Friday, December 30, 2011

slacker

So i missed posting about Noella's ninth month by 10 whole days but MAN have we had to pack a whole lot in lately!

But first about the Miss.

She is nine whole months now. Ho-ly cow. She's been in this world for as long as it took to make her! And she's amazing.

She can stand by herself for about 15 seconds if she's good and distracted.
She figured out how to eat cheerios and is actually getting most of them in her mouth.
She loves to talk.
She desperately wants to take off walking but chickens out. I don't blame her. It's much easier to be carried everywhere.
She can finally lower herself down from the entertainment center. Thank goodness for small miracles.
She is a super duper attention ham. She literally leans out of the grocery cart, my arms, the car seat anything really, to catch the attention of a passerby.
She giggles all the time which makes my insides melt a little.
She said Mama finally! It was the day before Christmas too which made it extra special.
She loves to snuggle.
She has 4 teeth which she frequently grinds. It drives me nuts.
She still loves to play with the shoes.
She also loves dumping out the bucket of toys so she has no room to crawl and isn't interested in them once they are sprawled over the floor.
She's graduated to 12 month size clothing and size 4 shoes.
She's as tall or taller than most 18 month olds i know.
She has enough hair to put a tiny clip in now which makes me so so happy.
She also has only met one food she didn't quite like which was an orange slice but i don't blame her. They made me pucker a little. She even eats buffalo chicken. She can't get enough of that stuff.

She's been a super amazing baby lately which leads me into our Christmas trip! We were petrified of driving 4 plus hours to NY to see Jason's family but she did wonderfully. She only fussed when she had a diaper that was full to capacity or when she'd been in and out of the car all day. The first night sleeping with her was pretty awful but was understandable. She even slept in our bed for a while which was pretty magical until i got a foot in the ribs. Then it was not so fun.

She ADORED Jason's family. Especially his sister Julie. I don't think she's laughed so much with anyone before. She also had a great time meeting her cousins. She's the youngest grand baby by 12 years on that side and the first one on my side of the family so she is especially treasured.

I will admit i loved this Christmas more than any others that i can remember. Noella was in such a good mood and was so interested in making noise with the paper. We all had special Christmas jammies and got to be the only ones eating breakfast in the hotel that morning. This month has been crazy but it's been full of great memories too.

I promise to post some pictures as soon as i get all 256 off my camera. :)

Sunday, November 27, 2011

oh the holidays!

I have been stoked for Christmas this year. Seriously beyond excited. I've been looking at Christmas things since August. I spent Thanksgiving afternoon making Christmas-y things with my sister-in-law Jennie. She made some ornaments and I made a Christmas wreath for our door. I'm positively ITCHING to put it up already. I can't decorate until December 1st though per request of the Mister. I think I can survive until Thursday. We'll see...

This is Noella's first Christmas (obviously) so it's going to be particularly special. It's also the first Christmas Mister and I are on our own so that is also super exciting. We are going back to NY to spend the holiday with Jason's family. I've decided to make a special Christmas cookie I grew up with and put them into tins for them. I sure hope they like them.

We have almost every one else crossed off the Christmas shopping list. It's odd because I'm so used to having to shop everything last minute. I have them all tucked away into a closet hoping that if I don't see them then the urge to get them wrapped won't be so... urgent. After all, I do have a whole month before they need to be wrapped AND an awfully curious 8 month old to wrangle.

Now for some Thanksgiving pictures!

Olive fingers!

She has an obsession with Daddy's hats.

Hanging with the ladies in the Kitchen.

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

2/3



My baby is two thirds of a year old. Eight whole months. Ho-ly cow. What a big girl.

Here's a lovely collage of some favorites of the past 8 months.


She amazes me everyday. She is such a sponge! She doesn't miss a movement. She follows me all over the apartment and is so excited when she reaches the kitchen because it's all so very new for her. She also is particularly fond of all the trash cans in the house.

And now onto the exciting part! The list!

