This is the Best Game Ever!

While we did quite a few things today, the only picture that I took was while we were at the Cheesecake Factory with Matt and Kristin....

but doesn't Noah look happy sitting with Kristin? :)

This afternoon Noah and I spent some time with Kim and Mia. Kim was in our first small group that we joined when we moved here to California and she now has a six week old little girl, Mia. Somehow (I've NO idea how!) I managed to let them get away without a picture of her and her sweet little baby.... next time Kim! Beware! I will be the paparazzi!

We also met up with Matt and Kristin for dinner and then we played a few games with them at our house on the Wii. I also can't believe that I didn't get a video of us playing "the best game ever"! We were all in hysterics while we were playing a game on Sonic and the Golden Rings... good thing Noah was asleep in his crib or we would have woken him up!

He did it!!

Noah rolled over! However, I think it was an accident and I tried to get him to do it again, but he wouldn't. So, enjoy this video of him just enjoying (haha) some tummy time and know that just before this video was shot, he rolled over for the first time in his very young little life! I'll try to catch it on video, that is if he ever does it again.

Mirror, mirror on the wall....

who's the fairest baby of all?

A Surprise Diaper Pounding

Crystal and Jim, the hosts of our Small Group, are expecting their third baby in early June and we are all so excited for them. Since they really had all the clothes and toys that they need for little Olivia, we decided that we would throw them a surprise diaper pounding. (For those of you who are wondering what a diaper pounding is, it's basically a baby shower, but instead of clothes or other baby gifts, you "pound" them with diapers!) Needless to say, they were quite surprised when we all walked in with lots of diapers!

Noah and I spent most of the day preparing the things we were suppose to bring: a diaper cake and cupcakes. Noah sat in his Bumbo and talked with me and watched while I put together the cake and decorated the cupcakes. (And don't worry, the only time I stepped away from the table and didn't take him off of it was when I took this picture - the reason these were recalled was because people would put the baby on an elevated surface and leave them there while the parents were no where to be found. Trust me, I'm too protective to just leave him there without me in arm's reach!)

Here's the finished diaper cake and cupcakes...

Normally, by the time we get to small group, Noah is already asleep, but not tonight! I guess he knew that there was a party tonight. At least he got to enjoy some time with our friends - he really likes Heidi!

He did finally fall asleep though and of course, it was before we could get a picture of us with Michelle and Ella. I can hardly believe that she is almost one!!

And the star of the show: Crystal! Doesn't she look just beautiful?

If Olivia is just a cute as Isabella, I don't know what Jim and Crystal will do with themselves when the girls reach high school! ;)

LA's Fabric District

This afternoon Crystal, Michelle, Noah and I all loaded up in the Jeep and went to downtown LA to the Fabric District. How did I not know about this place and visit it sooner?! We had such a great time going through the shops and haggling with the vendors. Not to mention we got great deals on some nice fabric. I can't wait to go back (sans a cranky Noah) and get a few more deals on fabric for some of my upcoming projects!

This was just in ONE store!

Noah did not like the heat (it was kinda hot today) and wasn't feeling to great due to his gums so he was a little cranky at times. :(

This was one of my favorite finds of the day - Amy Butler fabric and they had so many more designs. I'm going to make myself a skirt from it! The picture just doesn't quite do the colors justice.

I love the fabric district. :)

Bedtime Stories

I'm so glad he already loves books.

Ben's Trip to Colorado

I might not like having Ben be away from us (or us be away him), but I don't mind it at as much when I know he's going to be able to visit his family. So, when he left, I told him to make sure that he took a bunch of pictures and videos for me of Sylas and the rest of the family... thank you for doing that for me Ben!

He ended up taking so many different little videos of Sylas, but Sylas, as soon as he knew that Uncle Ben was taping him, wanted to see it himself! Ben said that several of the videos Sylas watched 6 or 7 times. :) This is one of my favorites...


And they barely got him to blow me a kiss before he wanted to see what Uncle Ben captured!

Chris and Daisy

Noah's new shirt from Aunt Marian and Sylas - Noah's Dad does rock! ;) Thanks Marian!

Marian and Sylas

And Carol, the lemon pie made it back! :)

Who moved my Baby?

I went upstairs to put away some laundry and when I came back downstairs two minutes later, Noah was NOT where I left him. And no, Ben wasn't home yet to move him! He turned himself around! He had been laying with his head near the rainbow (to the right of the pic) and his feet towards the sun/mirror (to the left). I'm so proud!

Anyone who has kids (and some who don't) surely knows about VeggieTales. Especially since I love to give (and get) their videos. "Saturday morning fun, Sunday morning values!" While I was in Oklahoma, Daddy-Man and I went fabric shopping and found this great panel that was designed to be made into a cloth children's book. It's from one of my favorite VeggieTales, possibly the first I ever owned! During Noah's morning nap, I put it together and it was so easy that I wish I had bought a few more to give away as gifts!

Laundry and a gift

Noah REALLY wanted to help with the laundry today - he told me. So I let him.

I think Mom has pictures of all of us girls in the laundry basket at one point in time or another, so I couldn't resist one of Noah too.

After I laid him down so I could fold the towels, I looked down and found him watching me with his thumb in his mouth. With his gums bothering him, I've found that he's got his hands up to his mouth more and more often... all the more reason to insist that people wash their hands before they hold him!

