm, well the differences in pregnancy #1 and pregnancy #2 are vast. During pregnancy #1, the first trimester drags, naps are frequent and nausea is a major inconvenience. During pregnancy # 2, you run around chasing the first born, hoping that "ring around the rosey" isn't going to make you vomit. You also fall into bed shortly after he does and you wish that you'd let Daddy take over bath time months ago. As I head into week # 13, I wonder what happened to the last 13 and reflect on how I am going to get everything done I want to do before the blessed arrival of baby #2. My nesting list has changed somewhat from last time-- picking paint colors, wondering about the baby's gender and hanging doors to figuring out how to populate my iPod with my 90's music and organize my attic. Neither task having to do with Baby #2. Sure, I'm excited but (shhhhhh), I now know how hard it is. And I like sleep. Oh how I like sleep. My sleep now usually consists of a straight 7-8 uninterrupted hours of blissful sleep. I am a little worried about having a newborn given my memory of Callum's wails at 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9 months in the middle of the night (and don't forget about the even numbered months until month 12). Oh well, enough of my whining. Things are going well and I feel great especially since the nausea and utter exhaustion have passed. Callum chatters from the minute he wakes up until he goes to sleep and even then we hear him on the monitor talking himself to sleep. He is obsessed with tractors, trains, lawn movers, cars and fire trucks. He also loves the vacuum and enjoyed looking at them in the Target circular over the weekend. Callum is a lot of fun and I'm really enjoying age 2. Will post some new pictures soon.

News

2010-05-21T08:01:00.003-04:00

Hi all, yes I added the ticker yesterday but just couldn't come with the energy to type an actual post! Darn exhaustion. This is the part I hate the most. Anyway, yes, I am pregnant! You all should have guessed with the Welch's Grape Juice remark. I do love that stuff but normally I enjoy something stronger. So far, I've been feeling okay- nausea in the afternoon and evening and utter exhaustion by 7 p.m. That is the part I am most ready to be done with. I am so go, go, go that being ready to climb into bed right after Callum hasn't been much fun! I've had two appointments and they are pleased with my progress. I have my next appointment in June and I have to get some blood work before that. Onto the string of appointments and so forth for the next 6-7 months. Iain and I, for the time being, have decided not to find out the gender of the new baby. I think it would be nice to have a surprise after all of that labor and pushing fiasco I have to go through! First image below.

Sunday Post

2010-05-16T12:32:00.002-04:00

I will post that life is going well. I had a very nice Mother's Day in which I spent the morning with Callum and then the afternoon shopping on my own. When I got back, my guys had a fabulous steak dinner waiting for me with my very favorite Welch's Sparkling White Grape juice. I love that stuff! The semester at Ship has ended but my job stays pretty steady with students until July. Unfortunately, I've told too many of them that we work all summer so they're always coming to see me. Just kidding-- I love my job. Iain and I are still carpooling together in the mornings and afternoons so we can ride out our car payment before purchasing another one before the summer ends. Bring on the free financing plans please! The weather's been cool this week and scheduled to be cool again this week coming. I'm praying for some hot weather come June and July. Callum is presently obsessed with being outside. From the minute he wakes up on the weekends to the minute we walk through the door after work, all we hear is "Outside, outside, outside". He loves his new, plastic lawnmower, wheel barrow and sandbox. We dug in the sand for a good half hour yesterday. He also loves watching Iain cut the grass so we spent half an hour yesterday following Iain around the yard while he mowed. Callum is also fixated on tractors so whenever he sees one while we're driving, he repeats the word tractor over and over again. Good thing we live right smack in the middle of Mennonite country so they are abundant! For now, enjoy this spring day and we'll post some more news again soon.

Callum Turns 2

2010-05-08T13:55:00.007-04:00

Last weekend, we celebrated with family and friends the second birthday of Callum Albert William Burnett. We were graced with beautiful, hot weather and the presence of loved ones from around the state. Callum had a blast playing with friend Dante and cousin A.J. with his new water table and sandbox as well as the inflatable moon bounce Jen and Jeff were kind enough to transport to our home. The theme of the party was Thomas the Tank Engine and Callum really enjoyed his Thomas cake. We're still trying to finish that off. I think we have one piece left. He especially liked when everyone sang Happy Birthday to him although he was little shy in front of the group. Callum requested that we sing Happy Birthday again and again after the party. I think I sang it this morning at breakfast. He hasn't quite caught onto the birth - day piece. But then again, we normally celebrate Iain's birthdays for a week. Ha ha. Callum had his 2 year check up on Friday and he weighed in at 27.5 lbs (25-50% percentile) and is 35 & 1/2 inches tall (75% percentile). We were very proud of how brave he was at his check up since he usually cries from the minute we walk into the exam room. Dr. Kauffman was very pleased with his development and we all had a good chuckle when Callum kept looking at him and saying "Doctor go bye bye, Doctor go bye bye". At least we don't need to worry about him warming up to strangers...

Welcome Spring

2010-04-20T11:58:00.006-04:00

We've been enjoying a WONDERFUL spring after the hideous snow and ice that kept us inside for so many months. Although I enjoy the first snow, subsequent ones aren't my cup of tea. However, since mid-March things have been looking bright and sunny in South Central PA and we've been relishing in the drastic change! Callum vocabulary grows and grows. He can also sing his ABC's which was a fantastic surprise. Callum was singing them in the backseat of the car unprompted on a drive home from daycare. I'd been having a yuck day so to hear my little son singing them totally made my day. He also continues to say funny things that when said by an adult aren't so funny, but in his little toddler voice, are just so funny! Last night Callum said, "Move It, Shuster" (the cat). Hilarious. We really aren't mean to our cats. Shuster just always tries to escape so we're always shooing him away from the door. Regardless, Callum caught on quickly. He is also obsessed with Thomas the Train, Wiggles and Sesame Street in addition to bubbles, being outside as well as eating Mac & Cheese and 'sauce (applesauce). On a personal note, Iain and I are working, spring cleaning and muddling through our jungle of a backyard in preparing for the Thomas Choo Choo birthday party. Lots of fun to come. Peep, peep!

Easter

2010-04-07T20:15:00.008-04:00

Easter weekend and what do we have to show from it? Some fun pictures, good times and probably more candy than anyone of us needs. But a good time was had by all! A trip to Pappy Al and Grandma's was taken and we had a great time seeing family and friends. Callum did some visiting on Saturday and participated in a very fun egg hunt on Sunday. We really enjoyed seeing everyone and hope you had a Happy Easter too!

Funny Things

2010-03-30T13:04:00.003-04:00

Here are some funny things that have come out of Callum's mouth in the last week

"Shuster (is a) menace"

When asked... does Daddy shovel snow?

"NOOOOO, Mommy shovel snow"

When given a snack he didn't like, he cried, so I gave him a cookie instead.

Callum's response:"I like it (the cookie)"

DIY

2010-03-26T20:30:00.011-04:00

Iain and I have been doing some things around the house lately both in and out. Mostly things like cleaning, hanging photos and nick/nacks as well as trying to find our grass underneath all of the leaves. We don't have any immediate plans for major renovations but the little things do make a difference. As you can see, Callum's jumped right in to help...

Whatcha Been Up To Lately

2010-03-17T20:14:00.031-04:00

The months of February and March so far have gone by very quickly. The weather's gone from yuck to YAY! We've had several visitors,traveled, learned new sentences and I turned thirty. Yes, three decades old. For this accomplishment I received an iPod. Yes, I am finally cool. I can download. Yes, Callum is now telling us "I Lub You" and "Mommy Shovel Snow". I prefer the latter. Since we've done so much, I'll recap with some pictures.

Hords of Snow

Valentine's Day

My 30th Birthday and New Lamps (At this age equally important)

Blog Slacker

2010-03-17T07:57:00.003-04:00

Hi everyone (or those that read this blog)! I've been a bit of a slacker over the past four weeks because, well one, we've been busy, and two, I've been tired. Callum still demands Mommy put him to bed every night of the week so this leaves me with little energy to come downstairs and write about our lives. Regardless, I've made three promises to myself for the week-- 1. I will work on Callum's baby/toddler book (check! Spent 30 minutes last night doing that). 2. I will order pictures on Snapfish (yea, yet to do that--I have 'til Sunday) and 3. I will write on the blog. A better update will be done later tonight with some new pictures. I know you are waiting with baited breath...

Valentine`s Day

2010-02-18T20:35:00.005-05:00

Second year of Mary and Iain + 1.

We all had an enjoyable day. Callum celebrated at the daycare with a Valentine Party. Mum and Dad enjoyed some one-on-one time with a nice Cheese Fondu and a movie and chocolates.

It is hard to believe that almost 5 years of marriage has already passed, I appreciate Mary more and more; both as a wife and as mother. I enjoy every minute we are together and I am slowly adapting to sharing much of her time.

I look forward to sharing another milestone next week when she turns 30.

Already Mary has a succesful career, a wonderful husband : ) and a little boy named Callum.

I am looking forward to the future together.

Iain

Snow Bunnies

2010-02-07T12:18:00.014-05:00

As the second winter storm passes, and we are left with upwards of 17 inches, I'll post that we had a fabulous weekend with the Speggen/Nutt family. Thanks to Jeff's massive 4 wheel drive vehicle, they made the trip from SWPA to SCPA via the turnpike late Friday afternoon. Although it was slow at times, they didn't have any real major problems getting here. We had fun playing games, watching TV, entertaining the little ones and even sled riding in our backyard. Jen and I bundled Callum and Dante up so much that both of them fell down, respectively in the dining room, as well as out in the snow. Callum wasn't too bothered about sledding but he watched everyone else go up and down the hill. It took him awhile before he'd let me put him down (do you blame him? The snow was over his head), but once I did, he played happily for about 10 minutes before taking a dive face first into the snow. He didn't like that. We went inside, wiped his face and then went right back out. The little boys did a great job playing together and the big boys cleared the sidewalks, driveway and cars so we should be all set to get to work tomorrow (BOO). It was a very fun and relaxing weekend. Callum is battling a nasty head cold and chest congestion so I had the pleasure of sleeping on the floor in his room last night. He kept waking up between 8 and midnight so I figure it was best to just hang out there. Fortunately, he slept the rest of the night and he is presently napping. I am praying that nap lasts at least three hours because he got NO shut eye yesterday afternoon. Oh well. Hope you have a warm house and power as many people have lost it from what I understand! Enjoy the pics.

Bye Bye Car

2010-02-03T20:23:00.011-05:00

So far the new year has brought some interesting issues to our lives. Work is B.U.S.Y. with a capital B. After recovering from my trip, I went right into international student issues, challenges and some downright problems. Iain's been up to his eyeballs in safety and sometimes the lack there of. We're both thankful for being busy *job security*. Our personal challenge has been the fact that our car died a few weeks ago. It had been nickel and diming us for months and we had hoped that it would just hang on until summer. No such luck. So let me reminisce in the fact that this car meant a lot to me because we bought it after my mom's accident and I have virtually driven everywhere in it. That car has been all over the state of PA, as well as WV, DE, NJ, VA, MD, NC and SC. I believe the furthest journey was Parris Island, SC for a Marine Corps graduation. Goodness, was that a LONG trip. I learned to drive in that car and it was my car during some tough times (working at the Holiday Inn after grad school) and some great ones (hanging out with friends and traveling). It was a great car and I really had some pangs of sadness when we finally gave the keys up to our mechanic who is junking her for us. We're now down to one car and are flexing our work schedules to make this work. It isn't ideal but until the car is paid off, this is what we'll do. Fortunately that isn't too long from now.

Callum's been working hard on word pronunciation and short sentences. And dear Lord does he love Thomas the Tank Engine (see pic above of him watching Thomas). I read his Thomas book 7 times before he would go to bed tonight. He has several trains he lines up every day and he watches at least one Thomas cartoon every morning before school. Other current favorites include Hop on Pop and Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Suess. It surprises me that he will sit still for these books but we read them almost every night. He still loves his Mickey rider as well as his new Tonka truck and animal zoo. Almost all of his baby teeth have come in but he has had a few rough nights and mornings (awake at 4:30 a.m. today). But those buggers have almost made their way through on both the top and bottom. Finally, my little guy had his third haircut and behaved like an absolute angel. My hairdresser told me he's been one of the best behaved toddlers she's ever cut hair for. I do wish she would have thought those words in her head instead of saying them out loud though. We'll be doomed at the next appointment...

Holiday Wrap Up and More!

2010-01-15T13:55:00.024-05:00

The holiday season was practically over before it started considering it went by so quickly. I've included some photos taken by both myself and Gran Burnett. Her camera is so much nicer than mine. Callum did very well on both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day in terms of both behavior and presents. Other than trying to claw my eyes out at Aunt Karen's house when I tried to put him down for a nap three hours later than usual, he was an angel. I do think his favorite gift was his toy sweeper since the child would rather clean that anything else. But he did receive some wonderful new toys that will keep him busy for months to come. A big thanks to everyone for those! After Christmas, the five Burnetts made an overnight trip to Lancaster to visit Dutch Wonderland, a children's amusement park, that runs a Winter Wonderland during the holiday season. We rode rides, ate junk food and enjoyed the lights. Callum loved the train and braved his first overnight stay in a hotel. Shortly after this adventure ended, Gran and Grandad departed for a long (let me stress long) trip home. Unfortunately it was as difficult going out as it was coming in! But they made it back to Scotland eventually. We then continued the holidays into New Year's by spending time with the Sloan brood. At Pappy and Grandma's house, we ate (and ate and ate), played games, opened presents and relaxed. The visit ended early for us as we had to return because of Iain's work, but it was another enjoyable family visit. The holidays ended with some wonderful memories and me a weight gain of 5.6 lbs! I told you we ate and ate! Anyway, my pants still fit but I'm back on my Weight Watchers plan so hopefully I'll make my goal weight, or close to it, by my 30th birthday.

