Sweeney's make 4

Christmas 2011

2012-01-22T17:35:00.000-08:00

Except for a trip to the ER on Christmas eve that extended into Christmas morning and a lack of snow, it was a GREAT Christmas. Caden and Jeannie and Jamie being home made it AWESOME! In fact after their visit Nora officially thinks she has a little brother named Caden. She's told her teacher and her classmates and sticks to it no matter how many times I explain "cousin" to her.

The holidays were filled with everything they should be; family, food, and fun!

Ralph dragging our perfect tree back to the car

Heading to the park

Mimi Lynnda and Nora

Christmas cookies for Santa

Jeff reading the night before Christmas

Jeannie, Caden and I went for a hike at Smith Rock

Nothing says Christmas

like Sushi

Nora has picked up a quirky, halirous trait.....when you say "smile" she tucks her upper lip under tight against her teeth. I suppose she figures you show your teeth when you smile so the more teeth the better.

This holiday season certainly had a seafood theme, we went up to Portland to have Christmas in January with Dave and Rena and Kyle and feasted on oysters

A dis-jointed Fall

2011-11-26T21:32:00.000-08:00

It's been so long since I've posted because our camera died, for real this time. We missed out on pictures of some great stuff (Mimi Lynnda's surprise birthday and Halloween mostly):( But we'll just pick up where we are; Thanksgiving, Mom's birthday and our first trip to the mountain.

While I am truly trying to embrace all phases, Nora has entered into a challenging one - the whining phase, peppered with more frequent and illogical complete melt-downs. Thank god she's so funny and she says "I love you" so much, it makes the challenges less painful.

Casey and Nora helping mom with birthday presents

Jeff and Casey hosted their 2nd stellar Thanksgiving.

Livy, Bella and Nora

The two coolest moms in town

The mountain opened on Thanksgiving with just under 3 ft. Nora does pretty well if you can actually get her to stand and weight her own legs. If she had it her way she would "take a little break" every couple of feet and eat snow for 10 minutes

Between riding the chairlift up and skiing down, the chairlift ride up continues to crush skiing down in a popularity contest.

This is the last picture the old camera took. It took this timer shot then propelled itself backwards off a rock to it's death. It landed just perfectly, or just un-perfectly right on the screen:(

Nora wanted to ride "like a little baby." Whoooo, I forgot how hard it is having all that weight out in front of you blocking the view of the ground. Man, pregnant women are tough.

Jeff and Nora displaying their new ages

Nora's first day of school

The Brandi Carlile concert

Evie and Nora at a family reunion

Summer 2011

2011-08-30T16:15:00.000-07:00

With Nora's help, I completed my first triathlon; she trained me well for the olympic distance Deschutes Dash! 3hrs 1 min. 5th in my age group. Thanks coach!!!

Well, although the calendar suggests we should be wrapping summer up, we're just getting going. We're still banking on plenty of nice weather, outdoor adventures, and ice cream.

Plumping up our wood supply for this Winter. Nora didn't especially like the noise of the chain saw so she sat and watched the wood, then Bean decided to sit and watch Nora.

Nora leaving the Deschutes county fair with Mt. Jefferson framed in the exit.
Riding the little canoes with her new friend the purple penguin that she found on the swings ride
We're the second to the last car. I wish you could zoom in cause Nora's enthusiasm is priceless.
"Hi little guy"
Another mother daughter hiking excursion. This is the snow pack of early August! We had an exciting glissade down the mountain....whoooooo hooooooo!
Little overnight on the Deschutes

Patio progress
Nora's first fish a finished patio

April, May, June - Whoa, how did we get in a time warp?

2011-07-01T20:12:00.000-07:00

What have we been up to over the past several months.....how to sum it all up?

Easter, great Spring skiing, the infamous pole, peddle, paddle, a trip to Kansas, the also infamous dirty half trail half marathon, outdoor concerts, wonderful sunsets and rises, Ralph to Arizona, Mom and Dad to Africa, Jeff and Casey on a climbing trip to Wyoming, and the demolition of our >1200 ft rotten deck pretty much puts it all into a nice little nutshell. Oh and trying to train for my first triathalon inbetween all the above without Ralph, mom and Dad, or Jeff and Casey home (this means Nora accompanies me to everything.)

Nora has proven to be a pretty effective little coach for me; she insists on bringing everything from stuffed animals to books to snacks to wooden frogs with us on runs and then yells "go faster" as she has me run with her in her stroller to all the parks around town. We've come up with a pretty efficient swim ritual, where she goes and plays in the play room at the fitness center while I swim as fast as my arms will pull me and my legs with propel me for my allotted 30-40 minutes. Last week I got a little red trailer called the st

agecoach off craigslist. Now we can go on some road rides together too. Yep, 3 weeks of training with coach and the race should feel like a day off (thats what I keep telling myself anyway).

Nora, Ralph and I rode up McKenzie Pass. It's not a far ride from sisters but it is a challenging climb, especially with Coach and all her nessecities.

Despite warm sun in Sisters, the weather only allowed us enough time to feed one little chipmunk before the wind and the clouds froze us out

The pass is yet to open for cars due to the snow. Road biking without cars is a wonderful thing

Not a bad snow pack for June 28th!

