Because I don't want to forget this time...

I'm going to write down some of my favorite Noah things.

I have to write them here..because I'm not great at baby books (I'm still working on Noah's...1.5 years later so I have to write it down somewhere...) so I'm going to write it out so just in case I get to that baby book I have the info to fill it in.  :)

Our little man is crazy.  Crazy fun.  Crazy silly.  Crazy busy. Crazy TODDLER.

We're in LOVE. 

Lots of things I need to get a picture of or a video..but here we go.

He is now front facing in the car.  Our pediatrician might have our tails if we were still in Austin..but after riding front facing while in Florida and then at Mom and Dad's..he is no longer interested in rear facing.  Our car rides are now much more chatty.  Sweet little man of ours likes to tell me about everything he sees.  I love it.  He does yell out what he wants me to know...and gets louder until I respond.  So we have quite the time.

He throws things from the backseat at me.  It's pretty funny.  I shouldn't let him do it, but it just cracks me up. And he only does it when he's playing.  

He can also see me, which is good and bad.  If I'm eating...bad..he wants what I have. If he's mad...it's bad..because he realizes he can vocalize how unhappy he is.  But if he's in a good mood..it's awesome because he is full on in all his silly glory and I love it.

Moving on from the car...he has some new words.

Emi: Semi

Bus: Bus (He thinks anything that is rounded on top is a bus even UPS trucks and dump trucks)

Utru: Truck

Bubbles

Mo: More

Peas: Please

Pubby: Puppy

Up peas: Up please

Yesh: Yes

Meme: Ma'am (Which he will get on a roll saying Meme Meme Meme- I'm really trying to get him into yes ma'am.  We'll see how that goes.)

cackers: Crackers

He answers questions with umm..no or ummm.yesh. Sometimes the answer makes me want to pull my hair out..always the answer is cute.

He is a full on tantrum throwing toddler now.  I'm not sure what to do.  There is a real moment of terror that comes over me when he goes into meltdown mode.  It kinda makes me want to curl up and cry.  (I think that may be partially pregnancy hormones) On Sunday we had a tantrum moment at home.  I mean the boy was in hysterics.  Brad tried to do the discipline (because that most definitely is more effective than Mama despite my best efforts) we put him in timeout, I went in after two different attempts by Brad and he finally calmed down.  I don't even remember what on earth the tantrum was over.  Today is was because he tried to hit me (that's new too) in Penney's so I wouldn't let him walk anymore and he screamed the entire way out of the store.  I felt like every woman in the store was thinking "Woman get your child under control" and all I could think was "Lord how do I parent him in this moment? Because I'm pretty much out of ideas."

Please parents of children older than mine..any tips?  Brad and I are all about trying anything.  It's not all the time by any means. For the majority of times he is our sweet tender hearted boy.  But I have this fear of not curbing these behaviors early enough, and we want so badly to raise him well..to understand that we discipline him for his heart, so that he can display the love of Jesus, and not just be on him about his behavior.

Back to fun..

If you ask him how a flamingo stands he kicks one foot out.  It's adorable.  Our neighbors have three plastic flamingo's in one of their flower pots so we do this alot.

He will dance sometimes.  Cracks us up.

Plays well with other kiddos.

He thinks it's hilarious to be chased. So he will grab something he knows he isn't supposed to have and go running with it with this huge ornery grin on his face.

He has learned he can open to bottom cabinets to stand in them to reach things on the counter.

He loves to throw things away, or put things in the sink, or "help" me with the laundry and emptying the dishwasher, he'll bring pillows when I'm making the bed.  My little cleaner man.

He has become kinda a snuggler in the last few weeks.  Oh my goodness am I in LOVE.  I am treasuring every moment of snuggles I get because once that baby #2 comes I know our time will be a little more limited for just he and mama time.

LOVES to be outside. At mom and dad's he gets so excited if I say the word outside.

Likes to find my shoes to give to me.

Has a happy dance where he kinda hops back and forth from one foot to another.  It's so stinking adorable.  I need to video it.

He LOVES babies.  Everywhere we go he says "baby baby baby" and then if the baby is crying he is super worried about it "UH OH UH OH Baby!" There were babies crying on our flight home from Florida..I thought he was going to jump over the seat to get to them.  He was pretty obsessed with sweet Ella while we were in Florida.   

That's it for now.  Have a great week! 

Updates.

Life has been good.  :)  

I am so thankful for the last few weeks that we have had.  They have really made me feel more at home...which is a little ironic since I've spent like 3 days here over the last  two weeks. Hahaha oh well.  

On a side note...if you have called me in the last weeks and I haven't responded please forgive me.  It's coming. I will call soon.  So so sorry.  

