And She Stands...

Noelle stood up all by herself.  Yeah!!!  I was so excited that she did it, I screamed with excitement and scared her:)  She fell down.  Whoops!  I had to go out and buy "walking" shoes for her today.  They are hot pink - of course.  August could be her lucky walking month.  Stay tuned...

PS:  Still no teeth.  I really thought something would break.

Love,
Noelle's Mommy

She Gives Kisses!

Noelle had another huge milestone!  She gives kisses!!!  The only concern is that... they are tongue kisses (aka - French kisses).  I think she learned it from the dog.  She has been kissing the dog with the tongue for the past few weeks.  We thought it was cute at first.  Good thing we have photos to blackmail her when she is older.

It is so funny, she comes at you with an open mouth and tongue out - ready to smooch!  Get ready for the next time you see her.  I love her!

Love,
Noelle's Mommy

The Pole Photo!!

I have gotten a lot of comments about the pole photo!  Isn't it a classic?!  I took it when we were at the NYC Children's Museum.  They had a mini firehouse of the FDNY.  We let Noelle slide down the pole. She had so much fun at the museum. I can't wait to go back.

PS:  It wasn't a naughty pole - it was a FIREHOUSE pole.

Love,

Noelle's Mommy

Half Plum, Half Prune

So I thought once I endured the 10 months of pregnancy plus 14 hours of labor, I could keep a little of the fruit.  Ohhhhh so not true!  Now I am half plum, half prune.  I had to go out for the first time since high school and buy a new size of "over the shoulder boulder..." (you know it).  Let the truth be told!!!!!!!!!!!!!

PS:  This whole Noelle teething thing is not always cool.  She blew out a diaper for the first time since she was an infant this morning.  I threw up in my mouth while changing it.  Gross.

Love,
Noelle's Mommy

And I Thought a Newborn Was Needy!

Wow oh wow!  Noelle is such a handful.  She is officially teething (has a tooth bud).  I feel so bad for her (and for me).  Her diapers are worse than when she was first born!  Ellie Bird's lip is raw from chewing on everything... also diaper rash, not eating, etc.   She wants to be held ALL THE TIME.  I blame Grandma Larson since she did not put her down at all over the 4th!  I LOVE that she favors mommy and wants me to hold her, play with her, love her all the time.  Sometimes mommy needs to go to the bathroom, grab something to eat, anything!  I am not complaining - still love being a mommy:)

Love,
Noelle's Mommy

Disciplining Little Noelle

Now that Noelle is 9.5 months, she knows what's right and wrong.  For example when she makes a beeline for Oscar's food dish or if she chews paper.  Noelle will look at me a smile right before she is naughty.  I try not to smile back or laugh, but it's so hard - she is so darn cute!  So "the books" say that you should not raise your voice or say "No".  Instead you should take them away and create a new distraction for them.   Hmmm...  apparently "the books" have never met a little girl like Noelle.  The girl has a one track mind.  If she is by Oscar's food and I pick her up and set her by her toys, she cries and instantly crawls back to Oscar's food dish!  The new distraction does not work, now what?

Love,
Noelle's Mommy

I prune her like a monkey!

Have you ever watched the "Discovery" Channel or "Animal Planet" and seen the mama monkeys pruning their young? They remind me of myself.  While the monkeys are picking off insects and then eating the insects, I am inspecting her body of dirt, food, foreign substances, etc.  I have even started the "camel lick" with her hair!  I will get a big wad of spit on my hand and flatten her hair.  Noelle doesn't necessarily like it.  What child does?  At least she is clean from mama spit!

Love,
Noelle's Mommy

She has a foot fetish!

I think Noelle has a foot fetish.  Every time go to a play group, she goes right for everyone's feet!  On Thursday, we went to a music class (it was so fun).  Noelle was playing with the little boy's feet next to us - first grabbing them and then eating his feet.  Last week when we were in Wisconsin, she was eating Cameron's feet (her future boyfriend).  A few months ago - again at a playdate - she took the little boy's shoes off first, then his socks and starting eating his feet!  What?!!!  I think she is going to be the aggressor!  PLUS she loves to suck on her own feet.  

PS:  The music class was great.  BUT... they offer a baby Latin dance class!!!  How awesome is that?!  We are going to sign up for that one for sure.  Stay tuned.

Love, 

Noelle's Mommy

Noelle's Nine Month Appointment!

Yesterday we had Noelle's nine month appointment!  Can you believe she is already nine months?!  The pediatrician said "She's perfect."  Of course she is!

I thought she was tall for her age.  Many people have told me how big she is.  Well Noelle is a little peanut!  She is 27.5" tall - 23%.  She also weighs 20 lbs - 41%!  No wonder it's getting difficult to hold her for hours (I will manage).  The ped said we could start feeding her anything we want (except for the high allergens).  Meatballs - here we come!  Well she did say we should stay away from the ice cream for a few more months.  Noelle will be so upset.  I guess we will have to switch to frozen yogurt!

Noelle also had to get more shots and blood drawn.  She is such a trooper.  Mommy cried more than Noelle!

Love,
Noelle's Mommy