Summer Fun

Noah has been a very busy little guy. He's been to the Sprayground with his buddies the Hunters. We didn't plan ahead very well. Good thing kids can get away with playing in their clothes and diapers.

Noah didn't actually get in the water. I thought he might if he saw the girls do it. He just put his stick in the water. What is it with boys and sticks?

We've had an abnormally cool summer. No complaints here!!! The below picture was taken August 30 in Missouri... Isn't it usually like 90 and unbelievably humid? Scientists would have a hard time proving global warming on this day...

But doesn't he look so cute!?!??!??!!

Noah has also been to the zoo with MiMi. We went to see the Stingrays. MiMi even fed one. Ick!!! I touched it, which I'm not really sure why. It was slimy. Noah eventually stuck his hand in the water, but he didn't want to touch it.

This was the first time Noah has really enjoyed the zoo. At first, every time we'd leave one animal, he cry and want to go back. He finally figured out we weren't leaving, we were just moving on to something else.

On Labor Day, our friends Josh and Julie came over. They brought snow cones. Noah wasn't too sure about his at first. It was melted by the time he decided he liked it.

He kept sticking his hands in it...red fingers.

He also got some new shoes for the fall. We told him we were going to get some big boy shoes. As soon as we got in the car with them, he wanted them on. He refuses to wear his other shoes now. He only wants to wear his big boy shoes. (And yes, that is what he calls them.)

Last Thursday night, I went to a birthday party. Greg was in charge of putting Noah to bed. This is not exactly what I had in mind...but it's pretty cute.

Our sweet neighbors gave Noah a tricycle. He calls it his bicycle. Close enough, right? I was at a meeting at church last night and Greg said the neighbor boy was over with his bike. Noah was sitting on the seat and was enjoying it. Our neighbor was also outside and asked if Noah would like a tricycle. She said she's get it out of the basement in the next couple of days and bring it over. Noah ran over to the wooden (splintery) fence and smashed his face between the planks and yelled bicycle. We need to teach that boy some manners. In the meantime her daughters had gotten it out for him. He loves it.

Ear Muffs

My mom and her sister have had this on-going joke with some very, very old ear muffs for years. My mom had these ear muffs in high school and my aunt borrowed them. When she returned them much later, she hid them somewhere where it would take my mom a while to find them. So, they've been hiding them and doing clever things with them ever since. Recently, my mom found them in her freezer in a bag which used to contain frozen broccoli. They were returned to my aunt in a package with this picture... Mind you it took 874 attempts to get this picture (see below for "play by play.") It was in fact a two man job.

This was how we were informing my aunt that Noah is going to be a big brother... Except, she didn't notice the shirt. We thought we were going to have to tell her. She finally noticed (after some hinting.)

The new baby is scheduled to make an appearance on or around March 4 (the day after Greg's birthday). We are very excited. When Greg asks Noah where the baby is he looks at me and then pats my leg. It's pretty cute.

(You can just barely see the ear muffs in the top left corner of the picture.)

MiMi also check Noah's teeth while we were visiting. Sort of anyway. As soon as I snapped this shot, he was done. But it's still cute.

Then we promptly went to MiMi's and Noah ate his first corn on the cob. Don't you just hate eating something like that just after you've been to the dentist and your teeth feel so clean?

A few days ago we were riding in the car and I told Noah we needed to clip his nails when we got home. His response: "Morrow, mommy." The boy doesn't miss anything...

Ear Ye! Ear Ye!

Well, Noah's fever was due to an ear infection. It's his first one. I'm not really sure how he got it, but the doctor said on a scale of one to ten, it was a two. He's been on antibiotics for three days now and I can tell he already feels better. He does not however like the medicine. I kind of have to hold him down and stick the syringe between his teeth and just squirt it in. He clamps his mouth shut.

Yesterday he got yet another hair cut. He was past due. I was trying to see if it would be curly again if we let it get a little longer. It was just getting a little unruly.

I guess he was feeling miserable yesterday. He kept having fits. At one point I just put him down and let him have his fit. He was screaming and rolling around on the floor and tightening all of his muscles. Eventually, he settled down. I just sat and watched him. I thought about videoing him, but I thought that was a little mean. After we got home from getting his hair cut, he was having a fit. Greg was out of town and wanted me to send him a picture. I thought I'll just take it and he can get the idea. So, I pulled out the camera and said smile. Here's what I got...remember, he was having a fit.

If you look closely at his eyes, you can tell he was crying.

He "had" a sucker while he was getting his hair cut. He wasn't wanting to sit still. I didn't really want him to have it, but I figured he wouldn't really eat it. I was right. Mostly he just played with it. I think he had about three licks. He ended up "having" three suckers because they kept getting hairy, if you can imagine. When he was all done, he rubbed his nose and then had a big wad of hair on the end of it (his fingers were sticky). I wish I would have had the camera. Although the hair probably wouldn't have shown up anyway.

Happy!