The second big thing that has occurred since I last posted was a trip I took with two faculty members and eleven students from Ship. We traveled to the Dominican Republic this past week to participate in a service project assisting Child Development Centers which are run by Nazarene Missionaries. Yes, we were abroad during the earthquake in Haiti. Very thankfully, we were not affected at all. Until I returned from the trip on Wednesday, I actually had no idea just how bad things were. I also know that Haiti is a much poorer country than the Dominican Republic and the poverty I saw in the D.R. was pretty heartbreaking. The one thing I can attest to, without trying to be preachy, is when an agency like World Vision solicits donors to sponsor children, the donations truly make an impact in the lives of the children who are sponsored. We met children who, because of sponsors, were able to not only stay at the Child Development Center for the educational portion of the day, but were also able to eat dinner because of their sponsor. For several of them, it was the only meal they would have all day. I also witnessed tables of 10-15 children sit together and gratefully eat a relatively plain meal of rice and beans without leaving a bite left behind or any complaint (something I definitely cannot say about my own son). It really makes you think. I am honored for the opportunity to have met each person I met in the D.R. and hope that I can assist others in this country in some way. If you want more information about the Ship students' project, check out: http://sureachout.blogspot.com/

Happy New Year!

2010-01-03T15:33:00.004-05:00

After a wonderful and quick holiday season, we'd like to wish all of our friends and family a healthy, happy and positive New Year and new decade. The 2000's (or so the media are calling them) went very quickly for me. It was college, marriage, building a home and starting a family. I guess I worked a little too during that time. It has been a meaningful ten years. My favorite part is the time I've spent with Iain and Callum. I hope January is a time for you to enjoy your blessings and stay warm! I'll post a holiday re-cap sometime this week since I still have to upload my 276 photos. Blah. I'm taking my last days before back to the grind as slowly as I can!

Merry Christmas

2009-12-24T11:10:00.007-05:00

Gran and Grandad Burnett arrived safely after a long trip across the pond. Despite the international flight (delayed 8 hours), a connecting flight delayed 3 days (they took a train instead) and even a cancelled train (they caught a later one), they made it! Fortunately, they are here in one piece and have had a fantastic time with Callum (and us) thus far. He stayed home with them all day yesterday and had a blast! My fingers are crossed that Santa finds our house, but there will be cookies and carrots waiting so I think the odds are good. From our family to yours, we wish you a very Merry Christmas.

Cookies, Snowfall and Visitors!

2009-12-19T22:22:00.022-05:00

As the 10th or so inch of snow falls, I'll post a little update, which may be my last before Christmas. Fours types of cookies have been baked and two more will hopefully be completed tomorrow (along with the cleaning of the kitchen floor and some other nooks and crannies). Callum helped me make Cranberry White Chocolate Cookies and Mocha Frosted Drops last weekend and then again today, but this time it was Peppermint Chocolate Cookies.

Callum also managed to get into Iain's boots, hat and one glove without me noticing him. I was alerted to his outfit when he needed help with the second glove. Too funny! He also calls Santa "Ho Ho" and keeps cracking us up with saying things like "Bye bye Ho, bye bye Ho Ho". He has yet to meet Santa but this may be for the best because he isn't too fond of strangers.

As I type, I say a silent prayer that Gran and Grandad Burnett have a safe and uneventful flight to the U.S. Yes folks, they leave tomorrow during the Blizzard of 2009 or so they keep calling it on TV. When I last checked, their flight was delayed an hour and a half although they likely don't know this since it is 3:30 a.m. U.K. time. I am hopeful they arrive without fanfare into the dreadful Newark Airport and manage to have no delay or cancellation for their flight into Harrisburg. Now whether or not Iain can make it to the airport from our house is a whole other story! He went out three times today to dig out the cars and do the sidewalk and path. Fingers crossed! We'll likely take Callum out in the snow tomorrow so I'll do my best to post some pics of that! Good luck with any last minute preparations and stay safe and warm! We'll have the kettle on for Gran and Grandad. I think they'll need a cup of tea when they get here.

Visitors and Christmas Preparations

2009-12-12T19:56:00.009-05:00

Iain and I were fortunate to have a date night last night at the Olive Garden as well as to get some shopping done. Aunt Karen and Uncle Tedd came over to watch Callum and put him to bed. While Iain and I were spending some time reconnecting over a real conversation- not interrupted by words like "snack, juice, poopy diaper or don't hit Shuster", Callum spent some time with his great aunt and uncle. Interestingly enough, Callum has taken a great liking to Uncle Tedd. While most children, Callum included, often prefer woman caretakers, Callum spent most of last night making sure Uncle Tedd didn't leave his sight. He also made sure that Uncle Tedd read him his stories and didn't leave the room for too long. It was very nice to hear that he had such a strong connection with his uncle!

Last Sunday, Iain, Callum and I had the pleasure of a visitor, young Andrew Sloan, who came over for a play date. Andrew has a new sibling, Britt, and we wanted to give his parents some time to themselves and their new son. Andrew and Callum had a great time together playing and chasing one another around the house. Towards the end of the afternoon, they reached a point where they needed a distraction so I tuned into the assistance of On Demand Cable TV and switched on an episode of the Wiggles. The two boys sat on the couch for close to 20 minutes without a peep and watched these crazy multicolored shirted men sing and dance. And a good time was had by all...

Tonight and tomorrow will be spent wrapping and baking. I have all of my ingredients for cookies and although I've scaled down the quantity of cookies I am baking, I still have some plans for some tasty treats. I've recently lost 25 pounds by joining Weight Watchers and this time of year is very hard for me because I love baking. Baking is an activity that was big in my home with my mother so I feel a special bond to include this in my Christmas activities. But I also don't want to tack on any unnecessary weight because if it's in the house, I'm probably going to eat it. Anyway, I'm still trying to find some slightly healthier W.W. cookie recipes that might take my sights off of eating 25 Mocha Frosted Drops. If you know of any semi-healthy holiday cookies, let me know. Best wishes for a great week!

Callum Meets the Christmas Tree

2009-12-06T13:16:00.004-05:00

Holidays ahead

2009-12-03T12:06:00.003-05:00

The holidays are approaching and the Burnetts have been busy. We spent Thanksgiving in Uniontown with Pappy Al and Grandma as well as various aunts, uncles, cousins and friends. It was a good trip both there and back partially because of the loaned, portable DVD player which had Callum enthralled from start to finish of trip. He was amazed that the Wiggles and Elmo shrunk so small in order to fit in the backseat. We'll be buying one of those come tax return time. Many thanks to cousins Ben and Mindy for the loan. We all ate turkey, did some shopping and went to the movies which was great fun. Moving onto Christmas, we'll be busy shopping, baking, wrapping, decorating and getting ready for the season. We'll have some very special visitors this year since Gran and Grandad Burnett are making another trip across the pond to spend Christmas week with us. I think they'll be amazed at Callum's development and growth. A new and cute thing he does every morning is to sing a song with me. Nothing elaborate but I've begun singing a song "Shoes on, shoes on, time to put our shoes on" to get him to sit down while I tie his shoes. Callum now sings it too "Shoes on, shoes on". Good times. Best of luck to all of you with the madness of the season. May you have peace and joy with friends, family and co-workers leading up to the big day.

Thanksgiving Greetings

2009-11-18T12:05:00.006-05:00

Hi everyone. I'd like to share some Thanksgiving Greetings in advance of next week as well as give an update into recent events. Callum is doing very well. He turned 18 months November 2 and, like always, has been lots of fun. His vocabulary has exploded and his first simple sentences are flowing. My personal favorite was "You Bad" which was directed to me when I wouldn't give him something that he wanted. I was blown away by his comprehension of this sentence that I burst out laughing, which in turn, made him laugh. He's also started jumping or at least doing his very best to get off the ground. Normally one foot stays planted but it is so funny to watch him do these little hops. Another quark of my small son is his hoarding behaviors. To deal with his separation anxiety, every day he will select one item to take with him to daycare. This item changes every day and some days is more ideal than others. Good items are cheap plastic toys, an old calculator and his new gloves. Bad items are his large plastic rake, his new Percy the Train and the baby monitor. When we get to daycare, I usually have to pry these things away from him because outside "toys" cannot be brought into the classroom. I really don't care about the bad items because if they get lost or broken -who cares? The good items I actually want taken care of. The daycare staff now know this behavior and help me every day to distract him from his beloved possession. This is why they will be getting some really awesome Christmas presents. Callum has also taken to longer stories like "I Love You Stinky Face" and "Slinky Malinky". We've tried a few of the Mister Men books but they are a bit long given the fact that he wants them read 4-5 times before bed. His energy is never ending and his laps around the house always make us laugh. I'll try to post some new pictures soon. Callum also survived his second haircut yesterday as well as his family photo on Sunday. We'll be well into December before we know it! This year I am incredibly thankful for all of the blessings we have been given in the current state the economy. We are both thankful for our jobs including some recent good news on the job end for Iain. We continue to be thankful for our health and the health of our family and friends. Finally, the Burnetts would like to wish health and easy arrivals to the new babies that will join our families in both November and April. Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Halloween

2009-10-31T12:43:00.025-04:00

The past couple of weeks have been very busy to say the least. October and November are very busy times for me at work and we've been keeping busy on the weekends. Callum also went through a phase of about 10 days of getting up before 5:30 a.m. There was even once when I had to coax him back to sleep at 2 a.m. by laying on the floor in his room because he thought it was time to get up and go watch Big Bird. This was pretty painful but we've pushed bedtime back by 30 minutes which has been helping him sleeping through the night until at least 6:30 a.m. I have no idea how tonight's time change will screw up his sleep pattern but we'll see how it goes.

Last weekend, Jen, Jeff and Dante came to visit. Dante and Callum had a great time playing together as well as enjoying the annual Shippensburg Halloween parade on Saturday night. Although Dante is almost a year older than Callum, the two of them hit it off and loved chasing one another around the house as well as sharing the 'ol Mickey rider.

The borough of Shippensburg designated Thursday as the night for goblins and ghosts so we took Callum Trick or Treating for the first time. He walked happily to at least a dozen houses and very willingly accepted candy into his pumpkin. After making a round up and down our street, we returned home to hand out candy for an hour. Callum loved having the kids come up to the house and watching Mommy and Daddy give out candy. He also had his first Smarties and M&M's (that we know of) to eat as his evening snack. That definitely won't become a regular part of his diet at this age but I figured he deserved at have at least one taste of candy from his efforts walking around town.

Callum also had a party at daycare and came home with more candy than any child should ever get at age 18 months. Iain's volunteered to be the family taster and tackle this feat. As long as the weather holds out, we're going to a fall festival at his daycare in about an hour. This will be our last little bit of family Halloween fun. It's been a great holiday, and after Callum goes to bed tonight, Iain and I plan to watch some horror movies- we have the Birds and the Omen on DVD all ready for tonight. Happy Halloween!

Ongoing October

2009-10-17T20:52:00.004-04:00

I've finally managed to find a Halloween costume for Callum. I bought one a few weeks ago but it turned out to be slightly too small and I figured that he wasn't going to shrink between now and Halloween so best to take it back. I went back to the local kid's consignment store and found a bear costume that fits much better. I'm a little worried that the material that lines the costume is a bit too itchy but we'll just see what happens. Given the hideous weather we've been having in South Central PA, it should be plenty warm enough for the annual Halloween parade and daycare party as well as Trick or Treating. I'm not 100% sure Callum will Trick or Treat this year but we'll see a bit closer to the time. We may just make a trip to Aunt Karen and Uncle Tedd's house and to a few of their neighbors. Since the last post, we hosted Pappy Al and Grandma and the three of us, without Callum and Iain, ventured into D.C. for a tour of the city. Despite the spiting rain, it was a great day out. Callum also demonstrated his love for his grandparents the next day by throwing a holy fit when they left. I've never seen him behave that way when leaving anyone other than me or Iain so it was a bit of a surprise. But it's nice to see the bond! We may take them up on babysitting a bit more often when we make it into Uniontown. Callum's add some new words and phrases- yes phrases!- to his vocabulary. He refers to Elmo from Sesame Street as "'Mo" and "Appy" for Big Bird (don't ask). Today, Callum said "Peek A Boo" and also regularly says "Bye bye, Dadda", "Bye bye Shuster". It is so cool to hear him put these things together! He's also taken to animals and their noises. He can meow like a cat, bark like a dog, and roar like a lion when asked. I'm sure his development is on par for any other 17 month old but I think the progress children make is just so amazing. Our all time favorite saying is "Goal!!!" in which he raises his hands over his head to cheer on his soccer team.

