Our Two Year Anniversary

Steve and I celebrated our two year anniversary on November 3rd. We got married at Atlantis in the Bahamas because it is where we first confessed our feelings for each other just over a year before we actually married. We talked about going back every year for our anniversary. However, Steve's business was real busy last November so we didn't make it back until February. Having just been there in February, we thought it would be silly to come back again in November for our 2nd anniversary. We also decided, before our first anniversary, that we'd celebrate the traditional way with traditionally themed gifts.

Well, this year's theme is cotton. Naturally, I googled good ideas for 2nd anniversary (cotton) gifts. The best idea was good egyptian cotton towels. This was especially perfect because we could use new towels after buying some cheap ones, not too long ago, that are coming apart already. I thought that I'd get the towels monogrammed with our initials, as well, for that extra special anniversary touch. After pricing some towels out, I realized that good towels don't come cheap. Since I'm the one in our house that budgets our money and pays the bills, I realized we might be better off buying these towels for each other. So I talked to Steve about it and things got weird. It seemed Steve was going to buy towels for me too. BUT, there was something else. He insisted there was another gift and that he had to buy the towels because it all goes together. After an hour of negotiating, trying to save us money, Steve spilled the beans that he was going to put our reservations for Atlantis inside the towels for me to open on our anniversary, Tuesday, and we would then leave the following Friday. I was so mad at myself for ruining what would have been the nicest surprise anyone has ever given me. I just didn't expect it. I realized, though, that it was still the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me because it is the thought that counts after all, isn't it?!?! Oh well, off to the bahamas we go, and for the first time ever, we get to take our son to our very special place!

We're back now. Needless to say, we had an absolute blast and Noah probably enjoyed it more than we ever have.

Here Noah stands on the beach that Steve and I got married on. I wonder if it's us he's thinking about:

Aw Bummer!

Tomorrow's Halloween and we were oh so ready and excited. We sure did try and get into the spirit, this last month. We headed to the pumpkin patch and the apple orchard. We chose the perfect costume; Elmo, of course, Noah's favorite! We even got to dress up for a play group last week and give Elmo a rehearsal before Halloween.

But of course, when you expect it least, that's when Noah contracts a virus you never would have expected: Croup! Dr. said he should be fine within the next three days which we're glad to hear. But, we will have to miss out on all the Halloween celebrations. Aw bummer! Mama and Dada will just have to make it a unique celebration of our own in front of the fireplace this weekend. Oh wait, it's supposed to be almost 70 tomorrow. Oh man!!!

Anyhow, I think Noah is trying to tell us that the three of us need some quality alone time this weekend which is alright by me! Happy Halloween!

Baaaaaaaa

Noah and I, along with some friends, went to the petting zoo yesterday. It was long overdue since Noah's taken a liking to animal sounds lately. He's always been into animals, loving the animal baby einstein videos more than any others.

He learned his very first animal sound before he even turned one from Bella, our three year old english bulldog. He would listen to her pant and imitate her. As he panted, we would repeat dog. Finally we could just ask what the dog does, and he would reply by panting. Soon after his first birthday, he gave up the panting for a simple "woof". Recently, I taught Noah an elephant sound. Well, I make it sound a lot easier than it is. I tried to teach many more sounds before the elephant but he only imitates those that he likes or are funny, hence the elephant. Then Steve taught Noah the sheep sound.

As soon as we walked into the petting zoo, we saw the goats. Since the goats' and sheep's sounds are so similar, I cheered Noah on for his many baaaaaaaaaas. Soon though, he walked around the whole zoo to all the different animals baaaaaaaaaing. Still, it was adorable, and I'm reminded how much I love having a toddler who walks where his eyes and ears take him and talks as his heart tells him. Life is good!

A gymnast?

Well, it's been while since I last wrote. But of course, Noah will not disappoint! He's got many new tricks. He's loving imitating animal sounds such as the dog, and now even the sheep and elephant. But the best trick, and one we've really enjoyed the most, is his somersault. It's amazing having watched him learn to walk, only two months ago, to now standing on his head waiting for us to help him flip himself over. He'll even help us count as he waits. We'll say one, he'll add the two and we finish with three and help him over. Where oh where has my little baby gone?!?!

Aunt Janine came to see us!

So this past weekend was supposed to be a three day weekend with today being Columbus Day and all, but Steve had to go to work at the last minute today. But that's okay especially considering we had such a wonderful weekend. First, Grammy and Pop came to visit on Saturday. And on Sunday we had a very special guest all the way from Staten Island to see us, my good friend Janine. We haven't seen Janine since Noah was about ten months old! It's hard getting together as often as we'd like when we're two hours away from one another.

We had a great time with our dear friend and feel blessed to be able to call her our friend. She even brought gifts! We talked and laughed and enjoyed Noah all day together. He loves his Aunt Janine; practically sat in her lap the whole time!

But there was one moment that got us all hysterical. We all know that Noah can say open. But we've never heard it like this before. While Steve was trying to get Noah's new truck, from Aunt Janine, out of the box Noah got so anxious that he was literally yelling at Steve "Openit, openit, openit, openit!!!" Only thing is we were laughing so hard that it only took us longer to get the darn thing finally open for Noah to play with.

Noah and Aunt Janine having a blast:

I amlost forgot

Of course my having started making a list kept me up all night with my OCD and all. I can't make a list that's not accurate or incomplete. And I certainly can't take another moment without fixing this very urgent matter. Surely, by now you must see that Steve has his hands full with me as did my parents...

• Hat
• Open (Opota)
• Truck (Tu)
• Hi
• Bye
• Bird (Bud)
• Balloon (B)
• Cookie (Coo)
• Again (Aga)

There may even be more that's escaping me at the moment, but this will do for now. Ciao!

Can we keep it???

We've loved watching Noah learning new words for the past few months. So what if they're not pronounced correctly?!? We can make them out.

Here's a list of the one's I can think of at present:

• Mama
• Dada
• Bella (Ba)
• Dog (Do)
• Woof (Oof)
• Baba
• Water (Wawa)
• Down (Daaa)
• Up
• Eyes (Ice)
• Book (Bookkk)
• Ball (Bo)
• Shoes (Doos and sometimes we actually get shoe)
• Socks (Docks)
• Button (Butt)
• Fish (Ish)
• Bath (Baaa)
• Eat (Eat/Eas)
• Annaliese [Noah's friend (Iese)]
• Light (La/Ight)
• Airplane (Aipai)
• Catch (Tatch)

These days it seems he's learning a new word almost every day. Just today he learned to say choo choo when I was making a train sound. But our most favorite word ever is belly button. It's just the way that he says it that gets Steve and I every time. He says it with a sort of accent. It sounds like "bay butt" only with a european flair. It is so cute that we tried to get it on video because we're sad that he may one day stop. I hope he keeps it. Well, maybe just until he starts school so he won't get picked on.

We'll that's it for my first post but just to make it official, here are a few of my favorite pictures from Noah's first year of life:

This is still my favorite shot of the three of us. It was Halloween night 2008 at our neighbor's house and ended up being the shot we used on our holiday cards.