1. Noah likes to learn how things work. He likes to make blocks stack, put things together, generally inspect items to figure out what makes them go. He’s probably his father’s child.

2. Dude understands that most often, to make things go, he needs help. He’s not afraid to ask for it. Noah doesn’t have all the words he needs, but communicates pretty well with gestures and an earnest look.

3. Speaking of words, Noah says: milk, cup, shoes, trains, “I did it!,” please, “woof, woof,” meow, duck, sit, yes, no, socks, baby, bath, and dance. He also has specific gestures or sounds for airplane, helicopter, water (says “milk” while doing the sign for water), please, eat, all done, hi, and bye. Maybe there are more that they get at school, but these are the ones we can rely on at home.

4. Loves trains. He wakes up in the morning asking about his trains and goes to bed at night saying “whoooo, whooo.” The child is obsessed.

5. Thanks to his obsession with trains, we have finally succumbed to character toys in our house. We had held out against buying any toy that was a licensed character (the kids have received some as gifts, but we haven’t purchased), but have finally given in to Thomas trains. The trains Doozers got for Christmas are great, but they don’t connect by magnets, so he can’t take them apart and put them together himself. How were we to know that the taking/putting was the very best part? So, Thomas trains it is. At least the wooden Thomas trains fit the track we already have from the Plan Toys set.

6. Noah has three favorite books. They are “Chugga-Chugga-Choo-Choo,” “Planes,” and “Hello, Day.” If he has a willing reader, he’ll happily sit through these three over and over and over again.

7. We finally had to remove the plasma car from the house due to Noah’s daredevil antics aboard it. He could turn corners at inhuman speeds and I was constantly terrified he was going to break his nugget on the tile. I’m sure he misses it, but I know my furniture and walls are glad for the break from the pounding.

8. Other favorite toys these days are matchbox cars, larger cars, die-cast airplanes, trains, trains, and trains. Noticing a theme? I promise, the kid has access to plenty of other stuff, but he’s in love with “things that go.”

9. Our boy still really likes his music. Since the great playroom reorg of 2011 (post-Christmas clean out), the boom box is more available for use in that room. As I mentioned in #2, he’s been known to come find us, indicate that we follow, and then go bang on the boom box until we turn the music on. After that, it’s all booty-shakin’ until the CD is done.

10. Although he’s become more demanding and more opinionated as he’s gotten older, Noah is still an incredibly good sport. He’ll go along with just about anything if he thinks it means that Ava is going to play with him.

11. I’ll admit that the draw to the above pictured game (which was hula dancing a la Lilo & Stitch) was probably the nakedness involved. He LOVES to run around in nothing but a diaper.

12. Speaking of running, I find that I’m shocked that he can. Since I last updated about him, at which point “running” meant a fast walk with an even faster left arm, he’s really hit his stride. Also, he’s really super fast.

13. Dude uses his speed to his advantage to scare the crap out of us. He really gets around and, apparently, has absolutely no fear of high places or concussions. He falls a lot and seems to lead with his head. No matter how cautious we are, his face always seems to show the signs of his most recent toddler moment.

14. Speaking of scaring the crap out of us, Noah also likes to hide. The whole “two kids” thing can sometimes mean that we let him wander alone in presumed “safe” spaces. But, then when we go looking for him in a few minutes, he’s nowhere to be found. He’s decided it’s pretty funny to get behind a door or just around a corner and stay absolutely silent. While I was gone to Kentucky for a conference, Matt found him hiding in our closet after searching for ten minutes. Sneaky little dude.

Who? Me?

15. Doozers makes great animal noises. He can do “moo,” “cock-a-doodle-doo,” “woof, woof,” “quack” and “meow.” Meow is my favorite because he always tilts his head all the way to the right and uses his whole face to say it. Hilarious (and very cute).

16. Still loves Pocoyo. It’s a cartoon short that comes on after Peep and the Big Wide World, and he recognizes the National Science Foundation ad that runs in between the two. When that ad plays, he drops everything he’s doing (even trains!) and comes running to sit and watch Pocoyo. Seven straight up minutes of happy.

