Random joys

Here's some recent randomness for your viewing pleasure!

Occasionally, if the stars align just right, our neighbors are out at the same time we are, the kids all want to play, and we can socialize in the driveway for the evening.  Everybody wins.  Sometimes the girls drive Connor crazy though, since he's so anti-dolls-dress up-purses-frillies-and-high-pitched squealing.  I was able to put Noah to bed, sit in the garage with the monitor, and watch the kids scooter, chalk doodle, and play in the rain.  It was as close to complete relaxation as I could get. 

Then there's this guy.  He turned 7 months and WHAM! Within 2 days, he was crawling, sitting up on his own, and pulling up on everything.  Matt loves to see Noah hit all these milestones. I, on the other hand, find it to be very bittersweet.  My baby is growing ridiculously fast.  While I'm very happy to see him thriving each day, I keep seeing images like him pulling up in his crib at night & screaming because he doesn't know how to get down, holding him while he's reaching for the ground & fussing until he can get down, head bumps and tears, and no more leaving him knowing he'll stay in one spot.  So far, his biggest crawling motivation is anything that belongs to Connor, remotes, cords, and basically anything he shouldn't have.  Getting a gate for the stairs is on my current to-do list.  Here's trouble, himself.

His mouth is always open!  Favorite toy--a toothbrush.

This past week, our dear, dear, friends, Danielle Lutz & the boys were in town from Pennsylvania!  We were happy to coordinate some free time to get together & let the kids play.

It's strange to me that Landon is no longer "Baby Landon" and Noah is the tiny one.  The boys enjoyed some kiddie pool/fountain time (with a minor hiccup of Connor running head first into one of the fountain poles).  After some hugs and tears, Connor recovered & was back to playing!  All boys were wiped out by the end of our play date, which is always a bonus!  We are so blessed to know the Lutz (and Winter) family!  Can't wait until they come to town again!  

Noah's developing one funny little personality.  He's started with this funny face and silent laugh (when he plays with a particular Elmo toy).  Fun is only beginning with this one.

Since Noah is working on perfecting his pulling up skills day AND all night, we've been up a lot lately.  If I know he's fed, changed, not sick, or teething, I will let him cry and settle to sleep (although I hate it).  Now a days, if he wakes, he will automatically sit up and stand.  He'll just stand, not knowing how to get down, and cry this sad, exhausted cry at the end of his crib by the door...as if he's just waiting for me to come rescue him.  If I leave him be, 9 times out of 10, he'll try to get down from standing, and conk his head on the side of his crib.  My nights are a lot of up and downs to nurse and comfort Noah lately.  The whole house may wake up blurry eyed, but when I wake up to this image on the monitor, it makes everything all better!

And to close this post, here's my little Clark Kent with his new straw goggles at supper.  Is he not so hilarious?!?! :)