Swim Lessons

Today was the last day of swim lessons with Auntie Heather. Nolan is going to be quite sad. He has quite the crush on Aunt Heather and talks about her non-stop through out the day.

He was the only boy in his class so those poor girls got teased quite a bit. He figured out the first day that they didn't like to be splashed so what do you think he spent the next two weeks doing? One day after class I was talking to him about it and told him it wasn't very nice to splash the girls and he said, so innocently, "but Mom, I like to splash the gowls (girls)." haha! He's such a flirt already.

We will definitely miss getting out of the house, especially to go swimming but I definitely won't miss having to get there by 8:30 am.

Squeaky Clean

                 Nolan 3.5 yrs,  Jovi 4 wks.

Nolan's not the only one that can't get enough of this cute girl.

Thanks for all the sweet comments. It's nice to know I'm not the only one that has rough days.

That's right, we're doing it!

I finally decided to take this parenting thing seriously and potty train my 3 year old. Surprisingly, it hasn't been nearly as difficult as I had thought it would be. The biggest challenge was just getting him to put a pair of underwear on. I spent all day bribing, manipulating, begging....seriously, everything and anything I could thing of. We tried candy...nope. A trip to McDonalds....nope. Pizza (his favorite)....nope. Notice how they are all food bribes? What can I say the kid takes after me and loves food. We even went as far as to tell him we could go to the store and get a new train...nope. Keep in mind, this is just to get him to try the dang underwear on! Finally we surrendered and I thought I'd just have to potty train him after the baby was born. Then later that night after his night-time shower, Rob just put a pair of unders on him without making it a big deal and it worked. Nolan didn't say a word and he walked right out to show me, as proud as he could be. Who knew it could have been that simple from the beginning. So that night we started and it's been great ever since. He's had his accidents but he's definitely getting the hang of it.

I just can't get over how stinkin' cute he looks in them. I seriously can't stop pinching his bum. It's so adorable. My baby's growing up and, although, I love it and this age is definitely my favorite, it really does make me sad.

Thank goodness for our beloved Iphones. Mines been snapping a lot more pictures these days, due to my camera breaking. We got a quote to fix it and we're still trying to decide if I should just get a new one, it's that bad. Yes, I'm devastated!

I do adore.

This boy is finally letting me take pictures of him again. I think he actually enjoys it. He's become quite obsessed with pictures lately. We are always looking at the pictures and videos I have saved on my phone and I constantly find him on the computer looking at the pictures on my blog. Even though it does get a little tiresome having him beg for pictures all day long, I secretly love it.

We are still trying to get settled in our new house. Mostly everything is unpacked but I had forgotten how much stuff I got rid of when we moved from our house. I'm slowly finding things here and there but as for decorations and furniture I've found nothin! I'm sure it will come. I'm just extremely anxious to get it all done before the baby comes, which I'm coming to realize probably won't happen. We still have a list a mile long that we need to do for this baby and we are running out of time. Only 8 weeks left. I go through mixed emotions all throughout the day. At times I wish I was due next week but then when I get overwhelmed with all that we still need to do I wish she wasn't due for months. No matter how stressed or exhausted I am, I am always extremely excited. A little nervous (it's been quite a long time since we've had a newborn. I feel like I've forgotten everything), but very excited.

Nolan couldn't be cuter about all of this. He loves to talk about the baby. When we go shopping for her he'll often pull out an outfit and say "Mom, this is so cute!" It's adorable! He's always pointing out babies to us wherever we go. I'm sure he's going to be a wonderful big brother.

Now off I go to hopefully cross a couple things off our never-ending list.

January comes too soon.

Here are some of my most favorite pictures of this little boy that you probably haven't seen before. Some of them I've even forgotten about. This week, my once swaddled newborn, will be three.

 I've been planning a big party to celebrate, because I just can't resist, which has caused me to be going through Nolan's little life in pictures for some decoration ideas (which have since been dramatically simplified due to us finding a home to rent and just finding out we can move in this weekend!!!) and I couldn't help but get sentimental. It also made me sooooo excited to be having another little chubby dear to smooch on.

I'm hoping that through all the chaos that this week will bring, I'm still able to make this guys day a special one, because to me it's the most special day of all.

*I've scrolled up and down these pictures ten times now. I can't get enough. I've even tried deleting just one because I know there are way too many pictures but I just can't. I love every single one too much.

It's been a while.

Nolan having fun making tracks in the flour while Nana was making pies one morning.

I can't believe it's been over a month since I last posted. Time goes by so fast when life is crazy.

I feel like Nolan has matured so much just in the last month even.

He has finally started talking, well at least words we can understand now.

It's been something I've been worrying about the last six months or so but it finally clicked for

him and now he doesn't stop. He coppies ever single thing we say and now we can

 have actual conversations together, which is soooo fun. He also has a little lisp when he

says his s's. I know it's not gonna be so cute in five years but right now it's adorable!

He has gotten to be super cuddly and loving lately, which I love. He's always running

up to me yelling "Mommy" and gives me big old bear hugs. Melts me on the spot.

He is still obsessed with trains. His train tracks are still his most beloved toy.

I sure have a love hate relationship for those things though. They are very entertaining for him

but at least 15 times a day he'll drag me into his room to "Fix it" even though

a huge majority of the time his tracks aren't even broken. I am constantly fixing and

rebuilding new track ways for him. Drives me crazy! Even when the table is full of tracks if 

I haven't used every single one he makes me redo it until they are all used. Exhausting!

He has a couple of bridges which he calls his "Big big bridge", the cutest thing in the world. 

He got it from one of his Thomas books. Adorable!

This boy loves to eat! He is constantly saying "I's hungry". He will eat pretty much anything,

except for most vegetables, although he does love tomatoes.