17. Has discovered Little Einsteins! Noah asks specifically to watch these shows by pointing to the TV, saying “Sit,” and then “Pat, pat, pat!” Honestly, the kids only get maybe half an hour of TV an evening, but he sure loves it!

18. Noah still gives great hugs and kisses. Even though we sometimes feel challenged by his determination and strong opinions, Noah is still a very sweet boy. He’s very affectionate and gentle most of the time (just don’t take his stuff ).

Love you, baby boy. Thanks for letting us watch you grow up!

ETA: At his 18 month appointment Noah’s stats were 24 lbs, 2 oz & 33 inches.  Growing boy!

:: We rode a train.

:: We went to a kids’ party.

:: We went to a work party.  Yummy food, but no picture!

:: We did some artwork.

That’s her new “camera” face.  Oy.

:: We got busy “elving” for Christmas gifts.

Not finished yet, but those two Habitat Restore drawers are really going to be something special for Whoozers.

There has to be a little something homemade for everyone!  What’s better for a toddler than a soft bucket?

:: We baked lots and lots of cookies!

:: And we got to see a winter wonderland (desert style!).

With all this busyness, I think we just might be ready for the big day.  Looking forward to yummy dinner tonight and a magical morning.  Happy (almost) Christmas!

Remember this?

That was 355 days ago. And, now, our little munchkin looks like this.

It’s always so striking to me how, when your babies are newly born, it’s such a mystery what they might look like when they grow up. But, it’s all right there in their little faces. Now that I see an 11 month old Noah, of course I can see him in his newborn photos…of course that’s Noah’s face.

_________________

By the way, that grown up boy there on the right? He was looking at me. And that smile? That’s the one that melts my heart, because little dude is one of the sweetest kiddos I’ve ever met.

And now, to document all that sweetness for posterity, a little list. At 11 months, Noah…

:: is eating table food! Make this kid a quesadilla and he is one happy camper. A fave lately is black beans, cheddar cheese, a shmear of pumpkin (gotta sneak in those veggies), and some finely chopped chicken. Noah also eats veggies like they’re going out of style. Peas & carrots and lima beans are faves.

:: is still a pretty great spoon feeder. He still eats a full bowl of oatmeal + veggies every day and a full bowl of whole milk yogurt.

:: has been off formula since we ran out a week and a half ago. The switch to whole milk was super easy, although we also switched him to a cup during the day. Now, he drinks 8oz in the morning and evening from a bottle and then gets what he’ll take from a cup during the day.

:: has six teeth (four on top and two on the bottom) and I think he’s cutting a couple more on the top.

:: hasn’t been to the doctor since he had tubes placed in July. What a relief to finally have a healthy kid! He actually had a cold a couple of weeks ago and we didn’t have to go see Dr. Faro. Big, big believer in those ear tubes. Amen.

:: is flirting with walking. I’m no longer convinced that he’ll be walking by his birthday, but he’s starting to get frustrated at being sort of immobile. I think he wants to walk, but is totally going to do it on his own timetable. I’m learning over and over again with this kiddo that he’ll do things when he’s darn good and ready…no point in rushing or pushing.

:: loves to read Goodnight Moon and Pat the Bunny at bedtime. He thinks it’s hilarious to put his finger through Mummy’s ring, but kind of has to be coaxed into touching Daddy’s scratchy face.

:: loves stuffed animals. He holds them right up to his face and gives them hugs. So sweet.

:: knows that giraffes are for him. Any size, any color scheme, any type…giraffes are this little guy’s favorite thing. I really, really love this since the very first thing I bought for our new baby was Sophie, the teething giraffe. Also, the gift Ava chose for Noah on the way to the hospital with Sarah was a giraffe…and that one is now his sleeping buddy. Also…his name is Noah…and we didn’t know it when we started picking giraffes!! Blows my mind and his love for them melts my heart.

:: also loves talking on the phone! One of his favorite games is to pull out a toy phone, hold it up to his ear and say, “Yah, yah.” So cute!

