It has been MONTHS

Noah has started daycare, turned two, well exceeded a vocabulary of 150 words and is fast on his way to using the toilet. Where has the time gone?

He currently is being treated for yet ANOTHER ear infection and has been treated for breathing issues more than 4 times in the last 2 years. The trouble with Noah is unless something is SUPER wrong you'd never know he was sick! He continues to run around with Joey, yelling and laughing despite having difficulty breathing. He rarely gets fevers. Poor little guy.

He continues to be the light of my life and I enjoy every trying moment with him. He of course has developed an affinity for being abusive towards me using tactics such as punching, pinching, head butting and jumping on! It so hard to find the right balance of reaction to his behaviors and you'd think he was a neglected child demanding more and more attention!

His vocabulary has grown exponentially in the last 6 months. He referred to himself as Dr. Willis last night while he was playing with his doctor "kit". Very cute! He was calling a hexagon a Gon which I also found very adorable. He knows names of colors but often misidentifies them in a way that makes me wonder if he is color blind.

He is doing well at "school" and has finally adjusted to it. He runs to the car, to the door and doesn't protest much when I leave him. He even gets upset sometimes when I take him home, crying because he left his "buddies" at "school".

He is very independent but humbly asks for help when he needs it. He will try to dress or undress himself and when he needs it he asks for help. He does know how to throw a full blown temper-tantrum and it is funny when he gets stuck in one. You can see he knows it is ineffective and pointless but he seems to continue simply because he committed to it or forgot why he started in the first place!

well time to go get him from "school"!

19 going on 20 months

Noah went to see the doc today. Got his first haircut. Peed on the potty again for the 5th time in the last two days!

He has really got more verbal, signing thank you, food, more, library, night night, playground...

He has lots of words too. Bubbles, OK, yeah, baba, mama, dada, go, more, please, Peter, eyes, doggie, kitty, that, Grandma, CJ, night night, ball, wow, see,oh, cheese, boo boo, hello, play, poo poo, star... He knows his body parts.

He has gone potty 5 times on the big potty the last 2 days!! It is very exciting! 

K-

bed time.

xo

Almost 2 months.

What is new and exciting?

Not much. Noah is doing great, although he has thinned out quite a bit. Inspired by Lily Metcalf Noah has been on the binky wagon for the past several days. He is doing well. Each day gets easier but I can tell he has a shorter fuse. I almost feel abusive taking it away. It is like he can't find a way to soothe himself. Today he punched me in the eye and headbutted my ear. It was rough. I can't get him to stop hitting. So if you have any suggestions, feel free. I have tried it all (or so I think).

He is really coming into his own. We have been blessed with the terrible two's since 13 months and it is only getting worse! He throws fits all day long when he isn't being so cute it's painful! He has gotten into hugging my legs, I love it!

Well more later. Sorry no pictures. You can see them on Facebook.

mmmmm potty

Noah is just as cute as ever. He is busy all the time.
Sadly he has discovered hitting. We are working on that.
He continues to love kitties. We finally found a stuffed one for him in Jamestown, CA.
As I may have mentioned we introduced the potty a few months ago. He was interested in taking his potty chair apart, but not putting it to use. He is now getting interested in the potty for its intended use. He lets me know if he pooped and we empty his diaper in the toilet. He loves to flush it and says bye to the poop! Sometimes he will take off a freshly wet diaper and hand it to me. I will take whatever I can get. I don't want to push him that's for sure!
As he gets smarter it is increasingly difficult for him. He isn't always able to communicate and it really frustrates him.

I don't have new pictures. As you might have noticed I have been slacking. School has me pretty busy, especially as the semester is winding down!

I'll keep you all posted on his potty progress.
p.s. Daddy brought home pull ups today.

happy times.

Easter

Easter Egg Hunt

Here are a few pictures from today. Noah was not interested in being photographed. Easter eggs were the primary focus. A lack of sleep gave us a cranky boy today. He did seem to enjoy having a basket to put things in.

