Leaves...

We had pretty incredible weather here in GA for the past month so a few days ago I decided to take advantage of it (before it gets really cold) and so I made a pile out of leaves in our front-yard and I let Noah play in it. He had so much fun jumping into the leaves over and over again :) I have to say that the day before, he had even more fun in the leaves with his close neighbor buddies: Will, Andrew and Jack. Lately, Noah has become very close friends with those three and there almost isn't a day in a week that he doesn't join them on the block for a playdate. Here are some pictures of Noah playing in the leaves (first solo in our yard then with his buddies on the block).









Pictures taken by Jack's mommy Katie (just slightly sharpened and adjusted by me). On the picture: Jack, Noah, Andrew and Will.

Mini Blog Makeover!

So when I printed Noah's 2nd year book couple days ago, I decided to do some quick blog makeover so people can enjoy bigger pictures on my blog. I definitely enjoy it more now, besides I was kind of tired of looking at the same old blog template :)
These are the first two pictures in the bigger version:


Sneak peak from my last session with Noah :)

Decking the Halls...

In Callahan's house we are early with everything, especially holiday decorations. Last week me and Noah took down all our Halloween stuff only to replace it immediately with Christmas decorations :) We are almost done decorating inside (we have a stairs garland to add and a main tree next week) and then we are only left with outside!!! (Noah's playhouse is also almost ready, we just need to finish decorating the roof tomorrow). I just LOVE all this Christmas stuff around. It reminds me of when i was a little girl and me and my parents used to decorate for Christmas. It was the best time in the whole year and i want my kids to feel the same :) There is nothing like a lit up tree in the evening, fire in the background, smell of a freshly burned Christmas candle and a Christmas music...Ah and lets not forget about cookies :) Lots of baked cookies!!! Christmas time is simply the best!

On a different note, I can't believe I'm now 29 weeks pregnant! Time flies. My little girl will be here soon and soon enough it will be four of us...It just still seems unreal to me. I can't imagine having another child in the house besides Noah. I am little scared but also very excited. I have 2 months left with just me and Noah. I would like to do so many things together before Leah comes but I also feel little bit more tired these days. It doesn't help to know that i have been diagnosed with marginal placenta previa and now cannot lift Noah anymore (Oh how I love to carry him and throw him up in the air). The doctor said that there is still a chance that my placenta may move up but also there is a big chance that it may not and then i will not be able to have a normal delivery. I'd like to think that everything will be ok and that the issue will be resolved in the next couple weeks. In the meantime, i do have to be extremely careful not to overdo things. We want our girl to stay inside of me as long as possible!
Anyways, here are couple of pictures of Noah i took just a few days ago.

Noah by the tree in his playroom.

Mommy 28 weeks pregnant with Leah, Noah and Lilly (Gosh I am getting really big!)

Playing with some vintage frames...

Noah in a Vintage frame and vintage overlay (sitting on a bathtub). LOVE IT!

Noah's 2nd year check up

Yesterday we went to a Northside Hospital for Noah's second year check up and his last Hepatitis A shot (he doesn't have to have any shots until his 4th birthday!!). We didn't see Dr.B but we saw Dr. Harrison, which is also very nice, although more on the conservative side. It looks like my boy is doing great. Here are Noah's stats:
Weight: 34 and a half pounds (which puts him in 95% category for weight).
Height: 37"(which puts him also in 95% for height).
Head Circumference: 50cm.
It looks like Noah is going to be a big boy! Haha. Other than this Noah is supposed to give up his bottle entirely and we ought to change his whole milk to 1% milk. I was really afraid that he will have a hard time giving up his milk before nap-time and at night, but he seems to be doing fine without it. Now instead of the bottle, i read him bedtime stories and he falls asleep (although not too fast and he still needs me in the room with him until he is sound asleep :) But that's ok--I may as well enjoy it till it lasts. Soon enough he will want me out of his room :)
Anyways, Dr Harrison loved Noah and he kept telling me how special Noah is. Yes--I do feel the same way and I will always feel blessed for having such a wonderful son.

Noah outside couple days ago :)

Noah in his new toddler bed. We did changed his bed after we found out that his buddy Sara fell out of her crib and broke her leg. We went to a store next day and got Noah a new bed, which is really likes :)

Noah's 2nd year pictures

Last year I promised myself that every year, around Noah's birthday we will do a special, outdoor birthday photo session. This way every year we can compare how much our little bobas has changed, and besides I LOVE doing it. This year, we went to a nearby park on actual Noah's birthday and I can't even tell you how much fun we had snapping pictures while running around and playing. Here is the outcome, which i really like:







That's my boy!!!



Old time charmer :)

My first Painting!

I have been wanting to learn digital painting for a while now and i finally found the courage to really try it :) I bought all the necessary equipment and I am now set for painting! What i haven't known was how addictive this Corel stuff is :) I have been painting this portrait of Noah since Monday, using all my spare time to do it (sometimes even forgetting to brush my hair :) and surviving only on 6 hours of sleep (which is bare minimum for me). Anyways, I finished my first painting tonight and I am quite happy with the results. I will definitely have it printed on canvas very soon! Now I am totally hooked on Corel! Who knew I am a painter at heart :) LOL. I just wish I have found this hobby years ago so i could know this stuff inside and out now instead of trying to learn everything when Noah sleeps or naps. Oh well better sooner than never! Here is a before and after photo of Noah. The original was taken by Noah's grandpa Mike on Noah's 2nd birthday party. I just love this photo!
Before:

After:

Painted pixel by pixel...very meticulous and time consuming job!

Halloween

We had a great Halloween this year, although daddy had to leave for Norway early on this day. It was just me and Noah :) We went on trick or treating with the half of our Vinings Vintage neighborhood and we had a blast! Noah was a real trooper like always :) He knew exactly what to do and went on from house to house with his pumpkin basket asking for candies :) He was just adorable as a lion this year! With his cute little face and snoopy eyes he made a perfect lion and collected a LOT of candies, which I still am working on in the evenings :)Anyways, here are couple pictures i took before we went trick or treating:





For comparison, Noah last year as a bee: