It's about time!

No, I'm not talking about updating my blog even though it's been a couple weeks. I'm talking about updating Noah's name. To make a long story short, Aaron and I had major regrets over the name we first picked for Noah. Legally his name is Tanner. When he was a month old we decided to change it. By the time he was six weeks old everyone had no problem calling him Noah and we knew we made the right decision.
The only hiccup is we never made it legal. We've run into trouble a couple times by not changing it. Once when he was in the ER we registered him as Noah. Our insurance then said they weren't going to pay the bill because there was no "Noah" on our plan. We worked it out with them, but we still didn't change it.
You see, it's quite a hassle, ridiculous in fact. I do not think the same rules need to apply to children as adults when it comes to a legal name change. First, are all the forms to fill out. Then, you have to present the forms to a judge who only appears for these matters 90 minutes a day, 4 days a week. Both parents have to be present which was our big obstacle betweeen Aaron's jobs. At this time you pay $395 in court fees. After you've made the request to the court you have to run the name change in a designated newpaper for four weeks. Really?! I'm all for propping up the newspaper business, but how many people are looking through their piddly local news for name changes? At this time you have to pay $100+ to run the ad. Anyway, after the 4 weeks are up you go back in front of the judge who will approve the change, as long as no one objects after reading it in their local paper. Then, after that you have to contact Social Security, vital statistics, insurances, banks, schools and whoever else and show them the certified name change. At this time you have to pay $25 for each "certified" copy PLUS whatever it costs to get a new birth certificate, cards, ect. Pretty costly goof on mine and Aaron's part!
Anyway, last Friday, after four and a half years we finally got the ball rolling. In six weeks time Noah's name will legally be NOAH.

Growing like a weed!

Why do people like to compare their kids to weeds? I get because they both grow fast. Yet, so does bamboo, basil and morning glories, and those choices seem much better than weeds. So here we are 6 months later and little Eli is growing like...bamboo.
His accomplishments so far: sits up with support, eats baby food (and loves it), sleeping 6 hours (9pm-3am), pushes his head and chest up off the floor during tummy time, and his two bottom teeth have popped through! He also has his sister and brothers madly in love with him. Mia is his care giver, she holds Eli, changes him, makes him laugh and bathes him. Kai is his protector, he answers Eli's cries, and makes sure nothing and no one is bothering him. Noah is his "life coach". By that I mean Noah has completely embraced being an older brother and loves to tease Eli. He is not giving Eli any breaks just because he is a baby. He likes to get right in Eli's face until Eli gives this new little high pitched squeal that means he's annoyed. It makes Noah fall to pieces in laughter.
I can hardly believe it's been 6 months already, love you Eli!

1 month

2 months

3 months

4 months

5 months

6 months

Displaced

Do you see that lump in our bed? That tiny little 16 pound lump has completely taken over our bedroom. Aaron sleeps out on the couch and I sleep with Mia. Good thing we just got her a double bed. We have even begun showering in the kids bathroom for fear of waking the little guy. Sleep does not come easily to Eli so we have gone to lengths we never have before. He'll be 6 months in just one week, I'm really hoping he turns a corner at that milestone because we would love our room back. I wonder how many other babies get a king size bed to themselves?!

Here we go 'round the blackberry bush...

Fresh from our backyard, have a blackberry or 10!





Pretty nice, we don't even do anything for them, they're just running wild back there.

More from summer, we've been getting out and about, but I never remember my camera. We went to Children's Fairyland in Oakland for the first time. My mom would LOVE this place. I'm sad I didn't try harder to get Mia there when she was younger because she's aged out of it now and it's a really nice park. Kai got a new scooter for his birthday so we've been taking scooter rides after dinner. Only 28 days til the first day of school!





Boring post, but I just wanted to update.