Hello Tooth #7!

Finally.  Nolan's stubborn left top lateral incisor (I googled it) decided to show up after wreaking havoc for several weeks.  Today he started happily babbling full paragraphs.  Coincidence?  I think not!

Post It Notes

Nolan finally said "Bye Bye" last week on January 18th.  He hasn't said it again since then.

Nolan is cruising around furniture very quickly but is not interested in taking his own steps YET.

Nolan does the cutest monkey impression.  He says "OOH OOH" and scratches his tummy.

Nash is SO hit and miss with his meals.  He barely touched his supper one night then ate 4 pieces of peanut butter toast for breakfast the next morning.  I try to look at the big picture.

The Dog Days of Winter

Memphis and Daizy

It's been getting pretty chilly at night around here.  Our dogs have a heated dog house but I still like to bring them in the house at night when it starts to get really cold.  Jason and I adopted Daizy and Memphis from the Humane Society when we lived in Great Falls, Montana.  We got really lucky with these two!  We got Daizy first.  She will be 7 years old this summer.  She is a black lab/blue healer mix.  She likes to bark when the neighbor kids are out playing because she wants to join in their fun and she LOVES to play fetch!

We got Memphis a few months later after Jason convinced me Daizy needed a friend.  He will be 6 years old in March.  He is a chocolate lab/australian shepherd mix.  He howls at emergency sirens and thinks he's a lap dog.

These were our babies before we had babies.  We are lucky to have them and they are great with Nash and Nolan.  They put up with a lot sometimes!  Nolan likes to bat their tails around and Nash likes to chase them...and be chased.

Football Fun

We had some of our family over to watch the Bear vs. Packers football game last weekend.  Even thought the Bears lost, we still managed to have a little fun.

Nash and Aunt Daniele playing "tent." 

Do you think they see us?

Nana loving on Nolan

Uncle Will and Jason battling on the Wii

Uncle Will taking break from Wii to play "tent" with Nash

Nolan showing Uncle Will how to play "tent"

Ravioli Anyone?

In general, I don't like messes.  Yes, I'm that Mom.  Always trying to keep the mess to a minimum and keep the kids from slopping on their clothes. I don't know what got into me today but I felt like letting the kids feed themselves Ravioli of all things.  It was kinda fun!  It's way more fun than stressing about keeping the mess to a minimum!  My advice to you...make a big mess today!  You might like it.

Nolan likes to have control of the silverware..YIKES!

Nash is doing a good job hitting his target!

Nevermind the mess...check out all of my teeth!

I can't wait for Spring to come so we can make more messes...OUTSIDE!  52 more days, but whos' counting?

Let's Catch Up

So it's 9:45 pm and I'm exhausted.  The boys spent the night with Nana and Papa last night and tonight.  Jason and I rented "The Social Network."  That's right.  We got to watch a movie that wasn't animated.  I was pumped about it all day so it's a good thing it was a good movie.  Thank you Mom and Dad for giving us some free time. It's amazing how fast it goes by.

What else have we been up to?  Well, Nolan is getting into everything.  I swear he waits for the sound of the baby gate opening then darts toward the stairs to see if he can sneak through before the gate closes.   Nash has even been in trouble a few times for quietly opening the gate so he can watch his brother scurry up the stairs.  I found them both in the bathroom the other day.  Nash was laughing as Nolan spun the toilet paper roll sending into a heap on the floor.

Official TP Inpector...YEP, it's good!

Nash is starting to recognize some letters and numbers which is pretty exciting.  I talked to him on the phone today and he literally chatted into my ear for two minutes in a very serious voice without letting me say a word.  I was laughing so hard my cheeks hurt.

Captain Trouble and his sidekick (It could go either way)

Nolan is finally starting to talk a little more.  He wasn't saying much until Nana decided to have Nash coax him into saying some things.  Now he's talking a little more.  He was already saying WOW, UH OH, MAMA, and DADA.  Now he is saying NANA and DUT (duck).  If I ask him what a kitty says, he responds with MOW.  When I ask him what a horsey says, he makes a horsey sound.  He does the elephant sound too and raises his arm up like a trunk, just like Nash used to do.  These are fun times.  Nolan is also letting go of things and standing for several seconds at a time before he plops onto his butt or leans forward hoping someone will catch him.  Nana said he tried to move his feet as he was sort of falling forward and took about 3 steps the other day, but not really under his own power.  It probably won't be long now!

