Baby Blog

We eagerly await Christmas Day

2009-12-23T11:01:00.000-08:00

Well the shopping is done and the presents are wrapped, baking continues but soon we'll be sitting back to enjoy our goodies. Noah has no idea of whats ahead. He doesn't care for the tree since it's so prickly, the presents have bows and ribbon that stick to little hands so doesn't enjoy those either. But there have been many social gatherings and with 4 teeth coming in all at once it has been wonderful to have distractions for us all. We are all looking forward to spending some quiet time together after the holiday rush next week. Kris will be on vacation and we have no plans, which leaves a lot of time for play... So bring on the snow!

We would love to thank everyone for keeping up with our blog, even though we have not been keeping up with IT. Moments seem to just be flying by so quickly that it's nearly impossible to capture it on film and a lot of times there are just no words to the joys of parenthood. We look forward to the wonders that the new year brings and hope to have more time to share it with you all.

We hope everyone has a Merry Christmas and a safe and happy New Year!

Much love,
The Anderjeski's

I finally captured Noah's new smile.
He does this nose scrunching out of joy and excitement.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

2009-12-07T10:26:00.000-08:00

Happy Turkey Day!

2009-11-27T15:33:00.001-08:00

October Beach Trip

2009-11-21T22:00:00.000-08:00

So we forgot to mention that for Noah's actual birthday, we took a trip to Canon Beach. It was a beautiful day and the it was actually comfortably warm (I'm talking t-shirt weather). Dad was kind enough to pull the battery out of mom's camera to recharge it before we left. We packed up some snacks and headed out on the road early to let Noah take his nap while we drove. When we got there, it was picture perfect... Right up to the point when we realized that no one bothered to put the battery back in the camera after the charge.

Mom was devastated... I mean, what parent (what crazed photo taking parent, I should say) misses their only child's first birthday.

To make up for the tragedy, we made a second trip in October. Here are some priceless shots of Noah's battle with the sand (needless to say it was not his favorite).

What.... is.... this.... stuff!?

He quickly realized that no means of mobility was going to get him away from this stuff, so he just sat down and cried. But has a cure all solution to tears...

Me also made a trip to the Tillamook Cheese factory. It was a first for mom and Noah but everyone had a blast... I mean what's not to love about tasting great cheese and finishing it off with some delicious ice cream.

Punkin Hunting

2009-10-19T21:36:00.000-07:00

Noah rode front facing like a big boy for the first time this weekend... There were a lot of things to see. We got a break in the clouds and headed for Sauvie's Island in search of the perfect pumpkin. Uncle Curtis, Allison, Shelby and Riley joined us for a day of fun.

Boys will be boys

Strapped in an ready to go

Shelby was all smiles and came along with her cousin Riley in the wagon

Mom got a dog for the day

Aaaand we're off

There were so many choices

Noah thought they were all balls, see he's saying "Buh" for ball

Mom's favorite expression, looks something like "But if they're not balls, then what are they for?"

"You can't catch me..."

"This is fun too"

"Looking for pumpkins is hard work! Ooooo there's one."

Loaded and ready to go

We had some shoe malfunctions, 18 month old's should not walk dogs

There's that famous tongue again

My crazy monkey

Ammminals...

"Mom, that cow is HUGE mom!"

Happy 13 month birthday

2009-10-19T21:33:00.000-07:00

Happy 1st Birthday Noah!

2009-09-14T09:35:00.000-07:00

So the day as come and gone, but the memories will always remain. Noah's first birthday party was a hoot. Grandma Candy and grandpa Harold have a huge backyard and deck, so we asked to hose the party at their house. We had a great group of friends and family that joined us in celebration and everyone seemed to have had a good time. Noah hadn't taken any naps durring the days leading up to the party (mostly due to his new learned trick of standing up in his crib), so mom and dad were worried that he wouldn't enjoy himself. Then Noah surprised them with a two hour nap just before the party and he showed up full of smiles and excitement for everyone.

After much debate on the theme for the party, we opted to just go for a white, blue and green color scheme. The party was mostly for the adults and Noah changes his favorites on a regular basis anyway. We did get tons of balloons (one of Noah's constant favorites, he points at them and says, "Ba" every time we pass one in the grocery store). All the adults helped intertain the few older kids that we're there and passed babies around to give parents a break.

Mom spent a lot of time in the kitchen days before the big event, making food and baking 3 cakes. The meal was light being that it was in between lunch and dinner. The cakes we're my prized accomplishment. Oh for those that don't know, I don't bake, so this experience was incredibly stressful at first but I am very pleased with the result. We had 2 adult cakes, 1 vanilla, 1 lemon, both with peach glaze filling (homemade with peaches from a local farmers market) and creamcheese frosting (of course homemade as well). Noah's cake was a sugar free banana cake (it came out tasting like banana bread but the consistensy was very dense) with blue tinted creamcheese frosting. The decorations on the adult cakes was blue and green tinted fondant that I cut into different sized stars and circles.

Noah "Oooo'd" and "Ahhh'd" at the candles and danced while everyone sang but when it came time to eat the cake, Noah didn't quite know what to do. See, mom doesn't usually let us get too messy with food and as much as we love to feed ourselves, we still don't know portion control so gagging is a usual reflex when mom lets us have free reign with food.

Noah started with a poak with a finger, then he tested the texture with a whole hand, then mom plopped a big chunk of frosting on his nose and mouth and he seemed to enjoy the taste

Before you know it, we were diging in

Noah didn't get too far into the cake, it was just too dense. But boy did he enjoy the frosting.