A lot has happened since the last post...believe it or not!

Greg and I went to Florida with ZOE (a youth ministry) for most of a week. Poor little Noah didn't get to go. We went to a youth camp. It was very fun, but I sure did miss Noah. Noah stayed with Grandma part of the week and MiMi part of the week. He got sick at MiMi's. MiMi followed him around with a pan. Poor guy...and MiMi. Oddly enough, I got what seemed to be the same thing on the way home. On the plane!!! Noah recovered a little more quickly than I did.

I also had a birthday. I was planning to ignore it this year and pretend it was just another day. But Greg made that a little hard for me to do. He took the day off work. I got to sleep in. I had Starbucks waiting for me when I got up and a lovely present. We went to the Zoo, had lunch at Cfx, went to the pool with the Hunters, went out to dinner, and then rented a movie after Noah went to bed. My favorite part of the day was when I got up, Noah came running down the hall saying "Happy!!" It was very cute!

The day after my birthday was Saturday. We didn't really do much of anything. Just stayed around the house and played and relaxed. After Noah's nap, we went to run some errands and pick up some Chick-fil-A. When I walked into my kitchen, there were people there!!! I screamed before they even yelled surprise. Can you believe Greg pulled off a surprise party AT OUR HOUSE??? My friend Shelly came over early to clean up and she said she didn't have to pick up anything. I was pretty proud of that! But, I did think we were going to Care Group and having a babysitter. I didn't want the house to be a mess for the sitter. Anyway, it was a very good birthday.

Noah is still talking up a storm. He'll repeat just about anything he hears. He says some pretty cute things. If he needs help, he says "helpy you." If he wants to be held, he says "hold you." He calls his bottom his bommom.

He's becoming quite independent. He always wants to walk. He doesn't want to be carried. Sometimes nice, sometimes not... He helps pick up his toys. That is very nice!

Eating a banana like a big boy

17 Month Red Chair Picture (he had the giggles)

Noah has had a little fever for the last two days. He doesn't see to have any other symptoms. I'm hoping it's just a tooth. But, he's been a little fussy. He's sitting on the couch "watching" a movie with daddy. (By watching, I mean he watches for 2 minutes and then has to get down and play.)

Playing at the park

Watching the ducks at the park

New toy (a drum full of instruments)

"Beach Bum"

Has it really been nearly a month since the last post? Who is in charge of this anyway??? They need to do a better job of posting on a more regular basis.

We've always kept Noah's hair pretty short (once he had his first cut anyway). But, I've been curious about whether or not it would be curly again if it were a little longer... It's starting to curl up above his ears; it's very cute. AND, it's makes for some great fun in the bathtub!

Noah was quite the "beach" bum for about a week. Then came the monsoons and then the excessive heat. Noah and I went to the pool with his Auntie Di and Madi. (Noah was really thirsty.)

The pool we go to has a lazy river. Noah loves it. He just sits and watches as we go around. I was a little shocked. The boy never sits still unless he's sleeping. They have these double inner tubes with a bottom on one side so Noah can sit "by himself."

MiMi and Poppy were here and took Noah to the pool also. Here's Noah's crazy hair after they got home.

Noah also got his very own pool for the backyard. He won't get in it. But he likes to stand outside of it and play. (He's wearing his super cute cloth swim diaper.)

Noah recently had Almond Butter for the first time. He really likes it, but he makes a very big mess with it!!!

Noah just loves to be outside. A few weeks ago, he was carrying around a bucket and tripped and half of his pinkie fingernail came off. It was very sad. His pinkie is too small for a band aide. I tried to get one on him to keep the dirt out... It just didn't work. Anyway, all is growing in nicely. Here he is putting gas in his car, just before the incident.

As best we can tell, Noah is very advanced in the area of speech. According to babycenter.com, he should be able to say 7 words. I couldn't tell you how many he can say, but it's probably 50-60. I gated Noah in his room the other day while I was doing a little cleaning. I sneezed and from his room came a little voice that said "bless you." It was very cute!!

Noah was really sleepy one day this week, so I was trying lots of things to keep him entertained and happy. I put my jacket on him. It was pretty funny. I couldn't get him to hold still for a picture; he kept charging me. So you'll have to use your imagination a little bit. He'd want it off and then on and then off and then on... I finally put it away.

The English Language According to Noah

Awe gaw - All done
Dip - chip
Mommy - I need some HELP! (alternate meaning: mommy)
Licklelicklelickle - Tickle, tickle, tickle.
Uh oh - I threw something on the floor; can you please get it for me?
Fro - Froggy
True - Truman
Side - Outside
Walk - Walk
Buckle - Buckle
Soose - Shoes
Turch - Church
Bur - Bird
Up - Get me out of here!
Naughny - Naughty
Hot - Hot
Mick - Milk
Ah-meh - Amen

(Note: This is not a complete dictionary, but rather a sampling.)

Time Flies...

