11/11/11 - Self Portrait

Well, this was a total bust.  I had this grand idea that I was going to use my day home without Nathan as an opportunity to try some nice maternity self portraits.   I had some lovely ideas, but sadly when I couldn't find the tripod....it all went downhill quickly.

I won't torture you with the sad attempts I made during the daytime.  I eventually gave up and just left the camera sitting on the dining room table.  As I was about to put the camera away I decided to just take a photo of my reflection in the sliding glass door.  Boy, it's terrible.  But hey, I tried.  Hopefully I'll get another chance to do it right sometime in the near future.

11/10/11 - Hopscotch

I had the brilliant idea to create a hopscotch board in our entryway today.  I was amazed how quickly Nathan became proficient at it.  He played on that thing for hours.  This kid has some crazy stamina!

11/9/11 - Quality Time

It's so nice sitting and cuddling with Nathan as we watch tv together.  He's just so sweet and loving.  Someone mentioned to me a little while back how boys don't sit and cuddle like girls do.  They obviously haven't spent very much time around MY boy.  Nathan still loves to cuddle.

iPhone snap of us on the couch.

11/8/11 - Afterschool Lesson

I love going over Nathan's schoolwork with him when we get home from his pre-school.  He reads everything to me and loves to show me how good he's getting at cutting, pasting, and writing his letters. 

11/7/11 - Sitting Out

For some reason, it is really hard for me to stand at chorus on Monday nights lately.  I'm fine most of the day...but when evening comes it feels like my belly is going to explode it is so full and tight feeling.  It is also really hard to breathe through a song and I stand there feeling constantly like I might pass out.  Finally, I decided that I had to sit out.  I HATE to sit out!  I don't remember this happening when I was pregnant with Nathan....but I suppose this is what they mean when they say every pregnancy is different.

Here's a snap I took with my iPhone as I watched the Harborlites do their thing. 

11/6/11 - Puddles

It rained pretty hard today which kept us inside most of the morning.  Once it stopped I thought it would be a fun idea to go outside and play in the puddles.  I just warned Nathan ahead of time that he was going to get messy and wet and that he'd need to change his clothes as soon as we got back home.

He saw no problem with that, so out we went.

We had a great time!

Mostly

Nathan broke out the fake tears after about 30 minutes and the party was over. 

11/5/11 - No Bake Cookies

I have almost a constant urge to make cookies, but no urge to put in the work.  I've taken to making no-bake cookies and am trying to convince myself that since they're made with oatmeal they are very nutritious. Today's batch I left out the peanut butter (I'm not a big fan of peanut butter) and put in a touch of amaretto flavoring.  Unfortunately I put in a touch too much amaretto flavoring, but they were still edible enough.

11/4/11 - Chocolatey Fingers

I brought some of Nathan's Halloween candy with me when I went to pick him up after school today and the little chocolate peanut butter pumpkin got a bit melty.  Nathan really wanted to show Daddy his chocolatey fingers...but I decided that rather than try to keep them all messy for the 6 hrs or so until Daddy came home we'd just take a picture.

11/3/11 - Swinging High

Nathan has been going this way for a long time, but it is official.....he can swing on his own.  He has been able to swing on his own for a while, but now he doesn't even ask me to help him on the swing or to push at all.  For the first time ever (at the park) he chose the regular swing over the lazy man's blue swing.  He jumped on all by himself and took that swing to its height limit.  He's getting SO big!

He also learned to snap today which I'm really proud of.  I was sure it would be a few more years until he'd be able to snap his fingers...but today he got it.  It's quiet, but it is definitely a snap.   I don't have a photo of this....but did manage to get a short video.

11/2/11 - Homemade Goodness

I'm trying really hard to get back in the swing of things.  Today I did good.  We managed to do some serious grocery shopping yesterday which meant that I had the ingredients necessary to create a healthful dinner.  I even made some homemade bread.  As you can see....Nathan really enjoyed the bread.  It was so good that it kept him eating the delicious and nutritious veggie stew that it was meant to accompany.

11/1/11- Sharing

Nathan is so proud of everything he does.  Here he made a tower and brought it to show me.  Just a quick snap..but I love how Nathan's photo is on the computer slideshow in the background.

10/31/11 - Happy Halloween

Time to go trick or treating.  Rich and I first drove out to a place that was suggested to us as a really great place for trick or treating.  I think that will be our last time trying to trick or treat outside of our own neighborhood.  It was so unbearably crowded that it took all of my favorite things about trick or treating away.   It was like a very dangerous and crowded factory.  There was no, "what a cute costume".  No, "look at those cool decorations".  No, "you can have 3 pieces".  It was just terrible and I'm so glad that Rich agreed to leave after about 15 minutes of it.

We ventured back to our neighborhood and proceeded to have a blast!  There were some really cool decorations to see...and even a spooky graveyard with goblins that came to life.  Nathan really enjoyed walking up to the doors with the Darth Vader music playing on Daddy's cell phone.  It was just hilarious how as soon as the music started he got into character and marched slowly to the door.  He got such a kick out of frightening the people who came to the door.

I didn't get very many photos because it was just too difficult at the first location we went to.  I had a heck of a time maneuvering the belly, the camera, and the boy....that by the time we made it back to the car I was just fed up and decided to leave the camera in the car at the 2nd location.

Oh, today was also Nathan's Halloween parade at school.  I was so glad that I made it just in time to join him in the parade.  The kids got such a huge kick out of his light saber!

