Sweet Baby Jones

My, How Time Flies

2011-07-12T12:59:00.003-06:00

Wow! It's been over a year. Much has changed:

:: I'm no longer pregnant (or blogging in my underwear. So sorry about that!).
:: Baby Sister Sophia Noelle was born.
:: Big Brother Noah is almost four.

And much has stayed the same. We're working. And playing! And we're busy.

But not too busy to blog...anymore. More coming soon!

Maternity Dilemma

2010-06-19T15:46:00.002-06:00

It's hot. I'm 23 weeks along. Very few of my clothes fit, and the idea of maternity wear thrills me not at all. (Plus, it's neatly packed away & the whole closet conversion process will take me hours.)

So it's come to this: I'm blogging in my underwear.

I promise I will put clothes on by the time Noah gets up from his nap. And there are no pictures attached to this post, thankfully!

Best Friend

2010-06-18T22:07:00.002-06:00

Dave returned late last night from being gone all week for work. Noah is so excited to have him back home!

Tonight, as we were eating dinner Noah told me, "I love Daddy so much!" He then put his arms around Dave, gave him a tight squeeze and added, "He's my best friend."

Wow. He's never said anything like that before, about anybody! So cool.

Lessons

2010-06-13T13:57:00.006-06:00

Please excuse the long post - this is as much for me as anyone else...

This parenting thing can be really, really hard. Sometimes, it's "I'm so tired, I just can't deal with this today." Other times, it's "this is going to take every ounce of my energy, every ounce of my determination & every ounce of my stick-to-it-ness-or-my-son-is-never-going-to-learn." It's been one of those days.

It started out fine, until I finished my shower & came downstairs to find Noah, emptying an entire container of dog food all over the kitchen floor, his little table & out the patio door. Argh.

Me: "What are you doing, Littles?"
Noah: Quite proud of himself, "Feeding Lucy."

Still proud of his accomplishments, marveling at his mess & not yet realizing what this might mean

At this point, I'm still calm. Granted, he had good intentions. But this throws a wrench into my plans for the day. Wanted to run some errands & hit a few stores before taking Noah to the toy store as promised. Didn't really want to spend time on my hands & knees cleaning up gritty dog food.

I descended the stairs & did my best to engage Noah in the task. He wasn't at all interested, grabbed a toy & went in the other room.

Me: "You made this mess, so you need to come clean it up."
Noah: "You made the mess, you clean it up."

Oh, goodness.

So there I am, sitting in the middle of hundreds of pieces of dog food, making my choice. Go easy: clean it up & get us on our way? Or go tough: enact the lesson, engage in the battle of wills & hopefully emerge on the other side a better mother & son?

I set my jaw & chose to go tough.

The protest commences - he's realized that I'm not going to give in

The ensuing 2 hours included:
- a nice, rational talk
- a stubborn boy dead set against cleaning up
- an even more stubborn mother certain that he would 'finish the job', even if it meant withholding all food, toys & movies for the rest of the day
- a LOT of Noah tears
- even more Noah whining
- a quick break to hug & regain composure
- a little lesson on big-boy breathing techniques (to ease the crying)
- and an enormous amount of coaching: "You can do this." "You made this mess, you need to clean it up." "Keep on going." "It doesn't matter if you don't want to - you need to finish the job."

Frustrated, crying, lying prostrate & trying to avoid picking up the last 6 pieces

And yes - 2 hours later, he finally picked up the last piece and put it back.

Completely exhausted, we ascended the stairs for his nap. We talked again about how necessary it was that he finish what he started, that he help out & clean up after himself. And I made sure he knew how proud of him I was.

I think we both learned a lesson. Not an easy one, that's for sure.

And I think it's time for my nap.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DAVE!

2010-06-04T14:50:00.005-06:00

Dave's birthday is today!

"Happy Birthday, Daddy!"

And what a day it's been! Noah decided to be 'super big boy' all of a sudden, and ate an entire bowl of hamburger & rice with a spoon (ok, a spork).

We have been trying for weeks to get him to use a spoon completely on his own, but he hates the mess (yes, he's my child). But he decided today was the day & went for it. He had a few casualties, but kept going.

And then he asked to wash his hands. I'm so proud of him! (It's the little things!)

Here's my boy, quite proud of his accomplishments.

(Note the Hans Solo Return of the Jedi shirt - got it at a garage sale last week. It's an original from 1983! Love.)

My great success of the day was surprising Dave with a big cookie delivery at the training he's conducting in Wenatchee. He's actually out of town today, and birthdays are big celebrations in our house - so I had to get creative. It took some energy & research, but was totally worth it!

(Props to Jodi at Jeepers Bagels. If you're ever in Wenatchee, support them!)

Think Pink

2010-06-01T20:21:00.009-06:00

Here she is...our beautiful baby girl at 19.5 weeks!

More pictures and the beautiful hydrangea we bought after the ultrasound & a most fabulous lunch at Goldy's, our fav breakfast spot.

p.s. - my apologies to all who were waiting so long for this news. i promise i wasn't trying to be elusive (though i can't say the same for my husband)! i just wanted to get this post together & didn't have a moment to do it until now...

Zwei

2010-05-28T23:45:00.000-06:00

But let's be honest. The biggest piece of news in our world lately is...

...due October 18, 2010

(What about that post title? German translation = "two")

The Story...

2010-05-28T23:14:00.006-06:00

Well, you already know the beginning of Baby Zwei's story. Not too tough to figure that out. (Kids, go ask your parents. Expect a sit down.)