CRAWLING! yep. She is a crawling fool.
self feeding. She's particularly partial to green beans and bananas.
She hates socks. Or rather, she doesn't hate them but she enjoys pulling them off.
She is finally okay with me using the bulb syringe to suck out her boogies. (gross i know but it's a triumph nonetheless)
She can say "da-da" and recognizes that Jason is Da-da.
She has figured out her bottle though she still prefers you hold it.
She is super talented with a spoon.
She is putting everything and I mean everything in her mouth.
She can bang two objects together.
She can pull up to her knees.
She loves to "dance" when she hears music. Really it's just rocking back and forth but it's usually to the beat.
She has suddenly discovered the headbands I make her wear and frequently pulls them down into her eyes.
She is the spitting image of her Daddy and honestly i look at her sometimes and think "if i didn't give birth to you, i wouldn't know you were mine" but i'm okay with that. Her daddy is awful cute.
She LOVES my camera and comes after me when i'm taking pictures of her. Usually just for the strap.
She's become a rather lovely baby which makes my heart melt. She gives me "kisses" when she wakes up or when she's really excited and even though they are sticky and wet, they are my favorite thing in the whole wide world.
She has become a pretty good napper again which makes things lovely.
She also cracks herself up all the time. It's another favorite of mine to lay in bed with Mister on a Saturday morning and listen to her talking to giraffe and then there's a sudden squeal of delight. It makes me giggle.

She weighs 21lbs and 11oz and is 30 inches long. She's a tall, solid girl and boy does she get heavy to haul up and down stairs but secretly, i love it because she holds on so tight and is so so happy when we get to the goofy looking scarecrow hanging on our door. Her eyes light up when we swing the door open and she knows she's home. I love the feeling of knowing that she recognizes our little home.

Favorite picture of the month:
I love this picture. She's so darling and just look at those chubby cheeks!

Oh how this little creature makes my swell with pride and sing!

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Company

She's crawling and so she has literally been following my every move around the house. Including to the bathroom while i was cleaning.



See? She makes things so much easier to clean for me... after i finished the video, she spotted the trash can... Man am i in for it!

Monday, October 24, 2011

Scooter




Houston! We have a scooter! She scoots herself backwards now. Which is pretty common and means that soon, we may have a crawler. YIKES!

Thursday, October 20, 2011

[sev-uhn]



This marvelous little creature is 7 months old today.
HO-LY cow!
When did she get so big!? Somedays, it seems like I can't even remember her as a teeny tiny baby.

The poor girl has been through so much this past month. She is of course, forever teething but no teeth. Lots and lots of whining, biting and drool but no teeth. Which is fine by me.

She had her first trip to the ER too. She was particularly fussy last week and then by Saturday she had spiked a fever and started throwing up. They told me it was a bug and i needed to ride it out but if she wasn't better by Monday i needed to bring her to the pediatrician. I thought "No biggie. I can do this". She was so miserable and just wanted to be held and did NOT want any medicine of any kind. Monday came and her fever went up to 105 so i called the pediatrician. They didn't have an appointment until late morning so they sent us to the ER. One catheter and some blood work later we found out she had a bladder infection.

I know what you're thinking. Whaaaaaaaat? I had the same reaction. But apparently, they are fairly common with little girls. We were sent home with a prescription and instructions to follow up with her doctor. By Tuesday, she was still pukeing and couldn't take her medicine unless she had already thrown up everything in her stomach which meant every 4 hours for her fever. I called, yet again, the pediatrician's office. I was told by the nurse over the phone that she needed to be seen and that it was probably going to involve shots of antibiotics to jump-start her treatment and hopefully get her feeling better to the point of being able to take her meds the normal way. This worried me greatly.

You see, in the ER, i was instructed to hold her down for the catheter and blood work. She was in-con-sol-able for a good 45 minutes. I cried. It sucked. Those few minutes are at the tippy top of my all time sucky parenting moments list.

I brought my Madam with me. Even if she couldn't help comfort Noella, she could at least comfort me. She's wonderful like that. I adore that woman. She is the reason I hope one day to come up with some sort of elixir to stop the aging process so i can keep her forever. But back to the traumatizing office visit.

She was terrified of the nurse who took her vitals and SCREAMED when they had to take her temperature. Which i probably would have too considering how many times she had to have a thermometer in her... erm... tender bits. Then her pediatrician came in. She is a lovely lovely woman and Noella finds her innately fascinating. So for this bit, she was fine. Dr. Scherpa did however, notice that Noella had not only pooped, but it was leaking out of her diaper and all over my lap and her onsie. Her only onsie with us might i add. By the time that i finished cleaning her up and scrubbing my pants the best i could, there was a knock on the door. And not one but TWO lovely smiling nurses in brightly colored scrubs entered, each with a syringe and alcohol swab in tow.

I almost cried. They reassured me that they split it up only because it was too big of a dose for one shot and would hurt so so much more all at once. This logic didn't compute. But i didn't have a choice. I once again held my little girl and snuggled close to her face while the nurses simultaneously stabbed her thighs and Noella screamed until she turned purple.

The good news is that she didn't cry for nearly as long this time and she was pretty mellow for the rest of the day. They helped a lot actually and she hasn't thrown up but once since then. But her saga doesn't end there. Oh no.