We went on a Disney cruise with Brad's parents two weeks ago now.  It was sooo amazing.  Disney just makes you feel so special, and it was so relaxing.  It was AWESOME.  Noah did great on the cruise and we were so thankful for that.  Brad and I even got some time together which was great.  I'll post more about this later which actual pictures.  It was perfect. 

After the cruise we spent two days at the Disney parks and then headed over to see Sarah, Phil and their three beautiful little ladies.  We got to meet our newest precious niece and that was AMAZING.  It's hard to be away and not get to help out with the girls for Sarah and Phil but how great it was to have some time together.  It was hard to leave.  

When we left Sarah's Noah and I headed back to Mom and Dad's while Brad had the week to spend in Muncie.  Noah loves it there so as always we were super relaxed and able to rest up a bit there.  

We finally came back home Saturday night so we could make it to church on Sunday.  We have a new church we've now been to twice and we're excited to keep going.  We miss the Stone so much...but we have to find a church home here.  I was pumped on Sunday because we got a call from a girl for the mom's program the church has.  I didn't know that I had gotten in (there was a wait list) so when I got the call I almost cried I was so excited.  Here's a chance to meet women, who have small kiddos, who live near me.  YAY!!!  

Today was my first meeting and I loved it.  We sit in small tables, there is a "mentor mom" who has grown children, and then a table leader.  Two other girls at my table also graduated from Olivet.  So cool.  (I didn't know them they were a little ahead of me at Olivet but still) Two other ladies had just recently relocated to the area from other states also.  I feel like the Lord just totally picked me up and plucked me right down into that group.  I am so thankful.  A sweet woman, Ellen, was the one who really got me involved and I am so thankful for her.  I'm thankful for those who see a need.  I spoke with her our first Sunday at the church, and she took my info and got me registered and all that good stuff.  Then she found me today to talk to me and introduce me to the women's ministry director at the church.  How grateful I am for welcoming and inviting people.  :)  

That's about it for today.  Little man is napping..which means I shall be also.  I take any sleep I can get right now.  Two kiddos soon enough.  Yay!  

Hope you have a great week!

Looking up.

Things are looking up. :)

Had my first appointment with our new OB today.  It went well.  The nurse said that she actually goes to this doctor herself, and she also said he's super laid back and very gentle.  I was so glad to hear that...when you pick doctors off internet reviews..it's kinda a shot in a the dark.  We went 2/2 on doctors here so far.  Both the endocrinologist and our OB seem really nice.  I'm really glad.  It's weird..when they don't know you, ya know? They don't know I'm a nurse, or that they can trust my history- and it's not something I just throw out there when I meet someone ...like "hey I'm a nurse." But then they ask your occupation, and I tell them I'm a nurse, and then I feel silly that I didn't tell them from the beginning.  Silly little dilemmas.

We went to a new church this week and really liked it.  That was a HUGE answer to prayer.  We won't be able to go back the next two weeks because we'll be out of town, but are really excited to go back again.  It was so encouraging.  They have a mom's program during the week that I am on the waiting list for and hope to hear that I've gotten into soon.

We found a couple of really nice parks, and the weather has been AMAZING so that is awesome.

Our neighbors are really sweet.  They're all retired, but super kind and always talk to us when we're out.  There is a young couple who lives in the building next to ours, they have a child too.  I may stalk them into being our friends.  We'll see how that works out.  Hahaha.  I'm not ashamed.

One thing I'm especially thankful for.  Texting and phones.  :)  It's amazing the ability to call and ask, or shoot a text, to friends for prayer or just to update on life. Or for sweet photos of little ones that we miss.  I LOVE it!

We go on VACATION this week!  A Disney cruise with Brad's parents.  We are PUMPED!!  We also get to meet our precious new niece..I can't wait to get my hands on her and love on that little girl!!  How we adore our nieces!! Noah is super excited to see his cousins too!  I'm excited to see how Noah does with a little baby.

That's about it for now...but I am thankful!  It's been a great week! Hope for you too!

Guess what...

So this little family of three is soon to be a family of FOUR! 

We are SO excited!  

I know I've sounded a little sad in the previous posts...but our joy over this little bundle is unexplainable!!  

We're due around March 14, 2013 and cannot wait for our little man to be a big brother!  That boy loves himself a baby..so I just can't wait to see him love on his precious little baby brother/sister.  

We are so thankful and excited for this new development in our life!  (Moving across the country wasn't enough of a change...we're throwing in a baby to go with it!) 

Yay!!  Have a great week!

The days can be long.

So since moving..and realizing we don't know many people here, the days seem to be a little longer. 

It's not that bad, because sweet Brad gets home much earlier from work now, so we have lots of time together as a family at night, but I find I'm having trouble filling the days for Noah and me.  

