Nolan's First Birthday

Nolan,

A year has passed already and an incredible year it has been. Birthdays are meant to be special and we celebrated all week with you celebrating your important milestone. Grandma Dawn, Aunt Maizi, Great Grandma Evelyn, Grandpa John, Grandma Linda, and your cousin Jansen all came in town to celebrate with you.

I took time this week to just look at you while you were sleeping taking in all that a year has brought us. A year ago we were preparing for your arrival I would sit in your empty room dreaming of what you would look like and who you would become. I could not wait to get you in my arms and love and kiss you. The night before you were born your dad and I were lying in bed talking about the parents we wanted to be how we wanted you to be healthy, kind, smart, handsome, happy, honest,  and loving. That no matter what happens in life we just wanted you to know your parents love you, we will be there for you and you can trust us. We want you to be you and no one else.

In this last year you have taught me in a matter of moments of entering my life how different I was before you. How different my life was before you. How different my heart was before you. And now how different my life and heart will be forever because of you.  

You look at me and just smile. My world stops when you smile at me. Anything that has happened in the last week, day, or hour doesn’t matter when you smile at me, it makes my world stop and I smile back and just take in that moment. You make me so happy. I love that you are so happy. I love that you love me. I love that you have so much energy and just want to play. You are the definition of a boy. Your laugh melts my heart and you laugh often.

Happy 1^st Birthday Nolan Michael

Love,

Mom

One Years Old

1. What is your favorite color? No colors yet

2. What is your favorite toy? Anything with Music

3. What is your favorite stuffed animal? The monkey beanie baby

4. What is your favorite thing to sleep with? Yellow and green blanket

5. What is your favorite fruit? I like all fruits, grapes

6. What is your favorite cereal? Cheerios

7. What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast? Cereal

8. What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch? Tacos at school

9. What is your favorite dessert? Not big on sweets

10. What is your favorite drink? Milk

11. What do you want to eat for your birthday dinner? Chicken

12. What is your favorite animal? Elephant

13. What is your favorite book? Polar Bear Polar Bear

14. What is your favorite song? Open Shut Them

15. What is your favorite game? No Games yet

16. What is your favorite TV show? Mickey Mouse

17. What is your favorite movie? No Movies

18. What is your favorite thing to do outside? Bubbles

19. Who is your best friend? Avelynn

20. What do you want to be when you grow up? My mommy tells me a Petrophysicist

Traveling- San Diego and Chicago

 In February 2012 we all met in San Diego for a "family reunion" if you will. It was the first time since our wedding that me and all 4 of my sister were in the same place. And the first time all the cousins got to meet each other. The whole weekend was perfect and memorable. To top it off Grandma Evelyn and Grandpa George drove up from Arizona to meet their Great-Great-Grand kids! It was a very special weekend all.

Nolan's 1st Plane Ride

My cousins

Nolan and Nevia

Nolan and Noah

 Lydia, Nolan, Noah, Michael

First time at the beach and my first steps- they just happened to be in the ocean with bare feet in the sand



My Beautiful Family

Great Great Aunt Loraine and Great Great Uncle Ken

Great Uncle Russell

Shane, Katie, and Julia-2nd Cousins

The Biard Family

Always Happy!!

1st Holidays

The holidays are a time to share with family and loved ones. The Fall came quickly followed by Christmas. Before we jump into the holidays John and I added a new nephew to the bunch. Noah Hensley Gerety was born September 16, 2011 just 3 months after Nolan.

Happy Halloween!!

 A smiling Skeleton

Turkey Day

This year (2011) we spent Thanksgiving and Christmas at home. I was so excited to host my first Thanksgiving and cook my very first turkey. Thanks to my older sister Nellie who provided me with an amazing recipe to slow cook a turkey it was a great success and the only way I will ever cook a turkey for years to come! Plus I made my own cranberry sauce, it is so simple to make.

My turkey appetizer

John's parents came in town for our Thanksgiving celebration. We had lots of food, love and laughter that weekend. After turkey day instead of shopping we were able to go see Shrek ICE at the Gaylord Texan Resort in Dallas. It is all hand made ice sculptures of Shrek really neat to experience if you are ever in Dallas.

