Little Ham

There's so much to catch up on, but this will have to be short and sweet. Jason and I leave for Mexico in 8 hours and we aren't finished packing. But I have been dying to get these videos posted and secured on my computer. I would be devastated if something happened to my phone and I lost them.

Nolan is such a little ham. About a month ago he started fake laughing. He does it when other people are laughing and he wants to join in. He has learned that his fake laugh makes me laugh, so now he'll do it just to make me laugh. It's so adorable.

A few weeks ago Nolan started laughing like The Count from Sesame Street. I have no idea how he learned to laugh like that, because he has never seen Sesame Street. But I took the opportunity to teach him to laugh like The Count when I ask, "What does The Count say?"

This video captures both of his unique laughs.

Also, Nolan lets us know when he is ready for bed. One night around Nolan's bedtime, I randomly asked him if he wanted milk. He grinned and took off running for his bedroom where we nurse. I thought it was just a one time thing, but he has been consistently doing it! If he isn't ready for bed, he'll just smile and keep playing. But when I ask 5-10 minutes later, he's usually ready for bed and will run to his bedroom. My mom has tried this for nap times at her house when I'm at work. She asks, "Do you want to go night night?" And he'll run to the bedroom where he naps and say, "Ni ni." So cute!

Here is a video of Nolan running to his bedroom ready to nurse and go to sleep.

I will have tons more to post in the next few weeks as Nolan turns ONE! There will be birthday pictures, professional one year photos, and birthday party pictures. Jason and I can't wait! :)

A walker...and a talker! (Plus videos!)

I've heard from multiple sources that a baby is a walker or a talker. The brain focuses on one big thing at a time, so if a baby is an early talker, he/she probably won't be an early walker, and vice versa. Nolan was an early walker, so he wasn't talking yet. Over this last month he started to say some words, and it is so fun! He now says mama, dada, nana (banana), ni-ni (night night), and num num. He also says mmmmm for moo. We have been signing with Nolan since he was 6 months, and it has been obvious for awhile now that he understands a lot of the signs. For instance, just the other night I asked him if he wanted milk, and he took off into his bedroom and ran to the rocking chair where we nurse. When I sign for drink, he turns his head and looks at his sippy cup. He does sign "eat", "milk", and "more". It's so fun that he understands some of what we say now and is able to let us know what he wants!
Another completely adorable thing that Nolan does that melts our hearts is kiss the air. He smacks his little lips together and makes a kiss noise. My mom says that he will walk over to the baby gate that I meet him at when I pick him up after work, say "mama", and kiss the air. SO SWEET! Last weekend my parents watched Nolan overnight while Jason and I went to his cousin Jamie's wedding. It was Nolan's first overnight (he did better than I did, I think). He did the mama/kiss thing that weekend. He must have missed me! Then this work week he was eating lunch in his highchair and started saying "mama, dada" and kissing the air. It is the cutest thing ever! And Nolan is generous with his kisses. The other day when we were hanging out at my mom's before I went to work he went up to my mom and looked up at her and kissed the air. What a sweetie!
Today our little man turned 11 months old. I know I say this in the majority of my posts, but I cannot believe how fast time flies. Seriously. One more month and we will have a 1 year old on our hands! What!?
In the meantime, here are some pictures and videos of our little guy. Enjoy!

Playing under a table at a restaurant 

Cheesy smile

Love this.

Sweater made by my mom's friend Kathy Kallas when my mom was pregnant with me! Love it. And I love the red khakis. :)