Christmas!!!

Well...it was a whirlwind!  We survived...3 different stops on Saturday and 2 on Sunday (plus our own).  To say we are exhausted is an understatement!!  I could be in bed within the hour:)  The last week seemed to really drag (I love my job and Scott enjoys teaching...but we were really ready for break!!) and I had to say goodbye to our front desk secretary, Deb, who is someone I consider myself very close to!  It made for a long week.  Noah enjoyed the grandparents all week as our day care is closed (good for them!!).  Noah had a riot with his Nana and Papa Connolly on Monday (they rented a room at the Isle Sunday night and Noah and Daddy went swimming) and then my dad the rest of the week.  Everyone is in agreement...Noah is quite the the little boy.  He is stringing sentences and answers questions like a grown up.  Day care had a Christmas program and all the little ones sang (his current favorite songs are, "Santa Clause is coming to Town" and "Jingle Bells" which comes out gingle bells...hilarious!!!).  The week ended with Mommy attempting to make something new in the crock pot...it was gross and we headed out on a gift card to Texas Roadhouse.  It was great on Thursday night...with Noah also having to leave his first restaurant because he stood up and started screaming, "Mommy, Mommy, Mommy"...even though it is a loud restaurant...not cool!!  Noah also made it through his first real movie, the Polar Express (I'm sure it having to do with trains helped!!).  Daddy worked frantically on Thursday afternoon to move things around (Jordan, our cousin, moved home to student teach...so Noah is moving to his big boy room).  Noah stayed in his room Thursday night...still have to decorate...pics to come later!!  Friday we headed out to Scott's parents and stayed.  Noah loves to play with his grandparents...so he had a riot.  I am not sleeping the best so it was a long night (regardless of where we would have stayed!!)...Jake, Megan and Alaina came early Saturday morning and we had Christmas there.  Noah got a train table...beyond excited!!  He is LOVING trains:)  We then headed over to the Great Grandparents--Scott's for Christmas...good food and more presents.  We then stopped at Grandma Kress's (Noah's great-great grandma!!) with lots of people.  Noah had a nap...but at this point was tapped out.  We did do church...Noah touched the candle during Silent Night...scared him more than anything else:)  We had fun doing our tradition of opening your stocking Christmas Eve and Noah wearing Christmas PJs (thanks Nana C) and reading the Night before Christmas and the Polar Express (skimmed it...Noah was tapped out).  We were sleeping in Christmas morning!!  Noah got lots of puzzles and clothes and was spoiled by Santa.  Scott and I decided to buy a new blu-ray for downstairs and move the old ones upstairs...so not much to open for us...which was fine.  Nana and Papa Connolly snuck in some presents from Noah to us...which was cute:)  We were then off to my grandparents for another round.  We did more snacks and such...and BINGO!  My family is a good size and a lot to buy for (and we are old enough...you need something...go buy it)...so we shop year round for cheap (under $5) BINGO prizes...it is a riot.  Lots of fun cheap stuff (car kits, card games, etc.).   We then headed to my parents for Christmas with them.  Noah did a great job...but by the end of this was done.  He had a hoot with my brother and his Aunt Jenna and my parents.  Lots of fun presents.  He then slept all night in his own bed!!  Daddy got him to sleep:)  I will put up pictures later this week...off to play!   Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!

And the holidays are around the corner!!

Well...it's been a month...whoops!  Just a few updates...hopefully this weekend I can put up some pictures!
Thanksgiving was great with Scott's family...yummy food and just hanging out.  Scott braved the crowds with my parents at midnight...our holiday shopping is about done!!  Saturday was the annual Connolly Christmas (Scott's dad has a TON of brothers and sisters...so it is a lot of people).  Noah did great.  Then...Mommy got the flu...what a great way to end the break.  I guess this is as good of place to announce...we are expecting #2!   Not putting it out on Facebook and most who read this probably know:)  But...b/c of the flu...Noah went with my parents for the day and Scott and I went to Covenant to get fluids:(  Ugg...what a weekend!  Thank goodness for family.  I have been feeling much better...it was a rough fall with Scott coaching and me in the first trimester...pretty tired Connolly family!  I am about 17 weeks and our ultrasound will be in January...pray for good news! 

