February 2013...

So, earthlings... it has been FOREVER since I have updated you on the joys of Liam's world! Okay, the earthlings thing was just me being a nerd for a second there... lol! On a more serious note, here we go on the updates. Liam had such a big month in February! In a, new-big-event-every-weekend, kinda way!

Rewind to the first weekend of February (Feb 2nd-3rd). Liam was like a little sponge--just absorbing everything we threw at him! Saturdays are pretty go-with-the-flow here in the Nol home. We usually hang out until dad gets home from his exercise class and then get our day started. That weekend started like all the rest of them, except Liam learned a new song and dance while we spent our early morning eating breakfast and watching cartoons. I started singing "I'm a little teapot" to Liam and teaching him the dance and hand movements, and before you knew it, he had learned his own version of the teapot dance. Haha... It was something between baby yoga and the tipping teapot, but it was cute nonetheless! Next up was pooping on the potty! Liam pooped on his potty TWICE. Once on Saturday, and again on Sunday. What a big boy! Liam has always given us big cues (he makes this distinct poopy-time face) when it's time to go #2, so I was pleasantly surprised when I realized he would use his potty if I caught him and took him to it in time! Go Liam!!

Liam doing his teapot dance!

The week passed and then came February weekend number two (Feb 9-10th). We had such a great time this second weekend of February! Liam and I were super busy on Saturday. He spent a few hours with Pawpaw while I worked and he came home with a cool new book called "Crunchy Croc." It's a book that has a puppet built into it and Liam enjoyed it so much. Then we headed to Mary's house for a Valentine's crafty play date. All of Liam's friends were there: Maddox, Ava, Madison, and even a new friend--Lee. Liam did his first finger painting and had a great time in the process. It's also a good thing I took all of his clothes off, except for his diaper, because he was covered in paint. I even had paint all over my arms and hands! lol... Next came Sunday--Chinese New Year! We got up early and got ready to have dim sum with all of Kobe's side of the family. We had a great meal and Liam may have eaten one too many shrimp balls. haha! After our meal we headed over to the shopping center by Hong Kong market and watched the Chinese dragon dance! Liam loved it. He was super distracted by the drums though and kept his eyes on the drummers the whole time. All in all it was super fun and we enjoyed making such great memories with Liam.

Liam's first painting! 

Red Envelope! 

Liam & the dragon: that's him inside the dragon's mouth on the top left!

Next came Saturday, February 16th. We started the day with a class at The Little Gym. Liam had such a great time and he even had the instructor asking when he was going to come back next. It was pretty funny because Liam was a newb compared to the other kids and he was in there like he had been going for months!

Finally came the last weekend of February (Feb 22-24th). Liam and I went on our very first trip without daddy! Liam experienced his first plane ride, first hotel visit, first aquarium visit... Oh lots of firsts! He had so much fun!! We first started our trip at Intercontinental Airport - Houston... we arrived super early and Liam was given his first wings by the man at the United Airlines counter. Liam wore them proudly... and may have even given them a taste test too. lol... Next we arrived in Atlanta and checked into our hotel with our friends: Amber and Nate! Liam and Nate played and had such a great time running around the hotel room until it was time to sleep. Saturday we explored Atlanta and first experienced the Atlanta Children's Museum, then headed over to the CNN World Headquarters building for lunch--where Liam slept on the bench while I ate. lol... Sunday we went to the Georgia Aquarium--the worlds largest aquarium! We saw hammerhead sharks, dolphins, WHALE SHARKS (coolest things ever!), sea dragons, starfish, and even fish from the Amazon!! It was such a great experience - Liam's first plane ride went better than expected and he adjusted flawlessly to the time change over the weekend. We definitely will never forget this first big trip for Liam!

Atlanta bound!!

Liam tasting his first wings while we waited to board!

 Liam's first glimpse of the giant aquarium room where the whale sharks lived!

Liam & one of the smaller whale sharks that lived there!

I hope you had a great time reading up on our update... It's April already and I feel like the year is flying by. Stay tuned for the next big update. I'll try to be better about remembering to blog like I used to!

-Amber

November/December 2012 Update!