When we were done, we went gave out kisses and shared some of our frosting with everyone

We had blocks, bubbles and toys for people big and small to play with.

.. It seems birthday parties bring out the little kid in all of us ..

Noah especially enjoyed all the fun bags and paper that everything came in.

The gifts were cool too of course

The party was short and sweet. There was a constant cool breeze that sent a few parents with little ones home early and when it started to look like rain was coming we brought the party to a close. That left a little bit of play time for Noah when we got home and then we were off to bed at our usual time without the crazy sugar rush crash we were expecting.

Wednesday Play Date

2009-09-02T16:20:00.000-07:00

Every Wednesday we have a play date with Auntie Beth and a few other ladies with babies. The time is more for mommies to catch up but we try to visit new places and squeeze in some baby interaction. Noah is the oldest of the group but you would never be able to tell, everyone is at such a different stage of growth and milestone... We have tons of fun though, it's great to see them as they grow.

Here's the group (Izabella 6 months, Nathan 6 months, Alexander 9 months, Noah 12 months)

Alexander and Noah weren't getting along this time around, poor Noah was distraught

There's quite a love triangle between all the boys and Izabella, it's hard being the only girl

The Stroller Brigade

Noah my Noah

2009-08-28T09:49:00.000-07:00

Noah, again you will be another month older in no time, but more than anything you will be a whole year older than when we first met you.

Gosh, I just love him more and more each day and every stage is 10 times better than the stage before. He is fun, absolutely crazy just like me, looks like Kris (although he's becoming a better mix of the both of us), hilarious, clever, fearless, determined and the joy of my life! This last month has been so much fun for us because he is just growing up and doing so many new things.

Yesterday, a second tooth started poking through and Noah wasn't too happy about it. I hope the adventure never ends.

Noah's Birthday Party

2009-08-24T17:22:00.001-07:00

So we're trying to get things together for Noah's party and I'm still just not ready for him to be one... I know, I know, the day will come whether I want it to or not. But I just can't imagine it and in turn I can't think of where to start, plus Noah is the oldest out our group so I don't have anyone's example to live by.

Any suggestions for themes, games, well any advice at all?

1st Tooth

2009-08-24T14:49:00.000-07:00

Well we thought this day would never come, but this morning we discovered a hint of a lower tooth coming in. YAY! Actually I'm not sure if we should be excited or scarred that more will follow and our sleep cycle (that we just got back into) will go down the drain again.

Of course Noah wont let us take any pictures to share with you, but hopefully he'll want to proudly flash his teeth by the time his birthday comes around and you can see for yourself.

Hope to see you all there!

Noah at 11 months

2009-08-16T09:50:00.001-07:00

Noah just celebrated his 11 month birthday and is now preparing for the big ONE (oh how time flies). Mom has just finished the invites and will be sending them out first thing Monday. We would love for everyone to celebrate with us, if you happen to not get the invite please let us know (we may just not have your address).

Noah hasn't had a doctors appointment in a while so we're not sure on his progress with weight gain, but he has quite the appetite and eats just about anything you put in front of him. We still don't have any teeth but his tongue is constantly hanging out or licking at his gums, and with all the heavy drooling we're expecting them to poak though any day now. His next check up is a few days after his first birthday and we're very curious to see how much he has grown. In the mean time here are some of his other updates:

Noah's daily routine usually starts at by 7:00am (giving dad some time before he heads off for work), then he watched Sesame Street while mom makes breakfast, we eat and play for about 30 minutes and then it's nap time by 8:30am. Our naps are usually 2 hours long. Then around 10:30am we are up and ready to learn and play. This is when Noah is most active so mom takes advantage of the time by getting out to see new things. Around 1:30pm Noah is ready for lunch and his second nap. By 3:30 we're awake and ready to be on the move, this is when we practice crawling/walking and following mom around the house as she picks up and gets dinner ready. At 7:00pm, shortly after dad gets home, it's bed time.

Noah has perfected waving hi and bye (although these days it's shortly after people stopped waving). He knows how to high five, blow kisses, dance when told (even when there's no music), shake anything he is or is not holding, bounce, talk on the phone (he puts his hand to his ear, too cute). He also points out the window if you ask him where the airplane is, or at Kris' picture if you ask him where dad is. He attempts to say "all done" when he's done eating. Noah doesn't enjoy crawling the conventional way. You will usually see him rolling in the general direction he wants to go then belly crawling to get repositioned. His preferred method of getting around is walking, but he still needs a lot of help. Just yesterday though, he made his way all around our coffee table, to the couch, to the side table and the to the recliner without falling or needing any guidance (other than mom getting on her hands and knees and saying, "I'm going to get you!").

Here are a few pictures of his adventurous journey

Keep us in your prayers

2009-08-15T12:37:00.000-07:00

Grandpa Alex is recovering from open heart surgery today. He has been suffering with heart issues since earlier this year when he was told he has a very enlarged heart (75% bigger than normal). This lead to the discovery of a weak functioning valve which he was told would need to be replaced in the near future. After his heart attack in May they started prepping his body for the proceedure. Last Sunday he became very ill and was hospitalised and then released with the stomach flu. He then became very short of breath and was readmitted Tuesday. After several biopsies he was scheduled for open heart surgery yesterday morning. The proceedure took a total of 7 hours and with his weak heart recovery has been a bit longer than expected. He is still on the breathing tube and is expected to finally wake up some time this evening.

