Calder Babies

Can you tell which one is which?

I'm a BIG kid now!

Now that Luke has joined our family, "baby" Benjamin seems to have grown up overnight. He seems so big and solid all of the sudden. (I'm sure his love of food has contributed to that.) He has easily assumed the role of big brother and walks around saying: "Baby Luke's crying" (whether Luke is crying or not). He comes to get me if he thinks Luke needs something or to notify me when he has found him asleep (he bursts into our room where Luke sleeps to check on his baby brother, much to my dismay). He loves to "hold" Luke and will ask at least once a day for me to place Luke on his lap so he can look at him.

Even though Benjamin adores Luke, he seems to feel the most displaced since Luke was born. It is hard to share Mom's attention with so many others! So, I dedicate this post to my baby Benjamin, who will always be one of my babies (whether he likes it or not).

Benjamin loves wearing hats (the way he catches his ears on baseball caps is endearing). His favorite toys to play with are Lightning McQueen, Buzz Lightyear and Woody, tools and dinosaurs. He still sucks his thumb and loves his blanket. He wants to sit on my lap or right next to me while I nurse Luke, just trying to be a part of things. He is a mama's boy and has taken a new interest in baby dolls because he watches me take care of Luke and wants to do the same. He usually ends up throwing the dolls around like they are balls rather than babies,
so Mark doesn't have to worry too much about his interest in dolls but might need to worry a little bit about Luke's safety. You can see that he actually grabbed a Barbie doll on this particular occasion and after carrying it to the family room, he dropped it on the floor and moved on to Buzz Lightyear.

When I ask him to smile, he squints his eyes and turns his lips up slightly.
He thinks he is one of the big kids and will take on any of his siblings, even his biggest brother Carston, when an injustice occurs. I guess you have to be scrappy when you come fifth in line.
He copies his brother Grant and follows him around (luckily, they play rather well together).
He loves to brush his teeth, because his toothbrush plays the Thomas the Tank Engine song, and wants to wear his Lightning McQueen crocs every day.
He loves to play pass and can throw a ball really well. He is particular, like his mom, and will put things away in their proper places and throw things in the garbage for me.
I love the way his baby blues sparkle when he smiles and am amused by the plethora of "dirty looks" he can give, even though he isn't mad. He just has an expressive face.
I am in love with my sweet Benjamin and his cute personality.

Valentines for Daddy

We made valentines for Daddy tonight and ate chocolate chip cookies in his honor:)

We love you and miss you, "Dr. Mark"!

We are learning to be Reverent

Moments like these are scarce at our house and deserve to be documented. This proves that our six little ones can hold still every once in a blue moon and that family home evening lessons aren't always a complete free for all.

Oh, how I love the fact that they are holding still!

I wish I could count on this happening again! We'll keep working on it.

Luke sat quietly, observing his reverent brothers and sister, in shock and amazement!

Luke's First Official Photo Shoot

My friend Becky Thalgott is a very talented photographer. Thanks to other friends in my ward, who paid for the photo shoot for Luke as a baby gift, I now have these adorable pictures to enjoy. Here are some of my favorites:

10 Days old

Luke is 10 days old today!
He is growing fast, regaining his birth weight within a week, and is continuing to fill out nicely.
We can't get enough of him.

Yes, this picture was taken on top of our dryer.
I was doing one of my hobbies---laundry.
I know how to party!

Our New Arrival

We are so excited to announce that
Luke Christian Calder
was born Sunday, January 11, 2009
@ 10:19 p.m.
He weighed 7 lbs. 8 oz. and was 20 1/2 inches long.

This picture was taken shortly after his arrival. I was so relieved to have Luke here safe and sound (and not to be in labor anymore).
His birth story will have to come in a later post. This mommy is going on no sleep!

Luke with his proud dad just before they left for the nursery for Luke to be cleaned up and weighed.

This sweet baby boy is an unbelievable blessing to our family.
He has dazzling blue eyes, a beautiful complexion and dark brown hair.

Luke couldn't be more perfect.

He was ready to leave Tulane-Lakeside Hospital and all of the poking and prodding he received when taken to the nursery. Little did he know that he would come home to face four excited big brothers and an increasingly motherly big sister who can't get enough of him!

Thank goodness for Grandma Calder, who came to help just in the nick of time!
(In fact, her plane arrived Sunday while I was laboring in the hospital.)
We'll never be ready for her to leave us to return home.

Welcome to our family little Luke!