Since her awful sicky symptoms are gone and she's finally taking her medicine like a good girl, she has developed an awful diaper rash from a side effect of the antibiotics. It makes her poop little bits many, many times a day. Little acidic poops that burn. Now we have to rinse her bottom and very very delicately apply cream to a screaming girl.

And tomorrow, we have to make the trek out to Keene yet again, for an ultrasound for her kidneys. The doctor wants to be sure the infection was localized in the bladder and check for any congenital defects in her renal system. I'm glad that they want to check it out though. I don't think i could bare having to go through this all again in a few months.

But for a tiny human without communication skills beyond crying, she's doing so well. She's such a wonderful girl. When she doesn't have a fever and her diaper is nice and dry, she's her own happy self again. And that's a great thing to see.

On to the happier bits of Noella being 7 months!


She has started feeding herself. Kinda. She tries.

She can roll both ways and frequently finds new places in the living room to get stuck. i.e. her arms under the couch, between furniture. It's quite entertaining.

She has started to talk a lot more which is wonderful to hear.

She has moved onto a "big girl" car seat. This is a blessing and a curse. She likes being able to see out of the window but she hates that the sun is in her eyes more.

She likes to imitate what Mister does with his mouth.

She has moved onto 6-9 month clothing.

She likes to pull her socks off and chew on them.

She is finally a fan of cold things to help her teething.

She rocks in her exersaucer like a madwoman. We are afraid she's going to tip it sometimes.



She gets up on all fours and rocks back and forth. A sure sign she's on her way to crawling.

Her hair sticks up like crazy and i've finally given in to the fact that i can't make it lay down.

All in all, she's had an eventful month. It's still crazy to think that she's already over halfway to a year old. She's so so big.

Favorite photo of the month!

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

The protestor.

Noella simply chooses to not nap anymore. Maybe it's because once she gets into a good rhythm i go off and brag about her (every mother is entitiled to a little hubris now and then). Maybe it's because she's cutting teeth (classic excuse as to why any child under the age of 24 months is acting up). Or maybe it's just that she's figured out that the adults don't nap and doesn't understand why she should (though i would kill for a nap lately).

Take this morning for example. She was awake and fed by 7ish. She's usually ready for a nap about an hour and a half after she wakes up. So i started the normal routine once i saw signs of sleepiness setting in. Walked her back to her room, kissed her on her head and layed her down. Much to my dismay, not even 3 steps out of the room and she's wailing like someone pinched her.

I decided to let her fuss a few minutes and see if she would settle. It took about 15 minutes of fussing and one break from her prison (i picked her up for a minute) to settle her.

Ahhh silence. For about 20 minutes. And then after starting my school work for this morning i hear "ahhhHHHAhhhhh....AHHHHH!!!!" coming from her room. Clearly, she's not sleeping. She is having one of her serious talks with the giraffe again. I can tell it's serious because she isn't yelling for me, she's babbling to her buddy in a tone that is mostly inaudible from the living room.

Once again i go into her room and decide it's going to be a rocking nap time. So i pick her up and settle into the rocker. I begin the usual humming and rubbing her head. She isn't having it. She isn't throwing a fit but she stays in her "push up" position until i gently "guide" her head onto my chest where it stays for 2 seconds and the pops back up.

I placed her back into her crib, turned on the giraffe once again and left. It's been 25 minutes and she's still back there cooing.

This might be a LONG day...

Monday, September 19, 2011

one half




The Miss turns 6 months tomorrow. A whole half a year has flown by with me by her side everyday and somehow, i feel as though i've missed it. Time seems to speed up when there's a little one in your life.


She's been such a blessing in our lives and though she certainly wasn't "in the plans" I'm so glad she made her appearance when she did. She's been a huge motivator in our little family to keep moving forward especially on those hard days when she seems ready with her arms open wide and a slobbery smile on her face.


One new thing which is so wonderful is she's finally taking a liking to her Papa. He gets big smiles now and she follows him around the room when you're holding her. I'm so glad she finally "came around" because let's be honest here, he's a pretty cool guy AND he has a motorcycle. Who wouldn't like him?


She loves to chew on the rubber spatula for some reason. I am hoping she's picked up the baking gene and i'll have a little helper in a few years.