Welcome Andrei

2009-08-15T12:32:00.001-07:00

July 28th, 2009

Shortly after we left Boise, Andrei Alec DeYoung (Noah's uncle) was born. We were pretty sad to miss him after all the anticipation and preparation of his arrival. But mom and he are doing very well and we hope to return to meet him at his baptism.

Belated Idaho Post

2009-08-11T12:09:00.000-07:00

We had a great time in Boise, minus the long drive there and back, and Noah's cold. We spent lots of time indoors because it averaged around 100 degrees every day but mornings were a nice time to be in grandma's garden. Some of grandma's friends threw her a baby shower/birthday party when we first got there and we had tons of fun playing with her balloons afterward. A few of the hotter days mom and auntie Karina went to the water amusement park for some fun in the sun. Karina came down with a cold and Noah picked up the same bug a few days later. Poor guy had a stuffy/runny nose, a cough and fever for quite some time. At which point mom thought it'd be a good idea to head home to recover. We're hoping to make another trip back real soon, we just have the best time visiting with them.

No Blogging

2009-07-19T12:12:00.000-07:00

It's going on week 2 of our stay in Boise with grandma, but we're planning on coming back in a few days. Until then we will not have any new postings.

Stay tuned.

Family Reunion

2009-06-28T20:36:00.000-07:00

Today was Noah's first family reunion experience with Kris' family. We forgot how large the family really is, but Noah didn't seem to mind all the attention (being the only baby at the party) and had a great time getting to know everyone.

We took a big liking to Uncle Kevin and his crazy hair

Noah enjoyed visiting with his Great Grandpa and talking about how they're going out for drinks when he turns 21

We got tons of hugs and kisses from Grandma Candy and Auntie Emma

The Lucero family was visiting from Arizona too

Uncle Tyler

3 generations of boys

Great Grandma kept trying to find a cookie to give us

Cheap buy

2009-06-28T19:38:00.000-07:00

Dad finally had a Saturday off and decided to spend it all with us. Noah let him sleep in and then we headed out for some Garage sales. Mom scored big! Dad found her a 35-105mm Canon lens that she's been looking for and bought it for $15 (reg. $150+/-, what a steal!). Of course that means she's going to be a little picture happy for a while.

Happy Father's Day

2009-06-28T19:19:00.000-07:00

We made dad a card with Noah's embossed hand prints

Inside reads: "Remember that you will always have an extra set of hands to help you out whenever you need, and even when you don't"

Back: Natalie and Noah Corp. "Made with love and just a few tears just for you."

Dad had a great Father's Day. It started somewhat early with a wake-up call from Noah, a homemade card and a girftcard for dad to use to buys some tools. Then we had some french toast for breakfast and relaxed for most of the morning. We visited with one of Noah's many grandpas and then went out for dinner to one of dad's favorite places to eat. The day ended with mom and dad watching a movie after Noah went to sleep.

Family game night

2009-06-15T21:22:00.000-07:00

When you run out of things to do and toys to play with... you start to get inventive.

Visiting Idaho

2009-06-15T21:05:00.000-07:00

We had a great time in Idaho with grandma and auntie. It was nice to have a change of pace in a new/different environment. Karina was a constant bundle of entertainment, playing endless games of pee-a-boo and bubble blowing. We tried lots of new foods, soup being a new favorite. We made a visit to the YMCA for a try at the swimming pool, Noah had a blast, no surprise there. We even had a good time on the flight, playing with napkins and checking out the crowd. We're planning another long visit in early July, driving this time, not sure how well that will go over yet.

Mirror mirror on the wall...

2009-06-15T15:53:00.000-07:00

Hey you!

How'd you get in there?

Hey, let me in...

I wanna play!

What aunties do best

2009-06-15T14:28:00.001-07:00

They wake up early to watch us eat and even help feed us, they share their toys with us (and take them away when they remember why they liked the toys too) and they LOVE to do the same things we do (like hold our toes, throw our legs in the air, giggle, squeal and mumble jumbled baby language... try saying that 3 times fast)

What grandma's do best.

2009-06-15T14:17:00.000-07:00

They kiss us all over (and over, and over again), feed us (even when we didn't know we were hungry) and spend endless minutes entertaining us by blowing bubbles when it seems to be the only thing we want to do.

Some time with dad

2009-05-18T15:16:00.000-07:00

We had a great weekend. The weather was great and dad finally had a Saturday off to spend with us. Just in time too, since we'll be leaving for Idaho in a a few days and staying a whole week. It will be Noah's first time flying, the longest time Noah and dad have been apart, even the longest time mom and dad have had apart. We are looking forward to meeting grandma Elena and auntie Karina again, we haven't seen them since Noah was just about two weeks old.

Dad's hat

2009-05-18T14:55:00.000-07:00

Well not much to say as far as updates. Noah has been slowly following the curve below the 5th percentile for height and weight. He is as happy as can be and is otherwise developing nicely.

We're big talkers (still non coherent), our favorite was nana (which I mistakenly took for mama and he used to his advantage to get my attention at all times of the day and night). Since then he has moved on to more of a babble of different sound combination or sometimes just plain squealing.

