Wednesday, November 27, 2013

New Beds

Nolan will soon be waking from his nap.  In his new bed...

We were not planning on moving him out of his crib anytime soon; hadn't even thought about it yet.  But a friend sent a text "...selling Kaleb's cars bed and wanted to give you guys first dibs..."  So we picked it up yesterday and as we have nowhere really to store it, we set it up in his room.  He asked about sleeping in it last night, but was fine with the answer that he could play on it but still sleep in his crib.

At naptime today we sat on it to read stories, then he just put his head on the pillow and snuggled in.  I did have to pick him up for a song (lately it's London Bridge, sung as Daddy's Bridge), but back into the bed with Brownie, Rabbit, and Blankie, and out he went.  So I guess bedtime in the crib and naps in the bed?  We'll have to play it by ear, I guess...

I'm also writing with one ear to the door, waiting for the people delivering OUR bed!  Sean's back has been complaining about ours, so we found a good bed and a good sale and went for it.  It will come today between 2 and 5; I'm hoping for soon after Nolan wakes up, and not before.  I'm thankful for the takeaway and recycle service they provide.  No moving beds for me!

I'll try to snap a pic of N in his new bed; it might be tough because he rarely stays still long enough for me to get a shot, but I will post one as soon as I get it.

Sleep well, all!!!

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

22 = 2 to 2!

Translated: Nolan turned 22 months old yesterday, and that's two months to two years old!

I can ask him to get me out the cutting board, or an onion and the celery, and he does. (With a little help, of course.)

He does dishes almost daily (that just means playing in the kitchen sink), and can help unload the dishwasher, too.

Today's laundry folding got hampered (pun intended) by a Ring Around the Rosie party under the bedsheet parachute.

Chop Chop Timber, Duck Duck Goose, the Grand Old Duke of York, and the Hokey Pokey are new favourites thanks to swimming lessons.  Watching videos of himself at swimming lessons is also a favourite.

He notices Christmas trees and lights in the flyers - this is going to be a fun season!

He still wakes most nights needing to be re-covered, and it's not uncommon for his dreams to wake him, but his going to bed and sleeping till our alarm are great.  He's also going into the nursery at church and staying with other people very well, too.  A little freedom, there.

We've borrowed a couple of movies from friends - Tangled and Cars.  He's a fan, although Wallace and Grommit is still his favourite.  His joke today: Tom. Tom? Mater!!!  We want to pick up Madagascar next since he and dad have been singing Move It lately.  (I like to move it move it...)

Discovered he loves oranges - eats a mandarin almost every day.  He peels it mostly himself, then eats it 'hole ting!' - no sections for this guy, he likes it all in one piece.

 

Monday, November 18, 2013

Happy Anniversary!!!

Seven years ago today...



This is what our families looked like at the time:
... and now add 3 more babies!

... and now add 6 more babies!!
Here's to the next seven, and the next seven, and the next seven...
XO

Wednesday, November 13, 2013

Praying Big Prayers

Do you ever get into a routine and then realize that something's missing?  I don't expect myself to have a perfectly routine anything with Nolan and our days and weeks that are often similar but ever changing.  That includes reading my Bible and praying... It is a priority for me, but that doesn't mean it looks the same every day.  Today it felt like it has been a while since I prayed, and I remembered something we talked about in small group last month...

In our first small group of the year, Lisa brought a video she had found that was about praying big prayers.  We were challenged to think beyond the 'routine' prayers of "Keep them safe and healthy..." and to ask for big things.  I thought of one big thing that I wanted to pray for each of my family, and it seems now that even if I only have a few minutes to focus on praying before I'm off keeping Nolan out of danger, I have those top big things at the front of my brain, and it makes it easier to pray specific prayers for things that really matter.

Just thought I'd throw that out there.   

What are the big wild crazy things you'd like to see happen in your life or the lives of those you love? 

What tips do you have to share about keeping prayer a priority in your life?

Wednesday, November 06, 2013

Recommended Reads - October

Just a few for this month:

My Mom recommended the Inspector Lynley series by Elizabeth George, and I've read three of them lately... I won't list them all, but recommend them if you like long mysteries with lots of different threads winding through that all come together in the end.

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime by Mark Haddon was what we read for book club last month, and it is a good, quick, and often funny, read.  Told from the perspective of a 15 year old with autism, it's a good glimpse into how an autistic mind works.

Right after that one I read Love Anthony by Lisa Genova, which also deals with autism.  It is a touching story of two women, dealing with different kinds of loss, and how they end up helping each other. Genova has a degree in Biopsychology and a Ph.D. in Neuroscience and has also written Still Alice, about Alzheimers (which I've read and recommend) and Left Neglected, about brain injury (which is sitting on my shelf to read after I'm done our monster of a book club read for this month).

Happy reading!  As always, I'd love it if you'd leave me a note telling me what great book you've read recently.

Monday, November 04, 2013

Little Elephant

Here are a few shots of my little elephant. Madeline talked him into the costume when the neighbour called to say he had a bag of goodies for Nolan, and he kept it on till Dad came home half an hour later.


Back home with the goodies!
A lot of goodies!  Open this one first!!
Waiting patiently.
Sour gummie worms...
Mmm... I like it!