David - 14 months old!

The months are flying by... David is changing so much every day.  He is becoming SO verbal, it shocks me!  He sees a dog, "Dah", he sees a cat, "Ca", he says "Ca-ca" for cracker (his favorite snack!) and can sign "please" and sometimes "thank you"!  One day I was singing one of the verses to "I've Got the Joy, Joy, Joy" and it including the word "ouch!".  He looked at me and said "ouch!"  I was floored!  He loves that word and usually says it when he falls down or if something drops to the floor!

He took his FIRST STEPS this month at Uncle Paul and Aunt Laura's house in Utah!  In the same spot his cousin took her first steps a few months ago!  He hasn't begun seriously walking yet, but he can take 2-4 steps so far!  He gets SO excited and happy :)  It's like he knows he's doing something really special!  He loves eating big boy food (peanut butter and honey/jelly sandwiches are his new favorite food!).  And he loves eating things in big boy ways: for example, he wants his bananas in big chunks he can hold and bite himself now, not tiny bite sized pieces and same thing with apples :)

David LOVES animals - books about animals, animals in person, and also learning animal sounds!  He can do sounds for lion, snake, dog, cow and sheep so far!  On a musical note, Caleb and I were both singing to him one time, and he started "singing" along with us!  "aaaahhhhhh" "aaaaaahhhhhh"  :)  It was so cute!  I took a mental "picture" of that moment, because I knew it was one I'd want to remember forever: the first time Caleb and I have sung with one of our children....it won't be the last, I'm sure!

Once, we were in a church nursery and they had a pretend kitchen with food and dishes.  David had never been around one before, but it was like he knew just what to do!  He started grabbing food and dishes and pretending to eat from them and feed me too!  I was just amazed...no one had to teach him that!  Guess what's on his Christmas wish list this year? ;)

This month has also been a tough one for teething...he is cutting 5 teeth currently (4 of them being eye teeth, which I've heard are the most painful and difficult for babies).  He is an extreme trooper though, and I am very excited that after these 5 come in, he only needs one more and he's done until his later back molars!  Whew!

Well, I could really go on and on...like I said, it's been a busy month of milestones!  Here are the few quick shots I got of David the other day (a little late) for his 14-month photo shoot.  Since he's on the move all the time now and also not always feeling up to lots of smiles for the camera (because of teething) it was a very quick photo shoot :)  Maybe I'll capture more next month!  Enjoy!

This is a common practice...finger (or fingers) in mouth and lots of chomping!  Can't wait til these teeth get through! 

Appropriate book for him, don't you think?! :)

Who took our baby and replaced him with a toddler?!?

The Busy Month of October

We spent the month of October traveling and holding meetings in churches all over California!  While we sure missed the beautiful fall foliage and crisp weather of home (in Iowa), we definitely enjoyed the warmth and sunshine this fall in CA!  Besides meetings, we got to do some fun things like visit Coronado Beach in San Diego and go to various parks/playgrounds along the way!  Here is a sampling of photos from the month... enjoy!

On Weds. October 2, we were with Lighthouse Baptist Church in Moreno Valley, CA!

We were with them again on Sunday morning!  

David gets LOTS of attention from folks in the churches we visit!  

These girls especially took a liking to him :)

Hard to believe it's the middle of Fall out here!  

It was sunny and warm with beautiful trees and flowers!  

We just HAD to get a photo :)

On Sunday night we were at Canyon Ridge Baptist Church.

David loves exploring new hotel rooms and places we stay in as we travel!  

He especially loves finding the mirrors :)

We spent a fun evening at a park in San Diego...the whole park was covered in sand!

We got to spend a day at Coronado Beach in San Diego!  

It was gorgeous weather and such a secluded spot!  Perfect!

David's first experience with sand/ocean!  He was a little timid at first but soon got to liking it!

It didn't take him long to start eating the sand....oh well!  

What doesn't kill 'em makes 'em stronger, right?!

On Weds., Oct. 9, we had a wonderful meeting at Berean Bible Baptist Church in Chula Vista, CA.

The next Sunday we were with Grace Baptist in Montibello, CA.

On Monday/Tuesday, we enjoyed attending a pastors' conference where Dr. Bob Jones III was one of the guest speakers!  We sang in Tuesday night's service.  

Before we left L.A., Caleb brought me to the first ever all-cupcake bakery, Sprinkles Cupcakes!

The owner of Sprinkles is one of the judges on 

Cupcake Wars (for any of you fellow Food Network fans out there!).

We enjoyed a great weekend with Pastor Miller and his family in Atwater, CA.  I spoke to the ladies on Saturday, Oct. 19, and also taught the teen girls S.S. class Sunday. 

 Caleb preached and we both sang in the services on Sunday too.

David LOVED all the Miller kids :)  

Two of the Miller girls let me do their hair Sunday :)

Caleb preaching Sunday night at Victory Baptist in Atwater.

We had Revival meetings Thurs-Fri, Oct. 24-25 at 

Old Glory Baptist Church, a new church plant in Santa Barbara.

Pastor Gobbell and his family took great care of us that week!  

David enjoyed all the love and attention the kids showed him!

One of the other church planters in the area is a good friend of Caleb's.  He came to our meetings in Santa Barbara and offered to give David his first haircut, since he's a professional barber by trade!  David sat perfectly still (watching Baby Einstein on our laptop which is a real treat for him!).

On Sunday, Oct. 27, we had great services all day Sunday at Downtown Baptist Church in Sacramento, CA!

With Courtney Hedger after Sunday night's service.  Her grandfather is the pastor of DBC and she and her family hosted us that weekend.  She is an AMAZING cook!  We feasted all weekend long!!

Then the next day, we drove to Golden State Baptist College/North Valley Baptist Church and got to see Courtney's older sister, Cassidy, who is a student there!