I found out first - expected such a thing was true, but waited plenty of time to make sure. Told Dave through his Valentine's Day gift (a baby outfit, paci & bottle drying rack - long story). My boys got me a beautiful orchid (still as gorgeous today as it was almost 4 mos. ago). I was 5 weeks along at that point, and Baby was the size of a poppyseed.

Incidentally, I think my blog hiatus began about then, too - when I started sleeping instead of posting. (And all of you who gave me hell now feel really bad, right?!)

We told our families at Week 9. The plan: for Noah to share our joyous news by sporting a "Big Brother" shirt & yelling "SURPRISE!"

The reality: at the Jones farm, he demanded to go down for a nap moments before lunch, when our plan was to be staged. So we showed them the shirt instead. We at least got him in it for the Redmans, though it was our first morning at DisneyWorld & he was grumpy, so he ended up bursting into tears when everyone saw his shirt & got excited. It was classic!

Ah, the best laid plans...

My pregnancy has been uneventful (thank you, Lord) & has flown by. It's pretty textbook 2nd child: no pictures, a tardy blog mention, & very little to-do thus far. The one outside my tummy currently demands far more attention than the one inside!

But we are having fun introducing Baby to Noah. Noah has decided he has a baby in his tummy, too, and is already preparing to teach 'Mommy's Baby' how to sleep & play trains. We think he'll be quite the Big Brother.

At this post, I am days shy of 20 weeks (halfway done). We just had the big ultrasound yesterday, but I'll leave you hanging with the "pink or blue?!" question for another day...

April/May

2010-05-28T22:58:00.004-06:00

Yikes! Am I really 5 months behind on posting?! Yes. So here is your April/May 2010 update...

April: For Easter Sunday, Noah wore one of Dave's old outfits: a fabulously 70s vest/pants outfit just perfect for spring. He loved it & was adorable!

My boys, all ready for church!

May: Noah, sporting his favorite T (I promise, again, that he has chosen this favorite all on his own) & Thomas backpack...and striking quite the JCPenney model pose in the 2nd pic!

Quarterly Report

2010-05-28T22:30:00.008-06:00

So it's been awhile. Long enough, in fact, that I'm going to condense a string of posts into

Noah's Quarterly Report: January - March, 2010.

January: We snuggled; watched movies; made brownies (licked the bowl!); read books (can't believe how lanky this boy is!); & made 'Engineer Saucy Noma' (translation: a train-driving Frosty the Snowman)...
February: We played; watched more movies (I promise we don't watch that much TV); enjoyed a 'new to us' recliner; & Noah got me flowers one day for absolutely no reason. I love that kid!

Also in February: my Mom made matching BSU tuques for Dave & Noah, which set off a whole morning of silliness...

And Dave cut Noah's hair for the 1st time (along with Uncle Mike's. That's why Noah wanted to do it in the 1st place - to be like T-Bone!)

March: We played trains. Here, & at Papi/Yaya's house. And built tunnels. And put Daddy in Lucy's cage. And went to Walt Disney World, but that's the subject of another post (I've got to organize pictures before that one will happen)!

All in all, it was a great Quarter. We are sincerely looking forward to summer (Dave/Noah are itching for warmer weather so they can live outside!). I continue to be amazed at just how big our little man is getting...

Soon and Very Soon...

2010-05-25T21:50:00.003-06:00

You are going to get a post out of me.

But not now.

(I have updated the background, fixed the font colors & readied the pictures. But I'm tired. So as much as it pains me to leave this unfinished, you'll just have to wait a bit more. It won't be long!)

"I Love You, Mommy"

2010-02-05T23:55:00.003-07:00

This morning, as I picked up my beautiful boy to carry him downstairs for breakfast, he spontaneously declared, "I love you, Mommy."

Wow.

That's the first time he's ever said that, just out of the blue.

He tells me he loves me a lot - but usually it's prompted. Or even forced. But never has he done it on his own volition, so out of context like that.

And I know that years from now, him telling me that won't seem like a big deal. But today, it was almost earth-shatteringly amazing.

Happy New Year...

2010-01-31T15:53:00.017-07:00

...a little late. But I hope all of you are enjoying the first days of a brand new decade.

Dave & I recently sat down to do our 2009 Year In Review. Here are the highlights in chronological order:

1. Housing Solutions Manager
Last January, I was promoted at work. I now manage a dept & NHS' housing counseling activities (including the Foreclosure Prevention Program). It's been interesting, challenging & really stressful, but very rewarding.

2. Family Ambassadors for the Special Olympics World Winter Games
In February, we served as ambassadors to a floor hockey athlete & his family from AZ. Seeing the events & being with the people was truly inspiring.

3. Dave Jones, Camp Speaker
In March, Dave was the speaker for the ABYC Junior/Senior High Winter Camp at Cathedral Pines. I grew up at that camp, but hadn't been up there in 10 years. It was amazing to enjoy God's creation, hear Dave share & connect with the youth.

4. NCAA Tournament
Also in March, we attended 2 full days of 1st & 2nd round games of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament. We got a sitter, biked to BSU's campus & watched over 14 hours of great ball. Love it!

5. Growing the Family
Handsome little Riley Cash Jones was born in May, to Dave's brother RC & wife Jessica. And in June, the Jones family welcomed Ezra Miller into the fold, as Dave's younger sister Jessica got married!

6. Bend
One of Dave's favorite 2009 memories is of driving out of our subdivision in July, thinking we were headed downtown for a surprise dinner - only to find out that we were headed to Bend for the whole weekend. It was an amazing getaway, and included one of our most challenging but beautifully redemptive moments when we finally broke through our difficult cycle. And then we danced.

7. Noah's Second Birthday
July 26 was a wonderful celebration of another wonderful year with our special boy. We have so enjoyed hearing him develop his own voice, and always delight in watching our families enjoy him. He's growing so fast!