Second annual girls night out at the Brett Dennon Concert

Farm fresh eggs in Kansas

Midwestern sunsets

Fun on the farm

Checkin out this years wheat crop

Facials with Auntie Rena

Kiddos checking out their loot

Easter egg hunting -whoooo hoooooo!

Spring skiing at Bachelor

2.5 and looking for a major label sponsor

2011-04-10T15:03:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure Ralph and I can keep coining Nora our shy, quiet little girl. It just doesn't seem fitting as she's zooming past us on her bike yelling "I'm fast like a rocket ship!"

While she has moments of dare-devil-ness, she's still her little intellectual self. She is very curious and quite analytical, especially for a 2 yr old (an unbiased opinion of course). She asks thoughtful questions. She often asks "why do I take naps when it's not dark outside." While looking at a waterfall fountain in Vegas she asked "how does the water get back up to the top to fall down again?" She asked me where wind came from the other day and when I asked her if it was from trees sneezing she laughed and said "Mom, trees don't have noses, Silly!" Duh.....it comes from butterflies flapping their w

ings.

Our snowy Spring has got her bewildered; while I was trying to bundle her up to go outside yesterday she said "Mama, it's Spring, I don't need so many jackets and hats." She also notices all the "new life" like the "tiny green buds on trees" (thanks mom, she told me you taught her that).

She alternates making us laugh and shocking our socks us. She memorizes books then reads them back to her stuff animals. The other day while driving to a friends house, out of the blue she informs us that "tug boats can push and pull heavy barges and super tankers have to be careful not to spill any oil." Ralph and I just loo

ked at one another, mouths agape.

Checking out the view of the strip - it's really very un-inspiring, especially during the day.

Ahhhh... now there's a better view, just 12 or so miles up the road at Red Rocks

Nora, Ralph, Jeff and I headed south towards warmer temps and met up with some of Jeff's buddies and mom and dad for a week of climbing. Mom and Dad drove what we affectionately called the "mother ship" down (their RV) and we camped in the desert for a week. Nora was a top notch little camper. She absolutely LOVED sleeping in the tent. Having her very own head lamp and sleeping bag were also topics of conversation that she was very proud of. We had a great time. Red Rocks is perfect for Ralph and I.....loads and loads of long, multi pitch, but EASY climbs......Such a key combination!

The mothership, headed into town for a buffet.

Jeff, Dad, and Nora watching Ralph and I

Ralph and I watching Jeff, Dad, and Nora

Nora, upset that we were too late to catch Mojave Max, the tortoise at the visitors center.

Wild burros at red rocks ----these guys made her forget all about missing Mojave Max.

Pink pig on one of his many red rock adventures

Don't worry it's bronze

Nora loosing interest in watching Ralph and I climb
I was the sole female spoiler of daddy day care at the mountain. Beer, Chili fries and hot chocolate, the perfect snack for little athletes and dads.

Ah ha, the recipe for a good hard nap....SKIING

She insisted on wearing her wings so she could "fly like a butterfly" on her bike.

While she can stand on her skis really well, she can't turn or stop or snowplow. She goes in whatever direction you point her and whatever way the fall line slopes. Pretend baking - oh so fun!

I know this is Nora's blog, but I couldn't resist sharing this video. This climb was so cool and this gives a little glimpse of what we were up to in Red Rocks. Nora was there too, of course. She was riding her bike around and chillin at the mother ship with mom and dad.

Christmas

2011-02-01T15:55:00.000-08:00

December brought us two forms of snow. The white precipitation that falls from the sky and a horse from Grandma & Grandpa Kaplan.

We drove south to Santa Barbara on Christmas morning to meet up with G&G Kaplan and Rena so Nora had a Christmas pre-screening on the the 23rd. She woke up to a big brown spring-loaded horse and when asked what she would name it she quietly declared it as "snow" the horsey.

She also got a big dog whom she named Clifford. Clifford was a hot commodity between the three of us in the car as he doubled as a great pillow

Gifts from Katie Hess. Thanks Katie!!
Enjoying some nice weather in Cali.
Christmas take II.
Ralph got tired carrying Nora and tried to hitch on a ride on me for a while
Understandably so, Nora now thinks all lady bugs come from Santa Barbara.

Family outings

It's a wonderful time of yearrrrrr!

2010-12-22T07:59:00.000-08:00

If your fan of snow, Bend has been the place to be in November and December. Thanksgiving brought us several inches of snow and temps in the teens. Nora, Ralph & I, the entire Wenger, Collins, and Royer clans all braved the temps for the turkey trot race Thanksgiving morning. Getting a little exercise helped with the un-abandoned gluttony that followed. Jeff and Casey hosted Thanksgiving at their house.

This is Nora's new smile, she's saying "Cheeeeeeese" - not quite as photogenic as her usual solomn face

We went up to Edgefield in Portland to have a quick little get together with Jamie, Jeannie and Caden and have an early Christmas. This is what happens when you tell a 1 yr old and 2yr old to give each other a kiss.

