cal’s five.2

This week’s picks:

1. Rise and shine. Where were you at 6:25 this morning? Shaun and I were staring at Cal climb out of sleep land. First he moves his head and makes noises, and then he stretches – pulling his arms over his head, squishing his face, straitening his legs, and elevating his tummy. Finally he opens his eyes, which meet our own. Sometimes his lids close once more. But when they’re open for good, Cal’s full of smiles. And every morning, like many times throughout the day, all we can say, because we are dazzled by his Calness, is: “he’s so cute.”

2. Rocking in the glider con Cal. Weeks upon weeks ago, my aunt called my mom to tell her about a free glider. My dad picked it up and brought it to our house. Shaun painted it a dark blue. It was outside for at least a week “airing out.” Then outside again after repainting a part. Finally, it is in our house, padded with pillows and a cushion. It gets lots of use. Cal frequently falls asleep for the night to the sway of the chair, either nestled in my or Shaun’s lap. The soothing motion even brings me to the brink of bedtime.

3. Reading On the Day You Were Born with Cal and thinking about the day he was born, which was the stuff of magic (I'll be posting my birth soon).

4. Cal resting in my lap and me moving his hands around to the beat of the kiddy songs performed at the local opera house. Cal smiled and watched keenly as I attempted to sing along.

5. Errands with Cal on Wednesday; such a mundane activity, but it sticks out in my brain because this was one of my first attempts to travel extensively with just him and I. He did not cry in the car and fell asleep in the carrier. What a relief that we can venture out into the world together.