Noah has been a playing fool!  We LOVE watching him and interacting with him as he creates new things.  He still loves cooking and fixing.  Scott couldn't pass up a cool tool set (and thanks cousin Jordan) and Noah is OBSESSED with fixing every night:)  He repeats a lot of what you say...so he "go to work, Mommmy" and "I fix this, Daddy" it is great!  The timeouts are becoming routine...not in a bad way...he just knows what to do when we needs to go to a timeout!  We are hoping to work on the sleep thing and potty training thing over break...cross your fingers for progress!  Noah is doing well with potty training...not afraid of the potty (which is great)...just have to be consistent!  There is a little guy at day care who is older and they are hoping Noah and "H" potty train together!  Hope to post pics later!!!!!

Quick update!!!

Noah is probably one of the funniest kids ever...I know we are biased...but man we are having so much fun!  On my way to work this week, it was raining...and we sang the rain rain go away song and then he said, "Ahhh...nuts!" and I about drove off the road!  It was hysterical!  He also told daddy to go, "into time-out by the door" and pointed his little finger.  Funny!  He also has been stringing so many words together...great sentences!  He raises his eyebrows and is so serious...but he is joking...and he gets it!  "Daddy...I told you no" when daddy is tickling him.  Noah is into repeating everything we say...quite the little copier.  Not much else to report!  I just want to get this in before we forget:)  Daddy has been a working machine...putting Christmas stuff up, getting the lawn mower ready to be put away, snow blower ready, finishing the tree, finishing the trim around our sliding doors, laundry, dishes.  CRAZY busy!!!  That is it for updates:)

And...November is here!

Well...looks like I haven't blogged in awhile!  I get to this time of year every year...work (while I love it) is super busy, football is super busy and I am dragging:)  Noah has been keeping us on our toes almost every day.  Some fun things of Noah lately...he is talking so much!  His favorites for right now include:  "Oh my gosh"--we have no idea where he has heard this and can use it in the right context!  "It happens" to anything we could say just because...but mommy and daddy say "it happens".  He is asking questions and answering questions...describing things (like what did you do at day care?) which is great.  Noah says, "TC go night night" almost every day...as soon as it gets dark out.  It is hysterical...he loves TC from away...but not up close.  "Mommy be careful" when I am driving...now that it is dark in the mornings when we are heading to day care...he is very concerned.  We are loving it.  He is grasping what we do, "work" and a lot of the mornings he asks that we not go to work.  This is no fun, but we know he loves his day care...so it is all good.  He also asks when I pull out the computer if I am checking email or working...about broke my heart when he said that last week!  The life of a working mommy:)

Scott is done with football...they lost to AP on Monday night...but had a good season.  7th grade and helping with varsity made it for a busy season!

I have had some revelations lately...friends...and what they mean.  I consider myself a lifer of a friend...I don't like to commit unless I get that commitment back.  And...as a grown up...I am done trying to be friends who don't reciprocate.  I am not going to try and be your friend...do not have the time or the patience.  I am one lucky lady to have the friends I have...ones from when I was little, junior high and college and now the grown up world.  I LOVE YOU so much and thanks for being my real friend:)  I may not get to talk all that often...but I count my lucky stars and say a prayer every time I think of you:)

Here are some fun pics from Halloween (Noah was a fisherman)!  And my FAVORITE time of the year is around the corner...and I can't wait!  Already broke out the holiday music at work:)

The last 2 weeks:)

Well...October is here!  We have been a busy little family!  We have been to the zoo...been to UNI football...watched Daddy coach numerous games...read a lot...Noah has been into hide and seek...play dough a lot...lots of outside time!  Daddy is about done with junior high football and it has been a good adventure!  Once football is over...the grad school plan will begin!  Scott has to get it started and finished as soon as possible:)  Noah has learned the many lessons of timeout.  We have had some issues with hitting mommy and daddy lately...so timeouts happen:(  We have been making good progress in the sleeping in his own bed!  Scott and I have been taking turns on the cot in his room...but we are making progress!  He has been saying a million new words!   Complete sentences...it is crazy.  We are blown away:)  He also LOVES counting...he can get up to 15 on his own!  I have been busy at work and visit days have begun...I love it!  Everyone so excited to visit and ask questions...good times:)  Go PANTHERS!  Here are some fun pics of our adventures!  The one with the bricks is when we went up the campanile on campus:)

September is almost over????

