Mr. Cutie Pie Hat Head...

Hey All!

Well, it has been an exciting last few nights since my last blog. I'm happy to announce that Noah is now officially "detoxed" from his pacifiers and is loving life once again. Not that he ever hated life since Friday's game (see last blog), but he definitely was a sad SAD SAAAAAAAAD little boy when bed time came! It really only lasted for two nights and now he goes to bed happily once more. He definitely knew that they were gone, and for two nights he jumped back and forth between cussing me out and then crying out of his heartbreak. Now, I am NOT a "crying mommy." When Noah had his PKU's and all his shots and even when he needed blood drawn and catheters inserted at four months old due to a 104+ temperature, I didn't cry. I was calm and collected and just comforted him the best way I could. The nurses complimented me on my ability to stay calm and not freak out and have to leave the room. But when my sad SAD SAAAAAAAD little boy sobbed for his pacies, I came the closest that I've EVER come to crying myself! Mainly out of guilt that I was the one who took them away (and that it was 1 AM... again.), but mostly because I realized that he understood. I think he truly did understand why they went away, but he was just sad about it. And I've been there. I've been sad about a loss, and really all I wanted to do was cry for awhile until it felt better. So I guess it was just empathy! Then he would start to cuss me out again and I'd laugh and just give him hugs.

So the hard part is over and the era of the pacifier is officially over!!! Yay! And now I'm figuring that I have about 3-6 good months before we move onto potty training. Good times, good times...

Noah has this hat that Kevin gave him and he recently rekindled his love for wearing it. I'm surprised at just how much he wants to wear it. He even wore it into Sam's club the other day! I for one was not about to take it away from him (Please see above about being the mean mommy that takes things away!) Anyway, so here are some funny pictures and some very sweet pictures of Mr. Cutie Pie Hat Head. Behold as he empties my tupperware drawer onto the kitchen floor and then as we take an evening walk. He loves to play with his shoes as well and he can almost put them back on all by himself! Good times, good times... Enjoy!

Nicole

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Ba-Bye Pacifiers!!!

Yes, it's true. Noah's days of happily sucking away while driving in the car, riding in the stroller and, most importantly, sleeping like an angel at naptime and bedtime are OVER as of this afternoon!

I've been thinking about how I wanted to tackle this event, since I didn't want it to be traumatic. He's been through so much these last few months, and Kevin isn't home yet from his 6 week training in Dallas. This is the main reason as to why Noah still has his pacies at almost 21 months. I just didn't want to fight that battle when pretty much EVERYTHING in his little world has been turned upside down lately and he still doesn't have his daddy back. But then I woke up this morning and said to myself, "Let's make a game of it." And more importantly, I wanted him to take part in saying good-bye to them.

So after mid-morning applesauce, we went up to his room and read a few books. Not unusual. Then I told him that we were going to play a game and I wanted to tell him something first. I handed him one of the pacies from his crib and we went around his room looking at pictures of him when he was a tiny baby, and then pictures of him getting bigger and bigger until he saw his one-year picture on the wall. The whole time I told him about how when he was a baby, he loved his pacies and now that he's a big boy he could still love them, but he didn't need them anymore. Then we played the "game" of finding all the pacifiers in the house, diaper bags and cars and putting them in his little green basket.

Then we pulled the step stool up to the sink and Noah helped me wash all the pacifiers. I think he got a few soap suds in his mouth from the occasional suck, but he did such a great job and seemed pleased with himself when we were done.

Then we left them alone for an hour to really dry out while we watched an Elmo video. Noah is quickly becoming attached to Elmo and Sesame Street. I'm actually glad because I was a Sesame Street girl. Now we just need to bring back the Muppet Show! Eh-hem, but I digress.

When they were dry, Noah helped me to put them into a baggie. I explained that they were all clean and ready to go bye-bye. I carried him out the car in the garage and said that they were going bye-bye so we should give them kisses and wave! He thought this was so silly...And it really was. I wish I could have been an outsider looking in... No, that's not true. I wouldn't have traded being IN that moment for anything. I helped my brave little boy give the baggie kisses, and then he gave Mommy kisses, and then Mommy gave the baggie kisses, and so on. He was giggling like crazy and finally we set the bag on the front seat and closed the car door. We waved at the them as we walked back inside. He went right on the other things!

I'm not sure how all this will play out, but I do know that at least Noah was part of it. Hopefully that will help! And the proof is that about an hour later, I laid him down for a nap with his sippy cup, his blanket and a good book. No complaints... Hallelujah!!!! Knock on wood... We'll see how it goes tonight.

Yeah, so if any of you get a frantic phone call at 1:00am and I'm on the other end pulling my hair out while he signs "car" all night long, I'm sorry. At least I tried!!!

