Oh-Bla-Di

It’s happened again.  I’ve blinked and too much time has gone by since I’ve written about our littlest dude.  We were on the road for his nine month birthday and, somehow, I never got it blogged after we got home.  Perhaps that is because, while we were traveling, he decided to become a very mobile baby and we haven’t stopped moving in the last two months.  So, in an effort to avoid the impossible to comprehend thought that our baby will be a year old in eight short weeks, let’s take a minute to dwell on the awesomeness that is right now, shall we?

Between eight and ten months, Noah has learned how to crawl, begun to show a real affinity for music, pulled to standing, learned to climb stairs, cut 6 (!!) teeth, and had five ear infections.  He’s a cruiser now and can get just about anywhere he wants to be.

And, right now?  Where he wants to be is wherever Ava is.  This baby boy loves his big sister and just wants to play with and do everything she does.  In the mornings, when I’m changing his diaper and before Ava wakes up, he turns his head toward the hallway and shouts “Aya!” and then follows with some sort of baby gibberish.  He talks to her all the time and it’s just about the cutest thing ever.

Noah is definitely showing a real interest in music.  He pulls up to the boom box in the play room and pounds on it until someone turns on some music for him.  Then he stands in front of it and bounces to the beat – and sings along!  He also really likes to play with the drum full of noisemakers we have.  As Aunt Jan says, “Noise is power” and Noah is certainly harnessing his power!

Doozers is expanding his vocabulary, too.  He says “Aya” and “Hi” (including waving) and when we walk into school in the morning he starts shouting “Hi” at everyone we see.  He’s so happy at the end of the day when I pick him up.  He shouts “Hi” and crawls over to me and then immediately starts bouncing to go get Ava.  When he sees her in her classroom, he shouts “Aya!” and then continues to shout at her all the way through the center on the way to the car.  I think he’ll have a lot to say when he gets more words!

One of my favorite things about Noah is how affectionate he is.  He gives some of the best hugs I’ve ever experienced.  You know that sound you make when you give someone a squeeze?  He does that.  And then he gives kisses.  Not just one kiss, but an open-mouthed chicken peck series of kisses.  It’s slobbery but so full of love that you just soak it up.

Noah is so busy!  I know it’s been coming on slowly for months, but it seems that overnight Doozers has become so very, very busy.  He moves fast and we’re just trying to play catch up!

(This video is super long but, you know, grandparents.)

I forgot how quickly this phase goes for babies.  The time from eight to ten months has flown by and our little dude has changed so much.  I know that the time from now until his first birthday will fly also and I’m not sure I’m ready for that.  I love all the growing and learning Noah is doing but, as I chase him down the hall and shoo him away from outlets, my heart breaks just a little bit that we’re already here.  I hope that, in the middle of all the busy (his and ours), we remember to soak up as much of this sweet time as possible.

Happy ten months, little dude.  You won’t mind if I slow down the clock for the next eight weeks, will you?

Following a maniacal giggle from the backseat….

Ava: “I’ve got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart!”

This is SO why we have kids.  More posts soon…downloading tons of photos and videos.  Kansas trip & Noah at 9-months…soon!!

Over lunch the other day…

Sally: “Hey, Pappers…eat your sandwich.”

Ava: “I’m not Pappers.”

Sally: “Ava, what should we call you?”

Ava: “Whoozers McNuts.”

I get all teary-eyed on my way to work.  It’s decidedly NOT good for the makeup and puffy eye situation I have most days.  But, our XM radio (Channel 10, The Pulse) insists on using the same playlist for weeks on end.  And, so, I hear the song “Perfect” by P!nk at about 0730 every morning.

For my fellow parents, have you ever really listened to the chorus of that song??  Here’s the video (probably not for kiddos, and it’s not the “clean” version.  Hadn’t seen the video before…oh my).  But, anyway, the lyrics to the chorus are:

Pretty, pretty please, don’t you ever ever feel

Like you’re less than perfect

Pretty, pretty please, if you ever ever feel like you’re nothing

You are perfect to me

You know those days…and especially those mornings?  The ones when you didn’t use all of your nice words and all of your patience?  The ones where you know your kid is amazing, but can’t seem to focus on that through all the whining and arguing?  Those are the days when this song gets me to tears.   For all the sweetness Ava usually is, she can get under my skin like none other.   But, I’m the mom and I’m supposed to be the grown-up, right?  Lately, I’ve been clinging to a mantra I discovered on my mommy-blog wanderings.

If you can’t have grace in the moment,

Have grace in the turnaround.

I don’t ever want to be the voice in her world that makes her think she’s less than perfect.  Even with all of her flaws and foibles, she is perfect, to me.

Dear Noah,

It’s so (so, so, so) hard to believe it, but you celebrated your eight month birthday last week (April 27).  Cannot believe time has flown by so quickly.  You’ve changed so much already that your teeny, tiny baby days are already fuzzy in memory and you’re on the verge of so many new, big baby things that it feels like you’re sitting at a fork in the road of your life – just glancing back to give us a little wave before you run on ahead.

I’ll admit that I’m terribly torn about your growing up.  I love to see my kiddos learn new things and forge ahead.  It’s exciting and fun to see all of your a-ha moments.  But, you, Noah, are the baby – probably the last baby in our family – and so that means that every first for you is also a last first.  We cheered big cheers when you started rolling around, but had to be extra sure to soak it up.  Now, you’re pulling up your top half to get into baskets, opening drawers, and rolling anywhere you want to go.  We can see crawling right around the corner and we’re so excited to see you go!

I know that we’re busy during these precious baby days of yours, buddy, but I want you to know that we’re noticing all the special things you do and are.  We know that you love sweet potatoes, carrots, spaghetti squash, avocado, and oatmeal, but we’ll have to work to get you to eat any fruit and sometimes asparagus.  We know that you prefer to play with the Noah in your Fisher-Price set over any of the other animals in there.  We see you starting to dance and bob…most often to the music only you can hear.

We hear you trying to use words, even.  I think it means that your big sister is an extra kind of special to you that you call “Aya” anytime you see her across the room.

You’ve given us a run for our money in the sickness department, though, dude.  Thank goodness we’re second time parents for you or I think I’d be done in by all the respiratory infections you’ve battled this winter.  And, you get the honor of a parenting first for us, a trip to the doctor while on vacation!  Thanks for helping us learn more about Tricare.  Even though you’re teething on everything you can get your hands on and we keep trying to blame your congestion on the forthcoming chompers, you don’t have any teeth yet and our latest round at the doctor was for an ear infection (your fourth).  We’re keeping our fingers crossed for a super-healthy summer for you.

Noah, you’re growing!  Now that we bottle feed you, we’re getting a better idea of how much you eat.  Since you’ve recovered from your last ear infection, you’ve started guzzling your milk.  The last two days you’ve put away 36 oz. each day.  I think you’re making up for lost time after a slower start this winter.  No matter what, when your tummy is full, you’re one of the happiest babies ever.

I’m so excited to get to see you learn and grow, buddy.  I just know it’s going to be amazing.  Just don’t be in too big a hurry, ok?

Love,

Mama