...when you're dippin' your pancakes in apple sauce. MiMi taught him how. She thought he needed a little something on his pancakes since I wouldn't let him have syrup.

...when you won't sit still for your 15 month red chair picture (taken nearly a month ago). It's hard to get a boy to sit still for a picture these days. He's much too busy for that sort of thing.

...when you're hanging with your buddy. Noah and Luke after "eating" dinner. They were both a little too busy to eat.

Speaking of buddies... Last week we were at the Hunter's. I set Noah down in front of Canon. Canon was looking at the floor, so Noah bent down so he was in his line of sight and said, "HI!" It was very cute.

...when you're climbing on everything. Noah started climbing on things long before he started walking. Aren't they supposed to walk first?

...when you're making a big mess, say, with sidewalk chalk. You can't tell from the picture, but he was covered in chalk. I do mean COVERED.

...when you're eating like a big boy. Noah is a pro with a fork. We're still working on the spoon. He doesn't quite get the scooping process. He just dips it.

...when you're getting into everything. Greg put "child locks" on the drawers, but they're too long. Noah can still fit his arm in. (These are bona fide locks too... Who engineered these?)

Last week he was getting into something he wasn't supposed to be in. I got down to his level to correct him. He put his hand in my face, push me away, and said "All done." I did what any good mother would do. I laughed.

...when you're eating popsicles in your underpants. He did not want to hold it. It was too sticky or cold or something.

...when you're "helping" mommy make dinner. (That's code for pulling everything out of the cabinets and throwing it about the kitchen.)

...when you're driving a truck. Some sweet friends from church gave this to Noah. He loves it! And look how cute he is driving it.

...when you're playing with poop. Thankfully it's not really poop. It just looks like it.

...when you're doing your computer work. Noah is obsessed with the computer. We bought him his very own. He thinks he's big stuff.

...when you're learning to walk. Although he's been able to do it for quite some time, Noah is just now starting to really walk a lot. When we'd try to get him to walk from one to the other, he'd say "Nooooooo" and sit down. It was pretty fun actually. Why walk when you can crawl really fast?

...when you're waking up at the crack of dawn...literally. Noah has decided if it's light outside, it must be time to get up. Do you know what time the sun rises? Between 5:00 and 5:15! I'm working on some black out curtains for him. Until they're finished a blanket seems to do the trick!

...when you tattle on yourself. When Noah is doing something he's not supposed to be doing, he either says "no, no" or "naughny." He's like his own babysitter. Sort of.

Boys Just Wanna Have Fun

Noah has gone greener. He's been exclusively wearing cloth diapers for several weeks now. I really like them. They are so much healthier. We got them at this fun store called Cotton Babies. (One of my friends, Shelly, wrote a great blog about them. Why repeat what she already said??? Click here to read what she wrote.)

Shelly and I decided on Wednesday, we'd load all the babies in her car and go to Cotton Babies. (It's a little bit of a drive.) When I told Greg we were all going in one car, he said (and I quote) "Can you even put 4 car seats in a mini van?" Anyway, we kept looking into the back and laughing... Not the best picture, but here they are.

Noah has started saying "Mmmmm!" when he eats now. It's quite funny.

If he's not supposed to do something, he says "No!" and then does it anyway. (Is that progress or just disobedience?) He also tells the cats, Truman and Jinx, "No!" if they are playing with one of his toys. My mom and dad were watching him today and said Noah got close to the remote and said "No, no, no!"

He's started to climb... He was following me through the house this week and got sidetracked at the piano. I could hear him plunking at the keys. Then all of the sudden, he was crying. All of my Mother's Day cards, which had been on the ledge of the piano, were on the floor. He had climbed up on the bench, pulled them down, and then fell off. Later that day, he climbed up on the fireplace. My dad said Noah started to climb up on the fireplace today and my dad said "Ah, ah, ah" and Noah put his foot. (He minds sometimes...)

Noah likes to drag out as many toys as he possibly can. This week, I was making dinner and he pulled out just about everything in the kitchen he's allowed to play with. I had just touched raw chicken with one had and was headed to the sink to wash my hands. I stepped on a spatula and one foot went sliding across the floor. (Sometimes I fall down.) I nearly did the splits. I hurt my back and hip and got a huge bruise on my knee. Noah, of course, thought it was funny. I was trying to keep my salmonella hand away from him while he was hanging on me.

As mentioned, MiMi and Poppy are here for a visit. They took Noah for a walk this afternoon while I was gone. (It was a wee bit chilly today...) MiMi put Noah's infant foot rattles on his feet instead of shoes. She thought they were funny. They are a bit too small now. He has to hold the gumballs from the Sweet Gun trees.

Noah and Froggy driving Poppy's truck.

Post Party Ride Home

We stopped at Babies 'R' Us on the way home from dinner. Noah had to take his cup with him. As soon as we got him in the stroller and buckled in, he put his cup in the cup holder. Smart boy!

Jinx even enjoyed the balloon.