Caleb Garrison Coan

big boy

They used to have the restaurant chain called Big Boy where a statue of this robust guy was standing in front holding a tray of food with a big welcoming grin. I don't know what happened to that chain, but let's just say that Caleb hasn't missed any meals. :)

And it doesn't bother him at all. He's got these chubby cheeks and chubby legs and chubby arms, but he still keeps ponying up to the feed trough.

Day and night.

What could be more beautiful?

Caleb and G.G.

good morning

We're getting to see a little more of Caleb's eyes this week. We love it. Of course he still sleeps most of the time. And drinks. But we feel like saying 'Good morning' now instead of running for the camera to snap a shot before he closes his eyes again.

Good morning, Caleb

vanderveers

The Vanderveers came by to make a nice round number of boys in the house. 10. That of course includes Lloyd and me.

Lloyd and Caleb - the eyes have it!

Jamie and Luke and Caleb

Nicholas and Caleb

Christopher and Caleb - hey that tickles!!!

Joel and Caleb

joshua and caleb

If Joshua had it his way I think these two would be joined at the hip. And they'll get their chance I'm sure. What a great pair of names. What a great pair of boys.

Joshua and Caleb

Happy mommy - Caleb slept for as much as 3 hours at once

so what do you do with this much cuteness?

Caleb's smile

Caleb has eyes for his mommy

Caleb secure

Ahhhhhh! Too much pink (Grace and Annah and Caleb)

Caleb and Caleb

Allison and Caleb

The next time you bless the food...

Walter and Caleb

Micala and Caleb

pumpkin

Caleb is a little bit jaundiced, which is a sad thing to be, especially for such a little guy. And for his parents a little scary. The condition basically happens when your blood doesn't break down and detoxify correctly in your liver. The standard cure for it is ultraviolet light (sunlight), something we have PLENTY of down here in Texas. But for some reason, the doctors all think that it's better to use artificial UV light (aka tanning bed for babies) to cure the problem. In truth, with the tanning bed, they can get a relatively small dose for an extended period of time. Too hot to stay outside all day, and at night there's no sun—even in Texas—even though the sun is bigger in Texas—everything is bigger in Texas. Anyway some smart guy just figured out how to take 1980's technology and do something useful with it. Fiber optics. No more baby tanning bed. No more googly sunglasses. This thing is like a projector unit with two lamps inside it and a big umbilical cord stretching out to a flat panel that rests flat up against his back, only the umbilical cord is filled with fiber optics, taking the UV light directly to his skin. We hope it only takes a couple of days of this to get his billy-reuben levels back to normal. Until then, he looks kinda like E.T.

special blanket

Joshua was so generous. He wanted Caleb to have his special Winnie the Pooh blanket that was his since he was a baby. I told him, "Wow, Joshua, that's a big deal." His response, "Aw, he'll grow into it."

Joshua and Caleb

Roni and Caleb

Carrie and Caleb

Billy and Caleb

McKayla and Caleb

Ah. Friends bearing food. Food for the belly, but more importantly, food for the soul.

Mickey and Kathy and Caleb

Aubrey and Caleb

caleb's church prays for him

Caleb is blessed to be surrounded by a community of believers, also known as a church. We took the opportunity to pray for him this morning, and it was really cool. Of course this wasn't the first round of prayers that have gone up for him, but the next movement in a symphony of prayer.

It was so great to have El with us this weekend. She really met a lot of our emotional needs, filling up our tanks before she embarked on the long and unwinding road back to Abilene.

Scott and Caleb

Happy Caleb

while you were sleeping, caleb

It's amazing how dependant a baby is and how many things they sleep through—terrorism, flood, famine, political unrest, murder, crime, feuds, and a host of satanic activity—and that's just in the USA. Unlike other animals, baby humans depend on their father and mother and brothers and sisters to take the most basic care of them for years after they're born, before they can walk and talk and eat on their own. Didn't God intend for us to be held? For someone else to enjoy us? To give us special attention? To care for us because we are worth it, and there are some things we cannot do for ourselves? To not only show us what a roof over our head is, but a garden just out the window. Here is what's going on inside and outside for Caleb today.

While you were sleeping, Caleb

Julie and Alex and Nadia and Caleb

El and Caleb

Grace wanted to show everyone what Caleb really looks like, so she drew this picture.

Caleb by Grace

pip squeak

Well, Caleb's cuteness is not wearing off. I've started calling him Pipsqueak because of the squeaks he gives you if you make him happy (generally holding him still and rubbing his head makes him the happiest). Today he went for his first walk with his dad (he's been walking and jogging with his mom for 9 months). The sunlight did him some good and it was a little warmer outside than inside anyway. And the freshness of the rain from yesterday is a smell I hope he gets used to. And we continue to have visitors of the best kind (they bring food).
sweet

Rebecca and Caleb

welcome to our world

Caleb Garrison Coan was born at 1:55 AM on September 15 to our great joy! He weighs 8 lbs, 10½ oz. and is 21'' long. Caleb is happily meeting family and friends as they come by for a turn at holding him.

When I look at this awesome incarnation of love, how can I not think of the Incarnation of Love!

Tears are falling, hearts are breaking
How we need to hear from God
You've been promised, we've been waiting
Welcome Holy Child
Welcome Holy Child

Hope that you don't mind our manger
How I wish we would have known
But long-awaited Holy Stranger
Make Yourself at home
Please make Yourself at home

Bring Your peace into our violence
Bid our hungry souls be filled
Word now breaking Heaven's silence
Welcome to our world
Welcome to our world

Fragile finger sent to heal us
Tender brow prepared for thorn
Tiny heart whose blood will save us
Unto us is born
Unto us is born

So wrap our injured flesh around You
Breathe our air and walk our sod
Rob our sin and make us holy
Perfect Son of God
Perfect Son of God

Welcome to our world
Welcome to our World by Chris Rice

Caleb

faithful, faithful as a dog

But My servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit in him and has followed Me fully, I will bring into the land where he went, and his descendants shall inherit it.
Numbers 14:24

Garrison

a strong tower, an outpost fortified as a military stronghold to protect, defend, and advance