:: still enjoys swimming and floating in his ladybug, but is starting to get antsy to get out on his own. Next year is going to be super fun for the little guy.

:: LOVES music. This kid has a great sense of rhythm, loves to play the piano, has amazing coordination with drumsticks, and hears even the faintest of music. Good thing we are never in short supply of tunes to share or instruments to play.

:: has a weird fascination with sitting in chairs. He thinks he’s really hot stuff when you help set him in one of the kids’ chairs in the playroom or my old red rocker. Works out for us since a Nod chair is going to be his birthday present from Mommy & Daddy.

:: still gives the BEST hugs ever. Two little arms wrapped around your neck, a full body press, and pats on the back. I just soak those up.

Though my heart breaks a little every time I think of him being a year old, I’m so in love with who this baby of ours is becoming. All too soon, we’ll be back with birthday photos!

1.  Last week, Ava’s preschool class talked about what they were going to be when they grow up.  Monday through Wednesday morning, she was going to be a princess.  But, on Wednesday afternoon she decided she was going to be a mommy instead.  When I asked her if she was going to be a mommy who stayed home with her babies or a mommy who went to work, she told me she was going to “go to work and chew bubblegum.”  She’s seen the bubblegum dispenser I keep on my desk and has decided that that’s what I do when I come to work.    Whoozers also chose her outfit to dress up like a mommy for school on Thursday…khaki shorts, cute blouse, and a headband.

2.  This week at school, Ava’s class is learning about volcanoes.  The lesson yesterday was so terrifying to her that she cried all the way through it and had to be reassured repeatedly that there aren’t any volcanoes anywhere near Las Vegas.  Awesome.

3.  Noah continues to grow like a weed and has progressed from cruising to walking with his walker.  His new favorite game is to walk back and forth on the tile from one end of the house to the other.  We’re really wishing we’d bought a more maneuverable baby walker.  Also, he’s stood on his own for a few seconds a couple of times.  No consistency there yet, but it’s only a matter of a couple of weeks before this little dude is off to the races.

4.  Doozers is really an independent kid.  Must be the second baby thing, but he’s pretty much content to be plunked down in the middle of the playroom with some toys and have at it.  That independent streak leads to frustration, though, when there’s something he can’t do.  And that frustration leads him to biting the offending toy.  We’re thinking we’re going to need to take proactive steps to keep that from developing into a habit.  Kiddos who hit can stay in school, but kiddos who bite get booted to the curb.

5.  For all the toy biting, I can’t for the life of me get Noah to eat real table food.  He’s all about the purees, oatmeal and cheerios.  He’ll eat chunky food and will feed himself, but won’t feed himself soft-cooked veggies or breads.  This is such a new thing for me…Ava flat out refused purees starting at 10 months.  I don’t know how to teach someone to like real food.

6.  I’ve got a real interest in teaching Noah to eat real food because I don’t really want to spend all the time making purees anymore.  Our schedule is hopping around here and Matt’s been at work a lot lately.  I’m thinking that any job that he could work fifty hours a week and have no night and weekend time would be an awesome step up.

7.  Speaking of a hopping schedule, we got to hang out with some great TPS friends last Thursday night and will get to go to a mini-TPS reunion this weekend at Edwards.  The Traynors are back on the left coast and we’re all getting together to celebrate their arrival as well as Sparky’s return from a desert on the other side of the world.  We’re so excited to go see these people this weekend!

8.  Just to keep things interesting (and not get too settled in at home), we took off for Mt. Charleston right after the Traynors left on Friday morning.  We spend Friday night camping on the mountain and got home mid-afternoon on Saturday.  We were wiped out when we got home and spent the rest of Saturday recuperating.  We all had a good time, though, so think we’ll go again soon.  We’re slowly working up to longer camping trips…pretty soon we’ll leave for days at a time!

9.  Since Sunday was our only day at home this weekend, we used it to get a bunch of stuff done.  Of course, nothing we did was on any of our mile-long lists of “things to get done” but, instead, we engaged in some extreme puttering.  You know, the kind where you work on tons of stuff and it’s all physical, sweaty work?  Libby got a bath, I cleaned out and reorganized the closet under the stairs (here’s where I really wish I’d taken before & after shots), Matt cleaned up and repacked the camping gear and cleaned up the garage, and the kids did their best to stay out of the way.

