I did NOT fall off the face of the Earth...

But I did go into a bit of an emotional hole for a while.  

It is with regret that I must tell Caleb's followers that his Mommy and Daddy are getting a divorce.  Ultimately there were some significant issues in our marriage that could not be resolved.  Jeff and I are doing this very amicably and are finding that we can actually be good friends to each other through the process.  Caleb is handling all the changes really well, and continues to prove how adaptable and resilient he truly is.

Check Out the Latest White Belt!!!

Caleb's best friend, Collin, has been doing karate for a while.  Of course this meant that Caleb has been begging me to do karate as well - anything that has to do with fighting is SO COOL in his opinion.  One day last week Caleb's swimming lesson got cancelled, so we decided to go watch Collin's class.  The whole time there was a voice inside my head telling me we HAD to find a way to get Caleb involved, but I just couldn't figure out how this could work.  

Through most of the class I was disheartened as I watched the kids do so many things that there was no way for Caleb to do, even with adaptations.  Then, for the last activity the instructor would hold a pad in front of the kids' faces and they needed to hit it away with a particular punch.  He brought the class to the edge of the mat so Caleb could be involved, too.  In the middle of it, Caleb looked up at me with such bright eyes and the biggest smile, and said, "Mom, I'm doing REAL karate!"  That sealed the deal.  We would make it work.  

The owners/instructors have been so accommodating and willing to work with us!  They see how valuable it will be for everyone.  We are all so excited for Caleb, but he is definitely the most ecstatic out of everyone.

Happy Valentines Day!

Last weekend we got to celebrate Valentines Day a little early at Grammie Mumu & Papa Mickey's house.  We had so much fun hanging out with the family, making little pizzas, and decorating cookies/cupcakes.  Hope you all have a great Valentines Day!

You've Got a Friend in Caleb

I took this video of Caleb dancing the other day.  He was just so happy and joyful I had to share it.  The funny thing is that when he did the dance there was no music to dance to.  The song I picked was the first try; it fit so perfectly I didn't even try any others.  Enjoy!

Remember to pause the music on the right to hear the video better.

Firefighter Bootcamp

A couple of weeks ago Caleb was asked to be one of the Ambassadors for the MDA Bootcamp for the Firefighters - this is a meeting where a bunch of firefighters come together to learn how to "Fill the Boot" for the MDA.  This year Caleb wanted to be very "stylish" and where a tie :)  He helped by taking pictures with people, handing out awards, and was part of the entertainment - this year he told them 5 Firefighter jokes!  It was pretty cool to see my 6 year old standing up in front of about 150 people, telling jokes and loving life!

 Just a little reading before going off to work.

 Making a muscle; making a difference.

 Caleb posing with two other adorable Ambassadors.

Handing out awards.

Here he is telling his jokes!  

Make sure to pause the music on the right to hear the video better.

Disneyland

We decided to go to Disneyland over the holidays.  It was so much fun taking Caleb at this age - when he can understand that it's all pretend and not be scared by everything.  Of course we spent most of the day in the area of Star Tours - we rode that ride 4 times (thank goodness for wheelchair access!).  It was interesting trying to stabilize Caleb during the ride.  It was a 3-D ride where the entire cabin is moving around as if we're in a spaceship.  All he was given was a lap belt, so I was on one side of him strapping his body to the seat with my arm, and Jeff was on the other side of him holding Caleb's head with his hands.  Caleb absolutely loved it.

However, the highlight was DEFINITELY the Jedi training!  Caleb got chosen, along with about 25 kids, to train to be an honorary Jedi.  Caleb took his training VERY seriously, imitating the instructor's every move.  Then up from the floor rise Darth Vader and Darth Maul!  The kids then got to battle them - Caleb got to take down Darth Maul.  Then the Darth's left, but there were still 2 Stormtroopers left on the stage.  The Stormtroopers quickly realized they should get out of there because they were totally outnumbered.  So they start running out of the area, and who's the ONE KID brave enough to chase them down?  That's right, Caleb was the only kid who chased down the Stormtroopers!!!  One of the Jedi Masters had to step in front of his wheelchair to stop him.  I just about died laughing at the irony.

 So excited on the tram!

 Disney Holiday tree.

 Daddy and Caleb in front of It's a Small World.

Jedi training.  Caleb didn't miss a single second of his directions.

 Learning some of the moves.

 Taking on Darth Maul. 

We loved our family day at Disneyland!

Here's Caleb talking about his Jedi training.

A Love Note

Caleb has a new love interest.  Her name is Beatrice and she rides the bus with him every day.  She's an older woman, though - 4th grade.  Apparently he tells her, "I love you," and her response is, "You're not my type."  I guess she's into guys her own age and is in love with another 4th grader.  Ahh, young love. Anyway, Caleb came home from school on Friday and said, "Mom, I want to make a card for Beatrice to tell her I love her."  So here it is.

 Awwwww.

 OK, so they battle together (typical Caleb move).

 Then she uses the Force on him, causing him to drop his lightsabers.

Then she cuts his head off!  How romantic!!!

Unfortunately, I had to break the news to Caleb that he can't give the card to Beatrice because if she takes it home her mom might think he's somewhat.... DISTURBED.  He learned that when making a love note, it's pretty important that nobody dies.

Caleb Swimming, Yet Again

Caleb has been doing such an amazing job with his swimming lately.  It never ceases to amaze me how agile he is in the water.  He has become so smooth in his movements and strong with his strokes.  Pretty astounding to watch.

Here he is from another viewpoint.

Check out Caleb's Moves

One day Caleb said, "Hey Mom.  Check out my awesome moves!"

So, of course I grabbed my camera for you to enjoy his awesome moves, as well :)

Halloween

HOLY GUACAMOLE!!!  I can't believe it's been almost 2 months since my last post!  I've got some serious catching up to do.  Here are some pictures from Halloween.  We were a Superhero family... with a twist :)

 I made some pretty sweet pumpkins this year - above is Anakin and below is the Republic symbol (Star Wars, of course).