Nolan: 24 Weeks

Besides the crazy traveling we did last week, Nolan has had a pretty good week.  The teething has made him a little grumpier than usual at times, but he usually will whimper for a second and then you can distract him with something and he forgets about it.  We have bought him some new teething toys, so hopefully that will help too.

He isn't growing (or getting chunky) as much right now.  All of this 3-6 month clothes still fit the same.  Which is a good thing because I don't want to have to buy anything else until Spring!

He is for sure getting more vocal, and now will make noises just to see our reaction (i.e., fake coughing...cracks me up).  He is a chatterbox in the morning when I am getting him dressed for the day and changing his diaper - squeals like crazy!

He is also building some good muscles for sitting up.  He is great at standing (with us holding him of course), and when he "sits" can do pretty good at almost keeping himself upright.  I would say in a few more weeks we will have an official sitter!

 

Why do all babies always look so confused in pictures? 

I guess it's because this was taken at 6:45 a.m. - ha.

N = (Now weighs)  According to his last doctor checkup on Tuesday, 16 pounds still.

O = (Oomph!)  I have not yet wrapped me head around all of the packing/unpacking/packing we will be doing over the next couple of months...eek.

L = (Loves) Talking, chew toys, listening to his baby music CDs.

A = (About this week)  Like I mentioned about sitting, he is getting stronger each day.  Nani and Papa bought him a bouncy seat and an exersaucer, which he likes (even though he is still a bit short for his feet to touch the ground in it!)  Anthony has tied a string to the front of it and now pulls Nolan all over the house...

N = (Not a fan of) Letting me pick his nose...I have no idea why :)

Some BIG News...

Oh my, things are really starting to get crazy in the Maldonado household!  No, I am NOT pregnant...good grief, I would have a heart attack.

Nope, instead, the Maldonado's are MOVING!  Yep, we are leaving ATL for Raleigh, North Carolina.  This move has been a long time coming, but we didn't actually expect it to happen so fast.  We always knew that we would decide if living in Atlanta was working for us after having a baby, and that moving back to be near my family may be an option.

But, after having Nolan (and dealing with him being sick and being out of daycare), we realized that back home was where we needed to be.

We will certainly miss Atlanta, and the dear friends we have made here.  Plus, there is always something to do and see.  But, having the support of our family and many other factors contributed to our decision: home values, school systems, and lifestyle just to name a few.  If we were to stay in Atlanta, we would have to move so far out of town just to afford a decent home in a good school district, that we would spend half of our lives in the car commuting (I do that enough already!)

So, a few weeks back (literally, 3 weeks) we began sending out our resume's.  I got quite a few calls off the bat, and had a couple of phone interviews within the week.  Anthony also began getting phone calls and had one phone interview, and then had another interview scheduled at home for our visit this past weekend.

My intention was to just set up a couple of interviews for while we planned to be home, but things went much more quickly than that.  I flew home on the 13th for two interviews, and received a good job offer the very next day (mind you, this was only 2 weeks after sending out my resume').  Anthony, meanwhile, was juggling a couple of companies too.

This past Saturday while we were home, we went and looked at houses just to get a "feel" for what we could afford there. Well, we ended up finding the perfect house for the perfect price in a great neighborhood with excellent schools - holy crap!  We put in an offer, and should be "Under Contract" by the end of the day today...yikes!  Lucky for us, the sellers accepted every thing in our offer, and we didn't have to give up anything, so I really feel like it was meant to be.  Here is what may be our future dream home (fingers crossed our condo sells quickly!)

 

I can't explain how exciting, scary, and nuts this whole experience has been.  It has all happened so quickly that our heads are spinning.  But, I feel as though everything is working out as it should, and that helps me to believe that this move is something that was supposed to happen.  God is taking control and I just have to remember that and let everything be.

Our last day in Atlanta will be April 9th or 10th, and then we will be living with Mom and Tom (excuse me: Ollie and G) until our house closes at the end of May.  I pray our condo sells and that it all gets wrapped up so that we can enjoy our new home this summer!

Around the House - Picture Dump!

I have not been very good about keeping up with his weekly pictures lately, but have managed to snap a few other cute pictures...

 During Nani's visit!

Chunky legs just like his Momma...

Sitting up almost all by himself!

 

Oh my goodness...the back of his little head is just precious.  My Granny's favorite spot to kiss a little baby is on the back of their neck, and I can see why - so yummy!

Runnin' 'til the Wheels Fall Off (Part 1)!

Nolan has really been a champ this past week. Bless his heart, we had him all over North Carolina, and he did his best to keep up!

We had been planning to take a trip home over this past weekend to attend a bridal shower for one of my bridesmaids' baby showers (Hi Kimmie!), and the weekend turned into a WHOLE lot more than that once we decided we were moving!

