Sweet Baby Novaley: Summer 2013 (June-Aug)

I haven't updated this in months. Every time I thought I would have time to get around to it another request from a client came in or assignment was due or I was just busy with Novaley.

So now, I've procrastinated and have a lot of time to make up.

I wish I would have updated month by month or multiple times per month so I could look back and see the "milestones" she reached and other details I know I have already forgotten, but oh well. I think its annoying when people compare kids to each other anyways--ie "oh ___________ was doing that by _______ months, blah blah blah". All kids are different so why compare? (yes, I am aware that doctors do it because they want to make sure they're not developmentally behind or at risk...I'm talking about other adults)

Anyways,

The first week of June me and Novaley flew back to MN. Many of you might not know this but in my "spare time" I sometimes will take surveys that eventually add up to free miles from Southwest. I used those miles to get me and Novaley a free ticket back to MN so she didn't have to endure the 19 hour drive.

Joe drove back with his dad.

She slept almost the whole flight......those were the days lol.

We spent most of the summer in Shakopee and went back and forth to Winona. I had to work the entire summer (as a personal assistant to 2 different companies with multiple employees, and 1 entrepreneur). Honestly I did not have time to do anything until after 7 p.m. on most days. It was not the most enjoyable summer--per say--but I was glad that Novaley got to be around family instead of bored all day at our house.
Joe worked as a basketball teacher at the YMCA a few days each week and would go back and forth between Winona and Shakopee.

On days when we weren't out of town, we spent most of our time watching my dad's horses and my brothers ride at Canterbury. Dad and Patrick had quite a few wins this meet and Alex finished 2nd leading rider....which he could have easily got if he wasn't suspended so often. Oh well, better luck next year!

We drove back to Houston the second week of August since Joe had to start going to meetings and such...but I flew back a few days later so I could spend more time with my family and friends.

I spent some of the summer trying to convince my family the benefits of going green, eating organic, and using things such as "unpaper towels" but they weren't so receptive. They didn't mind changing or using cloth diapers so that was one step in the right direction at least.

Novaley ate a lot of crappy food and got a belly while we were home in MN. We try to limit any "junk" processed foods that she eats, but we're not completely neurotic about it all the time since family and friends love to give her cookies, ice cream, breads, etc. etc. etc.

If we tried to completely restrict her diet while in MN and only give her organic, no dairy (except goat's milk), no gluten, etc. then we'd probably all go crazy and broke. I just don't want to deal with all the logistics and potential arguments with people who don't agree with how or what we feed her. So it is what it is when we come back to MN or are traveling. It's a different story when we're in Houston, but I also know that her eating crappy foods once in a while isn't going to kill her.

The same with cloth diapers. Joe and I love cloth diapering, but sometimes--ie when we're traveling, we just don't want to deal with the wash and upkeep so we'll use disposables (gasp!). I think a lot of time people think that doing something has to be all or nothing, and that's not the case at all. Even cloth diapering part-time is better than not at all, in my opinion. But, everyone has their own lives and ways of parenting so I can understand why some choose not to at all. To each their own!

I wish I could tell you what Novaley was doing each month, but honestly I don't know. I can't remember. I have literally had the worst memory EVER since having Novaley. I can't remember things from 10 seconds ago, let alone months ago, on most days. I think it had to do with stress too though, because I've notice since I've been done with school and my job that I'm a lot more "at ease" and aware of what's going on haha. Cheers to that!

Anyways, here are some pictures from June through August. I will be posting her birthday and Sept-Dec on different posts. I am also going to post some pictures with our house on a separate post.

Enjoy!

June 2013:

Getting ready to go.....

Getting ready for a bath

Father's Day!

Joe's Grandparent's 60th Anniversary

Novaley and Lexi (Joe's cousin Angie's daughter)

Aunt Stephanie

My brothers "babysat" one day and when I came home Patrick told me to check the pictures on my camera...this is what I saw:

Apparently the ice cream truck was in the neighborhood so they gave her a sonic ice cream bar.......

Mom and Novaley at the barn

My dad and brother Patrick with Novaley riding Diamond City.

Novaley swimming

At the park.....

My brothers love giving her chocolate............

Playing in her tent

Alex covered her with grass one day

and took her picture in this jockey thing

Joe took her swimming at the Y

Novaley looooves Marshall (and every other animal on earth)

July 2013:

At Steven's soccer game:

duck herding:

4th of July:

With my cousin Boo:

At her first wedding (Joe's cousin):

Feeding the ducks:

At one of Steven's soccer games:

Forever eating "popsicles":

On the computer with Patrick

Sitting outside with Steven:

Patrick put her in the diaper bag. She didn't like it.

Midnight=1st birthday! Joe wanted to be the first to take a picture with her after she "turned" 1.

I am posting all her birthday photos and info on a separate blog post.......

August 2013:

As soon as her 1st bday passed, I stopped taking so many pictures. So, in the following months there's probably not "as many" as before but anyways.....