8. Marley & Lucy
We lost our beloved Marley in September, and brought home Lucy in October. We miss Mars every day, and enjoy watching Noah & Lucy grow up together.

9. Hood Reunion
In October, I escaped to Maryland for a long weekend retreat with 7 of my closest college girlfriends. 4 days of fabulous food, conversation & company = heaven.

10. Noah's 1st Train Ride
Dave & I had such fun taking Noah on the Pumpkin Liner up the Payette River in October!

11. Returning to Long Beach
In October & November, Dave got to spend 2 weekends catching up with folks & rekindling close friendships formed when we lived in CA almost 10 years ago.

12. Washed Anew
Dave had the incredible experience of baptizing his parents in November.

13. Sun Valley
In December, Dave & I got away for a pre-holiday weekend in Sun Valley. We slept in, devoured the breathtaking brunch at the Lodge, ice skated, attended the tree lighting festival, and enjoyed a dinner visit by the Sun Valley Carolers & Santa Claus. It was a magical time!

14. Christmas with Noah
We loved watching him marvel at the lights, sounds & joys of the season.

Here's wishing you a 2010 as full of joy as last year was for us.

Happy New Year!

Christmas!

2010-01-31T15:30:00.007-07:00

We had a great Christmas with our families. So great, that I forgot to take pictures!

This was Noah's 3rd Christmas, and he really got it this year. We had so much fun decorating our house (inside & out), because he was so excited about it all. He especially loved "Daddy's house lights", the "tree lights", and my Nutcrackers & music boxes.

We started new traditions this year: attending a live nativity & driving around to look at Christmas lights (we did this one often!)

Noah loved the music of the season. His favorite CD is still the Chipmunks Christmas, and the 1st song he learned to sing was Frosty the Snowman. Since then, he's amassed quite a collection that he sings on a regular basis: Holly Jolly Christmas, Santa Claus is Coming to Town, We Wish You a Merry Christmas, Jingle Bells, Joy to the World & Deck the Halls. One of my favorite memories is hearing him sing while playing, riding in the car or going to sleep.

This year we were blessed by quality time with some of our favorite people: Noah's grandparents, aunts, uncles & cousins. It is such a joy for Dave & I to watch them enjoy Noah, and vice versa. He brings out the kid, and the best, in all of us.

Here are a few pictures of him from Christmas day: playing, opening presents & opening other people's presents...

Christmas Cookie Contest

2010-01-31T15:15:00.007-07:00

Every year since I was little, my family made & decorated sugar cookies at Christmastime. As we got older, they got more elaborate. A few years ago, the 'kids' started a new tradition: The Cookie Decorating Contest. Each of us submits entries & Grandma is the judge. We have a great time & make some pretty cool (& interesting) cookies!

This year, Noah decided to get in on the cookie action. He had a great time using the sprinkles & pushing red hots into the cookies! (His very 1st cookie is on the bottom right.)

The entries.
(Emily: tree on L & candy cane; Dave: yellow "Star Bear"; Noah: tree on R & snowman; Mike: stocking & woodland scene, complete with 3D tree & rabbit; Heather: stomach & fish).

Grand Prize: Heather's fish. "Cutest": Noah's snowman.

Mommy Daddy's Bed

2010-01-31T15:00:00.003-07:00

(Dec 13) Noah loves playing in our bed.

We've come up with all sorts of games:

"nap" (pretending like you're asleep for a matter of seconds)
"haboos" (running from the guest room & being thrown onto the bed)
"shaboos" (being thrown around while on the bed)
& "wallers" (a silly, frantic sort of squirming)

He loves it!

Little Nakeds, Part VII

2010-01-31T14:43:00.003-07:00

My tough little dude on December 12, over a week after his first major injury.
(We moved the furniture to accommodate the Christmas tree & put the sofa table right in the middle of Noah's running path...ouch. He went full speed into the corner of that thing - boy, do head wounds bleed! But he was brave, and even got a milkshake from Sonic after getting glued back together at urgent care. He hasn't seemed to notice it since!)

Winter Morning Reading

2010-01-31T14:35:00.003-07:00

(Dec. 4) My little reader, enjoying a sunny morning & his Christmas tree.
A happy little guy (despite the bandaid on his head...)

A Boy & His Dog

2010-01-31T14:32:00.002-07:00

(December 1)

2010-01-30T16:58:00.004-07:00

(December 1)

Helping Daddy put up the tree...

Our big boy.
I almost can't get over how long his legs are! Goodness, he is growing.

O Christmas Tree

2010-01-30T15:19:00.007-07:00

On Thanksgiving weekend, we decided to take another stab at cutting a tree from the forest.

(Don't even ask about the last time, when Noah was 5 mos. old & we went to the Boise Nat'l Forest. We didn't even make it home with a tree, but we sure were glad to make it home. At all.)

We went with my folks, sister, brother-in-law & niece. All went smoothly until the road iced over & we had to turn around. Then Noah melted down because he felt left behind by the group & was overheating quickly (yeah, so maybe he didn't need 4 layers on a sunny day). Dave & I subsequently melted down (and swore, and yelled at each other. And maybe swore again. Yikes!) Lucy ran happily into the middle of the road.

It wasn't our finest hour, but it was worth it. We emerged with a happier boy (full of red licorice) & a beautiful tree (that is still standing, in all its grandeur, in our living room). Here's to another trip next year!

Playing happily, thanks to Daddy, YaYa, cousin Emmie & Lucy

A fine group with fine trees!

Little Nakeds, Part VI

2010-01-15T21:40:00.000-07:00

After haircut #2 on November 21!

