Noahs first tooth

FINALLY

I only say finally because he is apparently a not so great teether.  I also think he has been sick on top of it but either way it hasn't been the best week.  

His first tooth poked through on Jan 15, and it was the one NEXT to the one I have been eyeing for month.  The one I have been eyeing has been swollen and miserable looking.  But, it was his bottom left that came through, not the right.  

So I am still eyeing this next one.  And hoping his sinus stuff gets better.  Then maybe, MAYBE I can walk more than 2 feet away from him without him freaking out.  I said maybe...

I can get up...but I can't get down

This phase in the baby milestones is no fun.  Ok, it has its moments, but the fact that Noah pulls up everywhere and doesn't quite know what to do after that is annoying (and kind of funny).  If I walk 2 feet away he takes that time to pull up on something (normally something mobile like a stool that can move out from under him) and then he freaks out because he cannot get down.  This is also convenient in the middle of the night because I cannot let him cry or he stands up, then eventually just falls down and face plants in the crib slats.  Not that I want to move him through the milestones any faster, but I would not mind if he could learn to ease himself back down gently soon.



this is typical...

The girl's new room

One day after Christmas the girls and I were talking about cleaning up their room.  I told them that one day they would move downstairs and they would have more room.  I was thinking it would be in about 5 years.  They responded "well we can try it out!"

So they slept downstairs for the next week.  And then declared their old room their "baby room" and did not want to sleep down there.

Honestly I am thrilled they have more room and they are not being loud right next to Noahs room, but moving their things out of the nursery we lovingly made for our first babies was a bit sad to me.  Now I love their new room.  I just go down there and lay with them to relax in the awesome space.

We ripped up the old carpet... it was disgusting, laid new flooring,  and painted it the color of their choosing. I even painted the crown molding.  Ouch to the neck. They wanted a tinkerbell room.  It now has potential to be a tinkerbell room, but I have yet to buy all Tinkerbell things, or hang anything.

No before/afters.  I dont know why.  But it is quite a transformation.

proof that Matt has painted something (He hates it)


Everything is purple in some shade, including the ceiling and the fan.


room is painted and the floor is going down


much more room!


closet wasnt cleaned out yet


room to pull out the trundle!


TV is hung and shelves are organized

God and Police Cars

I love my Leahisms :)

Hannah upon seeing a police car: I guess they are getting a ticket.
Leah: no, their car just broke down and they are taking it away and putting it on a trailer. 
Hannah: is that right daddy?
Matt: yes that's right 
Hannah: how does Leah always know these things!?
Leah: I guess God just wanted to make me smarter than you.

Elf on the Shelf

Jingle came to the McCay household this year... making a late debut on December 5th actually.  The girls were thrilled.  We read the Elf on the Shelf book and learned all about her and they quickly gave her the name Jingle.  Little did we know that Jingle has a 2nd cousin elf in Texas also named Jingle, though it is unlikely that they will ever meet.

The girls thoroughly enjoyed Jingle's antics this year.  She helped me paint my kitchen, got a terrible cold, became buds with some of the girls' toys, wrapped up what she believed was some of the girls prize possessions (their am applejuice - worse than a caffeine addict with am coffee), hung snow flakes,  brought magic seeds, and laid out in her own makeshift raft.  Sometimes she just hid, or dressed up, or decided to sleep in their room.  The girls started waking up extra early every morning just to see what the little sprite had been up to.  Mommy did not like this part of it...

I think their favorite was the video of pictures using my computer.  Or the snowflakes.  They wouldnt let me take those down for a while...

Here is a glimpse of our month with Jingle.




















We were sad to see her go and looking forward to her return next Christmas!

Noah 8 months

The 8 month photo shoot went terribly honestly.  He wasn't feeling great, and he gave me a few smiles but kept trying to get closer to me which did inevitably end up in a face plant in the crib slats.  He also has become well aware of that little sticker that shows his month and does not want it on his shirt anymore.  I tried to save it with the intentions of returning for more pictures, but that did not happen.  Oh well.
I kinda wish I went with the whole chalk board picture with the baby in the chair.  Of course at this point he would be trying to jump out of the chair...

we started off good - but I didn't have the camera in focus yet...


He's happy, but keeps trying to come toward me.  Not what I was wanting...


Determined to get the camera...


Found the darn sticker.


And he busted into the crib.  I tried to make it better with the first thing I found, but I knew it was over at that point...


At 8 months he is still as attached to mommy as ever.
He started crawling Decemeber 15th, just 10 days shy of turning 8 months.
No teeth yet but I can feel them right under the gumline.
Eats whatever I serve him.  Except green beans.  His favorites seem to be grilled cheese and macaroni, but loves some yogurt too.  Hates green beans, though he will eat spinach or whatever else.  Weird.
The kid sleeps best snuggled next to me.  He normally comes in my room around 3 or 4 depending on how tired I am or hell bent on getting him to stay in his crib.  This will bite me in the butt one day I am sure.  For now I just want sleep, and with me he will sleep until 8:30 or 9.
Still nurses great, but wont take a bottle (with very few exceptions).  I offered formula just in case he weaned himself early, but he gagged. ha.  I gag smelling the stuff so I cant imagine.

This to me is a hard age.  Even though he is mobile which he likes, he is not very good at it.  So he constantly crawls around getting things in his mouth and then falling flat on his face or chin against the hardwood.  So I am always running to him wondering what he has in his mouth or comforting the hurt baby.  I think walking will be easier, but I am not trying to speed that along.

Anyway he is my sweet boy.  As always, I cant believe he is getting so big!

Christmas 2012

How do I sum up Christmas? Family, fun, excitement.  We spent Christmas Eve at matts parents, woke up Christmas morning at our house and then spent Christmas night at my parents.  The kids were exhausted.

Hitting the highlights...

opening presents with the cousins

putting bows on baby bottoms :)


Christmas Eve - Daddy reading The Christmas Story from the Bible and Twas the Night Before Christmas.

Santa arrived


And this is Matt's video "How Christmas morning feels in my head"

Santa did very well with the art desks.

Noah pulled up for the first time... wearing Christmas pajamas that all 3 of his cousins have also worn on Christmas morning

And later, spending time with Nina (and the rest of my side of the family, not pictured)

We were not great with the pictures this year, but it was a wonderful Christmas even if it wasn't greatly documented.