No No the Clown

Noah was in a terrible mood today but I did manage to get some decent pictures. Our dear friend Mary made Noah's costume once again - thank you Mary!

 

 

Wordless Wednesday: Cheesy Pumpkin Patch Photos

When we were at the Pumpkin Patch on Saturday, they had one of those cheesy photo op displays and we just couldn't resist having a little fun with it......

 

 

 

Not all the shots were cheesy, this is my new favorite photo of Noah and Paisley.....

For more Wordless Wednesday, check out 5 Minutes for Moms, Special Exposure Wednesday at 5 Minutes for Special Needs,   and  Wordless Wednesday 

Frankenstein Popcorn

Noah isn’t a big sweets eater but he loves popcorn so I came up with this little Halloween treat using a mini bag of microwavable popcorn. They come together pretty quickly so you can easily whip together a few for a last minute treat for your child’s class, teachers, your co-workers, etc. They’d make a great party favor too!

You'll Need:

Microwavable popcorn (I used the mini bags.)

Green and black cardstock

Scissors

Pinking shears (scissors with a zig zag edge)

Googly eyes
Pom Poms (I used green)
Tape (I used my tape runner)
Glue (I used my favorite glue ever, E6000)
Scrapbooking adhesive/glue stick

What to Do:

1. Mark the size of your popcorn on your green paper and then cut it accordingly.

2. Tape down the ends of your popcorn bag.

3. Using your scrapbooking adhesive or a glue stick put glue on the back side of your green cardstock and then place your popcorn bag in the middle of the paper.

4. Fold the paper around the bag so it overlaps using more glue or adhesive as needed.

5. Now to decorate the front and make the face, cut out a strip of black cardstock using your pinking shears. Glue on the strip of hair, two eyes, and a pom pom nose. Draw on and crooked mouth using a black marker and you are finished!

After I made a few, I realized that a black pipe cleaner would have made a good mouth too but I didn’t have any so I just stuck with my black marker mouth.

Enjoy!

Quote of the Week: God's Promises

"God's promises are like stars; the darker the night, the brighter the stars."
- Unknown 

(I know, I know, that's not a star but it was the closest I had. ;) )

Happy Birthday Noahie and Nickel!

Happy 13th Birthday to my sweet Noah!

"Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting - so get on your way!"
~ Dr. Seuss

  And I can't forget his "birthday buddy" and my namesake, Nicholas (my BFF's son). 
Happy 5th Birthday Nickel!

Thirteen Years Ago Today

Thirteen years ago today, October 25th, 1996 a very special little boy entered my life weighing in at a whopping 4 pounds and 12 ounces. He arrived six weeks early and that should have been a sign to me that he would always be an impatient little one. As that tiny little boy was whisked off to the NICU my world changed in a moment. I knew love as I never had before, I knew love as a Mother.

While Noah's birth was big news in my little world, it wasn't the only thing going on in the big world at the time.........

• Bill Clinton was President and Al Gore was Vice President.
• Gas was $1.29 a gallon.
• The Macarena by Los Del Rio, Because You Loved Me by Celine Dion, and Always Be my Baby by Mariah Carey were some of the hits.
• The English Patient won an Academy Award in ’96.
• Friends, The X Files, and Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman were some of the most popular TV shows at the time.

Source

Freeze this Moment

This morning Noah woke up at the crack of dawn. Seriously, he was up at about 6 AM. Apparently my little man is pretty excited about his birthday party tomorrow.

I guess he was thinking it was today but I set him straight. He was just in a great mood and being really really silly. I almost didn't mind him crawling into our room and climbing in our bed because he was just being so cute, silly, and funny. 

As I layed and watched him, I thought to myself, "can we just freeze this moment?" It was good. It was sweet. I knew it would be worth remembering.So I grabbed the camera (it's never very far away from me!) and snapped a few shots of Noah being silly and excited on his birthday eve.The pictures are not the best quality but I wasn't worried about lighting, I wasn't thinking of composition, I was just thinking that the memory was going to be burned into my heart and the picture would just be an additional bonus.

The Teen Years Comments

Noah turns 13 on Sunday. When I tell people that Noah is about to be thirteen, that I’m about to be the Mom of a teenager, I get all kinds of interesting responses. Some are:

• “Now you’ll understand while some  species eat their young.” 
• “Get ready for lots of attitude and headaches.” “Time to bolt the windows and lock him in his bedroom.”
• “Time so start looking at colleges.” (That one was kind of funny to me because he’s only thirteen and in middle school but I do know some people start way early.)

Those are just a few of the most interesting responses. However, my son’s teenager years are not going to be like the teenagers years of many of my peers children. I highly doubt I’m going to have to worry about Noah sneaking out, experimenting with alcohol or drugs, or making college plans.

You’re probably thinking “Lucky!” right. Especially if you are the parent of a typical teenager.

