We started out with hopes of going to a pumpkin patch with Noah and then he fell asleep two minutes before we entered the driveway to the farm.  The good news is that we got these photos before the farm and after his nap in the car.  Oh, and we also got to visit Target during his nap and then G.G. (Great Grandma Peggy) fed us sandwiches so we could keep going to Julliard park and get some face time with duckies! As if that weren’t enough, we went home only to grab the dog and some water to finish the day at a park by our house to celebrate our friend Lindsay’s baby due in two weeks.  Please understand that this is way more than we ever normally do on a Saturday and it was so fun.  Check out Noah running…

“I just ate cat poo… huh huh huh.”

What does a rooster say? Apparently “cgggoooo-WAH?”

Judging by this rooster’s tone of voice, he is not all that sure whether it’s time to crow.

P.S. Here are some great photos from Ben’s parents visiting yesterday.

“Mmm! Dad, gimme another one, NOW!”

Jo and Noah

Nakey on the carpet.

Bathin’ with his buddy Bobby.

Our friend Breanna came to visit us from the OC, it was wonderful.

Noah. Loves. Water.

Pouring. His 4th of July pastime of choice.

Nakey pouring.

Jo: “Let’s take a picture.”
Ben: “Why?”
Jo: “Cause it’s the 4th of July.”
Ben: “Blingo blango*.”

* Ben’s new catch phrase. Although surprisingly, no one is catching on.

Lunch at Oliver’s Market. That’s a fake frowny face.

“Take the picture, then put more food in my mouth. NOW!”

Jo lookin’ pretty.

4th of July weekend we got to see Grandma Pat and Grandpa Van. Grandpa Van played trombone with the 59th Army Band, and Grandma Pat played grandma with Noah.

We got to see the Olsens and Aaron’s sister’s family when they camped out at Bodega. Abby taught Noah the joy of playing in the dirt (and the soot in the fire pit; now that required a bath).

But wherever Noah is, rest assured, he’ll find a way to get filthy. Salmon + pasta + sauce = this. (Blog math for Nathan.)

Noah laughs at Papa Charles.
Fairbanks gets a taste of some Papa arm while he’s distracted.

Charles helped Ben put in a big ole air conditioner in the window to keep our house tolerable the rest of the summer.

Noah laughs with Mommy.

“Now I’m going to punch the camera.”

More blackberries for Noah.

On Jo’s birthday Kristin, Melissa, and Lindsey came over with their kids. Here’s Kristin pulling Melissa’s son Oliver, and Kristin’s Max walking behind.

Here’s (Lindsey’s) Aston, Noah’s childcare buddy and elder-by-one-week, with Maria, our wonderful childcare provider.

Noah has a mondo crush on Maria’s 9 year old, Carissa.

Carissa, Kayla, and Jo.

Kayla, Maria, Carissa, and Noah. He looooves the ladies.

Relief At Last
Santa Rosa Press Democrat - 6 hours ago
After a week of high temperatures at the Blue Chip Football Camp at Santa Rosa’s Montgomery High School, participants are hosed down Thursday courtesy of a spray from the Fire Department’s Engine Company 4 firefighters.
Fire hits industrial linen company
Santa Rosa Press Democrat - 22 minutes ago
Freshly laundered rags, hot out of the dryer, caused a fire at American Linen on Industrial Drive in Santa Rosa on Thursday evening, the company’s second fire this year.

It looks like he’s in pain, or pooping, but he’s just making faces.

If you’re confused, just wait for his explanation at the end. I’m pretty sure it’s at least half Russian.

Side note: when Noah watches this video, he imitates the chest-thumping and “dah! guh!” at the end. I guess that means “me! noah!”

Today, Ben and I had the privilege to have both of our fathers at church with us today. That was fun. It was also neat to see Nathan Strong and his wife play worship together for the service. They write their own songs too and are called After the Chase.

In honor of Father’s Day, Noah decided to walk yesterday. He showed off for Grandma Pat, Grandpa Van, our neighbor Lindsay, and her son Aston who is the same age as Noah.

I’ve decided to include the words Noah says right now in order that he first said them:

• doggy (all he said for a month)
• daddy
• ball (strangely, he doesn’t say this anymore and he only said it for a week or so.)
• gorilla (which really sounds like grlala- but we know that’s what he’s saying. Thanks to Sara for the book Goodnight Gorilla. It’s his favorite.)
• broccoli (I know, weird. His fourth word. The kid loves broccoli. It really sounds like “ock oo” with a high pitched emphasis on the “ock” and sometimes “guh koh”, which we don’t quite understand.)
• mama (finally!)
• Daaaah (when he’s calling for Ben in the other room and he wants his attention)
• ducky (sounds a lot like doggy, but he says it when he sees the ducklings in Baby and Friends, another favorite.)
• deeeee (because Ben taught him the letter D and he’s said it now for 2 days at everything.)

Things we know he understands:

• “good job!” (always followed by clapping from all including Noah)
• “go get the ball”
• “throw the ball”
• “blow your nose”
• “close it”
• “open”
• “all done”
• “somersault” (he puts his head and hands on the floor and we flip him)
• “say hi”
• “stand up”
• “walk to mommy” (he knows who we all are- and I go through a picture album of extended family members-by the way, please send pictures if you can think of it.)
• “go find your drawer” (this refers to the Tupperware drawer that he’s allowed to play with- we say this to him when he is playing in Fairbanks’ water bowl. It’s the ONLY thing that gets him to stop. He is obsessed with FB’s food and water.)
• “put it in your mouth-not the floor”
• “I’m gonna get you!”
• “where’s Noah?” (he puts his hands on his head and quickly removes them and we say “peekaboo”.)

In other news, Noah got a baby pool and a small kid table. Ben and I both just got over tonsilitis and Fairbanks continues to have seizures.

On a happy note, we are excited to begin having people over more now that we feel settled and the weather is nice. We got new patio furniture-half off-yeah! So, we can eat outside when it’s too hot inside. Also, God is graciously giving us more people here in Santa Rosa to share our lives with.

Ok, enough talking…here’s a video.