Hey-Hey's Shades

2010-01-15T21:37:00.000-07:00

(November 13)

"Fancy Jammies"

2010-01-15T21:33:00.000-07:00

Noah in his grown-up jammies!
(Before and after a haircut, as well.)

Noah "smiling."
(Seriously. This is what he does when I tell him to smile. So if you see a picture of him actually smiling, it's because I've caught him off guard.)

Thanks, YaYa

2010-01-15T21:30:00.000-07:00

(Nov. 3) Thanks for the handmade hat & the great threads, Mom. You were right - he totally digs the sweater!

Wethinks it's gone...

2010-01-15T21:09:00.003-07:00

("Wethinks" because I still don't want to jinx it...)

Thanks to all for your kind words of encouragement for Noah. It's gone well! Whenever he asks us for his paci, we just remind him that all a big boy needs is "a buddy & friends." (Translation: a blanket & a ridiculous amount of stuffed animals in one's crib.) So far, so good!

Bye-bye, Paci?

2010-01-10T22:46:00.002-07:00

Tonight (actually tonight, in real time), we put Noah to bed for the very first time without a paci.

As in first time since coming home from the hospital, 895 days ago. That's a lot of history to break willy nilly, but it just seemed like a good time (especially since he's been night waking lately and seems to be teething again). Okay, so it's maybe not the best timing. But he kind of seemed ready-er, so we went for it.

So far so good...

I was almost afraid to even mention it for fear of jinxing him (yes, I'm superstitious - but not any worse than those poor goat-cursed Cubs). So if you're reading this, send our little man your thoughts/prayers/good mojo!

Jones Boy

2010-01-10T22:42:00.002-07:00

Noah found great joy in trying on his Papa Chet's hat...

Halloween!

2010-01-10T22:33:00.004-07:00

Noah loved Halloween this year. We went to "Boo at the Zoo" at the Boise Zoo with friends the weekend before & had a great time. (Norah was an adorable kangaroo.)

Then Noah & I went to Twin Falls to go trick-or-treating since Dave was out of town. His favorite part? The fire engine at the Lynwood Shopping Center kids safety demonstration. He was more than willing to forgo the candy line so he could hang out on the fire truck!

Pumpkin Carving

2010-01-10T22:28:00.004-07:00

Our very first time carving pumpkins!

Noah didn't like the 'guts' much, but really wanted to get a hold of the knife (don't worry...) We may be amateurs, but they turned out well (mine is not pictured, since these photos were taken LONG before I was finished).

A Boy and His Dog

2010-01-10T22:24:00.002-07:00

Early on in their relationship, something became very clear:

they love to run after each other!

Yes, They Are Tasty

2010-01-10T22:18:00.002-07:00

(October 18) Not the best picture, but proof that this boy isn't every bit his father. He clearly has his mother's affinity for TastyKake chocolate donuts!

Pumpkin Liner

2010-01-10T22:03:00.004-07:00

In October, Noah took his very first train ride!

We rode the Thunder Mountain Line from Horseshoe Bend, up the Payette River to a settlement in Banks, where they had pumpkins waiting for us. The train was filled with families and we got to know a mom & 2 kids who just moved to Boise.

It was an absolutely gorgeous, sunny fall day - a perfect way to enjoy a beautiful Idaho fall.

Introducing...

2010-01-08T14:43:00.005-07:00

LUCY, the newest member of our family!

Since every boy needs a dog (or so my husband convinced me), I thought I'd browse craigslist. Honest, I was just looking - and I was very firm with Dave that we would just go for a visit...but as soon as Noah said "Luuuucy" (Ricky Ricardo style), it was clear we were taking her home that very night. And that night was 3 months ago!

Originally dubbed a Labradoodle, we've since discovered that she's likely a Portuguese Water Dog (su-prise, su-prise, su-prise, humane society!). We haven't had the vet confirm it yet, but her markings, hair & behavior are all textbook with the breed.

She is now 7 months old, and We Love Lucy!

Chopping

2010-01-08T14:41:00.003-07:00

In late September, Noah helped his Papa chop corn. Noah is just like his Papa & his daddy when it comes to farming - he's serious about his work!

On the Farm

2010-01-08T14:32:00.007-07:00

After visiting the fair, we spent a day at the farm - an absolutely gorgeous, sunny, early-fall day.

Noah & I went wild in the strawberry patch
(he ate them faster than I could pick them!)

Then he went for a walk with his Nana & a jeep ride with Papa Chet!

What A Difference A Year Makes!

2010-01-08T14:25:00.002-07:00

Same fair ride, same car, same boy... 2008 & 2009!

The Fair!

2010-01-08T14:21:00.004-07:00

In early September, we made our annual pilgrimage to the Twin Falls County Fair with the Redman & Jones families. We had a great time eating, playing, visiting animals & eating!

Noah really enjoyed it this year - he loved the huge model train setup (the building was stifling but he didn't care!), feeding the animals & riding rides. We stayed out way past his bedtime because he just kept running from one ride to the next, shouting "more!"

A New Year

2010-01-08T14:17:00.002-07:00

Happy New Year!

And welcome back. I know, I've been the one MIA for months...but I'm back. After seriously considering the thought of ditching the blog (I'm SO behind!), I have decided to keep going, with the realization that I'm not going to blog as regularly as some people. But I enjoy blogging (when I do), you enjoy reading, so we'll all just nicely forget about my horrible track record.

It's a new year, "fresh, with no mistakes in it!"

So on to the fun stuff...

WAHOOOOO

2010-01-04T23:14:00.002-07:00

Yes, I'm interrupting my ridiculously long blog break for a quick post without pictures. I'll be back soon. But I just had to say

WAY TO GO, BSU!

