Lots of updates...

Well, again, time flies and the updates have not been as consistent as they should be. It gets to be a lot to keep taking pictures and finding things. Everyday life is pretty exciting, but we don't keep taking pictures. So, we have to come up with new events and things.

We decided that we would buy a year membership to the Minnesota Zoo. Nolan LOVES it! He really likes just being outside all the time, and this way he gets to be outside and see lots of really neat animals. It has been in short sputs, these first few visits to the zoo. We haven't gotten the hang yet of timing his naps on the weekends. So, we get to the zoo early, and by the time he has exhausted himself, we end up having to carry him out to the car. It makes for a very long walk...but well worth it.

Other than that, Nolan seems to be growing like a weed at times. His latest thing is what Tiv and I have dubbed the "Sneak Walk". I posted a very short clip, and I'm hoping to get a better example in the near future. He just amazes us with the things that he comes up with. He will have entire conversations, or just sing to himself, and can go for 5-10 minutes. Then there are times when he just needs to be held and can't go 5 mintues without either Laura or myself.

More will follow...thanks for your patience!

Sneak Walk

The very first bit of this clip is the all new,
Sneak Walk!!!

Our zoo adventures

Exploring my world...got the Karl squint!



"Turtle?"



"Don't eat me!!!"



"I love the zoo!"



"Mmmmm...fishies!"

Aloha Fridays

"Aloha shirt Fridays...aren't we a matching set?"



Ummm...we can lose the Nuk, can't we?

Easter Pics

Not shy in front of a camera?!?



The outdoor's type? We'll have to see.



Nolan's horse...



Look out, he is tough to keep up with.



Um...this doesn't taste too good.

Easter Weekend

Weekends sure seem to fly by these days. We had a pretty good, but very busy Easter weekend. Friday, Nolan spent the day with Grandma and Grandpa, as his day care was closed for Good Friday (strange?). He had lots of fun there...but that was just day one. Saturday, we went back to Grandma and Grandpa's for visit number 2, appetizers with Dave, Bart and Sue, and Nancy. It was a quick visit, but he looked pretty good in his leather jacket, jeans, and button down. He is usually better dressed that mom and dad these days! Sunday, the 3rd visit to Grandma and Grandpa's for Easter lunch. Fortunately, we missed the lunch - Nolan decided to take a longer nap today - which turned out to be a good thing. He is at the stage where keeping him occupied while sitting at a table for any length of time is a challenge. By missing the lunch, we were able to have others take turns watching Nolan while Laura and I got a chance to visit with family and friends.

All in all, a busy weekend. Very good to see family, but the amount of packing it takes to bring stuff for Nolan just adds up. We are looking forward to getting up to Centuria in the very near future...

Nolan's Leathers

He looks better than me already! -Karl



"Let's get this show on the road!"



Just posing...



Stylish, with the Nuk!

The "I don't know" pose...



Money please...



"What?"

Updates in March/April

Time sure flies... We have been really bad in keeping this updated for everyone. We get caught up in daily life, we forget to take pictures of Nolan, forget to keep this blog updated...

Nolan is fast approaching 20 months! Things have been good for the most part. It has been a hard winter, he has been sick quite a bit. Lots of ear infections and pink eye... We are meeting with and ENT this week to see about putting tubes in his ears. Both Laura and I are struggling with putting Nolan through surgery, but what everyone has told both of us is that it is like a light switch...no more ear infections, better attention and balance. So, the benefits of this are probably worth it. Still...hard, right?

I've been traveling for work - training. I've spent two of the last three weeks in Cleveland, OH learning about a software package we use at Carleton. It has been hard to be away, both for me and for Laura - not to mention Murphy and Nolan! Laura has a trip coming up next week, so it will be my turn to have a week of Nolan on my own. We have been fortunate that family lives so close and were able to help Laura out while I was gone. I will be having a family cookout to thank everyone, provided it doesn't snow tomorrow!!!

It might be another April Fool's with inches of snow on the ground. I just think that is the worst...we are so close to spring, and BAM! Well, that's Minnesota! Enjoy the pictures. We will be getting more up soon!