September

2009-10-03T20:57:00.015-04:00

So far so good for this autumn. We've been enjoying the company of friends and family while watching our little guy grow and learn, learn, learn. Callum appears to be part child and part sponge. His vocabulary has taken off and he's able to catch on and repeat words constantly. Today he learned "please" which is always nice to hear! Some challenges we have faced include biting, as in Callum bites others, as well as long days for all of us. We had a week when Callum was being sent home with a note almost every day which addressed his biting of other children. After three or four days of this, we finally got a note that Iain and I both reacted to in the same way- "Thank goodness- someone bit him". Funny enough we haven't had any notes since someone else's kid bit Callum- maybe the repeated time outs and someone else's fangs turned him off to biting. Of course, he's still biting at home but it's usually when he is very angry or very happy to see me. Callum's current favorite things to do are pushing his toys around the house, feeding the cats, reading books and playing outside. We went to Stoner's Dairy Farm for an outing today and Callum had a blast. He rode a pony, pet animals at the petting zoo, picked a pumpkin, and walked his balloon dog. I was impressed with his patience while waiting in lines as well as his desire to spend time with all of the animals. Iain and I are really enjoying this aspect of parenting. He's definitely at a fun age- despite the random biting and occasional tantrum. We'll be planning now for visits from Pappy and Grandma as well as Jen, Jeff and Dante in a few weeks. Then, my second favorite holiday, Halloween! YAY! We need to figure out a costume for Callum but we'll figure something out. Hope you enjoy the rest of this gorgeous weekend!

Labor Day

2009-09-07T12:03:00.005-04:00

Callum's incorporated some new words into his vocabulary over the past three weeks. Some of them include shoes, Shuster (our cat), off/on, and Pappy. Pappy came to visit last weekend and Callum very quickly caught onto his name which was cool. That particular weekend we spent time with Pappy, enjoyed the Corn Festival and went to a BBQ at Aunt Karen and Uncle Tedd's house. I also went into work on both Saturday and Sunday since the semester had just began and there was student programming to be done. The work week was long because I worked all last weekend, but we've managed to relax quite a bit this weekend while also spending time with Callum and doing some DIY. Well Iain did DIY. Callum's recently started getting into Sesame Street and he has one favorite episode entitled "Singing Day". The Muppets sing throughout most of the show so it keeps his attention. It's a relief to have a way to distract him especially early in the morning when the last thing you want to do is push him around on his Mickey rider. He's also taken to several of the songs and dances around when they come on. Callum's also caught onto some sign language from the show. I wish we had more time to do that sort of stuff with him, but I know he's learning and developing just fine. He's now running more than walking and understands pretty much everything we instruct him on. Iain also taught him how to feed the cats kitty treats and they had great fun doing that yesterday. I was worried that Callum would eat some but he really enjoyed throwing them for the cats. It has been a good weekend and now we have a short work week to look forward to. The weather's even starting to cool off so we'll officially be into my favorite time of year- AUTUMN. YAY! My fall decor is going up as soon as Callum sets off to bed tonight.

Summer Wrap Up

2009-08-23T20:59:00.017-04:00

Summer is coming to a close for me as of tomorrow because the semester at work unofficially begins. New students move in on Thursday and student workers return tomorrow. I am thrilled for a new year to begin.

Iain and I had a blast in D.C. celebrating his birthday in the rain that soaked the city. We attended a MLS game and fortunately had seats which were just under the pavilion so we didn't end up drenched. We did throw back a few drinks and cheered on any player that did anything remotely exciting. The level of play in the U.S. isn't quite as exhilarating as the European soccer that fills our house every Saturday and Sunday from August until um, the following August. Or so it seems like. The game wasn't the most uplifting event ever but when anyone made a bit of an effort, we all cheered. The stadium was about halfway filled and the D.C. United fans were a lot of fun. I did see David Beckham. He did get a lot of cheers from the crowd but I also heard a lot of catcalls like "Pretty Boy!" Mean people.

On Sunday morning, we walked around a little more checking out the American History Museum and some other random sights. I personally loved the exhibit on the American presidents and first ladies. Pretty amazing stuff. We also stopped at the Smithsonian Castle and saw the "pile of stuff" from the movie, Night at the Museum-Battle at the Smithsonian.

Callum had an awesome time visiting with Aunt Karen and Uncle Tedd. He played, slept and ate well. They went on walks, in the jacuzzi and spent time with cousin AJ and dog Megan. We are so lucky to have such wonderful family members to keep our little one on occasion! Callum's recent 15 month check up went very well. Dr. Kauffman was very pleased with his health and development. He now weighs in at just under 25 lbs and is 31 & 1/4 inches tall. He's even had his flu shot so hopefully no more appointments until his 18 month exam. The nurse complimented him on his lungs after she took his height and head measurements.

On a final note, a big THANKS to the anonymous sponsor of my new, red, Paula Deen griddle! I was able to make the boys French toast this weekend. It was worth all 7 points I had to give up in order to enjoy it. I hope to make many more delicious breakfasts and grilled cheese sandwiches with it!

I hope you've had a fantastic summer and that you manage to squeeze some fun in before Labor Day. I'll be welcoming exchange students, helping with new student Welcome Week and running a midnight BINGO extravaganza. Can't get better than that! Heck, I'd attend if I could to win a Wii.

Happy Birthday Iain!

2009-08-21T20:14:00.004-04:00

I'm taking 5 minutes between packing and laundry to wish a big Happy Birthday to my hubby. He turns the big 3-2 tomorrow. When I asked him how he felt about the year, he said "Good! 32 is my favorite number!". Works for me! Happy Birthday Baby! We love you.

The two of us, sans Callum, are off to Washington D.C. tomorrow for an afternoon/evening away to see D.C United MLS Team take on L.A. Galaxy. Iain's excited for the game; I'm excited for the possibility of seeing David Beckham in the flesh. Callum's excited for a swim in Aunt Karen and Uncle Tedd's jacuzzi. It should be a great day!

Sweetest Place on Earth?

2009-08-19T20:07:00.015-04:00

The Burnetts have been busy with trips, travels and adventures. Some better than others. On the positive note, we were able to spend the weekend in Pittsburgh visiting Jen and Jason Koisor. Callum managed to stay awake on the car ride there despite our attempts at the bath and pajama routine. When we were 25 minutes from their house, he passed out. It was a quick assembly of the Pack 'N Play and he was into dreamland. Dreamland abruptly ended at 6 a.m. the next day. On Saturday, while the boys ate and drank at a restaurant that is named after owls, the girls and Callum ventured to a REAL mall. We don't have these in South Central PA. I like South Central PA a lot. But I Miss Real Malls. You know, the kind with at least four department stores, 10 shoe stores, a merry-go-round, a food court, elevators (elevators = more than one floor), masses of people, bad parking, but GOOD SHOPPING. Where you see a clearance rack in Macy's that has shoes that are marked down from $275. There is nothing in the Chambersburg Mall that does not plug into the wall that costs $275. But I digress. The girls and Callum ventured through the mall including a brief stop at Victoria's Secret in which Callum fell in love with the Pink Dog.

He was thrilled to find a dog his size that he could pat and pull its tail. Geno, the Kosior's dog, wasn't as receptive. After bonding with the Pink Dog, Callum pulled some tank tops on the floor and we quickly exited.

That evening we had a fiesta dinner and caught up on girl talk. The boys came home late. On Sunday, we hung out, drank coffee and then headed out at lunchtime. This time Callum did sleep. The week ensued and on the following Friday, we made an attempt to visit Hershey Park. I've come to appreciate who Callum is as he is affectionate, funny, loving and rambunctious. He is also determined, often focused on one thing and hard to handle. But we love him. Callum did not do well at Hershey. The weather was 83 degrees and in total, we likely walked close to 10 miles. I do not over exaggerate because a friend just went, wore her pedometer and walked 9. During our 10 miles, I held Callum for approximately 7.5 of them. He didn't want to walk or ride in his stroller, but rather have Mommy carry him. He also didn't want Mommy out of his sight for a second. This made is hard to even go to the bathroom without a major meltdown. By the time we left the park at 6:45 p.m., I felt like I had run a marathon. We won't be taking Callum to an amusement park again any time soon. The highlight of my day was his second nap. See pic.

His 15 month check up is tomorrow so we'll find out his stats but the child must be 25 lbs. at least. His two new words, that no one but Mom and Dad would understand, are "again" and "Big Bird". He likes Sesame Street which is a bit of a relief some evenings!

Haircut

2009-08-10T12:42:00.010-04:00

Callum wiggled and squirmed through his first haircut but everyone involved managed to make it out of Shear Delite unscathed. Julie, my stylist, gave him two thumbs up for his behavior so I guess he hasn't won the award for "worst child". That'll be next time perhaps?

Weekend Recap

2009-08-03T12:19:00.007-04:00

Our weekend consisted of relaxing, some DIY around the house and more relaxing. It was a nice time because we were tired from the week post-vacation. Iain managed to get the grass cut, hang our new blinds and curtain rods as well as getting rid of junk that had been around the house and desperately needed to go into the bin. We did make an impromptu trip to the Shippensburg pool so that Callum could play in the water. His most recent obsession is water which I believe stemmed from the trip to the lake. He must be the first child whose mother has ever told him that it was time to stop washing his hands. Callum had a great time at the pool because the baby part had a little section of running water flowing from the ground up and into the air. He played there for a good 20 minutes until his little lips started trembling. It wasn't that cold but cold enough for his body to issue a physical response (no mom, I'm not cold). Another new behavior in Callum's life, not positive, is hitting. Yes, my child is 15 months old and he hits his mom, dad and apparently other children at daycare. I warned his teacher today about the behavior and she mentioned casually that he'd been put into time out the previous week for the same thing. It's hard to hear those kinds of things but I'm glad they are correcting his actions. Callum only had two timeouts at home all weekend and so far, they seem to be doing the trick. The question you may have is- how do they get a 15 month old to sit through a time out? Well, he goes into his highchair facing nothing exciting (we're out of sight) and we set the microwave timer for one minute. According to my toddler behavior book, one minute is for one year olds, two minutes for two year olds, etc. It also said that its important for children to hear the buzz of the timer signaling the end of time. It has helped and we only do it if he has repeatedly broken rules AND we've counted to 3. He's actually reacted to the 1... 2... 3... and lessened bad behavior. Oh the joys! Our next adventure will be his first real haircut on Thursday. We're taking him to my stylist and I'm anxious to see what she can do with his bad-do. He's had two home haircuts that have thankfully grown out but all in all, he looks like the kid who just needs a haircut. Hopefully we'll all survive. You can kind of see his wild baby mullet below:

Relaxing in VA

2009-07-28T20:39:00.010-04:00

The Sloan Family, including some Burnetts and a Schuessler, ventured to Lake Anna Virginia for a week away from the world. The trip was very fun and included some awesome meals, good wine, great company, sun, sand, a ride on a boat and some sleepless nights/early mornings for Iain and I. There appeared to be a rooster outside of the window next to Callum's Pack N' Play which tapped on the window at 5:55 a.m. every morning so he'd pop his head up and get one of us up. His naps were also pretty short due to a new environment and slightly more sounds than usual- although his cousins/aunts/uncles/grandparents were great at keeping the noise to a minimum. On the way home on Sunday, he slept for 2 hours and 40 minutes so I knew he was exhausted. He also slept until 7 a.m. the past two mornings but I am guessing that by posting this, he will be conscious tomorrow at 5:55 a.m. Callum especially loved the sand and lake water at the local state park which we visited three times during the week. At first, he was a bit afraid but then he played, played, played in the sand and also in the water. We managed to keep him sans sunburn even though both Iain and I had charred backs by Sunday. Lake Anna was a unique place and our rental property was equally different. Don't get me wrong, Lake Anna was gorgeous but there was absolutely nothing to do for like 45 minutes of a drive. Relaxing but kind of boring for those of us who are reasonably active and desiring a trip out of the house. Our rental house was amazingly huge with tons of space, furniture and things to do (hot tub, jacuzzi bath, PlayStation 2, TV's, 4 grills, screened in porch, etc. etc. etc.). However, it was strange in the sense that it was filled with stuff in all of the wrong places- excessive blankets and boxes in the bedroom closets, random dishes and junk in the pantry, random stuffed animals in the bedrooms. Very odd compared to every other rental property I've ever stayed in. Regardless of the strangeness of the house, we had a great time and probably could have stayed a few more days easily. Unfortunately there was nothing but houses, fishing boats and lake for 50 some miles so we opted to head home. We would definitely take Callum on a similar trip again though because other than the early mornings, he did extremely well traveling. Our next major adventure will be a trip to Hershey Park sometime next month. Until next time, enjoy the pics!

Mommy's Little Helper

2009-07-12T12:30:00.010-04:00

Callum's new favorite thing is helping me clean around the house. It started with Gran Burnett's visit when the child almost had a conniption over an old Kleenex that fell on the floor. She let him have it and he proceeded to clean the floor with it. Cleaning continued at Grandma Sloan's house when he helped her clean the glass doors in the living room. He's moved onto the vacuum at daycare, which he goes straight to every morning and plays with, according to the daycare staff, until they go to breakfast which is likely between 20-40 minutes. At home, he likes both the Swiffer, broom and using rags to wipe things. Obviously, its not just the cleaning itself but mimicking his parents (mom=clean). I laughed watching him, Iain rolled his eyes. Callum also loves the telephone and jabbers away to himself or whoever is actually on the other line of his play phone. He also likes pretending to surf the Internet and put the bathwash into the tub when his bath is being drawn. So much for toys! Who needs toys when you can clean!

