Caleb Ian

... is perfect. I know better than to say it aloud, but I do anyway. He has 10 perfect fingers and 10 perfect toes. His little lips are perfect, as are his little dried apricot-looking ears. The boy is completely edible.

Behavior and personality... mellow, chill and only cries (sometimes more like "whimpers") if he needs to be fed or changed, or needs some sleepytime. He liked to be swaddled for the first days, but he's over that now. Now he likes to stretchhhhhhhh as far and long as he can... then curls back up like my hair on a humid day. He is quite GQ... strikes a pose at every chance he gets and I stalk him like paparazzi on Lindsay Lohan.

He likes just about everything. Bouncer seat, big thumbs up. Bassinet? mmmmmmmmmmm. Swing? Sweeeeeeet (said like a stoner). He also pays careful attention when I play the crazy singing stuffed lion that his Auntie Rone got him, and the prayer bear from Auntie Cheryl we play at every diaper change. We're building our routine.

There are a few things he doesn't like, for instance, when you take more than 11 seconds to make a bottle and give it to him. Or cold wipes on his warm little butt. Or when his mommy freaks out because she can't see him moving or breathing (in a 2 second assessment) so she pokes him until he gets a grumpy face or squirms.

There are also some things that, surprisingly to us, don't bother him... yet. Like when the dogs go bat-shit-crazy-nuts and bark like rabid beasts when someone knocks at the door. Or when Coco (the Yorkie) decides she wants to explore him and gets in his face. (just a side note: we guard those situations carefully because frankly I can see her becoming jealous and trying to suffocate him and then saying "what? I sat on his face because I thought he was cold!") Or when we throw him on our shoulders to whack the bubbles out. He's cool like that.

So with this post, our surrogacy journey is complete. We are still in awe that we've come this far... from meeting T to having Caleb in our arms: 359 days. Unbelievable in the best way possible!!!!!!

And on that note, here are pics from his first 10 days:

Just minutes after he was born - still under the warmer. He had bruising on his face from coming out so fast and appeared kind of blue for the first few days. Our own Smurf!

Happy parents - and stupid crying eyes. Emotions were HIGH and sleep was LOW. Not the picture I would have imagined in my head (because I had lots of sleep and makeup on in my head's pic!) but it's what we have and it captures the moment perfectly.

It was a tiring trip for him into the world so we understood that he didn't want to play immediately.

Mr. Alert on Day 2

The "going home from hospital" attire. We had a 12 hour trip home... not for sissy babies!

Nana and Papa also left at the same time so we were very lucky to have the trailer for rest stops along the way home. Caleb found Nana's shoulder irresistible for naptime.



Holy. Moly. Coco is finally BIG compared to something (or someone). She met Caleb up close and personal. He didn't even notice.



Starr's reaction to the baby? "Meh. I've seen these little things before and I have no interest unless I can eat his poopy diaper at some point in the future."

Too cool... and serious.

Caleb has a cousin who's only 16 days older... and much smaller. We had them on the changing pad together and couldn't tell if Parker was trying to kiss him or eat him.

Bath time!! (Well, sponge bath time until
the umbilical cord falls off.)

Just one of many cutie pics

We were gonna do a DNA test to make sure he's ours (kidding, kidding), but after this move, I think we can all agree. He's our baby for sure!!

Couldn't help but think he was tucking his second chin under so he wouldn't look fat in the picture...

And our restful baby... at this very moment.. in the swing loving life. We are ALL loving life!!!