Week 37

Nolen has a few loves in life. He loves Mommie, he loves Daddy, he loves Elmo, he loves spatulas, he loves his jeep, he loves people, he loves bananas, he loves bath time, he loves water, he loves opening and closing cabinets, he loves emptying the Tupperware cabinet, he loves "walking", he loves his school bus... okay, so he has a lot of loves.

Well his most recent love is one that I'll be happy to see go. The boy loves biting. 8 teeth, chomping down, biting. He bites shoulders, legs, noses, arms, anything he can get his teeth into. He bites for fun, he bites when he wants something, he bites when he's tired, and sometimes he just bites (I hear it's a sign of teething, more teeth, awesome.) Mommy is trying VERY hard to nurse until he reaches a year. If I can make it, which I can, and I still have both 'girls' attached, then we'll call it a success.

6 (or 7) month pictures!!

We just received the disc with Nolen's 6 (really 7) month pictures. Now I can overload you with cuteness...enjoy!

9 months old little man!

These months seem to go faster and faster. Mommy has jumped into birthday planning with both feet. Only 3 short months until little man turns one! Here's what you've been up to this month:

• You crawl! It's like an army crawl, and you only do it when there's something worth crawling for (aka daddies laptop, mommies USWeekly magazine...)
• Your just dying to walk. In your Kindermusic class all the other babies are older, walking babies. You love to watch them, and pretend that you can walk too! You insist on walking everywhere, hands above your head, holding on to someone tight. You also love walking with your little red push wagon. (Santa came a little early this year.)
• You talk all the time. You can say Mom, MomMom, bye, Papa (we're working on JoJo), PopPop, hi, baba, hello & when when we point to your sheep you say "Baaaaaa."
• You LOVE eating, can't get enough. milk, food, cheerios, you love it all.
• Your favorite toys are your school bus, jeep, spoons,toothbrushes, computers (only real ones, not play ones,) taking things out and in, Tupperware, cooking utensils, lion, books, bulldozer, and paper.
• You love riding your jeep around the kitchen. You drive up to all the cabinets and drawers, open them, and throw the contents all over the floor.
• You love being around other babies and kids. When they make noise you scream back like your talking with them.
• You LOVE water. Bathing in it, swimming in it, kicking it,drinking it, splashing in it... ocean, pool, kitchen sink, doesn't matter. You love all water.
• Your wearing size 9 month -12 month clothes, size 3 diapers, and size 3 shoes.
• Your still the most social baby. Everywhere we go you flash that smile at everyone you come in contact with. There's not a person that goes by without fussing over you, "Oh he's just the most precious thing, look at that smile, and that hair!"
• You sleep from 6:30 or 7:00, wake up at 4:00, then up for the day around 5:00 or 6:00

You are such a special little man. Mommy and Daddy aren't sure what they did with their time before you got here. We can't even remember life without Nolen, your our whole world! We love you to the moon and back!

Skinny Jeans

Skinny jeans have been around for awhile. At first they made me cringe. Skinny jeans are tight, skinny jeans are scary, skinny jeans are extra scary after you've had a baby. I finally broke down and bought a pair, I mean, how nice would it be to wear my boots over jeans. I wore them while we were in Tallahassee. Walking down frat row, little man in the bjorn, mommy in skinny jeans.

*Father & Father-in-law: please put on your earmuffs, stop reading, and do not attempt to find the definition of the following*

That's when it happened. I heard that four letter word being called from a fraternity house. That four letter word that's both terribly derogatory and wonderfully flattering all in one. I got called a MILF! Ahh, maybe I wasn't so old and out of place after all!

I now own 3 pairs of skinny jeans.

Week 35

Whoever invented Day light savings must not have a baby. Nolen totally missed the memo and was up at 4am, yikes! Thankfully our Tallahassee weekend coincided perfectly with the time change. We were off our normal schedule anyway making it a little easier to adjust. I think we're finally, knock on wood, back on track. Whew!

