You know you're a Mom when

... you run errands with an orange lips outline on your white shirt and have no idea it was there until you got home and looked in the mirror.

... you pull into a gas station and pull out a pacifier from your purse to try and pay for gas.

... you've tasted pureed squash by choice.

... you go a whole day without taking a shower.

... you cheer when someone burps.

... you're desensitized by poop.

... you crawl into bed and realize you're laying on a rattle.

... you take a shower with baby bubble bath because your body wash is all out.

... your mouth opens when you watch other people take a bite of something.

My friend Bekah did a blog like this, and I thought the idea was so cute I copied it and made my own. Her list is even better than mine... check it out, It'll make you smile for sure.

Of course...

Drew and I have tried so many different ways and so many different times to make Noah laugh. Some were successful... but not many. Then tonight Beans of all things makes Noah laugh... hard. I had to stop the video because I was trying to hold back my laugh and my eyes were watering so much I was afraid I couldn't hold the video straight.

Oh my.

This video was taken right after the video from yesterday. I had to put it up because it's such a classic "Noah being a boy". Make sure your volume is turned up so you can hear the funny part... man-I love this kid.

My bouncy baby boy

I think this is one of my favorite videos of Noah. I took it this afternoon after he refused to take a nap (I see some of his mommy coming out, and he's been a lot more opinionated lately...uh-oh). He makes me laugh every time he does this move, it's like a combo of swimming and not crawling... but REALLY wanting to be a big boy and move on his own.So cute.

What we've been up to...

Noah is now over 5 months. He's laughing, eating some solids, and rolling over regularly. He's also grown out of almost every piece of clothing that we owned for him, has a johnny jumper that he loves, and has developed a habit of waking up in the middle of the night, talking for an hour, and then falling back asleep.

Tummy time photoshoot

Lately, Noah hasn't enjoyed tummy time as much as he used to. Too bad for him... we do it anyways. But, here he is a couple days ago not minding it so much. I'm so grateful for digital cameras and the ability to just snap away taking all the pictures I want and deleting the not so great ones later. Not that my baby takes bad pictures... but just in case he did, I could just delete them.









How cute is my kid... seriously.

Melts my heart... everytime

Check this out

So my amazing sister-in-law Anna, is an amazing seamstress. She can make almost anything, although she is far to humble to admit that.

Lately, she has been making these really cute vintage inspired aprons for little girls that have me wishing we were due with a little girl sometime soon. Well, maybe not... I don't think I'm quite ready for the shenanigans of being pregnant again, but that's how cute they are.

Do you have a little girl that needs an apron, or know of one that might like one? All the aprons come with a tea towel, cookie cutter and a wooden spoon... sounds like the perfect gift to me!

Check out her blog: here

I'm a forgetful Frank

I lose EVERYTHING.

I really do. And everything is not an exaggeration. I've lost my hair dryer before, and who loses their hair dryer? I mean really... that takes some talent, don't you think?

I've lost my shoes and even an ipod. And, I lose my keys almost every time I set them down somewhere. Then I usually spend 10 minutes trying to find them before I have somewhere important to be. Maybe I need to start taking a supplement for my memory?

Anyways, this time I lost our camera charger. At least, I think it was me who lost it. It's kind of a bummer too, becasue I have been wanting to take video's of Noah lately (he discovered a new sound). But, my phone doesn't have a video option and the camera on my computer isn't discrete enough to record him gurgling. He gets too distracted with the baby on the computer to keep talking.

Hopefully I will find it soon. It will probably be in the place that I told myself at the time "This is the best place to put a camera charger"... I just have to find that place!

And then... wait, what was I going to do with my camera charger? Just kidding... I will be putting up more videos and pictures of Noah.

Maybe I need to start taking a supplement for my memory. Just kidding... again.

Why Noah is so much fun...

New Years Resolutions

1. Blogging. because I said I would keep up with this blog (which I haven't) and also because I have too many Noah stories I'm afraid I will forget if I don't write them down somewhere.

2. Loosing the rest of my baby weight. I don't think this one needs an explanation. If you disagree, you can just come and look at all my old clothes that are sitting in my closet giving me dirty looks every day. I'm ready to be friends again with all the pairs of jeans sitting in my dresser.

3. Finishing a book... any book. Well, maybe not ANY book. Just one that doesn't have cardboard pages, or pictures on every page. I have so many books next to my bed that I start and only get halfway through becasue I get excited about another book. Then I do the same with the new book where I only get halfway through... and the viscous cycle starts again.

4. Getting back into reading my one year Bible, and being diligent to read it EVERY day. I have started this, and I love it. I look forward to it everyday. After Noah wakes up from his afternoon nap, I bring him into the master bedroom and we lay on the bed as I read it out loud. It may sound weird to you, but people say that it's never to early to read to your baby. And, I feel like I remember what I read better if I read it aloud. Noah has been interrupting me alot by talking over me. But I'm sure what he has to say is VERY important and that it can't wait, I'm also sure that he wouldn't understand a lesson on manners just yet... so we can cover that later. Besides... have you seen my little dude? Any interruption from him is more like a party than a nuisance.

