Parks Galore

We had a great weekend!  Mikel has a few weeks in a row of no call, and with the slightly cooler (i.e., under 100 degrees) weather of this weekend, we were glad for a couple of chances to get out of the house as a family.

Saturday we went to the McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park in Scottsdale.  I heard great things about it and have been hoping to go. 

We didn't catch a ride on the carousel this time, but might have to next time (going back in a couple of weeks with my MeetUp mom group).

They have this little train on which, for $2 per person, you can take about a 10 minute ride that snakes all around the grounds on a track.  

The train is squatty in stature but super long -- probably 15 little cars like pictured here. 

Nolan loooved it

I, however, could barely concentrate on anything when I realized I forgot to put sunscreen on him...  Thankfully he pulled through unscathed.

Beautiful grounds.  

Pulling back up to the "station"

Nolan agrees - this "cooler" weather is still plenty hot...

I was dying for some lemonade, so we made headed to the snack stop where between this train table:

#flashback #traintablefightsofyesteryear

and this overhead functioning railroad track:

#shoutouttoBroadwayPizza

...we found ourselves in Charlie Schmitt and Addison Dufendach heaven. 

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Next stop:  the model train mega display.  

Again, everywhere I looked, I could imagine Charlie's little face at such sights.  We miss you, buddy!

When the trains rushed by on their tiny tracks, Nolan would shriek with glee!

A total dad and son kind of place.

There are 3 separate model train displays housed in this auditorium, and they have been progressively under construction for over 3 years.  There are photographs posted inside of the progress in varying stages and WOW it shows how slow and steady it really is.

Here is one of the engineers continuing his work in building display #2 (my favorite display).

Just love all of the details.

My super duper favorite, though, was this incredible doll house.  I could have looked at those miniature, delicate details all day! (some things never change, right Mom and Dad?)

Nolan, however, was starting to fade by this point, which means my examination of it got cut pretty short.

So I made Mikel take a picture of each room for me.  :)

Not as good as in real life but still amazing,  I think.

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On Sunday we went to church - where, by the way, we agreed that we heard one of the best messages we have ever encountered on James 2, faith and works.  In a short time, we have been very blessed by the teaching at Desert Springs Bible.  Thankful for that.

After Nolan's nap, we went to Chaparral Park in Scottsdale.  The weather was even better than the previous day with almost zero humidity, so it was the perfect day to go for a stroll and explore a new park.

This area boasts a huge dog park, where Nolan squealed joyfully at more than one bolting and barking dog as we walked past.  We also meandered through the Xeriscape Garden, which internet review rave about.  Might be photo worthy any other time of year, but right now it's just a brown patch of blah.

Finally we came upon Lake Chaparral and popped a squat in the shade.  ahhhh.

Nolan got in a little yoga sesh.

Downward-facing dog

Tabletop cat & cow

No saddlebags for this guy.  

This dad and his 2 young sons were fishing right by us.  The younger kid (maybe 4 or 5 yo) was hilarious.  He yelled (as in, yelled), "DAD!!!!!  I GOT A FISH!!!!!!!!" every. single. time. his line went in, but he always just reeled in weeds.  Poor guy.  Mikel and I found ourselves really rooting for him to catch one!

At one point, I saw the boy deliberately cast his line straight up into this huge tree right behind us -- out of sheer boredom and curiosity, I'm sure.  A ton of his line and his lure got good and stuck, and what did his dad do?  Calmly, quietly, valiantly saved the whole thing.  I don't know you, sir, but you might be a saint.  They say fishing takes patience, but wow.

Lovely and quiet.  So glad to be outside so much this weekend!

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And lastly, we slept with our windows open Sunday night, and when we woke up Monday, a crisp, cool 65-degree morning greeted us.  Things warmed up quickly once the sun got higher, but after Mikel headed to work, Nolan, the pups and I got in a good little walk, compete with some off leash time.

All the fresh air of the weekend must have gone to my head because then things got really scary.

