A Day at the Beach

Not so much a day, but more like about 15 minutes. Plenty enough time for Noah to get wet and sandy. Daddy to get his tennis shoes and shorts totally soaked. Momma to take about a gazillion shots of Noah's first splash in the Atlantic Ocean. And, for everyone to have enough of the scantily clad spectacle that is South Beach. Let's just say... men should not be playing volleyball in weeny bikinis!

Noah getting his first taste of Miami Beach.

Daddy braved the surf in socks and shoes. Noah was ready to take off towards the water. Daddy's face says it all. Are you sure you want to let him do this?

Off he went. Both Dean and I thought he would get to the waves, turn around, and head back our direction, but he just kept going.

Drenched.

Check out this view. I would like to say that it is the view from the balcony of our apartment, but sadly, it is not. Our balconies, all three, overlook the rest of the apartment complex. Hmmm... but you can see the mall across the street. Who doesn't like to gaze longingly at Saks Fifth Avenue? This is the view from our friends Chuck and Jodie's apartment. What a great shot of Downtown Miami.

First Steps

Noah has been flirting with walking for the last couple of weeks. A few steps here and there spread out over a couple of days... nothing consistent. Well, today, he was walking all over. 10 or 12 steps at a time and then... plop on his butt. I tried really hard to get it on video, but every time I tried, he would never walk to me. Only crawling to Momma. Faster, I guess, and when you are trying to get to Momma, I guess you want the fastest way possible. I did manage to sneak a shot of him standing. We still don't have our cable setup, much to Daddy's aggravation, so Noah was watching a DVD on his little player. (Thanks Nanny Aunt Mo! We love our birthday gift!) He was standing up, watching the video, and clapping his hands.

Notes to Self

I love my iPhone. I use it constantly. One of my favorite things, besides the Internet, of course, is Notes. I use this feature all the time. To do lists. Grocery lists. Blog post drafts. Presently, I have eight notes saved. Three of which are unpublished blog posts. I hope to eventually get around to them. A lot has been going on this week, but fast forward to today.

Here I sit in our unfurnished apartment drinking cheap wine and eating Chili’s takeout from downstairs. We are spending night number two on a blow-up mattress. We are feeling less than fresh since we haven’t put up curtain rods in our bathroom yet and are surviving on baths alone. I am totally uncharacteristically planning on Swiffer-ing the floors before I go to bed. Our building elevator is already padded in anticipation for the arrival of our movers in the morning. So, this is the calm before the storm. I am not sure if all the boxes will fit in our three-bedroom apartment, but luckily, we have big closets. Noah is asleep in his room in his pack and play which I am thinking he finds particularly cozy… either that or he is just the sweetest baby ever. With all the hotel and house hopping, we have done lately; this little man of mine has totally hung in there. He has more than hung in there. He has worked two naps a day, dropped down to two nursings a day and is still sleeping through the night… 6:30 P.M. to 6:00 A.M. I know… I know. 6:30 P.M. is early for bedtime, but it works for us. Here are a few shots from our first day in Miami.

Noah getting a feel for his new home.

Noah with a mouth full of 'fishes. Goldfish snacks were my savior on our flight here. If you are what you eat, Noah may very well turn into a goldfish.

Noah hanging out in his new room. I hope he enjoys it as much once the furniture arrives.

One Last Nap

I took this picture yesterday while we were moving the last few straggling items out of the house. Noah's very last nap in his very first room.

Graduation Night

Last night was Dean's graduation from his residency program. How proud Noah and I are of Daddy! Dean felt it was such a great opportunity to come to Houston, and he definitely made the most of it. So, here is the post where I brag on my hubby because well, he rocks!

Dean, along with his co-chief Tim, was awarded the "Program Director's Award" for his “dedication, support and outstanding achievements as chief resident of the diagnostic radiology residency program from 2006-2008.” Seems like a long time to be chief right… 19 months to be exact. The longest time served of any chief ever. I can attest to all the dedication and support Dean provided to the program. He excelled in the role, and I am so proud of the job he has done. I am so happy that he received recognition for all his hard work.

Noah was such a trooper last night. We had no babysitter, so he came to graduation. He did some squirming, but no crying. He really hung in there until the last thirty minutes. Then he was about done! It was about 2.5 hours past his bedtime. We decided to bring him along to the after party. Dean’s program director graciously offered the use of an upstairs bedroom. There Noah slept in his pack and play soundly until about midnight. What a fun night out for Momma and Daddy!

