Happy New Year from My Family to Yours

I would have to say it has been a successful year! We have done so much in the last year. We have made a few changes: a baby, new job, moving (again), and David starting his dissertation. Looking at all those changes and what we have done in the last year I feel so blessed to have a husband that loves me, and healthy growing baby boy, family and friends wherever I go and the faith of Christ. I pray for my family and all of yours that you are blessed in this coming year and you find joy and happiness even in the small things...I have found those to be the most remembered!

Right before we shot this video he would lift up his shirt and show us his belly button when we asked him to (hence all of the times we ask him to do it in the video). At the very beginning this is what he is doing--you'll notice that his shirt is up and his hand is on his tummy. He was showing us his belly button. But then he went crazy when the camera came out.

Noah!

Noah is awesome. Not even baby gates can hold him! He likes Santa, he's pretty cute in footy PJs, and he likes Spaghetti!
We have had one busy weekend, as I am sure everyones is getting this time of year. We decorated gingerbread houses, an Elder tradition that David has kept alive for us here in Texas, on Saturday with friends in Fort Worth. It was great to see everyone! As you can see we got to visit with the Santa this weekend too. Noah was a little unsure, there was a lot going on but it started to warm up a little but our little fella would not humor us with a smile. Oh well! Sunday Daivd and I got to go out with another couple we say two movies: Four Christmas' and Australia and went out for dinner. It was great to get out together we haven't done that too much. Oh yeah we also put up our Christmas tree, as yes I did put it on the balcony!! It is cute and perfect, it does not take up any 'used' space, there is no threat of Noah pulling or pushing it over and it can be seen by cars driving by (if they look up 3 stories!). Well, have a great week everyone, until next time.

Noah opening Grandpa Ring's present!

Noah's First Birthday

Not only have we had Grandma, Grandpa Elder, Aunt Laura and Aunt Carla here for Thanksgiving, we had a party for Noah today. He turned one! We can not believe that a year has flown by and our little boy is ONE! He has grown so much in his first year of life I can not imagine what is in store for the years to come. We invited some of our closest friends to eat pizza and cake with us this afternoon. I (rebekah) have to do some bragging, I made Noah's 1st Birthdat cake!! I am so excited about how it turned out, it actually looks like blocks! (and it taste good too, bonus). Noah got some great new toys, in the last hour before bed he has gone from one thing to the next just as happy as can be. We are hoping to get the video uploaded of him eating his cake and opening gifts (which the paper was more exciting then the gifts for awhile), we are having some trouble with youtube (it looks like other people are too....)
We hope everyone had a great turkey day, we love you all!

Just wanted to let you all know that Noah's still cute. He grabbed his pants while getting dressed from work. He took the top off of his little Lego play table and climbed in. AND he had his first sleepover--with a girl (we babysat for the neighbors; she's only a month younger than Noah and they had a lot of fun).

Itchin' for the Holidays

I just have to say that I am just itchin' for the Holidays. The change in weather (which in Texas is really feels like Fall), the music, lights, and we might even enjoy a cozy fire in our apartment this year. (Don't worry we aren't setting the place a'blaze, we have a fireplace) David is going to have to restrain me from putting up the tree as soon as Thanksgiving is over. We have already had a few discussions over the tree: where will it be, will Noah pull it over on himself? I think we have actually decided to put it on our balcony, without gifts of course. I am curious how that will play out but it will definetly be an adventure. We will make sure to post pictures.

David's parents and sister are coming down for Thanksgiving and Carla (my sister) will join us as well. So we are excited about a full table (of food and people).

Noah's 1st birthday is the Saturday after Thanksgiving so we are all excited about cake and friends coming over. I am looking forward to his reaction to the cake. Anyway, that is the scoop on us lately. Hope everyone is well.

A little glimpse at our trip to Mexico

David and I had a great time in Mexico for about a week this last month. We missed Noah like crazy but were grateful and extremely happy that both of our parents were able to split time and come down to hang out with their grandson. Oh, and Auntie Laura! Thank you mom and dad's and Laura for that, it made the trip more enjoyable knowing that Noah was in great, loving hands. It does make us want more and more to be near family. I really hope that Noah will grow up knowing his extended family the way I was blessed growing up. We pray that in the next year or two God will help us make those important decisions as well as give us the patience to allow David to finish his dissertation. But not only finish but write it to the best of his ability and be proud of what he has accomplished.

