Happy Birthday Caleb!!! 12 years old? Seriously?

Caleb turns 12 today.  Wow.  What the crap?  How did he grow up overnight?  I'm still shaking my head about this.  MAKE HIM STOP GROWING UP!!!  


Caleb is one of the coolest kids you'll ever meet.  His smile will melt you, it's all dimples.  And those big blue eyes just light up whenever he talks.  I know how he got his huge personality, by the way.  When he was in heaven, his Grandma and Grandpa Tribett told him, "Just go down there and have lots of fun."  And he has.

Caleb loves soccer, playing X Box, hanging out with his friends, and driving his mother crazy.

In the womb, I always said that he was going to be an amazing soccer player because that kid kicked my ribs until I couldn't breathe and I was black and blue!  He was a baby that HATED being a baby.  He wanted to do all the stuff that the big kids could do(he still does actually.)  He was the most miserable baby ever born!!!  Once he was mobile, he was the happiest kid on earth. 

I gained 85 pounds when I was pregnant with Caleb, thanks to toxemia.  Not to mention the horrible morning sickness that I had for 6 months.  I told him this morning that they should celebrate the sacrifices that we make with our bodies to have babies.  Yes, I have a problem with vanity.  I know this.  And I'm OK with it.  He is worth every stretch mark, loose hanging skin, saggy boob moment that I have in my life!




Proud daddy!  Allan was so happy to become a dad.  Caleb is so lucky to have a dad who sacrifices so much to make our lives easier.  He loves him soooo much!!!

It's amazing that I was coherent enough to smile in this picture, I was drugged out of this world due to my high blood pressure.  Maybe I was just seeing all the pretty birdies floating around the room...

Caleb Allan Goeser.  Born on March 30th, 2000 at 7:43 am.  He weighed 7lbs 2 oz and was 20 inches long.

One of him sleeping.  He didn't do this very often, so I liked to have proof that he actually slept.

Hospital photo.  This was taken right before we went home.  I had to go shopping and buy him preemie clothes because he was so tiny and skinny, nothing fit him.  Again, nothing changes.  Nothing fits Caleb still to this day!!!

Spitting image of Allan!  I about died when I saw this picture!  I was sad that he looked nothing like me.  Well, that definitely changed.  He looks just like me now.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE COOLEST KID ON THE PLANET!!!  I LOVE HIM SO MUCH!!!

***Disclaimer: Caleb was born pre-digital camera.  So some of these are pictures I took with my phone from scrapbook pages that I made.  ;)***

And I thought his ears were broken. Turns out that he WAS actually listening!

Bullies.

I really don't like them.

At all.

So, as a mom, I've delivered LOTS of lectures on bullies.  Such gems as:

~If I ever catch you bullying any one, you will live in your room for the rest of your life.
~Mean people suck.  Don't be mean.

AND, the one he probably hears the most often:
~If someone is every bullying your friend, you stand up for them.  If you get in trouble, it's OK.  I have  your back.

Caleb came home from school the other day and told me that 3 boys were picking on his friend and he stood up for him.  Said friend is one of those super sweet kids that just lets things roll off his back.  But Caleb was annoyed that these kids would even pick on him because (Caleb's words) "He's nice and these boys were just being mean because they could."  Well, it turns out that I know this friends mom (of course I do, between Allan and I, we know everyone...) and I told her what happened.  Because I would want to know, wouldn't you?  And then I would want to hunt those punks down and put the hurt on them.  (Does that make me a bully?  Don't mess with mama bear!!!)

Skip forward to today. I get a phone call from the school counselor.  He tells me what an amazing kid I have and that he can tell he has good parents for teaching their son such an important thing!  So I'm totally tearing up, trying not to cry, as this man is telling me what a wonderful kid I have.  As I said on Facebook today "My cup runneth over."  He was so impressed because the anti-bullying assembly is next week and Caleb did this on his own, with no other encouragement other than his conscience.  By this time, I'd gotten rid of the lump in my throat and could muster a "thank you" to all his praise. Turns out the mom called the school and mentioned that Caleb stepped in to stop the little punks (she probably said it nicer than that, she's nicer than I am)

When I picked Caleb up from school, he told me that the counselor called him in, praised him for about 30 minutes and gave him several rewards.  Also, all the teachers were high fiving him all day and telling him what a great kid he is!  He got his name announced over the intercom for stopping a bully.  I asked him if his friends made fun of him and he said "No, they didn't really say anything." (Typical boys!!!)  I asked him if he was embarrassed and he said no.  Then he said the thing that brought the tears back again. "I'm just trying to make our last name respectable again." (Those who know us, knows what this means)

So, excuse the brag-filled post.  But I want him to be able to read this story to his kids someday and teach them to stand up for what is right.