We've been doing some sleep training to get Noah to feel more comfortable with putting himself to sleep and staying asleep during the night and at nap time. So far so good, but it is cutting into his time with dad as we've moved bedtime strictly to 7:00 and dad comes home at 6:45. At the moment lots of sleep is most beneficial for Noah as he's getting mobile, so sacrifices are well worth it (still, dad needs some well deserved time off in our opinion). We try to keep dad with us all day by playing with his stuff...

Happy Mother's Day

2009-05-10T19:56:00.001-07:00

Sit, sit, sitting

2009-05-10T19:44:00.000-07:00

Another snack

2009-05-10T19:37:00.001-07:00

Trying our first teething biscuits

2009-05-10T19:17:00.000-07:00

Yum, Yum, Yum!!!

We love auntie Beth and little Izabella

2009-05-10T18:53:00.000-07:00

My baby 's cuter than your baby

2009-05-10T18:45:00.000-07:00

Noah from dad's side of the glass while he BBQ's up some dinner

Wwwwhere's the baby?... There heeeee is!

2009-05-10T18:33:00.000-07:00

Noah's new nickname is Mr. Rolly Polly. He is more than capable of making his way around any room by simply rolling (he's got some speed too).

This is a prime example of nothing standing in his way, including coffee tables...

80's in April

2009-05-10T17:42:00.000-07:00

Another 85 degree weather day... We took Noah to experience the fun of digging your toes in the sand. He had a blast, but was very disappointed that mom and dad wouldn't let him taste the funny crumbly stuff that was everywhere.

Happy Easter

2009-04-12T10:35:00.000-07:00

We found a funny creature in our Easter basket this morning...

Curious little thing

And hungry...

Weekend fun

2009-04-09T23:27:00.000-07:00

It was unusually warm and sunny for Portland this past weekend, so we all decided to get out to enjoy the sunshine... And introduce Noah to the world beyond our backyard (sort to speak). We went down to the Waterfront to check out the Saturday Market and ended up stopping to play in the grass. Anyone need their lawn mowed? Noah here, is pretty good at getting the job done the old fashioned way...

"Ooouuhh!" Noah was quite mesmerized by the canopy of blooming trees and the great view of the river too.

Uncle Curtis, Allyson and Shelby came to visit

2009-04-03T23:09:00.000-07:00

Future Baby Geniuses

Match Makers

Shelby

Young Love

Update

2009-04-03T21:16:00.000-07:00

Not too much new news but Noah sure is showing his little personality. He is a very curious guy, he says "Ooh!" at just about anything he sees, then looks over at us as we repeat what it is. He is rolling all over the place now (not his favorite activity but it makes it easier to get his binky when he decides to chuck it across his play mat), he is working on sitting by himself (but still falling to the side and turning it into a stunt like roll for a grand finish), he likes to flail his arm (just the right one) and anything that is in it, he likes to drink out of moms glass (but regrets it because it's never milk), he likes growling and squealing (mostly because mom thinks it's soooo funny), oh and who needs teathers when there are removable socks. We're still sleeping all through the night (going to bed at 8:30pm, waking for a feeding around 4:30am and then back to sleep until at least 7:00am). He looooves his rice cereal, he even opens his mouth after he swallows to indicate that he wants more (later followed by an "UHh" if we don't respond promptly). We're not too fond of other foods yet, green beans were alright, now it's on to peas... We can ward off the gagging reflex for a while by making swooshing airplane sounds as if the spoon is coming in for a landing. Fluids though, no such luck. Noah likes sippy cups for looks mostly, he won't touch it if there is juice or water in it. In a nut shell, that's our funny little guy at six and a half months.

We like to play, while awake and asleep

2009-04-03T20:58:00.000-07:00

Dad said he was playing one moment and next thing you know he's dead asleep with his favorite toys... Mom missed the entire 30 minute comic scene.

Happy 6 Months Noah!

2009-03-16T12:17:00.000-07:00

This weekend, we celebrated Noah's 6 month birthday by hanging out with a ton of ladies at Brandi's big kick-off for her new Mary Kay business. Much luck to you girl!

Today we took Noah for a check up and to catch up on more vaccinations. yay! It looks like Noah will be joining dad on a high calorie diet to put on a few pounds. Noah weighed in at 12 lbs 7 oz and measured in at 25 1/2 inches, down 3 oz and only 1/2 in. longer from his 4 month check-up. This is a huge change from his monthly gain of 1 pound and growth of 1 inch. He is now in the 5th percentile for height and weight, down from 50th just two months ago. Despite the complications with solids, the doctor suggested that we continue to introduce new foods to him to help with the weight gain, but otherwise continue doing what we're doing because mentally he is thriving perfectly. We're scheduled to return April 13th for a weigh in, if everything improves we won't need to return until his 9 month visit.

On a similar note, we have decided that is it time for me to leave the work force to focus on Noah and being the best mother for him. Kris and I both had working parents for the majority of our childhood and thought it would benefit all of us to nurture the gift of having a full time parent. Kris' mom has faithfully watched Noah while also working full time, we reached a point where it was no longer a functional situation for all of us and made a change right away. So, after 3 1/2 wonderful years of service, I had to say goodbye to all my fellow FFAers last week. Everyone has been nothing but understanding and accommodating through all of our life changes and we are soooo grateful to have had them all in our lives. I wish the best to you all. My biggest thanks goes to Diana Simmons who has showed me some of my talents put to good use and to Karen Moen who has been a huge help and answer to just about any question. Please stay in touch!

Feet, feet, I found my feet!

