august happenings: week three

After the kids and I spent a few days with my parents we had to get back home.  That's a 10 hour trip, folks.  Me and these three monkeys in the car for 10 hours together.  Oy vey.  They did great though! The big kids are happy to watch movies and Noel did really well with our couple stops to eat and stretch.  It's not something I'll ever look forward to, but I am so very grateful that they were all good riders for mom!

In April we planted carrot seeds.  Carrots, if you didn't know, are a long con.  4 months later we have a carrot!  Or 2!  Pretty soon we'll have enough for everyone in our family to have a bite.  Gardening is so rewarding.

I saw this posted on FB and laughed out loud.  #nerdalert

Noel has this new funny face that he does.  I.  LOVE.  IT.  Noel mean muggin' is my new favorite thing!

 We are lucky and have good friends with a pool!  They invited us over to swim on Friday, so we gathered up alllll the things and took a chance on going.  Liza caught this photo of Noel and I and I'm so grateful!

After a fun afternoon of swimming this girl could NOT hang until dinner was ready.  Bless her heart.

I've been doing just a few things in the craft room here and there.  I gussied up a couple outfits for my mother in law to give as gifts.  It's good to keep the machine humming once in awhile.

We made a Costco run while Asher was at his last week of summer camp and I kept feeling like someone was watching me.  I looked down to this face - ha!  Um, hello there.

Noel went for his 6 month doctor's check up on Thursday and came away with a clean bill of health!  He's reaching all of his milestones and doing great!  Unfortunately he also came away with 3 shots, so this was dinner.  No shame.

Next week is our last one before school starts and we plan to maximize the fun!!

noel's six month photos

I snapped some pics of my baby bear the other day to capture him at 6 months old.  This is such a special time in babyhood!  They are big enough to smile and interact, but still babies.  We love you Noel!

grammy and pop pop camp

Asher and Hadley really know how to pack in the fun.  They spent a week with my parents and lived to the max!  Of course, it helps when the grandparents pretty much only say "yes" - ha!

Asher and PopPop went to see Asher's favorite baseball team, the Durham Bulls.

Obviously snow cones are an important part of baseball.  :-)

Actually, snow cones are an important part of life in general so a few days later we all went for one.  Noel didn't get to taste any but he did get his picture taken in the SnoBalls photo prop.  

While at Grammy's house Noel decided to sleep through the night for the first time!  That's worth celebrating.

These big butterflies loved Mom's flowers and Hadley was obsessed with them.  She kept wanting to touch them and I told her so many times not to touch the butterflies!  

"But I want them to sit on my finger, mommy"  Oh Had.

When in the south we wear coordinating smocked seersucker.  Love it!

On Sunday Asher got a special trip to Sky Zone...

while Hadley went to get her nails done.  She picked pink sparkly polish and was feeling mighty fancy.  I'm pretty sure my first manicure was the day before my wedding.  Kids these days!  ha!

Noel slept all night was had complete crap naps, so he got to rest in my arms one day.  We really need to work on napping friend.

Sweet brothers hanging out together!  Noel was so glad to be back with Asher!

On our last day Mom and I took the kids to Bounce U for some bouncing time.  It was SO STINKIN HOT so we needed some indoor active things to do to get their energy out!

It was a fun, fun week for them and they cried when we had to leave.  Well, we all cried when we had to leave.  We miss living here!  PopPop has already put in a request for a 2 week visit next year.  It was too quick!

Thank you Grammy and PopPop for an amazing week of treats and adventures!  We love you!

noel august {six months}

Noel August, you are SIX months old!

That's half a year, friend!  Slow your roll mister - this is too much.

Noel, you are such a joy.  Everyone who meets you comments on how smiley a boy you are.  You have a big grin for everyone and they love it!  Being a joy spreader is such a gift. 