I’ll admit that I have been dreading the teenage years but not for the reasons mentioned above. I’m dreading the teen years because of how difficult things will become as Noah slowly grows into adult hood. Instead of shopping for colleges, we’ll be shopping for a wheelchair lift or a van and looking at different work programs for special needs adults. I worry about how we are going to lift him every day as he grows into an adult. I’d much rather be worrying about the other stuff though. But like always, we’ll learn as we go, we’ll make it through this, and ultimately be stronger for it.

Disclaimer: Yep, it's a rant. I don't do it often so deal with it. ;)

Photo Credit

Wordless Wednesday: Ghetto Wheelchair

On the days that J is working and I have to give Noah a bath myself I have gotten creative with how to get him to and from the bathroom. He is getting so heavy that's it hard for me to carry him unless it is absolutely neccessary and getting the wheelchair on our second floor is so difficult so I have taken to using my desk chair with wheels and calling it our "ghetto wheelchair" and pushing him where ever I need to take him upstairs. Noah thinks it is hilarious and it's way easier on me!

For more Wordless Wednesday, check out 5 Minutes for Moms, Special Exposure Wednesday at 5 Minutes for Special Needs,   and  Wordless Wednesday 

Crazy Socks Day

It's "Red Ribbon Week" at Noah's school and because of that it was "crazy socks day." Let me tell you, it's crazy socks day everyday in Noah's World so the problem wasn't finding crazy socks it was deciding which pair of crazy socks to wear. I gave Noah four choices and he chose the ones pictured.

 

Change in Party Plans

In less than a week, on Sunday October 25th, Noah will turn 13. I will be the Mom of a teenager. Wowzers!

Like last year, we'll just be having a small, quiet super close friends and family party. Anything more and it's just too much on Noah and he gets all stressed out and doesn't enjoy his own party. And what fun is that? None! 

So, we had planned a "Thirteen Rocks" rockstar party but dear Noah decided tonight that he would change the theme. But, that's ok with me! It's his birthday and as long as he is happy.....

So, what's the new theme you ask? Well, Halloween. Ok, really I think he wanted a Christmas theme. All because I let him look at the little booklet from the cookie cake company to look at the different cakes and he fell in love with the heart shaped Santa face. His Nana has promised him that one on Christmas Eve. After all, he knows the rule, in fact he actually verbally said it! We don't put any Christmas stuff up in this house until Thanksgiving! 

So, Sunday, we'll be celebrating my sweet boy turning 13 pumpkin style!


Photo: Noah signing "Noah loves the pumpkin" at school on his 12th birthday.

Quote of the Week: For My Boys

"Promise me you'' always remember that you're braver than you believe, stronger than you seem,
and smarter than you think."
~ said by Christopher Robin to Winnie the Pooh

One of Those People

On Tuesday night, I put a little jacket on our puppy Paisley. As I put on her little jacket/sweater (it really was to help keep her warm because she shivered while at the Miralce League game the week before) I giggled to myself when I realized how darn cute she looked in her little jacket. (Which J picked out by the way!)

I suddenly realized that I'd turned into "one of those people." You know the people who put sweaters/jackets on their dogs. I'd always thought it was kind of silly and never quite understood why someone would dress their dog. I get it now.

In route to the game, I texted a few friends saying I'd turned into "one of those people." My BFF's answer was stellar as she replied with, "I think it was in you all along, you just needed a cute little puppy to bring it out of you!"

And a cute little puppy she is!

Wordless Wednesday: And They're Off!

Loving this action shot of my Dad and Noah sprinting off to first base at last night's Miracle League game. Loving the smiles on both their faces.

(Photo courtesy of Eric Eberius and taken by Jeff Brown)

For more Wordless Wednesday, check out 5 Minutes for Moms, Special Exposure Wednesday at 5 Minutes for Special Needs,   and  Wordless Wednesday 

Quote of the Week: Indulge Yourself

"Every once in awhile a girl has to indulge herself."
~ Sarah Jessica Parker

Wordless Wednesday: The One with the Hat

 

 I actually got Noah to keep the hat on when I took these pictures before his Miracle League baseball game recently.

For more Wordless Wednesday, check out 5 Minutes for Moms, Special Exposure Wednesday at 5 Minutes for Special Needs,   and  Wordless Wednesday 

Quote of the Week: Courage

"Courage is being scared to death but saddling up anyways."
- John Wayne

Blog Makeover: It's Fall!

It felt like fall this morning. I'm so ready for fall!! I love the cooler weather of fall and love being able to wear my fall clothes, sweaters, boots, etc. I love the fall smells - leaves burning, pumpkin lattes from Starbucks. I love the colors and seeing the leaves change. You know, all the classic signs that say, "Hello, it's fall!" 

So I decided my blog should catch up with the season and I decorated it for fall today. LOVE IT!