Hi everyone!!
I know it's been quite a while since I updated Liam's blog, but here we go! Last time I updated y'all, we had just celebrated Liam's 2nd Halloween (check it out here: Halloween 2012). Now a lot has happened since then to say the least. Liam is practically running now--just when I was getting used to having a walker, he became a runner! LOL... Liam says a lot more words too. I'll leave that for a later post though, so stay tuned. So I'm sure you're wondering, "what has that awesome baby Liam been up to these past few months?" He has been busy making memories & having fun, that's what.

First off, Liam had a great 2nd Thanksgiving. Last year he was so tiny and slept most of the day, but this year he was actually able to enjoy the festivities. We first celebrated the Saturday before Thanksgiving with friends at the annual Thanksgiving dinner that our great friends, Eric and Casie, host every year. It was a lot of fun and Liam had his first taste of Thanksgiving dinner. He loved it!

Liam & the guys giving a toast at our friends' Thanksgiving dinner.

Enjoying the Polar Express at Thanksgiving Dinner!

A few days later was Thanksgiving day and we started the day at the Houston Thanksgiving day parade. It was fun, but very hot and not the type of weather you'd expect for a holiday in November. Kobe, Liam, and I are not supposed to be sweating while watching a parade in November. Haha... Despite the heat, Liam loved the giant floating balloons and the marching bands-he was absolutely mesmerized! After the parade we headed home to get ready to spend the day visiting family and eating A LOT of food! We first saw my family, then Kobe's and it was a great day, indeed.

On daddy's shoulders to see the parade!

Houston Thanksgiving Day Parade

The weeks went on and it turned into December. December was a busy and eventful month, to say the least! Liam discovered his love for dancing, strolled through Discovery Green's Christmas-lit sidewalks, he got his first boo-boo, watched his auntie graduate, experienced his first ER visit, and celebrated his second Christmas!

Dance, dance, dance!

Mighty comfy at breakfast time.

Cheesin' with momma.

Discovery GREEN, literally! haha

First boo boo. =(

Kobe's sis graduated. Liam's first-ever graduation ceremony to attend!

Sleeping in a Texas Children's ER bed. =(

Finally it was Christmas time and Liam started it off by celebrating at the Christmas party his babysitter threw for them. He came home drowning in lots of goodies. His favorites were the straw, cup and the gingerbread man cookie. He also went to meet Santa for the 2nd time at the mall. Santa didn't even look like he had aged a bit. Liam on the other hand... what a difference! Next was Christmas Eve. We went to tita's house first, then went to Kobe's parents for the highlight of our day-HOT POT! This is not something that Kobe's mom makes all the time or even "often" for that matter. The last time she made hot pot for us was about 6 yrs ago, so we were super excited. Even Liam had some and liked it. After all that fun, we headed home and went to bed so that Santa could come visit! When we woke up Christmas morning, Santa had definitely been to our house. He left a huge sack and a book for Liam. The sack had an awesome wooden activity block in it. Liam was definitely impressed! From us (mom & dad) he got books, clothes, bath bubbles, and bath toys.

Cheesin' it up with all his goodies after a fabulous Christmas party at Lidia's (his babysitter).

Liam & Santa - then (2011) & now (2012).

Christmas Eve

Hot Pot!

Christmas Morning... a big sack & a book from Santa. Wonder what's inside that bag??

WOW! Liam's face says it all... he loves it.

Christmas morning bubble mohawk!

The following week Liam had his 15 month check-up with his pediatrician. Liam did great on his current growth chart curve. He's small, but steadily growing, so the pediatrician has not a worry in the world which is fine in our book. He measured in at 29.5 inches tall, 18 lbs, and a 17.9 inch head circumference. That means he grew 1.5 inches since his first birthday in September, gained 1 lb and 5.5 oz, and his head grew 0.4 inches. Not bad, little man! =)... The pediatrician also told Kobe that now would be a good time to get Liam used to using the potty. She told us that he probably wouldn't be potty trained any time soon, but that just having his little potty out and available (and consistently placing him on it at certain times of the day) would get him used to it. So far he doesn't like to do anything with it but to take it apart & put stuff in it-like his goldfish and other snacks, but hey... that's a start. Right? LOL

Kobe demonstrating to Liam how it's done. lol

Liam & Kate at tita's on New Year's Day.

What mom? You mean to tell me that this isn't how I'm supposed to use it? lol

Well, everyone, that's what Liam has been up to. Glad y'all stopped by to read this update. He is the best baby boy in my world. I will try to do a better job of keeping y'all updated. Have a great weekend!

-Amber