Well let's see now. At 6 months she can:
Roll over though still in one direction
laugh really hard
LOVES solids except for meat. And often looks for more when the bowl is empty
She can sit unsupported for a few minutes
she loves to be sung to
she rests her head on my chest now when she's tired. It's the cutest thing.
She likes to reach out for other children around her
she also likes to talk in sacrament meeting
She's really comfortable with strangers. In fact, Pat Maynard took her for the whole Sunday school hour and she had a ball.
She's starting to clap
She puts everything into her mouth including fingers.
She's starting to roll around a lot in her crib and plays peek-a-boo with the bumpers
She's out growing her 3-6 month clothing pretty fast
She loves to be in the baby carrier
She also no longer uses the infant tub. She takes "big girl" baths in the sink.
She's working on standing. She stands pretty well with only one hand held onto.
She still sleeps with her giraffe. In fact, she doesn't nap well without him. Or really at all. She talks to him when she wakes up and has figured out the buttons on the back.

In short, i have an amazing kiddo. She's the best little girl i could have ever hoped for.

I'm going to do her 6 month photos soon. I just have to make her a tutu first. :)

One year

The Mister and I celebrated our one year wedding anniversary on Sunday. It's been a whole darn year. I can't believe it! I wanted to share some of our milestones and maybe a few little known facts about our wedding day.

  • We met February 6th 2010 at a mutual friend's house. Actually, it was the oldest daughter of my employer at the time who set us up.
  • Our first date was to a Cardinal's hockey game in Plattsburgh NY on February 12th 2010. (our first kiss was also that night... :) )
  • We were engaged on April 18th 2010 at my parent's house in Antrim NH. He kneeled down in my bedroom while i was helping him with his tie for church and proposed. It was magical. Though he'll tell you it wasn't THAT magical because i didn't cry. But he did. So at least there were tears and i was SO happy.
  • I found out officially i was pregnant on July 10th 2010. Totally not planned but still, a major milestone and what an amazing surprise she's been!
  • We were married September 18th 2010 in the Trudell's backyard in Keeseville NY. It was a small wedding with mostly family and it was a little chilly to have an outdoors wedding but the night was beautiful.
  • We moved out of my parent's house January 8th 2011 into our very first apartment and awaited the arrival of our little bundle of joy. It wasn't until we moved into that little apartment that we started to feel like we had made it. We were a little family.

Now onto the fun facts about our wedding!
  • The whole thing (except my dress) was less that $1600. (my mom is super proud of this one)
  • We booked our justice of the peace with a week to spare.
  • One of the groomsmen's vehicles broke down on the way to the wedding and he actually walked about 1/4 mile to get to the wedding and stuck it out until halfway through the reception before taking care of it. What an amazing friend he is!
  • Our wedding pictures were taken in the same orchard as our engagement pictures were.
  • All of Jason's Dad's siblings made it to the wedding except for one and it was the first time they had all been together in years.
  • The morning i bought my wedding dress was also the morning we got our bridesmaid dresses (except for Becky). I threw up on the way there because morning sickness was still my enemy.
  • It was the first time i had seen my dad cry in years and to be honest, i wouldn't have lost it if he hadn't. :)
  • My dad also picked out the song he and I danced to. and my 13 year old cousin was the one to find our wedding song. It's this song.
Now here are some fun pictures of us.


This was the very first picture Jason saw of me before we had even met.

Our very first picture together. This was after two weeks of dating. We were in Lake Placid NY.

Our favorite engagement picture.

Ta-da! We're married.

I of course, had to tell him i'd still give him a run for his money even when we were married. ;)

Here we are one year later and plus one and still just as happy.

I love that man so much and i'm so glad he picked me. Here's to many more years together!

Friday, September 9, 2011

It's been a while

It's closing in on almost a month since i've last posted and it's time.

Things haven't changed much around here. Noella is still the moody, drooling little bundle she's always been and Mister is still wonderful.

I suppose the newest thing is that i'm going back to college. This time it's exclusively online so i don't have to worry about the extra gas or finding sitters in time for my classes. It's going to be totally different but i'm up for it. It just means i have to be more of an "adult" in holding myself responsible to make time for schoolwork every day. It shouldn't be hard. After all, i do somehow find time for facebook, email and blogging. Oh and of course the occasional window shopping trip online at all the cute things i'd like for my home one day.

I've also come to the realization that i want another baby. Yes, after only 6 months of my first one, i have the desire to go through it all again for a second one. This doesn't mean i'm announcing anything and it certainly doesn't mean we are "trying". Just that i've verbalized it. It's probably going to crop up now and then until it actually happens and then i'm going to lament it on days when there aren't enough hands for both of them and the crying never stops. I suppose i just have a vision of three wee ones fairly close in age being the best of friends and cheering each other on. I know Noella isn't lonely. It's hard for her to be since she's pretty much always got someone with her. I just am excited for the time to come when she has a tiny one to keep her company too.

