Nolan Takes Flight

 

Nolan learns to eat with a fork. 

 

 He's so pleased with himself.

 

He has figured out how to push himself on his plane.

 

 

And like Andrew, he enjoys the buttons on the dishwasher.

It's so strange to see him come walking around the corner,

instead of dropping to the floor to crawl.

 

 

Nolan enjoys using a fork so much, he needs two.

 

 

Nolan airlines are now open for business.

His legs don't even reach the floor, so he wobbles from side to side to push himself along.

He learned the technique in less than five minutes.

 

 

 

News from the California Crew

 

 

 

It's Shamrock Shake time.  I used to love these. 

Then I learned to get my mint fix from Frango mints.

Maybe we could add chocolate syrup to them.

 

This is the look at the end of the shake.

 



 



Nolan in the Cupboard

 

Nolan has found a new place to explore.

 

 

Come on Grampa.  I'm sure there's room in here for you, too.

 

I thought there would be an Indian in this cupboard.

 

 

Nolan likes to have Gramma put beeswax on his lips.

 

 

It makes it easier to smile in the winter.

 

 

Gramma, I think it's time to reorganize this cupboard.

I still can't find the Indian.

 

 

 

Story time presented by Nolan.

(No translation provided.)

 

 

California Crew News

 

 

Story time presented by Andrew and Nathan.

Andrew has been picking up techniques from watching his teacher read.

He shares the pictures with his audience.

"Why are you staring at me?" is part of the dialogue in Nathan's book.

 

The boys get as excited as Gramma to have a new book from the library.

It's a rare day that I don't get a phone call from the library saying I have something to pick up.

I'm sure my children remember being read to,  especially on long trips in the car. 

There were times I had to pause, because I couldn't read while I was crying.

After a minute or two, one of them would ask, "Can you read now?"

One of my favorites was, The Borrowers.  It will be fun to read books to the next generation.

 

 

 

Nathan suggested Mommy take a picture of them eating blood oranges,

which are a favorite of Gramma and Grampa's.

We love knowing they think of us.

Every time Grampa bakes cookies or bread, we think, "our boys should be here."

Poor Daddy missed the oranges, because he's in China.

He has a few trips to go to catch up with Grampa's 40+ trips to China.

 



Nolan Turns On the Charm

Why won't this door shut?
This is not how a door should work.

 



 

Gramma's dog doesn't bite, bark, eat or have to be walked.

 

 

This rocking chair is the perfect size.

 

 

I save all my cuddles for Grampa.

Gramma is SO envious.

 

Does this make phone calls, too?

 

 

Gramma's couch is a great place to play.

 

 

Nolan is really interested in talking. 

Besides Mama, Daddy and hello, he says "Andrew" and points to the many pictures of his cousins.

He says "Hi" to the little boy in the mirror.

He says "pretty" very softly, copying the way Gramma says it when he's about to touch the plants.

He also says "Grampa" loudly, even if Grampa is close by,

again copying the way he hears Gramma yell it.

We were surprised when he said, "Thank you." 

He sometimes says, "Up" when he wants to be picked up. 

And sometimes he just tries to climb your leg.

So far, he hasn't said, "No!"

 

 

Nolan loves blueberries as much as Andrew.

 

 

Nolan likes to entertain his grandparents, who think he's very cute.

He KNOWS he is.

 

When he does his puzzle, he reminds us that it's appropriate to applaud.



Behind Closed Doors

 

Nolan found his feet just fit behind the columns. 

How many times can a toddler, who barely walks, circle a space Gramma can't fit through?

 

 

Nolan plays peek-a-boo with Grampa.

 

 

He loves that Grampa keeps showing up around the next column.

 

 

Nolan has learned to open the refrigerator door, since the handle goes all the way to the floor.

He knows the good stuff is kept in there, or behind any closed door.

 

 

Nolan let Gramma know it was time to child proof her cabinets.

She placed all the pyrex mixing bowls in the back

and interesting things like strainers and spinners in the front.

 

 

Nolan, who watches Gramma very closely,

showed he could find his way to the back of the cabinet, too.

 

I had a cupboard filled with Tupperware, that I used to let my children play with, if I got a phone call.
So did every other mother I knew.

I suppose cell phones and texting have replaced the need for  a cupboard full of unbreakables.
 

 

Nolan has his own way of piloting the plane.
The twins found it moved slower, because the other twin was always weighing it down. 
With no one sitting on it, Nolan found it safer to push it sideways.
Or almost safe.



Fire and Ice

 

After the "plumber" repaired the toilet upstairs,

 I noticed a rectangular watermark on the kitchen ceiling.