As in, this happened during Nolan's morning nap.

Went downhill as we moved on to bookmarks.  

Who wants to come stage an intervention???

9 months

I am late getting this 9 month post completed...  Figured I had better get it up before Nolan is 10 months! Where does the time go?!??

Nolan, at 9 months old:

- You wear size 3 diapers.  

- At your 9 month check up, you were only in the 35th percentage for both length and weight (18lbs), which surprised us!  The pediatrician commented about how "nice and proportionate" you are.  

All I could think was --  I can't believe 65% of moms are lugging around bigger babes than you at this age.  Poor ladies!

- You are getting more and more handsome... and silly

On your 9 month birthday you did this:

And the next day, you did this!

We call it the one-legged boot scoot.  And I love it.  :)

One more for kicks (no pun intended).

You got a lot faster even in your first few days, and now at 9.5 months, you can really get around!  But your form hasn't improved!

- You started pulling up practically at the same time you started crawling.  I can't believe we ever thought you would need encouragement learning to roll over.......

 

Didja see that, Mom?

Favorite.  :)

Now that you're on the move, this is how I take a shower.

- We switched you to a convertible car seat because you were getting super hot in the infant one. 

 - Football season is in full swing and you like to chill and watch with your dad.

It appears that football brings with it a whole gamut of emotions!

- You have lots of buddies around here.

You're big buds with your dad:

Teaching you about the moon

  

Buds with me:

          

And buds with the pups:

They sit on their "place" in your nursery and watch us play quite often.

       

You and Khaki are a rare pairing...

Every time she tries to lick you (which is rather often), THIS is your response!!

YUCK!!!

- You have 7 teeth (and one more trying to pop through).  4 on the top and 3 on the bottom.  

All the better for eating your bed with.

         

Also makes eating bananas easier!

- You love to be outside.  I can't wait for cooler weather when we can go outside a lot more often.

     

Drying off after your usual skinny dip.

- You are fully capable of self-feeding with finger foods, but you are often hesitant to do it (unless it's Puffs)...  You think it's more fun to smack your hands on the tray and send everything flying to the waiting jowls of the pups below.

               

This is your response to anything remotely slimy.  You touch it once and then just sit there like this.

Your dad tried to give you a step-by-step How To tutorial.

Your one slime exception is spaghetti and meat sauce.  It's your favorite, so I guess it's worth it!

  

I weaned you around 9.5 months.  Partly because I was getting beat up every time!  You loved to tug on my hair, and you would grope around until you found my mouth so you could slip your hand in and feel of my teeth.  Such a funny boy.

You were losing interest in nursing (hence all of the playing), so it was time for both of us to be done.  Thankful that you take bottles and are a growing, healthy boy.

             

- Have to include our obligatory you-love-water nod.

Does every kid like water this much???  Maybe so and I just never knew it.

... swimming.

Krista and her awesome kids

... dog water.  

As much as I try to keep you out of it, I had to get one shot!

... bath time shenanigans.

Now I just dump water right over your head to rinse our your shampoo (tear-free).  You barely seem to notice most of the time.

... drinking water. 

You drink a ton of water!  usually 2-3 of these cups in a day.

mastered the sippy cup

... the splashpad.

-- which is extra awesome when we can catch it empty (not easily done in Phoenix summertime)

... and you recently discovered the wonder that is desert rain.  We all did!

 It was beautiful!

  

- You, my son, are becoming something of a flirt...

And I drink it up.

 

 

- This month, it became evident that you had outgrown most of your toys.  Those jingly baby toys just weren't cutting it anymore, so off we ventured to Ikea to stock up.

I swore I would never be that mom... but desperate times call for desperate measures.

 

We redeemed our splurge by sharing with these super fun friends!

...and yet, you still just want to play with this piece of forbidden fruit.

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You are one of the best parts of our lives, and it is such a joy to be your parents.

WE LOVE YOU, sweet boy.