The many words of Noah!

This week was another fun with Noah!  Some days with Noah...he talks and talks and others, we can work on him repeating words...and nothing...:)  So this week the words included:  cat, duck, hippo, tractor (sounds a lot like cracker...but Papa Rokes thought it was great!  retired John Deere Papa!!!!), and bubble.  We also worked on noises for animals like "quack, quack...moo...and oo ahh ee (monkey noises)!"  Another update that I forgot (we decided to write things down as soon as Noah does them on a post it note wherever we can find them...so we don't forget!!)...our friends (Amanda and Ashleigh) had taught him to "pound it" and it is hilarious!!!  So whether it is a high five or pound it...he thinks he is pretty cool!!  Noah had some fun with some play dates this week and got to meet his cousin Alaina this weekend!  We are so blessed to have such good people to hang out with and learn from.  On the parenting/marriage side of things...Scott and I are still learning a lot about quality time with Noah versus just being with him.  While I love TV (sad...but I am admitting it)...I know I need to turn it off and play!  My parenting magazine this month talked a lot about play and the importance of it...they learn so much all of the time and play is important!  Picking the right discipline choices has also been interesting.  Scott and I were raised a lot alike so that helps...but still knowing when to say no/stop or talk about a time out...has been something we have learned a lot about.  Noah is a normal toddler...doing normal things...pushing boundaries like he should and we just have to learn what works best!  Enjoy some fun pics of Noah and Alaina, Noah in the snow (and helping Daddy and Jordan shovel snow...thanks for the shovel Papa Connolly)!  He was not a fan of the sledding...but loved shoveling!

Another week in January...BRRRRRR!!!!

This week was a whirlwind for some reason:)  Even though I had Monday at home, I still seemed to be behind around the house!  But enjoying that time with Noah was great...I do know that I couldn't be a stay at home mom...but it was nice to have another few hours with Noah.  This week was a step in the right direction for sleep!  Noah slept in his crib a few more nights and last night...Scott got Noah to sleep on his own in his crib!  No falling asleep with us...I think this might be a good idea to pursue!?!?!?  Any other hubby's out there who put their kiddos to sleep?  Scott has done a lot of refereeing but is still home at a decent time which is great...so Noah still gets to see him before he goes to bed.  This week was more of Noah jabbering away...the word my mother-in-law taught him yesterday was JJ (for cousin Jordan)...otherwise...just a lot of the same words and lot of reading.  He seems to have a few different favorite books each week.  We are big Eric Carl fans...and anything that he can touch and feel in a book.  Working on animal sounds...really had woof woof down...and sometimes meow and baa, baa...he definitely knows what a duck does...so maybe it will be next!  The next month or so is going to be a bit crazy with weekend commitments...so we will treasure every down time moment we have.  I am one of the luckiest wives out there I think (my parents keep telling Scott he will be a saint someday b/c he puts up with me:)...and Scott did it again.  He surprised me with flowers at work on Friday!  I guess he had been planning it all week...wasn't sure if he was sucking up for something or just being sweet...and it was just to be sweet.  I hope Scott and I can be good role models for Noah and his future partner.  It is a lot of work sometimes...but at the end of the day...it sure feels good to have that other half supporting you:)  Here are some pics of the pretty roses, Noah and Mommy eating a malt made by Daddy and Noah baking (we made banana chocolate chip muffins and corn muffins/yellow cake mix for our chili!).  Have a great week...stay warm!

Noah's Second UNI Basketball Game!

This past week has been another adventure with Noah:)  His two new words for the week are "help" and "elmo."  Noah and his daddy have been building HUGE towers out of blocks and he likes to "help" pick them up when he knocks them over (he even tries to blow them over...HILARIOUS!!).  We are working on cleaning up (singing that song...clean up, clean up, everybody clean up)...and sometimes it works...especially if we use the word "help!"  Mommy had to stay home one day this week because of a nasty sinus infection and Daddy was on full-time duty...and he was awesome!  We are pretty even in our tasks around the house (THANK GOODNESS!!)...but on Wednesday...it was all him:)!  Noah has been one great kiddo this week and bought Mommy kleenex's whenever needed. 

This was however...a long week of sleeping.  We have been trying to come up with ways to get Noah to sleep on his own...but to no avail.  Daddy did get Noah in his crib past May...but we backtracked in late July and have had Noah in our bed ever since.  I really enjoy the snuggle time...but Noah is up and kicking and rolling and it makes it hard to sleep.  I wake up every time he kicks and Scott can sleep through it...but neither one of us gets good sleep.  We decided Noah was too old to try the cry-it out method (and I just couldn't do it...maybe next baby...)...asked some knowledgeable co-workers and they recommended a book called, "The No Cry Sleep Solution,"  by Elizabeth Pantley.  We know it will take time...but it sure makes me feel better!  I know it is only the beginning...but after Saturday night and waking up 4 times in the night to last night in his crib all night...I have hope!  It will take time...but we are going to follow the techniques and give it a whirl!  I don't regret co-sleeping at all and think it worked for us...but Scott and I miss our time at night...just catching up and such...I am looking forward to that again...instead of the whispering and hoping Noah was asleep!    Well...gotta run and gear up for the week (MLK day off...so Noah and I had a blast!!!)

Noah did great at his second UNI bball game...great RA Alumni night...fun to catch up:)

Not sure how to put words in between pictures...oops!  The one's of Noah and his hair...forgot to write about it!  We decided to give the baby mullet a little trim:)  And yes...I did save a few pieces:)  The last round of pics of Noah and his daddy building his towers (yes...Noah does have Xmas pjs on...they are so soft!)

The Holidays and an 18 month old!

Oh Noah...the Holidays were a blast!  Our first two Christmas's of the year took place in the beginning of December...so he wasn't quite sure what to do with presents...he loves to rip paper...so that was fun...but he didn't grasp the idea of presents (or in his case..TOYS!!).  By the time the third and fourth Christmas...he was a pro and then did not want to wait to play!  So...Daddy got good at ripping out toys with lots of plastic:).  Noah makes anyone smile...and his personality really shined this holiday season.  With both of our grandparents (our mom's parents are still around and healthy)...he just brightens their day!  With the many aunts and uncles around...lots of playing!  And of course...Noah's grandparents...well...to say the spoil him and he spoils them with laughter is an understatement!  There are pictures below of Noah and his fun!  Updates for Noah...he got another moler!  Scott and I were so worried at first...because Noah did not get his first tooth until he was 10 1/2 months old!  Everyone assured us that it was okay...everyone gets teeth...but we were not so sure:)  He drooled sooo much from 3 months till about 9 months...and was a bit cranky...we were sure it was teeth...turns out...no!  He did have ear infections...which we do think explains the crankiness...thank goodness for tubes at 9 months old.  Noah now has about 10 teeth...BIG BOY!  Other highlights...we have heard him say:  spoon, baa (sheep), meow (cat) and pop pop (popcorn).  We are working on please and thank you...not much luck yet.  Noah was a dancing machine over break as well.  The Connolly's decided to get rid of cable TV (to save some money)...so we don't have the Disney Channel and Noah LOVED the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse show.  We have one DVD of it...guess what we have watched...over...and over...and over!  He also had developed a love for other books besides Brown Bear and Hungry Caterpillar...which has been fun!  We had a great break...minus a few sick days and are ready for the new year to begin!  Blessed and healthy and have decided to devote ourselves to budgeting (in December we wrote everything down that we spent...not a good month to start...we were shocked at how much we spent!!), healthy options (planning out our week's worth of suppers) and time with family and friends!  Happy New Year!