I didn't grow up a Broncos fan, but I'm definitely a convert. Dave & I just finished watching over an hour of post-game coverage & reading every game analysis we could find - and I'm nothing but P-R-O-U-D of Coach Pete & our boys and the way they've carried themselves on & off the field. I paid good money for a Fiesta Bowl t-shirt last night (those of you who know me will recognize what a big deal that is) and I will be proudly sporting it for months to come.

Boise is on the map, kids!

Noah's First Sleepover

2009-10-25T21:48:00.003-06:00

Eva Hutchings came to stay in early September. She & Noah had a great time pushing each other in the truck & Eva showed us her 'Dukes of Hazzard' move!

My Obama Man

2009-10-25T21:39:00.001-06:00

(August 27) Thanks for the t-shirt, Auntie Ali & Uncle Austin!

Farm Life

2009-10-25T21:37:00.002-06:00

(August 20)

Books with Buppa

2009-10-25T21:03:00.004-06:00

(August 13) I love that it's hard to tell who's reading to whom. Noah loves his Buppa!

Mama's Little Helper

2009-10-25T21:01:00.003-06:00

(August 8) So it took me 3x as long to make rolls that day. But he was SO cute!

Little Nakeds, Part V

2009-10-25T20:59:00.002-06:00

(July 31)

Reinvented

2009-10-25T20:54:00.004-06:00

(July 31) It amazes me how kids can find a million uses for toys that have nothing to do with their original function. Why use this as an art easel when it makes such an excellent tunnel?

The Cake

2009-10-25T18:10:00.005-06:00

I posted a recap of Noah's 2nd birthday long ago, but I promised myself I would eventually include a special section dedicated to the cake. And to the INSANE amount of hours I labored on that thing.

(Probably to remind myself to BUY one next year.)

I forget how many hours I spent on it - but it took up a large portion of 2 days. Why? I'm an amateur, an overachiever & a perfectionist. Yikes.

My plan: stacked double-layered 12" and 8" rounds, with raspberry filling & Thomas decor. (Easy, right!?) We (meaning my Mom & I - she's only in 2 of the pictures, but there would have been NO cake without her) baked twice the amount normally planned due to measuring issues (mine). We had to piece part of a layer back together because I got a bit zealous with the fishing line (don't ask). But all in all, it turned out perfectly - even better than I'd hoped.

And given my mother-of-a-toddler-short-term memory, you'll likely find me next year, planning another ginormous project. At least I enjoyed myself (most of the time)!

Thanks for all of your help, Mom. It was fun!

On the Farm

2009-10-25T16:28:00.003-06:00

For his bday weekend, Noah enjoyed some down time on the farm: "working" with Papa Chet & Scott Bybee & playing bubbles with cousin Olivia!

A Boy, His Dog & the Zoo

2009-10-25T16:19:00.004-06:00

(July 14 & 15)

Man, we really miss Mars. He was a good sport!

Noah loves the 'safari' part of the zoo!

The Great Escape

2009-10-25T15:39:00.010-06:00

For Dave's birthday/Father's Day/our anniversary, I planned a surprise weekend in Bend. I actually kept the secret until July 10 when we were in the car & I handed him a map from our house to the hotel. He was shocked! We had an amazing weekend, just the two of us.
(MANY thanks to my Mom & sister for making it possible!)

A few memories...

On the way there, drinking fresh water tapped from the mountain (eat your heart out, Dasani)

Living on the wild side (for me, anyway!), trying on dresses in an open-air market (& reprimanding my husband for taking pictures)
Taking a break & enjoying the gorgeous day along the river

Feasting on crepes (wearing our new hats)
Stopping to marvel at the shoe tree (seriously, a tree bearing hundreds of shoes, in the middle of nowhere by the side of the highway!)

Hangin' in the covered wagon; a large rocking chair; enjoying our new hats from the Hatter Dashery; draping strings of jerkey across the car visors; stuffed from lunch at the Sno Cap Drive-In; marveling in God's creation on a beautiful drive home; the perfect corner dinner spot in downtown Bend; pie at the Austin House

Where to next year, Love?!

Let's Back Waaaaay Up...

2009-10-25T15:05:00.010-06:00

Since this serves as my digital scrapbook (as measly as it is), I have a lot of catching up to do from the summer. I already know that I'm going to get bored & wander off before I'm done, so bear with me...we'll get caught up eventually.

(June 16) Noah at the park. I love how he does this sweet little thing with his hand when he wants you to tickle him under his chin...

Mama's beautiful boy (taking a drink from a germ-ridden park water fountain)

The only decent pic I have of me & my sweet little ring bearer at Jessica & Ezra's wedding on June 27

Mr. Nudee Butt, running around at my folks' house on July 4th weekend

Just back from a great jeep ride in the desert on July 4 (Dave's dad, me, my niece Emily & nephew Ben)

We Miss You, Mars

2009-10-04T21:48:00.004-06:00

I wish I could tell you a joyous tale of Marley's speedy recovery and homecoming, but life doesn't always end the way we'd like. After hours of seizures, every possible medical intervention, and much prayer, Dave & I finally had to resign ourselves to saying good-bye to Marley at 8:45 p.m. last Sunday.

This has been a long week of grief, memories, and of realizing just how much Marley was a part of our lives. He was the world's coolest dog! I know the numb feeling will eventually subside & we'll likely even get another pet - but his spot in our hearts will remain. He entered our lives at a pivotal point, he made us a family, and he was Noah's first companion. We miss you so much, Mars!

Thanks to all of you for your thoughts, kind words, and prayers, and for loving him almost as much as we did...

