The Babies

Every so often we get the babies together. These adorable babies :)

Noah, 9 months

Payton, 4 months

Cambrie, 12 months

Play date for Mom's or for babies? Sometimes it's Story Time at our local library, lunch and a walk around downtown, or just meeting at one of our homes. We do truly want our babies to know and love each other, BUT we also want some good old fashioned girl time. It always seems there is plenty to catch up on and it's so nice to have close girlfriends going through the same "mommy" stuff that we go through here at home. Let's face it, the daily life with a baby is not always so glamorous, usually involves some very graphic terms, and most always involves some sort of bodily function. We love them to pieces though!! Thank you girls for our play dates because I so so so look forward to them!

Phone Photos

Let's be honest...

I'm not making a weekly post about the photos that I take on my phone, even though I really do take way too many. To make matters worse, the website where I make the collages is closing, so I will have to find something new. So, for now, I'm on the hunt for a new fun way to blog/post my phone photos. Here are some recent ones!



Noah loves samples too
Hello ladies, wink, wink
Milk mustache
Swings

Funny man
Opening and Closing (story of his life)
9 month well check
Favorite Christmas gift, not his favorite hat

Happy guy
Play date
Play date tornado
The game he made up while we were eating

Playing with cousins
Eating
Getting ready for Niners in the playoff :(
Eating retro style

Sleepovers

Sometimes Jenna and Noah have "mini" sleepovers. What is a "mini" sleepover you ask? Well, now that the kiddos are older and on great routines we adults get to have some adult fun (easy folks :) after they go to bed. From time to time we play games after the kiddos go nighty night, but this requires one of them to go to bed at the others house. We just set up a pack n play and then transfer a little one at the end of our evening. It works out quite well and then we get our "date nights"-they're just at one of our homes, and usually we're in sweats, with lots of laughing, and most always dessert (duh).

Twice now we have played Puerto Rico (a strategy game involving way too many pieces). It's actually quite fun, but averages about 2.5 hours to play. Jaime and Jared are such good sports because just when we get comfortable playing a game that we've all learned, Justin wants to teach us a new one. We had been playing Settler's of Catan, but that is now accumulating dust (and taking up precious space) in our closet. Both games are fun! Sometimes we just play some cards, but lately it's been more strategy-based games. Wonder why we don't watch movies??? We would, without a doubt, fall fast asleep (we have little ones ya know). Anyways, I'm rambling, and I don't even have pictures of this fun business, but I do however have pictures of a recent playdate/"mini" sleepover where I watched Jenna while her parents went to a meeting.



He is often in awe of her and always wants to do what she is doing. It is so cute and it just melts my heart.

Mmm...I wonder who had to clean up the mess after they went to bed?

Noah really likes this book, but he REALLY likes to grab at faces.

Hey kiddos!

On Saturday Noah and I went down to the Bay Area to visit with my Auntie Chris. She just had back surgery so we went down the help her out/keep her company. Noah was a champ in the car and slept the whole way down (morning nap time) and slept the whole way home (bedtime). Okay, so maybe it was more timing than him being a champ, but still a success :) The day was very relaxing and we were happy to help the Auntie who ALWAYS helps and takes care of others. It would take more than two hands to count how many children she loves and takes care of like they're her own. She's just the best! My cousins came over to play with Noah and he soaked up the attention. They even fed him dinner. Here are a few phone pictures of our fun!

Check out this sweet highchair from MANY years ago-it worked like a charm. What is not pictured is the pack n play that he slept in. My Aunt still had one from all the years of watching her nieces and nephews, and I must say, they haven't changed much. Yeah, it was a little bit heavier, and okay, so the print screamed 80's/90's teal and hot pink, but it truly operated just as they do today.

My Aunt pulled out some old toys and the one in his mouth is called a Weeble (sp?) Anyone remember them? I don't so much, but Noah got a kick out of them.

Thanks for a great day Auntie and we hope you heal up fast so you can pick Noah up and play with him :)

MIA

Sorry I have been MIA on the blog. I had been so good, or so I like to think...

After Christmas and in the beginning of this New Year Justin has been home a lot, so in the evenings we enjoy a quiet home, maybe even some wine, etc. I hadn't felt much like blogging until today. I'm sure the fact that J left for a trip had something to do with it :) Don't get me wrong, I love blogging, but now that Noah is on a good sleeping schedule we love our evenings! I can tell you what doesn't love our evenings...my thighs-ha! We'll just say that dessert is often a part of our evenings together.

Anyways, moving on...Noah is up to all sorts of fun things. He cracks himself up (over nothing of course) multiple times a day and pulls up and walks along everything. He is OBSESSED with opening and closing anything that will do so. He has no interest with what's inside the cupboard, etc. He just wants to open and close things. He received a train for Christmas (thanks Nonni and Grandpa) that he likes to demolish in a very boy-like way. He does like rolling it around as well, but it's not nearly as fun as slamming it on the hardwood. Can't blame 'em! This week he started putting both hands over his ears while eating and finding it very funny. I copied him and then it was super duper funny! Now he does it and waits for me to-so fun to play games with him! He loves the little pieces to all of his toys. He focuses in on one detail and uses his pointer finger to explore it (things like bumps, ridges, body parts, etc.) He adores Sophie our cat and laughs any time she walks in the room. He does NOT like getting his diaper changed-ahhh! So frustrating for Mommy and Daddy, but we are finding a few new tricks. We feel like one of those Nascar stations that changes a tire in like 10 seconds-lol (sorry I don't know the technical term as it's not something I watch). Noah loves to watch things spin on the floor and he cherishes his play times with Daddy. I know I've already said it, and I'm sure I will say it again, but Daddy's are SO fun! We are waiting patiently for his first word and it's fun teaching him all kinds of new words (book, ball, bath, up, nose, bye-bye, hello, etc.) He has known some words for a while (kitty, fan, Mommy, Daddy, light, etc.). He is a great eater and the more flavor the better for this kid! He feeds himself 85% of the time and loves water (we haven't done juice). He loves reading books by himself and with us-this makes for a happy mommy. He is STILL obsessed with our fireplace-bummer. We put most of his toys in front of it in an effort to avoid a gate as we don't really need one anywhere else and it's kind of an awkward corner for one.

