The Zoo Class

Due to weather, Noah's zoo class was cancelled last Friday. We did manage to get him in to the class on Saturday though, so it wasn't a total disappointment. Walt was under the weather so I got to go with him...I was secretly happy! Not that Walt was sick, but that I got to go!

I don't have any pictures, there really weren't any picture taking opportunities, and besides, none of the other mothers took pictures and I didn't want to be "that" mom.

The class was great though and Noah had a blast. First they watched a little video about what zookeepers do, then the "teacher" showed them pictures taken at our zoo of the zookeepers taking care of the animals. Then, they got to meet and touch Bindi the lizard. I love how 4 and 5 year olds just blurt out whatever come to their mind. "What does she eat?" "Can we see her walk?"

We made a craft - a zookeeper vest made out of a grocery bag. It's really cute. And then, they got to meet and pet Bernie, the guinea pig. The best part though, was that we got to go in the "behind the scenes" area of the education complex. This is where all of the animals that they use in the education programs live. The zookeeper was there, and showed them all of the different food that is in the fridge. (Including frozen rats and mice...ick!) And even fed a few of them while we were there - a fox, a porcupine, some other thing that looked like a kangaroo (I forget it's name). Noah's favorite part was that the opossum ate yogurt, just like him. Now when I ask him what he wants for lunch he says "Yo-grit, just like the possom". (I love how he says yogurt!) I swear the parrot or macaw or whatever it was was watching me and somehow knew that I hate birds. At one point it let out this big screech and I think I screamed louder than the kids! Noah was always right up in front when the keeper would open the cage and feed them - he's definitely not one to hang back and miss out!

Finally, we got to meet Flower, the skunk. She was in a little fenced in area and the instructor fed her meal worms and she gobbled them up. It was a fun time, and Noah has told me that I can the secretary at his zoo. My dad and Walt are in charge of helping him pick up poop. HA!

What Noah is up to

Let's see...Noah has been up to a lot since I updated last. He can write all of his letters (amazingly well), became an expert sled rider, and won the Heisman trophy. Okay, I am kidding about the last part...it hasn't been THAT long! But, he did get his picture taken with it at the car show.

It's hard to believe in just a few months he'll graduate from pre-school and Kindergarten will be looming in front of us. In our school district, K is all day, every day and while I think that's a lot for 5 year olds, I think he's ready. Am I ready? Not really - it seems like he was just born. They grow up so quickly.

He's going to a class at the zoo tomorrow. "If I were a zookeeper". He's really excited, so I'll be sure to post about that experience. I think if he enjoys it, we're going to think about sending him to zoo camp in the summer. He says he wants to be a zoo keeper, so when I saw this class listed I knew it would be right up his alley. He got to pick who went with him, and he chose Walt. (Much to my chagrin). So I keep saying "Well, when you're there, you could ask THIS question." I can't wait to hear all about it. Although I think he might be slightly disappointed that he's not in the tiger cage schlepping tiger poop! ;)

And to leave you with a funny Noah story - I'll tell the tale of the "Cup O Soup". About a month or so ago, Walt and Noah were out playing in the snow. When they came in Walt asked Noah if he'd like a "Cup O Soup" for lunch. Noah said yes. Walt brings Noah a mug with soup in it. And Noah says "WHAT IS THIS? You put my SOUP in a CUP? What is wrong with you? This could spill all over me and burn me!"

We tried to explain to him that it was soup that you put in a cup and sort of drank, and it was fine. He insisted on it being poured in to a bowl. Sometimes it's like he's an 85 year old man set in his ways, instead of a 5 year old!

What Brody is up to

Yesterday Brody had his 4 month check up. I can't believe it's been 4 months already! He got an A+ and seems to be doing great. He weighs around 14lbs and is 25 inches long. (To compare, Noah was 17 pounds at his 4 month check up! I forget what a big baby Noah was!) He's so close to rolling over, he gets on his side, lifts his head, swings his legs, but he just doesn't have quite enough oomph yet. Which I'm totally fine with a non-mobile baby for a little longer. Noah crawled around 5.5 months, so I'd like a little more time this time around before I have to worry about him not being in the same spot when I come back! He had a double ear infection last week, and the doctor said it's almost all cleared up. I guess we did get more medicine in him than he spit out....sure doesn't seem that way when we have to give it to him.

He's really starting to develop his own little personality lately. The video I'm going to post is his first real laugh. And you know, there's not much else in this world better than a baby's laugh. (Sorry it's so dark!) What made him laugh so hard? I was fanning him with the coupon circular that came in the mail -- the wind would get in his face, blow his hair and then he'd laugh and laugh. Oh! And one of the most exciting things about Brody is that he sleeps in the stroller. Noah was one of those odd babies/kids that never fell asleep anywhere but his bed (and sometimes the car). I would wait and wait for the stoller to lull him to sleep, but it never happened. I keep trying to come up with new places I can take Brody in the stroller just so I can see him snoozing in it!

The Elf on our shelf

Have you heard of The Elf on the Shelf? I've been meaning to post about this for a while, but when I was home with Brody I was mostly unplugged from the internet world. (Probably because Brody likes to nurse and I barely had enough time to shower and get laundry done before he wanted to just hang out and nurse some more). Anyway, my BFF gave Noah an Elf on the Shelf for Christmas. We received him about 2 weeks prior. How it works is you read the story about how he comes to your house and then reports back to Santa each night and every morning he's in a new spot. You can talk to him, but he can't talk to you. And you can't touch him or all of his Christmas magic disappears. You have to name him and once you do - he's your elf and the fun begins.

