The latest Cassaday happenings...

Pinetop

Our fun day and

Prescott

Happy Anniversary

Our third anniversary....

Pics are here.

We have something to share!

It is someone we have never met.

It takes about nine or ten months to finish.

It has now happened twice to us.

What is it?   Click here.

Blog of the Week

I guess that I have lost some of you, since moving to a new blog and the long, long absences in between posts.  But I do promise that I will be more faithful to blog so check my new site out

here.  I have recently posted some pictures of Noah through his first year AND some birthday shots!  

Take care!

Noah's Hair cut

Just added some new pics on my new blog!  We finally got Noah a hair cut.....

Click here.

New Blog

Hello!  I have recently made the switch to another blog so please add my new blog address to your list if you would like!

Here it is!

Tucson

Does anybody know of a good place to stay in Tucson?  I am trying to find a neat but reasonable place (hotel, resort or b&b) but seem to be coming up with nothing!  Any tips?  I would love them.

Another one!

For Nana and Papa

Nap Time!

Noah is a great sleeper.  I can not complain, whine or even suggest that he is not.  The boy sleeps through the night and I am VERY thankful for that.  But lately our daytime naps have been, shall we say, non existent.  Yesterday he spent one hour in his crib playing, singing, calling out and throwing his paci's overboard.  Finally I looked at Kelly and said maybe he isn't tired (what gave you that idea?).  So we got him up, took him to church and gave him to the wonderful nursery workers to handle him.  They said he did great (??).  

On Saturday I had such fun going yard sale shopping (that is for another post) but again no nap for Dad.  I think Kelly even resorted to laying down with him.  Which I can see as being disastrous since Noah thinks that if you are cuddling with him that gives him ample opportunity to hit your face, pull your hair and then squirm and grunt to get over the side of the bed.  Fun!!

So I do believe that our little man is heading to the one nap a day scenario.  Even though I have been told he is too young.  I guess we shall just wait and see.  Until then I am glad he does not cry while in his crib.  Rather he finds many things to entertain himself; primarily the bumper (which I did eventually put back into the crib-good thing eh?!).  

Curling Championships

My sister and I, along with Noah, were able to see the final game of the Tournament of Scott's in Women's Curling.   It was not normally something that we would do (hello?  curling?) but my grandparent's are avid fans (do not even try to talk to my Grandma when someone is throwing a rock) and they had the tickets which they could not use, so off we went!  I was so excited and you can imagine my double excitement when I entered the arena to see scads of people wearing foam shaped curling rocks on their heads.  Oh the joy's of sports!  It makes normally modest people dress up like crazy, rock wearing fans!  I wanted one.   

Curling may not be a sport many people watch (I had a lot of people say to me, did you know curling was even in the Olympics!? I think that makes it more acceptable)but it does have a certain fun, shuffle board like drama to it.  And boy those ladies can make plays I did not even think were possible.  

 I must admit that taking a baby to a curling game may not have been the brightest idea since it seems that when they are in play people generally get quiet.  And Noah, well he is NOT quiet, especially when he has people sitting all around him.  He seems to need to yell at those around him to get there attention....gulp.  We started to feel the stares of unhappy seat mates.  So we moved.  And still felt the stares of unhappy people.  So then we walked around with him (my excuse to try and find a hat).  Unfortunately we had to leave early but it was a pretty 'exciting' game (according to my family) I would not know since I have no idea about the rules or what a good play is in the game of curling.  I just know that the lady on one team yelled 'Hard, REALLLY HARD" a lot.  