10/30/11 - Halloween Party

Nathan, Rich, and I attended a Halloween party this evening.  Rich and I weren't going to dress up....but at the last minute I decided it would be more fun for Nathan if Mommy and Daddy were dressed up too.   I quickly transformed myself into a very pregnant doll and Rich decided that he wanted to go as me.  It was so strange that at a quick glance, seeing this person in my clothes with this red hair could make you think you were looking at me....if only just momentarily.

10/29/11 - Pumpkin Carving

We finally did it.  We were able to find an evening before Halloween to carve the pumpkins!  Hooray!

Before we began.  We were carving pumpkins with Simpson's  Treehpuse of Horror playing in the background.

Daddy carved the biggest one. 

Nathan designed the face for the littlest one.  This is the pumpkin that they gave him at school.

 I carved Nathan's design and the other two smaller pumpkins.   I'd call it a success!

10/28/11 - Milky Ghosts

More craft blog thievery.  Milk jugs turned spooky ghost.  The one on the far right is the one Nathan made.   He drew the face and I filled it with black.

And here are the jack o lanterns we made yesterday.

10/27/11 - Halloween Crafts

Another idea taken from one of the blogs I like to steal ideas from.  We made these simple little Jack o Lantern candle holders using recycled jelly jars and orange tissue paper.  They turned out so cute!

10/26/11 - Little Project

Since our phones have replaced any need for an alarm clock, Rich suggested taking the alarm clock out of our room.  We replaced it with a little analog clock that was on our mantel downstairs.  I was concerned that I wouldn't be able to see the clock at night so I turned this little candle holder that my sister got me several years ago into a night light with the help of a small strand of Christmas lights.  It's such a lovely and warm addition to our bedroom and a huge improvement over the cold green glow of the alarm clock.

10/25/11 - Pretty Picture Window

I was busy cleaning in the bedroom when I looked up and saw Nathan sitting on the window sill in our bedroom.  He was fogging up the window and writing in the fog.  It was too cute not to capture so I went downstairs and grabbed the camera.  I'm so happy I got it.

10/24/11 - Laser Illumination

What a clever boy.  Nathan discovered that when he pointed the laser pointer at the light on the ceiling...it glowed.

10/23/11 - Pumpkin Patch

It is a yearly tradition to go get our Halloween pumpkins at a local pumpkin patch.  I got lots of cute photos at the pumpkin patch this year.


 Lovely family photo thanks to a little Photoshop magic.

We often wonder why Nathan is such a sad child. 

Here is Nathan showing that he can take direction.  Daddy told Nathan to look lost and sad.

Confession...I didn't take this photograph.  Thank you Rich for pushing the button for me.  I just love this photo of me and my boy.  Oh, and the other boy who remains mostly hidden.

10/22/11 - Dag Nab It

This one was taken just a tad after midnight....so technically on the wrong day.  It was taken before I went to bed though, so I'm going to let it count.

Man oh man is this a horrible picture. 

10/21/11 - Ebony and Ivory

A quick shot of the beat up old piano in my classroom.

10/20/11 - Blast Off

I love getting clever ideas from different kids websites.  I wish I could remember what website I got this one from, but it was a real hit.  Just take two paper cups.  Tape a rocket ship on one and place a rubber band around the 2nd.  Push the rocket ship cup down into the rubber band cup....let go and watch it fly!

10/19/11 - Phone With Daddy

As previously mentioned, Rich has been picking up some extra work several nights a week.  This has been a little tough for Nathan (and me) but we understand that sometimes you've just got to do what you've got to do.  There is a big bill growing in my belly and no extra money growing on the money tree out front.

Here is Nathan talking to his Daddy on one of these long nights away.

10/18/11 - Pink

Nathan loves pink.  We went for a haircut today and for the 2nd time in a row he chose the hot pink Barbie car.  He also chose a pink balloon when he was done.  Wonder when (if?) his love of pink will be socialized out of him.

10/17/11 - Gatekeeper

Walking up or down the stairs is a dangerous activity in our household.  Steinway loves to perch himself at the top of the stairs.  You can never be certain that your pant leg won't get caught in one of his ferocious claws as you pass by.

10/16/11 - Carnival

Today was Nathan's first experience at one of those little neighborhood carnivals.  It was so much fun.  So many sights, sounds, and smells to enjoy.

Oohing and aahing at one of the rides.

On the Ferris wheel with Daddy. 

 For the first time ever, Nathan rides a ride all by himself.

10/15/11 - Space Cadet Nathan

Don't you just love how a cardboard box can magically turn into a spaceship when a 4 yr old is around?

10/14/11 - My Dinner With Nathan

Dinner with Nathan is always a silly endeavor.  Rich has been working either very late or at a 2nd job a lot lately so I've been eating almost every dinner with Nathan alone.  I can't say that it isn't entertaining.

10/13/11 - Playground at the Mall

I finally broke down and went shopping for some new maternity clothing.  I just had to come to terms with the fact that I'm just plain bigger this time around than I was with Nathan.  The old clothes were just too uncomfortable to bear any longer.  So, I grabbed the boy and we went to the mall.  I promised Nathan that if he was a good listener he could play in the mall play area for a while. 

Well, Nathan is pretty much always a good listener....so here's another iPhone snap while he played his brains out.

He did play a good long while with a few little boys there.  Funny how Nathan plays though.  He just runs around and the boys chase him....but never catch him because my child is FAST!!!  I had to explain to Nathan that kids don't always want to chase you and maybe you should try playing another way with the boys.  That was when the screaming, shaking, and falling to the ground game began.  Boys are so silly.