20 Months!

Noah is 20 months!! Well, actually he is 20.5 months, I'm just way behind in blogging.  It has been a busy fall with cross country, sick kids, and just day to day routines.  So back to Noah - He weighs about 22 pounds and is about 34 inches tall.  I think that puts him in the bottom 5th percentile for weight and 25-50th for height.  He's just too skinny - none of his pants stay up, even with cloth diapers.  As to what Noah likes to do - He loves to run and be active.  He tries hard to keep up with his big sister on our walks/runs.  He loves to wrestle.  He can tackle Lydia pretty easily.  He also loves basketball and baseball.  He can play basketball in the backyard on the FisherPrice basketball goal for a long time before he gets tired.  Noah really likes animals, as well.  Aspen and Baylee do really well putting up with him.  He "gets" them, tackles them, lays on them and chases them.  When we went to Woolaroc, he absolutely loved the petting zoo.  He hugged the baby goats.  To him, a hug soley involves the head, no arms are involved.  He laid his head on the baby goat several times.  It was really sweet!  He rides Gabe with no fear.  In fact, he always wants to go faster!  We say he's gonna be our rodeo cowboy.  He loves the chickens at Tracy's house.  It is so fun to see his likes develop.  I probably forgot to mention his favorite "like."  He absolutely loves trucks and tractors!  If it's big and loud and rideable, he wants to ride.  Fourwheelers are also a favorite of his. 

As far as language is concerned, he still isn't saying many words.  I know it will come in time.  I am thankful that he is understanding and responding well to us.  It seems his receptive language is still on track.  He is learning to listen better and to obey.  He can point to body parts consistantly now and can label animals in a book.  Gross and fine motor skills he is excelling.  He can walk backwards, jump, go down stairs by himself.

Noah is such a fun kid!  I love spending time with him and learning from him.  He is quick to give hugs and quick to wrestle.  As I sit here typing, he is eating cereal by himself and drinking all the milk out of the bowl.  God has truly blessed us with two amazing gifts!

 

18 months!!

Wow. It's been forever since I have written anything! What a whirlwind of a summer! From broken washers and computers to selling our house to Noah's first staple. Noah is 18 months now! His stats are: 31.5 inches (25-50th percentile) and 21.75 lbs (5th percentile). He loves to tag along with his big sister, whether that's wrestling or playing dolls or cooking in her kitchen. His newest 2 favorite toys are his basketball goal and his John Deere tractor. He also loves to play with the dogs. He will throw Aspen the ball and clap as she brings it back. Noah is very sweet and loving. Lyds was crying today and he came and started patting her back. He wants to be in the middle of things no matter what they are. Noah is also our daredevil climber. He climbs in the bathtub, on the dresser drawers, tables, in the cars, pretty much anywhere. He loves playing "on your mark, get set, go!" It has been so fun to watch his personality develop and come to life! It is fun and challenging having a boy. Boys seem to be rough and tough. We are working on "no" at our house. He just hasn't gotten that one down. We are trying to be consistent and firm but sometimes it is a losing battle. Though he tries my patience, he is loving and fun too. He loves to hug and cuddle. It is exciting to be able to watch as he develops into a little man.

16 Months and Speech Therapy

Noah is 16 months old.  Where has the time gone?  He is getting so big, though he's still small compared to other little boys his age.  He has begun asserting his independence more and more.  He does not like to be held and loves being on the move - climbing, running, chasing Lydia, anything where he can move.  He loves swimming and water.  It is a little concerning for us because he just will jump in.  We have to know where he is at all times.  He also loves the dogs.  He helps hold Aspen's leash on our walks.  He pokes her and pulls her.  Thankfully, she's very tolerant.  Noah actually has a funny side to him.  He sneaks up on Lydia and tickles her feet, he will "get" you by poking or pulling when you aren't looking.  He also likes to dance and loves music.  He's not much into TV, but will tolerate watching about 3 minutes.  He loves reading books, especially if they are about tractors or animals.  He loves dogs and horses.  He can point those out.  He does not point to anything else.  I think he knows where the nose and ears are, but if asked, he points to his toes and laughs.  He thinks he's a funny little man!

Today we took Noah to his first speech therapy session.  While his receptive language is good (he scored 100, which is 50th percentile on the assessment) his expressive language is not (he scored 77, which is 6th percentile).  He really has no consistent words, though he as started to sort of say "mama." He also has recently started to mimic a few sounds, such as "ah." He has come a long way, though.  I think that his anemia might have set him back.  We are confident that he will catch up soon.  He just has a moderate delay.  Also, we are thankful for good insurance so we can get him speech!  On our way to speech, Lydia said, "Don't worry, Noah, I won't make you talk to that doctor if you don't want too."  That might be some of the problem, as well.  I'm so glad that he is where he needs to be with his receptive language.  I'm sure the talking will come in time.  He does do several signs and uses "Curious George" language, where he points and grunts at what he wants.  Lydia was such an early talker, that it makes him seem later, too.  But Noah seems to like speech.  He thinks it's fun and it's good for him to have to listen to someone besides me.