2009-03-10T22:56:00.000-07:00

Happy March 8th (International Women's Day)

2009-03-10T22:47:00.001-07:00

Dad got mom some really pretty flowers and some funny stuff she really likes. She got to hang out in bed, read magazines and drink coffee in the morning while we hung out downstairs. Mom deserves that kinda stuff sometimes... Happy girl day mom!

Our new toy...

2009-03-10T22:22:00.000-07:00

Mom bought me this really cool bouncy thing the other day... Your legs (and sometimes arms) go in the holes and then there's a rim to bite on. It's really colorful. There are lots of toys I can't reach. Sometimes there's music playing but only mom knows how to get it to start. The middle spins but my feet don't reach the bottom to push. I tell yah, I can't wait until I'm big enough to actually play in it, in the mean time it's a good place to hang out/rest while mom is cleaning. I like that I can actually see what she's doing like the big kids get to do.

Solids Continued...

2009-03-10T21:56:00.000-07:00

We still love our cereal, but after a few sleepless nights and an evident rash from switching to green beans, Noah is taking some time off from solids or at least until his next doctors appointment on Monday. He is a pro at eating and doesn't pass up an opportunity to take a bite of anything that passed by in front of him, but his belly it would seem, just isn't ready yet. We'll see what the doc says and proceed from there.

Num Yummy

2009-02-26T17:03:00.000-08:00

We looooove rice cereal...

Starting Solids

2009-02-24T21:16:00.000-08:00

Noah likes to surprise us with milestone accomplishments all at once. Saturday he decided that he no longer needed help with his bottle. He has tried holding it before but he could never prop it up high enough to get anything out, and then suddenly here he is doing it all on his own...

He has also watched us eat very carefully. Every spoonful that went from bowl to mouth was watched to the point that we would feel guilty and have to hide while eating. On a recent outing we had picked up a box of organic baby cereal for the big day; introduction of solids. Saturday Mom just couldn't take it any more, the whining and reaching won her over while eating a bowl of oatmeal. I made a spoonful of his cereal and let him have it. There was no denying it, Noah has hoped for this day for a long time, he was a pro. We made an event of it the next day. Bib - check, bowl - check, baby spoon - check, hungry baby - check check. Not a drop was missed, he leaned into every spoonful, and was rather impatient with the wait in between (we'll post the video as soon as we figure out how to get it off of the camera). Next on the menu, green beans.

Noah also not only slept from 9-7 but did it all by himself in his crib. We're off to see if he does it again tonight... Cross your fingers..

Happy 5 Month Birthday/Valentines Day/First Family Retreat

2009-02-23T17:07:00.000-08:00

Last weekend was a big treat for us all. We headed out of town Friday night and drove to the beach house in Lincoln City, Noah slept through the drive and remainder of the evening (thank god!). This was our first trip away with Noah but that didn't stop us from doing our regular routine. The first morning we usually go to Pig N' Pancake, it being Valentine's day and Noah's 5 month birthday, we thought some celebratory food was on order. Luckily they had lots of sealing fans to keep Noah engaged for a long while so we had a successful venture to a restaurant. We also made a trip to the outlet mall to stock up on some clothes for our continuously growing boy, and stopped in to have some sushi (Noah enjoyed the bright green chopsticks). We waited until late afternoon, when it was warmer, to take him to the beach. He didn't seem to understand our excitement or why we kept chasing the waves to only run away once we've almost got them. We made two trips to the beach during our three day stay, it was a bit cold and Noah's little cheeks turned pink with the first few minutes so we kept it short and sweet. A little change of scenery also seemed to help Noah cope with his teething, he still had a rough time at night but it was easy to keep us all distracted during the day. Overall, we had a very pleasant and somewhat restful trip... We are already thinking about when to go back.

Ahhh teething... Need I say more!?

2009-02-11T22:01:00.001-08:00

Noah's been in a funk lately, extra cuddly, quiet and just different over all. Our guess the culprit is an evading tooth that's just waiting to break through. Noah loves chewing on just about anything that comes in contact with his hands and with him reach for everything there is never a moment without him grabbing something... Ugh, having hair is a disadvantage at this point.

At his last doctors appointment (January 20th), we heard many praises on how well he is doing. Noah is now 12lbs 7 oz and 25 inches long, he's been growing about an inch for every pound he gains and gaining about 1 pound a month. He did incredibly well with his second vaccination set, and we only lost sleep a few nights that week ;)

We just can't believe it's been almost 5 months since we welcomed him into the world, oh how time flies. To celebrate v-day and Noah's 5 month birthday, we're heading to Lincoln City to stay at the beach house... Yay, 3-day-mini-family-vacation! Wish us luck for the hour and some long drive, Noah tends to get squirmy if he's not doing something and car rides are not exactly as exciting as he would like them to be.

Thanks for checking in and stay tuned for picture updates.

Binky vs. Baby

2009-02-02T09:21:00.000-08:00

Oh sweet baby Noah, we've been hoping that the Binky would just be a phase... and perhaps it is.

"mMmmm, num yum..."

"Ok the flavor is really wearing out mom. Let's see how did I do this last time... Insert finger here... Mmmm, yep that's my finger... "

" Then hold this here... And push, wait no pull..."
"Aha! Smooth transition if I may say so myself!"
"Oh boy two hands... Yep this is way better than that plastic thing.""AAAAHGYUMMM... NUMMM...MMUMM."

"Oh geez, I'm sorry..."

"Here, did you want some too?"