5. Being more domestic. I want to use my bread maker more often than I do, try new recipes, and get better at sewing.

These are big goals... but I'm ready for a challenge! Bring it on 2010.

To whom it may concern...

EVICTION NOTICE
Date: October 5
To: Noah William Petersen

To the above tenant in possession of below described premises:

MY BELLY

Louisville, KY

I am issuing this 36 hour notice for EVICTION. You will have 4 days in which you can either gather your belongings and promptly vacate the premises, or wait until the final minute. After which, you will be physically removed from the property.

You are being evicted due to breech of contract and destruction of property. Expansions only to the FRONT of the house, within reasonable limits, were discussed. Not only have these limits been exceeded, but additions to the back of the house were also made!

Remodeling and gutting of the home was never approved, nor was changing the initial layout and base structure. And due to property damage, there are now leaks in both the upper AND lower levels of the home. On top of which, the landlord has received numerous complaints about nightly disturbances.

4 days from this point in time if you have not complied with this notice you will be immediately and forcefully removed at my discretion.

Thank you for your cooperation.

Love,
The Management (Mommy and Daddy)

P.s. Thanks Aunt Joanne for this cute encouragement... maybe it will entice him to come without the force.

Cotton + Vine

I am super excited to announce that I finally have something on the internet for my Cotton + Vine line of products. It's not at all ideal, but hopefully this will help get my feet off the ground!

http://www.facebook.com/inbox/?ref=mb#/group.php?gid=151008899864&ref=mf

I also have two shows coming up! But, the most exciting part about the shows is that I will have Noah in tow with me -- I can't believe he's less than 2 weeks away!

I love this...

I love parties

This weekend isn't over yet, but we've already had about 75 people go through our house in the last 24 hours. We had a BBQ Last night for our small group at church that is starting up in September, and this morning we had a birthday party for two of our favorite little girls in Kentucky. We are so blessed to have the friends and community out here that we do- they are truly a family away from family. Here are some pics from the party today...

Making necklaces out of yummy cereal...

Every girl got a tutu, wand and crown. I have never seen so many cute little princesses running around in one place... pretty magical!

Yummy cupcakes (I'm hungry now...)

Cereal necklace station...

Princess wands...

What a great past two days! I can't wait to have more parties at our place- they just seem to get more fun after every one!

My Husband is Rambo

This whole week has been dedicated to taking care of some unfinished business that we have in our new house. Painting walls, hanging pictures, kitchen projects, landscaping, and all kinds of other things.

While Drew and I were in our back yard last night weeding, raking, and digging out some day lilies that pretty much took over our yard, my husband decided that it was time to take out a couple tree's that were VERY unwanted.

Since our house sat vacant for about two years, there was a lot of uncared for, and unwanted growth of many things that had just sprouted up from seedlings... a group of trees in particular. There was about 6 of them that were all clumped together trying to out-grow the other one while taking part of our fence with them. Yes, it was time. So, my Husband (aka Rambo) took them all down. On the last one, as he was hacking away with a hatchet and a pair of beefy pruning sheers (no, not at the same time) his super buff and studly arms broke our really-intense-no-nonsense-we-mean-business pair of pruning shears. I stared in awe as he pulled the shears out of the tree while part of the blade was still in the branch.

I thought that this meant that our time in the backyard was finished. What else could we do about this tree if the main tool we were using just broke because my husband is so strong? Well... Drew was not finished yet. He was wearing a very studly t-shirt that had the arms cut off (heavy sarcasm about the studly t-shirt), but had he been wearing longer sleeves he would have rolled them up, clapped his hands, and swung his arms back a forth a few times right before he took the tree down with his bare hands. Yes... his bare hands.

That's right. I married Rambo. Here's a picture to prove it:

Golf Education

My sweet husband just got a new set of golf clubs. He has been so patient with me telling me everything he knows about the game, what the different clubs are called, and what different phrases mean.

But today while Drew and I (and his new golf clubs) were watching part of the British Open I heard the announcers say something confusing.

What I heard: "There's a pot of gold chicken"

What my loving husband corrected me with when I told him this is what I thought they said:

" He could putt it or chip it"

Lesson #1 in golf: There are no gold chickens

What?

I thought my first blog post would be more difficult to come by. I'm not super creative when it comes to writing-at all. But while I was frequenting one of my all time favorite blogs... I had a sudden inspiration.

Lady's and gentlemen- if you have not had the pleasure of ever visiting this site, please go there now. I promise you won't be disappointed.

The picture up top is just one of the many gems that awaits for your visit.

Welp... it was time

With every new name, and new house... there comes a new blog. At least in this case there does.

Since my last blog a lot has happened. I like the idea of writing about what is going on so I can look back on it later, but also so that the people who care to be kept in the loop can be... even when I forget to call on a regular basis.

So cheers to my new blog, I'm going to be really intentional about keeping this one up!