Thursday, December 16, 2010

Eating, decorating Christmas stuff, more eating, and the funny things Elle says

Here's Noli getting ready to eat his cereal/sweet potato mix! He LOVES eating cereal and now after working on it for 2+ weeks, he's got this eating thing with a spoon down! We've mixed cereal with sweet potatoes, peas, carrots, bananas, and apple. His favorite is the banana and his least favorite, the peas - not a surprise. He wants his food to be shovelled into his mouth as fast as possible and gets upset when it is gone. I have given him seconds and it seems he would even want thirds! He's usually pretty mellow, but not when he eats! Now that he is eating more than just breast milk, his pooping has slowed to 1 - 2 blasts a day, which for the most part stay in his diaper (except for last night at 4am, what a mess).



This is his first cereal feeding! He wasn't too sure what to think.Elle really wanted to help spoon him the food, and wipe his mouth. She couldn't stand to see his face so messy (wonder where she gets that from)!!
I had to capture this one time cuddling moment! Elle has very hot/cold feelings toward Nolan. At first when he was born, she really could care less about him. Lately the jealousy has come out. She will say things like "Noli can't read this book with me". She is mostly jealous when anyone other than me shows Nolan any attention, especially Jonathan. Jonathan will tell Nolan he loves him, and Elle will say "No you don't, you love me" with attitude. If Nolan's hand touches her, she will say "no" and push him away. However, in the blink of an eye, Ellison's attitude can change...if he's fussy, she will try to put his pacifier in his mouth. Or if he wakes up from his nap, Elle will yell to him "don't worry Noli, we are coming". Anyway, the picture below was right before Elle's nap time. We usually read books in her bed. If Nolan is awake he lays on one side of me and Ellison is on the other. Well, while I was picking out books, I looked up to see Elle going by him, I was worried she would be possessive of her bed (like she sometimes is), but instead she cuddled right up to him. Of course Nolan loved it, she always makes him happy! I praised Elle for being such a great sister and told her how happy that makes Nolan and Jonathan and me.



Cookie Monster! Elle helped me with cookies this year. She helped make the dough and eat it, roll the dough (and eat it), use the cookie cutters, bake the cookies (and eat them), and frost and decorate them (and of course eat more)! Here she is with one she frosted and decorated.

Noli the Christmas Elf!


Elle and I had fun building and decorating this gingerbread house, guess what...she loved to lick the icing!



Here she is with the naked gingerbread girl (Jonathan's contribution to this post: please note the NFC Divisonal and playoff standings in the background...GO BEARS!)

Now she is all decked out!

Fun with snow people. Check out this outfit! (Jonathan's 2nd contribution to this post...she wears the colors and GSH close at all times)

Elle has been saying some funny stuff lately and I've been writing her lines down to post (my friends Jenny and Katie are really good at this and I always get a kick out of what their kids say).


Background story - Elle likes pigs and deer/reindeer...

Elle- "I can't get my hoof in" -she was trying to get her shoe on!

Me- laughing "honey, you have feet"


Background story - We were making eggs for breakfast, as we were cracking the first egg...

Elle- "Maybe there will be a chick in there"

Me- "the mother chicken didn't get a chance to sit on these eggs"


Background story - Reading a Dora the Explorer Book. The book reads something along the lines of "will you help Dora find her way home?"

Elle- "But, I'm not in the book"

Me- "you're right, but if you could help her you would right?"

Elle "yeah"


Background story - Elle was playing with a little toy and asked what the fine print said on the bottom of it, the only part I could read was "Made in China"

Elle- "that's where panda bears live"

Me- "that's right, did you learn that from the Wonder Pets"?

Elle - "yeah"

(Who says TV is bad for kids?)


Background story - Elle is really into Max and Ruby books/shows. Anyway, Max (the little brother bunny) has a stuffed slug, called the Can't-Sit-Up Slug, who slumps over whenever it sits. She laughs whenever she sees it.

Elle - "Nolan is kinda like the Can't-Sit-Up Slug!"

Me - laughing of course "he will sit up some day soon"


On a much more serious, yet sweet, note...

