Happy Birthday to Our Noah

Today Noah is five years old. Yesterday we discovered his two lower, front teeth are loose. He was so surprised. It is a true stepping stone of growing up. He has watched his older brother loose teeth all the time with extreme curiosity. Now it is his turn and he is fascinated. He reminds of when he started walking the day before his first birthday. He took this first two or three steps and had the same big eyes and surprised look as he does now looking at himself in the mirror making many various "Noah Expressions" while wiggling the teeth. The tooth fairy will be coming and this time for Noah's teeth because he is now five.

Thinking about writing this post I thought it would start by saying "oh, I can't believe he his five already", but the truth is I do believe it. My baby is five. Don't tell him I called him a baby. He hates that but of course our children are always our babies in our hearts.

For some crazy reason, I have been awaking every morning at 5am for the last month. My guess is that my need to write is waking me up. This morning I woke up and my first thought was today Noah wakes up and is five years old and he is going to be so excited.

Now Noah is five. He has a tender heart and a mind of his own. He is stern and direct with his feelings and willing to speak the unspoken feelings for the whole house. He loves to be held close and snuggle up. Even fifty-pounds heavy, Noah prefers to be carried, but understands when he can't be. He trusts his brother to teach him well, but doesn't let him rule his world. His best friend since they were five months old is Taavi , whose parents are wonderful and now also friends.

Noah is a child that has forced me to face many fears in order to better parent. This has helped me grow as a person. He challenges me in ways only Noah can, and while this does wear me down, each time I learn from it. He has opened my eyes to a tenderness that I believe all grown men have, some just have no idea how to express it because they didn't have the confidence or were never shown how. Noah you are a sweet, strong, and beautifully blonde boy. I love you and promise to always give you hundreds of big, wet, and sloppy kisses and some good back scratches.

Five cousins skiing

Stayed tuned.....five kids, two days, four adults one day, Aaron and I solo the next. May the force be with us.

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Erics

Today is my Grandpa Eric's birthday, Eric's namesake. He would have been 100 years old today. As far as I can tell there is no one sweeter or more content with his life than he was. He will always be a very special human who had more love and silliness to give than he seemed to realize.

 December 10th will  also always be 98 days after my labor day. Yet this day will never pass by without specially noting it as Eric's second birthday. No, not second as in two years old, but rather the day we came home from the hospital and walked through our front door together as a new family.

Eric, you embody the kind and happy nature of your great grandpa. Your smile, your bright eyes, your deep-belly chuckle bring daily joy into this world. You, my baby, have grown so much in eight years and the person you are becoming has me in awe every day. You are growing into a bold, confident, determined, and exceptionally enthusiastic young man. You wake up with sun wearing a huge smile on your face and strong bouncy steps underfoot. Although I struggle to wipe the sleep out of my eyes and say "good morning sunshine", I love your eagerness to start the day! Mostly though, I love you and as the trauma of our early days getting to know each other fades further behind us, I will remain forever grateful.

Eric soccer

Eric's soccer coach said he was the player with the best  sportsmanship and biggest smile all the time. His smile glows and lights up. His highlight move was passing and assistang in the goal which is what they c were working von all season as a team!

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Three buddies

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These 24, 26, 25 weeker NICU grads celebrating together their 8th birthdays. #sweetestboysever

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Fave travel companions

Montana summer here we come.

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Noah completed his summit of Mt. Whitney

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Best quotes from Father's day camping at Cisco Grove

"Noah do you have to go potty?" "No, I am just holding it for fun."

Eric after slipping into the creek crossing with one foot and sobbing, "Now my shoe will be wet for one hour"! Man, was he mad.

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Biscuits, breakfast, boys

Breakfast at Kali's with my boys. Love Fridays!

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New room

For the last 2 months we have been remodeling Eric and Noah's room. They have been sleeping on mattresses on the floor in the living room with toys and clothes lining the walls. Noah never actually realized that he has been sleeping in a toddler bed. Today we welcomed the final touch and moving back into their new room. Here you see their new bunk beds.  Each of them now has there on private place.  Eric even posted a sign. It reads "Privacy please.  Please go away".  Older siblings have to spell things out for their younger ones. At least he said please.

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Keeping up

Keeping up, let alone staying ahead of things is hard to do these days. The boys are always ten steps ahead of me leaving me scrambling to catch up with the next activity before someone breaks something, punches something or someone, gets hurt, or simply makes a mess that will require my immediate attention for the next 60 minutes.

