Nolan's First Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving morning we packed up the car for what looked like a week. Babies require ALOT of stuff! We were on our way, 15 minute drive, to my dads for Thanksgiving dinner. In the morning, I turned on the parade for Nolan to get a glimpse of before his morning snooze, on daddy. Awhile the boys napped, my sister and I tackled the turkey and other yummy dishes in the kitchen. Ok, I will be honest, I really didn't do much at all. Alaina deserves ALL the credit. My brothers kids came by for brunch and we decorated cupcakes with them! The main meal was beyond filling and as always we were cramming leftovers in the refrigerator.

Decorating cupcakes!

Cupcakes that look like little pies!

Parade watching!

My boys napping!

Everything tasted wonderful!

Mommy's little turkey!

Just a week and 2 days shy of being 6 months old, Ryan and I decided for thanksgiving we would let Nolan try a pea. I mushed up the tiniest bit and placed it on my finger for him to try. His facial expression was priceless! Little boy wanted nothing to do with that gross pea. After trying a pea I resumed feeding him his oatmeal. The taste or texture must have still been in his mouth because he was not happy about it. Aside from my immediate thoughts of "my baby doesn't like real food", "picky eater", "now he hates his cereal!" I them smiled at him and thought about how much my mom could not stand peas. How even though she did not like them, she would always make them when we had mashed potatoes for my dad to pile on top of his heaping pile. I felt like I could hear my mom laughing with all of us as we watched Nolan scrunch his face in disapproval. I felt happy. Thank you Nolan for making Grammy a part of your first thanksgiving memory.

Nolan tries a smushy pea, or maybe he's making that face because the Cowboys bib??

Seriously? We didn't even think to take a family picture on Thanksgiving? We have a self portait phone picture with off lighting...

This year aunt Peggy was in town from PA and came over for dessert and was on board for Black Friday shopping with Alaina and I this year. She stated that when we asked her my mom must have taken over her body because she agreed to the idea so fast. We got a few good finds out shopping, but it was great when Alaina had the idea to stop at McDonalds for a hot fudge sundae. That is 100% my mom to a tee! She always had the biggest sweet tooth. Aunt Peggy called Alaina out that we are definitely my moms daughters. :) From turning on the Christmas music when we got in the car, being out in the mayhem Black Friday shopping to the sundaes there is no denying it. Side note: McDonalds was out of ice cream! :(

Prior to going out shopping, Aunt Peggy was showing off her new birthday present! Hilarious!  

Friday  afternoon the little man and I met up with Kim and Colby at the mall awhile Ry played golf. We walked around, but neither of us really bought anything. We did have a nice lunch at Nordstroms cafe. That place is so delicious!

Colby trying on a new hat!

Oh little boy, you crack me up! Nolan relaxing with the foot up awhile out shopping! He kept it up until we got back to the car!

On Saturday we went to an autograph signing of Earl Weaver and he was so nice to let us get a picture of Nolan with him. Nolan just stared at him and they shared a moment. It was cute. That evening Ryan and I fed Nolan a little bit of squash! He's such a big boy now, it's crazy! He seemed to really enjoy it (phew!), but I kid you not the slight bit of sugar that is in that baby jar had the boy bouncing off the walls, and he only had about a tablespoon! He was hilarious. Nol was cracking up at our dog, Chuggins. It went on for about 15 minutes of just pure laughter. Nolan loves Chugs! He pretty much throws his body at him. During bath time aka normally calm down time he had a splish splash palooza! He was splashing, grabbing toys and didn't want to get out! Lets just say by bedtime he crashed hard and slept soundly.

Funny story: I told Ryan after the picture was taken, "I tried to stay out of the picture so that it was just them two". We go and look at the picture, I am 100% leaning in and smiling...oops! Haha!

How cute is it that Nolan and Earl are just looking right at each other though?!

First time eating real food! Squash!

Nolan & Chuggy! :)

Bath time reading

Little boy, you wore out your doggy!

Sunday was the icing on the cake for this wonderful long weekend. We got a late move for our morning trip to the grocery store. Nol Nol had his first experience of sitting in the shopping cart. He did great, but due to our late start by the time we got to the check out little boy had fallen soundly asleep in my arms. He stayed asleep for the transfer both into and out of his carseat and to his crib. Awhile Nolan napped we put up our Christmas tree. (Fake tree and colored lights = opposite my favorite tree) Since we are going to Disney World on Thursday I agreed that the fake would be suitable this year. After all, I have my Christmas tree candle! (Thanks Aun!) Now about the colored lights..someone please remind me to go buy the clear lights this year because every year I go through the decorations and realize that we have enough clear for outside and colored for inside. I don't have a problem with colored lights...my mom just always did the tree with clear lights (well, on the main tree, yes there were like 5!) and I want things to be like she had done them! Anyways, our tree is up and decorated. We had a family "halftime nap time" during football and it was a wonderful cuddly evening.

Big boy riding in a shopping cart!

Our tree is all decorated! (Left) and  Hayden & Lincoln were at Pop Pop's working had as well! (Right)

As nervous as I am about flying to Disney this week with an infant, I  beyond excited for the days off work to spend with my family!

Pictures

To be a baby and be able to sleep anywhere and at any time.

Family FaceTime photo! haha! Although, at the last second Chuggins blocked Ryan!

  

My handsome boy enjoying some play time after his bath!

Nolan looks a little concerned..haha!

