Mommy and Daddy's Vegas Trip

Well, we did it. We left Noodle for a couple nights and went to Las Vegas. We had the opportunity to go to the Regimental Ball at the Flamingo in Las Vegas and we couldn't pass it up. Noah stayed with my mom at our house and loved every minute of it. Thomas and I enjoyed ourselves, despite missing our little bug.

We arrived in Vegas with just enough time to get dressed for the Ball. We missed the receiving line (which is where you go through and shake hands with all the higher ups), but made it just in time for the toasts. A lot of Soldiers and spouses hate the formalities, but I actually enjoy them. I like the tradition and the whole experience of being part of it. This Ball was one of the better ones, in my opinion. The guest speakers got straight to the point and the Ballroom was beautiful. My favorite part of the whole night was seeing my handsome husband in his Class A's. Seeing his awards and achievements displayed on his uniform makes me very proud of him. Plus, he looks very good in the uniform=)





Our second day we made sure to sleep in. It was very hard to do, but felt good. We are both used to getting up around 6:00 everyday (Thomas for work and me because Noah thinks sleep is for the weak), so we automatically woke up at that time. I closed the curtains and forced myself to go back to sleep and we slept until 10:30! I can't even remember the last time I slept that late. We spent most of the day walking around the Strip. We eventually made it down to Mandalay Bay and went to the Shark Reek Aquarium. It was a little pricey, but I highly recommend it. I was very excited to see the sea turtles and the sharks.




After the aquarium we made our way back to our hotel. My feet were killing me, so I couldn't wait to get my shoes off and soak them in the tub. After a break, we enjoyed some pizza in our room and then went out to do some more walking. We stayed near out hotel and played a few slots. We're not gamblers, so we stuck to the penny slots=) We didn't have any luck, but it was still fun just hanging out.


Trying my luck on Noah's Ark


The last day we enjoyed a nice garden view buffet breakfast at the Flamingo. It was a great way to end the trip. I was ready to leave and get home to see my little monster. I missed him and couldn't wait to give him a big hug. He was standing at the door smiling and waving to us when we got home. It was cute! We are planning on taking him there sometime this summer. I think he'd love all the lights and people.

Wow! To say I'm a little behind is an understatement! Last post was in September!?!? I'm definitely slacking...Now, where do I begin???

A quick update to catch everyone up...

October was a very nice month. We found Noah an adorable pirate costume and decided to make it a family affair. Aaarghhh! We took Noah trick-or-treating and it was very fun (for Thomas and I). Noah got a little cranky and tired, so it was an early night=)


On November 21st we baptized Noah. It was nice to have everyone out to our house for that very special occasion.

David, Tina, Father John, Noah, Me, and Thomas

In November we also enjoyed a very nice Thanksgiving dinner at my grandma's house. It was Noah's first and he ate turkey, sweet potatoes, green beans, and bread. He was stuffed=)


December was extremely busy, but we made sure to take time to enjoy the holidays. Decorating the Christmas tree and putting the lights on the house was fun. Noah loved the Christmas lights and enjoyed pulling the ornaments off the tree. I'm sure we told Noah "no" about 1,000 times while the tree was up, but he just couldn't resist all the pretty colors and lights. I had to re-wrap at least 5 gifts because he opened them as soon as I put them under the tree=) We celebrated our Christmas on the 23rd since we were going to be at my mom's for Christmas Eve and Day. Noah enjoyed unwrapping the presents more that the actual toys, but that's okay because he's growing into them now.




January 3rd was Noah's 1st birthday. It's amazing how fast that year went...We had his party on the 2nd and went to the Los Angeles Zoo on his birthday. It was an exhausting weekend, but it was worth every bit of hard work=) Also, Noah started walking. He was taking steps since the beginning of December, but he really started going shortly after his birthday.

The birthday boy!


February we celebrated my birthday (the big 2-7 for those of you that are curious). I think I'll stop counting from this point on=) Thomas spoiled me by bringing me flowers and a gift and baking me a cake and made me dinner! It was a great day that I was thankful to spend with Noah and Thomas.


My funny little Valentine


That finally leads us into March. Noah is growing so fast he's hard to keep up with! The little monster loves to run and play outside and be on-the-go constantly. He loves to go to Starbucks and wave to every single person sitting there=) He loves throwing rocks (thanks to Thomas) and going to the park. He says tree, Jesus, hi, daddy, toes, and that (very random vocabulary). He likes to give kisses and hugs, but it has to be on his terms. He likes to shake his head "no" when it's naptime and just started throwing these funny little tantrums. He's hardheaded and stubborn (I have no idea where he got that from) and has a unique personality. Thomas and I laugh more everyday because of our silly little boy. I can't believe how fast he's growing! He'll turn 15 months on April 3rd.



We have a busy year ahead of us. Thomas has been busy applying for jobs to see if he can get something lined up before getting out of the Army. If not, then he'll be reenlisting at the end of the summer and we'll start a new adventure. I'm trying to get back to school, but with my busy little guy and Thomas' crazy work schedule it's very difficult to find the time. Hopefully, we will work something out by the end of the year. I think that's about it for the update. I'll definitely work on posting more often. Now we are off to finally enjoy some family time!

Noah and Knox

Noah loves to play with my sister's kitten, Knox. The two babies are close in age, so they are going to grow up together=)

On the Go!

Wow, it's been way too long since I last posted! Noah is keeping me very busy these days. He is on the go and does not like to stop=) He's been crawling for about 2 months now, so he's really picked up speed. His crawl started as a funny little inchworm crawl (he would straighten his arms and put his head to the ground, then push with his feet). It looked pretty funny, but it got him where he wanted to go. Then it evolved into an Army low crawl (it's in his genes). And finally a regular crawl. He goes pretty fast now and has us on our toes all the time. He's also been able to pull himself up to stand for the past few weeks. He's still working on his balance and has suffered a few bumps and bruises, but he's doing great! He gets a great big smile when he accomplishes something new, so we are always there to applaud and encourage. He's a very social little boy and always talks and smiles at people wherever we are. He is also a bit of a flirt with the ladies, so I'm going to have to keep a close eye on him=)
As for Thomas and I, we are doing good. Thomas is busy and works a lot during the monthly rotations, so Noah and I miss him while he's working. But we always look forward to the days when he's off. We are looking forward to a Family Fun Day at the end of the month and a trip out to "The Box" to see where the training takes place. I am also going to participate in the Spouse Spur Ride at the end of October, so I'm trying to get in shape for that. I'll post pictures once that is done (if I survive!)

Playing with daddy

Noah and mommy


Making a mess with his toys

Cute little face covered in squash

Watch out, he's coming!

Standing

Smiley little boy showing off his new pj's=)

Cereal!

Well, my little boy was ready to try bigger and better things! We bought him a highchair and gave him his first serving of rice cereal. Most of it ended up on his face and hands and highchair, so I'm not sure how much actually made it into his tummy, but it made for great pictures!

Trying out the new highchair!


First Bite


A little unsure






Happy with a full tummy=)

Being a Boy

Noah is already turning into such a boy! He loves hanging out with his daddy and learning how to do "guy" things=)

Drool Bomb!



Learning how to play XBOX






Wearing his Hooters shirt (from his Uncle Rick)


Wearing boardshorts like Daddy=)

Puddingstone Lake

One afternoon we decided to go to Bonelli Park. It was a little bit colder than we planned for, but we still had a good time. Noah enjoyed the fresh air and watching the leaves blow in the wind.





My favorite picture of the day! I love his cheeks=)