Movin' Right Along

Packing is hard work. Good thing my husband loves me because he very well may have left me this week. With Noah, packing moved at a snail's pace during the day, so when Noah went down for the night, it was on! Unfortunately for Daddy, it was also the time he got home from work. No rest for the weary.

But as I sit in my room at the hotel listening to Noah trying to work out going down for his morning nap, I am happy to say, it is done... well almost. Our house is empty. The movers came on Friday. Our closing, originally scheduled for Friday, has been pushed back until Monday. It was a little unsettling being in our empty house yesterday. Noah didn't like it very much either. I didn't dwell on it too much because I honestly was so relived to be done after this busy week.

All boxed up. Ready to be moved out.

No crib for his head. Noah's morning nap was in his carrier. It was a long one. At almost 22 pounds, what a workout for Momma!

Not happy about this empty house. Let's get outta here!

Just like Daddy! Noah LOVES hotels!

Good Times and Good News

Let's start with the good news. Daddy passed his boards! Woo Hoo! We are so proud of you! We knew you could do it!

It went down to the wire but tubing on the Guadalupe River finally got checked off our "things to do in Texas" list. We spent this past weekend at a house on the river with Dean's class. And, boy, did we need a weekend away!! After months of intense board prep and with days of packing and moving looming ahead, a worry free weekend was just what the doctor ordered (hee hee). Seven couples all together, Noah had a great time and was exposed to lots of new and fun things. Here are some highlights of our weekend.

Noah and his friend Claire having breakfast outside by the river.

Little Miss Claire.

Noah spending some time indoors watching a DVD. He is laughing at a Baby Einstein video, Baby Noah, of course.

Hanging out by the river with Daddy.

Kayaking with Daddy. Noah thought the kayak was so much fun.

Some of the other kiddies on the trip wanted to join in on the fun. Daddy was such a trooper, even though he was a little nervous with the extra passengers.

Playing in the baby pools near the river with his friends Emma and Claire.

Hey Daddy! I love the water! Can I go for another ride?

Check out Noah standing all by himself. He got a standing ovation from the crowd. Yay Noah!

This is How I Roll

Wednesday was Noah's one year well-baby check up. He weighed 21 pounds, 10 ounces (25-50%) and measured 30 and a half inches (50-75%). Percentage wise, we got ranges this time. I like it. It takes the pressure off. He got his vaccines, which he handled like a champ. He didn't even cry for the finger prick. I like to think it was because his momma was holding him.

So, the most exciting news at the doctor's appointment was that Noah meets all criteria to graduate to a forward facing big boy carseat. One year old. Check. Over 21 pounds. Over 30 inches. Check. Check. So, without further ado, I present Mister No in his new LSU carseat.

I think he likes it. We are presently on our way to the river for a weekend getaway. We'll see if it passes the sleep test. So far, not so much. So, we are now watching Sesame Street. It's nice to know I can finally put this DVD player in my car to good use.

Bye Bye Little Birdie

Things are winding down over here. Today was our last class of the semester at The Little Gym. Noah is in the birdies class. He really enjoys the class, so I hope to pick it up in Miami this summer. A normal class at the little gym, has bells, balls, bubbles, but since it was a special day, our teacher brought out the parachute. Woo hoo! Noah LOVES the parachute!! Seriously. He LOVES it!

One Year Photo Shoot

Noah did not bring his "A" game for his one year pictures today. The photographer, Kim Milburn, has taken such great pictures of Noah in the past that we had to fit in one more session before we moved. The drive to Mrs. Kim's studio took about 45 minutes, and Noah decided to take a snooze half way there. So, by the time we pulled in the driveway, he was deep in dreamland, and I had a feeling things would not go well. It took him a while to warm-up. He was pretty clingy. Mrs. Kim pulled out cool toys that Noah enjoyed eating. She also rolled up a piece of tape (a trick to focus Noah's attention) that he enjoyed eating. I got the hint that he was hungry, and we took a break for snacks. It improved his mood slightly. He was very interested in her studio lighting, which of course did not provide for a good photo-op. He was having none of being outside. I was so that Mom who thought, "Have you gotten anything?!? There is no way that you've gotten anything." Well, I think we provided Mrs. Kim with a challenge today, and if the sneak peek is any indication, I think she got some.

It's Party Time!

Ten babies under 18 months plus 24 cupcakes plus three baby pools plus two really cool sprinklers plus lots of sunscreen equals an awesome first birthday party for Mister No.