We are days away from completing a remodel over their room and painting of our downstairs. This activity, taking place in 1300 sq ft house doesn't leave much room to live in. Needless to say we are all feeling a bit "jarred and unsettled" with the displacement of EVERYTHING. Getting ready in the morning goes something like that.

"Time to get dressed"!

"Eric put can you please put your dirty jammies in the hamper."

"Where's the hamper?"

Oh, uhhh, I think it is in the living room or maybe on the back porch

" Eric, can you please get dressed (second request)."

" I can't find any underwear.!"

"Oh, yeah. I think they are all folded downstairs, sitting on daddy's desk."

" Please get you backpack and shoes"

"Where are they".......

You get the picture.

Meanwhile we have had some lovely time getting away from the chaos with a unforgettable trip to Lego Land and San Diego, Santa Monica for Daddy's birthday, and a Mother's day camping trip!

Over the course of these activities Eric has mastered reading books with complete sentences, chapters, and stories! He love to read to Momma and beams when provided with the reassurance that he is doing a great job.

Noah has learned to ride his bike. He can't start on his own yet so Momma olds on to the seat until I hear my queue, "Let off, let off I side." which is means "let go NOW" mom.

Eric's baseball season is wrapping up and I wish I wasn't so excited about but it has been a trying season wrought with discontent between parents and coach. The coach would be better suited for 14 year olds and doesn't understand the point of baseball at this age or know how to communicate very well. Oh well, dealing with difficult people is a good lesson for all and only a few more weeks left.

On that note...kids need breakfast, Momma's needs a long run, and Daddy needs to be woken up (we let him sleep in).

PS Daddy is sleeping in Eric's bed, mattress on the floor.

Happy Easter

Easter is a celebration of coming out of darkness and into the light.  It is a celebration of gratitude.

Happy Easter to all!

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Satisfying training run in the hills

Fun morning on Mt Diablo! Missed first in my age group by 20 seconds. Alas, Eric will be disappointed in my finish. He wants me to bring home a first place metal for him to wear. We are working on teaching him the joys of personal victories,  but seven year olds like to win.

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Let's go number one

Great hit and speedy wheels to first base got him around the bases!

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Lunch date at Kali's

Such a treat!

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A few great one liners

Momma says, " I have no energy left for mini golf". Noah responds "POOF....I gave you some of mine [energy]. Now you have some".

Noah demands a snack after school  to which Momma reminds him she needs to hear those respectful magic words. Noah replies in his most tired and whiny voice, " I don't have any magic left today."

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Last week, Noah's pre-school celebrated International Day of Happiness and the letter "U".  Among all the joyous activities, they explored the fantastical world of unicorns by making horns;  practiced writing U's by making happy faces; and even re-purposed our pvc pipes by making upside down U's for the garden, which will be used as a support system for their plants/vines to grow around. They also kept up with  energetic 3/4 year olds by having a dance party where were they had a robot dance off and congo'd all around the classroom to "Happy" by Pharell (clearly a new favorite song). 

Here's a gist of what was said during one of our Happy vs.Unhappy circle times..

What makes you happy? 

Reza: Valentine's Day

Noah G.: When I go with my mom and go see firetrucks and see astronauts when it flies.

Noah T.: Toys!

Taavi: When I get to ride trains...and climbing on a firetruck connected on a play structure at a park.

Lily: Daddy

Silas: Firetruck that takes away the park. That's crazy!

Colt: When I go on trips. It makes me happy.

Jax: I love firetrucks, backhoes and dump trucks!

Eli: Superhero, my birthday day!

What makes you unhappy?

Reza: First robot day makes me unhappy.

Noah G. When you fall down you might get a boo boo.

Noah T. Blood.

Taavi: When my baseball team doesn't win. My team is the Giants.

Lily: Nothing...never!

Silas: When trucks take away the park and dumps it on the ambulance and goes boing boing!

Colt: When I don't get to go on pretend firetrucks a little bit.

Jax: When I'm burning on smoke and fire!

Eli: Firetrucks, well actually...

He is so sweet

Took a little work trip and was greeted with this note on the driveway.

"Welcome back from Monterey home sweet home Tara
Love Eric"

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Spirit week

Guess which rockstar I am for spirit week?

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Team Lugnuts opening day

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