Mr. Independent Needs His Mommy :)

 Sounds like the title of a book, right?  Last week, Nolan and I went to Adventure Science Center.  Yes, the two of us go there often.  Reason? I am a teacher and get in free and he is under two and gets in for free :)  Of course, I took one hundred pics while we were there, but I realize that I have done a few Science Center posts already.  What struck me while we were there was Nolan's fear of the dinosaurs. 

Look at that little face (and the dino in the background...once again hate the lighting of my camera).  He WOULD NOT TURN AROUND AND LOOK AT THEM.  He has been to this particular section of the museum lots of times and has never had a problem.  When you enter the top floor, you have to pass these guys to get to the HUMAN BODY...Nolan's fav.  He was walking on his own as he usually does.  Holding my hand just isn't cool anymore.  As we passed these guys, he grabbed my leg and wanted me to hold him.  Nolan is not one of those kids who likes to be carted around everywhere anywhere, so it surprised me to say the least.  I tried to make the dinos sound and look as cute and cuddly as I could.  No matter what kind of squeaky annoying voice I used, he would not look at them.  He just kept saying "lesgo, mom" (he leaves out the "t").  I loved this moment so much I had to get a picture of it.  He was cuddled so close to me...something he reserves for after he wakes up usually.  You could imagine my disappointment when we got to the "brain" and I tried to take another picture......

He turned into a teenager again who was too cool to be so close to his mama ;)

Boys Just Want to Have FUN!!!

Up until I was 20 weeks pregnant...the find out what your having week...I just knew I was having a little girl.  I was so excited about dresses and hairbows and dance classes!  When we found out Nolan was a boy, I jumped on the boy band wagon.  I knew I wanted a rough and tumble little man, and boy did God bless me with one :) 

When he was a baby, sweet little old women would stop me in the store and tell me how handsome he was.  Complementing him on looking like a boy and not a girl :)  He was thick and chunky just like old ladys like baby boys to be.  Because he was such a hoss, Brad and I have always rough loved our little man.  You can hug him tight and he will hug just as hard.  He loves cars, trucks, planes and choochoos.  He loves to wrestle with his daddy.  When we are outside he will find a stick or rock faster than you can say "look there is a stick".  He is boy through and through.  One afternoon after nap, I got up to check the mail to "find my little one standing at the door saying "pweese mom...side".  Thats "please mom outside" for those of you who dont speak "boo".  So, I did what any good mama of a boy would do...I took him to play in the rain :)

 As soon as we got outside, he screamed "wain"!!!  He loved it.  Of course, being my boo he sniffed out a puddle and stomped as hard as he could :) 

 Bike riding his his NUMBER ONE activity of choice.  He wakes up saying bike and goes to be saying bike.  When he realized that we were not going to ride down the street his attitude quickly changed....

Okay...so maybe he is not as "macho" as I would like to think ;)

Beach Baby

 Arrrgggg....I hate Blogger sometimes :(  I have tried to publish this post three times now with organized pictures and cute little comments and it keeps deleting everything.  So, here are the pictures from our trip to Watercolor in Florida.  Nolan had so much fun!  He lived the good life..morning beach time, a little nap, afternoon beach time, and some really yummy food.  He followed his Uncle PatPat around the entire time and could have cared less about the rest of us.  Thank you Grandma and Pop for an awesome vacation!!

Gibbons Family Reunion 2011

Yes, I am back!!!  School is out, vacation is over, Grandma went back to TX, and now I have 5 minutes to sit down an blog :)   It is almost July, but this post is going WAAAYYY back to the end of May.  We spent part of Memorial Day weekend at the Red Roof Inn...aka...the Derrick river house on the Buffalo River.  Every two years, my dad's side of the family, the Gibbons, have a family reunion.  Garrett was able to attend the last reunion, but this year BOTH Garrett and Elise were able to make it.  I know it made my dad feel good to have all three of his kiddos there :)  This was Nolan's first reunion.  Last time he was in still in my belly :)  Introducing...the Gibbons family:

These are the kiddos that started it all.  My dad is one of seven children and he is the only boy.  Since Garrett is dad's only son, he is the sole heir to the Gibbons name.  No pressure Garrett.  Nolan is also in the same boat.  He is the only boy of the Smith family, so unless Nolan has boy children he will be the last.  Look at all these people..............

 Can you believe that Garrett is the only person who will be able to continue the family name??

 These are all my first cousins :)  Yes, there are alot of us! 

 These are all of the 2nd cousins...see cute little boo?

 Dad, Elise, myself, Nolan and Garrett

 Garrett and Aunt Betsy

 Poor Stephanie.  She was thrown into the lions den.  I think she said she had like 2 cousins :)

 This is what the aunts did the entire time.  Dad said that the next day a little water snake floated between all of them and they went crazy.  Wish I could have seen that!

 Nolan had a blast.  This little boy could be George of the Jungle.  He loves being outside.  Once he got use to the water, he loved it.  He found treasure everywhere and loved seeing the fish.