Things I (Noah) Love

2009-02-02T08:58:00.000-08:00

Hanging out with mom

Eating dads hands

Trying to sit

Have dad tickling me because I can't sit

Being Superbaby

Trying to grab moms camera

Hanging out with dad

Being Superbaby

Pretend napping with dad

Learning to stand

My Frogger

Reaching for my Frogger

Playing with dad

2009-01-02T15:06:00.001-08:00

Bath Time Perfected

2009-01-02T14:58:00.001-08:00

Bath time... Again?

Here it comes

Christmas With Family

2009-01-02T14:33:00.001-08:00

Let it now... Let ot snow... Let it snow

2009-01-02T13:21:00.000-08:00

Baby and dad's favorite pass time activity... watching TV

"Hey dad come here, look at all the fluffy stuff coming down."

"Can I touch it?"

Back Tracking One Month (start at the bottom to most recent on top)

2009-01-02T12:55:00.000-08:00

"MmmMmm...NUm.... Oh I'm sorry what, I was eating."

"Let me think about that one"

"You want me to do what!?"

"Nevermind, I found something to snack on for now."

"Again with the camera, don't you have anything better to do... Maybe like feed me?!"

"This is what I think of your picture taking, mom!"

So True

My dad

2008-11-09T13:41:00.000-08:00

"Have you met this guy? That's my pops, he's a bit crazy but hey he's family and besides crazy can be a lot of fun"

November 9th, 2008 (8 weeks)

2008-11-09T13:06:00.000-08:00

Mark your calendars everyone...
Mom, dad and Noah got their first 6 1/2 hours of uninterrupted sleep last night.

Happy Halloween!!!

2008-11-09T12:15:00.000-08:00

This is Stripednoahbeast, a creature thought to have been extinct for centuries, a descendant of the Chaz clan and recently discovered in the flats of Multnomah County on the night of Hallows Eve.

Wrestling and clawing is a common sport for the Stripednoahbeast

See the razor-sharp claws

After unsuccessful attempts it uses the growling calls to win over it's opponents

Constant feeding is the only way to keep this creature tame

And after a long match...

Surrender

6 Weeks And Counting

2008-10-28T21:30:00.000-07:00

Home Away From Home

With Kris back to work, grandma Frankie has been a huge help with watching Noah to give mom a bit of sanity.

Bath Time

2008-10-16T20:24:00.000-07:00

Happy 1 Month Birthday Noah

2008-10-16T19:33:00.000-07:00

Noah's birthday outing was to the Pumpkin Patch (he slept through all of it of course). It was a gorgeous day and we took our time walking the field looking for our perfect pumpkins, going for a hay ride and checking out some farm animals.

Dad found his pumpkin

Noah's pumkin

Mom's pumpkin

2008-10-14T11:29:00.000-07:00

Visitors

Naps, sleep and sleeping with dad

Four Week Overview

2008-10-08T14:00:00.000-07:00

Week Four:

After a few crying spells and unsuccessful car rides, this feeding frenzy is not a phase. Noah only sleeps if he can sleep on your chest, he prefers to be awake from 10am-2pm, it would seem he was starved in a previous life. All trips must be planned ahead and everyone must be dressed and ready to go within seconds of Noah's feeding, we then have exactly one hour before we must drop everything and feed the hungry monster again. Ugh, if only he wasn't sooo cute :)

Week Three:

First signs of a colicky baby or growth spurt? Noah spends more time being awake and alert, but along with that comes a crazy feeding craze. He eats for an hour every half hour, then sleeps for an hour and a half (if he sleeps at all) then rinse and repeat... After a few sleepless nights we are hoping this is just a phase.

Week Two:

Mom came down with mastitis, with a fever of 102, terrible body aches and fatigue, the family hibernated for the majority of the week. Luckily it didn't phase Noah, by his second doctors appointment he had gained a whole pound and grew 1/2 inch.

Week One:

After leaving the hospital, Mom, Dad and Baby Noah spent most of their time sleeping, eating and settling into being at home. Sleep was a bit sparse and visitors came and went every day, but by the end of the week we had most of the daily routine down. Mom's milk came in by day 3 and by day 4 Noah was already back to his birth weight. The doctor was glad to see Noah doing so well and adapting so quickly to his new surroundings, she gave us all a gold star.

Welcome Home Baby Noah

2008-09-24T11:52:00.000-07:00

Born September 14, 2008 @ 4:37 a.m. weighing 7 lbs 10 oz.

Let's Get This Show On The Road

2008-09-05T12:24:00.000-07:00

Week 37 1/2

Well the shower has long come and gone, my cleaning craze has been fulfilled and sleep is down to a minimum... The verdict is in and all signs point to this baby coming soon... I hope :)

I am now on to weekly doctor visits, yesterday's being the most recent. According to Peggy I am now 3 cm dilated and everything is moving along nicely. My contractions have now moved on to just night time, so between the hourly trips to the bathroom and constant dull pain, sleep is very minimal. But I am still going strong, working, commuting and playing hostess whenever I can. I have to admit I did end up feeling a bit burned out last week, but it wasn't anything that a mental health day followed by a 3 day weekend couldn't fix.

Our carseat and stroller arrived yesterday and suprise, suprise, I hated it! But hey that's what you get for ordering something online. We made a trip to the store and exchanged it for one we could "both" live with, and yes by both I mean baby and I since Kris could care less about the yellow, blue, brown and gray color combo that drove me crazy. As happy as I thought I would be about checking another item off of our list, I'm a bit suprised how sad I am about having an empty carseat in my car. "Alright baby, you can come out now!"