Week of the 4th

2009-07-05T19:57:00.011-04:00

Well we've had a busy ten days or so. The week of the 4th of July brings a closure to Callum's daycare so I was off on vacation. Simultaneously, we had some visitors- Edna, my MIL, and her sister, Aunt Sheila, came to visit us from across the pond. After they spent a week trekking through NYC and Boston, they flew in HIA and Iain drove them to Ship. Edna's been here many times but this was Aunt Sheila's first time in the States and also visiting us. We had a great time considering the cool weather- although sort of hot to them compared to Scotland- and with Callum's antics. He proved to be the ever loving mamma's boy that he always is but he did let his Gran Burnett bathe him several nights and even spend Tuesday and Wednesday morning and most of the day with them. The trio had a lot of fun on walks, in the car and out in the backyard. We even traveled to Lancaster for a visit with the Amish and Callum only caused a (major) fuss for about 45 minutes on the way back (yelled the whole way). Somehow a trip through the Carlisle Wendy's drive thru for a Frostie, which he didn't eat, calmed him down. He seemed to appreciate my efforts even though I wasted $1.39 on the darn thing. We appreciate the long journey Aunt Sheila and Edna made to see us and hope that their trip home went smoothly and that the 10 mile walk on Saturday was relatively painless (Ouch!). I'm sore just thinking about it!

The Burnetts just returned from a weekend at Pappy Al and Grandma's house. They were kind enough to host us and babysit Callum Friday afternoon and evening so that Iain and I could attend a wedding of a good friend of mine from high school. Fortunately Callum had a 2.5 hour nap so he was good as gold with the exception of the run in with Big Neighbor Joe. Anyone who knows the Sloans often knows the Alexanders, our long time next door neighbors. Joe & Linda Alexander have been friends with my dad since high school. Being so close in proximity allows for frequent visits and impromptu chats across the yard. There really isn't a boundary where the properties end because for years, we've so frequently been back and forth across them. Anyway, Joe is a big guy and he came over to visit the night Callum was with Pappy and Grandma. Apparently, Callum wasn't informed of the long standing friendship as he became so upset over Joe's presence that Pappy and Grandma couldn't calm him down and had to ask Joe to leave! The other hilarious thing is that Joe is a child psychologist and is as close to a teddy bear as anyone could ever come. Callum wouldn't have any of it. Too funny. The weekend was very relaxing and we appreciate the time away. Hope you had a great 4th of July!

Just can't stop spraying my face...

2009-06-22T20:26:00.010-04:00

Cute Things

2009-06-22T12:01:00.004-04:00

Callum continues to do cute things. It's inevitable when you're 13 & 1/2 months old that you will. He loves playing with things he can't have. As mentioned before, his favorites are the remote control, video camera, and my laptop. My attitude towards most other household things is that as long as it isn't expensive or difficult to replace AND it won't hurt him, I'll let him have the items he wants. He's pretty good at communicating the things he'd like to play with. On Saturday morning, I gave him a spray bottle which had water in it. We use it to spray our cats if they are somewhere they shouldn't be or doing something they shouldn't (we haven't used this tactic on Callum... hmmm...). Anyway, I gave it to him thinking that there is no way that he'll figure out how to spray it. WRONG. The little bugger figured out how to work the handle and proceeded to spray himself (it was pointed towards him). Callum thought it was the funniest thing in the whole world. Since we were in the living room, I moved him into the kitchen and let him spray away. It was mostly going in his face but he was laughing hysterically so I let him go to town. I'll post some pictures because yes I did take some. He's also very attached to his mom. Twice over the weekend, Iain took him outside to give me 10 minutes to myself. They walked all the way to the back of our yard- not a huge distance but considerable when you're 3 feet tall. Callum grabbed Daddy's hand and maneuvered his way through the yard, up the steps, across the patio and into the kitchen (Iain did the door). Nothing stands in his way if he wants his mom. The final cute thing that Callum's mastered, although I probably shouldn't tell him it's cute, is the way he eats. Coming into toddlerhood has meant that he now has taste buds and knows what he likes to eat and what he DOES NOT like to eat. Fortunately he still likes fruit, especially bananas- he had two last Tuesday morning- and healthy carbs like spaghetti with meat sauce. He'll eat potatoes, toast, and Gerber baby snacks. On the way out of his life are vegetables because he'll put them in his mouth, chew them, gag and then spit them out. It's funny and it's not. I mean how do you get him to eat them now? I guess healthy things will be going into sauces and whatnot. Some days he'll eat chicken, some days he won't. It's frustrating and funny to deal with. I miss those days when he'd open up like a baby bird for just about anything. That's now reserved for select fruits, carbs and dairy products.

Happy Father's Day

2009-06-21T12:42:00.008-04:00

A happy, happy father's day to all of the men who make the difference in the lives of their sons, wives, daughters, granddaughters, grandsons, cousins, nephews and nieces. Family is so important. We hear daily stories about all of the ugliness in the world. Father's Day is a nice way to celebrate great men who take the time to change diapers, mow lawns, fix & build things around the house, read stories, take their daughters shopping (Thanks Dad!), pay bills, listen to complaints, support careers and provide general guidance and love throughout life. Enjoy this cool, but first day of summer, day!

Once upon a time

2009-06-18T08:28:00.005-04:00

Once upon a time, there was a young woman who studied abroad. She met a Scotsman who was also studying. They locked eyes in a phone booth and over time, became friends. At the end of her studies, the young woman had to return to the States and finish her degree. She did so and then eventually returned to Scotland to resume studying. At that time, she and the Scotsman began dating. One month turned into several and the months turned into years. A proposal was made, a ring bought and a date set. Many, many papers were filed to bring the Scotsman to the U.S. They met at a church, professed their love, received God's grace and became one life. Then they honeymooned in Vegas. Today marks our 4 year wedding anniversary. Although life has thrown us some curve balls-as life does, I am thankful every day that we are wed and that we are part of larger families (Sloans and Burnetts) who provide us advice, support and faith in ourselves and our relationship. I love you, Iain. Happy Anniversary.

Around the house

2009-06-08T20:54:00.003-04:00

Quick, Quick, Quick Post

2009-06-08T15:32:00.003-04:00

I'm out the door for the day but wanted to pass along that little Miss Mathis entered the world around 3:00 a.m. this morning. From talking to Michelle, it sounds like she was a real trooper and endured the labor as long as she could before the decision was made to have a c-section. She also endured it without any major meds-well until the c-section that it. So a big CONGRATS to David and Michelle and Auria (which I am hoping that I spelled right). I will post more details when I have them, but until then, if you check my blog, please exit to Michelle's blog, under Mathis Family, and pass along some well wishes. It has been a long journey for David and Michelle and I can't think of more wonderful people to welcome a baby.

Weekend

2009-06-07T21:29:00.003-04:00

All and all the weekend went well. Gorgeous weather, good company, relaxing times. Callum's daycare schedule continues in our home and we are getting 2 & 1/2- 3 hour naps out of him. Priceless. Tonight I am asking all those that pray to pray for two causes, each very different from the other. First off please pray for all of the babies and children that are abused and neglected out there. Since becoming a mom, my switch for protectiveness has been switched on. It breaks my heart to read stories in the news of young children and babies who endure hardships they shouldn't have to at ages that are unthinkable. Being a mom is the toughest job I've ever had (worse than the Holiday Inn front desk), but I've always had the patience and support to love Callum and care for him unconditionally. Every time I read of a child who endures abuse it bothers me beyond belief. Moving onto a better topic, a dear friend is likely laboring through the worse pain one can handle as she brings her baby daughter into this world. My thoughts, prayers and best wishes go out to Michelle, who called me around noon to let me know that her water broke. I'm hoping to get a text or phone call tonight or tomorrow morning announcing the good news. Please pray for Michelle, David and little Miss Mathis for an easy entrance into this world as well as an easy 4-6 weeks on earth. Obviously a tough time for all but equally a blessing. Thanks for reading and any prayers sent forth. I hope you had a good weekend and a productive and happy week ahead.

Success!

2009-06-02T12:03:00.005-04:00

Callum and his mom survived the first day in the toddler room. He came home with an empty lunchbox and a cranky demeanor which I attributed to lack of a nap. In the toddler room, they are given small mats and sleep on the floor. HA! As if my Callum, who while at home on occasion wails himself to sleep within the bars of his crib, would nap on the floor. Well he did! I got an update this morning from his teacher and she said that he did really well all morning with the exception of craft time which occurred right before lunch. She said that he had no time or patience for pasting and attaching items to paper. Callum yelled through the craft but then walked with the rest of the group down to the lunch room and ate his cold lunch like a trooper. Miss Mary, his teacher, said that she had expected him to fall asleep in his highchair but he stayed awake until they all passed out on their mats. The nap lasted from 11:30-2 so he did very well. Must have been a comfy mat or else an exhausted toddler. His teacher also mentioned that he wanted to be carried around a bit which is normal for a child who hasn't been walking his own a long time. And it was apparent when he came home because he wouldn't let either of us put him down to toddle around. He wanted held from the time he arrived home until he went to bed. I am thinking that his legs and feet must have hurt. I was very pleased with his transition as well as the 11 hours of sleep he got last night. I'm intrigued to see crafts made by a one year old. Especially ones made with glue. Who knew that a one year old could handle glue? Knowing Callum, they'd better watch him or it'll be in his mouth!

Food Fight

2009-05-31T20:33:00.005-04:00

Callum moves into the toddler room at daycare tomorrow. This means that he is at least 13 months old and walking on his own, which he does very well. Callum will also receive no more bottles during the day, eat breakfast at daycare and participate in arts and crafts. Whoa. My biggest stress with this is that I don't know whether or not they will microwave foods so I'm sending in items that don't need heated for his lunch. I'm also stressing whether or not Callum will be uncool for the lunch his Mom sent in. Do one year olds laugh at other one year olds? Callum's also perfected the art of throwing his sippy cup on the floor as well as any food he doesn't feel like eating. At the university, we don't refer to negative situations/people as "problems", but rather "challenges". The food/cup on the floor has been a challenge. He knows darn well he's not supposed to do it and looks directly at me before chucking the object on the ground. Today I told him he was in time out, and then promptly burst out laughing when I looked into his big blue eyes. Time out- give me a break. I suck at being a disciplinarian. We do have to figure something out because he laughed right back and hurled a chicken chunk on the floor. All three of us have been spending a lot of time outside because of Callum's new passion for the backyard. He enjoys walking around the yard, sliding on his new slide and moving rocks around the small flower garden we have. I have to keep an eye on him though because he's come to find mulch appealing and he's almost succeeding with getting it into his mouth- EWW!

Not this time

2009-05-28T01:51:00.004-04:00

Alas no stars at La Dolce Vita but I am now six degrees of separation from some famous people. The maitre'd knew George Clooney, Christina Aguilera, Dean Martin, Gregory Peck, Ronald & Nancy Regan, Fred Astaire and Steve Martin. Pretty impressive. Maybe I'll see someone tomorrow. I've also been dying to see the paparazzi so who knows? We also took a detour through Beverly Hills to see the sights and I saw famous stores like Dior, Gucci and Fendi. Tomorrow is my last day here and it will be another full day of meetings, sessions and speakers. I hope to make the most of it and get back home! Friday will be a terribly long day but Iain and Callum will be on the other end. And to quote Dr. Suess: "To bed, I said". Good night!

Dinner in LA

2009-05-27T19:18:00.002-04:00

The day has been eventful and it's not over yet. I am in between sessions and taking a few minutes to post. I've been invited to a dinner in Beverly Hills tonight by one of my partner universities. I am very excited because 1. I've never been to Beverly Hills 2. I love being treated to dinner 3. I may have the chance to see someone famous. We are going to La Dolce Vita, http://www.ladolcevitabeverlyhills.com/, which is supposed to be amazing. All I care about is the fact that I am going to be in Beverly Hills. I've watched bits and pieces of the movie "Pretty Woman" over the past month and I might actually get to see some of those places tonight. I'll let you know if anyone famous shows up. But the odds on a Wednesday night are probably slim to none. I spoke with Iain a little while ago and things are going well at home. I think that he secretly enjoys when I go away because he can do boy things like play PlayStation and not do the dishes. I also have a feeling that when Callum gets older, they will enjoy it even more when they get a break from Mommy's nagging. Yes, folks, I'm a wife. Wives nag and I'm good at it. But Iain is fabulous at not letting me bug him too much and even humors my incessant demands. I'll try to post about dinner but my WiFi is only good for 24 hours and I'm not renewing it.

Travels

2009-05-27T08:20:00.002-04:00

I post today from the fabulous city of Los Angeles CA. I'm attending a conference for NAFSA, the Association of International Educators, which is the largest forum for my career field. There are currently 7,400 participantsin LA for this conference and the attendance is down from the 12,000 who attended the conference in Washington D.C. last year. I didn't go to that conference because of Callum's arrival. Anyway, it is always amazing, overwhelming and uplifting to do anything with NAFSA. The trip here was alright although I hit a few snags. My flight from Cincinnati to Los Angeles was oversold and guess who didn't have a seat? Yup. I managed to get on after the airline offered up vouchers for other travelers and they re-routed a few people. Normally I would have given up my own seat but since I was traveling for business, I figured that I'd better just get there already. But I didn't get the joy of perusing the airport and eating breakfast after my stupidly early 6 a.m. flight from Harrisburg. I had to stalk the ticket booth to make sure that they didn't forget me! Then I got onto the 6 hour flight to find out that all food, other than a microscopic sized bag of peanuts, must be purchased! Drinks were free- how generous! My past couple of long flights have gone abroad and it must be an FAA rule to feed people so I've never gone hungry. But yesterday I shelled out $2 for a bag of M&M's. Pretty sad. After my 50 minute shuttle ride from LAX to the Westin, I was about 3 hours early for check in so I had to lug myself from the hotel to the convention center. It looked a lot closer when I was riding in the shuttle. I wouldn't have walked with my laptop and purse if I would have realized that it was at least 10 blocks away. I did manage to get into my hotel room early which was a blessing, especially since the hotel oversold and were turning people away. Gotta love how the travel industry treats customers. One tip that makes a difference if you are traveling- sign up for the priority card with the hotel before getting there. I was able to skip a line of 10 people to check in simply because I had the little plastic card. All in all, things are going well although it would have been great to sleep in past 4:34 a.m. Jet lag can be brutal and totally uncontrollable. Iain and Callum are fairing well through my absence but I have a feeling that once I get back Callum won't let me out of his sight for a little while. Separation anxiety is a stage that he just doesn't seem to outgrown. Anyway, I miss my guys and look forward to my uber early flight home on Friday. Like Dorothy always said it best, "There's No Place Like Home!".