BRRR....Soccer in the snow isn't fun.

I've said it before and I'll say it again.  Soccer ain't for wimps!!!  After being PROMISED by the league that it wasn't snowing in Cedar City (45 minutes away from our house) we drove up there to play a game.  Well, they were wrong.  Ridiculously wrong.  

The fastest way to give this soccer mom a heart attack...

Is to put my son in as goalie!!!  My son plays midfield.  Right midfield to be exact.  Sometimes a forward.  But NEVER goalie!  But his coach promised Caleb that he could play goalie in the second half and so that's what he did.  And you know what?  HE DID AWESOME!!!

He made at least 6 saves.  He ROCKED that goalie box!  I'm so proud of him (if that isn't obvious!)  He's not afraid to try new things, he goes after it with a gusto.  He impressed the heck out of me!  And his coach too.  I love you buddy!!!

Fall Soccer 2010~SC Crew

Caleb played on 2 different teams this year, both were SC Crew but he played in the U11 and U12 division.  Basically, we ran from one soccer game to the next for 3 months of Saturdays! :)  He absolutely loved it though so I'm not going to complain.  Well not too much, anyway!  Carson also played soccer.  So here's the breakdown.  2 kids.  3 soccer teams.  I've always said that having Caleb as my son was like having 2 kids.  He's definitely proved to me that that statement is true this fall!

 Our new Crew!  We added several new players to our roster this season.  We really like our new additions! However, our boys are really missing Patrick, our goalie who moved away this summer.  We are very excited to see him when he comes down to play as a guest player for the Dixie Invitational Thanksgiving Tournament!

 It's been an adjustment to go from grass to turf.  They started the season really, really early this year (August) and the turf was really, really, REALLY hot!  Plus, the field pretty much doubled in size.  The boys were so dang hot!  But they were tough and played their guts out despite the misery of the fields getting up to 150 degrees.

 Taking a break under the sun shade at half time.  Thanks to Cheyne and Susan Mcdonald for providing it for our team!  If you live in St. G, be sure to use Speed Lube for all your oil changes!  They sponsor our team and they ROCK!!!

 Caleb also plays on the U11 team.  This is the age bracket he should 'technically' play on but he's always played with the older kids.  This team has been a lot of fun and has grown leaps and bounds this season!

 Caleb has sported a mohawk this season.  I love it! I can finally tell which one is my kid when he's on the field!

 Caleb plays 2 games a day on Saturday.  They are both at least an hour long.  He plays almost the whole game when he plays on the U11 team and he plays at least half the game when he plays on the U12 team.  It makes me tired just watching him!  What a stud!

 He has developed some fancy foot work this year.  He has an uncanny ability to take the ball away from his opponent.  It's pretty cool!

 This picture was a complete accident but when I saw it I absolutely loved it.  I'm seriously considering having it blown up and put on his wall.  After I crop the guy in orange out...

 I wish I had the endless energy that Caleb has!

 Another one of my favorites!  I love Jeremy's reaction to the missed goal!  It's priceless :)

The one game he played without his mohawk.  

 Caleb was on FIRE during this game!  He was stealing the ball left and right.  Despite the fact that these boys TOWERED over him!  Seriously, they are like 2 heads taller than he is!  But the way he played, it didn't faze him.  He just went for it!

 Did he steal that ball away from those giants?!

 Why yes, yes he did!!!  Go NINJA!  (His nickname)

 Nice kick dude!!!

 Yes, he beat him to the ball!

 Caleb kicked the ball, the goalie dropped the ball and then Dallen kicked it in!

It was a great season!  We didn't take first, we ended up dead middle.  But our boys are playing amazing and I think we'll rock in the spring!  But the best part of our team is that the boys are all friends and so are the parents.  We have the BEST soccer family in the world!