Background story - I've been calling calling Nolan "Noli" and Elle has been correcting me saying "Not Noli, Nolan" Sometimes she says "Not Noli, Nolan James". This is funny on it's own, but it went further the other night when Jonathan was explaining to Ellison where her and Nolan's middle names came from. He explained how her middle name, Leigh, is the same as mine and her Aunt Megan's and cousin Daphne's. Then he went on to say that Nolan's middle name is from her Grandpa Jim, who she never got to meet since he is in Heaven.

Elle's response "and I live in Cary and Grammy and Grampy live in Wausau!"

Sunday, December 12, 2010

5 months old with 4 month stats and comparison pics of Elle

By far, the best present we will get this year!


Nolan and Marcy
(nice roaring fire in the background by J)

Check out the big boy in the high-chair

Comparison pic of Elle in the same outfit HOWEVER she was 9 months when she wore it! Noli after his 4 month appointment

Nolan's 4 month well visit info:
- weight 15 lbs 10 oz (55%)
- 25 1/2 inches (55%)
- Head circumference 41.5 cm (25%)
- Nolan's appointment went great, he only cried for a brief moment after his shots We were given the go-ahead to start cereal and baby food.

Other things about Noli:

- rolled over from stomach to back once, because he majorly dislikes being on his stomach - which is mostly my fault for not putting him on his tummy, since he spits up so much

- still spits after every feeding, sometimes it's a little, sometimes it's a lot. (Elle was the same way)

- No signs of teeth yet. (Elle didn't get her first tooth until 8 months)

- loves to watch Elle, he always hears her coming and immediately is looking for her

- loves being in the Baby Bjorn

- he is constantly reaching/grabbing everything, loves being in the exersaucer and in the rain forest play mat/gym

- loves to talk, and once he gets started he can't stop

- he does great in the bath, kicks and splashes the whole time

- wakes up in the morning happy and talking

- still a great sleeper, loves to nap in his car seat, takes shorter naps in his crib

- sleeps at night from 6:30 pm - 6:30 am (approx). Wakes up once or twice a night, I will give him his pacifier if it's before 2am, if it's after I will feed him. He will ONLY fall asleep and sleep in his car seat or crib.

- Nurses 5 times a day - 6am, 10am, 2pm, 6pm, 2am (these times can vary 30min-1hr depending on the day and nap times). I don't ever wake him to feed him.

- Uses pacifier to fall asleep most of the time, it falls out within about 5 minutes of falling asleep. Other than that, he rarely wants it.

- Barely fitting in size 6 month clothes. Recently in size 3 diapers - he was blasting out the size 2 (For 2 reasons; they were a little small and breast milk acts like a laxative with my kids. Like Elle at this age, Nolan has bowel movements after/during almost every feeding - very regular.)

- He is a very happy, easy, and cuddly baby.


There are only a few things the 2 kids share at age of 4 months, their looks and our love for them... Pics of Elle below when she was 4 months!







Monday, November 29, 2010

Big Girl Underpants, 4 months old, Laur's B-day, and our Anniversary!

I've been slacking big time at posting, but don't worry, we've still been snapping pictures! Sorry this post is kind of all over the place, but I just had to get this done before the holidays.
We got out all of our Christmas decorations this past weekend. Here's Elle with her favorite thing, her snow globe. It plays a bunch of different Christmas songs and Elle loves to sing and dance to it.
Marcy came over to help decorate one of our trees! We actually have 4; a real Frasier Fur 7+ ft, a fake 7 footer (in pic below), a 3 ft pink tree in Elle's room, and an 8" miniature tree that I've had since I was 12.
Nolan is 4 months old! -stats coming soon.
I love it when he folds his chubby hands.


We went to Wausau, WI for Thanksgiving J took this pic on his phone, otherwise all of the other pictures from the week are on my parent's camera. Since Wausau got their first snow storm of the season, they gave the kids a new sled! We didn't get to try it outside since it was SO cold, but look forward to trying it out soon (at least Elle does).

Jer and Laur came here 2 weeks ago to help us celebrate our 4 year anniversary, plus it was also my mom's birthday! Here's a pic of Jer playing peek-a-boo with Nolan.

