Dec 2010 - Sept 2011 pictures: Year of change!

First day of Grade 2 - just leaving the house...on time, for a unique experience!

Nolan outside his Dad's building, scootering (he's FAST on that thing...)

At the Cudworth centennial day celebrations, getting a horseback ride from my cousin Heide

On the way to Invermere - yep, that mountain water is cold....

Beach at Invermere- a nice holiday! Rented house with Mom and Dad and Nolie and I, and Will and Elise...

Again, a pinklepausen (and picnic stop) in the mountains

After his soccer game (Dad was coach, did a good job...)

The bubble tub, hooked up at last

Leo's birthday petting zoo: fluffy chicks!

Getting his medal for playing u8 soccer from Coach Mike/Dad

At Oma and Opas at Christmas, I think....

There was a LOT of snow this winter- at Auntie Elly's/Elizabeth and Bernies, Xmas.

Dad's birthday dinner- Nolan picked the Cactus Club for us two to take him out.

Nolan is quite the young man now

At some point I have to either start blogging regularly or shut-r-down...
A couple of stories while I waffle about which to do.....

STORY 1:
a few night ago Nolan, almost asleep, forced his eyes open and said plaintively...

"Mommy, do the days just keep coming, day after day after day after day... after day?"

So, finding that a more than a bit depressing, I force-cheerfully said "Yes honey! Think of all the fun things to learn and do in all those days!!"

"But how do you keep from dying?"

"Honey, you don't have to worry about that for so very long.... everyone is doing really well and is healthy, no one is about to die at all."


"But, mom, how do you not die, REALLY?"


"Eat healthy and exercise, and take care of yourself. And we also take care of each other and love each other- that helps too."

Pause.

"Do I have to eat begetables?"


STORY 2

Tonight, Nolan was pretty tired and so was I - post work MAJOR headache- so we chilled, we watched treehouse, reviewed the alphabet he wrote out with Crissy, listened to his music lesson CD...

Then in the tub, he did his spinning trick with the gold and black bowl (it's cool), mixed bubble soup, was exceedingly tired and crabby, and we brushed our teeth. ("I wish there was no such thing as sugar bugs" he grumbled as we trudged to the sink to brush.)

Going to bed, he selected a Backyardigans book, and then seized by a thought, grabs a small gift wrapped style jewelery box from one of his drawers. He tried to fit various things into it, and is annoyed when my blackberry doesn't fit. "I need to give you a present!" So we quickly go back to the jewelry drawer and I tell him to grab something he has not seen me wear....he tucked something into the box, ceremoniously sits me down, and says "This is thanksgiving for you being the best mom in the universe because you love me and I love you so much.... And, mom, is this the first present I have given you???"

"Well, honey it's the first one you picked out and put in a gift box all by yourself! I REALLY love it."
Not the first present though - I have gotten so many gifts from this little person already.

It was a brooch with rhinestones and pearls and a broken clasp.
I don't know where it came from, and I have never worn it before, but now it's my favorite piece of jewelery.

First Day of School

 

 

 

 

1) Off we go
2) Nice backpack!!!
3) Huh?!? (Maybe get more sleep, hey?)
4) A First Day of School Poem.

Morning starts with the Meow Clock going off (mistake to let Nolan pick his alarm, it's orange, with a cat face, and meows REALLY loud like a full bladdered cat wanting to get out.)

Then Nolan comes down from the top bunk into my bunk (we are transitioning- I sleep better in the bottom bunk than I did on 10 inches of the king size bed with Nolan's feet in my ribs), we cuddle, and get ready. we are not quite ready to be awake.

Dropping Nolan off, he holds my hand tightly but is really quite unconcerned after about 5 minutes, and says a dismissive "Bye Mom!". Mike has part of this on film. When I pick him up at lunchtime, his is the first face to peek out the classroom door when it opens, he sees me, beams, and hurtles at my legs for a hug yelling "Mommy!". "How was Kindergarten, honeybear??" I love, Love LOVE IT!!!!!"

August 2009

 

 

 

 

On my birthday, my friend Andrea and I went to a Fringe play, "Bashir Lazar", directed by a friend of mine, and then went out with the very talented actor and my friend for cheesecake. Then I met Nolan and Mike at the Kid's fringe, which Nolan loves- storytelling, crafts, plays, parachute games - and went for an early supper on a deck.