Transitions

2009-05-23T20:40:00.003-04:00

Month 12 of Callum's life continues, and we continue to have fun with him on a daily basis, although sometimes he definitely tests our patience. He is quite strong willed and gets very upset when he doesn't get what he wants or doesn't get enough sleep. Today was a day when both of those things happened at the same time and he was a bear by 4 p.m. I finally had to call Iain in from cutting the grass because I couldn't take the yelling anymore. Callum treats mom different than dad and sometimes I think that he thinks that I can read his mind and improve the current state of any situation. I wish he had a few more words in his vocabulary to make communication a bit easier! He now loves the outside and walking around our yard as well as up and down the sidewalks. Callum's also discovered the neighbor's yard and Yorkshire terrier. It makes it a bit awkward when he wants to continue his stroll into their manicured landscaping! Although they are more than cordial, we haven't had any lengthy conversations in the past three years. So it is a bit odd when Callum wants to charge into their backyard! He was very mad at mommy earlier when she wouldn't let him visit a second time. On a positive note, Callum had his picture done at Sears this morning and he was very smiley for the camera. He is also transitioning onto the toddler schedule the daycare keeps quite well. He will move into the toddler room in a couple of weeks. His new schedule involves a set time for breakfast and other meals, only one daily nap and eventually no bottles. He's still having 2 a day at daycare and a tiny one before bed. I am dreading when the nightly one has to be dropped. He enjoys it so much and it calms him tremendously. It also makes me sad that he won't be taking bottles anymore! We'd like to wish everyone a Happy Memorial Day Weekend- safe travels to anyone on the road or in the sky. The Burnetts will be camped out at home until the return to work on Tuesday. I'll actually be leaving the boys for four days alone as I travel to Los Angeles for a conference. I'll post more about this before I depart on Tuesday. Until then, enjoy the long weekend!

Toddling Along

2009-05-14T07:32:00.005-04:00

Since my little one woke up early today and I am at work super early, I thought I would post an update. Callum has entered the world of toddlers in two ways since his birthday. The first way was by taking his first steps on May 5. Iain brought him home from daycare and set him down on his feet in the kitchen. Callum walked right over to me! He definitely takes his time and really prefers to hold onto a finger or two when walking, but he can go it alone. He knows that if he wants to get to something really fast that crawling is the way to do it, but he's enjoying his new ability to step out on his own. Sometimes Callum gets so excited with walking, he makes a head dive towards the person or thing he is walking to. It's been fun so far watching him with his new found independence. The second way he has become a toddler is by throwing tantrums! Yes, at age one, Callum has thrown himself on the floor and bawled over things like not being able to play with the door handle (because Mommy has to hold him while doing it), not being allowed to pull on the ceiling fan cords (because Mommy has to hold him while doing it) and not being able to sit on the counter in the kitchen sticking his fingers in the dishwater (because Mommy has to hold him while doing it). Are we seeing a pattern? I didn't think that the tantrums would come so soon but according to the many sources I have been referencing, this is totally normal! So much for the terrible twos. Overall, he's not been unpleasant but if there is something he wants or wants to do and he can't, he gets so ANGRY. Thank goodness I've ordered my latest parenting book, The Happiest Toddler on the Block. I'm learning about the "Fast Food Rule" and "Toddlerese", which are ways to handle the behavior that comes from a child between one and four years old. I'll let you know how it goes, especially if it works! Bring on the tantrums! Okay- not really.

Happy Birthday Callum!

2009-05-02T21:13:00.004-04:00

As you can see, Callum had a terrific first birthday. Despite a rocky road to a nap, he slept well and was a joy all afternoon. He enjoyed his cousins and friends with a Curious George pinata, ate cake- and I mean really ate cake, opened presents and overall, had a fun day. Many thanks to everyone who helped with the party and attended to celebrate his birthday. It was one to remember!

One Year Already

2009-05-01T21:25:00.003-04:00

We can't believe that a whole year has past since Callum entered the world. We technically have a few hours until he is officially 12 months old but I'm not staying up until 2:30 to ring in the new year. I did that once already. He's also suffering from another ear infection and is having a rough time getting settled. Hopefully he'll be feeling better in the morning. ;-/

First Popsicle

2009-04-27T19:25:00.005-04:00

As you can see Callum had his first Popsicle this weekend. PA and obviously some other parts of the U.S. had some freakishly hot weather-- 90 degrees in April!-- so we enjoyed some Popsicles to cool off. Callum loved it although he was furious when it ended. We're also in preparations for the big 1st birthday which has been fun. This year has gone by so fast I can hardly believe it. The best times for me as a Mommy have been all of the firsts- smile, laugh, hug, foods, and steps. The most challenging have been the sleepless nights and teething. Boy- getting teeth sure is difficult business. I look back and smile at the long nights and think about how they allowed me to bond with Callum. On the other hand, I'm glad we're bonded and he's sleeping. Although tonight might be a bad one since he's obviously suffered from some new ones. He had a fever that sent him home from daycare and he was drooly and crabby all day. Reminiscing of the first month of Callum's life brings me to one night in particular. I will never forget when I woke up with a pain in my back from the newborn sized Pampers diaper which was wedged in our bed. In my sleep deprived state of Callum's life--week two, I managed to change Callum and not throw the diaper away. Rather it ended up in between our sheets! Thankfully it was a wet one which had been tightly rolled into a ball so no mess ensued. It's amazing the things we do and look back on! Keep posted for new pictures and hopefully video of a grand cake smash! We've ordered chocolate so I hope he likes it!

Words With New Meanings

2009-04-21T18:52:00.011-04:00

As I reflect on the past year of Callum's life as we approach month number 12, I've come to find new meaning to words associated with the first year of parenthood.

Bottle: literal meaning according to Webster online: a rigid or semi rigid container typically of glass or plastic having a comparatively narrow neck or mouth and usually no handle. Bottle: meaning to a parent: the one thing that will calm a baby and in Callum's case, provide immediate quiet.
Sleep: literal meaning: the natural periodic suspension of consciousness during which the powers of the body are restored. Sleep: meaning to a parent: the one thing you crave and possibly miss the most after the baby arrives and in Callum's case, doesn't catch onto for a full 12 hours until 10 months of age.
Food: literal meaning: material consisting essentially of protein, carbohydrate, and fat used in the body of an organism to sustain growth, repair, and vital processes and to furnish energy. Food: meaning to parent: substance that aids with sleep and comes in many forms including breast milk, formula, cereal, fruits, vegetables and eventually Gerber snacks which are so loved by babies but so expensive for their serving sizes per bag. In Callum's case, food often resides on his clothes and in his hair every time he eats, and we now invest in the large refill of Spray and Wash as opposed to the small bottle.
Laughter: literal meaning: a cause of merriment. Laughter: meaning to a parent: one of the few things that makes them act stupidly in any situation just to hear this joyous sound come from their child. In Callum's case, he loves when we put things on our heads and make stupid faces, which we do on a daily basis.
Love: literal meaning: strong affection for another arising out of kinship or personal ties. Love: meaning to a parent: your heart now belongs to someone else.

My favorite quote concerning being a parent is by Elizabeth Stone who said "Making the decision to have a child is momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body". I now appreciate this quote when I look at Callum and reflect on the past year.

My First Real Hug

2009-04-20T12:23:00.005-04:00

I will post today that I received my first real hug last week. On Thursday afternoon, I drove to daycare to pick Callum up because Iain had to work late. I was running behind because I had also worked late to finish a presentation with students. The goal was to pick Callum up, meet Iain, go to Melvin's Auto to drop off our car for inspection, and get over to Uncle Tedd's house to borrow his car... all before 6:15. The time was currently 5:15 when I left campus. When I arrived at daycare, I was feeling frantic because I still hadn't managed to get Iain on the phone and I was worried about getting to the garage before it closed at 6. Mind you, our daycare is 5 miles outside of Shippensburg in the exact opposite direction of the garage. When I walked inside, Callum's little face lit up beyond belief to see his Mommy. I don't usually pick him up and he was overjoyed to see me there. To have awoken from a nap just a few minutes earlier also enlightened his mood. When I picked him up, he hugged me. Actually hugged me. I know that he's been on my hip or shoulder hundreds of times for many reasons, but this was the first time, his little arms wrapped around me and held on for the purpose of a hug. It was the best feeling that I truly can't describe in entirety. And yes, we did manage to get all of that other stuff done, but that afternoon, Callum's hug made me slow down just a little bit. We celebrated Easter weekend with a trip to Pappy and Grandma Sloan's house. It was a fun time with good company and excellent food. Callum did exceptionally well in the car as he was awake the entire way there and back, which is about 3 hours each way. We've now learned the power of a snack and juice in the car. As long as he had a cheese puff, regular baby puff, yogurt bite or other goodie in his mouth or within reach, he was happy to sit there and ride away. Mind you, these snacks are all pretty much made up of air and have less than 35 calories per serving. We also played all kinds of games and sang songs. I'm glad he is getting used to the car ride now because it will make it a bit easier each time we travel. As his 1st birthday approaches, I can't believe how quickly the year has gone. I don't know if I'd want the little Callum back because I enjoy him so much now between his ever growing personality and the sleep we all get each night. I'm going to post some new pictures after I find my USB cord. I think my SIL stole it (http://sloanchronicles.blogspot.com/) J/K- it's in our guestroom!

Late lunch

2009-04-08T13:03:00.003-04:00

I'm eating a late lunch due to a noon meeting so I thought I was add some new pictures. We've found that taking Callum outdoors = a tired baby = rested parents. On Sunday, Iain's arm fell asleep since Callum's afternoon nap was 2 hours long - on top of him. We'll be doing that more often on the weekends. Bring on the warm weather!

Month 11

2009-04-01T20:16:00.004-04:00

The end of month 10 and beginning of month 11 for Callum have been flying! Or should I say that Callum is flying... he's like the Energizer Bunny... keeps going and going and going... he has some interest in toys and books but not like it was before he was mobile. Eating is still an ongoing adventure and he's pretty much trying all kinds of grown up foods. He had macaroni and cheese tonight which he loved. He also sees us eating things and wants to try them. Not always great when we're eating semi or very unhealthy things. I've also come to learn why Stain Stick is so integral in the lives of moms, especially me, since Iain's been banned from laundry. We had an incident with dark clothes and bleach and thus I've taken over. Callum has also been testing out a new pair of tennis shoes. They're his first pair of shoes and he's doing really well with them. He's technically taken his first steps although they are few and far between. The daycare he attends is in the basement of a church and has a long hallway with classrooms on either side. He managed to walk with a baby walker almost the entire length of the hallway without stopping or sitting down. I was so impressed when I found out. Callum's still very attached to his bottles but is doing well with the sippy cups. I'm not looking forward to that weening process although I'm hoping that similar to the Swaddler, he transitions himself out of it. He's still in the baby bath but we have GOT to get him out of it. He's now standing up in it trying to grab his new bath toys off the walls of the tub (Thanks Aunt Karen!). All in all, things are fun and Callum is thriving. He's very affectionate with those he knows and has no time for those he doesn't. :-) We should have some stories from Easter because I think the daycare Easter party will involve a bunny...

How old is he?

2009-03-23T12:00:00.007-04:00

Is he 10 months, 4 weeks or is he 2? Sometimes I don't know. Callum has begun to throwing fits bordering on tantrums when he doesn't get something he wants. Now it's not like we go to the store and can't leave without the latest Sesame Street DVD or comparable, but when he sees the TV remote, watch out! He cried for 5 minutes yesterday because we wouldn't let him have it. The child was trying to fit himself under the coffee table-impossible feat with the size of his melon- just to get the remote. We've made the mistake of letting him play with it before and now we are suffering the repercussion. He's also so active that he bumped his head at least 4 times this weekend-- hard enough that I was worried and he was crying. He goes, goes, goes and then forgets his balance and falls. He's not walking but will be soon. It is keeping us on our toes. Callum's also still in his baby bathtub but we're going to have to transition into the real tub because he's starting to look like the old man in the bucket in the backyard. Callum's legs practically stick out! He's also trying to pull the foam padding off the bottom so if we ever decided to have another child, he/she would be without padding! Okay, okay- we really need to just buy a faucet protector and just transition him. The baby bath along with the Jumperoo, Excersaucer, and Bouncy Seat are all ready to be moved into storage. Our attic is going to start looking like the baby item graveyard- the place where baby items go that aren't being used anymore. This makes me sad but at the same time, Callum is more and more fun each day. His laugh is contagious, he understands a lot of what I say and he's eating real foods (much cheaper!). His refusal of baby food is hilarious. I used to think- how can a child just flat out refuse to eat? Well he does it and I always resort to a different food, method, etc. Callum also learned yesterday how to drink from a sippy cup. Yes, this has taken awhile--it's hard (ever done it that you remember?). Callum finally figured out that juice comes out if he tries hard enough and boy was that juice yummy.

