Almost Four

There have been a lot of changes since the last update!

Novaley is now just a week away from her 4^th birthday!  I can’t believe how fast the time has flown by!  Sometimes I want to cry looking at her because she isn’t a baby anymore. 

We have been busy enjoying life the past few months since school ended, and Novaley has loved spending so much time with family.  She is verrrrrrry spoiled by both family and friends, but we are so grateful that we have that support. 

Most people are surprised at her ability to have an “adult” conversation with others, and sometimes it surprises me, too, about what she will say/remember.  Things that I had no idea she was paying attention to, she will mention or ask about.  She is very observant, and still quite shy/reserved until she warms up to you—unless your close family/friends. 

People in Houston would always comment and say how “tall” she is, but she’s actually just a bit above average for height, and a little below average for weight.  She still fits in 2T bottoms and 3T shirts, so she is still pretty petite considering she’s basically 4.  I don’t think anyone really expects her to be a “big” girl though, lol.

Novaley is obsessed with animals still, and she recently got a new BFF (which makes 2 cats, 1 dog, and a fish) that she decided to name Ralphie.  Ralphie is a rescue dog whose mom was hit by a car and died, and the rescue group found him alone on the side of the road.  We hadn’t really planned on getting a dog…but we couldn’t resist!  Novaley is quite the caretaker with taking him outside to go potty, picking up his poop!, and making sure he gets fed and goes to bed on time each night.  She couldn’t imagine life without him!

Novaley loves doing the dishes, cooking, dancing, making up songs, swimming, and going to the park.  She is able to write her name by herself, and is working on spelling new words each day.  I am truly amazed at what she is able to do when it comes to reading and writing!  She adores reading, and especially making up her own stories since she doesn’t know the words (yet!).  She is quite the mom in the sense that she takes very good care of each of her babies or ‘friends’.  She treats them as if they were real. 

Novaley was a flower girl in one of joe’s friends’ weddings this past May, and she will be a flower girl again in October for my cousin.  She was pretty nervous, but she did great!

This past year Novaley has traveled to many places: Arkansas, Arizona, Wisconsin, Kansas, Iowa, Louisiana, Minnesota, California, and Peru. 

Novaley can be quite clumsy, and sometimes will have a mini melt-down if she’s not getting her way at that moment.  These moments are mostly rare, but they do sometimes happen.  Imagine that! Other than that, most people compliment us on her demeanor or her hair—lol!, so we must be doing something right. 

Some of N’s favorite foods are: spaghetti and meatballs, grapes, blueberries, chicken, steak, vegetables, chocolate covered strawberries, rice, beans, ice cream, freezies, banilla bean frapps, oreo snowdrifts, smoothies, chips, ham, cheese, cereal (including frosted flakes—ew!), and basically everything under the sun, including spicy foods. 

We are so fortunate and blessed to have had so many people come and visit us in Houston, or traveled with us this past year including: our parents, some of our siblings, Tahani, Andrew V., Andrew K., Chris, Kyle, Marissa and Yui, Mike and Nancy, etc. 

I’ve realized that Joe and I really go out of our way to appease people and allow them to spend time with Novaley.  We’re re-evaluating that for the next year.  It has been four years now and Novaley and I have probably racked up more frequent flyer miles than most in their entire lifetime.  Its not the cost that matters, it’s the principle of the fact that people can’t seem to find time to come and visit us in Houston.  Flights are very cheap most of the time, so if you haven’t come and visited, I would hope that you are considering doing so within the next year. We would love to have visitors more often! 

We are ESPECIALLY blessed to have such supportive friends with us in Houston, and couldn’t have survived the past year without Isaac, Megan, Ms. Campbell and Ms. Woods.  Seriously!! You guys are our saving grace.  I, personally, would have probably moved back to Minnesota a few years ago if it wasn’t for you all.  We could never thank you enough for everything you have done for us.  xoxoxoxo

Anyways, we can't believe how fast time has flown by!

Check back soon for another update...it should be mostly pictures/videos from the past year or so. I'll do my best to post it in the next few weeks!