Casa de Helwig

Please check out this blog. It is about Chad’s step-brother, his wife, and their family.. Pray for their new little one. Erin was due a week before I am. She had the baby a week ago. They definitely need your prayers right now, although Sidney is doing better than expected so far.

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Things haven’t been too exciting around here lately, just pretty normal. I have been working a lot more than usual, which is good for now. I have about 7 patients, which is more than I have had at one time in the past year. That keeps Caleb and I busy in the mornings MWF.

* WPG2 Plugin Not Validated * Playing with the bubbles. Excuse our looks, we hadn’t gotten ready yet that morning.

Other than that, we have been trying to find alternate housing in Odessa in order to accommodate a quicker commute for Chad and possibly (hopefully) a larger place for our growing family. We’ll see what happens.* WPG2 Plugin Not Validated ** WPG2 Plugin Not Validated * * WPG2 Plugin Not Validated * Playing catch outside with Chad.

Yesterday after church we enjoyed some time enjoying the cooler 80 degree weather. Caleb had his first big bump on his head. Not bad considering he is over 1.5 years old. We also enjoyed a nice swim in the pool at work, and a bike ride in the evening.

* WPG2 Plugin Not Validated * The knot from falling on the sidewalk.

I have another doctor’s appointment on Tuesday to check on the baby.

That’s it for now. Hope the update wasn’t too blah!

* WPG2 Plugin Not Validated * Every time we go outside we have to look for the kica (kitty cat). This was a day that he actually found the cat. He loved it.

Caleb and I made a quick visit on Monday-Tuesday to Robert Lee and Chad’s mom was so kind as to let me invite Laura and Brittney over for lunch on Tuesday. We had a good time chatting, eating, and playing with the babies. I love these girls (and their beautiful children)!!!

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First, Caleb had his 18 month check up this past week. Here is what’s new about him:

• Weight: 17 lb. 14oz (<3%)
• Height: 30.75 inches (10%) I think.
• He likes to con me into things by saying: please, mom, please (it is really cute).
• He likes to say the phrases, “get in the car,” “go away” (not sure what he means by this)
• He loves to see planes fly overhead.
• He loves to swing at the park (he can do this for an hour at least).
• He likes to read books, but more importantly rough-house and play ball.
• He can point to most body parts (hair, eyes, ears, mouth, chin, lips, nose, shoulders, elbows, arms, back, neck, fingers, hands, legs, toes).
• He says 40+ words.
• He has a name for most grandparents and his two aunts…and says them periodically throughout the day
• He loves to play on the computer. We only look at this website for the ABC’s. He asks to do this all the time.

Also, I had my doctor’s appointment this week, followed by the 20 week sonogram. We were once again undecided on whether we were going to find out the gender, but Chad and I could both tell what we were having!

We are having another BOY! We are very excited (we would be either way).

That’s it for now. Have a good weekend!

This is what Chad and Caleb decided to do while I was at work yesterday!

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Silly boys! I guess caleb just wanted to look like his dad.

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This past weekend I started to feel our little baby moving around. It is so neat everytime!

Next week the sonogram. Not sure if we are going to find out the gender!

We are doing good.

This time, instead of a short trip to the Monohans State Park, Chad took a week off of work and we headed down to Port Aransas for a real vacation in the sand….on the beach.

It had been an annual event for my family to go to Port Aransas for a few days in the summer. The trip did not occur since Chad and I had been married, but this year it was resurrected. We enjoyed spending time with my aunt, uncle and their two daughters; my sister and her fiance, and my dad. It has been nearly a year since I have seen my dad. I also got to visit with a childhood friend who lives in Corpus Christi. I was great seeing you Anna.

So here are the pictures. For some reason I did not get any pictures on my camera of anyone except for my dad, Caleb and Chad. One pictures shows everyone else out in the ocean, but they just look like colorful dots out there. Enjoy, or scroll through quickly.

* WPG2 Plugin Not Validated * Standing with the seagulls.

* WPG2 Plugin Not Validated ** WPG2 Plugin Not Validated * Helping my dad feed the seagulls.

* WPG2 Plugin Not Validated * On the ferry.   * WPG2 Plugin Not Validated ** WPG2 Plugin Not Validated * Walking on the pier down to the beach.  * WPG2 Plugin Not Validated ** WPG2 Plugin Not Validated ** WPG2 Plugin Not Validated * The first touch of sand on the beach. * WPG2 Plugin Not Validated * Enjoying a little sand on the belly. * WPG2 Plugin Not Validated * First steps in the water, right before a fall (I think).  * WPG2 Plugin Not Validated * * WPG2 Plugin Not Validated * Throwing a fit because he wanted more candy (yes, that is a gummy worm in his mouth already). * WPG2 Plugin Not Validated * A morning stroll on the jetty watching the sunrise.* WPG2 Plugin Not Validated * Feeding the seagulls again.