Blueberries and Ya Ya's

2009-03-17T19:33:00.006-04:00

As Callum sleeps and Iain watches Seinfeld, I will update you all on life. Callum continues to grow and grow. His favorite foods this week are blueberries, toast and yogurt (as always). Of course, he won't eat baby blueberries. I've introduced real ones and he loves them. His tastes are expensive already being that blueberries are the most expensive fruit ever! Watching Callum eat is always amusing. He scoops the food up and shovels it into his mouth with zest. He's normally covered from finger tip to forehead with food by the time the meal is done- I actually found toast crumbs in his diaper on Saturday morning- oh my! I used extra care to remove those since I didn't want crumb rash on top of his ever present diaper rash. He's given excellent care at both daycare and home in regards to diaper changes but the diaper rash is pretty prevalent since starting foods. We've also found that Callum likes every electrical item he is not allowed to have. We freely give him an old calculator, my cell phone (he can't get it open), and even an old remote. He prefers the real remote, baby monitor and the cat's fountain-perhaps he's trying to wash his fingers after lunch? I'm starting to feel like I say no a lot, and I probably do. Our house is pretty baby proofed although not perfect and he seems to get into everything! I've been tempted to attach Swiffer cloths to his knees on Saturday mornings since he covers more ground than my mop on an average weekend. His favorite words are Da Da and Ya Ya. Neither one has any specific meaning that we are aware of, although he will call Iain Da Da if he sees him. Ya ya is his all around phrase for "I'm here, I'm happy, Please listen to me jabber". Happy Saint Paddy's Day!

Food Monster

2009-03-10T12:12:00.003-04:00

You've heard of the Cookie Monster I'm sure. Some of us may even feel like one, especially when Girl Scout cookies come out. For me, I have a distinct weakness for chocolate chip cookies. Anyway, Iain and I have created a food monster. Callum is currently refusing baby food at home. I've introduced him to regular foods that are age appropriate and he no longer wants baby foods. He pushes it away. Of course, he's still hungry, so yesterday for dinner, he had baby puffs, cut up green beans, smashed potatoes and shredded cheese. He LOVED the potatoes. I think it was the margarine on them because to my knowledge, he'd never had it before. The daycare staff have told me that he opens up happily for pureed foods there. I think he now knows that there are better things in Mommy and Daddy's refrigerator. I have no objections since it is a lot cheaper than baby food. As you can see from the video, Callum finds the most random things absolutely hilarious and we'll stop at nothing to get him laughing. La la la la la...

2009-03-05T07:44:00.003-05:00

At long last some sleep

2009-03-04T07:50:00.012-05:00

Hi folks- yes we are still alive. Once again things have been hectic and I haven't really had time to post. The university where I work is on spring break so although I have to work (I'm not faculty), things are much more relaxed. I've been able to do some emails and projects from home which is amazing. They also decided as a cost cutting measure to close the building where I work so I am sort of a nomad until next Monday. Anyway, the Burnetts are well. Callum is currently in bed snoring as he spent most of the day getting into everything in his sight. He's an expert crawler now and is very, very fast. His current loves are refrigerator magnets, shredded cheese, baby puffs, yogurt and as always, the cats. Most recently, he had a nasty ear infection and some wheezing that the pediatrician didn't like so he was on antibiotics for about 10 days. Good thing they put something tasty in those things because he opened up like a baby bird anytime the dropper came his way. This past Monday, because of spring break, I had been planning to take a personal day (i.e. Callum goes to daycare and Mommy stays at home to lay in bed and wake the Today show), but somehow Callum got wind of it (I think Iain told him), and he decided to have two new teeth come in. So Sunday night, he was up throughout the night with the pain of the teeth and thus, Mommy and Callum had a personal day together. He's really had a rough time with these two top teeth but this morning one has broken through and the second is about to. Hopefully this will end his pain until the next couple make an appearance. This will bring his teeth total up to four. I'd like to extend some birthday wishes to some special little guys out there. AJ and Eli Sloan both celebrated 1st birthdays in the past two weeks, and my best friend, Jen's, little boy, Dante will turn 2 this weekend. On another note, Callum is FINALLY sleeping through the night granted he isn't sick or teething. This has provided us with great relief. His sleeping stretches are typically 11 or 12 hours and he is so happy when he wakes up. Too bad he didn't get the memo sooner because we would have welcomed 8 uninterrupted hours a few months ago. Better late than never I guess.

Again, this time the ears...

2009-02-17T19:32:00.008-05:00

We're kind of in a strange place right now for a number of reasons. Apparently Callum isn't feeling well, or so the ladies at daycare say, so he's off to the doctor's again tomorrow. Although, he was happy as a clam at home tonight, he had a rough day at daycare- generally out of sorts and cranky. Based upon their explanation, he has the symptoms of an ear infection. He's refused his bottle all day which is weird enough for me to think that the sky is falling. Normally his "ba ba" = happiness. According to BabyCenter.com, my source of all medical information when I can't get a nurse on the line quick enough, refusal of a bottle is a good sign of an ear infection. His ear is also all red and scabby from where he pulled at it all day. Dear Lord- how many more times is this child going to get sick this winter? I swear he's had at least five colds, the plague- I mean stomach flu- and now an ear infection. Good thing I killed myself to breastfeed him- since breastfeeding wards off illness I'd hate to see what state he'd been in if I hadn't (leprosy?). But seriously, I didn't think he'd get sick this often. Okay, okay, some positives in Callum's life... he is a fast moving crawler and mover around of the furniture. See the pictures above as a demonstration of his speed. From the time in which he saw the camera (pic 1) to the time I took picture 2, it took him about 5 seconds to get to me. He also LOVES the cats, especially pulling their fur which is not so fun for them. Nor Callum once he gets swiped at for the first time-yet to happen. Callum's also started to add two new words to his two word vocabulary- "fish" which comes out as a whisper of a "ish" "ish" "ish". He also points at the light/ceiling fan and says "t..t..t". So despite the pronunciation in progress, he knows the sounds the words make. He and I will be off to the doctor's again tomorrow morning. Truly I am thankful for those 8:00 a.m. appointments because they don't completely mess up our entire routine. Although I am sure that he will sleep in the car on the way there and even through the entire time spent in the waiting room. I'll be able to wake him up just as he falls into REM sleep in order to take off all of his clothes to place him on a freezing cold scale. He can then illuminate the exam room and realistically the entire doctor's office with his screams of fury. Can you see we've done this a few times before?

Happy V Week

2009-02-10T12:31:00.005-05:00

The blog color has been changed in honor for Valentine's Day Week and also the VM Performance on campus. I'm not going into the details of this. If you want info, please go to http://webspace.ship.edu/wmscentr/ OR http://newsite.vday.org/. Be warned that these links might not be for the faint of heart. I will also point out that the event, cause and proceeds go to improving the lives of women in the local area and around the world. February is proving to be a warm month. The past three Februarys have been cold, icy and miserable. The temperature has been in the 40's and 50's during the day so no complaints here. Our backyard was a SWAMP on Sunday morning once the snow had all melted. I'm afraid that March will bring a blizzard and another 6 inches of snow. This will round out our total to 12 inches for the year. :-) Exciting upcoming events in February include Valentine's Day, AJ and Eli Sloan's respective 1st birthdays and my 29th (Whoa) birthday. Callum recently discovered the Tupperware (plastic container) drawer and happily played for 25 minutes there yesterday while Iain and I cleaned up after dinner. He's also come to appreciate and want my cell phone and our digital camera whenever he sees them. I took some great pictures of him advancing toward me last night. I'll try and post some soon. Hang in there, stay warm and wear RED--my favorite color.

9 Months- Whoo Hoo!

2009-02-05T12:10:00.003-05:00

Callum reached the 9 month mark on Monday. We celebrated with a doctor's appointment and check up. I asked Dr. Colli a lot of questions- teething, first shoes, lack of sleep and wet beds. He expertly answered all of my questions and we're making some changes to the daily routine to better Callum's night rest. Things are improving and he is definitely getting 8-9 hours in before waking up. Unfortunately he goes to bed at 7 p.m. so 3-4 a.m. is his wake up. Iain and I are working to slowly push bedtime back. Funny enough, after my most recent post, Callum's first tooth began to pop through the bottom left gum. This one came with no fussy or fanfare but a lot of drool. According to Dr. Colli, the one positive aspect to getting teeth later is that they tend to have fewer cavities. On the other hand, he can't munch any good foods. Oh well. We're plugging along through the worst winter Shippensburg has had in years (according to my neighbor). We've had about 6 inches of snow total. I think my brother, Jeremy, in Erie said that they have had something around 100 so we aren't doing too badly. But I am ready for some warm from spring sunshine. On another note, we were all pleased with the Super Bowl result. Edna and Andrew in Scotland brought us luck by wearing their new Steelers scarves- a Christmas gift. We saw them on Skype right before the big game. Go Steelers!

Go Steelers!

2009-02-01T09:02:00.005-05:00

In honor of the Steelers, the blog has been changed temporarily to Black & Gold (errr Blogger yellow) to support their Super Bowl efforts. Go luck today in Tampa! The Burnetts (Callum until 6:30) will cheer on their efforts later today with some of my co-workers. An update on Callum, as he bellows in the next room in protest for the nap his Mom is making him take, is that tomorrow begins month 9. We have our check up with Dr. Colli which will consist of my questions... when will he get some teeth... when will he stop waking up at night to eat... how much formula should he be drinking since he is wetting the bed regularly (umm maybe related to the drinking at night?)... basically when will this get any easier? Perhaps the answer is never? On a more positive side, Callum's understanding and comprehension of words grows and grows. He knows Ma Ma and Da Da. He definitely knows what a Ba Ba (Bottle) is. He also knows the word Fish. Yes, in a house with three cats, we do have a single goldfish and Callum loves watching her swim. He's still trying very hard to walk alone and pull himself along the coffee table. Things are more and more fun each day but the nights are still very long. Thank goodness for coffee. I don't think I could do this without it; I'm up to 3 cups a day- 1 around 3 p.m. And also a husband who is actively involved in Callum's life and child rearing. I truly don't understand how men can brag that they've never changed a diaper. Get over yourself. Iain is absolutely amazing with caring for Callum and helping me not hit a breaking point with the daily grind-- get up at 5 a.m., shower and get ready for work, get Callum ready after he wakes up, drive to daycare, go to work, do work, come home, get everything ready for daycare the next day, cook/eat dinner, play with Callum, bath/bottle/bed, clean a little, and go to bed. And then do it again another 4 times before Saturday. I'm not trying to complain because I adore Callum and being a Mom, but I never knew just how hard this would be. Maybe some rest will come in month 9... I am quickly doubting it as Callum's wails continue into the 20 minute mark. The kid's got stamina- I hope it helps him in 10 years from now on the soccer field.

Leaps and Bounds

2009-01-24T19:34:00.008-05:00

The flu ended up sticking around longer than we would have liked. Callum was sick in total for about 10 days. The worst part lasted about 5 but he wasn't 100% until 10 days had passed. When he returned to daycare, it was only him and one other baby. Everyone else now has it! Nasty stuff. Callum's enthusiasm for eating has waned somewhat which is disappointing but at least he's eating again. We experienced a hunger strike for about 3 days when it was a bottle or nothing. The child wouldn't open his mouth. The day I was about to call the doctor's office for the fourth time that week, he choked down some cereal and I knew that we were going to be okay. Since the plague of 2009, Callum's been doing beautifully with everything an 8 month 4 week old baby should be doing. He is crawling slowly but surely. It doesn't help that we have hard wood floors everywhere but he is pretty impressive on carpet. Callum can also pull himself up on chairs, the couch, coffee table, etc. as well as walk with help. My favorite is when he sees something he wants and, while standing, thrusts his body towards it head first. Basically his upper body lunges but his feet stay planted to the floor. He has no fear. I'd say on average he bumps his head about five times a day although he hardly ever cries when doing it. His crib has been dropped down too because he loves standing in it. Callum's also successfully said his first two words-- Da Da and Ma Ma. Each were said purposefully to get Iain and my attention after one of us walked into a room. Absolutely wonderful feeling. I would have given him some chocolate if I'd had some after hearing it. So far, almost nine months, and no teeth. I'm not sure what's going on with that, but Callum has the most wonderful gummy grin that I almost think that a tooth or two would screw it up. Although I'm not sure how he will ever eat real foods. I guess it will be pureed vegetables forever.