See since we relocated...Noah has taken to waking up at 6:15.  He hasn't done this in so long.  And with me not sleeping...it's been a little challenging.  6:15.  I know that's not really that early..Brad is long gone for work at that point, when I'm working I've already been at work for 45 minutes by that point...but I'm not sleeping.  So when you finally fall asleep around 2am...and then get back up at 6:15...it's a little challenging.

Although there is NOTHING better than sweet little man's smile when he wakes up.  He's into hugging now..so if I say "big squeeze" when I pick him up out of the crib I am rewarded with a huge hug.  MAKES MY DAY. Love that sweet boy.  

Last week we ventured out to a park...I was hoping I would maybe stumble upon a play group, but no luck so far.  I have no doubt though we are going to find some great friends here...but man are we missing those Austin friends of ours.  I am realizing more and more that one of the reasons being a stay at home mom was such an easy transition for me in Austin was because I had simply beautiful friends that also were staying home with their kiddos.  Noah and I spent many of our days, at least part of them, with these friends and their kiddos and we adored it! So we are craving some time with other women and children.  

Anyways while we were at the park, all the kiddos talked to me...but not so many of the mama's. One kiddo actually pushed Noah down and kicked him.  Then looked at me and started kicking him harder before I got over there.  WHOA mama bear just about came out.  Noah was just fine and I know these things happen, but it wasn't an encouraging start to our first park trip.  

So this week has been a little tough emotionally.  But I have hope! 

Because:

  I am LOVING all the family time we are having.  Brad has been home while I've been cooking dinner almost every day..rather than me having to time it so it's warm when he gets here...that is such a relief of pressure.

We took a walk last night with Noah in his wagon.  Adorable.  He loved it!  I told Brad I really want to take advantage of taking walks together most nights since the winter will take these away soon enough.  

We're going to try out a new church on Sunday again, really praying we find one quickly to dive into. 

Brad LOVES his job-which totally reassures me everyday in this decision.  

We have had lots of time with our extended family since moving here..and know there is more to come...we still haven't seen some of Brad's family that lives in Indiana so we're excited to get to see them! 

I get to see one of my dearest college friends Debbie on Friday.  I love EVERY time we get to spend together, and she lives not too far from here.  Which is fabulous, by the way. 

We have many awesome friends that still live in Indiana or Chicagoland area and we're going to get to see them SO much more often...and I LOVE that! 

I slept last night.  I actually fell asleep while trying to order 101 free pictures from shutterfly- the coupon of course expired at midnight and I slept right through it...but I don't care! I slept.  Maybe sleep will soon become my friend again.  

Brad is awesome and so encouraging, and does not at all get upset with me when I talk of missing our friends back in Austin, or our church (such as when I cried through service this week here hahaha), or my job (which seriously ruined me for any future job)...he just supports me and encourages me.  How blessed I am to have that man as my husband.  

Our home is a home.  And we are loving relaxing in it.  And Noah seems to totally dig it and not get so claustrophobic during the day.  

And most importantly I have hope because I know my God.  I know that when He leads us, He goes before us.  I know that while this time of transition is a little lonely, he has so very graciously allowed us to have time with people who are precious to us already since being here..and we have been so grateful. And he is So GOOD.  So I know that we are going to LOVE it here.  And that is exciting to me.  

That's it for today...kinda a downer of a post.  But I find it a bit therapeutic to write it out.  :) Have a great week!

Insomnia.

So...the hours of 1-5am are QUICKLY becoming my least favorite part of the day.  It's currently 3:36am, and I've been up since about 1:30.  Guess who will be taking a nap during Noah's nap today.  

This girl.  

You would think I would be productive but I watched a useless movie on lifetime movie network (that I've already seen), and now I'm blogging.  (And pinteresting...and finding all sorts of things I want to make/do) 

Any chance Noah will sleep in tomorrow?  HIGHLY unlikely because this mama decided he was ready for bed at 7pm.  (We had a long day of cleaning/organizing- and he had a short nap.  So we decided he could go to bed and we could enjoy relaxing. Sweet boy didn't make a peep he was exhausted...but I'll pay when he's up here in 2-3 hours.)  

But you know what...I am SO excited.  Today my mom and dad came up and helped us put the finishing touches on the condo. I use finishing touches pretty loosely...it had a LONG way to go before they got here.  Around 10am this morning I specifically remember thinking there was no way we would get it all done.  I was so wrong.  By the end of the day we had a loaded storage unit, an organized garage, a newly installed garage door opener, a clean house including hands and knee mopped floors, dusted furniture, vacuumed carpets, and NO boxes.  (To be honest..one box left of miscellaneous things that will have a home once I get Noah's closet reorganized..but who's counting.) I seriously can't tell you how amazing it felt tonight to sit down in a home that was livable.  