Part of his nightly routine is watching Sprouts with Paco in his big comfy chair. 

He has all the songs memorized and loves to sing along. After Sprouts, we read books and rock

in the rocking chair, his new thing is for us to rub his back and belly while he's laying in his crib.

This can be a very long process because whenever we go to leave he'll flip over and lift up 

his shirt and say  "Rub".  It's just so dang cute we give in every time.

I can go on an on but I'm sure you are all very bored by now. I just wanted to document

some of things about this boy since I don't journal...ever. Sad, I know.  

Thanks for all the birthday wishes. I had a lovely day spent with my hubby.

 Twenty five feels so old.

One lonely momma!

Monday my mother offered to have Nolan spend the night while I did some photography stuff with a friend and since they live all the way out in Queen Creek now they only make trips out here when they have too. Which has caused my mom to keep over last night as well. Two whole days! Nice....yes!!! But also very sad!! I've already talked to him on the phone three times. I can't believe how much I'm missing my little stinker! Out of habit, I've walked into his room a handful of times to check on him only to find it empty and quite clean. Both very rare things. I have to say, Rob and I have been enjoying our new freedom, though. It's been so long since we've been able to go wherever we want whenever we want. But still... I'm meeting up with my mom later this afternoon cuz I just can't take it anymore and I'm running out of things to keep me busy. Not really, my to-do list is a mile long. I will never be caught up on it. I just miss my boy!!

Nothing in particular

I found these adorable pictures while rummaging through old folders. I thought they 

were just too cute not to share. They sure put a smile on my face.

He was only 9 months old here and we were still living in our home.

I was obviously fixing something very healthy for dinner. 

I can still remember how cute he was sitting on the counter so contently watching me cook.

I looked over and I couldn't help but die from laughter.

If only I could get him to eat his veggies like that now-a-days.

Some exciting news...(no I'm not pregnant...ha...I got ya good though rambling on about

Nolan's baby days, didn't I?!)...The exciting news is that

my photography blog is FINALLY up and running!!!

Thanks to the very talented Mary Plautz!

She's the designer behind it all. She's fabulous and very affordable.

Rob and I started remodeling the blog on our own and soon found out

neither of us were qualified what-so-ever. I happened to stumble across Mary's blog, 

contacted her and she whipped it out in a snap! 

Between some family emergencies and just plain life I've hardly had

a second to put in the details but it's done!

Go check it out HERE and tell me what you think! 

I also have a new link to it on the side bar.

Keep checking in over there all week, not only for my most recent photo shoots

but to enter a drawing for a free fall photo shoot with me.

What to do when there's nothing else to do?

          Take pictures...of course!

With Rob being in Cali and the in-laws up at their cabin

Nolan and I had the house to ourselves. 

We quickly ran out of things to occupy us so I decided to brave

the heat and take some pictures of my boy.

Gosh, he's a stinker!!

I'm not used to him having such an opinion...about everything!

In the past he was always so good to let me take his pictures

but this time after every picture I would take he'd shake his finger at me and yell "NO!".

(I have no idea where he picked that up.)

As soon as he finished scolding me he'd come sit on my lap so he could see the 

picture of himself. 

Ok. 

Whatever you want my darling two year old.

Let's just say we didn't get too many that turned out.

I do love this one though.

It's a very classic Nolan face.

Another thing I'm not enjoying about this very two year old boy is

the climbing out of the crib.

It's ten o'clock and he is still not asleep.

Granted he had a 4 hour nap (which is very unusual for him)

but when it's the end of the day and my husband isn't here to back me up

I cave and he ends up sleeping with me

(which is good for me to get some extra sleep but also bad cuz there's another 

night gone with nothing accomplished).

So off I go to get this child to bed...hopefully.

Have I mentioned recently how much I hate having my husband gone?

I owe it all to you.

Nolan and I celebrated Mother's Day without our Daddy this year. 

Rob was & still is finishing a job up North so he wasn't able to 

come home for the weekend. I was sad at first and then realized the whole

reason I was celebrating this holiday to begin with

was because of this boy. It changed my view completely and it

 ended up being a lovely, simple day. 

I owe so much to this little guy. 

He has pulled me through some rough times. 

He was the one that kept me going when all I wanted to do was crawl into bed and hide.

And he has brought more joy and fulfillment into my life then I ever knew was possible.

Not a day goes by that I don't thank my Father for this precious boy that is my son.

*Excuse this very delayed post. I'm not used to this single mom thing. I'm a little behind these  days.

Cuttin' Grass

The second this boy heard the lawn mower start he grabbed his shoes and ran outside to help his Daddy.
We were all quite surprised to see how diligently he stuck by Rob's side. It wasn't until the Pepsi break
that he decided he was done. Yes, he got a Pepsi, too. Normally it's only for Daddy but I made an exception
this time. Can you blame me...look at this kid?!

Again?!

This is all my Nolan has been doing for the last three days, which for a two

year old boy is quite abnormal. His diet has also consisted of only juice...by choice.

Which if you know my son at all, that is also completely abnormal. Sadly, he is sick...

again. It seems that this sweet boy has been sick at least once a month lately. 

As soon as he fully recovers he catches something else. Although, this time

 seems to be the worst yet. 

Yesterday I caught him standing up on my bed staring longingly out the

 window. He misses being outside and misses playing with his toys. Sometimes

he'll get a burst of energy and run around playing with everything in sight but 

not more then ten minutes later he'll climb up on my lap exhausted. 

Poor guy! 

He sure is a sweetheart though. No complaints, no crying, just a cuddle session

every now and again and he's set. Hopefully he'll recover quickly and for good

this time because I don't know how much longer I can see my little dear in pain.