Happy Birthday Nolan

My little hula monkeys

Wow, my little guy is three years old today. I'm cringing and smiling all at the same time. He is showing such independence and intelligence all while he asserts himself with a careful balance of tantrums and sweetness. We have had some whirlwind fun over the last few days leading up to today. On Saturday we had a joint birthday for Gabby and Nolan with our amazing neighbors. Today Nolan celebrated at the beach with his cousins and then after nap we are taking off to Doc Burnstiens for ice cream and Grandma's house for presents and family movie night.

Nolan's 3rd year Birthday Wishes...

His birthday guests: Cousins

His birthday dinner request: MEAT!

His birthday dessert: Ice Cream at Doc Burnsteins

His birthday present requests:

*Fillmore (from the movie: Cars)

*An orange soccer ball

*Orange crocs

"That's what me want, mommy. It really important to me

Pics of the Hula Monkey Party for Gigi & Nolan

Michelle, Gabrielle and Jennifer

Nolan's 1st time playing Pin the Tail. Let's just say that after he pinned the tail on the monkey, Mrs. Monkey was a very happy simian. Location. Location. Location.

Obstacle course mania

From The Mouths of Babes

Once again Nolan is about to celebrate a birthday, his 3rd, and I am so sad to see this chapter close. He is a cyclone of sweetness and emotion. Some days are amazing and other days ... well, not so amazing. These are the comments he's made over the last couple of days:

Nolan: "I'm not Nolan anymore"
Mommy: "You're not?" "Who are you then?"
Nolan: "I'm a Man." "I'm a man because I think" "I've got thinks in my head everyday, everyday, everyday."

Nolan: crying "You hurt me!"
Mommy: bewildered "I hurt you?" "How did I hurt you?"
Nolan: sobbing "You hurt me in my brain" "You try to be silly and you not be silly"
I'm still bewildered on this one. I was picking up stuff around the house when he threw that one at me.

Nolan: "I sit next to baby Gabby. I love her. She's special to me."
"Mommy, I want another sister like Gabby."
pointing his finger at me "You work on growing that okay!?"
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My FAVORITE!!!!
Nolan: "Thank you for being my mommy"

Dancing Queen

I swear the girl has rhythm that I only get after having a few....

Seussical The Musical

There are those moments, as a parent, that I step back and think.... "I'm doing okay. I am a good mom." Last Sunday did not start out as one of those moments.

I really got Nolan pumped up to see Suessical The Musical. Our first introduction to a musical was the Nipomo High School production of Beauty and The Beast and he was enthralled. Since then we've been itching to find another affordable and appropriate show .... not an easy feat for someone who is not yet 3 years old. Then we see a poster for Seussical The Musical. It could not have been any more perfect. The kid dressed up as The Cat In The Hat for Halloween for pete's sake!

So Nolan is all decked out in his Halloween Costume .. hat, whiskers and all! He is ready to see this show. Every 10 minutes or so he says to me, "Mommy, I am so excited." We drive to San Luis Obispo and stand in a very long line and when we get to the ticket counter the dreaded words come, "I'm sorry, we're all sold out." Not only were they sold out but they were oversold so we couldn't even cling to the hope that someone wouldn't show up for their will call tickets.

So I begin to explain to my little cat in the hat that we are not going to be able to go to the show. The mouth quiver begins, the head goes bag and then the wail comes out full throttle. I felt like such an ass standing in front of that huge line of people picking up their reserved tickets. Who get's their kid that excited for a show, dresses them up and then doesn't have tickets reserved!?
He looked so pitiful standing there with tears streaming down his face, smearing his whiskers. So pitiful, in fact, that an amazingly wonderful woman came up to us and gave her one of her tickets. She offered to sit her son on her lap so she would only need one ticket and we could do the same. Amazing stranger lady saved the day! It was an amazing show, as you can see from the smile on his face.


Gertrude, the one feathered bird, and Nolan



Nolan and the Momma Kangaroo (from Horton Hears A Who)




The Two Cat In the Hats and Horton the Elephant.

Bye Bye Boo Boo?

Heidi and kids at Boo Boo Records



Today we all headed over to Boo Boo Records for music time on the rumor that it would be our last. After 13 years Boo Boo Records announced that they were stopping their music program. I felt that guilty twinge in my heart for every CD I had bought on Amazon and cursed myself for not supporting local business. It was heartbreaking news for us since Nolan has been going since he was 9 months old and now Gabby has embraced the Boo Boo experience with gusto.

We headed into San Luis for our last "Baby Beluga" and a promise to buy the kids the Boo Boo Records T-shirts I had been eyeballing for months. We could see the droves of kids and parents flocking to Boo Boo's. Hidie announced that thanks to a huge mommy response the store is looking into ways to keep it going in some shape or form. We have our fingers crossed, but just in case ... I took pictures.




Gabby already trying to join the kids on stage.


Nolan driving his "Fire Truck" to Ivan Ultz