I've actually met and spoken with our neighbors upstairs and though their little girl is full of energy and makes things in my apartment shake, she and her mom are lovely. Her name is Carly and she's so beautiful and wicked smart. Her mom Jami even dug up some old pants that Carly had when she was little to supplement our ever changing wardrobe needs. (the weather has been wacky to say the least) I'm very glad to have met them. It's nice to have another stay at home mom in the building. I was feeling particularly young when i realized the only people not working during the day were an older fellow upstairs and a disabled woman on the ground floor.

Fall is in the air! Not only has it been raining like crazy which is a sure sign on Autumn around here but the leaves are starting to change. Oh how i adore those purples, reds, oranges and yellows! Frankly, i think it's the only reason i stay in New England. I could care less about the snow and someone else can have the muggy summer weather but Fall! Oh Fall! It's sweater weather. Anyone who knows me knows i have a lovely collection of sweaters in my closet just waiting for the perfect time to take them out. I love how crisp the air gets and the frost on the grass in the mornings. I love that it's cool enough to bake again! (Jason nearly skinned me the times i had the itch to bake this summer since it was usually on the hottest days for some reason) At any rate, clearly, i'm excited.

And because I too, have taken the pledge that no post can be a naked post, here are a few pictures of the 'Nut.





Friday, August 26, 2011

I'm never going to....

I have put that phrase at the beginning of lots of sentences in my life. Here are a few of my own rules I've broken.

I'm never going to be the type of mom to constantly wear a pony tail, cut off shorts and generic t-shirts. I'm going to have PRIDE in my appearance even as a mom.
FAIL.
This summer, it's all I've lived in. I also don't believe in "proper" bras anymore. Sports bras are it for me at the moment.

I'm never going to be the type of mom to always put bows in my little girl's hair.
FAIL.
After having to correct one too many people of her gender when she wasn't totally draped in pink as a newborn, i don't generally let her leave the house without a headband.

I'm never going to be the type of wife to always cook a hot meal for my hubby. Some times I'm going to take a night off.
FAIL.
While during my pregnancy, this may have been the case as we ordered out when i wasn't up to it, since having moved i cook almost every night and nights i don't, Jason does.

I'm never going to talk "baby talk" to my kids. They should be taught proper speech from the beginning.
FAIL.
I melt every time Noella talks. So i mimic her and sometimes don't pronounce my R's when speaking to her.

I'm never going to forget to take "me" time as a mom.
FAIL.
"Me" time consists of escaping to the laundromat once a week or taking a late night shower. I haven't gotten out of the house to do anything in a while. I'm a homebody. Which is another thing I've become and swore never to do.

The point of this post is that in life, we may say "I'm NEVER going to..." but circumstances and people change. I guess what I'm saying is, never say never. Things rarely go as planned and staying open brings better things into your life. It can mean the difference between being stuck in a rut and moving on. And I'm glad to say, I'm moving on in life. I'm making new choices and taking time on building myself as a wife and mother. I'm trying to keep the word never out of my vocabulary at the moment and staying open to new opportunities. :)

Saturday, August 20, 2011

Holy 5 Months Batman!




That's right! My own little peanut (or simply the "Nut" as we call her these days) is five whole months old today. And boy has it gone by fast. Well, maybe not the last month. But still. Faster than i ever remember 5 months going.



Now she can:
Roll over
sit tripod style
blow raspberries
do that thing that kids do when they go "ahhhhhhh" and tap their mouths repeatedly with their hands. (it's a favorite actually)
soothe herself to sleep sometimes
Laughs. Oh how we love to hear her laugh!
She's starting to take steps when we hold her hands up. She can "walk" across the living room.



Recently however, the little one who loved to eat peaches and pears, applesauce and oatmeal has refused solids. In fact, she gags whenever i try. I'm going to chalk it up to the fact that i may have started her a bit early and now she's rebelling against my excitement of starting solids. So I've thrown in the towel for the time being and will try again next week. Say la vie.

And i have to admit something. It's going to sound awful. But it's true. I love the fact that I am the center of this little one's world sometimes. No matter how focused she is on something, how determined she is to get something into her mouth or who is holding her, if she hears my voice, she immediately starts looking for me. She tracks me when i walk passed her. If she's fussing in her crib and hears my voice she chills out for a moment. And my all time favorite mommy moments are when I'm starting her sleepy time routine and she opens her mouth, gives me a "kiss" and starts humming with me. It's slimy, makes my skin feel weird after the drool dries and most of the time also comes with a little bit of au d'spit-up but it's sweet.




This is the first picture I have of just she and I since she was only 2 months old. Credit goes to my wonderful Mama. I'm so excited for next month. We just might have a half birthday for her. :)

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Red in the face





Noella will grunt like this until she is red in the face and gets the hiccups. We have no idea why. Though sometimes we wonder if she's struggling to fill her pants....


Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Swimming, coupons and teeth

The Miss has become a water bug.

Gammy bought her this wonderful contraption and she's taken a liking to it. It's the only time she can move totally independent from someone else and boy is she a fan! She kicks up a storm and splashes around. I'm so glad she loves to swim because we do too.

I've started coupon clipping. It's fun. and time consuming. But it takes up the time i would otherwise use for tv watching or mindless eating or a combination of the two so i feel productive. So far, we've only couponed once and only saved $2.50 but ya gotta start somewhere! I have a pile of coupons on my desk waiting to be cut out and categorized for our stock up trip to Price Chopper. They double all coupons up to $.99 so i'm stoked.

Other news on the Miss. She's cutting teeth. and she's miserable. At least, this is our theory. She's putting everything into her mouth, drooling, cranky and eating less than usual. With her eating less than usual, she's barely getting 20oz a day most of the time when she should be close to 32oz. But it's hard to force her to eat when she won't take the bottle. We'll get through it though. Eventually, you always get through it.

Friday, July 29, 2011

Sleep training.

It's not happening.
The Miss isn't as receptive to it as she was initially. So i've decided to throw out the whole idea and just go with the flow. She just changes her needs and wants so quickly it's hard to keep up sometimes.

Some weeks she's a darling and takes 2 two hour naps and 1 hour long nap around dinner. But other weeks, she only wants to sleep for 20 minutes 6 times a day and then go to bed around 6. Some times she wants to be held and rocked to sleep, others she'd much rather just be left to squirm around until she's comfy and drift off herself. She's getting to be hard to predict.

Also, she's suddenly decided that sleeping through the night is for suckers. Not cool little one. 3AM is not play time. And although you are still somewhat sleepy and oh so snuggley when we rescue you from your crib at this hour, we'd still prefer you just stay asleep.

At any rate, She's dang cute when she does sleep. :)




Tuesday, July 26, 2011

My little Chunk and Photos by Chauvin!



Here are two pictures of Noella wearing the same thing. One was taken a day or so after birth and the other was taken yesterday. Boy has she turned into a chunker! (apologies for the poor quality... both are cell phone pictures...)


In other news, it was finally cool enough to have a day without the AC on! We opened windows and slept with them wide open. Until about 3:45 when the delivery truck for McDonald's started crashing about loading and unloading things. That is one major downfall to this apartment. Also, the lack of control that parents around here seem to have on their children while dining at McDonald's. I constantly hear "Stop!", "Don't do that!", "GET. OVER. HERE!!!!". Followed by whining children begging their parents for an ice cream or asking "How come SHE got the cool toy!?". I beg you, if i ever have children like that, please don't hesitate to put us all in time out until we can learn to act like civilized human beings...

I've started taking pictures. Well, I'm trying to start to take pictures for real clients. I figured, I have some practice and do know how to take decent shots so why not? After all, how am i going to hone my craft if i don't get the practice? My little "business" is called Photos by Chauvin.

One of my best friend's older sister is helping me with the process of getting to know my camera a little better. She can explain things in plain english rather than the photography jargon i find on most websites and in most books. You can check out her blog here. I think she's super talented. And not uppity about it either which makes her perfect to be one of my mentors.

I also have another friend, Becky Trudell who is also helping me along in this journey. She takes such wonderful, natural looking photos. She too, is super talented and really relaxed about the whole process. (check her out here.) She and i share the same ideas about what a portrait should be. While there are many people who like the studio look for their shots (everyone is posed perfectly with adorable smiles in matching outfits), we like to capture more of the everyday sort of feeling in our pictures. Capturing the true dynamic of a family can make for a powerful shot. One that brings back memories for years to come. That's what i look forward to capturing for people. That's why i want to get into the photography business.

Wish me luck! My first shoot is on Friday. I'll post a sampling of pictures. Actually, maybe i'll start my own business blog... we'll see how ambitious i am.

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

4 months

Four months ago today we welcomed our little bundle of joy into the world. She is a totally different baby now than she was then.

She was so tiny and warm. She didn't fit into anything we brought to the hospital. She was alert when she was awake with big inquisitive eyes. She is the best thing that ever happened to us.

Now she's four months and so much has changed...
She's more than double her birth weight.
She eats solids now.
She LOVES peaches.
She loves to talk.
She hates to lay on the floor. She'd much prefer to stand.
She knows the difference between mom or dad and strangers.
She loves to sit up and look around.
She's an enthusiastic dinner participant.