Lessons Learned

2009-01-15T12:26:00.009-05:00

The Burnetts have survived the first and hopefully only stomach flu we will see in 2009 (or at least this month). The flu was much harder on Callum than Iain or I but I supposed that this is because this is his first experience with it. I'd like to say his last but likely isn't so. Callum in total was sick for five days-Iain and I for 24 hours a piece. I learned several lessons caring for a sick baby. As mentioned before, Pedialyte is a great thing to have around the house in advance of needing it. For those of you not familiar with Pedialyte- it is a drink for children that restores nutrients to the body when ill. Fortunately a co-worker was kind enough on Friday morning to run to the store and pick it up for me when I desperately needed it and didn't want to drag Callum out of the house. Although Callum didn't want to drink it, after seeing the results of a sick baby drinking formula, he learned quickly to wash it down because Mommy wasn't giving him anything else. I also learned that I needed more Pedialyte than I thought I ever would. In total, I made 4 trips to the grocery store, buying 6 bottles of it over a span of several days. This stuff isn't cheap either so next time it is on sale, I am stocking up! Another lesson learned is that even though you think your baby is better- personality is normal, he is eating the recommended solids (applesauce, rice cereal)- if the nurse at Franklin County Pediatrics tells you that the bug is staying with infants for 5-8 days- believe her. Until Callum can talk, I'm going to follow the nurse's instructions a bit better and avoid the solids. My final lesson learned is that no matter how many times you wash your hands, scrub down toys/highchairs/counter tops with Clorox wipes and wash sheets/clothes/towels in hot water on the long cycle AND suffer through a flu shot- you will still get sick from caring for your baby. Fortunately it only lasted a day, but yesterday was long enough for me to beg Iain to come home at lunchtime and relieve me of Callum so that I could rest. He obliged and I spent the afternoon napping while he and Callum played. Stay well everyone!

Sick

2009-01-12T08:58:00.004-05:00

While my baby boy grabs a much needed nap, I'll post that the stomach flu has hit the Burnett household. Callum's been sick since Friday and it seems to have gotten worse since then. I was at home all day Friday and now this morning. Iain's leaving work early since, of course, new students arrive and the semester begins today. Yikes! A bad time to be at home and/or sick with the flu so I'll be in this afternoon. There's only so much work I can do at home without advance preparation. To date, I've had no symptoms-Iain was feeling rough yesterday-and I am hoping that my flu shot will do its job. New pics and a happier update will be provided when we are germ free...until then, Pedialyte is my new best friend.

Phew!

2009-01-07T11:58:00.008-05:00

The holiday season is done and the Burnetts are exhausted. I can truly say that we had a fabulous Christmas, New Year and in between, but all of it kicked our butts. I have never had a Christmas Eve when I couldn't believe that I still had presents to wrap (Callum's) and other loose ends. That definitely won't work when he is a few years older and knows that the presents are coming. We didn't even bother to hide them! Iain, Callum and I had a wonderful visit with Gran and Grandad Burnett (Edna and Andrew/Mum and Dad to you adults out there), who flew all the way to the U.S. to spend time with us. Callum received lots of wonderful gifts and cuddles and we got to sleep in several mornings. All five of us piled into our lovely 2 door Honda Accord-not the best "family" car and ventured through the mountains of Maryland to spend New Year's with the Sloan family. While there, many cookies were eaten and games were played including Andrew and Edna's first experience with a Wii. Fun times. It's not just for kids. Now we are successfully into 2009 and I have two resolutions. Technically I haven't officially started one yet but it will begin next week. First, I will wear sunscreen every day. Sounds kinda dumb but I used to do this every day on my face. Then I slacked off. But I think that it is an important way to avoid skin cancer and wrinkles since I approach year 29 next month. Applying sunscreen is slightly difficult since I am in such a rush these mornings-Callum doesn't quite understand Mommy's need for a shower, blow dry, makeup application and clothing-so adding even one more thing is hard. But I know SPF is important and I resolve to wear it as often as possible. My second resolution is to lose my baby weight. I couldn't find much motivation to do this prior to Cookie Fest 2008, I mean Christmas, but now that it is 4 months away from Callum's 1st birthday, I just can't justify how I look and feel. So as of Monday, I'll be back on the South Beach diet. I did this pre-pregnancy to tone up for Jen Bell Kosior's wedding and was successful. The first two weeks stink but I need something to motivate me to move past my current body situation. A Happy New Year to all of you and good luck with your resolutions or anything you've decided that you want to do better, start doing or quit. I'll post some new pictures soon and give a Callum update.

Merry Christmas

2008-12-24T09:43:00.006-05:00

We'd like to wish a Merry Christmas to our family and friends near and far. Iain, Callum and I are thankful for each other, our health and all of the wonderful people in our lives. I hope that you experience peace and happiness this Christmas. The past four weeks have been rush, rush, rush and more rush for us. And I'm still not done. I'm definitely going to have to shop earlier for Callum next year since all of his presents are still unwrapped. Some of Iain's as well. My baking was finally done at 9 p.m. last night. This is something I really enjoy so I don't mind. I still have some things to do, but I'm going to take today and tomorrow slowly to enjoy the first Christmas I get to spend with my baby boy. He's almost 8 months old and is starting to get into everything. With some help, he can pull himself to his feet and enjoys standing next to the coffee table and the couch. Still no teeth but a very enthusiastic eater. Safe travels to those of you who will be on the road or in the sky in the next couple of days. Merry Christmas!

My Faves at Christmas

2008-12-08T13:02:00.010-05:00

Welcome to the Christmas edition of getting to know your friends.

Wrapping paper or gift bags? Gift bags... much neater
Real tree or Artificial? Artificial this year... real when Callum notices
When do you put up the tree? As soon as Thanksgiving ends
When do you take the tree down? Usually right after New Year's Day, possibly later this year
Do you like eggnog? Sometimes... Iain likes egg nog ice cream!
Favorite gift received as a child? Pink and purple bike
Hardest person to buy for? Daycare employees
Easiest person to buy for? Iain- everything he wants is on his Amazon wishlist
Do you have a nativity scene? Yup but need a manger
Mail or email Christmas cards? Definitely mail
Worst Christmas gift you ever received? Not sure really
Favorite Christmas Movie? Scrooge, Love Actually
When do you start shopping for Christmas? Mid-November
Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Yup *blush*
Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Goodies
Lights on the tree? White
Favorite Christmas song? Silent Night and Rudolph
Travel at Christmas or stay home? Home
Angel on the tree top or a star? Star
When do you open presents Christmas Eve or Christmas Morning? Christmas morning
Most annoying thing about this time of the year? Too many crazy people shopping
Favorite ornament theme or color? I've decided that I like snowpeople (saying men is a bit sexist)
Favorite food? Pimento Cheese!
What do you want for Christmas this year? To spend time with Iain and Callum

Survived

2008-12-08T12:34:00.003-05:00

All three of the Burnetts survived my trip to Pittsburgh. I slummed it at the Marriott and Iain and Callum suffered through three nights without Mommy. Iain had no complaints and Callum was definitely in one piece when I got back. The house was clean and the laundry started. What an awesome husband and father! I was also amazed at just how cute Callum looked when I got back. I am, again, totally biased but it is really funny just how adorable a baby looks after you've been away from him for a few days. He was all smiles when I got home on Friday. Iain and I managed to get a lot done this weekend with decorating and preparing for Christmas. This is such a fun time of year to spend with those that you love. Callum's update is that he is now 7 months, no teeth, and really really ready to crawl but very good at scooting around on his bottom. He is an enthusiastic eater and has a very fun baby chuckle. We, I mean Iain, even installed our first baby proofing item of the household- a gate at the bottom of the stairs. It looks and is working wonderfully. Now we only need to empty out about 6 dozen drawers and cupboards to hide away all the fun things that Callum could get into and do damage with. That'll only take us 3 months--guess we'd better start working on it.

Guilty Pleasures

2008-12-01T19:39:00.006-05:00

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving with family and friends while eating their favorite foods. I know we did. Boy am I stuffed. Yes-still stuffed from the weekend! The food and company were amazing. Callum did pretty well granted the quantity of time he spent in the car to get to Pappy and Grandma's and then with all of the visiting done. I am proud of his patience (and ability to sleep while in a moving vehicle). I posted a few weeks ago about simple pleasures- cleaning, coupons, relaxing with Callum and Iain. Now I have to post about guilty pleasures. I would define this as something you do that causes joy although some guilt follows the action. Well some of my personal guilty pleasures include spreadable pimento cheese from the Butcher Shop in Chambersburg (I swear they put drugs in it because I can't stop eating it once I stop). Hence we only buy it as a Christmas Eve treat. Only 23 days until pimento cheese. Another food guilty pleasure for me is chocolate. Although I have some restraint with chocolate, it is one of those things that some days I just need and I usually feel semi-bad after eating it. The same with the pimento cheese...23 days...23 days... I also follow a few television shows that could definitely be categorized as guilty pleasures--Mama's Family (cheesy '80's humor), 90210 (the old version people) and The Girls Next Door (I don't understand how people live this way, but I am fascinated with these clueless women). All of these TV shows result in some degree of guilt after viewing. A final guilty pleasure I will mention is the fact that I am leaving Iain and Callum. Not for good, of course! I am going to a training this week in the Pittsburgh area, thus I will be spending three sleep filled nights at the Marriott. The first sleep filled nights I have had since April 29th (more than 7 consecutive hours anyway). I definitely feel bad leaving Iain and Callum, but I am starting to feel like a vampire craving blood (mommy craving sleep). Anyway, the training will be extremely beneficial for my career and some time away may be good for my well being. Iain has been incredibly supportive of this endeavor and I truly appreciate his understanding of my need for professional development. He might not feel this way by Friday evening but at least by then I will be back, well rested. Maybe Callum will sleep through the night for Daddy? I'm not counting on it. If he does however, the night feeding is done when I get back!

Update

2008-11-23T14:51:00.003-05:00

Over the past two weeks, Iain and I have been working, caring for Callum and generally trying to keep our heads above water. Things have been hectic. Last Saturday, we were fortunate enough to make some extra money working at standardized testing which occurs periodically at the university. Aunt Karen and Uncle Tedd generously babysat for Callum and had a fun time with him. Callum did a great job away from Mommy and Daddy for several hours. He has been experiencing some stranger/separation anxiety over the past couple of weeks but did very well with Aunt Karen and Uncle Tedd. Obviously they aren't strangers to him! The separation anxiety is a new thing. He still does really well at daycare, but he gets stressed out when either Iain or I leave the room. It makes things difficult when trying to get stuff done around the house. Even this past weekend, he's been getting upset when one of us isn't holding him. I don't know where this behavior came from, but boy are my arms tired. He's not that little anymore! On another note, some new and cute behaviors are his ability to shake his head "no" at us and also lunge forward/scoot his butt around his space. He manages to do quite well scooting but gets mad when he is on his tummy but can't get very far. I am afraid that he will be crawling before we both know it. Yikes! We are definitely not ready for that. Iain and Callum spent last Saturday night alone while I traveled out of town for the night to attend my high school reunion. It wasn't the official reunion because no one from our class actually bothered to plan one. However, several of my girlfriends and I rented a condo at Nemacolin Woodlands and spent the evening catching up. It was fantastic to see everyone and to hear about the past ten years. I am amazed that so much time has passed, but then again, when I look at Callum, I can see just how quickly time flies. The Burnetts are looking forward to the upcoming week because of a short three days at work/daycare and then some time away for Turkey Day. Safe and happy travels to all of you who will be making any trips for Thursday.

Insanity

2008-11-21T14:22:00.003-05:00

Yes, life has been insane the past couple of weeks hence the lack of posts. Each day is relatively the same but something is always happening. I'll give an update on last weekend sometime this weekend. However, I thought I would post quickly since Callum had his six month check up this morning. He weighed in at 17 lbs 2 oz. and 27 & 1/2 inches long. Whoa! That means he has gained approximately 10 lbs and 6 & 1/2 inches since birth. Thank God he didn't come out that way! Iain and I have a weekend coming up of absolutely nothing which is awesome. We run, run, run all week. Run to daycare, run to work, run home. Cook dinner, wash bottles, pack lunches, eat dinner, give Callum his bath and bottle and put him to bed. On a good night, we watch some TV and then go to sleep. Every single day. The routine is exhausting by Friday. Not that much changes on Saturday and Sunday but we cut out the daycare, work and home running. Anyway, we plan to put up our feet and Callum's too and hopefully chill a little bit. I'll post some new pics when I can. I managed to get the child smiling on camera.

Simple Pleasures

2008-11-09T16:12:00.005-05:00

The more busy and tired I become, the more I come to appreciate life's simple pleasures. Obviously these are different for everyone, but I was thinking today about mine. First and foremost, Iain and Callum light up my life. They both hold the number one spot in my heart for very different and important reasons. My love for them grows more and more each day. Another pleasure I've mentioned before is the time I have on the weekend to make our house a home. Little by little, Iain and I do small things to add to our "show place". Earlier today, I was able to tidy up and clean the kitchen floor which now looks fabulous. Cleaning is definitely not something that Iain views as a simple pleasure. In general, I don't really think that most men do. I'm not trying to show gender bias but other than Danny Tanner from the 90's show, "Full House", I don't know many men that get enjoyment out of cleaning. I also wouldn't say that most women actually enjoy cleaning. However, I think the pleasure I get from cleaning comes from the result of our home when I am finished. I've had several wonderful role models who have always kept immaculate homes that I aim to emulate. The autumn we are having also provides me with a gorgeous view out of almost every window in our house. Leaves are everywhere having fallen in just about every shade of brown, yellow, red and orange that you can imagine. I get simple pleasure out of knowing that Iain will take care of disposal of these leaves when he cuts the grass, thus saving me from having to worry about it. One of Iain's favorite things to tease me about is my love for coupons. Why pay full price when you can get a dollar off? I look forward to the Sunday paper so that I can find and clip tiny slips of paper that will save us money. With the cost of groceries and baby supplies slightly astronomical or at least feeling that way, I enjoy finding ways to save us money. My final simple pleasure is looking forward to the holidays. I am a firm believer in three separate holidays after Halloween ends- Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's. I realize that there are other traditions celebrated by others in the U.S. and around the world, but these are the three recognized in our household. I greatly anticipate the holiday season. I think that this year will be one of the most special ones yet. The addition of Callum is a major contributor to my excitement. The three of us are really looking forward to spending time with both the Sloan and Burnett families. We are so fortunate to have Iain's parents, Edna and Andrew, making the trip across the pond to visit with Callum and us. This year will be about family, friends and being thankful for everything that we have because we are blessed beyond words. On another note, after the end of a long week and frankly a long six months of campaign jargon from both sides (D & R parties), I am pleased with the election results. I know that not everyone is. However, I can truly say that I now have hope for my immediate and extended families as well as for my son's future. I also have hope for the future of the United States both home and abroad. It has been a long eight years. My dream is that across the nation we can get past our differences and unite for the common good of the country. Enjoy the simple pleasures in your life right now, whatever they may be... coupons, autumn leaves or cleaning the kitchen floor.