Noah Update

I have been neglecting the blog. Here is the update. Noah's vocabulary is getting bigger and bigger. Added to mama, baba, dada, doggie and kitty are granma and gee (spanky's nickname). He will hand Jay his shoes while Jay puts on his socks and say, "here go". He knocks, with a closed fist, on the door and says, "go". He now meows if you ask him what a kitty says and he can stick out his tounge (he looks like he is on heavy duty anti-psychotics when he does). He gives 'loves' which is a snuggle or hug to all the animals and familiar people. His kisses are the best, always with a slobbery open mouth! Noah tries to put his clothes on, he puts his socks and shoes to his feet, his shirt over his head and will put it around his neck like a scarf. He loves to talk on the phone but only when he has dialed, if I try to have him talk to family he hangs up on them. He knows how to drink from a straw finally!!
I am a modern mom, instead of using the TV to entertain him I have resorted to You Tube for any kitty video we can find! He loves the peanut butter jelly time song. He will dance when asked to. He TOTALLY understands NO now and deliberately ignores it! When he doesn't want to walk where I want him to walk he does the dead weight and flops on the ground. He built me a beautiful tower of rings and blocks today. His hair is really getting to look like a mullet. He was wild in the tub tonight sliding all around on his tummy squealing.
I am concerned, he has a fever and wouldn't go to sleep until I picked him up and snuggled him (which I love! he is so independent I don't get alot of snuggle action from him). Hopefully it is nothing, he does have teeth coming in. I think he has a dozen teeth now.

I think that covers it mom.

CT March

Uncle Jay reading a story

Feeding Uncle Gene

Hanging with Lucy

Dancing with Great-Grandma

Eating and Sleeping

Hey all. Spring is here. Giving us all renewed zest for life and snotty noses.

Mid-terms this coming week.

Noah is doing great, he is such a great traveller. He is getting so much more snuggley.. is that a word?

He now can meow and moo.

cheers

Jessica

FYI

Extended weather forecast for Hartford, CT
(Change Location)
www.weather.com
Currently: 30°F
Partly Cloudy
37°F 23°F
Tomorrow
Sunny
48°F 28°F
Wednesday
Mostly Sunny
54°F 35°F


Extended weather forecast for Turlock, CA
(Change Location)
www.weather.com
Currently: 59°F
Fair
62°F 40°F
Tomorrow
Sunny
72°F 43°F
Wednesday
Mostly Sunny
74°F 46°F

It is cold here.... the wind is rattling the windows. I am nervous about getting on a plane, given the frequency at which they have been crashing.

It is strange being here without Grandpa. I miss him so much. So does everyone else. His memorial service was wonderful and so many people came. I am glad that I had the chance to be here with my family.

I didn't bring my USB cord so I will have to upload pics when I get home.

It's been two months!!!

Here are a few highlights from the past two months!

Above Noah is meeting a Goat.

Below an angel sleeping!

Noah is definitely my kid, look at the mess!
I don't know why but while playing with the puppy he started to have a meltdown..

He is slick!

So he is going through his terrible twos early. Lucky me. He has so many teeth coming in I have lost track! Needless to say he has a rash on his chin, ALL THE TIME!

He is starting to put words together; here go, good doggie he says alot, he also said hey you clear as day once. He still calls ducks kitties and has some interesting sounds. He says hi into the phone as long as no one is on the other line!

I am heading east with him this week for my Grandfather's funeral.

More when I return!

Post Stanford Noah update.

Here is proof that Noah tries to climb out of the tub~

The guys at Stanford loved him, let us know that he is totally healthy and normal. While they can't say he does or doesn't have asthma they said to continue with the inhaler prn. Them seemed to be concerned about cats and dogs, but again are only saying he gas Reactive Airway Disease. His nighttime episodes where Lingo Malacia, basiclly his cartilidge hasn't hardened so it vibrates/rattles/ etc when he breathes, most pronounced when sleeping on his back. It is nothing and will go away soon. While there he weighed in at 25.6 lbs and measured 31". He is 80th percentile for height and 90th (I think they said) for weight.

What else did I learn? Noah's pedi is "very conservative" in the words of Dr. Cornfield and to expect "a lot of unnecessary test" in the words of Dr. Preston. This is the second time Noah's pedi was "laughed" at for her referrals. I am starting to get very concerned about the quality of care in the Modesto area. (look what happened when I was pregnant!) I guess it is better that we are safe than sorry.