My craziest moment of this curling 'experience' was when a volunteer security ( I use this term loosely) guy came up to me, put his death grip on my shoulder and started to talk to me about not using the flash on my camera during the tournament.  I was okay with 'please don't use your flash' but he seemed to think that possibly I was the most rebelious person in the arena and I needed the five minute lecture on flash usage.   He even went into a long story of "the other day so and so on such and such team stopped in the middle of their play to ask that people please (those curlers are polite, other athletes may have inserted profanities into this part) stop using their flash".  I kept saying to him, okay thank you I will turn it off, but no that did not seem to deter him.  He then went on to say that "you know in this arena you don't even need flash because the pictures turn out fine without it."  Finally he felt like he had done his duty and left.  I turned in my seat, very embarrassed by this time, to look out into the audience to see dozens of flashes go off.  Boy that poor 'security' guy has a big job ahead of him.    

 

More of our Trip....

My mom's version of a pack and play.  He was happy as a clam sitting in this box...

Auntie Tash and Noah at the curling game...this was before the 'flash' incident.
B.C. Curling team!
Mom and Noah eating lunch together.  
Great Grandpa giving Noah a thrill of a lifetime.  Riding on a scooter!

Noah and his Papa

Some fun pictures....

We had a lot of fun visiting my parent's so I decided to show some of my favourite pics....

Visiting with the Scotts: with five children that house is super busy!  Noah would often just sit and watch while they ran, talked, and whirled around him.  I had a wonderful time holding their newest baby, Charis, and visiting with Janis.  I think this picture is so much fun because I know what Noah is doing,  screaming at the top of his lungs, while Eden is probably feeling the pain of an ear piercing shreek!  

My lovely friend Heidi! ( I love that we have the same name) She, her husband Steinar and sweet Annabelle came from Norway to visit their family and friends.  We were lucky enough to see them!  Again I was able to cuddle with their sweet little one (oh she is cute) while catching up with their lives.  Noah had fun trying to lunge at Annabelle...notice I had to hold his hand.  
Noah with his Grandpa.  
Let is snow?????  
Here he is all bundled up!  I knew that our son is a desert boy after he would scream anytime we tried to put a coat, mitts or hat on.  

Highlight: in Canada

We had a lot of fun in Canada but I must admit that my number one highlight was discovering that Noah can crawl (a version of the army crawl).  After months of wondering, agonizing and a variety of ploys to get him moving forward- he did it!  I was pretty excited because Kelly and I were the first one's to witness it...he is starting to perfect his crawl this week because I have been baiting him with various objects that he loves, mainly the phone.  Oh what fun do we have in store for us!

Bad 'Post'er

My last post was on February 20?  Shame on me.  But now I get to update, update and update!  

Noah's 9 Month Well Visit

My it has been a long time since I have posted anything!  I guess there has not been anything that is 'post' worthy happening in our lives.  Though if I really think about it there has been much going on!!  

Anyways, today was Noah's 9 month visit with our pediatrician and I was a bit nervous about it because well, he is still not moving!!  I think as a new mom I still have these moments of sheer panic when my child is not meeting those milestones in the time that books or websites say they should be.  Plus I have other children (cough cough) to compare him too.  All that to say that during our visit I voiced my concern.  She was very sweet about it, and by sweet I mean no lecture about his lack of tummy time, and said for me to call back in a month to see where he is at.  Then they will look into it.  He is strong all other places, but not his trunk.  Personally I think he is on the verge of being overly content that even if a toy lays just out of reach he is not too concerned about getting it.  He will just lay on his back and talk, babble, and scream.  What a boy!! 

Here are his stats (I find babies stats fascinating!)

Weight: 22.7 pounds (but it feel like 25 pounds)/75%

Head: No idea but it is the 50% (which I think can't be right because then that means 50% of children can not fit into the one size fits all hats?)

Height:28.5 inches/75%

We are so thankful that Noah is a growing, happy, and healthy little boy.  

This explains everything.