So...September is about over!  It flew by!  We have been adjusting back to school, football, and life!  We have our cousin living with us (Jordan or JJ as Noah calls him) and it has been great.  He is super good with Noah and with Scott coaching...it is nice to have another person around.  If you know me well...you know I hate being by myself (I even hate going to the bathroom by myself in public)...so having another person around is great!  Scott is coaching 7th grade and helping with varsity...it is going well.  It has been a tough month for teachers in the DNH district as they lost a student on 9/11.  What a life changing day 10 years ago...I was a freshmen in Noehren Hall...I don't think I will ever forget.  We started out the morning by planting a flag on UNI's campus and then heading to church.  After church, Scott got the message that a brother of one of his students was killed in an ATV accident.  The mom is a teacher at school and everyone in town knew them.  Say what you want about small towns...but in these situations, EVERYONE pulls together and supports.  We love Cedar Falls and the schools are great...but I know I want my kids to be in a small school to have the support system.  Needless to say, I was blown away by how people helped.  It really rattled Scott...it was a long week.  9/11 has taught us many lessons, but even more now, I hold Noah tight and while my house might be messy...playing in the yard or reading a book is more important.  I am a huge control person and this contributes to my anxiety issues...so I will take control of any moment I can and play, snuggle and kiss my family.

 Noah has been quiet the hoot!  He is a TALKING machine!  Everyday he works on new sentences and strings things together.  We have been doing lots of puzzles, play dough and painting!  He has also discovered a bigger love for football...and I mean he likes to tackle!  Noah learned that this weekend with Nana and Papa Connolly!  Today was a great Sunday as we played in the yard...catching and throwing the football:)  Panther football has begun and our first game will be homecoming!  We are excited.  Life is great and we are enjoying the fall weather:)  Pictures next time!

A week of (interesting) firsts...

SO...on Tuesday night as I was stripping Noah down for his bath...a rash.  All...over!  I was supposed to go back to work for an SAA training, but Scott was going to be late getting home and then boom...a rash (thanks for Paul for covering!!!).  The rash was tiney little dots everywhere and he had a super low fever (like 99...) and Nurse on call suggested we go b/c it could be strep throat.  My dad came in the next morning while I went to work and tried to get an appointment.  THERE WAS NOTHING!!!!!!!!!  Nothing for the rest of the week...so we had to go to Urgent Care.  After a 2 hour wait and a super red throat...the doctor decided to treat it as strep throat.  I stayed home with Noah on Thursday because he couldn't go to day care yet until he had his prescription in him for 24 hours. 

On Friday...I was back to work and my dad had Noah again.  My mom and I stayed home for the football game (super rainy) and headed to Target.  We were there no more than 10 minutes...and Noah threw up...everywhere!  A super nice mom grabbed a bag and then a pack of wet ones for us.  What a nice mom!  The poor Target kid who came first put his hand over his mouth and said, "I can't handle that...gross..." and turned away!  Hahahaha!  At this point my mom and I were hold puke in our hands!  Super gross...we were able to strip him down into his diaper and carried him out.  We went straight to the tub and had some toast...and again threw up!  No more food after that. 

Our weekend was great...Saturday morning consisted of breakfast with Nana and Papa Connolly!  Then a a great nap and then the UNI vs. ISU game at our neighbors:)  While UNI lost...it was still fun and all of the kiddos had a hoot!  Sunday we went to my dad's family's house.  My dad has some interesting family and now we only get together once a year anymore (kind of sad...)...so it was good to see everyone!  My aunt Patti is one of my favorite Aunts and she is a GREAT cook!  Noah had a blast playing with the kids.  We also went mini golfing and jumping on a fun pillow!  Pics posted next time.

Monday night (the other first)...Noah and I made a quick trip to HyVee.  He rode in the car cart and as I am picking him out of the cart at check-out...I found he had taken a pack of rolos!  He stole it!!!!!!!!  I had to turn around and pay for it b/c he had already started unrolling them and eating them. 

The crazy  week of back into the swing is back.  Planned suppers and rushing around!  We did have our first Kindermusik...went well!