I’ve been gently reminded on a few recent occasions that our little blog is seriously lacking for Nolan News. And I’ve ignored it somewhat. Partly because it was June, and around here, you basically get to celebrate your birthday all month. So June = all about Mylie month. And also June was a seriously crazy month for me, and it was all I could do to even get any posts up at all.
But now I’ve had a chance to calm down a bit, and I’ve realized the gentle reminders were right. We’ve forgotten our second child! Now, of course, I guess this is something he’ll just have to learn to deal with, right? After all, it’s his lot in life as a second child… fewer baby pictures, fewer items in the baby book? Always having to live up to big sister’s shadow? I’m sure my little brother and Nick (number three of three) would both concur.
But something about this little guy tells me he’s up for the challenge. Let me share a little bit about what I’ve learned about Nolan in the short six months we’ve known him.
Nolan is opinionated. He knows exactly what he wants and how he wants it, and he doesn’t have time to mess with it being any other way. This has been evidenced by the fact that he generally refuses to take a bottle, he refused to sleep on his back from day one, and he already screams bloody murder if you move or take away the object toward which he’s heading. Oh, and for further evidence, see the picture above, in which he’s saying, “You want me to do WHAT?”
Nolan knows how to get noticed. He is a smiley baby, with one of those infectious smiles that bubbles up from his tummy and spills out through his eyes. And unlike some kids that smile only when smiled at, Nolan often initiates the smile… daring strangers to smile at him and notice him, even if they’re not currently paying attention. He’s pretty sure that he’ll be able to get them to notice.
Nolan loves to talk. He loves to babble and stick his tongue out of his mouth as far as it will go. Though I’m not one of those crazy parents that believes their children should belong to MENSA, I swear that sometimes when he’s babbling I’ve heard a “Hi” and an “I love you” slip in.
In addition to the talking, Nolan is a serious “mouther”. Anything he can put in his mouth, he does, though he has a distinct preference for paper products. He’s already destroyed a number of sheets of paper, napkins, and cardboard game pieces. I never realized just how many pieces of fuzz and junk was on my carpets until he started crawling around on them… and trying to digest every minute scrap. His other special favorites are electric cords and shoes. And he’s recently discovered the amazing joy that comes from feeding yourself cheerios and veggie puffs.
Nolan’s in a hurry to grow up. He started rolling 3 days before he turned 4 months, and could roll both directions by the end of that month. He was able to get anywhere he wanted to go (though clumsily) by 5 months. The one thing he doesn’t like to do, however, is sit. He will throw himself backwards in an attempt to straighten like a board and stand up, or he will just reach out and start crawling instead. He is one busy kid!
Nolan’s other likes include swimming, being tickled, music and anything that has to do with his sister giving him the time of day. He’s especially in heaven when all four of the above are combined, like when his sister sings him the ABC’s while they’re in the bathtub together, and she’s splashing and tickling him. His dislikes include being told no, being in one place too long (especially his car seat) and having to go to bed.
So, that’s Nolan in a nutshell. It almost sounds like his profile on a dating website. So, though it may be his lot in life to have less pictures to show to his posterity (though I hardly think there’s any LACK of pictures), I will say that he’s got a lot going for him in his little life. And I don’t think this is one kid that’s going to stand in anyone’s shadow…
That picture cracks me up! He definitely has some personality in there. PS- Love the mini van! They are definitely making a come back.