Noah's 2nd Birthday!! Part 1!

Hard to believe that 2 years ago my baby boy was born!  Since I started this about a year and a half into Noah's life...I never have recorded the story of his birth.  So...I am dedicating part one of this to his birth story (part 2 will be with pics from b-day party...they are loading right now!!).  We found out we were pregnant in early October...after I had run my 2nd marathon in the Twin Cities.  We didn't tell anyone...except I threw up in front of my co-workers at a Panera in Kansas City for a work conference.  On our way home...we got into a car accident and it was pretty nasty...no one was hurt (thank the lord)...but since I was pregnant, they transported me to a hospital via ambulance...needless to say I was FREAKED OUT!  With my co-worker (and now good friend, Ashleigh Crowe...whom I didn't really know well at the time!!) we saw Noah's heart beat for the first time!  Noah had an interesting beginning!  The rest of the pregnancy was pretty normal (I threw up about every day until 2nd trimester...but otherwise, normal...again, lots of thanks to the man above!).  I was pretty big at the end...in fact, if I heard one more person ask, "Are you still pregnant?" I think I would have punched them or cried!  We were due on our 3rd anniversary--June 17th (we also knew we were having a boy!!)...that came and passed.  We tried EVERYTHING to induce labor (use your imagination...but we really tried it all) and nothing worked.  My mom came with me to the doctor's office and they did another ultrasound (I couldn't feel Noah move a whole lot at the end)...the ultrasound lady (Lynn...known her my whole life!!) said he was about 8-9 pounds...and my mom had a meltdown!  I then had a meltdown!  My mom had little babies (my brother and I were both 6.5 pounds!!).  They decided to set a date for me to be induced (June 23rd).  Scott and I headed in and at 7AM the started the blood draw (which they cam back and said my hemoglobin was very low and I was going to have a blood transfusion...what!?!?!  That luckily turned out to be wrong!!).  They started the Pitocin (I was dilated at 2.5 for weeks...) and then I got an Epidural at about 2pm in the afternoon (Scott did great!!).  Then...we hung out.  Some nasty weather headed into the area...and then they had to move us b/c a tornado had been seen by the Dome.  I was beyond upset!! I couldn't walk (epidural) and am stuck in a bed--there was like 3 other people in labor at the same time.  Luckily...it passed and then we were bored!!!!!!  It was a long night!  I started throwing up (which was a sign of labor progressing...nothing about that in our Lamaze classes!!) and was starving!  Our parents were here for a lot of the labor and I needed my mom at parts.  At about 2AM...they said Noah had moved and I might have had to c-section...I broke down and cried with my mom...and he moved!  At about 5AM...we started pushing...we had GREAT nurses.  I did "tug of war" with the nurse.  Finally...I had reached the point for the doctor to come in.  Dr. Wing came in and we pushed and pushed!  They had to use the vacuum (it popped off twice) and they threatened c-section again.  Scott and I pushed with everything I could!  He finally popped out!  The first words out of my mouth were...Oh My God (sorry)...I feel so much better!  Kind of feel bad about that...but I was BEYOND uncomfortable at the end.  The baby was screaming and such and we knew he was healthy!  He was 8 pounds and 8 ounces, 21.5 inches long....Noah John Connolly was here!  The day itself was crazy...Ed Thomas from Aplington-Parkersburg was shot in the weight room (about the time Noah was born), Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcet both died on Noah's birth day.  It was a crazy day indeed!!!  So many friends and family were able to visit us in the hospital (THANK YOU...it meant the world to us).  Very blessed!  Noah's 2nd birthday will be later this week!

Happiness Project Update!

For those who read my last update...you know that I am reading a book called the Happiness Project.  While I am only half way through it...already implementing a few of the things:)  One of them  was on the topic of organization...for those who know me...not a strength when it comes to my home.  My office is piles...I know where everything...but to those who walk by...it is a cluttered mess:)  To be honest...as I have gotten older..the piles drive me nuts as well!  So at home, we are trying to do mini pick ups at night after Noah gets to bed.  This last week...not so successful!  Noah decided that bedtime was anywhere from 9pm to 10:30pm.  I know people think we are crazy...but he just isn't tired!  We watch for the tired cues (rubbing eyes, cranky, yawning, etc.)...but when he is playing outside and such...he gets really pumped up.  My parents laugh and say it serves me right...apparently I had a lot of energy as a child (I already knew I hated going to bed or nap as a child...) and that energy is still what keeps me up at night!  But Scott and I need a little reconnection time and we need Noah to go night night so we can:)  Especially right now when Scott has games all of the time...we only get about 30 minutes of time awake together...max!  So..organization...getting better.  There is a part about relaxing and enjoying the moments in the book as well.  This really resonated with me as my grandpa always told me to stop and smell the roses...and by golly I am going to!  I switched to a new phone last week (an Android) and for the week that I had it...I decided it was a distraction to Noah.  I have decided to disconnect...which for those that know me...I LOVE THE NEWS and like to know what is going on in the world.  I am a news junkie...I love sneaking in a few minutes of the Today show or the NBC nightly news.  I also loved having my work calendar synced with my phone...super helpful in planning what to wear in the mornings:)  But...(don't call child services!!!!) on Monday night...Noah and I were playing...(I was also playing on my phone) and he rolled off the side of the couch...head first.  DONE....after calming him down...called Scott and told him to take the phone back...this was the final straw!  And the next day on cnn.com (can't totally get rid of my news...just have to look on the computer...the "old-fashioned way") there was a story about smart phones and parent distractions...I knew I was right!  I know some people are fine...I just have this uncontrollable urge to check every time it buzzed or flashed.  So I am done!

