Nolan tries cereal

I had Nolan try cereal for the first time on Sunday night. He's 6 1/2 months old--I gotta start sometime, right?

Well, he wasn't exactly crazy about it. I don't think he swallowed anything the first night. I tried again last night, and he may have swallowed a minuscule amount. He puts most of his energy into spitting it back at me.

Will he still be on a liquid diet when he's 30? I guess he'd be cheaper to feed than his big brothers!

Anniversary trip

Bill and I went down to Northern Indiana this past weekend to celebrate our 10th anniversary. Yes, it was actually in late June, but Nolan was too little for me to leave. So, we decided to go in early fall. It was beautiful in Amish country. We stayed at a bed & breakfast we have been to before (The Victorian Guest House), which we love. We stay in the smallest room, the Sewing Room, because it has the nicest balcony, the biggest bathroom, and a decent closet.

We shopped in Shipshewana, but didn't actually buy anything there, other than a fabulous apple dumpling. We found all of our bargains at Burkolder's Dutch Village in Nappanee. It's a flea market/craft show/antique store. We bought a bunch of Hallmark cards for 25 cents each, a small fan for $1, Bill bought two records, and I found a book my sister needed, and two garden flags. Bill likes the antiques, I like the crafts, and we prowl the flea market together.

Here's some pictures from Amish Country. We love to look at their farms and their unique, sprawling farmhouses:This picture is in Shipshewana, and we were laughing over the modified wagon. Gone is that uncomfortable wagon seat. In its place are two comfy leather car seats!

Saturday night we went all out and had dinner at Tippecanoe Restaurant, which is the old Studebaker mansion. The food was great, but honestly the best part was wandering the mansion after dinner. We were given the okay to wander through any of the main four floors (there are seven altogether, but the attic, basement, and sub-basement are off-limits). I didn't have my camera in the restaurant, but I wish I had. Here's a couple shots of the outside:

Big thanks to Steve and Cindy for taking TJ this past weekend, and to my parents for taking Sam and Nolan. And to my work, which covered the lodging (it was my Christmas gift) and paid for a big portion of Saturday night's dinner. I have great bosses!!!!!

Awwww!

We have been struggling with colds non-stop since the second week of school. Right now, TJ is recovering from a cold, and both Nolan and I have slight colds.

On the way to church last night, Nolan sneezed twice. Sam looks over at him and quietly says, "Bless you, Nolan." What a sweetheart!

And Now....A Word from the Weird...

So, Bill sends me an e-mail on Tuesday that he has re-started his blog. Only now it has a new name. The first post is weird. So is Bill. Check it out if you don't believe me:
http://shrelvnov.blogspot.com/

Yes, he really uses words like that. He thinks it's hysterical to get Sam to say words like, "Doover". TJ used to play along, but now eyes his Dad with pity and a bit of disdain. ha ha ha

He also really keeps naming our houses. Why, I have no idea. I didn't even realize I lived in Norland. The Norland in "Sense and Sensibility" is slightly larger.

Just as a disclaimer, don't blame me for anything he says. I can't be held responsible for that man!

Halfway to his birthday!

Nolan turned six months old on the 1st. It's taken me a few days, but here are a few pictures from then:

In many ways, the past six months have flown by. He's getting so big! But in other ways, it seems like he's been part of our family forever. His traumatic arrival and NICU days seem very long ago. He's a wonderful baby and the perfect third child. If he had been our first, I would have wanted five or six.

His check-up isn't for a few weeks, so no new measurements until then.

Seen and Heard for Sunday

Just before lunch, TJ was busily painting with a small watercolor set he earned for saying his memory verse. Sam was nearby, pestering him. TJ had had enough, and said in his sternest voice, "Sam! Stop that! One...two...three..."

Sam's response? "Four....five...six..."

Mr. Smartypants.

Doesn't that hurt?

TJ was sick this week. It started on Wednesday, when my mom reported he was 'acting weird' in the morning and skipped breakfast, but was fine by the time he needed to leave for school. But then he fell asleep watching Thomas videos. When he woke up, he still wanted to go to church, and had a great time at F.W. Friends (the program for preschool and elementary kids).

By Thursday, he wasn't eating at all. By that evening, I was suspecting an ear infection. He insisted it was fine, that there was just 'lots of wax in it'. But then a fever started.

So yesterday I called the doctor. He got to see the newest doctor in the practice. My mom took him, as I worked a half day. TJ was very nervous (remembering those shots he got in August!), but the doctor was very kind. She determined that not only did he have an ear infection, his ear drum had ruptured. Argh! That happened a year and a half ago too! TJ must have a really high pain tolerance, because he never really talked about ear pain. He just started acting very strangely.

So now he's on an antibiotic for ten days, and we have drops to put in his ear twice a day. He has to go back in two weeks to make sure the ear drum is healing correctly. He did finally admit he can't hear out of that ear. My poor, stubborn little guy.

Oh, in case you are wondering, he did still go to school in the afternoon. His fever was not over 100 at that point, and the doctor said if he felt up to it, he could go. And of course, TJ wanted to go! His class went on their first field trip! They walked to the Coopersville fire station, where they learned about fire safety. TJ didn't quite 'get it'. He came home and told me that if the smoke detector went off, he would wake up, and bring his hippo and his blankets outside with him, because he loves them. I tried to explain that what mattered most was that he was safe...we can always buy new stuff, we can't buy a new TJ.