The Growing Caldwell Family

We have mostly been planning to do disposable diapers because I felt that cloth would just be too much work when I go back to work.  Then, we saw these diapers called happy heiny's ( www.happyheinys.com ).  These looked much different than what I envisioned cloth diapers to look like.  Mom used cloth diapers with me and Jeanne', so she felt totally up for using them while Sarah Graves is at her house.  I started looking into the cost comparison and depending on what type of cloth diapers you buy, you can save anywhere from $1200 - $1700.  That is pretty attractive, not to mention knowing that you aren't filling up a landfill somewhere.  There are lots of different varieties of cloth diapers out there, but the ones that seem to be a good investment and user friendly are diapers that have snap closures, with a pocket for an insert to absorb the contents, and they are one size that adjusts as your baby grows from a newborn up to 35 pounds.  You can also purchase the traditio...

Last night, my cousin Lynsey gave birth to a little boy!  His arrival was a bit of a surprise to everyone as she wasn't due until January 10.  Lynsey went in for a check-up and her doctor was concerned about low amniotic fluid levels, so she went to the hospital and they induced labor.  Fortunately, all went well and their baby boy arrived late last night. They named him Wyatt Oneil Clark.  He weighed 6 pounds, 12 ounces and is  20 inches long.  Mom and baby are doing wonderfully.  Such a blessing!

I mentioned that we received some gifts for Sarah Graves for Christmas.  Her grandparents bought her two big things that I think she will really appreciate, her stroller and her swing.  She's a lucky girl! You know that we had to put them together.  I even tested Lucy out in the stroller around the house!  My parents gave us the stroller and Aaron's Dad and Beverly gave us the swing and the accessories for the stroller.  The stroller was super easy for Aaron to put together and he has all the accessories on it that we may need for our first outing.  The diaper bag attaches to the side of the stroller so that you don't have to reach for it under the baby's seat.  He has the adapter for her infant car seat all hooked up so that we can snap it in and be off.  I love how big the canopy is on this thing.  It has another section so that it can come down almost entirely over baby, perfect for napping on the go.  I am still so impressed by ho...

Here's the update on Sarah Graves this week: With just three more weeks to go and at about six and a half pounds (though weight and height vary from fetus to fetus), your baby is doing just fine. You can expect weight gain to be about half an ounce per day. (Boys, though, are likely to be heavier at birth than girls. And here's a bit of boy baby trivia to back that one up: Moms carrying boys tend to eat more than moms carrying girls — a foreshadowing of teenage refrigerator raids to come.) Since your little one is considered full-term at 37 weeks pregnant, if your baby was to leave the wet nest this week, he or she would likely thrive. That's because Mother Nature and you have done such a fine job. So what's keeping your little one busy while waiting it out until D-day? Practice, practice, practice. Your baby is simulating breathing by inhaling and exhaling amniotic fluid, sucking on his or her thumb, blinking, and pivoting from side to side (one day you feel the tu...

We had another check-up today and all looks good.  We met with Margaret and really liked her a lot.  For me everything looks good.  Blodd pressure is right on, weight looks good, and the measurements show good growth.  Baby girl had a good heartbeat and is now positioned with her head down and anterior.  She hasn't dropped yet, but her head is getting low.  Margaret expects that she will drop about 2 weeks before delivery.  I can't believe how close it is getting!  I am getting so excited to meet her!

We had a truly wonderful Christmas!  On Christmas Eve we went to one of my parents' neighbors for their annual Christmas party and had a nice time visiting with their friends.  We went to Christmas Eve mass at St. Benedict's and really enjoyed the beautiful service.  I was pleased that we sang so many pretty carrols, including Silent Night by candlelight.  We all spent the night at Mom and Dad's and woke up together to open presents on Christmas morning.  We received so many nice gifts from both sides of our family.  I'm sure I will soon be posting pictures of some of the cute things for Sarah Graves.  We had Christmas dinner at some friends', the Currans.  It was a lovely dinner and their family was really kind to welcome all of us.  After dinner, we had a dessert party at my parents' house.  This was probably the icing on our Christmas cake!  Mom's friend Jacquie's brother Roland plays the piano and will play while everyone sing...

I think this time of year every Christian has thoughts about Mary, Joeseph, and the journey they set off on that changed our lives forever.  This year I have thought a lot about Mary and her situation.  Probably because my own pregnant belly has grown quite heavy, the Braxton-Hicks contractions are more frequent than they were a month ago, and my sweet baby girl has now grown large enough that I can feel her every move inside me.  So, I feel like I can identify with Mary more now than I have ever.  When I think about her setting off on a donkey on a trip, my heart goes out to her.  How her back must have ached on the journey, the constant need to find a place to go to the bathroom, and the constant desire for something to drink.  I know she was used to a life that required a lot of work, but that journey must have felt endless.  Then, I think of how much I have read and tried to prepare myself for the work that lies ahead and how she probabvly had little more knowledge of the process...