 After fixing the toilet again, he tried four different flat whites,

before he gave up and painted the entire ceiling.

 

The next morning, I noticed a spot missed.  It helps to have a live-in painter,

when the live-in plumber messes up. 

It was fixed by lunch.

At nap time, Nolan shuts the balcony doors to the nursery.

Nolan loves to take his naps.

His father never took naps, but merely slowed down for an hour.

 

His Auntie Becca used to take naps when she got angry with us. 

She would "deprive" us of her company.

We're still trying to get over it.

 

Nolan is happy working in the kitchen.

He insists on microwaving the ice cream cone.

 

 

Nolan is studying piano with Grampa. 

He's not sure he wants to be a Suzuki student, yet.

 

 

This weekend Nolan stayed at Gramma and Grampa's for a sleepover,

while his parents went to Las Vegas.

He's getting ready to microwave his chicken.

 

Nolan discovered the caning in our kitchen chairs.

He loved poking Grampa through the holes.

 

 

When his father was a little boy, he got his finger stuck in the same caning.

We had to try to get him to relax, so we could remove his finger from the hole.

It was almost as difficult as the time he got his head stuck between the spindles in the staircase.

 

 

The snowstorm from the front door.

 

The snowstorm from the back door.

 

I got stuck in my driveway trying to get out at 6:30 P.M., just as our plowing service arrived.

They helped get my car out.  Then I got stuck in a different snow pile on my way home in front of the garage.  The plow service was back and helped me again.

It's exciting living in Illinois, thanks to the weather.

 

California Daily Double

 

 

 

Nathan sent me this picture from California (with Mom's help).

How nice to know they're warm and enjoying a beautiful fire.

 



Teaching Grampa Sign Language

 

Grampa has been trying to teach Nolan to say more in sign language.

Nolan shows he understands, but surprises Grampa,

when he takes Grampa's hands and makes the sign.

 

 

 
Gramma has breakfast with the Gentlemen on Friday mornings.
She likes to make new things and to create her own recipes.
Here's my recipe for ...

Baked Omelet roll

Ingredients:

6 eggs 1 cup milk 1/2 cup all-purpose flour Sautéed onions, peppers & mushrroms

1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese Ham - slivered or bacon or sausage

Directions:

1.	Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking pan.
2.	In a blender, combine eggs, milk, flour, salt and pepper; cover and process until smooth. You can add meat and blend very briefly on low.  Pour into prepared baking pan.
3.	Sprinkle sautéed vegetables on egg mixture.
4.	Bake in preheated oven until set, about 20 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese.
5.	Carefully loosen edges of omelet from pan. Starting from the short edge of the pan, carefully roll up omelet. Place omelet seam side down on a serving plate and cut into 6 equal sized pieces.   Serve with salsa or hot sauce, if you wish.

 

Gramma and Grampa work on Nolan finding noses. 

He can even find his own.

 

Nolan knows he looks good in his hat.

 



 

Grampa baked Megan's favorite cake for her birthday down to homemade frosting.. 

To please everyone, it's 2/3's German chocolate and 1/3 chocolate frosting.

He learned to bake cakes with two different frostings from his mother,

who would bake a cake like this for Uncle Bob. 

 Like Megan, German chocolate was his favorite.

Gramma Goedken was surprised when she asked for everyone's preference and Bob replied,

"I'll take plain chocolate."  She said, "I thought your favorite was German chocolate!"

Bob said it was, but he knew that would be left for the next dessert

and the plain chocolate might be gone.

 

 

Daily Double from California

 

 

 

 

 They Are Our Sunshine

 

The world is at their feet.

 

Nathan has to use headphones so Andrew's drumming doesn't interfere with his guitar playing.

 

 

I think Elvis would have liked Nathan's guitar.

 

 

Superheroes have to have a special attitude to do their job.

 

 

Climbing comes naturally when you live near the mountains.

 

 

Leaves are almost as much fun to play in as snow.

 

 

Is that Clark Kent trapped in a phone booth?

They still have phone booths in California!?

 

I'd like to order a pizza to be delivered to my phone booth. 

Also, could you connect me with 9-1-1 for assistance.

 

The California Crew.

 

 

Nathan has always been drawn to the water.

 

Surfer Dudes

 

 

I'm ready for a beach party!

 

 

Hard to tell which end is up in California.

 



 

Wherever they go, they find a good time.

Or perhaps they bring it with them.

 

 

He looks similar to a superhero I know.

 

 

Leaping Lizards!  He can fly!