New Faces, New Places

Over the past week Calvin has seen numerous new places and several new faces. Mostly really just traveling to places to meet new family. Well, actually traveling up to Santa Barbara and staying at the Grandparentals Van house for a few days. Aunt Susu came out to California for her spring break and so we all headed up to Santa Barbara to hang out with her (before she came down to Pasadena to hang out with us for a while).

But before we headed up to Santa Barbara, Ellie, Cal and I stopped by KTLA to meet Nick's coworkers and friends. Everyone was so kind and we ended up hanging out for over an hour meeting everyone.

After our travel up to Santa Barbara, Ellie, Cal and I went over to visit Great-Grandma Van. Calvin's first new face and new place!

The next day Aunt Susu was set to arrive that night (and despite delayed flights for which Nick was able to help and get Susie up to Santa Barbara). We spent the day hanging out in SB, seeing the sights, and doing what we normally do and what is normal (and soon to be normal) for Ellie. Ellie was so excited to see her beloved aunt. And Susie was so excited to meet her nephew. Cal's next new face was Aunt Susie!

As a family we headed over to visit Great-Grandpa Van. He was in a great mood and we had a terrific visit. He actually thought Calvin was hilarious, especially when he cried.

Calvin is going to meet loads more people and family in the next few weeks and months and for the rest of his first year and it will be super exciting for him, although he may not remember it. It was definitely be exciting for Nick, Ellie and I though!

Spring Celebration Catch-up

We hope that everyone had a great Spring  celebration/Easter. We certainly did and the intent of this post is to summarize everything that we did (which was quite a bit) into one post. 

The first celebration was at Ellie's school. The Friday before her spring break they did an egg hunt and had a party.  Being on maternity leave I was able to volunteer to help hide the eggs and watch the egg hunt. Each kid who wanted to participate was asked to bring 5 plastic eggs with a little trinket inside. We filled the eggs Ellie took with chocolate scented scratch and sniff stickers. The parents hid the eggs on the school playground. We hid some in easy locations (on the ground or in very visible locations) for the younger kids. And hid some in more difficult locations for the older kids. The younger kids had a  head start if a few minutes. At first Ellie was a little discouraged because she lost a few foot races to the remaining "easy" eggs. But then she realized that there were other "harder" eggs and she quickly spotted them and found her alotted five eggs. Then the kids gathered at their picnic tables to open the eggs and observe their loot and talk about the hunt. I didn't get to stay for the party which was held later that afternoon as it was only for the kids. But I heard that everyone had a great time! As part of the party the kids made little Peep nests, well nests for Peeps with some candy eggs. They were absolutely adorable and Ellie was really cute as she was very protective of her Peep (knowing I LOVE Peeps!)

The very next day, after her school egg hunt, was the City of Pasadena Spring Festival and Egg Hunt which was held at the park near our house. We arrived early as they had a pancake breakfast with the Easter bunny. We also met up with friends at the festival. 

After breakfast was the egg hunt. Well not so much a hunt as an egg grab. Hundreds of eggs scattered on a field with hundreds of kids to grab them. Ellie and her friend both got a decent haul, but not too much that they got more than their share or trampled over younger kids to get them. The hunt was divided into two age groups, 0-5 and 6+. So for this hunt Ellie was one of the bigger kids. 

Then after the egg hunt we spent the afternoon at the festival. There was face painting, balloon animals, a bouncy house, science experiments (slime and bubbles) and all sorts of other fun. Ellie and her friend and the younger brothers (well Cal just hung out in the stroller) all had a blast.

Last weekend (Easter weekend) we headed up to Santa Barbara. Aunt Susu came into town and so we all hung out in SB for a few days. On Saturday night we did some egg decorating which turned out really well and E had fun. Then in Easter Aunt Susie hid some eggs in the Grandparentals Van backyard. We didn't count the eggs (plastic ones) before they were hidden so we aren't sure (although pretty confident) that Ellie found them all. Then Ellie hid the eggs for Susie to find. 

Our numerous celebrations were all quite fun and everyone had a great time. I'm not sure Calvin noticed anything new, but I'm sure he had a blast as well.

One Month Old

Just as we did with Ellie, we intend to take a monthly photo of Calvin with an inanimate object, Cal's large tiger, to document how he grows and changes. So far I haven't gotten him not to cry or fuss when I put him down with the tiger. So in the future we will all laugh at the fact that his first month photo with his tiger he is crying, when in reality he doesn't really fuss or cry at all! And so I'll add another photo where he was happy with his tiger.

 In the past few weeks Calvin has met other family members, including Grandpa Mike and Auntie Claire and Uncle Buddy. Really he doesn't fuss that much, I just think its funny in photos to have one person smiling and the other crying.

We have continued to take Calvin with us where we go including restaurants, long walks in the neighborhood, and coming to Ellie's playdates and other fun adventures. It has been quite a bit of fun and he is a joy to be around as he is such a pleasant baby.

He even enjoys hanging out with the family outside when we decide to enjoy the SoCal weather and eat or play outside. Of course maybe he enjoys hanging with his sister. They two really have bonded, as much as they can. He will calm down when Ellie talks to him or sings and he will turn his head to track her voice in a room.

He's growing well and is a healthy baby. This morning he weighed in at 12 lbs (even) with clothes on. He is quite a spitter-uper and he is very gassy, but nothing we can't handle. He sleeps well, eats well, and can fill a diaper...and at a month that makes him a healthy, happy baby. His hair makes me laugh as he has a natural mohawk. His chubbiness and size make him appear older than he really is. People, even those with newborns themselves, ask how many months he is and is surprised when I say one.

And now I'll end this quick update post with outtakes from a photo session with Ellie and Calvin. We did end up getting one where both are looking at the camera and appear happy...but it may end up on the birth announcement so you will just have to wait to see it.