Our friend Elyn came over the other night to play.  She is almost 6 months old now and such a cutie pie. It was fun to watch Nash with her.  He was so nurturing which was funny to see because he's not really that way with his brother.    :0)

Elyn and her body guards

Sunday night we were looking for something to do.  We finally decided to check out Monkey Joe's.  It turned out to be a lot of fun.  It's a huge room filled with bouncy house slides.  Nash started out wanting us to go with him but by the time we left, we were having a hard time catching up with little Monkey Joe himself.  Nolan did not quite know what to think about the surface moving underneath him and really preferred to be on steady ground.

Nash

Nolan tasting Jason's hat

Nolan

Me and Noley

Jason has been staying busy at work and is supposed to be starting a soccer league soon.  Work has picked up again for me as well.  And...I FINALLY started working on my doctorate paper.  GASP!  I've been putting it off for years, literally.  I'm at the point where if I don't get serious, I'm going to run out of time and I just can't stand the thought of an Incomplete on my transcript.  I have to have the entire paper done and defended by May 2012.  I know that sounds like a long time but I'm going to need it.  Please pray for me!

It has been cold and snowy around here lately.  Good thing we stocked up on hot chocolate, ReddiWip, and sprinkles!!!

Bonding with my Nasher

Post It Notes

*Nash never wears socks to bed.  Even if he is half asleep he remembers to pull his socks off.

*Nash has been watching "How to Train Your Dragon" every chance that he gets.  Then he runs around in his snow boots using the vacuum cleaner attachment as a sword.  I need to find him a plastic viking helmet and he'll be set.

*Nash likes to line all of his cars up along the fireplace.

*Nash sometimes puts his hands on my face and calls me "Sweetheart."

*Nolan learned to blow bubbles in the bathtub on Tuesday.

*Nolan purses his lips together and sticks them out when he's not happy about something. I'm waiting for him for him to say "What you talkin' 'bout Willis?"  (I think that dates me.)

*Nolan's sleeping scheduled is messed up right now.  He goes down fine for his morning nap.  He has not been wanting to take an afternoon nap the past few days and he stayed up later than usual last night.  Maybe it's because he's teething or maybe he's ready to switch to just ONE nap (I hope not).  Today I laid him down a little later for his morning nap and he went down fine for his afternoon nap (still sleeping).  Who knows!?

Happy "Gangster" New Year!

Jason and I had a great time at our neighbors' "Gangsters and Games" party last night.  We had an Italian themed dinner and played "guys vs girls" board games most of the night.  Pictionary got pretty competitive.  At midnight we watched the ball drop on TV and toasted to a Happy New Year with some great friends.

 

From the sounds of it, the boys also had a great time with their babysitter.  She said Nolan went to bed perfectly for her and Nash wanted to watch "How to Train Your Dragon" five times.  She told me Nash got on his cell phone and called to tell me to have a good time.  He also told her "Mommy and Daddy have never been on a date before."  Ha!  Sad!  I had prepped him earlier in the day that the babysitter was coming to play with him and Nolan while Mommy and Daddy went on a date.  They didn't get upset at all when we walked out the door which was SO reassuring!  I only called one time to check in and make sure things were going OK.  A successful evening all around.  I see more date nights in our future!

Playtime with Grandma and Grandpa Wentland

Grandma Alonna and Grandpa Steve arrived from California on Monday evening.  The boys and I were already in bed when Jason brought them home.  We are fighting colds and couldn't keep our eyes open long enough.  On Tuesday we were ready to play!  The boys finally got to open the last two gifts under the tree from Grandma and Grandpa.

Nash and Nolan trying to figure out how to free Nolan's new train

Nash speeding toward his new soccer goal so fast that he lost his pants

Nash and Grandpa Steve enjoying some ice cream

Nash and Grandma Alonna setting up animals in the "tent"

 On Thursday evening we all met my parents at Osaka for dinner.  Our food was cooked up in front of us for a very entertaining experience.  Nash and Nolan were a little nervous about the huge flames that shot up from the grill and nearly singed our eyelashes. The food was great and the plum wine was fantastic.

Nolan, Grandma Alonna, Grandpa Steve, and Nash

Grandma and Grandpa boarded the plane for California early Friday morning.  The week went by really fast but we packed in a lot of fun.  Thank you so much for making the trip!  We love you guys!