Shoes for Nolan

I got Nolan his first pair of shoes today. They are super cute and were only $1 - buying used clothing is such a better deal! Whoever had them before me either never used them or rarely did because they look brand new to me. They're the perfect fabric to give him more traction now that he's trying to be on his feet more often. And now I don't have to worry about him stubbing his toes on the concrete when he goes outside - he loves crawling in and out of the back door when it's propped open. He still needs to get used to having them on I think; he didn't mind them but he kept looking at his feet while he was playing.

Nolan has become quite the photogenic baby and seems to light up when I pull out my big camera. He really smiles big when the flash goes off. I mean just look at this handsome guy showing off his new shoes!

A Visit to McKinley Park

Last Thursday, the kids and I met up with my friend, Julie, and her son, Dylan, for a lovely play date to McKinley Park. It was bustling with kiddos galore and we were all having a great time playing on the cool, new equipment. After expending our energy on the playground we took a stroll over to the pond to watch the geese and ducks - Nolan loved just sitting in the grass, taking it all in. We weren't able to keep the kids' attention long enough to make it over to the acclaimed Rose Garden. I passed by it on the way to the freeway when we left for home, and the peeks that I managed to squeeze in made me want to turn the car around and go back. We'll have to just plan another get together soon and start at the Garden first this time.

Life Lately (via Instagram)

LOTS of these babies to catch up on - enjoy!

Nolan: Eight Months

He may already be eight months old and hitting milestones way too early for my liking, but he's also still my little man who loves to cuddle and be held as much as possible. I'm soaking it in because I know this baby phase won't last forever; I'm already seeing signs pointing to his desire for more independence. And while I am totally okay with that (because let's be honest, I like my independence too) there are things about infant-Nolan that I will definitely miss. He's been an awesome baby and I'm so thankful. Not saying it hasn't been hard at times - in fact, this past month wasn't all sunshine and rainbows. Teething is hard on everyone. The first tooth is out and the next one is on it's way though so maybe the crabby moments will start to die down.

Nolan has completely mastered crawling and even has different forms depending on the material he is being subjected to crawl on. He is very quick and at times reminds me of a spider. And although he seems perfectly fine with crawling to get around, he constantly reminds me that he has a big sister to keep up with. Which means he's now already standing and cruising with ease. Mallory was ten months when she learned to walk; let's see if Nolan will beat her record. I'm not in a hurry for it to happen so I'm not pushing him to practice but apparently this kid was born with his own high standards to achieve.

He fully knows his name and also seems to understand when you're telling him not to do something. Most times after I tell him 'no' he gives me a smirk and goes right back to doing it - occasionally he'll even laugh at me, the little booger. It's cute and makes it hard when I'm trying to be serious and all I can do is laugh with him. His personality and charm only continue to shine as he grows into his own, and I can't help but fall more in love with him with each step.

Celebrating Easter

With the exception of hosting a small gathering for Easter dinner, our weekend was a total 'go with the flow' kind of weekend. And it's a good thing too because Nolan's teething is back in full force so his mood kind of dictated what activities we would be doing. We forgo this year's egg hunt at Lembi Park for our own here at the house, and Mallory seemed to be just as content. I might have gone a little overboard with how much candy I put in the eggs because now she's guarding it with her life. A lot of it she doesn't even like to eat, but she will not throw any of it away. Kids are funny.

Lots of moments this weekend that left me feeling very blessed and thankful for my family - both immediate and extended. Life has been a little chaotic lately so there are times when maybe those blessings aren't as noticeable because we're tired or grumpy or stressed or just being too self-absorbed, but I love when God brings us back to reality to show us the big picture on what's really important. Definitely puts a smile on my face!