VOTE

2008-11-04T07:48:00.004-05:00

Today is an important day which will change the lives of all of us in the U.S. Please get out and vote. No matter your political beliefs, your vote is so crucial. Pennsylvania is still considered a swing state so every ballot counts. One thing I checked out was Senator Obama's tax plan for the middle class (http://taxcut.barackobama.com/). I was surprised by the tax savings Iain and I would receive if this plan is put into effect ($1800 for a year). Whoa. I know we could really use that money right now. Things seem to get tighter and tighter each month. Now we are by no means struggling to get by and I do not want to make it sound like we are going through anything comparable to those who have no health insurance, have lost or are losing a home, or consistently juggle bills in order to put food on the table. I just pray that whomever gets into office will keep the ordinary people of the U.S. in mind when making decisions and that he will also remember our tarnished image abroad. From my travels in the past 8 years, I have heard terrible comments about the United States. After getting past the shock of these remarks and reading more about our foreign policies, I've come to realize that although the comments are harsh, in some ways they are very true. I pray that our country moves forward in a positive direction no matter who our leader is. I pray for four years of growth and prosperity from our government for my son, nieces, nephews, little cousins and children of close friends. They are our future and we need change for them.

Where has the time gone???

2008-11-02T19:11:00.005-05:00

Well folks Callum is 6 months old today. I can hardly believe. The last time I looked he was 5 months, but I just got my latest Baby Center bulletin that officially announced his 6 month 1 week status. I will admit that he gets easier and easier each week. He has a fun little personality which is complemented by a growing curiosity for everything around him. When I turned the ceiling fan on this afternoon, he watched it for at least 3 minutes. Who would have guessed this was such a neat toy? Some info on 6 month old Callum: Likes-- Mommy, Daddy, Henry the Cat, mixed grain cereal, peas, his elephant & new stacking toys, Miss Terri at Trinity Daycare, playing in his exersaucer, making loud squealing noises and taking short car rides. Dislikes-- napping (better at this but still not his favorite thing), strangers, being awake after 7 p.m., long car rides and pureed meats (turkey and beef were a disaster this weekend!). Nicknames-- Peanut, Little Bug. Concerning his parents, Iain and I have really come a long way in the past 6 months. Before Callum arrived, I had read just about everything on babies that I thought applied to preparing for the arrival of a baby. Iain also did a lot of research on being a dad and generally what to expect from a newborn. We went to a childbirth class, talked to others with children and ensured that we had every item that we could possibly need in Callum's first 2 months of life. Yet none of this prepared us for parenthood. And I can't say that I would have enthusiastically gotten pregnant if I would have known that I would still be getting up at night with a 6 month old baby. I've also come to realize that we are most likely completely unprepared for the next six months and heck the next 18 years. I keep reading about meltdowns and how to handle them. I don't think that meltdowns are something I am ready to deal with. I remember seeing a few from my nieces and nephew. Meltdowns are downright ugly. Fortunately, I think we have at least another 6-9 months until one arises- at least a purposeful one anyway. I digress. Iain and I have come this far and I've enjoyed the journey. I look forward to continuing it with him and Callum. Let's hope the next 6 months are as good as the first 6. Despite the hard work, the rewards have been worth it. I love my little guy so much sometimes I feel like my head could burst (now that would be a really ugly sight, wouldn't it?). Happy November!

Sarah Palin @ Ship Uni

2008-10-31T12:07:00.005-04:00

As mentioned on my last post, Iain had the opportunity to hear Sarah Palin speak at the University this past week. He waited in line with thousands, yes, thousands of others to get into the field house to listen to her speech. Over 10,000 tickets were handed out, but only about 4,500 people got in to see her live. Iain was one of the lucky (?) ones. Overall, he enjoyed listening to her and said that she was definitely a motivational speaker to those who share the GOP views. He also mentioned that her accent was incredibly strong and at times, he could not understand her. A friend of mine whose husband is a university police officer worked with the Secret Service to escort Governor Palin from the field house to the Performing Arts Center to greet those who had been watching her on big screen TV's. He noted that she was tiny (5'2 at most) and that he also had a hard time understanding her in their brief conversation. One cute thing to mention was that she pulled on a "Ship Happens" t-shirt over her suit before going into the Performing Arts Center (I work at Shippensburg University). I thought that this was a clever thing to do. From what I understand, those who support the Republican ticket truly enjoyed hearing her speak. The College Republicans were all fired up! But then again, the College Democrats were as well. Anyway, it was a memorable event for Iain, but he has told me that if he gains voting rights (after eventually becoming a citizen), he will most likely register as a Democrat or possibly an Independent. We have a few more years for that, but perhaps, he will be able to vote in the next election. Could it be Obama vs. Palin in 2012? Maybe this is just the latest CNN rumor... until next time!

Quick Update!

2008-10-28T15:44:00.003-04:00

Just a quick one since I am at work (bad I know but I didn't take a full lunch hour). Iain is currently freezing his butt off waiting in line to see Sarah Palin. She is on campus for a Road to Victory Rally. Apparently 7000 tickets were given out and when I walked him over to the University Field House, the mile to get into the venue was at least a mile long. I'm not a huge fan so I opted to spend the evening with my favorite 6 month old, but I am excited for Iain to see such a large political figure in person. Hopefully he gets in before her 5:15 speech. Unfortunately, it is 35 degrees outside with a brutal wind so I fear that my hubby will be a Popsicle until he makes it inside the doors. For those of you who are also not fans, go to this website for a laugh: http://www.palinaspresident.us/. Please do not go there if you are a McCain/Palin supporter because I don't want to offend you. The important thing is- go vote! Your voice is important.

Favorite Email Forward

2008-10-24T13:11:00.004-04:00

I absolutely hate email forwards with the exception of ones that allow me to tell you my favorite color, movie, vacation, etc. and those that are extraordinarily funny. See below: Excerpts from a Dog's Diary...... 8:00 am - Dog food! My favorite thing! 9:30 am - A car ride! My favorite thing! 9:40 am - A walk in the park! My favorite thing! 10:30 am - Got rubbed and petted! My favorite thing! 12:00 pm - Lunch! My favorite thing! 1:00 pm - Played in the yard! My favorite thing! 3:00 pm - Wagged my tail! My favorite thing! 5:00 pm - Milk Bones! My favorite thing! 7:00 pm - Got to play ball! My favorite thing! 8:00 pm - Wow! Watched TV with the people! My favorite thing! 11:00 pm - Sleeping on the bed! My favorite thing!

Excerpts from a Cat's Daily Diary... Day 983 of my captivity...My captors continue to taunt me with bizarre little dangling objects. They dine lavishly on fresh meat, while the other inmates and I are fed hash or some sort of dry nuggets. Although I make my contempt for the rations perfectly clear, I nevertheless must eat something in order to keep up my strength. The only thing that keeps me going is my dream of escape. In an attempt to disgust them, I once again vomit on the carpet. Today I decapitated a mouse and dropped its headless body at their feet. I had hoped this would strike fear into their hearts, since it clearly demonstrates what I am capable of. However, they merely made condescending comments about what a 'good little hunter' I am. Bastards. There was some sort of assembly of their accomplices tonight. I was placed in solitary confinement for the duration of the event. However, I could hear the noises and smell the food. I overheard that my confinement was due to the power of 'allergies.' I must learn what this means and how to use it to my advantage. Today I was almost successful in an attempt to assassinate one of my tormentors by weaving around his feet as he was walking. I must try this again tomorrow -- but at the top of the stairs. I am convinced that the other prisoners here are flunkies and snitches. The dog receives special privileges. He is regularly released - and seems to be more than willing to return. He is obviously retarded. The bird has got to be an informant. I observe him communicating with the guards regularly. I am certain that he reports my every move. My captors have arranged protective custody for him in an elevated cell, so he is safe. For now................ (Do they really love us??? I am starting to wonder) LOL

E-Bay

2008-10-23T12:02:00.007-04:00

I know that all of you are dying to keep up with my E-Bay progress. To date, my, I mean, Callum's Jumperoo has been mailed via USPS. We should receive it in 2-9 days. He will be bouncing away very soon! Also, I have promised Iain to limit my E-Bay interactions in the future. It is definitely addicting and being the semi-competitive person that I am, it isn't always a good thing to be bidding for desired items (must win, must win). He is right about the Jumperoo- we could have had a brand new one already. My need to win will be controlled in the future. Callum is currently enduring his third cold since starting daycare. I never knew so much snot could come from a being so tiny. He's done well with his sleeping this week and I think his second daily dose of cereal could be playing a role. I don't think I'll know what to do the first time he sleeps from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. I am starting to think it's never going to happen. Iain, bless him, handled the feeding last night, but I feel like I am more tired when I get extra sleep. This makes no sense, but I think that months of sleep deprivation causes you to crave more sleep when you get more than normal or if you get consecutive hours of sleep verses chopped up hours. Who knows... but they are right- having a baby changes everything... for the better. :-)

October Update

2008-10-19T13:44:00.010-04:00

So far October has been a fun and enjoyable month. As posted before, we attended the Apple Harvest Festival for a fun day out with family. Last weekend, we traveled to Uniontown to visit Pappy Al, Grandma Deenie and cousin Gianna as well as to see my brother, Matt, sister-in-law Jennifer and nephew Jacob. We also had the pleasure of meeting my youngest nephew Elijah Joseph (Eli). Callum and Eli had about as much fun as two babies aged 5 and 7 months can have together. They smiled at one another, held hands a couple of times and had all of us in stitches watching them interact. I know that they will be great buddies and probably be lots of trouble together this time next year! Callum also had his second bath in Grandma's kitchen sink and took it much better than the first one. It was a very enjoyable weekend and we hope to see everyone again very soon. The trip from North Carolina to Pennsylvania is pretty long for Matt, Jen, Jacob and Eli but we hope that they come back up again in the near future! Well I've recently been introduced to EBay. I've never been on the site before, but my staff assistant, Danielle, suggested that I check it out as a possibility for cheap baby gear. I've been eyeing a Fisher Price Rainforest Jumperoo for the past month. They are kinda expensive-- $80 or so at Target and Babies R Us-- and I had been trying to find a discounted one at Amazon.com or on consignment somewhere. No luck. Amazon has the cheapest ones at $64.99 (we have two day pre-paid Prime shipping so there is no cost for this). Anyway, during my lunch break Thursday, I managed to find two Jumperoos on Ebay in the $30 price range. Man was I drooling over those. Now I almost won the first Jumperoo due to my super suave bidding skills, but got shut down at the last minute by soupfatherwife with his bid of $50. As Iain kindly pointed out, with my $49 bid and the $16 postage, I would have been paying the same cost for a used toy compared to a new Jumperoo as available on Amazon. (Boo to him- at least I didn't win.) Well, I kept my eyes open and the second Jumperoo was listed at $35 and with my superb bidding skills, I managed to hold off Ebay users t***r and 2***g (names hidden for privacy) and win the Jumperoo for my little guy! This time I managed to save us $5. Iain was not impressed. The important thing is that the Jumperoo is paid for and in true Sloan fashion, I can say that I won on EBay! On a final note for this update, Callum attended his first Halloween party last night and had fun for about 20 minutes. He was about the cutest penguin on the planet in my (biased) opinion. However, all the noise, lights, and people at the party drove him into his normal hysteric state that occurs if he is around strangers or out of the house after 6:30 p.m. We exited the party quickly after his howls scared most of the other children there. Iain and I are confident that he will become more braver with time and hopefully enjoy many Halloweens with us.

Apple Harvest

2008-10-06T12:01:00.005-04:00

Our latest adventure was going to the National Apple Harvest Festival which takes place in Adams County, PA about 30 minutes from Shippensburg. As you can see from Callum's smile, we all had a good time. We spent the afternoon with Aunt Karen, Uncle Tedd and cousins Ben, Mindy and A.J. as the pictures show. Callum did well with the day out although he did show off his lungs for Uncle Tedd and Aunt Karen on the way home (too many hours between bottles leads to an angry and hungry baby). Overall, Iain and I continue to enjoy Callum. He changes from week to week so dramatically that it is is just amazing to watch him. His latest and greatest thing is laughing. He has an adorable baby chuckle that I just live for. Now we are regularly trying to do anything and everything to make him laugh, which means that we are making fools of ourselves all the time. Callum's also finally noticed the cats. We let him pet Henry yesterday which Callum enjoyed but Henry did not. I think Henry lost some fur in the process- sorry Henry! I also think that all three cats are going to lose weight once Callum starts moving. A good thing for Shuster- not so much for Ivy. She is skinny enough.