M.O.B. Blog Hop

This is kind of a different post, although it does have to do with Noah. :) One of my favorite blogs, the M.O.B. (Moms of Boys) Society is having a blog hop today so I am joining in the fun.

About Me. . .
I am married to my very best friend and we have one precious boy who is 19 months old, Noah. He is our miracle baby and made a rough entrance into the world 3 months early weighing under 2 pounds. (You can read the long version here and here if you are interested.) You would never guess that by looking at him today and I cannot express how thankful to God I am to have him. Hence the whole "embracing the ordinary" thing, as that adventure brought us enough excitement for awhile. And it is a pretty good way to look at life. :)I started this blog to replace the CaringBridge site that we had for Noah while he was in the NICU. So it is a lot of updates about him, with a good dose of prematurity awareness thrown in there, and whatever else is on my mind. :)

We are missionaries on a Native American reservation in MN. It is really hard and really good. There is so much need and so much potential. God is on the move in these people and it is an honor to be a small part of it. My awesome hubby is the Student Life Director at a small discipleship school and we lead the children's ministry at our church.
I am so thankful that my main role is mom to our boy! The whole cliche that it is harder and better than you ever thought it would be to be a stay at home mom is definitely true. But I can't think of anything more worthwhile or anything I would rather be doing.

I hear lots of moms talk about how they were nervous about having a boy because of the whole "I'm not a boy" factor. And although I get that, I was thrilled to find out we were having a boy. I am not a girly-girl and never will be, and so honestly the thought of having a girl was probably more nerve wracking for me (don't get me wrong, I'm sure daughters are wonderful too :). The world is severely lacking in godly men and I hope and pray that I can help Noah grow into one. I see so much potential and promise when I look at my little boy. It is so humbling and so joyful and I love being his mom.

Books. . .
Here are Noah's current favorites for books:1. Baby's First Bible. This was given to us by my aunt and has been through a few cousins already. He loves the pages with Jesus calming the storm (he asks for the book by blowing like the wind) and Zaccheus up in the tree. There are animals on every page that he loves to find to.
2. God's Love. Picked this one up at a thrift store. Besides a great message, it is fun because the pages have cutouts or clear sections to see through to other pages. Noah is currently obsessed with a tiny owl on the last page. Why he picked that, I have no idea. Then I started to sing an owl song with it and his love increased even more. Seriously, we look at that little owl many times a day. Please tell me he is not the only one who does that kind of thing. :)
3. 1990 edition of Readers Digest North American Birds. This one was Daddy's idea and yes, it is currently near the top of my 19 month old's favorites list. You guessed it, because there are owls in it. He definitely knows which are owls and which aren't. I have a budding scientist on my hands. I sometimes have to take this one away so he will move on to something else.
4. Cookies. We always have to read this one at least twice in a row. He loves the page where the cookies are being put in the oven and likes to point to all the chocolate chip ones.

19 months

Another month, another excuse to write cute things about my kid. :) He is growing and learning so fast! It's fun. There is not a baby in the house any longer; there is a little person who understands most of what I say, communicates most of what he wants, is always watching and learning, has definite opinions about things, and is extremely curious and moblie. Oh, and fast and smart. Never a dull moment. :)
Noah at 19 months. . .
-Uses over 40 signs now. I actually quit teaching him because I want him to rely more on speaking, but he still makes up his own signs once in a while. And he still loves the Signing Time DVD's. My new favorite sign: "I love you." :)
-Can tell you what a dog, cat, cow, sheep, fish, monkey, and elephant say.
-Says "amen" every time we pray. Today he and Corey prayed and started lunch and I cam a few minutes later and he looked at me and said "amen" and closed his eyes. What a good little reminder I have.
-Loves it when you jump out from behind something and yell "boo!"
-Has all his molars and is finally getting that fourth bottom tooth in the front. Now I hope we get a break from teething.
-Is very good at brushing his teeth.
-Likes to "read" anything that has words on it. It is adorable.
-Almost always sings along with songs at church.
-Still loves playing with the kitty and now tries to pick her up.
-Says "cheese!" (his version of it anyway) for the camera.
-Is a little engineer. His latest feat: prying up kitchen floor tiles with a butter knife.
-Loves to ride on the lawnmower with Daddy.
-Likes to use the Swiffer vacuum all by himself.
-Is starting to get to the "I want to do it myself" stage.
-Loves it the most when Mommy and Daddy are both home and playing with him. So do I.
--I love my 19 month old!