The other pictures are the daygazing chairs, and the intrepid bears.

Big Grin

 

This is a pic taken as Nolan walked out from under the "umbrella tree" across the park - not quite in focus but I love the look on his face! We has just been "daygazing" - his word for taking folding chairs into the middle of the park, putting drinks in the cupholders, cuddling teddy bears, and looking at the sky. Then we put the bears in the tree.

After a long hiatus...Mother's Day.

I will do some photos and maybe videos soon. Nolan has grown up SO MUCH. He is delightful and perhaps excessively bossy, polite, well spoken, and still affectionate to the point of bruising me occasionally, and sometimes he just lays on top of me bonelessly relaxed watching Treehouse together. Don't get me started on the insanely strong Chuggingtons obsessions...talking trains, but with better music than Thomas and some REALLY cool trains, and plotlines involving ice cream and animals....

What else is new.... the Supercycle gambit - the stationary bike video game I got him for Christmas- may or may not have helped but he nows tools around on his bike, with training wheels, and a new horn and bell I picked up the other day. At first I regretted it (LOUD!) but now I can be on the porch or inside the house with the door open and know where he is. he loves his "musical bike".

Oh yeah, music is still a good thing, he is constantly singing, quite nicely, and we blend well together in impromptu duets. My music lessons and band participation have given me a huge repertoire of kid level background muzak tunes with classic chord progressions and so on. He isn't a prodigy- and I wouldn't push him to be- but he is pretty solid in acquiring a few skills and really enjoys it. A little disappointed with his music class (Yamaha)- his teacher is formulaic rather than truly loving the kids, but he likes it. I think I'll sign him up for a different music class - a summer thing maybe, if I can find one that will work- to check out Kidsnotes. Not sure which for next year.

For my early Mothers Day gift, Nolan came RUNNING to meet me at the door, beaming and wiggling with excitement, with a nicely wrapped gift and card. Our preschool is great, really. The gift was a clothespin butterfly with magnet to hold notes and stuff, and the card - dictated by Nolan, signed and decorated by Nolan- said:

"Mommy, I love you because you make crafts with me. I love eating with you at suppertime. I love going swimming with you at the blue and yellow slide pool.
Love,
Nolan"

So cute. Luckily he didn't slip in something like "I like weekend days when you don't go to work and stay with me all day" - cause he says that too sometimes. Owww.

Well, iut's nice to be back, I will try to get back in the habit. Even without recording things as much as i did I find myself thinking "I hope I can freeze this memory of my boychild so I have it forever". Given my brain though- nonselectively amnesiac- I'd be better off writing more. But clinging to moments of a childs life is futile, I guess, it's the whole trip that changes you and maybe I should just be comforted by the richer human experience and the emotional trip of parenting leaving an imprint on me, even if memories re imperfect. Don't know. I think I am a different person as a Mom- and I like it. Although it can be scary.

I'll post some pictures soon. My very tall (size 13 trending to size 1 feet- my gosh), expressive, medium brown wavy haired, browny-hazel eyed, rosy cheeked boy. Whose eyebrows are startlingly robust- looks like his dad and uncles more and more, but I see me in the expressions and eyes too.

Memory Lane...March 2006

 

 

 

 

Look at Nolan's "Wordle" - from this blog's text

title="Wordle: son age 4"> src="http://www.wordle.net/thumb/wrdl/503730/son_age_4"
alt="Wordle: son age 4"
style="padding:4px;border:1px solid #ddd">

Christmas

A "craft" from school- graham cracker house (pieces "glued" with icing onto a milk carton)

Nolan and his new Harold (his prize for our "going to bed nicely" chart, replacing the "waking up and NOT peeing the bed" chart

Presents!

The Wii was the big hit this Cristmas- Nolan liked the boxing the best.

Christmas photos

Just before Christmas trip - bath pose. Handsome little guy.

Loved playing with Lego at oma and Opas- very proud of this creation (and way past bedtime)

Will and Elisa and Nolan (and Patrick) at Elly-Elizabeth and Bernies- he set off across the pool with a pool noodle, but actually doesnt officially know how to swim. He's a little fish though.

Nolan and Oma when he was playing the organ.