Little man is as awesome as ever these days. Everyday, I find myself locking up the classroom, ushering (maybe a gentle push here or there) the last of my students out the door so I can leave (running) exactly at 4:00. The drive home is full on 'pedal to the medal.' I literally can't get home fast enough. I can't wait to get home to hug and kiss that little man. I crave baby.

One of my biggest 'working mommy fears' is missing out on his firsts. It seems everyday I come home he's learned a new trick. I know, I just know, one day soon I'm going to come home to a walking boy. Not a crawling boy, that's too slow. This boy is going straight for the gold. He's got places to be, people to see, magazine to rip, & drawers to empty. Any chance he gets he's pulling up, holding on, and taking little man steps.

I guess he's picked a good time of year to learn. Mommy gets to spend the whole week of Thanksgiving at home her lovey boy, and then another two weeks at Xmas. He's got 3 whole weeks to show off those legendary first steps. Little man, anytime during the weeks of Novemeber 22nd or Decemeber 19th would work great for Mommy! Wishful thinking, right!

Week 34- Tallahassee

This weekend we took a mini vacation to Tallahassee. Nolen not only got to see Papa Rick & JoJo, but he also got to see his first FSU football game! (Daddy was beside himself.) I love weekends in Tallahassee. It's where we both went to school (Tim all 4 years, me just the last few years.) That's also where his parents went to school, and met, at his dad's Frat house (how cute is that!) These Tallahassee get-a-ways give us all just a few days to relive the good ol' years. A few days to just kick back at a tailgate, eat some good food, and watch some FSU football.

I. love(d). college.

I love that we'll always have Tallahassee. We'll always have football season, a reason for all of our friends to get-to-gether. It gets harder and harder when that little thing called work comes along. People can't travel as much, making those visits less and less frequent. We always know we have football season. This game was no exception. Our friend Heidi traveled up from Orlando (I miss you SO much already,) Mark came from St. Pete and, Travis and Matt came from Jacksonville. All coming together for our "always amazing" tailgates. Leanne gets all the credit here, she always puts together the best tailgates. Think themed food (FSU vs. NC= BBQ & spiked sweet tea,) TV with Satellite, and FSU EVERYTHING (cups, chairs, napkins, table cloths, cupcakes...you get the idea.) It's the perfect setting for gamedays! (Leanne is also the one who encouraged me to start this blog, loves it! She's on the left.)

I remember going to games last year thinking "this time next year we'll have a little man with us." It was so awesome to actually have him there. Yes, nursing mama couldn't drink, yes we had to go late so he could finish his nap, yes we had to leave during the 1st quarter because it was so cold, but all totally worth it. Lots has changed since last year. Gone are the tailgates filled with beerpong and jello shots. Now we have Nolen, Heidi with pregnant with a little peanut, and Mark and Carline are welcoming a new one in February. These crazy boys have traded their beer (well kind of) for babies.

Taking a stroll down Memory lane...

Everyone is pregnant, literally everyone. I love this for them. I love that so many people are going to get to join in on this journey. Being a Mommy is just plain awesome! All these bellies sent me into a trip down memory lane. I went back looking through pregnancy pictures, remembering little mans arrival. I'm so glad I have it documented on here because in my head this last year is a blurr.

When I think back 8 months ago, I just have to laugh. I was clueless. I remember minutes after Nolen's arrival the nurse told me it was time to feed him. "But I didn't take the class, I kept meaning too, but the times never worked out, and I never took the class, I mean I've read some books, but the class, I never took a breast-feeding class." The nurse just laughed and pulled out my milk factories. Nolen started eating immediately, even without the class.

Later that same night it was time for bed. The nurse told me I'd have to set my alarm clock for every 2 hours. I looked at her like she had 2 heads. Did this women not know that I just gave birth. Did she not know how tired I was. Little did I know that alarm clock would be sounding every 2 hours for the next 8 months and counting.

You can read the books, you can read thebump.com, you can talk to other mommies, but you really have no clue until that little one is here. Memories...