Noah has some news...

Noah is going to be a big brother! 

Baby White #2 is on the way and due July 27, 2011.  We are very excited to expand our family.  Please pray for a happy, healthy pregancy and baby! 

Trip to the North

We spent the days after Christmas and the first days of the New Year in Milwaukee and Chicago.  First we went to Milwaukee to visit the Stephensons and meet our Godson Isaac.  JB and Laura welcomed Isaac in October and it was so great to meet him in person!  It's always nice to get to spend some extra time with our good friends.  If only we lived a little closer!  While in the area we also visited Mike's cousin Jennifer and husband John and Noah got to meet and play with some of his cousins-Thomas and Teresa. 

After a few days in Milwaukee, we drove to Chicago to visit the rest of the family.  We got to see everyone there--Aunt Donna and Uncle Frank, Mike's grandparents, and cousin Paul and his family--wife Nancy and cousins Emily and baby Matthew.  Noah and Emily are only about 2 months apart in age and had a blast playing together.  Noah actually cried when we had to tell them goodbye--he didn't understand why Emily couldn't ride home on the airplane with us.

We had a great trip visiting everyone.  We were of course concerned with what kind of weather we might encounter up there but while it was really cold, it didn't snow while we were there so we didn't have any issues driving.  There was enough snow on the ground that Mike and JB took Noah out to play in it some in Milwaukee and that was really all we needed. 

I'm glad to say Noah traveled like a pro!  Between the portable DVD player and new movies from Christmas and other video games and new toys he had tons to keep him busy!  A lady on one of the flights commented to Mike that Noah must be a seasoned traveler.  Nope--just zoned out with a movie.  On our way up we had a long layover right in the middle of naptime.  Noah eventually fell asleep on Mike's lap but we had to wake him to board--that was the only time he really acted up.  And I quickly bribed him into behaving with some M&M's.  Desperate times call for desperate measures...

Unfortunately I didn't take many pictures.  We got some while we were traveling.  And then a few more playing at an indoor play house with cousin Emily.  Even if we don't have all the pictures to prove it, it was a great trip and we're so glad we got to see our friends and family that live so far away!

Christmas

We hosted the Whites and spent Christmas at our house this year.  We really enjoyed having everyone here with us.  Since Christmas fell on a Saturday this year, it was also easier to spend more time with everyone this way since Mike had to be at church on Sunday (he actually preached the sermon that day too!).   The only disappointment was Mike's brother's family was passing a bug around from person to person so it seemed at some point over the few days we were together someone was always missing.  Unfortunately that ended up being Dayna and Jared on Christmas Day.  Thankfully it stayed between the 5 of them and the rest of us were spared!

Christmas morning: Stockings and presents from Mommy and Daddy 

 Yes, we actually got him a drum

 Daddy and Aunt Nessa trying to set up the new train set

More presents with the cousins

Noah's first (Nerf) gun.  Compliments of Mike's Dad

 Movie time! Aren't they cute?!

 White family tradition--Gingerbread house decorating

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Christmas in Angleton

We celebrated Christmas with the Tiltons the first week of December.  We went out to G.G.'s nursing home and took over the activity room to have our gift opening extravaganza.  Noah got lots of cool stuff that he was super excited about (as you can see from his expressions) but I think the favorite by far was the set of Toy Story figures he got from G.G.  He also got the movie Toy Story 3 which was a big hit too.  Can you tell he really likes Toy Story these days (this was his first movie theater movie a little while back.  Excellent choice at the dollar theater!). 

I'm so glad we all got to gather as a family and have everyone there to spend the weekend together!

Sea World

Later Thanksgiving weekend we went to Sea World with Aunt Dayna and cousins Jared and Lydia.  It was great because we'd been wanting to go but were hesitant to spend the extra money (we'd looked into it back in September when we spent the weekend in San Antonio).  Then we were blessed when a member of Point of Grace offerred Mike some free passes that she wasn't going to be able to use.  Thank you!! 

Noah rode his first roller coaster--it was a small one but still pretty fast at times.  He LOVED it!  Little dare devil.  We saw several shows including Shamu and the Sesame Street holiday show.  All in all a good time. 

Noah's first roller coaster

 Waiting for Shamu to start

 Snow after the Sesame Street Christmas show