A few days before your 6 month birthday I finally gave you some solid food.  You've been eyeing our food for awhile now and getting upset when we don't share, so I figured it was time.  Plus you have TWO teeth that broke through and are ready to chomp on some goodies.  Your first food was bananas and it's safe to say you loved it.  I hope you'll stay my good eater!

faster mama!

The day before you turned 6 months old you celebrated by sleeping all night long!  That's 12 hours friends, 7:30-7:30!  Of course, mommy got up at 5 to pump, but that's ok.  I'll take that any time you care to do it.  Here's hoping it becomes our new normal!  Your naps are still pretty bad.  I'm putting you down after 1-2 hours of awake time but you only sleep for 45 minutes or so before waking up crying.  By the end of the day you are SO TIRED (and cranky) so I hope you get napping down pat soon.  You'll feel better if you do, I promise!

Noel, you still love your siblings the most.  Any time they are running around you are watching and smiling.  You love to be up in the Jumparoo because it gives you a good vantage point for all the crazy happening around the house.  I know before long you'll be chasing after them, getting in on the fun.  Asher loves to sit next to you in the car.  The other day you were fussing and he started singing to calm you down.  You stopped crying to listen and he said "I love you Nolie, I'm your big brother and I'll always be here for you" - melt my mama heart.  

Your eyes are a bit of a mystery color.  They often look blue, but have a ring of gold/brown as well.  They aren't bright blue like Asher's and they aren't solid hazel like Hadley's.  You have a color all your own!  People always tell me how much you look like your Daddy (and you do) but I see some of me too.  I think as our last little baby you are a perfect mix of all of us.

At 6 months, Noel...

* weighs 16.6 pounds

* has TWO teeth

* sleeps mostly through the night - sometimes with 1 wake up to eat and sometime with none!

* wears size 6 months and 6-9 months

* wears size 2 diapers (moving to size 3 as soon as these are gone)

* loves baths

* loves the playmat and Jumparoo!

* smiles all the time

* doesn't nap worth a darn

* still nurses 4x a day and sometimes 1x at night

* eats solid food - bananas + oatmeal 2x a day

Noel August, this time last year we were expecting a baby bear, but we didn't know it was you!  You've exceeded our expectations for what a third baby would bring to our family.  The big kids love you and Daddy and I can't believe we got so lucky.  Gus, you have an infectious grin and bring joy to all those you meet.  You're our guy and we love you so!  Happy 1st half of a year Noel!

mommy and noel week

After Knoebels Asher and Hadley went with my parents for a week at Grammy and PopPop summer camp!  They were so excited to travel with them and stay all by themselves (but together - they didn't want to be apart) for a week of fun.  Noel and I drove home all by ourselves and got ready for our week of mommy/baby time!  Drew unexpectedly had to go abroad for work so it was really just me and the little guy.  

Here's how Noel felt about being an only child.  ha!

Since I knew the big kids would be gone I planned all of my annual doctor visits, car repairs, and house projects for this week.  Needless to say, Noel and I were busy.  It really ended up being only 4 days between when we left Knoebels and when we headed to Raleigh to join the fun so we packed a lot in.  You guys - one kid is easy as pie!  (except when it's your first, then one kid is H-A-R-D).  Noel and I got a lot done and it felt great.

This week I decided to bite the bullet and give Noel his first solid food.  I've been waiting since I really wanted to exclusively breastfeed for 6 months.  We made it 5 months and 3 weeks, so that was great.  Noel has been complaining when people don't share their food with him, so I knew it was time.  We always give bananas as a first food - Noel was a huge fan!

He kept grabbing my arm to get the spoon back faster.  It was too funny!

Precious big boy!

Noel and I also watched a lot of Olympics.  It wasn't nearly as much fun watching alone but we did our best.  I saw this tweet and it completely cracked me up.  The athletes are amazing and I think having an Average Joe competitor would really put things in perspective, ha! 

We had a great week but missed Daddy and I big kids a lot.  Our house was too quiet and we were excited to go find them in Raleigh!