The Cutest Pumpkins in the Patch

 

 

EIGHT (months) is GREAT (except for the teething parts)!

Oh our sweet Noley Poley Pumpkin Pie!  By far, this month has gone the fastest!  I can't believe I'm telling people he is 8 months old now.  Here's some Noey-isms from the last month:

• His love of baby food was so short lived!  He is now rejecting all things I put on his spoon in favor of anything that he can pick up himself and eat independently, including, but not limited to, all the leaf bits he finds on the floor.  Never mind that this leads to gagging or choking 60% of the time. 
• I can't decide if he's a good sleeper or not.  He will sleep 11 hours straight through the night for 4, 5, 6, nights in a row, then go the same amount of time waking up once a night for a bottle.  I really have no idea if there is a pattern, or it's just part of the totally normal randomness of babies. 
• He loves himself a good tunnel, or anything he deems a tunnel.  He loves to crawl through your legs, between furniture, and snakes around the dinning room chair legs. 
• He gets down on his belly to chew doorstops. 
• He is making a fool of our baby-proofing.  Three times I have caught him chewing on the safety plug you stick in an unused outlet.  How is he getting these things out?
• He doesn't really seem the sort of kid who would need a lovey for naptime, or maybe it's just too early.  I did throw a little mouse stuffed animal in his crib, thinking maybe he would want to chew on it if his teeth hurt, but really it's just turned into an inside joke between me and Jon.  Nolan is crying in the middle of the night.  Jon: Oh, poor guy.  He probably just lost his mousey.  Nolan is crying before bed.  Jon: Well, did you give him his mousey?  Meanwhile, Nolan continues to show no interest in his [beloved] mousey.
• Jon thinks Nolan's going to have what it takes to participate in crew some day.  When Nolan is really working hard he makes a "geh, geh, geh, geh" rhythm to which he matches his crawling. 
• Maybe he will say Mama soon!  When he's getting fussy for a bottle or is hungry, he kinda screetchess "EHHHHHMAMA!"
• He has not taken any steps yet, thank you Jesus, but is crawling and cruising all over our house!

 

Second Grade Field Trip

Seth's class went to Safety City last Friday for a field trip and Noey and I got the privilege to tag along.  The kids were broken up into four groups:  pedestrian safety, bike safety, traffic rules (using the pedal cars), and fire safety.  I always want to be a fly on the wall in my kids' classrooms to see what they are like with their peers and this kind of afforded me the chance.  Seth was so happy to be there and participate.  He also takes rules and safety very seriously, so he was pretty much in his element. 

Getting ready for pedestrian safety.

 

Taking his job of pushing Noey very seriously.   

 

Until he met Captain Leggins! 

 

Touring the truck. 

 

Look at that cutie dog in the window! 

 

Gearing up! 

 

Ready to roll! 

 

Leading the pack, ready to blow everyone away with his appropriate hand signals.  :) 

 

A fussy (because I won't put him down so he can eat leaves) baby. 

 

Stopping at the four way, checking for (pedal) cars! 

 

I guess I didn't get a picture of the fire practice house.  They watch a video and talk about what to do if a house is on fire, then go in this little house which fills up with some kind of vapor smoke to practice crawling to safety.  They really do a great job teaching the kids valuable lessons in all of the stations.  A very fun morning for sure; I was glad Noey and I went too!

Saturday Daderday

Last Call: Beggis!

Holy smokes, those early mornings impacted me more than I thought!  We've been home for over a week and I still don't have Beggis wrapped up. 

 

Doughnuts and cinnamon rolls.  Yummy bfast!

 

Out and about, ready to hit the town!

 

First stop of the day, M&M store!

 

Big Red was very welcoming.

 

The boys and the M&Ms in front of the M&M's.  What could be more fitting?

 

Excited about candy!

 

We taste tested all sorts of unique things, including chili flavored, candy corn, mint, and coffee M&M's. 

 

 

Day three of Beggis, these 8 year old legs were wore out!

 

On to the World of Coke!

 

Ollie looooooves soda.  I don't even know how this crazy passion started.  He was delighted to be sitting in front of this sampling tray from around the world.

 

A severe soda: A story told in three sips and three terrible faces.

Part One: Momo

 

Part Two: Ollie 

 

Part Three: Jon 

 

Avengers Assemble!!

(And then ask for a tip.) 

(I choose to remain naïve about all the ways to make money in Beggis.)

 

And if that wasn't enough sweets, here's the Hershey store.

 

All the boys in a Reese's peanut butter cup.

 

Gah!!  This picture!  I can't even!!

 

Later it was back to the pool for some swim time.  Or if you are Seth, back to the pool to try and catch a bird.  Or if you are Noey, back to the pool for a nap.

 

Another 3 pm linner at Johnny Rockets.

(Yes, Ollie?)

 

The Excalibur had a huge arcade in the basement called the Fun Dungeon.  Momo and Mimi's quarters were put to good use. 

 

 

 

Then back to the room for some hang out time before the Motsingers have yet another early bedtime.

 

That evening Momo and Jon took in a hockey game. 

 

Aw, man, and it's Sunday!  Last day of vacation! 

 

 

Noley and Mimi checking each other out. 

 

And getting in some snuggles.

 

The knights! 

 

And good bye Excalibur!

 

And my most faithful unpacker helping back at home.