Acceptance

Plus Three Teeth, Minus One Beard

It feels like fall this week ... maybe it's because I've spent the last week in the school library or maybe it's because the weather, but I feel like sharpening pencils and buying lunch boxes with cartoon characters on them. I'm sure I wrote about this before, but there is something so special and distinct about the feeling of fall and I love it. Sacramento in the fall is so amazing, maybe it's because it's the "city of trees" and so all of the leaves change and fall or maybe because the fall is the start of our family's celebration season, who knows? I just know it feels special. All of the Jewish holidays and the birthday celebrations that happen in September feel like they are connectors to Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Maybe I'm so excited about Fall because this Summer has been so off ... I hate to call it awful, because I have been able to spend so much time with Noah and that has been amazing. But, Greg's injury did sour things. He is doing great now and is sans casts and stitches and his big poofy beard (he decided he wasn't going to trim his beard after the accident, until he could do 5 push-ups). He's been able to hold Noah and even change diapers! I honestly don't know how single mothers do this, or how people have more than one ... needless to say it's amazing to have my husband back! Not just because he can change diapers, but because not having him around was lonely and him not being able to hold Noah or play with him was sad.

Noah is changing so much right before my eyes. He is getting 3 more teeth and his hair is getting thicker (or just darker). He crawls so fast and is getting into everything. He's very curious and loves opening and closing cabinets and doors. He's still our little water bug and loves to stick his face in the water and blow bubbles. He is babbling more than ever and still calling everything "ma-ma" but he also says "da-da" and "doggie-doggie". The girls at daycare thought he was talking to another baby in his class named "Doug" which I thought was very cute.

I love dropping him off at daycare. Not because I'm leaving him with other people, but because the buildings all seem happy. Children's toys are waiting outside and there are little smiling faces and girls with pigtails waiting inside the fenced playards. Kids crafts made out of sticks and paint line the walls and there's a sandwich board with notes to the parents, which reminds me of elementary school. I loved elementary school! I loved Deterding and never wanted to leave it. I couldn't wait to get to move up to the hill to the big kid playground, I loved back-to-school night, art class, recess and playing sports on the big field. I remember walking to school every morning and cutting across the giant soccer field to get to my classroom. Mr. Coleman's class was my favorite; I used to tell my mom that I wanted to stay in 3rd grade forever.

Noah no longer cries when I drop him off at school and when I get there to pick him up, he hears my voice and quickly crawls over to the gate and lifts his arms up for me to hold him. Noah gives great hugs and when I pick him up he grabs onto my left side and wraps his chubby little arms around my neck. It's one of my favorite feelings in the whole world!

Hard at Work ... When I Grow Up I Want To Be Just Like My Daddy

My favorite sound

Noah is almost 10 months old and I'm still amazed when I look at him; I made that! He's getting bigger and bigger, at his last appointment about a week ago he weighed 21lbs. He's been saying lots of words, but I'm pretty sure he doesn't really know what they mean. He says "momma," "nana", "doggie" (which I think is his favorite word), "bubbles" and he still says "dada" too. He loves spinning himself in circles while he's sitting. He even does it in the bathtub.

Tonight Noah and I played tag around the house. He would make me chase him while he crawled from room to room and I would say "I'm gonna get you" and he would laugh and giggle at how funny he thought he was. It was pretty cute. Once I would catch him I would run the other direction and hide behind a corner and he would then come and find me. I think I could have played that game forever ... listening to him laugh is my favorite sound in the whole world.

So sleepy...

I can't believe how much my little boy has grown ... he's spilling over the sides of the car seat! This was him after I picked him from daycare ... apparently he had too much fun.

The Walking Wounded

Gary finally came home on the Fourth of July. He had been staying at my mom and Ed's house while Greg was healing. So, he came home with us on Saturday and on Sunday we all went to the park to play "chuck-it" with Gary. It only lasted a few throws when we noticed that Gary's foot was bleeding ... we tended to the wound as best we could (please note the pampers wrapped around the paw).We took him to the vet on Monday and it turns out he had an infected toe nail and an ear infection, so now he's in the cone of shame. Poor Gary ... welcome home buddy.

Perth Way Parade

I love the Fourth of July! I know I say I love all the holidays, but this one really is a favorite. I've been doing the Fourth of July Fun Run in River Park ever since I moved back to Sacramento after college in 2000. This year I had to run it without Greg, but it was still fun. I pushed Noah through the shady streets with Leah and Evelyn. Last year we came in dead last, so it was nice to be able to run and finish it in a reasonable time.

We also went to my mom and Ed's house for the Yellow Dog Cup, which is another favorite. It was so much fun to share the holiday with Noah. I'm pretty sure he won't remember it, but I'm sure he'll grow to love the traditions that my mom and Ed have created. This year they added the "1st Annual Fourth of July Perth Way Parade." Noah got to sit in a decorated wagon and we all marched up and down the driveway ...it was silly, but my mom has a way of making everything special.

Ever since I can remember my mom made sure all of our holidays were special; even the small ones. She would put jelly beans in our cereal for Valentine's Day, we searched for Easter eggs throughout the yard and the house, even when I was grown and we always celebrated the 4th of July. I remember walking up Palm Drive to watch the parade and I remember setting off fireworks. It was always festive and always special.

It was so much fun watching Noah get the same experiences that I had when I was younger...the parade, the food and even the fireworks.