10.  And, now, that we’re all settled, and in between trips and visits, I’ve got to do some writing.  Dr. Ackerman, my fave professor from my Masters program, has asked me to write a book chapter with him.  It’s due on August 15 and I’ve not yet started.  Ah, Procrastination…been a long time since I’ve seen you.  Thanks for the clean closets, though.

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?

1.  Roadtrip!  We chose to drive to San Antonio this time, so got to take Noah on his first-ever roadtrip.  Considering how hard we pushed the mileage per day, both kiddos did great.  Ava watched a TON of movies (Incredibles, Peter Pan & Little Mermaid were big winners) and Noah was either eating, sleeping or fussing the whole way.  We crashed in El Paso for the night on the way there and got to go for a quick swim before going to Chili’s to eat dinner.  We were all exhausted at the end of the first day, but still got up crazy early on Day 2 to hit the road.  You know that any driving before the sun comes up doesn’t count, right?

2.  We got to San Antonio early on Good Friday afternoon and settled right into playing with heirloom toys and a few we brought along.  By the end of the day, we’d already played in the kiddie pool and had an amazing dinner.  When we woke up on Saturday, Auntie Moe had joined us and we could hardly believe we’d only been there for about 12 hours!

3.  The weekend was packed with church and cooking and Easter celebrations.  We dyed Easter eggs on Saturday afternoon while dinner was cooking…and just in time for the adults to clean up and rush out the door to Easter vigil.  To say we were packing in the memory-making would be an understatement!  Sadly, I don’t have any pictures of the grown ups dressed up to go to church.  Since I had a great dress, I consider this to be quite sad.

(Matt’s great idea for keeping Noah occupied.  Trap the sippy between the table and tray.  Dude has some serious perseverance.)

4.  Easter morning was fun.  We were up turbo early with the kiddos (have I mentioned yet that Noah was sick and running a low grade fever up to this point?) and watched some TV while we waited for grandparents to come play Easter baskets/eggs with us.  Turns out Grampa was sick, so we didn’t see him at all that day.  We did get around to hunting Easter baskets though, and Ava was pretty excited with what she found in hers (a ladybug watch!).

5.  Easter afternoon was a party at the White’s house.  It was supposed to be at Caspers’ but had to move since we were passing around the sickies.  We even made sure to get photos of the kids in their Easter best!  Just for fun, here’s last year.  And the one before that.

The kids had a great time at the party and were officially wiped out by the end of it!

6.  Our kiddos are so lucky to have two sets of their great-grandparents around.  And we’re so lucky to get to take them to visit.  We got to see Mahgie & Poppie at the Easter party and again at their house while we were in Texas.  Such a treat to get to see your babies loved on by their great-grandparents.  Noah met them for the first time at the Easter party.

And then more visiting at Air Force Village.

7.  We did two “special activities” with the whole family while we were visiting.  On Thursday, we went to the San Antonio Zoo.  Special highlights were the elephant demonstration, the reptile house, making a toy with the mold-a-rama, and popsicle treats.

That same night, we got to go see a Missions baseball game.  It was Noah’s first ever!

8.  Speaking of firsts, we had two this trip.  Noah spiked a fever on Monday so we got our first “see the doc while traveling” experience.  Ear infection…boo.  Not the most fun of firsts.  But, by Tuesday afternoon, it was like we had a whole different baby.  So much less fussy and so much more fun!

But, Matt and I had a fun first in that we got to go spend a night downtown on the Riverwalk.  It was our first time leaving the kiddos overnight.  We had a great time watching crappy cable TV (with no one asking us for anything!), going out to dinner, and sleeping for eight blissful hours in a row.  We only got one picture of such a momentous occasion…in the mirror of the elevator of our hotel.