Nicole

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Election Time Humor...

In light of the upcoming election, I thought a little humor was in order. I do still consider myself undecided (for the most part) and I'm excited to see what happens this November since no matter what the outcome, it will be historic.

BUT... I'm sorry. I thought this SNL spoof on the recent Vice Presidential Debate is one of the funniest things I've ever seen. It's great to see that the SNL writers are dishing it out to both sides, although they sure are having a good time at Palin's expense. Anyway, if you didn't see it...Enjoy!

http://www.nbc.com/Saturday_Night_Live/video/clips/vp-debate-open-palin-biden/727421/


Nicole
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Howdy!

I know most of you read this blog just for the chance that you'll see a cute kid, a cute dog, or my hot wife, so I'll warn you upfront that this post contains none of those things. Just figured I'd save you some time.

Now for those of you who are still reading (thanks Mom), I am in the middle of two months of training in Dallas, Texas following my first two months in Nebraska. I don't really have anything interesting to say other than "Hey, I'm in Texas." I only have four weeks left of a four month slog where I have only been with my family for about 10 days in the middle. Good thing we have phones and webcams!

I'm staying in a really nice hotel (highlight: 42" LCD TV's), but we have to take the hotel's shuttle in order to do anything. That includes eating on the weekends, which is a pain, but actually about the only time I am forced to tear myself away from the football games I watch all weekend long. (For the record: #1 reason to pay for HD = football.) I have learned a person really tends to take private transportation for granted until life revolves around the shuttle schedule.

There really isn't a whole lot going on. I pretty much just get up and go to breakfast. Then class. Then lunch. Then class. Then dinner. Then back to the TV...er...hotel. It makes for pretty long days, but at least the weeks move by pretty quickly. It actually reminds me a lot of the MTC except without the alcohol and profanity. Wait, I may have mixed those up.

So now to answer the burning question that is on your minds: Is everything really bigger in Texas? The short answer: No. The long answer: Yes, if by "everything" you are referring to people, drawls, and the number of fields in the middle of the city that are filled with cows. Why do they have that saying anyway? Because Texas is big? We should cut Alaska in half and make Texas the 3rd biggest state. That'll show 'em. "Bam, bam, bam, bam... How is this a bad plan?" (Because Alaska Part 2 would only have a population of Nanook... except Nanook was in Canada so I guess the population would be zero.)

Do you know what else is bigger in Texas? State pride. Which leads me to a related item that is also bigger in Texas: The residents' level of defensiveness when you make fun of their state. Seriously guys, it's almost approaching Shakespearean "doth protest too much" levels. Maybe I should just stop making fun of Texas, but I can't help myself and they make it so easy. It's like how Eric D. Snider wrote that someone had described him: "[I]t's not that I push people's buttons (bzz, bzz, bzz). It's that I find one button I like and just keep my finger on it (bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz)." (See: http://www.ericdsnider.com/snide/uvs-legitima-c/ - Warning: don't read that article if you're a UVSC - Wait...what? They're still doing that? Seriously? Ok - UVU apologist. Thought: Can we refer to their students as Uvulas?)

Interesting Texas fact: Did you know that Texas retains the right to secede from the U.S.? Well, not really, but every Texan I have ever known has told me it's in their state constitution. I guess the interesting fact is that Texans that think so are wrong. Interesting!*

Hmmm. I am now realizing that maybe blog entries are not a good avenue for me to express myself. I tend to be a little too willing to risk offensiveness for a slight (VERY slight?) payoff in humor. Perhaps I can convince Nicole to be my official "bowdlerizer." Though I'm sure most would prefer she just change the password to the blog without informing me.

-Kevin

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* Potentially Boring Footnote: One could argue that Texas has the right to secede because it was originally an independent republic before annexation by the U.S. I don't really buy that reason, though there are groups (probably very small ones) advocating legal secession for Vermont and Hawaii on the same basis. One could infer from the Texas Constitution (which I was actually reading tonight - yes, I try to do my research) that while they subject themselves to the U.S. they basically still think they can do whatever they want. I stand by my assertion, however, that most Texans are wrong since this is definitely not what they mean when they say "Y'all know we can leave whene'er we feels like it? 'Sin our Constushun! Yeehaw!" (That Texan was totally uncalled for. I apologize.)

Ah, Ice Cream...

Here's a funny video of Noah having his very OWN bowl of ice cream (with a little bit of brownie mixed in.... mmmmmmmmmm....). He had this for the first time ever about a month ago and he's never looking back! Up until then, he would usually make his way around the room and get "tasties" from just about everyone. Now THAT'S a good way to have dessert. :) Enjoy.

Nicole
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