But somethings haven't changed...
She still has her blue eyes.
She's still inquisitive with big big eyes.
She loves to hear mommy singing.
She loves to play with Daddy.
She's still a super snuggler when she's tired.

I can't believe it's been a whole 4 months already! Where does the time go!?

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Giggles



This little giggle melts my heart. When i hear it i can't help but wrinkle my nose in delight and giggle right along with her. And no one makes her laugh like Daddy. :)

Thursday, July 14, 2011

On Rolling over

Noella finally rolled over. From her tummy to her back. But only once. And can't seem to figure it out again. She lays on the floor now lifting her pelvis as high as she can letting out loud grunts of frusteration until finally, she collapses and whimpers, totally defeated, until i pick her up.

It's not from a lack of trying that she hasn't gotten it again. I've tried toys that rattle to grab her attention, placing something on her chest so that when she knocks it over she'll try to roll to grab it. I've tried helping her along by placing her on her side. That child just lays there and looks at me like i'm dumb until gravity takes effect and she's on her back again.

I wonder if she's just taking after me and doing things in her own time and by her own means. No help wanted or needed thanks.

I sure hope she gets over her pride soon and figures this out. It's getting tiring to hear her in despair time and time again.

On a slightly happier note, she loves the exersaucer. She loves to be able to stand. But only for about 10 minutes because her chubby little legs give out and she is forced to shlump forward and it isn't any fun when the toys are in your face.

I'm sorry for not having pictures for this post. Coming as soon as i can unbury my desk from the crafting disaster area it's become so i can get to my laptop.

Wish me luck.

Friday, July 8, 2011

A day of Firsts

Today was a lovely day. A day full of firsts.

It was the first time in a while i actually took a little pride in my appearance. Let's face it, who sees me lately other than Noella and Jason?

It was the first day Noella smiled at a stranger. A legitimate stranger. Not just a family member she only sees occasionally.

And who wouldn't giggle with glee at this little one?

It was the first day Noella went for more than 15 minutes without a fountain of spit up flowing out of her mouth like a slowly erupting volcano. We switched bottles on her to the kind with the drop in liner. She apparently can't handle the air she gets with the other ones. I'm happy to replace the bottles we currently have if it means no more moist, sour smelling wardrobe change every couple of hours.

It was the first time we went to the pediatrician for said spit up issues and it didn't result in any screaming or tears.

And it was the very first time Noella ate solids. Didn't just kinda look at them longingly or try to put her hands in my meal. She herself was able to eat. She ate applesauce watered down with a little formula. It was interesting to watch. She would open her mouth for a spoonful, willingly take it in and then proceed to make that face that all children make when they aren't quite sure what's in their mouths. Kind of like the "i just smelled something rotten" face. She even knocked a spoonful onto her high chair. She's growing so fast.


Oh how i love days like this!


Saturday, July 2, 2011

Oh July!

July!
You're finally here! With promises of wonderful sunshine-y warm weather, fireworks, ice cream and cook outs. How i love this month.

We took Noella swimming for the first time ever. She seemed to actually enjoy it. She loved to people watch more than anything. Those kids running around and splashing fascinated her. It was a wonderful but rather tiring day for her.


here she is all ready to go!



We got a family picture. Of course she was much more interested in the water...

Gammy got lots of Noella time! Noella loved to swim with her.



And of course, the day ended with a sleeping babe. As any good day at the beach should.

Today was awesome. Tomorrow is the family cook out at my parent's house. I'm really excited. And so is the Mister as one of his favorite meals is hamburgers and hot dogs and all the fixin's that come with it.

I love the summer.

Monday, June 27, 2011

Sunshine and summer time!

Seriously, how can you not love her?

That lovely swimsuit ensemble is thanks to Gammy. (My mother) We went to lunch and out shopping one afternoon and i let her go hog wild on my child's behalf. I think she looks pretty darn cute.

I'm so glad the warm weather is here! If only Jason wouldn't want to keep our apartment at subzero temperatures... Noella and i hang out in sweatpants and long sleeves because the AC is so chilly. What he doesn't know is that most days, i shut it off during the day and turn it back on about an hour before he comes home. I don't think he realizes the difference. Except for the few days i forget... then i get lectured about how much more electricity it sucks trying to cool things back down again. I think he'll live.

While i'm super happy about the warm weather, i'm sad it's been so dang rainy and the days it isn't raining, it's over 80 degrees so it isn't exactly the best time to bring little Miss for a walk. I hope this bi-polar weather chills out soon. I miss seeing the sun and being able to actually enjoy it rather than melt in it.