Wow, my hand is tired-do you feel caught up? I hope so :) Noah turned 9 months on January 6th and had a great well-check appointment from the doctor. He is still a lean little fellow in only the 18 % for weight. He is just one solid little man and I think he will always be that way! Did I just blab some more-oops, sorry. Okay, so NOW you're caught up and we can move on to pictures! They are not great cause most are from my phone, but they will have to do.

This is the game I was referring to.

Just a happy guy eating his dinner.

Most of the time my living room looks like this-chaos. Such is life...

This is what the train looks like while Mommy and Daddy play with it, or clean it up...

and this is what it looks like while Noah is playing with it :)

Ah, all cleaned up-Noah must be sleeping.

Post Christmas Videos

Two different standing videos. The first one is the most recent :) I know, I'm probably making things worse in the end, but i just can't stop myself-it's so fun!!

Some bath fun! He loves the faucet :)

A few pre-Christmas videos

A Christmas Favorite

A Christmas Favorite, and probably the cutest thing I have ever seen!

Noah LOVES his airplane; the verdict is still out on the hat-no big surprise there. Thanks so much to the Oto family for this wonderful present. It's well made, super duper cute, just the right size, and did you see...it's an airplane!!!

Visiting Autie Lori and Uncle Jim

On Thursday Noah, my mom, and I went down to visit my Auntie Lori, Uncle Jim, and Mike (Lori is my dad's sister). We had a wonderful visit and it was so nice introducing them to Noah. We just relaxed together all day. Uncle Jim made an amazing soup that Noah ate a TON of. We had berry pie and yummy appetizers as well. We reminisced about old memories and caught up on our current lives. It was the perfect day!

Showing videos of Noah on the iPad

As we were packing up to leave, Uncle Jim got out a flash light and Noah was mesmerized. He followed that flashlight around trying to figure out what in the world was going on-it was super cute! Noah was a champ! Both car rides were excellent (3 hours each way) and he was very "well behaved" while we visited :) Thanks Auntie Lori and Uncle Jim for a great visit!

Noah Likes the Swings

Yesterday we met Andrea and Waylon at Howarth Park to watch the ducks and swing on the swings. Even though it was very close to Noah's nap time he had a blast. We even let the boys explore together in the sand. Here are some pictures and a video.

Sanitary, I know.

Swings are fun!!! Look at those top teeth getting so big.

iphone Photos: Week in Review

Drinking and driving (or sleeping)
Reading with the kiddos (Jenna is Noah's friend)
Naked!!!
Just playing and hanging around

Putting on the smile
Hanging out with Oma and Opa
Daddies are so fun
Drinking a bottle "my" way

Cookie decorating is very serious
Christmas Day
Driving in the car
Mom turns 30!

Noah received this walker for Christmas and he is just beginning to get comfortable with it. The poor kid won't bend his knees when he walks with it. It's actually quite funny. He is like a little soldier. When he walks along the couch he bends his knees very normally, but with walkers he's more stiff (maybe it's still a little uneasy for him).

Merry Christmas to Mommy. I know it's so silly, but for some reason I have been very anxious for Noah to figure out how to clap his hands. I think it is so stinkin' cute when babies clap their hands. It was one of those milestones I have looked forward to for a long time. Well, he did it!!! He does it all the time now and I just love it. We are having so much fun with Noah. I'm starting to wish time would just stand still. I'm soaking in all things baby because I feel like he's growing at pesky winter weed status (just like the zillion weeds we have growing in our garden). I have always been the type to look forward to the next stage, and I still do, but I'm getting more sappy when it comes to him getting so big so fast. Enough talking...here ya go!

Have a great week :)
Happy New Year and thanks for checking the blog-we love you all and appreciate you stopping by to get a squint at our little one.

Christmas

It's the most wonderful time of the year...(I'm singing as I write)

And YES it was a most spectacular day! The joy of Christmas that Justin and I already have was multiplied by a million because our sweet little Noah was here to celebrate his first Christmas. In true form we did not get out of our pj's (or comfy clothes) all day. We enjoyed a yummy breakfast, opening presents (some on Christmas Eve night as well), relaxing, eating, game playing, more eating, more relaxing, and oh yeah, more eating :) Noah was wiped by the end of the day. He devoured dinner as he is way more into "human" food than "baby" food these days. He loved playing with all of his new toys and watching us unwrap the loud paper. He enjoyed watching us more than participating.

I can't say enough about how much I love Christmas. I'm sad it's over, but there is most definitely some awesome organization that usually takes place after Christmas and I like to organize. I willingly admit that I am not always the cleanest person (clothes piles anyone...???), however, I truly enjoy organizing. I have already created a new toy space for Noah in the living room and dining room that's working out well. I have also redone one of my kitchen cabinets and re-organized our bathroom (side note: I heart The Container Store).

Moving on before I bore you with more organization projects (the list is long). We had a wonderful Griswold Christmas with both of our families here to celebrate. We're even all still talking to each other (Hahaha!) Here are some somewhat random pictures of the day. I was too busy eating and relaxing you know...pictures took a backseat :(

Yes, I'm jealous...My mom got an iPad for Christmas. Yay Mom!!

I love stockings!

Playing with a new toy.
More pictures coming soon of his Christmas toys!