Maybe we will just count sheep...

I am feeling a bit defeated so I figured if I wrote it out maybe, I would feel better and some day I could laugh about this, in a place and time far, far, away from here (maybe after a good strong drink).  Noah is a very poor sleeper, he always has been and I have come to accept and embrace it.  My best friends at Starbucks appreciate his lack of sleep too (whole villages in Columbia are supported by my scary coffee habit).  However, Noah's reluctance to sleep became a real problem on Oct 19.  I had just put him down and I was sitting outside enjoying the nice weather and some peace, when I heard the screen door open and a little voice say, "I scare you mommy."

And so it began.  

Since that night Noah has been in and out of the crib more times than I can count, he has been staying up till very late with his in and out routine and has now started getting up at 2 and 3 AM for a little romp around the house for a couple of hours (of course, John and I are up with him).  To combat the problem, I thought, well I need convert his crib into a toddler bed with a bed rail.  The first one I got did not work with that wonderful sleigh bed crib that I just had to have, so we moved on to the second toddler bed rail.  After two horrible nights of sleep, I gave up on the toddler bed idea and put the crib back together and turned it around to face the wall, so he would have less area to climb out of the crib.  That worked okay for a couple nights.  

Last night he was up again at 2 AM stating and I quote, "Mommy, Daddy in car, time to go see Mickey and Buzz at Disneyland." I had it, I was done.  Off I went to Buy, Buy, Baby and I bought it, the thing all parents to be see and look at in disgust and say, "How could you put your child in something like THAT."  Yes folks, I got a crib tent.  I was promised by the very, young sales associate that of course this would work with the wonderful sleigh bed crib that you just had to have.  It works perfectly, wonderfully, with sleigh bed cribs.  Elated, overjoyed, I rushed home put the damn thing together (the words "easy to install" combined with "no tools required" should strike fear into the hearts of parents, everywhere because its never easy to install and I always end up wishing I had some sort of tool to help make the installation easy).  After the "easy install"  I took the crib apart again (this makes the seventh time I have done this) and found to my dismay that my wonderful sleigh bed crib that I just had to have (I now loath this crib) DOES NOT work perfectly or wonderfully with a crib tent.  

So now the crib tent is back in the box and will be returned to Buy, Buy, Baby by my wonderful mother tomorrow because I am afraid that I might go find that very young sales associate and wring his well rested neck.  And I am back to square one.... Oh well at least its Halloween and I am already in costume, just have to find my broom.  

Mommy and Noah's 1st Solo Road Trip

On Oct 15, Noah and I took our first solo road trip to Sedona to meet Mary Ann for lunch and hugs.  We left early in the morning, got breakfast from Dunkin' Donuts (coffee for mommy and egg white turkey sausage sandwich for Noah) and took off for Sedona.  Noah was a great traveler on the way to Sedona, we listened to Toy Story and Cars Song and Story Cd's, ate snacks and sang songs.  We arrived in Sedona and went and played at Sunset Park, which is a really great park in Sedona with amazing views.  Mary Ann met us at the park and we went to the Coffee Pot Restaurant for lunch (yummy Mexican food) and then went and got some (more) coffee before hitting the road for home.  Noah took a good nap on the way home and was a good traveler until we got almost home.  Poor guy was sick of being in the car.  All in all he was a great little traveler and a happy guy.  Here are some pictures.  

Noah playing me a song on his guitar.  

Play time after a long car ride.  

Sunset Park has some amazing views. 

Cheesy smile.  

Chips and dip with Aunt Mary Ann.  

Out on the ride home.  

My new copilot

We have been talking about taking bike rides as a family all summer.  So, on October 13, 2010, we went and got a copilot bike seat for Noah to put onto my bike.  John installed the bike with minimal frustration, and we went on our first family bike ride and Noah loved it. Its great to have the option to take a bike ride as a family.  We have ridden bikes to breakfast as Dessie's Cafe, to see Nanna and Pa at their house, to the park and just around the neighborhood after John gets off work.  The weather is amazing again and its great to be living in Arizona.  Here are some pictures from our first bike ride: 

My new copilot.  