Hey all, we've had a really busy Columbus day. To celebrate the horrible subjugation and massacre that followed Columbus' "discovering" of the continent, we tried on a Halloween costume and went to look at pumpkins! The costume is supposedly a lion, but it looks a bit weird. He loved to eat the chin strap. Noah also got to crawl on the car a few days ago! I know the picture is of him on the top, but dad just put him on the hood and he climbed all the way up. He's a pretty big boy.

A lot has been happening around here. I got some big boy pajamas and I did my first art project at home with daddy. I made pretty pictures for mommy! Daddy gave me oil based paint and it tasted so good! Just kiddin'...he actually made some yummy vanilla pudding and then put food coloring in it. I promise that I put more pudding on paper than in my mouth. I looked outside and saw all the pretty trees, but I just don't have a literal artistic vision. I'm much more modern.

My Guys

So today I am feeling overwhelmed, frustrated and a bit ya know 'bitchy'...just ask David. Things are going well, just quickly and a lot to do in what seems like very little time. David was able to spend the whole day with Noah and I was looking forward to seeing my guys all day. But I have come home David and I worked on dinner together something we don't do enough of...Noah tried to help too. Noah and I crawled all around the living room, enjoyed dinner as a family and Noah got a bath, he is a bit of a messy eater. But really, what fun is food if you can't play with it, right? We have discovered that Noah really likes the spaghetti with meat sauce baby food, which is about the only 'dinner' baby food he likes and another thing he really likes is double stuffed oreos. Who would 'a thought, he really is like me! Well I have been working here for a little bit on curriculum and I have lost all motivation, I guess I will be doing some work tomorrow! We love you all and miss everyone in Iowa! Enjoy the pictures of Noah and his oreos as much as he enjoyed the oreos! And, just cuz they're cute, I put up a picture of Noah climbing into the laundry basket and of Noah taking a nap.

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Make a Smilebox greeting

Noah Stands, I Have Proof

So, admittedly, this isn't the best visual evidence of him standing. Right before and right after I took the video he did it for longer periods of time, but he noticed the dang camera again and stopped doing what he was doing. Also, Rebekah would appreciate it if you'd turn the sound off because she was caught talking somewhat loudly on her cell phone to her sister (and she thinks it sounds bad). Add on top of all that, the video uploaded in a weird wide screen so it looks all stretched--but it is Noah standing on his own!

It's been a while! Noah is now eating "real people" food and drinking out of a big boy sippy cup with space ships on it (but we're still trying to figure out exactly how to use it). He's been eating bananas for breakfast lately because they're about to go bad and he likes them more than anyone else in the family. He eats a whole banana, which we think is pretty impressive for such a small kid.

Noah had his 9 month check-up this week and he's 19 lbs 9 oz (which is the 40th percentile) and 29.5 inches (which is the 90th percentile). So he's tall and skinny. Hmmm...where could he have gotten that?

This is a post of Noah escapes.

He escaped from a diaper change, he tries to escape through the window, a duck tried to escape from his mouth, and he really wants to get out of that chair! Such a busy week!

Hey everyone! Lots of stuff going on right now. Dad finally caught my poopface on camera, I'm eating avocado (or turning into the Incredible Hulk, not sure which), I'm getting new teeth and I'm splitting my head wide open on a door hinge--dad didn't take me to get a stitch or two, but I probably could have used them...

What happens at Grandma and Grandpa's, stays at Grandma and Grandpa's

We just got back from a week long trip to Iowa. It was so fun to watch Noah get spoiled by grandparents. We had a great time with family and friends that unfortunately we don't see as much as we would like. Noah got to sit in a big shoe, play with new friends, drive a tractor, and we actually got to sleep in a couple of days (thanks moms and dads). The weather was great, a bit humid but cooler than Texas. There is always a lot to do and a lot of people to see. We love all of you and miss you already!