3/4 of a year old or 9 months!!!!

I'm almost caught up!! I thought it would be easier just doing monthly posts as my son aged, but boy was I wrong!! I just can't seem to stay on top of all the stuff he's doing!! I should just start posting short blurbs when he does things lol.  Nine months was an exciting time for us in the stokes house hold, we learned to crawl, went to our first alumni game, and enjoyed our first thanksgiving as a family of three!! The alumni game was a little before nine months but close enough.  Noah had an outfit made and everything, but due to some seriously unfortunate circumstances no one really got to see it. However, we will try again next year.  Crawling and thanksgiving happened around the same time, along with a hideous stomach virus that knocked my boys down for the count.  Aside from that though Noah enjoyed a great thanksgiving spent with family that included two teenage boys who have him all the attention his little heart desired.  We also met yet again with our photographer for Noah's nine month photos, it actually took two tries as Noah is NOT a fan of the cold weather.  So, most of his pictures he's pouting or frowning at us as if to say, "ladies, there is no way I'm being cute today."  But heather Poe photography worked some serious magic as usual and my little man looks quite the stud!  I may have to do a post of just her pictures soon so you can see!!

Halloween as a family of 3!

So, this year we did Halloween as a family of three instead of two and the animals.  Casey and I aren't crazy about Halloween, but we pass out candy and dress up for friends parties.  This year it was a little more fun a little more exciting with Noah around.  We went to the pumpkin fest at church, took him around the neighborhood, and he even came to my friends annual Halloween party!!  He also got his first official piece of candy!  Which we had to give away cause we ran out of candy and two little kid stragglers showed up.  Halloween is much more fun with kids, I like dressing up with my child and can't wait to do it next year!  Noah actually had multiple Halloween outfits, his official outfit was Charlie Brown, his secondary outfit was curious George.  Curious George was more for my moms school for book character day.  All the kids dress up as their favorite book character and then there's a parade! To say my son was a big hit with them would be a HUGE understatement, it was like the red carpet with everyone's biggest fan hollering for them. 

Anniversary on the beach

So back in October Casey and I celebrated 4 years of marriage!! It's crazy to think we've been married that long!  Since, Noah's here and still nursing we decided a beach trip would be perfect.  For one it's free!! Aside from the cost of gas and food of course.  For two Noah could come along fairly easy, so to the beach we went.  It was amazing.  Slightly chilly in the morning, but it would warm up in the afternoon enough for us to paddle across and play in the shallow with Noah.  He's such a water baby, and loved army crawling through the water and eating the sand.  We enjoyed just being a family if three, and relaxing as much as one can with an 8 month old.

8 months!

So most of these next posts are catch up posts.  Somewhere along the way I got better at being a mom and worse at being anything else.  I'm having trouble finding a good balance of mom, housewife, cook, and nurse.  Luckily I only am a nurse two days a week, unluckily the other five days  I'm everything else.  But back to my 8 month old!! He's gotten so big so fast!! He loves to army crawl and keeps reaching for things to pull up, but he doesn't quite have the balance yet.  October was a busy month for the little man.  He went to the beach, book character day, and his first Halloween.  He still had 6 teeth, but he's finally getting more hair!! It blows in the wind sometimes!!  Noah's becoming much more social, and starting to enjoy people.  His favorites are of course his grandmothers.  While my mom was on fall break we all went on a field trip to a pumpkin patch and apple orchard.  Noah had a blast playing and touching the different pumpkins.  We even let him pick out his own mini pumpkins!! Which of course he promptly starting chewing but oh well.  

Leaving on a jet plane!

So, shortly after my little man turned seven months he experienced another first, his first plane ride!! Let me just tell you flying with a child who loves the boob more than the bottle not the easiest thing ever.  Especially if your little person is nosy and hates being under the nursing cover.  We made it though and he did amazing!! Other passengers even made a point of telling us how awesome he did!!  I only nursed once while flying to and from our destination, so I consider myself lucky.  He played for a while and then slept for a good portion of the flight as well.  Our final destination was Colorado to visit my godson for his second birthday.  Noah had a blast aside from the time change and cutting FOUR teeth at the SAME time.  We played at children's museums and zoos and hung out at the park, and a local brewery.  I would say his horizons were expanded sufficiently.  He ate everything in sight though!! I'm not sure if it was the teeth or the elevation but for a week my son was a bottomless pit!! He did however try a multitude of new foods.  Here's some picture from our adventures that week!