So much to do... So little time

2008-08-22T10:33:00.000-07:00

I took a mental health day yesterday and considering the slew of activity that is to follow in the next couple of weeks, it's a good thing I did.

We had another posting on our door yesterday (less than 24 hours notice may I add) that someone is coming to take a look at our place this morning. If no buys the darn thing it's going up for auction in December and then who knows what's going to happen with our living situation. So keep your fingers crossed for us to get an owner that wants the place as rental not a personal home.

Tomorrow is our first labor/delivery prepping class. After some crazy contractions last weekend, I had decided to pack "the bag" just in case and I think we both need some useful info on what to expect right about now. Sunday will be the continuation of the class.

Tomorrow also happens to be my baby shower. YAY!! A big THANK YOU goes out to our good friend Beth who is hosting the event (and expecting a little one in March herself). We'll let you know how it goes and hopefully post some photos as soon as we get a chance.

Next week, I have my very dependable backup co-worker on vacation, with billings and payroll coming up the following week there'll be plenty of prep work and not enough time in the day to get it done. On one hand it's a great way to keep my mind off of the anxiety of the BIG event and at the same time I'm ready to stay home and concentrate on what's really important. We'll see how long I'll last at work, sorry FFAers :)

We Want To Hear From You

2008-08-19T19:13:00.000-07:00

Please feel free to leave comments. We're looking for words of wisdom, funny sayings, questions for the soon to be parents, suggestions for the blog... Anything! Thanks to all those that have taken advantage of this feature.

Baby Update: Week 35

I was finally able to make it to one of my acupuncture appointments, it's been well over a month and boy was it great. If I can suggest one thing to pregnant women out there (actually it applies to you non-preggers girls too, I've been going for years), that's definitely to seek alternative methods to get the comfort you need during this very laborious process. Not only does it ease aches and pains, but it is the best way to de-stress... You start to feel your body working properly rather than chugging along.

Next appointment is next Tuesday, upcoming doctor visit is also next week on Thursday. Now how to convince Kris to let my acupuncturist be there during delivery?

The Nesting Bug

2008-08-18T11:22:00.000-07:00

I went crazy Saturday and purged just about everything I couldn't bear to look at in our house. Great for me... Not so great for my poor husband who had to haul all the stuff out of our place in the 100 degree weather. But this made some room for any stuff we may be getting at the shower this coming weekend. We also took some time to hang curtains in the baby's room and add a few decorative touches to house. I didn't even realize how long it has been since I've paid any attention to our place, I'm feeling a seasonal theme change coming on. Pictures soon to follow.

Doctor Visit

2008-08-15T16:24:00.000-07:00

Week 34

Nothing exciting at the doctors office. I apparently lost 3 lbs, not sure how that happened since I'm feeling considerably bigger than the last time I went in. Otherwise, contractions are getting stronger but not consistent so everyone got a clean bill to go home and continue with what we were doing.

This hot weather is a killer!!!

Anyone have any bright ideas for things we can do to keep cool this weekend?

Gotta Take It Easy

2008-08-08T09:57:00.000-07:00

Week 33

This is a between doctor visits post, the last visit was a week ago Thursday and I have one coming up next Thursday.

Baby update: Contractions have started!

I've been having pains for a while but they were finally confirmed as contractions on the doctors table last week. The intensity and length varies so it's not true labor yet, but it seems he just as anxious to meet us as we are him. Peggy (our fabulous nurse midwife) had a talk with baby and told him he has to stay put for another 4 weeks or else he doesn't get to go home with momma. I just can't imagine going through so much and not having him with us...

In the mean time I need to drink lots and LOTS of water, get plenty of rest and begin prepping. Our wonderful (and newly expecting) friend, Beth, has offered to throw me another baby shower. No woman can have enough parties!!! The date is set for August 23rd. We're putting off any purchases until then, but that's not to say that I can browse.

Being the forgetful pregnant woman that I am, I have forgotten about signing up for birth preparatory classes. With the doctors telling us to start expecting his arrival soon, you might imagine how relieved we were to learn that we have missed all but one registry deadline. We will be taking a weekend session of Childbirth A-Z at OHSU, August 22-23 (yes, I may be late for my own party on the 23rd but I will be there!). Synopsis: Childbirth A-Z will prepare you and your birth partner(s) for the physical and emotional demands of late pregnancy, labor and birth, and postpartum care of mom, baby and family. The class also includes a breastfeeding class offered September 2nd. Let's just hope I make it another few weeks or else I might have to teach the class myself.

Tomorrow is Toby and Brandi's wedding. Wish us luck (me mostly that I don't fall or go into labor) and visit soon for an update.

Much love,

The possibly sooner than expected, parents to be.

A morning in the life of an 8 month pregnant woman.

2008-07-30T08:55:00.000-07:00

There is a blog written by http://work-girl.blogspot.com/ that portrays my frustrations of this day, it’s titled “Chivalry Is Dead (But Only in the Mornings)” dated July 24th, 2008. A fabulous read if you get a chance.

I apologize in advance for my, probably hormone driven rant but even living in this small city I am beginning to loose all hope for humanity.