Pray for Mars

2009-09-26T14:17:00.002-06:00

Marley is having seizures again.

(The long story short is that he's been having them more frequently for awhile now, and we finally decided it was too much this afternoon when he'd had his 14th in 18 hours. So we switched vets & Dave took him in over an hour ago.)

Our new vet told us that this would only get worse & that it was time to put him on daily meds. (The attempts to treat him with homeopathic remedies just weren't working.) Since it's a weekend & Mars has to be monitored while they get the dosage of this medication right, he'll be spending the night at the pet ER.

So please pray for him - the vet thinks there's a great chance that he'll recovery fully, but it's possible that some damage has been done. And the meds may take awhile to adjust - it's essentially a narcotic that will keep his brain from getting anxious & misfiring - and it sometimes is a little tricky to keep the dog sedated enough to not seize, but lucid enough to still be normal.

Not a huge big deal, I guess, since this happens to lots of other dogs all the time - but it's our Mars (& our pocketbook!) so we could use your prayers that this all goes smoothly!

It Goes By So Fast...

2009-07-31T21:41:00.003-06:00

He's already two. And there's so much we love about him...

Noah is playful. He loves to be tickled (he lies on the floor saying "teek" until you show up, or just tries to do it himself!) and he giggles often. His "grinnies" are the best: part nose scrunch, part smile!

He is all boy: he loves his trucks, tractors & Thomas and absolutely adores his Daddy.

Noah is social. When at the zoo, he is far more interested in watching other kids than viewing animals. And the whole point of visiting the grocery store isn't to get food; it's too make new friends.

This kid is systematic about everything. When encountering something new, he takes his time to figure it out - but once he feels good about it, he's all in.

Noah is particular! He wants things a certain way & will let you know about it when they're not. (When he's ready to nap, you can't do anything to stop him. He lines up his trucks & likes things to be clean & orderly. And he can't stand to have sticky hands, just like his Daddy when he was little!)

He is very independent. He goes forever playing on his own & always wants to walk by himself. (But he's more than willing to cuddle when there's suspense in a movie - like when Sir Handel the train gets stuck under an avalanche!)

Noah loves books. He sits & reads on his own almost every day & he gives us directions to the library if we're anywhere close. He also loves music - he'll sing & dance, swaying back & forth...

We love watching him run - he is FAST! Our friends call him "Zoom." He is always on the go, and we are always running to catch up.

We adore so much about him: his toddler belly, his ghetto booty, his sweet little voice & indecipherable chatter...and how every day he becomes a more complex, more amazing little man.

Happy Second Birthday, Noah David!

Choo Choo...Noah is TWO!

2009-07-31T20:39:00.015-06:00

Noah turned 2 on July 26, so we celebrated Thomas the Tank Engine style with our family & friends in Twin Falls.

Weeks ago, Dave scored a whole bunch of great Thomas stuff at a garage sale. He set it all up while Noah was sleeping, so he would come downstairs to his amazing gift!

All ready, waiting for the birthday boy...

Our two-year-old sporting Thomas jammies,
SO excited about his gift!

Watching as I put the finishing touches on his cake
(and wearing an adorable Thomas outfit complete with striped engineer shorts!)

The finished product!

Enjoying the sweetness of being two!

And eating "soup" & getting his face cleaned shortly before bed.

What a wonderful celebration it was.
Thanks to all of our friends & family who made it such a special day!

A Meeting of Vehicles

2009-07-31T20:36:00.002-06:00

Noah decided that he needed to get everything with wheels together (for a meeting, or just an informal chat?) He had a great time setting them all up!

Sandbox!

2009-07-19T21:40:00.004-06:00

Noah's Auntie Heather & Uncle Mike bought him a sandbox a few weeks ago. He wasn't too sure of it at first, but after Dave put the hose in it, he loved helping to pack it down & make towers. (This is also Dave's first sandbox, so he kept 'working' even after Noah moved on to other projects!)

Little Nakeds Part IV

2009-07-19T21:20:00.001-06:00

Sporting the new haircut in the bath that night. So grown up!

First Haircut

2009-07-19T21:00:00.001-06:00

On June 20, just in time for his third round as a ring bearer,
Noah got his first haircut.

My hairdresser Erin was absolutely amazing, and Noah did pretty well. He cried at first, but Dave's pocketful of Starbursts did the trick (note the chipmunk cheeks in several pictures!) I kept his little ducktail-curl.

No more baby - this kid is a little man now!

Helping again

2009-07-19T20:46:00.000-06:00

There's nothing like mowing the lawn with a corn popper!

Noah & The Girls

2009-07-08T21:55:00.003-06:00

Our friends' daughters, taking a spin with NoJo in his new truck!

New Truck!

2009-07-08T21:36:00.003-06:00

Noah's New Ride!

A few weeks ago, Dave went garage saling & bought Noah some great toys for outside. A truck, an easel & a really cool table/chairs. Noah loves his first set of wheels!

Helping

2009-05-28T18:56:00.002-06:00

My parents & I re-potted my plants the other night (Dave is out of town & they're here hanging with Noah Jones). Noah was very helpful - he loved moving the dirt back & forth!

I Heart Thomas

2009-05-28T18:50:00.005-06:00

My boy, with his Thomas The Tank Engine (thanks, Auntie Heather!)

And looking cute in his cool-boy California shirt (thanks, Auntie Alison!)

Popcorn!

2009-05-28T18:45:00.003-06:00

Noah was really insistent on having popcorn the other day (his daddy eats it all the time, and he wanted some, too!) It took them quite awhile to get through it - Dave had to bite off the kernel part first. Noah loved it - so much so that he wanted popcorn for breakfast the next morning!

Welcome, Riley Cash!