Last Thursday night we drove to my Dad's house. We got a late start, which put us getting on the road right before the time when we usually begin giving Nolan his bath and putting him to sleep. Not.a.good.idea. Of course, we got stuck in traffic and ended up stopping twice before 9:00: once to feed him and once to eat ourselves. He finally went to sleep after we stopped to eat, and then slept the whole rest of the way. We didn't get to Dad's house until after midnight, and we were exhausted. Everyone was so excited to see him though, and he got lots of attention before we finally made it to bed.

The next morning (Friday) we were up bright and early and left Hickory around 7:45 in order to make it to Raleigh in time for Anthony to get to a job interview. Nolan did pretty good on this drive; we have learned that it's better to drive in the morning rather than at night for him. Plus, he has fully entered his "teething" stage, and you could tell he was just in pain sometimes...broke my heart!

We made it to Raleigh just fine and Anthony went to his interview and Nolan and I got ready to go tour a daycare in Clayton. We have a family friend that goes there, so I was hoping it would be a good place for him and that they had a space for him when I start work April 15th.

The daycare seemed about as good as any daycare will be to me (I hate them all!), and had a space for him the day before I go back to work, so he is officially enrolled at his next daycare. I almost feel like we are taking him to daycare for the first time, and I know Anthony is really going to miss his days with Nolan at the house. I know it has been hard, but so worth the time they have been able to spend together...

We crashed that night and were up bright and early Saturday for some house hunting! I had seen a few homes in an area that I liked, and was so excited to finally look at a HOUSE! Our condo has been wonderful for us, but let's face it: I can't wait for more space and a garage and a yard!

We toured a few homes in the Riverwood Golf neighborhood about ten minutes from my mom's house. Along the way, we found out my initial "dream house" wasn't what we wanted, the "last-minute" addition to our list was perfect, and that Nolan will blow out his diaper at the most inopportune time :) We actually used the floor of a living room in one house to change him (sorry owners; but don't worry, we took the diaper with us!)

He hung in there and gave us lots of his opinions :)

Saturday night was also so much fun, as we attended Kim and Brandon's baby shower! Nolan was in perfect hands with Ollie and G, and we got to spend some time with my friends from high school; Anthony, of course, fit right in and you would never know that he hasn't known these people for 15 years like I have!

We returned home pooped but excited about being able to spend time with all of these new/old friends once we move home.  G was cuddling with Nolan and he was passed out, so we all did the same!

Sunday, I just needed to get another look at the house we had seen on Saturday; this time, we took Tom with us to get another opinion and to take lots of pictures.  I was pretty sure after seeing the house again and speaking with a neighbor that this could be the house for us, but wanted to think about it a little more.  Luckily, we had our pre-approval letter from our lender, so we could pull the trigger as soon as we got the courage to do so!

We ended up driving back to Dad and Leslee's house that evening to break up our return trip, and I was excited to show them the pictures of the house.  It just seemed like the right choice: so many things had been updated, there was plenty of space, and it seemed like an idyllic place to raise a family.  So, without any further adieu, we made an offer and waited with bated breath for a response...

Our offer was ACCEPTED!  And not only that, but they agreed to every.single.thing we asked for (including price), except that they wanted to close in 30 days.  Umm, 30 days?!  That meant find new jobs in NC, sell our condo, finish up the offer on the new house, find Nolan a new daycare and MOVE.  I had no idea if this was even feasible or not...

Nolan: 23 Weeks

I honestly need to start taking notes throughout the week - I can't remember anything after it happens.  I have SO many moments with this little guy that I never want to forget, yet my brain just doesn't have the capacity right now to comprehend anything.

He is still on his meds and did awesome with Daddy on Thursday while I had to fly out of town for some business.  He and Daddy had made me dinner and baked me chocolate chip cookies by the time I got home that night...my boys spoil me!

I also didn't get his weekly picture this week, but here is an example of what happens when you leave him for TEN seconds...

He literally destroys his playmat...

A couple of my favorite things/moments:

1) Waking up in the mornings and just watching him smile and coo and eat his toes

2) Him smiling at me when he blows his diaper out while he is eating

3) The way he flails his arms and legs at the same time up and down when he gets excited

4) The laughs he gives his Daddy at any given time

5) The way he reaches for the water when I pour it over him during bathtime

6) How he loves to roll into me to sleep (If I let him)

7) His screech he usually does when he gets excited while I have him on the changing table

8) His tiny little toenail on his big toes that never seems to grow

9) Picking him up at night when he wakes up and having him nuzzle his head into my neck

10) How excited he gets when Vegas comes around and watches her

 

Nolan's First St. Patty's Day!

It was Nolan's first St. Patrick's Day this year, so we had to celebrate!  It will be so fun next year when I can feed him something green - ha.

I used his little basket to fill with some "green" treats.  Mainly, a few clothes, some new body wash, a toy and of course a card.  It cracks me up that I actually found a "Baby's First St. Patrick's Day" card...who would have thought?!

 

Nolan: 22 Weeks

Well, I flubbed and forgot his weekly picture again this week, so oops.  In my defense, we have been quite busy over here, and he got sick (again) so I was a little distracted to say the least.

Here are a couple of shots, just randomly of my cute little man...

