Me and Dwight K. Schrute...

Ryan and I are fans of the television show, "The Office". One of our favorite episodes is the one where Michael Scott grills his foot on his George Forman grill, and Dwight leaves in a hurry to pick him up. In his hurry to leave the office, he backs into a pole, jumps out of his car and vomits all over it.

Why am I telling you this story? Well, Saturday morning, I woke up, Ryan made me home-made waffles from scratch for my birthday (they were so good, but I don't want them for a long time), and afterwards, I started having horrible stomach pains. My stomach felt like there were burning needles all over it. It was, shall we say, uncomfortable.

Ryan offered to take Noah to swim lessons for me, but I was like, no this is just indigestion, it will pass. I took some Mylanta and Noah and I left for swim lessons. We had been in the car for about 5 minutes, when the urge to vomit came over me. I pulled into a parking lot, jumped out of the van, and (instead of vomiting on the van) I vomited in front of the van. It was nasty. Noah started to cry. I got back into the van and told him that we wouldn't be going to swim lessons, that Mommy needed to go home. I drove home, breaking every speed limit on the way, got home, jumped out of the van, ran past Ryan telling him I threw up, that he needed to get Noah out of the van, and he could find me in the bathroom if he needed me. For the next 3 hours, I laid on the bed and crawled to and from the bathroom. It was magical.

Ryan and Noah played downstairs, and Chili laid next to me on the bed, letting me use him as something to pull or push up on if I was going to or coming from the bathroom. After the 3 hours passed, I felt better. I took a shower, and then basically was useless for the rest of the day. I was dizzy and weak.

My husband cleaned the house, grocery shopped, and proceeded to begin making dinners to freeze before the baby comes. Thanks Ryan, you're the best.

Dear Daddy Part VIII...

Dear Daddy,

Good news! The lump on my neck isn't serious at all! It's just cartilage that didn't move with all the other cartilage when I was inside Mommy. I guess I'll have it for the rest of my life, but it's only the size of a b.b. I was pretty good for the doctor, and he gave me a sucker and a high five. I had a good day at Theresa's today too. I ate a little bit, but I haven't really eaten in a couple days. Mommy made cheeseburbers for dinner, but I just nibbled at mine. I drank milk though. Mommy gave me a bath tonight, and then read me 5 stories. I miss you Daddy. Mommy says you'll be home tomorrow night and I might get to see you if you don't get delayed at the airport or stuck in traffic. I hope I get to see you. Maybe you can put me to bed? Mommy doesn't have much of a lap for me to sit on when she reads me stories.

I love you!

Love,
Noah

Dear Daddy Part VII...

Dear Daddy,

Today I played with Grandma all day! We had so much fun! I taught her how to play trains and showed her how to put the track together. We played Cars for a long time too. We watched parts of movies. I like the part in Nemo with all the fishies the best. Grandma and Mommy say that we need a new DVD player, because Cars wouldn't play and Nemo was skipping even though it doesn't have any scratches on it. Grandma brought me a bunch of books! We looked at them together. My favorite book is all about choo-choos. We looked at it alot.

This morning I watched Mickey with Grandma right before Mommy had to go to work. Grandma was talking to Mommy, and I said, "No talk, Mickey". Mommy and Grandma laughed. Grandma made me peanut butter toast for breakfast. I didn't eat all of it, but Grandma said Chili countersurfed and finished it for me. She said he also ate the rest of the butter. He's naughty!

I took a 3 hour nap for Grandma! She forgot to take off my glasses, but I slept anyway. She came right back to take them off, but I was already sound asleep so she didn't want to disturb me. She also let me stay in my jammies all day! How come you and Mommy make me take my jammies off and put on other clothes? It's more comfortable to wear jammies all day.

Poor Grandma. I had diarrhea all day. She had to change my diaper 6 times! I didn't really eat today either. Mommy brought us home Portillo's for dinner after her doctor's appointment. I didn't really eat any of that either. I did drink milk, though.