Advice

So I am having a few problems with Noah's sleeping arrangement.  I have this constant back and forth feeling on the whole crib bumper issue.  I get concerned that he may roll into it and not be able to breathe (yes I am that type of person!!), so my answer to that dilemma was to put the crib bumper on the outside of the crib.  Which worked beautifully!  It caught all of the paci's that were about to fall out (with a little help from two chubby little hands), it was a wonderful 'view' blocker for my curious son's eyes, and well it just seemed to work.  Until he woke up the other day with a slate indented face.  I guess he had fallen asleep with his face up against the slates and when he woke up it had a nice red slate mark from the tip of his chin to his forehead.  I cringed.  Then put the bumper in the crib.  Then late last night (midnight to be exact) I lay there wondering if it should be in the crib, maybe he would get all scrunched up against it (I am sure you can tell where my thoughts were going..) So I took it out, okay Kelly took it out, and I slept better for it. 

Now some of you may be thinking I am one crazy, and overly concerned, parent but I guess that is the way I am!  So if any of you have advice, think I should just leave the bumper in, or anything at all please let me know!  I would appreciate it....

This is usually how I find Noah at the end of his nap...

This is how I get our laundry done...

Extreme Decorating

Who knew it could lead to this?  Last week I poked my finger on a piece of wire from the garland I was hanging; it was so small that I had to take it out with tweezers.  Then two days later, many trips to the drugstore, two nights on the couch and two doctors visits later I have an infection (which was caused by this wire).  I guess the lovely infection decided to make itself at home in my tendon and joint (painful!!) but I am thankfully on the mend.  I just like to wear this now for the sympathy.  Oh and the fact that my son always has some body part flailing around me at all times.  

That's right.  I bet no one ever thought of decorating as extreme or dangerous.  

Elianna, Taylor and Noah Hanging Out

Confessions of New Mom

Okay so there are times that I let Noah play with my gum package while I am on the computer.  It keeps him happy while I check on my emails.  I realize that there are gobs of toys sitting out in the other room for him to play with but somehow he always ends up with the gum package.  Today while he was sitting, happily shaking the package, I all of a sudden heard a very happy, very loud sucking noise.  Yep that's right somehow he managed to get the package opened and a piece of strawberry gum into his mouth.  Needless to say a bit of a scary moment later and his first, and last piece for a long time, of gum was out of his mouth.  You should have seen the look of dismay cross his face when he realized I had taken it.  I guess his taste buds will never be the same...how will sweet potatoes taste any good after fake sweet strawberry?  

My many attempts to get a good 7 month shot of Noah...

Number 1

Number 2
Number 3 
Number 4
Number 5
Number 6
Number 7...the keeper!

Kiki's Korner

Hey have you checked out Kiki's blog?  She is having a free giveaway for one lucky winner.  I love the necklace's and I have seen some of you ladies with one's similar!  You are one fun lady Kiki and you have an exceptionally cute daughter.  

www.hantla.com/kiki/ 

Fortune Cookie

I am not a firm believer in the fortune's you find in fortune cookies.  Except for tonight it got me a bit scared.  While out at PeiWei Kelly and I both had a cookie, his said 'a small gift can bring joy to the whole family."  Okay.  Then mine said, "you will move into your dream home this year".  Great so now I am moving and pregnant (I took the small gift to mean baby).  Well I didn't like what mine said so I went back for another (hey if one fortune won't work?), and guess what one I grabbed?  That's right, a small gift can bring joy to the whole family.  Pregnant, with twins, and moving.  I am never eating a fortune cookie again.  

A little rhyme

First Came Love...

and a very long journey, Kelly can truly say he went to the ends of the earth for this girl!
Then came a proposal (a bit fake, notice Kelly's wedding band, poor guy forgot to get down on one knee the first time around.  So a year later he 'proposed' properly, I said yes, again?!)


Then Came Marriage....







Then Came Noah in a Baby Carriage...

Not the end but merely a snapshot of our life together so far.

The many do's of Noah Cassaday

When it comes to Noah hands down the number the one thing that strangers comment on is his hair.  Is it natural?  Do I put mousse, gel, hairspray (honestly?) or hair products in his hair?  It is so cool!!  