The last month has been a bit of an emotional roller coaster.  Really longer that that, but especially the last month as we were living in chaos in Austin preparing for the move, while saying goodbye to those we love, and then moving here and being apart for a week at a time -twice. 

But tomorrow...I just get to be a wife and a mom.  I don't have to clean or organize.  I have normal daily things to do, and that's it.  I get to just be with Noah, and spend time with Brad.  It means so much to me.  So I am so thankful tonight, even though I can't sleep.  (Maybe that's why- because I'm so crazy (and I mean that literally) excited about the house.) 

I use parenthesis a lot.  

Here are some pictures of the new place.  We are loving it here so far.  It's very clean, and feels very safe, and the neighborhood is SO quiet.  The apartment in Austin most definitely was not quiet...so we are LOVING this.  

Our stairwell entry.

Our bedroom from our bathroom/closet area with my little helper posing for a picture.  I told him to say cheese...he stood so still but refused to crack a smile.  Silly boy. 

Kitchen.  

 Noah's room.  We decided not to set up a guest bed in this one due to space..but visitors you come right ahead.  You can have our bed or an air mattress. We don't care which we just want you to be here and be comfortable! :) 

I'm pretty excited because Brad is going to fix Noah's dresser now that we're moved.  We love that dresser so even if it doesn't fix I'll just remove the doors.  It will be eclectic. :) 

Our living/play area from the stairwell.  We have 400 more sf in this than the apartment in Austin, so it feels much less crowded.

It's a condo, a second floor condo but our stairs are private.  It feels pretty homey so far.  We'll be very thankful to find a home next spring, but we're very excited for where we are right now.  I'm learning to be content and present where I'm at..instead of always looking for a house.  It only stresses me out, and we've been so blessed.  So here are pictures! :)  The quality is not great as they are from my phone, but the boys are both sleeping away blissfully unaware of this girl's inability to sleep and I don't think they would enjoy their pics being taken right now.  

Have a great week!! 

18 Months.

So Noah turned 18 months old last week during the move.

18 months.  Goodness gracious.  

I can honestly say that while this age is the most challenging thus far, it is by far my favorite.  He is a BLAST.  Cracks us up every day.  (Don't get me wrong...we definitely have our fair share of trying times too..but man he's funny)

I feel like over the last month, even just the last week or so he's really taken off on development.  Here's what he's doing now at 18 months. 

Runs...ALL THE TIME.  We here his little feet pat pat patting away as he runs all over.  Especially this week as he has been at Mom and Dad's and they have more space than we do.

Words: Mama, Dada, Mommy, Pop (Poppy), Papa, Nini for Nana, MiMi, Go-Go, Ball-Ball, No (we do not like this!), Noah, This, Wa-Wa (Water), Ooshs (shoes), Up Peas (Up please)

Points to his ears, hair, mouth, nose, toes, feet, belly button.  Can't get the eyes down..always points to his ears haha

Recently has started to try to tickle people's feet..cracks me up.  He especially does this to Nana and Papa-even when they're wearing shoes.  

He loves to stand on the couch and fall face first without trying to catch himself.  Today he was doing this on the ottoman.  He'll count (Ah-Da-DAH -which is his 1, 2, 3) and then fall.  Hilarious.  I never realized that I'll count to three when we're playing until he started doing it.  Pretty funny because I don't even count to three when I'm disciplining him.  

He loves to "drive" anything and everything.  This week he's driven all of pop's lawnmowers, and his tractor, and his truck, and Papa's van.  He just runs from one to the other.

He has quite the appetite.  He'll eat almost anything. Sometimes when he's done eating, and I haven't caught the drift he'll just open his mouth and let it fall out.  That's a great experience. 

Says NO.  A lot.  We're working on it.

He had to say goodbye to his best friends this month.  Watching them play and hug each other for the last time was precious to me.  

He signs for more, please, thank you, and occasionally help.  He also will sign for Jesus when we sing Jesus loves me- um best thing ever.

When we pray before meals, if I am kneeling down praying with him, and his food is in front of me, he will try to put food in my mouth.  Hahaha.  Hilarious. 

Still loves to throw balls around.  We think he'll be left handed.  He really seems to favor that side.

When he runs he punches his left arm.  So funny.  I need to get it on video.

LOVES to be outside.  Since we've been at my parents he runs to the door every morning first thing and tries to open it to go outside. 

He has quite the voice.  He loves to yell.  Not in anger really (but sometimes) but often just to yell.  

He loves to giggle.  

Lots of kisses and hugs, and recently has become super affectionate with Mama. Makes my year.

That's probably it for now.  This little one brings us so much joy, and teaches us so much at the same time.  We are learning every day it feels like and I hope that he is too. 

Hope you have a great week!