"Ducks" (or geese)

Yeserday after I almost died pushing Noah in the jogger, we went to the park (which is on the jogging trail) and saw some geese. For simplicity's sake we were calling them ducks because "quack" is easier to do than that weird honking noise that geese make ... and I'm just going for basic right now. So...we were looking and quacking and pointing with both fingers and quacking some more and what do I hear but "DU-U-UK" come out of Noah's mouth. Of course, I couldn't get him to do it again on demand...but I think he said duck. OK, I was hoping that his first real word would be Mommy or at least Daddy, but I guess I'm okay that he's going to talk at all (in English).

respect

I have complete and total respect and awe for someone who can jog with a double jogging stroller on hills. I did a run yesterday with my light-as-a-feather child in his equally light jogging stroller and the few killer hills almost did just that. I was DYING! So, kudos to those with more that one in the stroller & who keep on running.

Vomit

So I only post once a month...sorry. But my life is so full of wonderful things like my first experience with a stomach-bug-like behavior. Last Saturday we were all set to go to Nashville to Owen's first birthday party & Noah was calmly eating breakfast in the highchair. (Adam had commented on how quiet he was this morning...) I put in that last bite of yogurt (we haven't mastered the spoon ourselves yet) and OUT it came, with force. My first time being puked on by my own kid. Made it 13-some months without a single drop of real vomit on me, and whoa nelly, here it came. I didn't realize that a little person could hold so much inside!!! I will spare the details of looks and smells, just to suffice that it was coming out his nose. Poor Noah. He had no idea what was going on...he must have thought he was dying or something b/c he looked terrified! So we get him out of the highchair (lucky he was there b/c the tray was helpful in clean-up) and clean him off...and we did not go to Nashville that day.

Fast forward to Monday. He did great all day Sat. and Sun. Dinner Monday....same ballgame. And same again Tuesday afternoon at lunch. We have deduced as the 2 geniuses that we are as parents that our child simply does NOT like to be "fed" anymore. If you try to feed him anything against his will, even a tasty yogurt snack....it will come back to haunt you in a few minutes. (and seemingly in a greater quantity than it went in as) So we no longer "Feed" Noah. Noah feeds Noah, only. There were a few days of worry on Mommy's part: will he eat enough b/c he's not the greatest eater on his own...and very picky too....but he's doing fine (and actually eating better and more than ever!) My first taste of him exerting his independence, I guess. I'm just getting ready for what's to come, I suppose.

Nashville was a blast with Owen...those boys are so funny together!! Will share some of my favorite pics.

ONE YEAR LATER

So we made it one year. I believe in my heart that we've both grown into our roles as parents. Even though we thought we had it together at the start, we see now that we were so clueless....and will look back on ourselves in this moment and realize that we are still. But we are learning every day.

Noah had his first birthday twice...how exciting! We had the party with friends in Dallas & then came "home to Jonesboro" and had one here with friends & family, complete with more cake! It was a blast to see him playing with cousins and getting to know the family better. We welcome everyone to come and see us any time here. I am so thrilled to be back closer to our families. Dallas was great & I miss it, but nothing is as great as living near family. (especially when little people are involved)

The title of the post is a link to picasa pics from the party or click www.picasaweb.google.com/calliecabell to get to see Noah eating cake for the first time and opening presents, playing with friends & cousins, and just generally being cute as can be.

Sorry to everyone who left the party with fever, runny nose, and possibly diarrhea...that was not an intentional party favor, just extra bonus! Noah is missing school today (boo-hoo!) due to 101 this a.m. and Mommy is oh-so-sad.

question of the evening

adam looked at me last night holding a yellow plastic cup in his hand and said, "is this your cup?" i said yes, of course...but thought to myself, "two of us live here with a small person who is not yet able to drink from a cup like that. now, please, tell me....if it's not yours, and you think it's not mine, and the only other person living here drinks from a Gerber sippy cup....who's cup do you think it is?

Separation Anxiety

Just pretend I've been blogging all along...these 2 months I've not. Basically been a single mom (wouldn't recommend it) in Jonesboro for 6 weeks, so typing out my life story hasn't been top priority. Since moving the last weekend in March, I've battled a couple of colds, 2 more teeth coming in, several bad storms (fearing all along that the dead tree in the back yard could come crashing down and land on the neighbor's house), and the onset on severe separation anxiety. You think it's bad, and then the next day comes and it's worse. He has a near-death experience every time I leave his field of vision, that is, unless his grandparents are around...and then he could care less if I'm around. We were in Olive Branch this past weekend and several times, he chose Grandmother over me. Boo-hoo. Except I got to go running and he didn't care!!

So, life in Jonesboro is great. I'm missing Adam horribly while he studies his little tail off -- he's never going to want to go back to Cafe Express again after this month. And I can't wait to go visit my friends in Dallas. But all-in-all, Jonesboro is a very nice place and I'm glad we picked to live here. Our house is big and empty, but that will get better with time :) The best part is living an hour from my mom and dad. I can't even count how many times we've gotten to see them since we moved in! Noah just loves seeing them, it's so fun to watch him get excited about going in Grandmother & Papa's garden. He LOVES birds and airplanes and anything else that may be overhead...trees, etc.

We're not walking yet, but soon, I feel. He's cruising around on this little truck thing at lightning speed and going from table to couch to leg to table again...and never missing a step. When he gets to a cabinet or door facing or a human leg or whatever is in his way, the little devil just bangs it until he gets it turned the right direction and goes off on his merry way. We went to our friend Wes' birthday party this past weekend and he got a fantastic new Tonka ride-on toy that Noah just loved...hence, we now have one. I'm a sucker. But I do think he's going to use it for a long time b/c William (Wes' older brother) was very interested in it, too, and he's 3. Justification of a new toy. Do I really need to do that?

I promise myself to be more consistent in my blogging so I can REMEMBER this time!! The days keep flying by and Noah is getting so big and so smart and so coordinated...it seems like only a couple of months ago, he was a tiny, helpless newborn. It amazes me everytime he does something new. I know all kids talk and walk and do things like grow up...but it somehow seems extra special when Noah does it :)

Weather

The weather is absolutely nuts here...let me see. Last week, we were out in shorts and flip flops. This week it snowed. Not just a little snow (well, in downtown Dallas it was a little snow) but a few miles north of us got 9 inches! That is like skiing snow. (to me anyway) some kid was on the news, he had taken the wheels off of his skateboard and was using it as a snowboard on a hill in his neighborhood. Now, that is newsworthy material. That is the thing about the news...the local news, that cracks me up. "breaking news" often involves someone with 3 teeth who almost always lives in a trailer park, some kind of drugs, a rotweiler chained between 2 trees, and a gun of some sort.

Dallas' finest.

That's it. i'm moving as soon as I can. we have had more trouble lately getting Noah to sleep, both naps and nighttime. and the neighbor's dog just went nuts and then she takes him out the back door (which is right below noah's window) and slams it (which she does EVERY time she goes out). I cannot cannot take it anymore. living 4 feet from someone is something you only have patience for when you don't have a small child...and even then, it was tough. needless to say, he cried out. however, he seems to have gone back to sleep. a miracle. we'll see. when the neighbor gets back in 10 minutes from walking her menace (a jack russell terrier, which I think may be the most annoying dog ever bred), she'll slam it again and I may have to go tell her what will happen to her little yapper if she keeps it up. (I'm all talk...I'll do nothing of the sort...but it's nice to fantasize about being aggressive, which I am, but usually only over the phone...telemarketers beware)