9.  In our down time this visit, we just did a lot of eating, drinking and hanging out.  Ava played in the back yard a TON, which was great because she doesn’t get to do that much here.  Mostly, she played Ladybug Girl with her trusty sidekick, “Bingo.”

We got to share a meal with Ken, too, which was a total treat.  Ken married Matt and I, and we love to see him; but, he usually travels in the summer and we’ve missed him the last few years.  So many years, in fact, that he hadn’t met our kids yet!  There’s something special about a meeting like this, I think.

10.  Our return trip was pretty smooth sailing and we learned lessons from the first leg.  We left more pool time at the hotel and landed in a smaller town to spend the night.  So much less stressful!  We got home on Sunday at 12:15pm and were completely unpacked with kids down for naps by 2pm.  Matt and Ava even ran the train we hauled home for a while that night!

Thanks, Caspers, for a great trip!  We’re already resting up for another one!

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

:: Noah can finally roll in both directions.  He rolls readily from front to back.  But, we almost never see him roll from back to front.  There isn’t much in this world worth that kind of effort to him.

:: This newfound rolling skill did not, as I had predicted, improve his sleep at school.  Maybe there’s just too much to learn there, but he will not sleep for longer than 40 minutes at a time at school.

:: Thankfully, the fact that he doesn’t nap at school does not affect his napping at home.  He takes a one hour nap in the morning and then a two hour nap in the afternoon.  Bedtime is anytime between 6pm and 7pm…whenever he gets tired.  It’s closer to 6pm on school days and could probably be after 7pm on days he takes naps.

:: Dude isn’t sleeping all through the night yet, but he’s only getting up a couple of times now.  We still do a 1-2am feeding and one around 4-5am.  By 6 or 6:30, he’s UP for the day.  And, boy, does this kid wake up happy.  When you pick him up out of the crib, he gives the tightest, best hugs.  He actually puts his arms around your neck and squeezes.  Makes the early wake ups worth it.

:: Doozers is a champion eater.  So far he’s had oatmeal, spaghetti squash, avocado, sweet potato and mango.  For the record, he HATES mango.  Made himself gag to spit it up.  Offer that kid avocado and sweet potato, though, and there isn’t enough in the world to satisfy him.  Boy loves his veggies.

:: Of course, all those solids also solidify, ahem, other things.  His teenaged self will not be happy I have this photo.

:: Besides food, Noah has two great loves in his life.  Libby & Ava.  If either one of them cross his field of view, he’s glued to their every move.  Luckily, he’s just as adored by those two.  I think Libby would lick his hands right off if I let her and Ava is the gentlest, kindest big sister a baby boy could ask for.  When Noah was on the way, I just knew this would be how it would turn out.  So grateful that I was right.

(A little sneak preview of the results from the photoshoot we did on Noah’s six month birthday)

:: I’ve said it before and I’m likely to say it again.  Doozers really is the happiest baby on the block.  He’s got a huge smile for everybody and is just so content.  He’s happiest when surrounded by a bunch of people and loves to just watch and take it all in.  Who could resist this smile?  I hope he always smiles with his whole face like this…it lights up a room (and my heart).

:: The other big skill Noah has mastered recently is sitting.  He’s pretty stable now, but if he gets over excited or tired, he’ll just tip right over.  I’m pretty sure the tipping is willful now, though, rather than a lack of balance.

Look, Mom!  No hands!

:: Baby boy has two favorite toys.  This one and this one.  After he eats dinner, and while we all finish ours, these two keep him completely involved in his booster seat.

I could go on and on about this baby boy.  He’s fun and getting more so every day.  His smile warms my heart, makes bad days melt away.  So glad he’s the baby we got to bring home.  We love to watch you grow, little dude.  Can’t wait to see what you do next!

:: Noah is such a happy baby.  With the exception of his very sick days, he’s nearly always just content to be around, hanging out.  Every time he meets someone new, he offers a big smile and I can’t tell you how many times people have remarked on how sweet & chill he is.

:: Doozers LOVES his toes.  We should just put away all the other toys and teethers because all this guy really needs in life are his tootsies.   Thank goodness he was blessed with 10 perfect ones to chew on.