Grandpa got me my first transformer! It's pretty cool! Mommy showed me how to make it transform. She said it's not an autobot, which she says are the good guys. That's okay, it's cool anyways.

Mommy says I have an appointment at the specialist tomorrow. She seems pretty nervous. Are you going to come with us?

I miss you and love you! Next time can Grandma stay longer? Can she bring Grandpa and Sarge with too?

Love,
Noah

Dear Daddy Part VI...

Dear Daddy,

It was nice to see you on Friday and all weekend. I had fun playing with you. I'm sorry that I threw up on you on Saturday. I didn't mean to. I just wasn't feeling good. I enjoyed our Sunday morning since I wasn't feeling good enough to go to church. Thank you for staying home with me. I still don't feel so good, and was very clingy to Mommy after you left this morning. She had to carry me around the house, and then I didn't want her to leave when she dropped me off. She said I felt a little warm. Mommy says that Grandma Vicki is coming to spend the day with me tomorrow. That should be fun. I will tell you everything that Grandma and I did when I see you.

I love you, Daddy!

Love,
Noah

Dear Daddy Part V...

Dear Daddy,

Mommy said that when I wake up tomorrow morning, I will get to see you. I hope so! I missed you so much! She also said that you might have a present for me... cool! Today, I had a pretty good day. I woke up happy, and even let Mommy put my eye drops in with very little struggle. I hope we can be done with them soon. This afternoon I played a lot and only melted down once, when Mommy took me outside and I wanted the screen door to be left open. Mommy said it was too cold to leave it open, and I didn't like that at all. She made me chicken nuggets for dinner tonight, but I didn't eat them. I don't know why I haven't wanted dinner the last 2 nights. Hopefully I'll end my hunger strike soon. Mommy says I'm too skinny.

I miss you and love you!

Love,
Noah

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Ryan's plane has officially landed and he is on his way home! Thank you, Lord! 4 days is a long time to be alone, pregnant, sick, with a 2 year old who never stops moving. Ryan did make things a lot easier, he pre-packed me a lunch for every day he was gone with a little note for each day. All I had to do was make my sandwich each night. He also filled a bag with dog treats, so that I wouldn't have to bend over to get them for the dogs every morning and bring them upstairs to their crates. He also made sure we planned out food for dinner all week, so that I wouldn't have to figure it out on my own, and then he made sure we had all those items for dinner. Yes ladies, you should be jealous.

Dear Daddy Part IV...

Dear Daddy,

Today Mommy got me a milkshake from McDonald's as a special treat- we had a rough morning. I wouldn't let her put the drops in my eyes, and then after she did, I cried and cried and cried the whole way to Theresa's. I don't know if she will get me a milkshake again, because I was wound up! Well, I guess you could tell when I talked to you on the phone.

She re-heated Aunt Jenny's potroast for dinner, and cut up tomatoes and gave me a bowl of applesauce. As soon as I sat down in my seat, I gave Mommy the sign for all done, and climbed back out before she could get me buckled in. Then I played with my trains while Mommy ate dinner. I learned how to put the train track together, you know, the black one in the changing table bottom drawer. I put together a snake track. Mommy was impressed. She only had to show me one time how the tracks fit together, and then I was off.

After Mommy cleaned up dinner, and we cleaned up the downstairs, we went upstairs to play. Mommy put drops in my eyes again. I didn't fight her too much, but I did cry. Mommy snuggled me on the bed and let me watch some of "Cars" under the covers in your bed. It was nice.

After I calmed down from the eye drops, I figured out how to climb on and off the bed and did that over and over again. Then we went into my room, and I emptied the clothes out of my drawers and then emptied my toy box. I think Mommy was losing her patience, but she didn't yell. I tried to help her clean up. I put one toy back in the toy box.

We read 5 stories tonight, and then Mommy put me to bed. I never did eat dinner, but I did drink a little milk. I fell right to sleep again. I didn't even rock!

I miss you, Daddy! I love you!