Noah is such a joy!  Boys bring a different challenge than girls, but each is fun and rewarding! 

Playing in rain puddles - it;s fun being a kid!

Toe Painting

Since it's summertime and we wanted to be outside, but Lydia was begging to paint, we came up with "Toe Painting."  The idea was to finger paint outside then rinse off and play in the water.  I taped together 6 pieces of cardstock because we didn't have posterboard.  We squirted finger paint and let them play.  It was so fun.  Lydia got the idea to stand up and paint with her toes.  She called it "toe painting."  Noah even enjoyed it.  The best part was that they played nicely together.  It is an activity that Lyds could enjoy and that Noah enjoyed.  It works with motor skills and teaches them to share a small space.  Anything Lydia would do, Noah would copy.  They got messy, covered in pink, purple and blue paint, then played for another 30 minutes in the water hose together.  All in all, it was a fun afternoon and a fun time to be outside!

Silly Lydia

"I'm not silly, Mommy, I just do silly things sometimes," Lydia told me yesterday.  And she does do some silly things.  Here are some of my favorite that have happened recently. 

Soccer has been interesting.  Lydia is not aggressive and does not like taking the ball.  She has come along way in that she doesn't cry anymore, just runs behind everybody.  Tonight was her best game because she kicked the ball 7 times, most of which she was kicking the ball from out of bounds to in play.  Anyways, we lost miserably.  We look at the field where all the players are at one end of the field chasing the ball and Lydia is in the middle of the field doing the "downward dog." Not sure what she was thinking.  She does intimidate the other team with her ferocious growl.  She looks at them and growls with all her might!  It is hysterical!  She thinks it's her job and does it during and after the games.  We were so proud of her on her last game.  She actually dribbled the ball 3 or 4 times!  She has come a long way from crying the entire first game.  It is fun to see her growth and see her as she interacts with the other children. 

Other silly things she does - She thinks she's Noah's mommy.  She tells him, "Come here, my favorite son."  "I love you, son of mine."  It's sweet the bond they have.  Sometimes it's not so sweet, but that's how siblings are. 

The other day, we had to get her new jeans.  Hers were just too short and she had to have jeans to ride Charlie.  We went to Old Navy and she tried on big girl jeans (4T).  She was so proud to wear a size 4. As soon as we got to the stables, she showed her riding instructor.  She showed Charlie, the horse, too.  She rode Charlie the best she's ever done.  She was able to work on turning him.  She also decided she could clip his lead rope and unclip his lead rope and buckle parts of the saddle, all because she had on size 4 jeans. 

I love my girl so much and am so thankful everyday for my silly Lydia!

15 Months!!!

It's been a really long time since I've written anything.  Noah is now 15 months!!!  Where has the time gone?!?  Anyways, I had forgotten the challenges that come with a 15 month old.  Noah is ornery and strong-willed.  He loves to pick on Lydia, climb and explore.  His personality is developing more and more.  He never crawls anymore - he just runs.  While he still doesn't have any real words, he is understanding so much more!  Some of his favorites are: cheese, balls, dogs, horses, cars, trucks and tractors.  His favorite book is "The Little Blue Truck."  Noah is ALL BOY!! He loves to get dirty.  We had just gotten him new running shoes.  We put them on him to go feed the dogs and play in the backyard.  While outside, I turn to see him stepping into the water bowl with his new shoes.  He is just a mess!  He definitely add excitement to our family.  He loves to climb, so I can never take my eyes off of him.  Climbing onto the kitchen table takes less than 10 seconds.  I'm so thankful that he is such a boy!  He can be rough, but he is also sweet and loving.  He loves to give hugs.  He bopped me on the nose hard with his head on accident, then was super loving the rest of the day as if to make up for it.  I love watching him and Lydia interact.  I'm so thankful my kids are friends and love each other. 

Soon we are starting a study with Noah that deals with language development.  I'm really excited!  It will give us an idea as to where he is at, provide us with a curriculum to use with him, and provide support in helping him progress, all while helping the research company learn more about language development.  We should start the program in the next couple of weeks.  The research loving teacher in me is really excited to learn more about early language development and to track Noah's progress.

This week has been stressful, though.  Somehow, they both contracted strep AND hand, foot, and mouth disease.  Thankfully, we are on the mend and they are both feeling better.  Not quite back to normal, yet, but better.  I am so thankful for their health, even if they get sick every now and then.  We have been blessed with 2 precious kids.

He's All Boy!

