Mommy and Daddy

Nolan started calling Matt and I Mommy and Daddy today instead of Mama and Dada. I am not sure if I am ok with this new stage of development.

our christmas tree

Every year we go to pick out our tree and cut it down. This is the first year we remembered to "tag" a tree the weekend before Thanksgiving. I have to say, that it is perfect. Nolan was so excited to go pick it up. When we told he we were getting our Christmas tree, he ran right to the door and said "Christmas tree." Things got a little sticky when we didn't leave right away.
This year he really loves Christmas. He talks about Ho Ho (Santa) and baby Jesus, and loves the snowmen.

mischief

These two have become real partners in crime. If you turn your back for a second, they are either on a table or in the toilet!

kitty

The cat is no too fond of this arrangement, but she is learning to deal with it.

Nolan continues to say funny things throughout the day. He loves to talk about working. Every morning he says "dada work." He has expanded this to include "Ra work," "Aimee work", "Ma work," and even "shoe work."

bed head

I don't know how Nolan can end up with a rat's nest on the back of his head after he naps, but somehow he does.

funny boy

Now that Nolan is talking and combining words with signs, he comes up with some pretty funny sayings.
Here are some of the more recent:

Tea eyebrows. (Nolan was telling me that the dark line around the top inside of his tea mug was eyebrows.)
Nolan baby belly. (Obviously, Nolan is telling me he also has a baby in his belly. He also says Daddy, Grandmom, and Michael have babies in their bellies.)
Bear poop.
Bear toot. (Nolan loves to talk about animals and people pooping and tooting.)

reading

Since Nolan was one day old, we have been reading, reading and reading some more. It is definitely one of Nolan's favorite activities. Lately, Nolan has started reading to himself. He will get a book or magazine and flip through the pages and read to himself. He can read a "stop" sign, and has a lot of interest in signs that we see around stores.

guitar hero

Matt got the guitar hero world tour band, and it has become a family favorite. Matt and I usually play when Nolan is napping, but if we leave the drums out, Nolan likes to give it a try!

ts ts ts

Nolan actually begs to clean the table, counters and windows with the sprayer. He even makes the spray noise to go along with it.

Halloween

Yes, I am a few weeks late, but here are the Halloween pics.
I think the pictures really sum it up.
Nolan loved carving the pumpkins, he rolled up his sleeves and got right into it. Later he enjoyed eating the toasted seeds. Yes he really does roll up his own sleeves.
When I gave him his trick or treat basket, he knew exactly what to do with it!
Going out trick or treating with Daddy was a real highlight. He went around our whole street and got a lot of candy. Matt had to fill his pockets with the excess.
He had to have a lollipop that night! They are his favorite.

play date

Nolan, Michael and Chase had a play date a few weeks back and it was so much fun. The boys played so nicely and ate like animals!

tambourines

Nolan is a true music lover. All day we listen, sing, dance, and play instruments to music. He got this new tambourine on our trip to Sesame Place. Even with all the cute stuffed animals in the store, he ran right over to this tambourine and started singing the "hello song" in the middle of the store. Now we have a total of 3 tambourines in the house. Every night, Nolan assigns a tambourine to every family member and we play along to the Kids Music Round CD. Nolan has gotten some new moves with his new tambourine. He pats his hiney, and does spirit hands at the end of the song.

candy and tv

Nolan never sits still. Even when he is eating, he sits at the table for five minutes. Then he tries to climb on the table, run between Matt and I, and then finally go off and play or dance.
Apparently, candy and tv are a sure way to keep him still!

a new baby

On September 22, we found out that the Gerstberger family is expanding! We are having another baby on May 31st!

Sesame Place

Sesame Place is a wonderland for kids! Nolan and Michael loved it. From the entrance there was so much to look at and point at. Nolan was even fascinated by the trash cans. We did a few rides and had lunch. This took 4 hours and was exhausting. I guess I am not a pro at the them parks yet.

Mason's Mill Park

We went to a great fall festival with Aunt Krissy, Uncle Mike and Michael and Nolan dressed in his Halloween costume. It was an awesome night! We picked a pumpkin, stuffed a scarecrow, and Nolan got a little candy. He was most excited to get a lollipop, which he calls "pop." It is by far his most favorite candy.

Go PSU

Nolan seems to be starting to enjoy sitting on the couch with daddy, a snack, and the PSU game.

picking a pumpkin

This year we went down the road to pick a pumpkin and get a few hay bales and corn stalks. Nolan checked out the pumpkins and then tried to pick one up. His attention to the pumpkins was very short, and he quickly became more interested in picking up rocks from the parking lot!

Cute stuff

I am not sure why I was taking pictures on this day, but they did turn out cute!

more pretending

Nolan has been playing with the bar from our washer for quite some time. When he first found it, he called it a snake and would walk around the house hissing with it.
Now this bar has changed roles. It is a vacuum cleaner now, and Nolan vacuums the back porch with it.

music

Nolan is very musical. We have been taking music classes for some time now, and he loves to practice the songs and instruments at home. He is constantly playing the guitar and keyboard.
He requests songs to hear on the radio too. He always requests the "hello" song, "goodbye" song, "clean up" song, and "la la" song.

pretending

Nolan loves to pretend, and will play for a long time with his houses, farms and garages. He has taken his pretend play to a whole new level! Not only does he pretend things are other objects (he uses my eyelash curler as a phone), but he is starting to pretend that he is an animal.
We took these short fences out of our garden in an attempt to make the house look better, and they took on a whole new life.
Nolan stands inside of them and pretends to be a horse. He asks to have an apple to eat, and neighs.