Giving smooches to Quinny!

Quinn and Nolan at Nol's 1st Friendsgiving this past Saturday!

Visiting Aunt Lainy at Target one evening!

Happy boy showing me his feet! He is obsessed with his toes! :)

Bedtime stories with daddy!

Our little sleeper!

Bedtime is around 7:30-8pm and he will sleep until 7:30am!!!!!! (every now and then he will wake up once) Keep it up Nolie!!!!

Remote Control

Nolan's new obsession...the remote control. He will look past all of his toys and find the remote control. He loves it. Yes, he changes the channels and turns up and down the volume. We have not yet have any language changes that we are unable to fix.....yet ;)

My boy is such a little angel baby. On Saturday, he came with me to my friend, Jamie's baby shower. I was a little hesitant because I did not want to have a screaming baby awhile she was opening up her adorable baby gifts. Well, the morning started off with Nolan waking up, eating, playing and going down for his morning nap. He gave me time to get dressed and even straighten my hair. He woke up and played awhile I finished packing up his diaper bag and then we were on our way. When we arrived Nolan just stared at everyone, taking in all the new faces. He received hugs and kisses from his future wifey, Quinn. She was so cute and held his hand pretty much the entire time he was awake. He let me eat, and then fell asleep in my arms awhile Jamie opened her presents. I feared when he would awake that he would be so hungry that he would scream for his bottle. He woke up, happy and didn't shed a tear. He just waited until I got his bottle and fed him. Basically, I need to give my baby more credit because really he is an awesome baby!!!!

I was off work and got to spend the day with my little man on Monday for Veteran's Day. We went and hung out with Pop Pop for a little bit and then on Monday night we went and got some family portraits taken! Ha! I had a groupon I purchased from Picture People so we used it to get some holiday photos. The pictures of Nolan turned out adorable, but the ones with Ryan and I...not so much. We bought the CD with all the pictures, but were upset to find out that we only got 15 pictures out of all the ones she took! They edited the photos and they chose the best picure from each pose. I wish they would have given us all of them because our Christmas photo of the family is Nolan looking down and me with a double chin. Awesome.

I will upload some picture of Nolan soon! :)



Hurricane, Halloween, Happy 5 Months!

Sunday evening after Nolan's baptism we were greeted with the beginning of Hurricane Sandy. We did not go to work on Monday or Tuesday. We were lucky and did not lose power. Although under terrible circumstances, it was nice to have a few days off of work and trapped inside spending time with the little stinker! 

 

Indoor fun during the hurricane~

Nolie is having fun in his new jumper from Aunt Kim, Uncle Brent and Colby! He is also being a good little helper and helping mommy and daddy with the laundry! :)

Since we were trapped indoors we figured it would be a good time to start Nolan on rice cereal, as directed to do so by his pediatrician. Day 1 he did not get too much in his mouth. The feeding resulted in crying out of frustration. He is slowly getting a hang of it now! His puffy little chipmunk cheeks are too cute when he is eating!

10/29/12 First rice cereal...

This week was also Halloween. Nolan was a pumpkin because I don't think there will ever be a Halloween where he will ask to be a pumpkin. I decided to get it out of the way this year. At first he did not like his costume, but once he realized that he was not coming out of it anytime soon he started to enjoy it. I wish I would have gotten a picture of Nolan with our neighbors little girl, Olivia. She was a crab and it was absolutely adorable. Her mommy made the costume and did a great job. I really wish I had taken a picture because it was too cute!

So happy! Nolan is cheesing with his fingerprint and footprint pumpkin. Idea was found on pinterest, of course!

We got Nolan's first project from Ms. Ginnie this week. I am in love with it, my little guy's handprint on a baseball. Ms Ginnie found the idea on pinterest. Seriously, who doesn't love pinterest??? I am stealing a baseball case from Ryan and putting the ball on display in Nol Nol's nursery. Ryan and I think that the ball turned out perfectly. 

Yes, Nolie has a big hand and his pinky and thumb are on the seams of the baseball. :)

 

And, I finally have a picture of Nol with Ms. Ginnie! Nolan was showing off his new skills of sitting like a big boy this past week. He is growing up so fast! Speaking of growing up fast, he turned 5 months old on Thursday. Make sure to check the Nolan Month by Month tab to see his 5 month pictures! :) Where has the time gone? He is getting so big!

 

Meet Ms. Ginnie!

Look how well Nolie sits up!

 

Ms. Ginnie sent me this picture on Halloween. I really don't think it gets any cuter than this!

 This past week has not gone well for sleep at all. Either Nol is teething or having a growth spurt. Either way, I am an exhausted mama who is hoping for a calm evening and a good nights sleep. We keep checking Nolan's gums but really can't tell if he is teething. It's so sad to see him get so miserable. Here are a few more pictures I thought were cute!

Getting ready to visit daddy at the golf course. I thought the hat was appropriate...Ryan told me to take it off of him right when we got there. LOL. Ryan looking pretty sleepy with Nolan awhile at work!
 

 

Saturday evening we went for a walk around the mall. Um..Santa already?? I guess it is November, but still we were shocked to see him and hear the Christmas music playing. Oh well, I am excited for the holidays!!! Nolan's first time seeing Santa :)

 

 

My boys <3

New toy! Haha, Nolan and Chuggins are having a stare down. Nolan is looking at him saying my toy, not yours! Chuggins is thinking that he is going to steal one of the balls (yea, he did too)!