 

 At Ms. Allyson's birthday party...with his cute Van's from Uncle Angel!

N = (Now weighs)  16.1 lbs.  I only know this since we had another doctor's appointment today...

O = (Oomph!)  Curse you RSV; go away and leave my baby alone!

L = (Loves) Cuddles and sleeping in bed with us.  Yep, he sleeps with us sometimes and I LOVE IT.

A = (About this week) Nolan is getting much stronger with his neck control, and is pretty much a "hip" baby now. I say that to mean you can prop him on your hip and he will be able to support himself. He will turn way around when you hold him if he hears something he wants to see. We do some sitting practice in his Bumbo, but he doesn't like it much propped up on a pillow or something like that.

N = (Not a fan of) I just can't think of anything; he is really a content little guy.

Nolan: Five Months Old

Five months old!  Almost HALF a year old!  Ok, I know I am getting ahead of myself, but he is getting so big too fast!

He is such a content little baby; I never knew that just because I have never been around a bunch of babies, but everyone that hangs out with him for a while says that he is really easygoing and content.  He is happy to hang out in his chair or on his playmat and as long as he isn't hungry and has some toys, he is good to go.

We usually don't leave him by himself, and will cart his little rock and play chair wherever we are in the house just to be able to talk to him.  But he is good to sit in his chair while we are in the kitchen unloading the dishwasher or cooking.

I fear teething is just around the corner.  He is never without something in his mouth, and his new obsession is his left foot.  Not the right one, but just the left one.  If he can't get his foot into this mouth, he will grab the end of his sock and pull - this usually leaves him looking like he has an elf foot.  I see many a mismatched pairs of socks in our future as he becomes strong enough to pull them all the way off.

He still eats like a champ - and often.  Still going about every 2-3 hours in between feedings, and still nurses about twice a night.  We are beginning to get to the point of introducing some type of cereal to him at night, but I haven't done all of my research yet to decide what to start him on first.  Honestly, I am sad that the time is here that he won't only depend on me for nourishment :(  It has gone by so quickly, and I am just not ready to accept that yet!

He is getting stronger and loves to "stand" on his chubby little legs.  I love to stand him up in front of the mirror on his changing table and watch him.  The view from the "rear" is just the cutest thing I have ever seen.  He is also almost to the point where he can sit up on his own.  He still leans forward now and can support his weight on his arms while sitting, but can't sit straight up just yet only using his back muscles.

He is a pretty good sleeper, yet he doesn't really take long naps during the day.  Sometimes I would wish for a good 2 hour nap during the day, but nope, not this guy!  He is a cat napper: he goes down maybe twice a day for about 30 minutes or so, and that's it!  He is, however, usually ready for bath, feeding, and bed around 7:30 at night.  He zonks out right away and still sleeps pretty soundly all night (except when he wakes up 2-3 times to eat!)

Nolan: 21 Weeks

This little boy is just a happy camper.  He has been all smiles lately, and I am so thankful that he finally seems to feel better!  He still has a bit of a stuffy nose, but I think part of that is this funktastic weather we have been having here lately.  There literally was a 30 degree temperature difference between two days last week; unreal.

It's funny because Nolan now seems to feel that since he learned how to roll over, that he doesn't need to do it anymore - ha.  He's like "been there, done that."  He only occasionally rolls over now, mostly when he is sleepy.  We will put him on his stomach, he will sit there for a bit, then roll right back over to his back.  He can really hold his head up for a long time on his tummy now, and will move to get to toys and things that he wants.

He still loves his baths, although I think he is about to grow out of the tub we use for him.  He loves to kick his legs, and thank goodness we set his baby tub in the big tub or we would have water everywhere!

I am sure he is still gaining weight, but he still seems to be fitting into his clothes the same.  I guess it's true what they say that they will slow down on some weight gain when they become more active, and he is active for sure.

N = (Now weighs)  Maybe getting closer to 16 pounds?  He doesn't feel much heavier to me...

O = (Oomph!)  What is it about babies being so cute that you just want to pinch them in two?  It's so odd, but I swear I could just eat him to pieces!

L = (Loves) He is all about the "spread eagle" pose now...he is getting his feet into his mouth more, and the rest of the time will just let it all hang out...thank goodness he isn't a girl!

A = (About this week)  Nolan is getting much stronger with his neck control, and is pretty much a "hip" baby now.  I say that to mean you can prop him on your hip and he will be able to support himself.  He will turn way around when you hold him if he hears something he wants to see.  We do some sitting practice in his Bumbo, but he doesn't like it much propped up on a pillow or something like that.

N = (Not a fan of) I just can't think of anything; he is really a content little guy.

I wish I was a Photographer...

We had planned to have Nolan's 4-month photos done with our awesome photographer that did Nolan's newborn shoot (Lisa Matthis Photography), but he was too sick and now he is almost five months old so we will wait for six months I guess!

I tried to have our own little "shoot" at home, but didn't get quite the results that Lisa would.  Thought I would share anyway... :)

 

Our "session" ended when he promptly threw up all over his blanket :)