Action shot.  

Family bike fun. 

Page Springs Winery and Sedona

On October 3, 2010, after the downpour at the Freeman Farms, we decided to join the Keleher's and the Hudenko's for Happy Hour at Page Springs Winery in Cornville, Arizona. Noah and Joe Joe had a great time exploring down by the Oak Creek and in the vines, while the adults enjoyed some wonderful red wine and cheese. We decided to drive to Sedona and have a yummy pizza dinner at the wonderful Hideway.  After dinner, we drove home with one very tired little boy who was a great little trooper and a wonderful traveler.  

The boy's at Page Springs. 

This place is so beautiful (and the wine is great too).  

Noah and Daddy by Oak Creek.  

Happy Hour to go! 

Christina and Marsha by Oak Creek.  

The Hudenko's.  

Family picture by Oak Creek.  

Mommy and Noah with the vines in the back ground.  

Our little monkey.  

Page Springs Winery. 

View of the red rocks from the Hideaway patio.  

Dinner at the Hideaway.  

Freeman Farms Pumpkin Patch

On October 3, 2010,  Noah, Mommy and Daddy went to Freeman Farms in Dewy Arizona with the Norman, Davey, Hudenko and Keleher families.  We had a great time with all of our friends taking a hay ride, petting some animals, running around in the hay maze, eating kettle corn, riding tractors, a train and the carousel.  Unfortunately, we had an amazing hail, thunder, lightening and rain storm before we got to pick pumpkins.  Oh well, maybe next year.  Here are some pictures of our trip.  

Maybe we should have known something wicked this way comes with that dark sky.  

What's this, what's this? There's pumpkins everywhere.   

Tractor time with Joe Joe.  

Horsing around with Daddy and Noah.  

The Girls.  

The kids on the train ride.  

Hay ride fun.  

The Keleher family on the hay ride.  

The Davey, Norman and Plummer families on the hay ride.  

Noah exploring the petting zoo.  

Best buddy hugs.  

Kisses from my Joe Joe!

It's hail in Arizona! 

Waiting out the hail with the Normans.  

Hail and water aplenty.  

After the amazing storm, the Keleher's and the Hudenko's decided to join us for happy hour at Page Springs Winery in Cornville.

Noah and Mommy Adventures Part Two

Wow, I have really taken a long time to post the follow-up to this.  Things have been so busy, I have been trying to finalize plans for our November trip to San Diego and Disneyland, so my nap time blogging time has been redirected to vacation planning.  Now that all our plans are pretty much complete I can get back to blogging about my favorite person, Noah =) So on September 22, rain was in the forecast, so I planned on taking Noah to the Desert Botanical Gardens (DBG).  We woke up to more hot and humid weather, but I was determined to get out of the house, so we were in the drive thur line at Starbucks by 7:30 (I need my coffee) and on our way to the DBG.

Noah on the way to the DBG with his "weed eater." 

We arrived at the DBG by 8:00 thanks to the carpool lane and we were off in our new jogging stroller.  We had a wonderful time and I think we were the only visitors to the garden that day. First headed to my favorite area, the herb gardens and looked and smelled all the herbs and even saw a large toad thanks to the very friendly DBG staff member.  Then we wandered around and looked at all the beautiful cactus, trees and flowers (I am one of those strange people who thinks the desert is beautiful).   We even saw lots of wildlife which included, a rabbit, butterflies, toads, bees, lizards, lots of different birds and prairie dogs.  We only lasted till about 9:15, because it was very humid and hot, but we had a blast and Noah talked all day long about all the things he saw and I think he loved every minute of it too.  I hope he grows up to see the beauty in the desert and love it like I do.  Here are some pictures of our adventures:

I just want to say a quick thank you to my wonderful husband who works so hard every day, so that Noah and I can go on our little adventures.  I am so thankful that I can spend this special time with him and be able to watch him grow and learn every day.  Thanks honey for all your hard work and thanks for being the best husband and daddy ever.  We love you much!