Family update--Scott is half way done with the season!!  YEAH!!!  Noah continues to wow us with his many words.  He is starting to string words together...and just last week started saying, "Mommy...Daddy" and we thought that Mama and Dada were cute...Mommy and Daddy just do us in!  On a mommy note...I got to see one of my best friends (since we were 9) on Monday night and meet her new little one!  So precious...Noah has been great about being "nice to baby"--he totally says that!!!  Andrea's older one, Carson, drove Noah around in the Dodd's mini-gator...wow...Noah was on cloud nine!!!  Andrea's cousin and her little one were there as well...all pondering how much our lives have changed since we graduated 10 years ago (that's right...10 years ago!!).  It was a great night!  Also had a great time with some girlfriends on Friday night...definitely needed some girl time:)  Better run to work!!

Life and summer...

So another bit of a lapse on the blog!  I think with summer finally here and I am coach's wife and am in a funk once again (softball has started)...blogging might happen here and there!  Scott is an assistant at DNH (where he teaches)...he was the head coach for 5 years at his old school...so it is a bit of an adjustment.  The good thing is that he has EVERY morning with Noah...which will be great!  I was gone two weekends ago at a conference for work...and Scott made the comment that he needs to be home more.  It isn't that he isn't a great dad (he is amazing) and a great husband (I am so lucky), but being here with Noah is so important right now.  When you are married to a coach...I think your time is even more precious...some people don't get that!  Our weekends are our only together time (and with softball...just Sundays are our time b/c of tournaments) so I am sometimes a bear about scheduling anything or having anyone here b/c it is our time.  Anywho...Noah and Daddy will get some great time together and I am excited to hear about their adventures!

We have become quite the readers in our household!  We have read lots with Noah...but have started trying library books (and ripping them up...ahhhh!).  I love to read and so does Scott...we hope to instill that in our own children...so this is the summer of reading!  I have two books...the 1-2-3 Magic book (about discipline) and The Happiness Project.  The Magic book has lots of good tips dealing with discipline and we are getting to the "terrible twos" stage...which we have discovered is more about Noah figuring things out...not necessarily being naughty on purpose.  It is all developmental...but hitting (or pushing in Noah's case) is not okay:)  The Happiness book might seem strange for those who know me to read.  It is about this woman who wants to be happier and takes a year to figure out what that means.  I am a VERY happy (some might say annoyingly happy) person...but this book caught my eye via a friend...and I want to enjoy every moment...not just say I am.  So...I am going to read it!  If I am good at it...I will post how I am doing!

On to Noah...he has been learning new words every day!  It seems he learns better from Scott than me with new words.  So "house" (with his play house), "bus" (every time we see one he starts yelling BUS!!) are a few.  We also started and finished swimming lessons.  He was not a fan at first (probably shouldn't have done new ear plugs and a new experience together...whoops!  Always learning), but by the end...he loved it!  Our teachers were great...and now we are a blowing bubble machine and a kicking fool!  We went to our first circus with Harrison and Kristin!!  We also wrapped up Kindermusik.  We are going to do it again in the Fall...he loves to dance and play...so it was a blast!  Our new favorites are Bob and Larry from Veggietales...which is a childhood favorite of mine!  We watch one every night at bedtime.  He is quite the thoughtful little boy and we are excited to see how he handles being a big brother someday (not preggo...but working on it!!!!).   Lots of outside fun...hopefully we can get some good weather to stay!  Here are some new pics:

3 weeks and a word explosion!!

So the past 3 weeks have flown by!  Noah is huge lover of the outdoors and it finally got nice out!  We have played in the dirt, sand and grass every day that is was nice out.  Our new swing set has been a blast as well as the sandbox...Noah digs more and more in it everyday.  He has learned to say a ton of new words lately...waffles, i love you (comes out i wuvv...), bus, plane, and more.  The big milestone...of the past couple of weeks has been potty training!  He pooped in the toilet...twice now!  I have been peed on twice now while he sat on the big boy toilet...so that is still to come.  Scott is going to be spending every morning with him this summer when school is out, I am hoping some major headway can happen in the area for him! 