Before Noah started to walk he was trying all sorts of words and now that he is trying to walk more everyday he seems to have abandoned his progress in the vocab department. While we were in CT he started to say things like ga goo, for thank you and nana for banana. I guess it is hard when you are learning a million new things at once! He says mommy now which is cute and baby, but it doesn't seem to mean anything. He's got Dada down. Dada this and Dada that. He is obsessed with Jay.

He never really got into pointing, he is doing it now but I have no idea what he is pointing for half the time. The one thing he does well is read! He loves books. He turns them rightside up and looks through the pages so intently pointing at the words.

I guess I am in a rush for him to walk because I want to start potty training him asap. I can start after he has been walking a couple months. I don't expect him to be going potty by himself at 18 months but I am sure we can at least get him going #2 on a seat with help. Noah is so funny, speaking of potty training, he will grab his pants and socks and put them over the right body parts, trying to put them on!

I need to get going, he is sleeping like a rock and it is almost 5pm! I don't want to be up all night.

photos

his turtle cake, the lady at the store wrote Noha :(

this is him after all the excitement

cake

opening a gift from Grandma Debbie

on his new Quad

Noah Turns 1

Well it has been a whole year and I am happy to report Noah took his first walk the week! He is only doing about 10 steps at a time and yesterday he didn't seem at all interested in it. Today he has been walking to things he wants to get, rather than Jay or I prompting him. Noah has such pride and joy in his eyes when he walks. While I can't say that he has said his first word, baba, mama and dada, gagoo, and nana don't count :( he has certainly been working at it. He sometimes will be babbling away and he will whisper a "word", like binky, doggie, mommy, it is so incredibly sweet! He is very silly, he likes to growl, dance (his favorite songs are Old McDonald and the ABC song), roll on the floor and get on all fours and stick his but in the air to look between his legs. Oh yeah and he is trying to climb out of the bathtub climb up on the bed, his little legs are too short so while I thought I was safe I realized he is also pushing around toys that he can climb on. He is always trying to break out of the room, standing at the door reaching for the handle, one right move and he is going to knock himself out with the door.

We are going to have a cake for him and open presents today, nothing special, which I had felt bad about. I realize though, it doesn't matter! Not to Noah at least. Something special came for Noah today! The Metcalf's sent Noah a RAD quad, which was totally unexpected, very extravagant and much appreciated! (Thanks Jeff, Missy and Lily)

I keep thinking back to last year this time, how sick I was, so out of it. What I got in return is so exceptional I can't even put it into words. A year filled with firsts, it has been so life changing. I am so happy that Noah is happy and healthy~ ready for a life full of adventure!
Right now we are going to eat that cake and open presents, so more later!

AH, we can all breathe now.

This is my favorite picture, although it isn't the best. I love how Noah is watching so closely to see what comes out of the box on Christmas Eve.

here is Noah on Christmas day, see the snow in the background!

Christmas bath

The bros before Peter left.

Well Christmas has come and gone.

We all survived, Peter made it to Seattle after a 2 1/2 hour delay... too bad I didn't still have friends in Alameda :( Noah and I drove around and checked out the Christmas lights. After that, we went over the Bay Bridge and hung out in San Fran for a bit, sadly it was too late to get a Santa picture but Noah loved the lights and the people, it really was a good time. Christmas Eve was low key, Jay had to work all day but we had yummy dinner with Charlene, Noah got to open a gift, I threw my back out and then we went to Christmas Tree Lane and had McDonalds ice cream! Christmas morning my mom called, forgetting the time change, to see if Noah liked his gift from her. Of course mom sent the gift to the wrong address! I was able to get it, my back of course was killing me and I was very grumpy, but I felt better when I found it untouched at our old house (nobody had moved in yet and the UPS person tucked on the porch out of sight!). Noah did like the stuffed dog she sent him!! Following that excitement we hooked up with the Husselsteins and went east into the foothills looking for snow! After a proper snowball exchange we all had breakfast at Denny's in Sonora. Noah's first Christmas wrapped up at his Aunt Joanne's where we had dinner and Noah opened his other gifts, rather all of us opened his gifts for him and he partied with his cousin Joey.