Merry Christmas

Christmas we spent at home just the 3 of us or should I say 5 with the dogs. It was quiet, relaxing and simple. Nolan enjoyed opening his gifts on Christmas morning and playing with all his new toys from Santa and family members.

To finish off the Holiday season John and I welcomed another niece to the family, Miss Nevia Evelyn Rose Lithopoulos January 6, 2012. We are now proud Aunt and Uncle of 3 nephews and 2 nieces. Nolan has 2 cousins his age, if we all lived in the same area they would probably be in the same class together. I can only imagine Nevia trying to have a boyfriend in High School with Nolan and Noah looking out for her good luck boys! Especially considering where they stand on the growth charts as babies. Jason, I don't think you would mind her cousins being on team dad!

Being New Parents

There is no book that can prepare you for the adventures of becoming a parent. But your instincts just kick in and you dive head first into mommy and daddy mode. We have had many laughs throughout our journey as mommy and daddy.  It started from day one when John said he must wear gloves, yes latex gloves everytime he would change Nolan. But needless to say it only lasted a few days before he realized he would be going through alot of boxes if he kept that up! Another memory that makes us laugh is how our conversations went from how was your day, what did you do, what should we eat for dinner to what color was his poop, how much did he eat, when was that last time he ate, did I eat today, did I take a shower today or this week? The term new mommy brain is a real thing. I really don't believe my memory came back until a year later and sometimes I still question if it ever came back.

Boogers Boogers Booger! I never in a million years would think I would be the mom that can pick a booger of someone else. But when it is your own child nothing matters but them. You pick their boogers with bare hands, clean up spit, did I mention getting thrown up on? Yes one of my "I am officially a mother" moments in the last year is when Nolan threw up on me not once but twice and I had to change him while I still had throw up all over me. You just put your childs needs first, you don't even think twice about it. It is called True Love

And the Photoshoots begin

To me pictures are a great way to capture memories. If I didn't have my pictures I would not be able to clearly remember the last 16 months in order so I could blog about them. I won't post all of them, even though I would be more than happy to brag on my little man but here is his first photo shoot

Visitors

After adding a new addition to our family we had many many visits come meet Nolan last summer.

Nolan Michael Connor

Well I started this blog right after I found out I was pregnant and here I am today with a 16 month old active little boy. I am going to do my best to summarize all my favorites  in a few posts from the last 16 months and start blogging weekly going forward.

Well after finding out we were pregnant I got right to work on all the things a new mommy does decorating the nursery, reading blogs, looking at baby names, reading new baby blogs, putting together list after list of what I need and reading more blogs! To say the least I think I educated myself very well and was as prepared as can be for what God had in plan for John and I as parents.

Originally we didn't want to find out the sex of the baby. In January at one of my routine sonograms I had to wait a little bit longer than usual because the technicians husband had a heart attack that morning but she insisted on still coming to work after he was stable. I could not believe that she still came in and didn't cancel all her appointments, I was very grateful because I got to see our little baby and it was because she chose to come into work. While looking at the sonogram I was asking her how her husband was and saying thank you for still making it in to work. She was clearly frazzled and doing the best should could to keep it together. Then she started talking about the baby and the "it" was looking good and very healthy. She started by there is the nose, hand, heartbeat, foot, and penis. I sat up within second "what" and she froze "Oh no, did you not want to know!" I didn't have the heart to tell her we wanted it to be a surprise. Now I had to tell John, I called him the second I got out of the office, I felt so guilty that I knew and he didn't get to be a part of that moment. Looking back I probably should have made it special for him and not a phone call but I was shocked myself. We both didn't realize how much we both believed we were having a girl until the nurse confirmed it was a boy.

The rest of my pregnancy was good, I really didn't have any pregnancy symptoms the whole time. Like every woman I was tired but nothing to complain about.

Nolan Michael Connor was born June 13, 2011 at 11:14 am. He made his entrance into the world fast. I was only in labor for 20 minutes. From the time I felt my first contraction to the time he was born it was only 20 minutes. I was truly blessed, he took it easy on me and only caused 20 minutes of pain! From 11:14am forward our lives have changed in the most incredible way.

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