2009-05-18T14:41:00.004-06:00

Noah's newest cousin, Riley Cash Jones was born this morning, in Chicago to proud parents RC and Jessica (Dave's brother & sister-in-law). We can't wait to meet Riley soon. We already know that he's gorgeous, smart & incredibly funny (he's got good genes!)

CONGRATS to Buck & Jess and welcome, Riley! We love you!

Growing Up

2009-05-17T15:53:00.006-06:00

Noah sure is growing up!

He started walking around in my shoes yesterday, and I can't believe how old he looks in these pictures. Wasn't it just yesterday....

Funny man

2009-05-17T15:50:00.004-06:00

(May 8) Too tired to sit up while driving his truck on the couch...but never too tired to try on my sunglasses!

The Curl

2009-05-17T15:42:00.005-06:00

I love all of Noah, but there are a few things that I will really miss about his baby/toddler years:

his little, dimpled hands,

his pudgy toddler belly, and

the blonde little duck-curl at the nape of his neck.

He'll have his first haircut soon, and that will be the lock that I keep.

Toothy Grin

2009-05-17T15:38:00.001-06:00

(May 7)

My New Favorite

2009-05-17T15:32:00.005-06:00

I love this smile. He loves smiling this smile!

(Every night after his bath, I hold him in front of the mirror, count "1, 2, 3!" and we both wrinkle our noses & smile at each other. I love that!)

2009-05-17T15:27:00.002-06:00

(April 30) Noah spent a day playing with his buddy Eva Hutchings while I was at work. Thanks for the great pictures, Carrie!

Little Nakeds, Part III

2009-05-17T15:23:00.004-06:00

(April 14) Notice the water level - almost to his armpits. Dave was so busy washing Noah he forgot to turn off the faucet. Noah loved it!

Line 'em up!

2009-05-17T15:19:00.004-06:00

(April 14) Noah loves lining up his trucks, just like his daddy used to!

Easter

2009-05-17T15:09:00.003-06:00

(April 12) Noah wasn't interested in getting his picture taken with either of us, but he loved the egg hunt! We practiced for a few days & his first was at our neighborhood hunt. He picked up each egg, opened it, dumped the contents on the grass, and put the empty egg in his basket. He wisened up at the church hunt, when he figured out there were jellybeans inside! (He's popping one in the bottom L picture).

Chillin'

2009-05-17T15:06:00.004-06:00

Literally. He loves sitting in the fridge!

(April 11)

Lesson Learned

2009-04-06T13:16:00.005-06:00

Don't take a tired, hungry toddler to the grocery store.

Even if you have just a few things to grab & you think you'll be in & out quickly, don't. Trust me on this one.

My morning ended like this: Noah, previously happy with pushing his little 'Customer in Training' shopping cart, was lying on the floor in full meltdown while I frantically chased bouncing rubber balls, chucked in all directions by my frustrated little man. After 10 min. of watering (eyes weeping/nose dripping/spit running) through the checkout line, I finally heaved him, milk & 2 bags out the door.

Embarrassment over? Not yet!

After crossing 1/2 the parking lot (holding my only free hand), Noah decided he was officially D-O-N-E. Back to meltdown, only better: lying on his stomach, face on the pavement. When I coaxed him over, all previously watered surfaces were now mudded with parking lot grime. And all this while I grimaced/waved/apologized to the crowd of auto onlookers, waiting for us to move so they could drive past (his chosen place of rest: the middle of the driving aisle).

He's finally napping, after a good cleaning, a drive home, & a PBHoney sandwich. I will never make that mistake again!

(Famous last words.)

Riding with Pooh

2009-04-05T16:12:00.001-06:00

(April 3)

March Madness

2009-04-05T16:11:00.001-06:00

Noah working on his NCAA Men's Tournament bracket...

(He indicated his choices by coloring & selecting Little People animals: zebra=Kansas; elephant=UNC; goat=Memphis; peacock=UCLA...)

Pooh's Ready for Winter!

2009-04-05T16:06:00.004-06:00

Every time Noah wants to go on a walk, he brings us his shoes, hat, gloves, scarf & coat, piece by piece. He had a great time getting Pooh all suited up to go outside the other day!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

2009-04-05T15:28:00.004-06:00

At 20 months old, Mr. Lucky & Charming loves to run (most of my pics look like the bottom R), be silly, look out the window & sit in the refrigerator. I love him!

First Bath Buddy!

2009-04-05T15:16:00.002-06:00

March 6: Noah's 1st communal bath experience. He LOVED it! He & Norah Thompson played & played & splashed & splashed until there was more water outside of the tub (& on Dave/me) than in it.

Maybe Not the Best Idea...

2009-04-05T15:09:00.004-06:00

(March 4) Our newest trick to stave off toddler meltdown! Noah loved it, but we soon didn't: no wheels, house full of carpet, & said toddler saying "again, again!" Quick - let's find another distraction!

Drive This Rig

2009-04-05T15:02:00.003-06:00

While my parents were out of town in late February, they parked their Buick Rendezvouz at our house. Noah drove Grammie & Grandpa's car every day they were gone (usually twice)! He loved playing with the stereo/wipers/lights/buttons. My mom had some serious adjusting to do when she returned!

Valentine's Day

2009-04-05T14:42:00.003-06:00

I went to Atlanta for 6 days in February for work. I departed on Feb. 15, so we spent most of Valentine's Day getting me ready to leave. Dave snapped this picture of Noah & Mars while I was packing. It was so tough to leave this little bug!

Special Olympics World Winter Games

2009-04-05T14:13:00.006-06:00

The Special Olympics came to Boise in early February, and it was amazing. More athletes & countries represented than any other Olympic winter games in recent history (including Torino & Salt Lake!) We watched speed skating & floor hockey, and even got to participate as family ambassadors to an athlete & his family from Arizona.