Jason and i have been talking about maybe looking into buying a house. It's not because either of us wants to move. It's because our upstairs neighbors drive us nuts. We've have had two different couples up there since we moved in and they both keep crazy hours and i swear they wear combat boots filled with rocks around the house. Sometimes i can picture a foot coming through my ceiling.

It will be a long process to find financing and a house that isn't falling to pieces with the right amount of space but i'm sure we can do it. We aren't going to actively look. Just keep an eye open and see what we can afford and if it works out, then we will put our shoulder to the wheel and get going. We don't really need more space at the moment but it would be nice to not have to worry about our neighbors and have an extra bedroom just in case. Besides, i'm pretty sure we aren't done having kids. :)

I've been in a super crafty mood lately. I really want to make things. I want to paint again (if the paints weren't awful expensive... gosh. $10 for a tube of oil paint!?) I want to finish the two quilts i made the tops for. So since i don't have a sewing machine here or $160 to get myself some new paints and canvas, i drew a little. I loved to draw as a child but somehow grew out of it as an adult. I just didn't have the patience and it seemed all my friends in high school were leagues ahead of me in that department. So i kind of put it on a shelf for a while and forgot about it. The other day, i took out a sketch book and drew my camera. It isn't perfect. And it isn't proportional. i drew it in pen. Wanna know why? Because drawing in pen is a commitment. You can't erase a line and draw it again 5 million times until it's just perfect. You have to make a mark and live with it. And i'm proud of that funny looking drawing. I made a commitment and stuck to it. It was a wonderful little life lesson.



Christmas is still ever present in my mind. I would like to start to gather things for Christmas presents. I think i want to make things this year rather than buy things but i can't narrow down what i'd like to make. Homemade potholders? Ornaments? Lap quilts? Perhaps those mason jars full of dry ingredients for cookies? I have a lot of thinking to do and should probably try to line up some odd jobs between now and the end of July to make sure i have the extra cash to cover my materials. If you have any ideas, please let me know. I'm open to trying anything. I really want this year to be super special because it's not only Noella's first Christmas but the first Christmas Jason is going to spend with his family in a long time. I'm putting a lot of pressure on myself to make everything just perfect but i think you guys understand.

Noella has a best friend. His name is Gentle Giraffe. Mema and Popop bought him for her before she was born. He's been by her side during nap time for almost every nap in her lifetime. He helps soothe her to sleep at night and even plays some fun songs for playtime. Lately, he's been traveling with her too. He was attached to her crib always faithfully awaiting her return but i took him with her this past Saturday over to Gammy and Papa's house. Jason and I left Noella in the loving care of Madam. Now one thing you need to know about that girl is that she doesn't like her car seat. She finds it very constricting to be strapped in. I put the giraffe in with her, turned it on and she was pleasant as can be the whole ride over. She even slept for about 20 minutes after getting there. It was magical. She snuggles him for nap time because his head is small enough that it doesn't push against her nose but can hold in her binky (with is a blessing and a curse...) So now, we don't go anywhere without him. She hugs him and sucks on his little... uhm.. paws? Legs? Whatever they are. His plush stumps. He makes her giggle and smile. She has even figured out that if she hits his back, she can turn him on. He was the best present we ever got. So thank you Mema for letting P

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

I'm obsessed with...

This hat.

Thank you thank you Mema! You always seem to find the cutest things!

Monday, June 13, 2011

Bath Time and rolling over


Noella loves bath time for the most part. I love giving her a bath because she's so curious and always surprised when i pour the water over her belly. She gets all sweet and snuggly afterwards when i'm carrying her all bundled up in her towel to get her dressed and lotioned up for the night. I love the way the bubble bath and lotion smells and i love her adoring looks and smiles. It makes for a wonderful end to a somewhat hectic day.

She was also on the verge of rolling over today. I was on my laptop downloading the latest batch of pictures when a rather excited Jason yells " Look Mommy!" I got up and turned around and there she was on her side reaching as far as she could for Jason. She ALMOST did it twice but she couldn't quite kick her leg over far enough. I'm excited but sad all at once. Excited because it's a major developmental milestone but i'm sad because it means she's getting old enough to make those milestones. It's going by too fast for me sometimes.

Also, LOOK!
Red-ish curly hair. :) It makes me so so happy. I have a girl with strawberry curls.

Lots of women in my family say that Noella acts a lot like i did when i was little. Super smiley and talkative and too nosey for my own good. I suppose it's only fair that i get a turn with a little Miss Chatterbox!

I'm finally taking some nicer pictures with my camera. It just took some playing around with and some patience.

Ta da!




Life this week is good even if my dishes are piled in the sink. I'm going to go eat ice cream and watch a trashy movie with my Mister.