Mother's Day was a great day b/c I got to go out for breakfast (a little bit of sleeping in...) at Panera with Noah and Daddy.  We played at home and then I got to take a nap with Noah!  Judge me if you want...but I LOVE napping with Noah.  I know it is the snuggles and every day he gets older, I know he will do snuggles less and less, so I am taking them every time I can.  Scott snuck in a sweet card and the new Tina Fey book (catch her mother's day song on SNL...HILARIOUS!!).  It was a great day.  I love every moment I can have at home with my family.  With all of the coaching and meetings and work...it is hard to get those moments at home.  I stayed home with Noah on Monday (when he gets teeth...we get vomit and bathroom issues and fevers)...and I loved every minute of it.  I know I don't want to be a stay at home mom...but I sure wish I could work a bit less...maybe off at hour earlier than what I am now?  Something to think about...I love my job and what I do...but balancing that with family is always hard...every week, month, requires balance and I am just exhausted some weeks with doing it all. 

This week was our last Kindermusik...we are taking a summer break and will do it again in the Fall.  He LOVES to dance and sing and be with other kids...so it has been a fun experience.  Today was fun...we went to the circus!  My friend, Kristin, was able to get free tickets for all of us...so Harrison (Kristin's little one) and Noah and I all went.  It was a hoot!  The boys loved it!  I will post pictures later.  Swimming lessons start this next week...should have some fun pics!!!  Gotta run...Noah is beyond tired from the circus:)

Pics for Egg and bunnies!

Some fun pics that wouldn't post on the other post!!  Noah and his first helmet; @ Jenna and Matt's house; dying eggs for the first time!; Elmo Easter present; a sign made by my Grandpa...he loves making funny jokes on signs; hunting for eggs at great-grandparents Conklins; on his first SWING; down the slide with Nana and Papa Connolly!!  Great day!

Eggs..hop...bunnies...

It was a crazy weekend!  We headed to LeClaire to visit Matthew and Jenna on Friday night and Noah had a BLAST with Peyton (their puppy) on Friday night.  We spent the night and headed out to do a bit of shopping...and even saw the American Pickers show location!!!!  We headed home on Saturday night and we were pooped.  We dyed Easter eggs...which was an adventure.  To those who know me...you know that the kitchen and I are trial and error.  Since owning a home, I have gotten a lot more into cooking and being organized...but I still am learning a lot!  Needless to say...I did not know that when you made hard-boiled eggs that you should place the eggs in the water and then boil them!  I busted about three eggs before I realized I needed to put them in gently.  Noah had a riot dying the 5 eggs we had left with Daddy and our friend Ben.  Sunday...we had to get up early to do our hunt and present for Noah because we had to go to early church!  He was a bit grumpy and I was a bit under the weather since I am allergic to pet dander...so it was an adventure.  We headed off to early church and then Scott and I were in charge of the egg hunt at church.  One of my best friends (childhood friend since we were like 9!!) was back and we along with a 6th grader hid all 560 eggs!  The throngs of kids hunting was a stitch.  Then we headed off to Independence to my grandparents and ate delicious food as well as another hunt!  My Aunt Chris and Uncle Steve have a hard time not spoiling Noah along with my grandparents so he got two more baskets there.  This hunt was outside after nap...so a bit grouchy but cool for Noah to be outside!  We headed home shortly afterword (after watching my grandpa drive a three-wheel golf cart backwards because he wired it that way!  My grandparents are a riot and I look up to them more and more every-time we are around them...their love for each other is so amazing) and we started on the swing set that Daddy found online via Swapsheet/Craigslist.  My parents dropped off their Easter basket for Noah and he FREAKED out because it was an Elmo basket with sandbox toys!!  My in-laws stopped by with their Easter basket and helped put the set together!!  He got a really cool card...a Mickey Mouse Clubhouse card that SANG to him along with bubbles and candy:)  Noah was beyond pumped for his swing and slide:)  All in all a great weekend...but we are pooped.  It is another crazy week for us with us...so we will be ready for another weekend.  I am awaiting a phone call/text on my best friend Andrea and her second baby boy!  I can't wait and am sooo jealous that I'm not pregnant...and am worrying already how I will handle this whole pregnancy with all of my anxiety...so cross your fingers and say a little prayer:)  Happy Easter week!

an addition!!

A big deal...forgot to write about how we got a swing set!  We have been looking and looking...and they are expensive!!!!  So...we placed an ad in the Veridian Spreadsheet and Craigslist...and someone responded.  We are pumped!  We will have to make a few additions and such...but pretty pumped.  We also realized that we had no 2T for the summer and luckily it was a huge garage sale weekend.  I stocked up on shorts and t-shirts for summer and a froggy sand box ($5)!!