The Party Table. I am quite proud of my decorating skills. Tablecloth from Target. Happy Birthday sign from Hobby Lobby. Fruit tray. Yogurt melts. Goldfish. Cheese and sea salt crackers. Cupcakes. Beach ball party favors.

The Cupcakes. Mmmm... yummy! I didn't make the cupcakes, but I did sort of make the goldfish picks. Pretty cute, if I do say so myself.

Guess who?

Noah loved the water, and he was so ready to get his party started!

Mommies and babies have a blast outside.

I really think the birthday boy enjoyed himself.

The party didn't stop in the backyard. We moved it inside for toys. Can you find Noah? Oh yes, he is still having fun!

My Daddy the Hero

Daddy sure had his hands full today. Day one of no studying, and his to-do list was practically a mile long. Daddy took it like a champ and was such a HUGE help! He moved things to storage. Rented a UHaul. Loaded it up for another trip to storage. Offered to cut the backyard before Noah's playdate. Pushed the lawnmower from our down the street neighbor's house. Cut the grass in the 90 degree heat with no sunscreen. Pushed the mower back down the street. Filled all the baby pools and arranged them in the backyard. Showered for the party. Hung out with 10 other babies and mommies, and watched Noah play. Was there for Noah during the meltdown after the sugar crash after the cupcakes. Feed Noah his dinner. Handed Noah off to Momma for bath and bed. Loaded more stuff on the UHaul. And at present, he is unloading boxes in our storage unit. Whew! What a day for Daddy! He has definitely made a dent in his honey-do list. Thanks for all your help today Dean! You are my hero!

One

Too much fun plus too much cake equals one pooped little one year old.

Noah had a great birthday today. Early to rise, Noah started the day at 6:00 AM. All his toys were set up in the living room as a birthday surprise. He got to open his first present of the day, a new Baby Einstein DVD, and of course, he got to watch it. After a 2 hr nap, he let me know that he really was feeling like Mexican food for lunch, so I called our friends Brooke and Aidan, and off we went to lunch. Yummy! Great idea Noah. After lunch, we stopped to pick up his birthday cake and headed home for a nap. Apparently, Noah had other ideas. He decided that one nap was plenty for the day. He didn't want to miss out on any more birthday fun. He spent the afternoon helping me blow up the beach balls and baby pools for his "Splish Splash Baby Playdate" tomorrow. He invited his friend Aidan over for cake. Noah was not interested in sharing his cake, but Aidan did love playing with the beach balls.

So excited about all his toys. Who needs presents when the stuff we already have is so much fun!

The Cake.

I really think he would have eaten the entire thing. He was not happy when I took it away.

Noah's friend Aidan.

Opening presents. Thanks Aidan for the cool beach toys! I can't wait to use them in Miami!

So, now it is 6:30 PM, and Mister No is down for the night. Sweet dreams Mister No. I hope you had a wonderful birthday!

Birthday Boy

Happy Birthday Noah!

A wise and witty relative once told me, “Sarah, you think you love your parents. You think you love Dean, but you have no idea what love is until you have a child.” Since he doesn’t read my blog, it is safe to say… was he ever right! I seriously had no idea. Love is so much bigger when you have a child. And for Dean and I, well, the love just gets bigger every day.

I was induced on a Thursday, and after being in the hospital for 24 hours, 4 of which were spent in active labor with an epidural that had run out and which culminated in a brutal forcep delivery, Noah was born on June 1, 2007 at 7:01 AM weighing 7 pounds, 15 ounces and measuring 20 inches.

What an awesome year we have had. Noah has blessed and enriched our lives in so many ways. I am so lucky to be able to stay home and watch him grow. On one hand, staying home is so much harder than I ever thought it would be. I babysat, but having nieces and nephews in no way prepared me for taking care of a child 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It is a constant learning process where the rules change every day. Overwhelming at times, but so fulfilling at others. I love that Noah is such a happy baby, and I feel pride that perhaps it has something to do with me. It is such an awesome thing to be there for every moment… to never miss a thing. I love being his mother.

So, now he is one. Time sure does fly. Happy Birthday Baby Noah! I love you so much!

What would a first birthday post be without year in review pictures?

Newborn - June 2007

1 month - July 2007

2 months - August 2007

3 months - September 2007

4 months - October 2007

5 months - November 2007

6 months - December 2007

7 months - January 2008

8 months - February 2008

9 months - March 2008

10 months - April 2008

11 months - May 2008