Ellison helped Laur make the birthday cake! We love Angel Food Cake with Fluffy White frosting, but we dyed it pink - Elle's choice. Oh, and check out Elle's new hair cut,
given to her by the Laur, the birthday girl. Nolan showing off his skills holding his toy! He's been holding, grabbing, reaching and swatting at his toys for the last few weeks!
Elle wearing her dad's Bear's cap after another big win!
The Foley's came over a couple weeks ago, Elle and Jackson had fun dancing...
... and snuggling. Even after Halloween, they both wore their spooky pj's!
Nolan loving his exersaucer!
Elle likes it too, but she didn't want to smile for this pic!

Gotta love a baby after bath time!

Nice arm rolls!

Look who's wearing big girl underpants AND keeping them dry! Here's Elle showing off her "Tinkle Chart" and princess tiara and jewelry - her prize! It was the best anniversary gift!

I asked Elle to give me her best princess pose...

4 years! Last but not least, a happy 1 year anniversary to Megan (Jonathan's sis) and Josh!



Family pic! Since this picture, there are 3 new grandchildren!

From L to R: Nancy (J's cousin), Craig (J's uncle), Jenna (and Jack in her belly), Tim, Marcy, Megan, Gram June, Jonathan, Elle, Erin.

Sunday, October 31, 2010

Halloween Tricks and Pics!

All 4 of us got in costume to go to our friends, the Zeliasz's, Halloween Party!
From L to R...
Fairy Princess Ellison, Cowboy Jonny, Pirate Erin, and Nolan went as Baby Jonathan (he wore some overalls that Jonathan wore as a baby - so happy Marcy saved them for 29 years)!

Cousin Jack the Lion and Elle the Bee getting ready to Trick or Treat

Grandma Marcy and Nolan (wearing J's baby clothes). Marcy and Nolan handed out candy to the Trick or Treaters while we were out.

Nolan smiling in his sleep!

We went Trick or Treating on Saturday in DT Cary; here is Elle after we got home with candy in her pink pumpkin pail. Don't let that face fool you, it was all an act for the camera, she was actually very proud of her accomplishment. I was very proud of her too, she said "Trick or Treat and Thank you" to everyone!

This is a special Bee pose she hopped into before we left for Trick or Treating DT.
She picked out this sucker to eat after her lunch!Here's a picture from a Halloween playdate with our friends from the Cary Mom's Group.

Close up of Noli the baby bee
(a special thanks to our friend Jackson Foley for letting us borrow the costume)
The little head piece barely fit around his chubby cheeks and under his double chin.
Elle before the playdate, not wanting to wear the full bee costume, still looking cute.
Pumpkin carving...
Jonathan's famous "BOO Pumpkin" - I think his best ever!
The Jim Matta tradition lives on!!!
Helping mommy
scooping out the slop...nice face ElleEllison picked this out at Old Navy, and Grammy Laur couldn't resist.
We took Ellison to Rainforest Cafe when Jer & Laur were last in town. We had never been before, and decided to go only for Ellison's enjoyment. Turns out everyone but Elle enjoyed it...nearly everything scared her except for "frog man" and the fish. We ended up being asked to leave as Jonathan tried to wrestle the robotic alligator and sit on frog man's lap.


Grampy and Nolan. Grampy went through every shirt he brought with him in 1 day...Nolan loves spitting up on him!

Grammy and Nolan

Story time with Dad (note Ellison sitting in Nolan's seat)

Nolan James



4th visit to Lincoln Park Zoo this year. Nolan is absent from the picture as he was taking a bath in the hippo tank.

Ellison on her favorite thing...the endangered species carousel at LPZ. Special guest appearance by Dr. Cassandra (Erin's friend).

Ellison and the fish. The last 3 times we've been to LPZ the Hippo has been swimming around the tank constantly. It's great for Ellison to see, and as previously mentioned, Nolan and the Hippo have acquired a mutual admiration for one another.
So this explains a lot regarding Nolan's relationship with the Hippo...Jonathan sat on that Hippo for about 3 1/2 hours, and then threw an absolute tantrum when we threatened to leave him at the zoo. It was embarrassing. He tried to climb the bamboo poles and hide in the hut that is above him (not pictured). The zoo politely asked that we not return again this year.

Ellison enjoying the Hippo after Jonathan was "removed"