Love,
Noah

Dear Daddy Part III...

Dear Daddy,

Today it was 70 outside! Mommy and I played in the backyard this afternoon. We brought up my ball from the downstairs and I chased it all over the backyard. It was really windy! I liked talking to you on the phone, even if you couldn't understand what I was saying, and I'm sorry I hung up the first time. Mommy told me not to push any buttons, but I didn't listen.

I only had small meltdowns tonight. The first one was because I didn't want to come inside for dinner, but Mommy told me she needed to eat. The second one was because I wanted some milk. Mommy made sloppy joe's for dinner, but I call them "cheeseburbers". I ate my whole sandwich, some fruit and some green peppers. We should have "cheeseburbers" more often, they were yummy!

Mommy had to call the doctor this morning, because we both have green goop in our eyes. The doctor called in some eye drops for me. They said that the goop is from our colds and it's not contagious. I heard Mommy tell Auntie Jaime that she thought she was going to have to wrestle me to get them in, because I would think they were the drops for the eye doctor and cry. But, I didn't! I was a big boy, and Mommy was so proud of me. I even brought them upstairs so Mommy can do them again in the morning.

Mommy had to give me a bath again tonight. I got SO dirty. She called me "Pig Pen" but I don't know what that means. She read to me again, and then put me to bed. I fell right asleep.

I miss you, Daddy. I love you very much!

Love,
Noah

Dear Daddy Part II...

Dear Daddy,

I missed seeing you today. Mommy said you told her that you loved me and would see me soon. I had a couple mini meltdowns for Mommy this afternoon. The first one came after the chiropractor- she didn't have any milk for my sippy cup in the car! I cried almost the whole way home because I wanted milk. My second meltdown came when Mommy said it was time for dinner, but I wanted to stay outside. I was chasing Finchy around the yard to get even with him for chasing me in the house. Mommy made me come inside, because she said pregnant ladies need to eat. She made us sundried tomato pita pizzas, I ate half of one.

I learned how to open the screen door today from the inside and from the outside. I learned it all by myself. Mommy said that now it's going to have to be locked if we're playing inside so that I don't just wander to the back yard. She said it's for my safety, so I guess she's right. I also found the drawer where you hid my Nuk. Mommy was cleaning up after dinner, and I explored the drawers. She was sure surprised when she saw my Nuk in my mouth, and then she asked me where I got it and I showed her the drawer I found it in, "see?".

Mommy had to give me a bath tonight because I got pretty dirty playing in the back yard. She got me dressed in the bathroom- she said it was easier than carrying me to my bedroom. I guess that's why you've been carrying me lately. She read me some stories at bed time, too, but she doesn't read them as good as you. I went to sleep pretty quickly, I think the outside air was good for me. Mommy seems more sick after the chiropractor visit, but hopefully she will be feeling better in the morning.

I'll see you in the morning, Daddy. I love you!

Love,
Noah

Dear Daddy Part I...

Dear Daddy,

I woke up at 4 AM this morning, but then I rocked myself back to sleep. Mommy told me she didn't sleep too well last night- I could hear her coughing. I missed seeing you this morning- you must have left for work early. Mommy and I watched Manny this morning and she let me help her put Finchy in his crate- I got to give him the cookie. I didn't want her to leave when she dropped me off at Theresa's house. I kept giving her hugs, but she told me she had to go to work and would be back to get me right after school got out. Then we are both going to the chiropractor- Mommy told me she feels like an elephant is sitting on her chest.

Love,
Noah

Bye-Bye Daddy/Daddy comes home tonight!

This is my original post from Sunday, however my slightly neurotic mother (love you mom!) told me I couldn't post it until Ryan came home. Anyway, Ryan should be on the plane now or boarding since he leaves at 3:45 Amsterdam time and there's a 6 hour difference.