Being a proud MAX commuter I run into more and more instances every day that convince me of an overall lack of chivalry in the modern day society. Take this morning for example, a typical 30-minute ride for me. ten minutes in and I'm still standing. Lloyd Center tends to be a popular stop for many and as expected someone got up finally giving me a shot at a seat. I am no racist, but a Hispanic woman cut right in front me to take it... Hmmm, an older workingwoman with who knows how kids at home, taking my seat... I think I can live with that. I then spend the remainder of my 20 minutes standing belly-in-face of a middle-aged man (wedding band and all) that was intently playing a PSP. His lack of acknowledgment dumbfounded me. He had no signs of a disability (other than the obvious), I didn’t know who to feel worse for, myself or his wife. Two stops before mine, the woman sitting next to him got off and I went in for some relief. The man’s smile was beyond what I had needed at this point so when he nudged me and told me that it was his stop I quietly looked at him, with no sign of hesitation to get up, and mentioned that it was mine as well. I can only imagine what my trip home is going to be like…

My current goal in life, to teach my son some manners!

Anniversary Weekend Part Deux

2008-07-27T10:34:00.000-07:00

Mmmm... Waffles with homemade compote are GOOD (especially when made my your loving husband)!

Yesterday didn't quite go according to plan, but today is a whole new opportunity to make up for some quality time missed. We ended up buying a crib, I finished a sewing project and Kris worked on refurbishing a dresser we bought for pennies. Overall it was a baby-preping day, which we were long overdue for, but hey isn't an anniversary about us...

Today's plan (obviously not set in stone):

Breakfast (Kris' turn to make)

Roses and gifts

To be determined

Dinner

Batman at the IMAX theater (this one is actually my idea and I can't wait!!!)

Anniversary weekend

2008-07-26T12:26:00.000-07:00

So, our anniversary weekend has consisted of sleeping in, a fabulous breakfast and couples gardening therapy. Next on the agenda: Bargain shopping, getting Kris fitted for Toby and Brandi's wedding, dinner at Joe's Crab Shack and... (Classified)

Pregnancy update: the doc says he is head down and ready to go... Now the waiting begins and the toes continue to disappear :o)

My First Baby Shower!!!

2008-07-25T08:26:00.000-07:00

Week 31

My fabulous co-workers at FFA threw me a great party! They know me all too well, I mean what more can a girl ask for than lunch from Pastinis, great gifts and scrapbooking... Ahhh, the essentials of life :)

We are looking forward to taking it easy this weekend and celebrating our first year anniversary (I still can't believe how fast time flies). So far there isn't much on the agenda, something like dinner and a movie (if I can sit that long). Kris has promised me a fabulous vacation next year when we can both enjoy ourselves a little more and will be in dire need of getting away.

My mom is coming next week and I'm thinking we'll be using her expertise to finally buy some baby gear. Currently all we have is a rocker (that needs some TLC), a bassinet, dresser (also a work in progress) and a few accessories for decorating that will need some creative inspiration to put together. Honestly what do babies need anyway?

We've Registered

2008-07-03T22:17:00.000-07:00

Week 28

A true womans philosophy: The best way to avoid the heat is to go shopping (well or window shop in this case).

With my first baby shower date set for July 23rd, we've decided to go ahead and get registered at Babies R Us (click to be directed to the registry website). We're also thinking of signing up at Target, more news about that to come. Use Kris' or my name to find us.

This is Baby's first Toy (it shakes and giggles if you pull the handle), we picked it up on a last minute getaway to Lincoln City in March:

Week 27 - Long Time No Post

2008-06-23T14:15:00.001-07:00

Well we've been off to a long start but after some convincing from co-workers we are unleashing our Blog for everyone to view.

Give me a few hours to get this figured out then check back for recent photos and posts. In the mean time for those of you that have missed my progress here's a little synopsis...

1st Trimester: Shock and nerves aside, three words... Piece Of Cake! I lucked out, there were a few occasions where I fell asleep mid sentence but other than ultimate exhaustion I felt no symptoms of pregnancy.

2nd Trimester: We had a scare at 3:30am Week 13 after several hours at the hospital I was instructed to stay home and take it easy for a few days. Week 14... Complete bed rest. According to doctors I had a subchoriotic bleed that was the size of half of my uterus and if it didn't stop, I was in danger of losing the baby. Five weeks, five ultra sounds, umpteen doctor visits, hours of daytime television, hundreds of bonbons, and endless hours or boredom later I was released to go back to work in hopes that the problem would just resolve itself.

Beginning of 3rd Trimester: Well so far so good. My hormones have been getting the best of me as some might know but otherwise I feel good. Every time I look in the mirror I recognize myself less, I check my toes every from time to time and so far they're all still there, bending over not required. I'm determined to keep going to the gym and doing yoga to keep from sitting down one day and not being able to get back up.

13+/- Weeks remaining, wish us luck!

We're pregnant!!!!

2008-02-21T13:11:00.000-08:00

January 26th (Week 5/Day26): Yep, a long morning at the Fairgate Inn with Toby and Brandi getting things down for their wedding, a nerve wracking drive to the store and then home, 3 minutes and what do yah know... We're having a baby.

To my husband, never a dull moment ehh!? As you know, you did agree to "in sickness and in health... til death do us part.." (Both which may come sooner than we both anticipated) I love you and can't wait to go on this crazy adventure with you.

Baby we love you and can't wait to meet you... Be nice to mommy!

And to all those that get the pleasure of enduring my hormone-manifested craziness... I'm sorry :-)

YAY!!!