9 Months Old!

Mitchell Ford Nelson
9 Months Old
11.26.2010
20 Pounds

I love the 9 months age! It is a close tie with 4 months! Mitchell's personality is continuing to develop and he is so much fun! This past month he has started army crawling and pulls himself around that way as well as rolling everywhere but luckily no pulling himself up yet or walking! He had really bad separation anxiety at the beginning of the month, but it seems to be getting better now. He loves his sister so much and loves copying any noises she makes such as squealing or making mouth popping sounds! He loves eating finger food over being spoon fed - peas and bread are his favorite finger foods. He loves Tyson and loves letting him lick his face and pulling his tail! And his laugh is so infectious! I love my little man!

Mitchell at 9 Months old!

I still have to download his 9 month old photos, but here is a video of Mitchell today showing how cute and happy he is!

Mitchell Army Crawls

Here is Mitchell in his latest way of getting around. No true crawling yet but army crawling and rolling everywhere!

Shayla Rollerskating for 1st time

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

I am so blessed!

I thank the Lord every day for my wonderful family and friends, my home, life, faith and health!
This Thanksgiving I am thankful for all of you!
I am thankful for so much, but I am especially
thankful for these faces...

What I was thankful for at 10 years old!

I found this old Thanksgiving poem a few weeks ago when I was going through some of my old papers. It was written by me on Nov 27, 1989 when I was 10 years old. I was even cheesy back then! Anyway, since it is hard to read here is what it says:

Thanksgiving is for loving and caring,
and on Thanksgiving I like tobe sharing.
I's glad I have a family adn a house,
I'm also glad for Rascal my mouse.
I'm thankful for my best friend Toni
Because when I am with her I am not lonely.
I'm glad to go to school,
Because wen I go to school I am not a fool.
I'm also thankful for birds with graceful wings
And I am thankful for a lot of other things.

My addictions this month!

Oh my - just have to share the three things I am addicted to this month!!!!

GALEOS MISO DRESSING -
For real I CRAVE this stuff more than chocolate!!! It is the best dressing ever! I am sure it is good on any kindo fo salad! I just put it on a salad mixed with butter lettuce and spinach/mixed greens with some shredded carrots and Edamame. I have had one of these almost every day for the past 2 weeks! You can buy it at Albertsons, Ralphs, Gelsons, most health food stores! Let me know if you try it and what you think! Also great as dip for veggies or sandwich spread!

GOOD EARTH SWEET AND SPICY TEA
Usually not a tea drinker or fan of it, but this herbal tea is the perfect blend of sweetness and yumminess and you don't have to add anything to it! Perfect for cool fall mornings when I am trying not to drink hot chocolate (staying away from sugar). Love it!!!
TOP CHEF JUST DESSERTS
I like the original Top Chef but as a vegetarian they just do waaaay too many meat, scallop, etc dishes so I am never inspired or drooling over their stuff. On the other hand, Top Chef Just Desserts is my kind of stuff as I love to bake/create! I just started the season on youtube and wish I could finish it all in one day, but with my limited time I know I can't. I will put it on and watch it on my computer while I check my email on my ipod - multitasking!

Preschool Photos

School photos before kindergarten seems kind of funny, but they do them so I had to get at least one and the class photo!
I am amazed all the kids are all looking at the camera (although some are not smiling). Anyway here is Shayla's Room 3 Class photo and her 3 year old preschool photo.

Mrs. Cobian and Mrs.Cabral's Class Room 3

A visit to "Noah's Ark"

Last week we were able to go visit the Noah's Ark Exhibit at the Skirball Center in Los Angeles. Shayla loved it and has been asking to go back every day for the past week (although we got tickets about 2 months in advance for the free Thursday so no rushing back anytime soon). Anyway, I hope to go again before it closes since it only took us 40 minutes to get there and I thought it was farther in more downtown LA so I was excited about that! They have so many cool animals, fun activities (animal dancing, ark collages, etc), and it was not crowded at all! If you live nearby you should definitely go and if you don't, come visit us and we can go together!

Part of the Ark

Shay riding a camel

Shayla loved this activity the best -
matching the animals two by two and turning a wheel so they would ride up into the ark

Mitchell with a skunk and Nolan opening the skylight

Yes, they are "scooping poop"! Hey that is what someone had to do on the ark (do you think they made the kids do it? they enjoy it!)Shayla has really been into scowling in photos recently! I am sure I will have more scowls pics in the weeks to come!

Mitchell had fun too!

Last Week Catch Up!

Last week was a full fun week for all of us (still recovering)!

MONDAY
After a weekend of celebrating Jon's birthday, I went down to Long Beach on Monday to attend the CA Womens Conference. I have been going to it every year for the past 5 years and love going for fun and inspiration! This year because I could not leave Baby M too long (my brother watched him and Shayla and his 3 kids all by himself!) we opted to attend the short evening program with my fellow gals who have also been with me over the years - my sister in law Christine, my college buddy Jenn, and my long time pal from 3rd grade, Michelle! It is fun to listen to catch up with the gals, listen to inspiring speakers, and browse the fun booths! This year we heard many great speakers from Paula Dean to the McCain ladies to Maria Shriver to Jessica Simpson. It went by way too fast and I look forward to going to the long program again next year!

Me with Christine and Jenn and crazy ladies (:

Inspiration - Me with Jenn and Michelle

TUESDAY
We had an awesome moms group Halloween party with tons of kids in costume, cookie decorating, food, fun, etc. We love our group of friends and look forward to our special holiday get togethers each year!

The kids!

Shayla and Emily (Madeline and Lion)

FRIDAY
Halloween Bunco! I play bunco with a group of fun ladies once a month. This month I co-hosted with Sherilene and we had fun planning our Halloween menu and decorations! I did not however have fun afterwards where a gallon of my leftover black bean soup spilled all over my car! argh!

The co-hosts with our spread!

Some of the ladies in costume!

SATURDAY
Shayla hosted her first fun little Halloween party for our neighborhood kids. She had so much fun planning with me from tying up goodie bags to cutting up tissue paper for our candle craft! I wanted it to be for her and by her and it was fun to see how much she could participate! We had fun decorating pumpkins with parts, pinning the tail on the kitty cat, egg eyeball walk, freeze dancing, etc.

Mr Potato Head Scary Pumpkin

Kids doing the egg walk (Shayla was too hot in her costume after running around)

CHURCH FESTIVAL
Saturday night was the church Fall Festival so we went and had fun at the booths and then did some trunk or treating in the parking lot. She loved the cake walk and donuts on a string the most! Nana and Papa came with us and we had lots of fun!

Shayla at a booth - Bait and switch

Nana and Mitchell

SUNDAY
Shayla wanted to pass out candy with Jon on Halloween and loved doing it and was so careful to give each person one piece each (: Here is the only photo I have with Jon is his "costume" - the tin hat on his head for the tin man - sad I know but lucky I even got that on for a pic!
So that was our week in summary and photos! It was fun and tiring and I am done cooking for a few days! I am not ready to start planning for Christmas yet but it will be here before we know it!