Ryan left for Amsterdam a little while ago. I cried, I didn't want to, because it upsets Noah when I cry, but I couldn't help it. Noah didn't want to give Ryan a hug or kiss- I think he secretly knew Ryan was leaving and was a little mad at him for it. We stood at the door and waved to Ryan as he pulled out of the driveway. Then, Noah went and sat on the steps and started to call for Daddy. I tried to explain to him that Daddy had to go on a trip and would be back soon. The lower lip came out, and Noah turned away from me and buried his head in the steps. We went upstairs to Noah's room, where he continued to call for Daddy, because I just can't rough-house with him the way he wants right now. Ryan lets Noah use him as a jungle gym, and I just can't do that right now. Eventually, Noah said to me, "Daddy Bye-bye?". I said, "Yes, Daddy went bye-bye." Noah stood up on the couch, wrapped his arms around my neck and I took him back downstairs where we watched a little bit of "Cars" before he had to go to bed. Then, while I read him his bedtime stories, he kept looking around and saying, "Daddy?". I think this week and next week are going to be hard on this little boy (and his mommy). Both dogs are sad as well. Finchy just laid at the garage door for about an hour, and Chili went upstairs and laid on Ryan's side of the bed for an hour. I just pray for Ryan's safety, that he comes home soon, that this week goes by quickly, and that I get better, because from my last post, the "sickersons" gave me their death plague, and I do not have much energy for this.

We miss you and love you, Ryan! Travel safe!

Noah's Birthday Party!

Noah's birthday party was on Saturday. I had been hoping for a nice day, so maybe we could be outside for part of it, but that wasn't meant to be. It rained and rained and rained. I took Noah to swim lessons in the morning so that he would take a good nap and be fresh for his party. Ryan stayed home and cleaned the house and did the rest of the food preparations (I know, my very own Cinderella). On the way home from swimming, Noah and I stopped and he picked out 3 balloons for his birthday (1 for him, 1 for each of his cousins). Is anyone surprised that he picked out Mater balloon? The other 2 were Elmo (his second favorite).Grandma, Grandpa, and Great-grandma Rose arrived right before his nap, and he was very excited to see them. Grandpa and Ryan took our 2 dogs to PetSmart to get "beautiful". If it hadn't been muddy and rainy, it would have been fine to have them still at the house, but with all the commotion and no place to go, it would have been chaos with 3 dogs stuck inside the house (Sarge came down to visit).

Auntie Jaime, Uncle Bill, Rori and Liam showed up right on time- but for the rest of this post, we will refer to Jaime and Bill as the "sickersons"- as they both have the death plague. Most of us ate lunch together- Noah slept, and Liam was more interested in playing with his and Noah's cars. Lunch was good. Ryan and his friend Jeff (Uncle Jeff from a few posts ago) had cooked beef and deli sliced it at work. It was like eating Portillo's beef- mmm, good. We also had some more of Noah's favorites- 'mole and chips, french fries, and fruit salad. Don't worry, we saved some for when Noah got up.

Noah got up from his nap, and didn't want to sit and eat lunch, but was content to sit on Ryan's lap and eat while he watched his cousin's play. Then came present time. It was a "Cars" birthday for Noah! Grandma Vicki had found a "Cars" t-shirt with Mater and McQueen and Ramone on it. Noah immediately made her put it on over his long sleeve shirt. He wore it the rest of the day, and was upset that he couldn't wear it to bed- it's not warm enough to sleep in a t-shirt yet. He got a lot of "Cars" stuff from everyone, and we had to open them up. Noah and Liam had a really good time playing with the cars together, and Rori joined in with Sally. Noah had a good time with Rori as well. She kept calling "Baby Noah", and he would go and find her. It's good that Noah has a sibling on the way to play with.

After that, Ryan and Grandpa went to pick up our beautiful boys and then we had cake. It was the first time I attempted a theme type of cake, and it turned out alright. It took me over 2 hours to cut, frost and decorate it on Friday night. Noah didn't eat any cake, but he liked watching Liam and Rori eat it. Then all the kids decided it was time to go back and play with the cars.
Eventually, it was time for everyone to go home. Noah's lower lip came out as he said good-bye, especially to Grandma and Grandpa. Then he went up to bed, and slept for more than 12 hours! It was a good day.