Photos...yeah, it's been a while!

"I'm number one!!!"



Can we say, happy baby?



Mouse...cell phone...this technology is confusing!



Our future Bono...

2009 already!?!

Yikes, from Thanksgiving through Christmas, and now we are already through the first week of 2009! What happened?

This year has been just an amazing year, and it is hard to imagine that our little guy is already 17 months old! It is astounding to watch him, he is learning so much, so very quickly. While he isn't putting sentences together quite yet, he is talking in his own way all the time. He seems to be learning new words almost daily, and his day care is teaching him some sign language - so there are times when he is signing, and neither Laura or I recognize it!

All in all, for as many sleepless nights as we have had this past year, I wouldn't change a thing. Enjoy the new pictures...

December Pics 2

"I like presents!"



"Who needs toys when these boxes are more fun!"



"Can someone wake up Tiv???"



"A truck, a book, and a uncle!"



"Cute as a lobster!"

December Pics 1

"Can't you see I'm still getting ready?!?"



"Mmmmmmm, milk is good!"



"Come on MOM!!!"



"Ohhh, what is this?



"Um, can't you see it was perfect before you started?"

November updates

Another month, and Nolan just keeps growing and becoming more and more his own person. He is constantly exploring, climbing into things, onto things, and pulling stuff out of drawers and cabinets. Sometimes it becomes a little much, but at the same time, it is just fun watching him find his way in this really big world. He will reach 16 months in just a couple days, hard to believe how fast it has gone by.

As for the rest of us, Laura has transitioned from working at a large corporation to working as a consultant for a small consulting company. It is a great step, as it is giving her the chance to expand her opportunity to speak at national conferences and submit articles for national journals. I have landed a full-time, exempt position with Carleton College. I'm very excited about the opportunity, as I will be working with the Enterprise Information System team deploying applications which will enhance the productivity of the entire college (well, not right away, but after a few months of training).

We have taken our townhouse off the market, as we had little success in generating traffic. The housing market being what it is, it isn't too surprising, however, we never reached our goal of finding out what steps we would need to take to make our house more marketable this spring. So we have a couple projects that we decided upon, and will try again this spring. We are definitely out of space here, and could really use a yard for both Murphy and Nolan. It will happen... December will bring lots of pictures, so stay tuned!

All the best,
Karl, Laura, Murphy, and Nolan (KLMN)

Nolan's first tricycle...

More Pics

A boy, his bottle, and a book.



Can you ask for anything better, Nolan likes
reading books...granted, this one is called
"Everyone Poops".



Our tree, decorated with baby and dog toys...perfect.



"Just call me Mr. TP!"

Thanksgiving weekend pics

"Just walking, don't mind me."



"Does it get any better than this?"



"Next stop, Big Thunder Mountain!!!"



"Um, does this do something?"

Halloween 2008

Nolan experienced his second Halloween, but the first one where he was out trick-or-treating. It was so fun to watch him playing outside. I don't think he was aware of what was really happening, or why he was wearing such funny clothes, but he had fun all the same. Aunt Tivoli bought Nolan an outfit while she was in Hong Kong last year, so it was a treat for Nolan to wear it out for his first foray into trick-or-treating. As the night got colder, we switched to the bumble-bee costume...which was just fun to watch Nolan navigate with that large, round waist. This year was an excellent Halloween, next year will be even better.



"Can someone get me some candy..."



The Asian-connection.



If someone else comments on that guy from the Simpsons...



"Wow, this candy thing can be tiring!"

Dinner Disaster

You turn your back on them for just one second...and there is spaghetti everywhere! He was laughing and playing, I just couldn't help laughing with him. This is what it is all about.



"What, did I miss a piece?"



"Mmmmmm...noodles."



The post-spaghetti-hair look. Can we say future rock star?

Nolan Art Work

Nolan is a budding artist, as well as a future piano player. We cleaned out his "art" file at Anna's Bananas, his day care, and here are three of his more impressive works. Maybe baseball is in his future...