(Modeling the Special Olympics scarf; hanging at Olympic Village with Auntie Heather, McGruff, the Olympic Eagle & our clappers; time with with Olympian Randy Rowe, his family & Floor Hockey Team USA!)

Catching Up

2009-04-05T14:04:00.003-06:00

My sister Heather recently requested that I teach Noah how to blog, so the updates might be a bit more frequent. He would LOVE to take over the computer - but likely wouldn't be all that great at giving any concrete info (it would mostly concern Thomas the Tank Engine, his new fav).

So I'll do my best to get caught up quickly...

Squeaky at Indoor Park at Boise Friends Church - a huge indoor playplace for the winter. He loves watching the other kids (and striking cool-boy poses to impress the ladies)!

Pay It Forward

2009-03-02T15:55:00.002-07:00

Remember that movie that came out almost 10 years ago? (Yikes, I'm old!) I really liked the idea - of doing something wonderfully nice for someone without them ever having done something for you (the definition of grace).

So there's this blog thing going around called Pay It Forward, and I had to get involved because 1) I love the idea of random gifting (my friend Danielle's version, Tuesday Prize Day, totally kicks) and 2) I dig treats in a major way, so I couldn't resist!

Here's the deal:
- The first 3 people to leave a comment on this post will receive, at some point during the year, a cool little gift from me (might be homemade treats, might be something different - I will definitely put some thought into this!) What and when will be a total surprise!

- The catch: you must participate as well. Before you leave your comment, put a "Pay It Forward" post on your blog to keep the fun going. Then come back, let me know you’re going to play and sit back and anticipate the arrival of your gifty!

- Make sure I have your email address. And remember that only the first 3 comments will get the gifty, so be quick! Have fun!

Blog Break

2009-02-15T16:03:00.004-07:00

Sorry about the lack of postings lately...that won't be remedied until next weekend.

I'm in Atlanta all this week for work/training - so in the time you would have spent reading our updates, be praying for Dave (who is home alone with Noah all week)!

The Phone Call

2009-02-07T20:55:00.006-07:00

February 2: Noah's 1st phone call.

I was talking with my sister Heather & Noah took the phone & jabbered with her for at least 10 minutes. He had a great time!

One silly little talker

The "Seriously?!" face

Lookin' just like mama,
Talkin' with his hands just like mama

Conversation is getting serious-
ready to start walkin' around

The 'jeeeeez, stop taking pictures of me'
teenager face

Finishing up

All done,
kickin' it & waiting for the phone to ring again

Playroom!

2009-02-07T20:41:00.008-07:00

Last weekend, we cleaned out the 'hobbit closet' (the little storage closet under the stairs), bought a toy organizer & made a playroom for Noah.

He loves it! It's just his size, and we love that (almost) all of his toys fit in there.

While we were playing, he started stacking his wooden blocks - at the beginning, he stacked them 6 high by himself. Today he went 9 high!

Mars the Fire Dog

2009-02-07T20:36:00.002-07:00

This was not staged - Marley really was lying like that in front of our fireplace for quite a long time before I snapped the picture. I swear he'd let all of his hair singe off if he could get warm enough!

Get A Job

2009-02-07T20:31:00.004-07:00

Now that Noah is 18 (ok - 18 mos.), we decided that he needs to be earning his keep!

Just joking - he pulled the Swiffer out of the closet (Dave shortened it for him) & spent a large part of his morning doing the floors.

I say clean on, little man!

Special Olympics!

2009-02-01T22:26:00.001-07:00

The 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games are coming to Boise THIS WEEK!

We're SO excited. We've purchased our scarves (see more about the amazing Scarf Project - what started as an idea to provide a welcome gift to all of the athletes has ballooned into 50,000 hand-knitted scarves & a really cool fundraiser. Check it out here!)

And we're signed up to be Family Ambassadors - we will be meeting a floor hockey athlete & family at the airport to welcome them to Boise & will join them to cheer on their Olympian during the competition. How cool is that?!

Join in! Go get your scarf. Come out & cheer on these amazing athletes.

Mr. Mischief

2009-01-28T21:36:00.004-07:00

The new outfit says it all:

MISCHIEF IS MY BUSINESS
AND BUSINESS IS GOOD

(Thanks, Grammie!)

Mr. 18 Months

2009-01-28T21:20:00.004-07:00

Hard to believe, isn't it?

We took our little man to the doctor on Monday (his 18-month day). He particularly liked running around the room with only his diaper on, stopping only to give Dr. Copeland his famous nose-scrunch-smile.

And for being so good with his shots (okay, to try to pry him off of the ceiling after), we let him have his very first candy: a green apple sucker. He loved it!

Here are his stats:

Weight: 25 lbs. 4 oz. (41st percentile)
Length: 32.75 inches (65th percentile)
Head circumference: 19.13 inches (73rd percentile)

Finally, SUN!

2009-01-28T21:13:00.003-07:00

We've been stuck under this dang inversion (endless cloudy skies caused by foothills & cold air & other atmospheric stuff blah blah blah) for weeks (or years!) and finally....SUN. We'll soak it up while we can get it!

Kickin' It With My Dawg

2009-01-28T21:05:00.003-07:00

Noah loves Mars.

(Mars puts up an act, like he's annoyed with Noah most of the time -
but we know that it's just an act. Deep down, he loves Noah right back.)

Okay, maybe deep, DEEP down...

Cuteness

2009-01-22T21:51:00.001-07:00

Thanks, Becky & Rob, for the adorable outfit!