Father's Day Rocket Ship

I never imagined I'd have two little boys. With all the work we do every day to raise them, give them what they need and keep the ship together, I often forget to savor the joy they bring to my life. My first Father's Day with both of them was a perfect time to remember how blessed I am and just have fun, laugh and love them.

All Noah needs right now is for me to talk to him, hold him, give him lots of smiles and mix in a bottle every 3 hours. Eric on the other hand, requires a rocket ship. After sleeping in and having some breakfast with the family all together, Eric and I took a huge box that we had in the garage (thanks Aunt Kathy and Uncle Rick!) and turned it into our own interstellar vehicle. Eric actually decided that the box would be a rocket ship. I had suggested we make a castle but his imagination was bigger than that. We cut the windows, made the escape portal, added power buttons and steering wheel, and spent an hour painting it. After that it was time for lift off. We flew to the moon, battled monsters and hid from momma. I think I had more fun than Eric.

Later in the day, Eric's rambunctous friend Aemon came over to play and they quickly discovered how to crash the rocket ship. Here's a sweet video of the two kids:

Summer, summer, summer time

The weather has been pretty nice these past few weeks minus the days when the San Francisco Fog rolls and cools things down about 20 degrees. You think it is summer and than *wham*, just like that you are freezing. It is certainly the time of year you see swarms of tourists on the cable cars wearing shorts brrrr and the SF fleece that bought at Fisherman's Wharf.

News in Noah's world is that he is starting to grab various things and bring them straight to his mouth, not of the toy variety yet though. He prefers fabric like birth clothes, blankets, and his very own chew-guy that was given to him by Nicole. This weekend he also began getting more and more familiar with his feet grabbing his toes and rolling his hips side to side.

Noah is very good and communicating. He only uses crying as last resort or if something is really, really uncomfortable like that dang GERD. I really need to get this on video, but when he is working up a hunger he will start squirming and "talking" more. If you dare walk by him or set him down while the hunger is building he starts shaking his fists and feet at you with this look of real concern while he states "unh, unh, unh".

Being summer time we have also had some time up at Oma and Opa's house on Lake Wild Wood, a regular Disneyland for Eric. Boats, golf carts, bikes, hoses, tennis, dirt, fishing, and local wildlife (deer and humming birds). We are gearing up for the big Lake Wildwood 4th of July extravaganza as we speak which will be the first visit with all the cousins (except Semi the black lab cousin) together.

Ready for the World Cup

Where's that chicken

This morning Eric and I were sitting on the couch, me feeding Noah and Eric talking. Out of no where (as most of his thoughts are) Eric asks me, "Where's that chicken Momma?"

"What chicken?" I say. "Oh, you mean the rooster three houses down that doesn't know morning from night?"

"No Momma. The one on Shari's old roof."

Our living room window looks out on a view of our neighbor's (Shari) gorgeous roses and the roof of her house (ever since we got our new roof in December Eric refers to all other roofs as old). A few weeks ago we were sitting in our morning spots on the couch (me feeding Noah and Eric keeping us company) and there was, on Shari's roof I kid you not, a huge wild turkey. I was so stunned my reaction was to scream out "uh,uh help". Then the turkey flew off the roof, down to the ground, and over the fence into Dean's yard.

Now, turkeys are pretty common up in the Oakland hills and the state parks up there but I have never seen them down here just wandering around so I was a little taken aback. In San Francisco I have seen foxes (red & gray), coyote, skunks, raccoons, and flocks of parrots but not a turkey. And to see a turkey eye to eye out your window and 6:30am is pretty surprising. You see, there is only about one foot between our window and Shari's roof so that turkey might as well have been in our living room.

So to answer Eric's question "where's that chicken?" Well that would be three houses down in Chucks backyard, but the turkey is now roaming around on Burbank street.

Look at Noah's cute eyes

Noah and I were sitting on the floor with Eric watching him play with his fire truck and their crew Bill, Trevor, and Mel. Mel is a female and Eric makes her lead driver in just about every rig he owns (dump truck, garbage truck, fire truck, flat bed, digger, and 4x4). Don't ask me why. Maybe it is because I am raising and equal opportunist. In the same breath he was using to script his work crew he moves in close and quickly to Noah and says, "Oh, look at Noah's cute eyes". I nearly cried. Then his next sentence is to tell me he likes me ear rings and that Annee (short for Rosanne - his teacher) also wears nice ear rings. In the last month Eric's communication skills have gone from choppy to crystal clear and he you know he is happy when he is jabbering.

Eric is really warming up (finally) to his role as big brother.Today he sat next to Noah, opened a book and began "reading" him a story that started like this "Once upon a time....".

Noah is growing by leaps and bounds and my shoulders are getting buff from carrying around this 14 pound person in his favorite spot, over my shoulder, most of the day.

Some of his latest milestones:

1) Discovering his hands - I love it when he throws them out like he is going to give you a big hug, meets his hands in the middle, watches them, and pulls them to his mouth studying them the whole time.

2) Rolling from back to front and front to back - to date only once but he meant it. He was nearly nude up at Oma and Opa's so maybe he was feeling free in the fresh air.

3) Strengthening his neck - he can almost hold it up without bobbling too much. He also likes to lift his head, legs, and bum off the floor all at the same time. In yogi speak we call this boat pose and I can barely do it.

4) Looking at shapes, patterns, little toys and trying to swat them with his hands and feet. He will also grasp a small rattle if I put it in his palm but after a few minutes will start to cry because he can't let go of it so swoop in and save the day.

Click this link below for some of the May photos

For the pics click this:

SnapfishPhotos

Sing it cowboy

Snail mail happens

My dear friend Susanne of Pica Press & BULLSEYE created these beautiful birth announcements for Noah

I will get them out to you in the snail mail the old fashioned way but before I did I wanted to capture how beautifully they arrived. So special for Susanne to share her talents. It means so much to me.