La Quinta

Keith and I just got back from La Quinta (Palm Springs) we got to go there to visit a friend and committee member.  I hadn't spent much time with them before our trip but it didn't bother me, I'd do anything to escape this rain!  We were welcomed so lovingly into their home.  Sigh* I want to go back.  The weather was in the high 90's ad low 100's while we were there.  Keith and I stepped off the airplane and giggled, it's like mexico except we can drink the water and everyone speaks English.  Among our adventures we went to The Living Desert. A desert zoo where I got to ride a camel!  We went to a street fair where they sold everything from cars to tacos to patio furniture to knock off purses (I got the seatbelt purse I've been eying for the last two years at 20% of the price of the original).  We swam in the pool a lot and Keith even got to go golfing.  Most importantly we just relaxed and laid low.  It was a great trip and a great refreshing time.  Thank you Kit and Mary for having us!  Nolan is sick, really sick.  I knwe he had a fever while we were there so we kept giving him some ibuprofen and it seemed to work.  I took him into the Dr today and he has a double ear infection and a sore throat.  I feel so bad for him.  We have him on antiboitics now and he should be feeling better soon.  As I write this he is sleeping.  He took a two hour nap this morning and we have just passed 3 hours this afternoon.  Poor Guy :-(

Back Update

I had my mom here for the last two and a half weeks to take care of me and to take care of Nolan.  I am so grateful that she was here.  I am still recuperating slowly from my back surgery.  I am 16 days out from surgery and it is hard to be patient with this.  I know I know, I need to be patient, this is for my health for the rest of my life.  That is very easy for other people to say that aren't actually in my position.  Nolan is running and playing and shrieking with joy and I don't get to be a part of that.  When he falls down and cries, I am not allowed to pick him up.  When He wakes up in the middle of the night or from his nap and is crying, I don't get to be the one to go in and get him and comfort him.  He is asking to be picked up and held by everyone but me.  I have been with him 24/7 since he was born and now I have to be patient and wait.  Since I had surgery and can't nurse Nolan because of all the medication I am on we don't get to lay in bed and snuggle.  That was one of my favorite thing to do.  He would nurse and drift off to sleep, and I would hold him close by my side as he slept until it was time to put him into his crib.  Now I'm lucky to have a 15 second calm moment with him on my lap before he wiggles his way off onto the floor.  I'm not complaining here, I just feel like I want to spell out how I am feeling a little bit.

Adventures Outside

In the spirit of celebrating the small things, we had an adventure outside with Nolan yesterday.  Not so much of an adventure as we went outside.  Mom was inside trying to figure out our central vac and I thought that it would be not big deal to monitor Nolan outside by myself.  WRONG  Within a few seconds e had a hand full of dirt in his mouth and he was trying to spit it out.  I thought we would ply with the soccer ball, but no, he wanted to play with Annie.
Annie and Nolan are quickly becoming best friends.  She had a tennis ball in her mouth, a dirty slobbery one that she had drooled all over earlier in the day.  I found a dry one to "minimize" the amount of yucky germs that were being shared.  Nolan plopped down in the grass and had fun ripping up blades of grass and throwing them over his shoulder covering his little back with bunches of green.  He has figured out how to sort of chuck things in front of him.  I wouldn't quite call it a throw yet, he doesn't have the sense of  hold and release.  It's an open palm with a ball balanced on it that when shot forward might send the ball in some direction.
We walked and he threw the ball and he picked up speed...right toward the edge of the lawn and the steep ten foot drop toward the road.  I had to move faster than I wanted to try and stop him from ran/walking right off the edge.  I called to Mom to come and help me since I am still on very light duty from my back surgery.  luckily she was done so she came out and helped corral the little one.  We wend down to the front yard to discover the front yard and the pile of rocks in the french drain by the little pond he looked at them funny for a few seconds then they wend straight into the mouth.  Nolan threw a few while I snapped some quick photos and just as I was finished a ton of ants came rushing out of the rocks and onto Nolan's leg.  Mom picked him up as fast as she could and we batted them off of him.  Enough adventures for one day.  Dirt, Grass, Rocks, and Ants.  Sounds like a great adventure for a little boy discovering the outdoors.

Celebrate the small things

I decided today that the only way I can stick with this blog is if I just Celebrate the small things.  It shouldn't take a huge achievement to get a blog post.

Today we went to Wal-mart to get a few things.  I was driving the little cart and Nolan was in the child seat in a cart that my Mom was pushing.  His birthday is in a week and a half so I need to find something for him.  We went by the toy isle and I immediately was drawn to the popper that you walk bekind and push.  It shoots the balls dancing around inside the little dome.  Classic toy.  Nothing else seemed that great.  It all looks generic and just like the toys he already has.  And he has a lot!

We rounded the corner to see tennis balls the size of 4-square balls.  Nolan loves to carry his soccer ball around and drop it and chase it.  He also loves Annie giving him attention.  Anyway, he turned in the cart, stuck out his pointer finger at the rack of balls and clearly said "Ball".  My heart leaped with excitement.  He has been saying "Ball" for a few weeks, but there was never a definitive "yes that thing in you hand is a ball"  It was more like that is Annie and she likes balls.  He has been calling Anne, Ball.

How Cool!  Of Course I had to get it for him.  Most likely it will be a dog toy and get popped quickly.

Today he also began answering the question "What does Annie say?  with a "whoo whoo"  there isnt really an "f" at the end of his woof's but he is responding to the question which is amazing to me.

Every day there is so much change in him.  It is amazing to watch and a privileged to be his mommy and get to nurture him. 

New posts coming soon

Apparently it has been 5 months since I posted last. I'll try and fill in the details of Nolans first year soon.

Epic Fail

We are spending the weekend at young life's breakaway lodge. It is in seaside Oregon, and as you can imagine,the coast is not at it's finest in February. I decided I needed to go for a walk and get a mocha and take nolan to see the sand and the waves before we leave in a couple of hours. There was a light mist (other places might call this rain). We had a nice walk to the coffee shop and as we left the rain picked up and kept getting worse, and worse, and worse. I do want to say that Nolan was in his "bubble" waterproof stroller cover so he wasn't experiencing the elements quite like I did. We did find the water, or a path that led to the water. I could see the waves a couple hundred yards away. They were pretty enough. At this point the wind was howling and my "winter" pants were soaked through. I walked down the road that I thought would take us back to the lodge, but we were on the wrong street. Luckily Keith pulled up in the car after a few minutes of walking and gave us a lift back.

Epic fail trying to see the waves.

Hopefully when we are here for a month in June the weather will be a little nicer.

Back Update

I am six weeks out from having back surgery, and I would love to report that I feel 100%, but I can't quite yet.  I was doing great, incredibly well up to 4 weeks out, but then, like everyone who has had a surgery, I tried to do too much and spent an entire day at work then went to coach a soccer game and kicker a few balls at the goalkeepers (by a few I mean 5)  It didn't hurt right away, but I have been fairly stiff ever since.  The Doctor said that everyone does that and to take it easy for the next four weeks as well.
Keith is still doing as much as he can, and as much as I ask him to do.  The for me is just to ask, I am a do it my self type of person.
Today i am going to go and re-join the gym we belong to so I can start swimming Yeah!  I am very excited to get back into the pool, swimsuit not so much.  Rebuilding my core strength gradually is important, and swimming is a great way to start off slow.