I have to say, it was a pretty good Christmas!

chunkums

Eating at the Magnolia Saloon in Coulterville, CA

Noah went to the Doctor and weighed in at 24lb 6oz and measured 30in. He had his second flu shot, DIDN'T CRY! W.O.W.

We are gearing up for Christmas, listening to the music on SomaFM, going down Christmas Tree Lane (a residential street with no Grinches, everyone lights up, a Turlock tradition), we are going to get our Santa pics on Tuesday in San Fran when we bring Peter to the airport (he's flying north to Seattle to be with his mom's family), what we are missing is the snow, everyone else seems to be getting it.

Today we went up to Lake McClure, of course I didn't have a camera but it was amazing. You can see the waterline as it diminished over the years and it is a little mind boggling to imagine all that land underwater. There were parts of the road that looked like they just ended, where the hill crested and dropped off, it was a bit unnerving. It was a nice time to go, not alot of people were around.

I will now try to post some photos

Noah thinks he is the BOMB

Noah is pointing to the light telling me all about it. He is showing me my teeth and his, he now has 6! He may infact be pooping this very second. He is telling me how much he needs the computer right now.
This is Noah's first Christmas, lean times, thank God he won't remember! He is a very special little person and deserves all the best in the world. As a mother I am conflicted. That is all I can say about that.
Now, Noah, at 11 months throws the BEST temper tantrums! Red faced, screaming, head on the floor, check to see if you are watching kinds of temper tantrums. He is no longer on a bottle and will have to say good bye to the Binky soon. Poor little guy.
Well he is not happy I must go.

arrrggghh

Well tomorrow is my last day in CT. Noah has enjoyed himself. He has met so many new people, most of whom came to him. We didn't go anywhere exciting.

I feel really strange, almost like my life is suspended. I don't want to leave and I don't want to stay. I feel like I don't belong here or where I am going. What makes it tough too is the fact that all of this, what I am feeling, could be physiological.

I just sat here for 30 minutes waiting for a video to upload, needless to say, it didn't. Annoying!

Here is Video of Noah with Big Cat at the Children's Museum

Thanksgiving

On the eve of my favorite holiday I feel compelled to write a gratitude list.

1. Through a surreal chain of events, on January 3rd of 2008 I "gave birth" to an amazing human being, Noah. It is a miracle that we both survived! I don't know what I did to deserve such a exceptional child. He meets all his developmental milestones, sometimes early, he is healthy, strong, bright and beautiful. Noah has a engaging personality, a sense of humor and an insatiable curiosity. I couldn't be more proud of him!

2. Jay and I have survived as a couple through countless tests, disappointments, frustrations, scares and we still love each other, possibly more now then ever! In my eyes he is my Prince Charming. He is a wonderful father and a kind hearted man. He works hard and helps others. I don't want to embarrass him so I will stop now!

3. I have an amazing and supportive family, I look forward to spending time with them. They have always loved me unconditionally. They are at times bizarre, but relatively sane.

4. I am not living in my car. I can not stress this one enough!

5. My step-son doesn't hate me, I think he might actually like me a little bit. Also, Peter is a great kid.

6. I am actually grateful that I am not working, while I don't like poverty I will never regret staying home with Noah his first year! He still manages to have everything he needs. People in his life are very generous.

7. I got all my paper work in for school, before it was due!

8. I have friends who are way cooler, more successful and more interesting than me and they still want to talk to me!

9. I am making friends in Turlock.

10. Most importantly~ I still haven't had a drink! Thank God.

While my life isn't what I thought it should be at 32 I am, nonetheless, grateful. I have lived a lot of life in this short time. I look forward to what tomorrow may bring.

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Wild times

Noah and I are having alot of fun in CT. Here you can see him enjoying dinner at Grandpa Peter's house. He has been doing tons of socializing, meeting some of my old friends. It is incredible how some friends you can just see and feel like no time has passed at all. The weather is SOOOOO cold and it isn't even winter yet. I am reminded again of why I moved to California. While CT will always be my home, going to Cali finally feels like going home too!

My brother just had another nephew, last night. So congrats to him!

Well nothing much exciting. Noah requires my attention. more later.