2 warm spring days with my ray of sunshine...

Thursday and Friday of this past week were beautiful days. Thursday was a little windy, but then again, it's always windy down here. Ryan had to work late on Thursday, so I decided that after I picked Noah up from Theresa's, we'd go to the toddler park to play and then to Mickey D's for his dinner.

Noah had a blast! It was so much fun to be there with him watching him run from place to place. His favorite part was climbing and playing in the fire engine. Here are some pictures from that afternoon.

On Friday, Noah wasn't feeling so well, so he helped me bake his cake for his birthday party, and then we played in the back yard for a little while. He went down hill fast, so I spent most of the afternoon holding him on my lap while he moaned and whimpered. I probably shouldn't have taken him to the park since he was still sick, but he seemed to enjoy being outside again.

Happy Birthday, Noah!

Today, my little ray of sunshine turns 2! Where did the time go? It feels like we just brought him home from the hospital, and then celebrated his first birthday. So much time has passed, and yet it seems like a blink of an eye.

Poor little guy is sick on his birthday as well. He has the plague again, I hope it's gone by the time we do his birthday party this weekend!

Happy Birthday, little boy. We love you!

Uncle Dale and Auntie Candise...

Last week, Uncle Dale came to stay with us for a few days. He had a conference in Chicago, so he stayed at our house and took the train downtown. We didn't see much of him, except for the day he arrived. Noah was shy around him for all of 10 minutes, and by the time he had to go to bed, he was taking Uncle Dale by the finger and having him build towers with him.After Noah went to bed, Dale asked us if Noah liked choo-choo's. Silly question. Noah LOVES choo-choo's. So Dale and Ryan went out to the car, and brought in this big box of Thomas the Train tracks and trains that they were passing down to Noah. Holy cow, there's a lot of trains and tracks for Noah to play with. We play with them almost every day. We are cycling through the trains, so Noah only has 5 out at a time, but boy does he love to play choo choo! Thanks guys!

Birthday Celebration # 1

We are blessed to have these special friends, Jeff and Jenny, who have become Noah's surrogate Aunt and Uncle. Ryan and Jeff work together, and Jeff is the one who has helped shape Ryan into the cook that he has become. Jeff and Jenny are both chefs (they work at different companies). Anyway, we invited them to Noah's birthday party, but they are unable to come, so we did a mini-birthday celebration for Noah yesterday.

Jeff and Ryan made dinner- hot wings and fries, Noah had nuggets and fries. Jenny made a gazillion desserts. The main one being Noah's birthday "cake". She knows that Noah is totally into choo-choo trains right now, so she made him a choo-choo out of rice krispie treats!


During dinner, Noah became what we like to call, "the dirty child". He managed to get ketchup all over his face and in his hair. It was close to bedtime, so we let Noah have some "cake". Noah was so excited, he didn't know what part of the train to try. By the time he decided, he was covered in stickyness. So, before he could open anything, we had to give him a bath (which is why in the present pictures, his hair is wet). Jeff and Jenny had brouth over 3 presents, and told us to let Noah open them throughout the week (nice). In the package he opened last night, was a sleeping bag that Jenny had made out of fleece- covered in dinosaurs, a toy plane, a safety hat and goggles (for when he's working like daddy does), 2 books, and a couple of thomas choo-choo trains. Of course he immediately had to open the choo-choo trains and played with those until we decided it was time for him to go to bed. Today he opened another package from them (the pictures in the Nemo shirt), and it had 2 trucks in them (we hid one of them for a rainy day). He loves the trucks- they have interchangable parts, so he can make it just a truck, a dump truck, or a tow truck. Of course, they also make sound, but that's alright.

Thank you, Jeff and Jenny. We are truly blessed to have you in our family, and know that Noah loves you!