After Noah went to bed tonight, I finally got to work on a project. All week long we've been trying just to get settled in and get the house in working order. It's finally at a place where I can work without getting sidetracked on something that needs to be picked up or cleaned. So, I worked on and finished (the sewing portion) of a special little girl's first birthday present. I'm sure, if her mom is looking at this post, she'll know it's for her, but I'm okay with that. :)

It's not as "flouncy" as I had wanted it to be... I still like it a lot though. I got the inspiration for it from an article in Fit Pregnancy magazine. We use to make clothes without a pattern for our Barbies all the time, so I figured that I could probably do it for a baby too - I feel like I should be on Project Runway now! (Seriously, just kidding!) Here's the picture from the magazine:

I'm thinking I'll make her a hat too....

Four Months Old

My baby is four months old today - I can hardly believe it. It feels like it was ages ago that he was born, years since he finally came home, and I can barely remember life without him. And now, I look at him and see all the progress he's made: he's eating so well, he's so curious, and he just talks away and I truly just praise God for blessing us so greatly.

Happy Four Months Dear Noah!

A Wordless Wednesday

Off again.

Cheese. It seems like neither of us (Ben and I) can be home at the same time! Ben left this morning for a TDY to Colorado Springs and I am ALREADY ready for him to come home. The only positive thing about him being gone is that perhaps I'll be able to get some sewing and scrapbooking done since I've got so much to get caught up on (assuming I can get the house cleaned up so that I can actually work).

If you know my Dear Husband just a little, you surely know how much he loves Captain America... and if you've spent any time with me in a mall, you know how often I've looked for a Captain America t-shirt for him. Well, rest assured that now he (and Noah!) has his shirt. (Mom, this means you can stop looking for one now too.)

And, just because I can't go a day without showing off the baby, look at how well Noah is holding his head up! I couldn't be more proud! ;)

HOME!!

Home. After a month in Oklahoma and a week in Santa Maria, boy does it feel good to be here!! Not that I didn't love visiting both places, I'm just looking forward to actually sleeping in my own bed for the first time in five weeks!

We finally made it home about 4:00 this afternoon and in those few five hours we've accomplished quite a bit! Including, three loads of laundry, emptying out the mail box and suitcases, filling up one trash bag and a suitcase, giving Noah and bath and putting him down for the night.... and the list goes on and on!

We came home to find a belated Easter package on the porch for Noah from his Grandpa Mike and Grandma Brenda - he says thank you!

After we got the Jeep unloaded (I wish I had taken a picture of that!), Ben decided that it was time to put together Noah's exercise saucer! I loved how Noah seemed so excited to see Daddy put it together....

...but by the time that Ben had it together, Noah was out cold in the swing! :)

Once he woke up though, we put him in there and since he still needs a little help, we put his Easter bunnies and his Valentine's puppy in with him to keep him company and to help hold him up.

Don't worry, it was just for the picture.... I'm really going to put a rolled up blanket in there (much safer that way)!

Why We Are Here

Here's why we are in Santa Maria...

(Same view, only at night.... I love how it looks all lit up!)

Ben told me I wasn't allowed to give specifics, so here's the place that he always goes to when we're in Santa Maria. :)

This is the view at dusk from where he works while we're there... must be nice, eh?

Solvang

Since we were already so close, and unable to leave the immediate area due to Ben being on call (we did have a lunch date with Jim and Nancy and Austin, but had to reschedule because we couldn't leave the area - we're sorry guys!!), we decided to take the 30-45 minute drive over to Solvang. Neither of us had ever been and we're so glad that we went!

Solvang is a quaint little Danish (tourist-y) town surround by the wine country. We ate lunch at The Red Viking Restaurant and had pastries from nearly every bakery we walked by!

Can you spot Ben and Noah? :)

It was so windy that this was all that Noah really saw of Solvang.... the "Noah-sized" windmill and Daddy with the camera.

He slept most of the day away, but look: he's semi-sitting up in his stroller without his carseat!

Shop-a-holics

When we're "on vacation" we tend to shop. (And, by vacation, I mean, when Ben is TDY and I tag along and pretend that I am on vacation.) On our way out to Santa Maria, there is an outlet mall in Camarillo that we often stop at (yea for Auntie Anne's Pretzel's!) and they have a Carter's outlet. We stopped, of course, on our way out to feed Noah, feed ourselves, and shop a little... the yellow sweater vest and green plaid shirt we bought there and I'm putting aside for Easter next year (hey, when you find a good deal, you gotta get it!)... the rest of the outfits are 24mons/2T's that I got at the BX for 75% off!! Nothing like a deal!!

And notice the Cars swim trunks!! That was the only item that I paid full price for and I'm SO glad I got them! ;)

Oh, and yes, we did buy things for people besides Noah, but I can't show those things, now can I?

My Happy Baby

Noah is now my happy baby once again! It took a day of just staying in and being diligent about his naps and now he's happy again! Yippee!! I took these pictures just before we gave him his bath. He's now sleeping comfortably in his Daddy's arms!

And, because I've always wanted to take a picture like this:

While Noah and I were fabric shopping in Santa Maria today, we drove through Orcutt and I snapped this picture. I realized though, that the sign is backwards - bummer! I had always thought those cool pictures of signs in the mirror were not Photoshopped, but I guess they are!

TV Boys

This picture just cracked me up!

Ben came home to eat lunch with us and of course wanted to hold Noah before we left to eat. When I looked over at the two of them, both of them were watching TV! Ben says it's because he's an Akers' (we love TV!) but I say it's because he's a boy. In reality, I think he just likes the colors.

Ugh.

No pictures today.

We had a semi-rough travel day today to Santa Maria... Noah is still on Oklahoma time and very much overtired and tired of being in his car seat. I just hope he sleeps well since he didn't get his bedtime routine. Heck, I'm tired of travelling too. And really wish we were all just going to be at home instead of still out of pocket.

Hopefully we'll have pictures tomorrow.