* WPG2 Plugin Not Validated * My dad. * WPG2 Plugin Not Validated * My family in the water. * WPG2 Plugin Not Validated * A little shot (partially) of my growing belly. * WPG2 Plugin Not Validated * A bird taking bread out of my dad’s hand.* WPG2 Plugin Not Validated *Chad feeding the seagulls.* WPG2 Plugin Not Validated * Anna and myself.

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Well, we have not done anything too exciting lately.

Caleb chased a baby bird who was trying to learn to fly. Poor bird.

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He got a new swimsuit (he looks pretty funny). He swims somewhere nearly everyday.

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I had my 16 week check-up. The baby is doing good, heartbeat in the 140’s. We have a sonogram scheduled for the first week in August. I definitely want to find out the gender, Chad doesn’t. I guess I just won’t tell him when I find out.

Nothing else.

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Okay, so it wasn’t really a vacation (just a quick day trip this past weekend) and it is not the sand you are thinking about (ie. the beach). We went to Monahans Sandhill State Park. Just an hour away from Midland is….sand, and lots of it. You can bring your horse, take a dune buggy ride, or slide down the tall dunes on a disc. We did the latter. Afterwards, you must take a shower…..sand is everywhere! Caleb loved playing in the sand and sliding down the dunes. It sure was hard walking up the dunes. If anyone wants to visit us, we would love to take you.

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Afterward, we drove to Balmorhea State Park to swim in the spring fed pool. It was cool, but Caleb loved splashing around in the water. We had a nice little road trip. We didn’t take many pictures.

This week has been busy, I have been working like crazy. But it has been good.

Have a great 4th of July weekend. No plans as of yet for us. I work this weekend.

Caleb had his first popsicle today. Not very momentous, but I thought this post needed an update, however lame it might be. Eating these particular popsicles brings back memories of hot summer days playing with my sibling and friends.

Caleb probably enjoys playing in puddles more than the popsicle, but I am sure the “ice” (what he calls anything cold…or what he says when we pass by sonic) was refreshing!

Well, it has been a whirlwind of a time the past few weeks. The first week in June, Caleb stayed with Chad’s mom, Audrey, while I covered for another therapist at the hospital in Odessa. We really missed Caleb, but every time we called he was busy doing something and having a blast. Audrey sent me a wonderful photo ABC book (with a picture of him with various objects, one for each letter of the alphabet; ie. A for apple, L for laughting) she made of Caleb’s visit. She did a great job, THANKS!

After a full Saturday working at the hospital it was time to plan for our trip to Washington to visit my mom. She has been pleading with us to come visit since Caleb was born. Caleb and I were headed to the northwest. I spent the next few days, packing, cleaning, cooking for Chad (he was staying home).

Well, I was really nervous about the flight. The first leg was approximately 1 hour to Dallas, followed by roughly 4 hours to Portland, OR. It turned out not too bad. He even slept for a short time on the longer part of the trip. Luckily we had wonderful people that did not care if Caleb patted their arm if they started to doze off.

Once there we did lots of fun things: SHOPPING, the zoo, fun at the indoor pool, the park, grab a snack at Sheridan’s frozen custard on 3 occasions, pedicures for Sara and I, eat out, and mainly visiting with family. My sister Sara spent nearly everday with us, we got to visit with my brother Weylin, his wife Samantha, and their son Liam. Here are all the pictures. Are you ready? There is a lot.

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My nephew Liam.

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Fun at the zoo.

* WPG2 Plugin Not Validated * Weylin and Caleb playing ball.

* WPG2 Plugin Not Validated * Casey getting the fire ready to roast marshmallows for yummy S’mores!

* WPG2 Plugin Not Validated * My beautiful mom.

* WPG2 Plugin Not Validated * Sam, mom, Liam, Casey

* WPG2 Plugin Not Validated * Time for pedicures.

* WPG2 Plugin Not Validated * Lunch with Barbara, a family friend.

* WPG2 Plugin Not Validated ** WPG2 Plugin Not Validated ** WPG2 Plugin Not Validated * The siblings, plus Sam and Liam, plus mom.

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Fun in the pool.

* WPG2 Plugin Not Validated ** WPG2 Plugin Not Validated ** WPG2 Plugin Not Validated ** WPG2 Plugin Not Validated ** WPG2 Plugin Not Validated * Enjoying an evening at the park the night before we headed back to Texas.

Thanks for a great time Mom. Sara thanks for spending so much time with us.

Here is one of the sonogram pictures of our baby. My due date is December 23. I am almost 13 weeks along. Very little nausea, nothing else, other than being extra tired those first 12 weeks. Everything is going great! We are truly blessed.

* WPG2 Plugin Not Validated * For some reason this is upside down. Sorry.