:: Speaking of teethers, does this guy need to chew!  With all the slobber and constant finger, his or anyone else’s, chewing, you’d think we’d have seen some chompers by now.  But, still no teeth to show for all the mess.  This nursing mama is a teensy bit grateful for that.

:: Right at the beginning of January, we took down the swing and brought out the exersaucer.  It took him about an hour of practice to be standing up like a pro and twirling all the way around to chew on all the different toys.

:: On the day after he turned five months, Noah went on his first airplane ride.  Like a seasoned flier, he slept through every single leg of our trip to Chicago and back.  Bless babies that don’t mind flying…makes this military life with far-flung families so much easier.

It didn’t hurt that he got to bring his favorite toys along.  And, also?

Wouldn’t you kill to be able to bend like that when crammed into an airplane seat?

:: With all the fun stuff five months has brought, it’s also been pretty challenging.  Since the beginning of January, Noah has had croup twice, RSV, two ear infections (one a double), and just hasn’t been able to fully shake any of it.  We’ve been to the doc more often between the four- and six-month checkups than I care to remember.  All the sickies have made sleep issues huge and the poor guy is worn out.

:: When a baby is croupy, it’s easy to worry that they’re not breathing when they’re sleeping on their own.  So, Doozers has gotten spoiled on sleeping best in someone’s arms.  Or, in this case, up against Daddy’s chest while waiting for Ava’s dance class to be done.

:: Noah continues to be a fairly big kid.  Even with all the illness he’s still gaining weight (we’ve gotten to check a lot with all the doc visits!) and loves his solids.  So far, he’s had oatmeal, sweet potato, avocado and, just last night, bananas.  

:: We’re still waiting on the big day when Noah will roll over (I’m convinced it’s the key to sound sleeping at home and at school), but are excited that he’s getting close to sitting on his own.  He’s also a pretty coordinated guy with the fine motor stuff.  He’s just this close to being able to replace a spit-out binky and, ho-boy, that’s gonna be a game-changer with sleep.  (Seeing a trend here?  This mama’s tired.)

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Mostly, we’re just pleased as punch with Noah’s sweet and loving personality.  He gives AWESOME hugs and will just love on you as long as you’ll let him.  He’s definitely a cuddler.  We’re hoping he gets all better really soon because we hate that he feels icky.  Until that day, though, we’re just gonna soak up the snuggles and try to love him back to health.

Love you, little dude.

So, at four months, Noah:

:: Is so very happy.  This little guy only fusses when he’s really hungry or desperately needs some sleep.  Otherwise, he’s just content to be out in the world watching things go by.

::  Babbles, coos, and talks.  He’s got a ready smile and loves to talk to you, especially at his first diaper change of the day.  A long night of alone time means he has lots to share when he wakes up!

:: Has relearned to sleep on his back.  Although he’d been a tummy sleeper for the first few months, it was causing problems with his sleep at school, so we’ve helped him learn to sleep on his back and he does great now.

:: Has to have his Binky and his lovey shoved up against his face to get to sleep.  This has caused some trouble since he wakes up crying at night if the Binky falls out.

:: Has learned to blow raspberries!  He loves it when he can get a “conversation” going with you in raspberry language.

:: Is this close to rolling over.  But, he’s so comfortable on his tummy, he has little incentive to get it done.  It’s coming soon though, I just know it.

::  Loves Libby.  He’ll watch her walk around for several minutes and loves to grab her ears.  Thank goodness Libby is such a complacent puppy when it comes to the kiddos.

::  Has had his first solid food!  We started on oatmeal cereal a couple of days ago and, he’s slowly getting used to it.  Here’s hoping a few extra calories will help with the sleeping!

:: Weighed in at 14 lbs, 7 oz and measured 25.25 in. at his checkup.  That’s up two pounds and two inches from his last visit!

::  Fits in just great around here.  Noah loves his big sister and the feeling is definitely mutual.  These two are going to be two peas in a pod before too long.

It’s hard to believe that the first third of Doozers’s first year has gone by already.  Love our happy little dude!!