His hair is one of those features that I can and do have a lot of fun with...check out the pictures below!!  

The natural look.
The handsome, comb over, look.
If only I owned a skateboard look.
I could have been in that movie, playing Alfalfa, look.
Hello, I am Jack Nicholson, look.  Minus the cigars, booze and girls, of course.  

Guess what I found??

Pictures from our Arizona Reception (last year!).  Can you believe it has already been a year?My favourite shot is of Tonya with the Canadian flag in the back, too bad Mike wasn't standing with her:)

Hello Amy!!
The McCoy's, lovely flowers by the way.
I love this shot of the Caruso clan.
Herbrandson's, look how little Alyssa and Emily are!! Wow.  
Thanks for coming!!    

Last Night

I do believe that our little one has entered the official teething stage.  He has been gumming at his hands for months now but last night he woke up crying, twice, and could not be consoled.  If you know Noah you can agree that this was not like him at all.  Poor thing.  But one good thing about it all was he finally cuddled with me.  Usually he is too busy trying to look at anything that moves to even think of cuddling but last night he did.  Too bad it was at midnight but I will take what I can get.  

"Should old acquaintance be forgot, and never brought to mind?"

This line in the ever popular song, Auld Lang Syne, has been stuck in my head recently.  I read through the lyrics and wondered, is this really a song that I sing with such energy and vigor each year (especially the Boney M version)?  Should old acquaintance's really be forgot?  I could not think of anyone I would want to sing that line to...until a small flashback suddenly appeared.  Oh yes there are a few.  And here they are.  Please know that you are truly safe to read this because none of you, at least I am not naming names, have made my old acquaintance forgot list.  

1) The lady who, while only in my seventh month of pregnancy, came up to me and announced rather loudly, wow you are HUGE.  

Thank you.  I had not noticed.  

2) To that man who decides that is alright to run around our neighborhood in tight spandex shorts.  Not a flattering look.  Please invest in some LOOSE jogging pants.  

3) To the man that sat next to me on an airplane.  Even after you reassured me, a few times, that it was fine that he was sitting next to me and a crying baby, because he had noise reduction earphones, you still took the first chance handed to you to sit as far away from us as possible.  

4) To the nurse that tended to us while I was in my 30 some hour of induced labor.  I did not appreciate your tough love approach to the my situation/problem.  I would rather of had the candy coated talk about things like, drugs, c-sections and goodness girl get some reality in that head of yours.  (Seriously if I had my wits about me I would have fired her, pointed at her just like Trump, and say your FIRED get me a nicer nurse).   PS, I did take the drugs and they were fun!!

5) To the security lady who took away my bath and body works soaps that I was taking to Canada, for my mom.  I know you were nice about it and all but I was still pretty sad.  And a little frantic since I was about to miss my flight.  Oh well.  I hope you are enjoying your lovely smelling soaps!!

6) (Seriously I am running out of people, must have been a great year!!) Last, but not least, to the man who kept telling me, only two more weeks of home renovations and were done.  Okay so this is my husband, and I do not want to forget him but I would like to leave the nightmarish memories of home renovations behind in the year 2008!  

Happy New Year, may it be filled with people you do not wish to forget:0)  

Mom's Visit

As some of you know my Mom decided to surprise us with a visit the week before Christmas.  If you know my Mom this is a highly uncharacteristic of her to do, especially since she bought a ticket Monday and flew the next day to Phoenix.   We were very grateful for her visit, and the fact that she even braved winter travel!  Noah loved spending time with his Grandma.  Thanks for the visit Mom!!

We had an early Christmas celebration with my Mom.  Here Noah is opening his first stocking gift: pacifiers!!  Notice how excited he is to get into them.
A safari shirt.  My mom loves to find cool shirts for Noah.

Another fun adventure we went on.  Zoo lights, on a Saturday night.  Brave woman my Mom is.