Noah is 13 months old!  This past month it seems like he has changed so much!  He's grown (19 lbs 3 oz), he took some steps just a week ago, and he finally started eating. Noah is also very ornery!  He LOVES to get his sister.  If Lyds is asleep in her room, Noah will crawl in there to play with her.  If I say, "Noah, No," he will look at me then turn and crawl faster. Every time. Love that boy!  Also, he is all boy.  He loves to be outside, loves to play in the dog water, loves to throw things, loves to eat dirt.  He's not afraid of our dogs and loves to hang out with them while they eat their dinner.  He picks up their food and puts it on the ground, then back in their bowl and then tries to feed them.  Thankfully, they don't mind extra hands in their bowls.  Noah also loves trucks and cars. Although he really doesn't say any words, except an occasional "mama," he can say "brrrrrm" for a car.  He's started getting interested in books and likes his tractor book and his "Little blue truck" book best.  We also think he might be a good pitcher or quarterback (except he's so small) because he throws well, and loves to play catch.  He throws the ball and we roll it back.  He even threw my cell phone in the bathtub!  Still working on what's appropriate to throw.  Since he began taking iron, he has become so energetic.  He loves his sister and loves playing with her, bugging her, and just being near her.  I love that I get to be his mama!

Noah screaming - he does this all the time.  Lyds and he wll do it back and forth.  It's his commnication.

It has been so fun this past month watching his personality shine.  Noah is such a fun toddler and I look forward to seeing what God has in store for him.  I am thankful to be blessed by him.

Splashing in water - Noah LOVES water and splashing.  Must be a boy thing:)

Happy Birthday, Noah!

As I write this, I'm thinking about what I was doing exactly a year ago right now.  I was on the way to the hospital, my water had just broke and I was only 2 hours away from meeting my boy. Noah was born at 7:14 am after only 2.5 hours of labor.  It has been such a blessing to watch Noah grow and change this past year.  Noah is very loveable and loves to give us kisses.  He also loves his big sister, Lydia. He loves to tease her and pull her hair.  When she's sleeping, he'll crawl into her room, pull up on her bed and try to get her hair, laughing the whole time.   He loves to play with balls.  He will throw it, then chase it over and over and over.  He also loves trucks.  Grumpy and Grams got them a powerwheels for their birthday and Noah LOVED it. If Lydia would stop, Noah would hit the car as if to say, "Go, Lyds, Go."  He also plays with a lot of toy cars.  The one sound he actually makes is the brrrmm sound of a car.  The other thing he likes is music.  If he hears music, no matter what he's doing, he'll stop and dance.  It is so funny to watch.  He moves his body up and down and he's actually kind of on beat.  It has been fun to watch his personality and interests develop, especially over the past month.  He's not really verbal yet.  Sometimes he will say "Mama" if he's really upset.  I have learned with him that all kids develop at their own pace and to not compare them to any one else.  He's our special boy and I am excited to see what the Lord has in store for him.  We are so thankful that a year ago, despite all the problems with my pregnancy, God gave us a healthy baby boy. And we are also thankful for this year and the fun we have had watching him grow and watching him and Lydia interact.  God had given us 2 precious gifts.

Free-Spirited Cowgirl

I haven't posted in forever.  Moving, 2 kids, and business have just seemed to take over.  But I wanted to post today because it's my beautiful girl's third birthday!  I can't believe she is 3!  I wanted to write a blog for her so that she can remember, and I can remember, what she was like at this point in her life.  She is so fun and full of life.  The words that I thought described her best are "free-spirited" and "cowgirl."  Lydia is just plain fun.  You never know what she is going to say, do, act, or wear next.  The other day, she ran to Daniel's old truck, hugged the front tire, and said, "Oh, truck, how I have missed you!  Daddy, your truck is getting so big now."  Her favorite thing to wear are cotton tights and t-shirts of all colors.  Purple is her favorite color right now.  And her boots - she wears them EVERYWHERE - to church, to play, to ride her bike, to go to the store.  Lydia also loves her brother.  Many times the first thing she says when she wakes up is, "Where's my buddy?" "Buddy, come here! I love you, Buddy." She will tell anyone who will listen about her special buddy.  She also takes care of him.  She tries to feed him or help him walk or bring him toys.  Every now and then, he gets one of her hips to his shoulder or feet to his tummy if he doesn't move when she tells him, though.  Also, she tells them about her 2 pups, Baylee and Aspen.  She loves to brush and feed and play with her "pups."  I think they have brought her some comfort after the long move.  I also mentioned that Lydia is a cowgirl.  She loves horses - well, she's pretty much obsessed.  She will saddle anything she can sit on, from the couch to the dog to Noah's ride-on toys.  Everything for her can be a horse.  She says she wants to be a horse doctor when she grows up now.  She loves being outside and playing, whether it be with her baby doll, her pups, riding her bike and running, or soccer.  She is good a coloring and loves art.  It is exciting to watch her personality shine and watch her develop her interests. 

Lydia, one day when you are older and look back to what you were like as you turn 3, you are a beautiful, spunky, strong-willed, lovable, free-spirited cowgirl.  Daddy and I pray for you daily and know that you will be used by God to do amazing things.  Thank you for being such a good and fun kid to raise.  We love you!