Second Half of July

I can't believe these are the last few days of July! This month always flies by. I also can't believe that my due date is just about one month away! Baby will be here before we know it!

The last few weeks have been fun and busy. The weather was super hot, so we didn't get to go on many walks, but we did play with the pool and water table in the backyard. Then the weather got a lot cooler, so we've been getting out on more walks, but not playing with water outside. Nolan has been loving whatever we do. He asks for a walk or to play with water, but is ok when I tell him it's too hot or too cold to do one of them. 

Nolan has been starting to say more 3 word sentences, which is so fun! The other weekend Jason asked Nolan if he wanted to go for a walk. The answer was of course yes, but Nolan wanted to know if I was going on the walk. He asked, "A mama?" (and mama?) I told him I was going to stay home and take a shower and he said, "No Mama walk." It's so cool to see him understand what we say and repeat it back to us as best as he can. He also said, as the bathtub was draining, "No wa-wa (water) more." Then when he and I were eating lunch and I had finished what I was eating he said, "All done Mama," meaning that I was done eating. He always looks so proud of himself when he says these things, which he should be! He also has counted to three a few times, but of course won't do it again now that I've been trying to get him to do it. Stinker! 

The cutest new thing he is doing is giggling and saying, "No, no, no, no, no" when he sees or does something he thinks is silly. I downloaded an app for my phone where Nolan can talk to a cat and it mimics whatever he says in a high pitched voice. He loves it! I took a couple videos of him talking to the cat, but I can't get them to upload onto this blog. Next post I hope to have it figured out! 

Jason bought a Burley (bike trailer) for Nolan to ride in behind his bike. Next summer I will get a bike and be able to pull Nolan and baby #2. I would have loved to have one this summer, but of course it's not safe for me to be riding a bike while pregnant. Anyway, Nolan was hesitant to wear the helmet at first, but allowed it once he saw Jason was wearing one, too. Nolan LOVED the bike ride! Jason said he talked the entire ten mile ride. Whenever we go into the garage he tries to get into the Burley and put his helmet on. So cute!

We were down at the lake last weekend for Blake's 6th birthday. Nolan loved playing on their playground and riding/sitting in the Little Tykes red/yellow toy car. He had to share it with one of Blake's other cousins, but he did well with it! Nolan also got to (finally!) go out on our boat! He wore his life jacket with little fussing, which was nice. He hadn't had a nap that day, so he didn't last long on the boat. But he loved looking out at the water and asking which way we were going. "At way?" We're hoping to get out on the boat again this weekend, then I'm not sure about any weekends after that. It's almost an hour and a half down to the lake, and I don't want to go into labor that far away from the cities. So we'll see! 

I'm 35 weeks along now, which is just crazy! I go back to the doctor next week and will go back weekly until the baby is born. Jason and I have been getting things ready for baby to be here. The car seat base has been installed, we've stocked up on newborn diapers and supplies, started making and freezing some meals, bought a few big brother presents for Nolan, etc. I'm feeling good about what we have done! 

Here are pictures, in backwards chronological order. That's how my phone posts them for whatever reason.

had to post this- finally learning how to use a curling iron. 12 year olds are better at it than I am!

Squirrels going crazy up in the tree knocking leaves off. 

This is what I get when I ask Nolan to smile for the camera... Umm.... lololol

Haircut #4!! He looks so much older!

Still not loving haircuts!

Haircut in progress

Left: 35 weeks with Nolan, Right: 35 weeks with baby #2

Captain Keegan

Nolan and Papa on the boat

Blake's birthday party (Brunson is behind Nolan)

Super excited about this car!

Cruisin, looking for chicks

Toddler yoga, couch style

Nolan's reaction to seeing about 30 geese swimming in a line down the creek

Nolan has a new-found love for his Rockabye. He loves turning the music on and off. 

Loving his giraffe pool!!

Pretzel mustache

Not so sure about the Okee Dokee Bros concert

Peekaboo!

Future gamer? Daddy hopes so!

Summer lovin

Well, it's been awhile since I last posted! Summer time fun has taken over our time. I've been in more of a nesting stage lately, so instead of writing the blog I've been cleaning/organizing/planning. So since my last post...

Nolan has gotten a lot better. I ended up taking him to the doctor again, because he had a deep chest cough that just wouldn't go away. Poor guy. The doctor determined it wasn't pneumonia or bronchitis, just a chest cold that would clear up on it's own. It did, eventually, but I still think medicine would have helped it clear up faster. Anyway, at least he's healthy now! 

We've been busy outdoors a lot, taking long walks with Keegan, playing with Nolan's water table, his giraffe pool and going to the splash pad. Nolan hasn't been as into the splash pad as I thought he would. He isn't the biggest fan of water squirting in his face, but I'm not either, so I can't blame him! But the first time we went this summer Nolan ended up standing under a huge bucket of water that dumped on his head, then a minute later a 3 or 4 year old ran right into him and knocked him over. He was very unsure of the splash pad for the rest of that experience. But we've been back a few times since then and he is starting to warm up to it more and more.

Last week we went to the Richfield pool and played in the wading pool (the pool reaches 1 ft, 9 inches and has a huge play structure in the middle with fountains. Nolan was unsure at first, but once he got used to the cold water he loved it! He kicked and galloped in the water, and actually loved getting sprayed/splashed in the face by the fountains. At one point he slipped and fell underwater and I had to quickly grab him. I thought that might change his mind about the water, but he didn't care. I was so glad he liked it! Hopefully it will help him to like the splash pad more.

Cute new things Nolan does: grab a Kleenex, blow his nose (he's actually pretty good at it!) and throwing the Kleenex away, pretending to go "night night" and singing "toot toot toot", his goodnight song, asking "tha?" (that) when he wants to know what something is, saying, "at way?" and pointing in the direction he wants to go while we're on a walk, climbing into his high chair (we keep it closed so he can't do that anymore!), and giggling at my 2nd grade school picture (Jason jokingly put as his desktop background) and saying "Mama! Girl!" 

Meanwhile, I am 33 weeks along! I can't believe how soon the baby will be here. The baby is doing well, very active. I'm measuring right on and the heartbeat is great. I go back in 3 weeks for my next check-up. 

I'm sure there is a lot I'm forgetting to say. I'll try to post again soon!

Pictures in reverse chronological order

This is what happens when I forget to put the baby gate up to the kitchen while I blow dry my hair. As soon as I turned off my blow dryer I hear Nolan scold himself, "No, no, no!" I found him helping himself to ice cream he had taken out of the freezer. 

Waving at himself in the camera

Keegan using my boppy :)

Stop! It's hammer time! (sideways hammer time)

Enjoying a popsicle outside on a humid day

32 weeks with Nolan on the left, this baby on the right. same shirt. 

Nolan reading a book in his crib while I shower. 

Our little sparkler on the 4th of July

Little climber can climb into his stroller now. 

Practicing with a cup

Choosing a crayon color is serious business. 

Wet swimsuit in the swing. 

Nolan loves to touch the red balls outside of Target. He usually gets to do this multiple times a week because I can't seem to stay away. 

Nolan and Abigail being big kids eating at the table.

Sicky eyes :(

Nolan's worst day of his sickness - so miserable :(

Enjoying a mini popsicle

Keegan, beg? Never!

Nolan says, "Baby!" and kisses my tummy :)