So we read the story and Noah tells us that he has the "perfect" name for our Elf. His name will now be "Ho". You know, because Santa says "ho, ho, ho". Walt & I had to hide our amusement that we now had a ho living with us. Anyway, the first night at 4:30am I wake up in a panic and realize that we forgot to move Ho...so I stumble out of bed and find him a new spot. Thank goodness I did because Noah looked for him right away. And so it began. Every morning, first thing, Noah would search and search to find Ho. He talked to him and told him what was on his Christmas list. And we'd threaten that "Ho is watching" when he was being somewhat naughty.

The sad part was on Christmas Eve when I told him that Ho would be going back to the North Pole with Santa that night - and Noah burst in to tears. I mean, real, big crocodile tears. He was sad that Ho had to leave and he loved him and would miss him. It's January 18 and we STILL talk about Ho all of the time. In fact, Ho left Noah a letter and a shark book (Silly Santa forgot to leave it for Noah!) just the other night.

If you have a pre-schooler and dont have an Elf on the Shelf, I think you should think about getting one. It's a really fun tradition to start and it's amazing how much joy that Ho brought to our holidays!

Meet Brody

Here are a few pictures, the first right after he was born. The next meeting his big brother for the first time. And the last, taken on his 1 week birthday.

We found "Nemo"

Most of you have probably heard by now, that "Nemo" - who is now officially known as Brody Alan - found his way in to the world on October 13 at 8:44 am. Here is his birth story:

Oct 12 - All day I just didn't feel good. I didn't have pains until later in th evening, but I just felt awful. Like it took everything I had to get up out of the chair and make lunch.

7:30-ish that night - I got the first of what I thought could be a "pain". I told Walt and we started to watch the clock. By 11:30 they were about 20 minutes apart. We had no idea how fast they'd get closer together, so we decided to call my parents to come over and get Noah.

1:30am (Oct 13) - By this point, I was SURE it was labor and the pains were coming about 5 minutes apart, so we called the doctor and she told me to come on in.

2:30 am - We arrived at Magee...and what a difference driving in the middle of the night makes. I think we made it there in 18 minutes.

3:45 am - I waited in Triage for over an hour for a doctor to check me. When she did, she informed me I was at 6cm and they were going to move me to a Labor & Delivery suite. The nurse was surprised, the monitor wasn't showing my contractions were that strong and they didn't even think I was in labor. Guess that's why I waited over an hour. On the way out, the doctor asked if I wanted an epidural. I said "yes please" and I started to cry to Walt. I told him that since I was already at 6cm and it takes HOURS to get an epidural (I didn't know this! I just wanted it then!) I would surely die.

4:30am - I arrived in the L&D room and we waited. And waited, and waited....all the while the pain got worse and worse.

6:30am - Finally sweet relief! I guess there was an emergency in surgery and all of the other patients got backed up. But, finally I had my epidural and I got that warm, fuzzy feeling instead of all of that pain. The doctor came to check me shortly after I received my epidural and I was at 8cm! I have brought up the fact that I was only 2 cm away from a completely natural delivery to Walt about 10,000 times in the past 2 weeks. ;)

7:30am - They told me it was time to push! I couldn't believe it was happening this fast. It seemed like it took forever with Noah.

8:44am - After a little more than an hour of pushing, and me crying to them that I couldn't do it...I DID do it - and Brody was born. He weighed in at 7lbs, 80z and is completely and totally perfect.

I will add here, that I feel like I was cheated out of my epidural goodness. I only had it for 2 hours - and I would have taken it a week before he was born! Walt gave me a lovely gift in the delivery room, a necklace with Noah's, Brody's and my birthstones. I told him it isn't a "push present", it's an "8cm present". :)

Soccer and The Olive Garden

It's been a while...I know I've been saying that a lot lately. But, now that things at work have slowed down and I'm going to be on maternity leave any day now, (Hear that "Nemo"?...ANY DAY NOW!! ) so I'm going to try to be a better blogger.

Noah started playing soccer in late August. I can't even tell you how cute a bunch of 4 and 5 year olds running around chasing a ball in their shin guards is. They all crowd around the ball and just run and kick - it's awesome. I do see some improvement each week, and last week, Noah even scored a goal. Of course, it was in the OTHER team's goal, but still!

There he is putting on his best "pirate" face. And another just taking a "water break". He says that's his favorite part.

And, I will end with a conversation that he had with my parents. They were out to eat together...I will call my parents "Ma & Pa" because that is what he calls them. (Don't ask!)

Pa: Oh, don't forget I have that Olive Garden gift card to use.

Noah: Oh!! I want to go there! Tell Momma and we can all go there for dinner tomorrow!

Ma: Well, we're out to eat tonight, we can't eat out two nights in a row.

Noah: But, I REALLY want to go to Olive Garden!

Pa: And what would you get to eat at Olive Garden?

Noah: (with that "duh" look already perfected at the age of 4) Black Olives!

Somehow I think he'll be quite disappointed when we go to the Olive Garden and it's not just a giant olive buffet. :P (If you can't tell black olives are one of his favorite foods)