Nora loves the snow. Initially, she didn't understand the limitations that come with snow - like having to get all bundled up to go outside and why her bike didn't "go" very well.

Lately she's into what we call her circus tricks - I've given you an example each - her flip, her balancing act, and her flying airplane.

Nora and Sophia riding in the sled down our road.

Nora opening her new sled which she calls "fred" at Edgefield

Fall = bike racing, pumpkins & Halloween

2010-11-12T08:21:00.000-08:00

She loves animals. I heard her babbling away this morning so I went to get her out of bed and as I walk into her room she says "mom shhh! Singing to duckies" I asked her to sing her song for me and she sings "duckies, duckies, ducks!" in a progressively higher tone. She talks about the horses on the corner of our street each time we drive by "Mom, horses out to pasture" and "horses in barn to take a little nap." and now bedtime isn't complete without a hug and a kiss for Bean.

Perhaps we have the pumpkin patch and all the animals there to thank for Nora's recent infatuation with old McDonald's farm being sung to her? Our local pumpkin patch is great! There's all sorts of friendly furry creatures to chase and pet if you can catch them, a million perfect pumpkins to choose from and a corn maze.

Nora did catch this little chicken, she got him cornered on a hay bail against the wall and found herself looking eye to eye with him. She then very gently went in for a hug, which he surprising accepted.

Fall is the start of the cyclocross season. Ralph has been getting increasingly enthusiastic about it - which then spreads to the whole family. Its a really fun spectator sport and brings us to some fun locations.

Lynnda keeping Nora dry.

This year we went to Walla Walla wine country for a race that fell over Halloween. We joined good friends John, Jill, and their little one Alivia, and Jeff.

Nora dressed as Elmo and I as a chinese lady.

Elmo and a beautiful butterfly, Alivia

You'd think she was standing next to President Obama by how proud and star struck she was.

Story time

Nora spread herself a little thin splitting her fan duties between Ralph, Jeff and a man that dressed and raced as Elmo. Being three racers' #1 fan is hard work. She crashed on Ralph's back during the award ceremony.

Nora's 2!!!

2010-10-06T13:49:00.000-07:00

She's two! She's talking in full, occasionally grammatically correct sentences, learning to ride her kick bike, following complex instructions (let go with your left hand and reach up, now move your right foot up too), reminding me, nicely, to wear my bike helmet ("mom, please, your helmet too!") and toasting at the dinner table. She loves to help cook and clean, hide on top of the top bunk, play in her tent and with her doll house, and be chased ("Hey! hey mom, chase me!"). She'll tell you she's "happy" through tears as she's figured out nap and bed time are somehow related to her being grumpy or unhappy. She really likes to wash her hands and brush her teeth. More than once she's climbed up her little stool to the sink, still naked and dripping from her bath and said "wash hands?" She likes to stroll around with her, or anyone else's toothbrush, brushing her teeth here and there, then brushing the cabinet or Bean. She is tall and lean for her age, observant, a little opinionated and can be a little bossy if you let her. She surprises and amazes me on a daily basis, truly! Basically, she's a happy, healthy, curious, little sponge of a toddler.

I'm really falling short in picture taking; Nora had a great joint birthday with her Uncle Jeff, and I barely have any pictures......Sorry. Trust me it was a great party.

Toasting herself and Jeff

Concentrating hard on keeping her eyes closed for the un-veiling of her doll house from Jeff and Casey.
Talking on the phone on her birthday to great grandma and grandpa Sweeney.Opening presents at her party with Grandma and Grandpa KaplanMurphy, the horse came to Nora's birthday Party
The two birthday kids.

Summer recapped

2010-09-17T13:07:00.001-07:00

Photo shoot for Ergo baby carriers

Potty training in various locations

None of these are my child, however I do love them all, and these pictures have to be shown

August & Sept

2010-09-17T12:12:00.000-07:00

OK...I know I've said it before, and I can't help but say it again....WHERE DOES THE TIME GO? Who has put my life on fast forward? When someone asks me the date, I'll give them the date and then add "all day" as if the date changes on me mid-day, which is what it feels like.

Betsy and Olivia came to visit before they depart on their big move to

Japan.

Nora's homegrown super delicious squash

September brought us to Chicago to run the 1/2 marathon with Rena.

Rena, if you decide to make a career change again, you certainly have a future in the tour guide business. We ate, we shopped, we ate, we sight see'd, we ate, and we ran - a long way. It was a great trip!

Nora has grown to be a real carnivore. She loves meat! She's eyeing Dad's bloody mary salami topping

In addition to meat, she loves heights (she request to "Go High" when being thrown, or swung), and water, in any form - standing, flowing, waves, or squirting.
First Merry-go-round ride with Mimi Lynnda

Kate, our barbie!! I had to throw this video in, cause Nora is still packing around "Kate", although she's long deflated.

Girls week in Minnesota

2010-08-10T13:10:00.000-07:00

Nora and I headed east to good ol' Minnesota, home of ten thousand lakes & mesquitos, 85% humidity and girlfriends. We spent the majority of our trip up at Jill's parents' lake cabin. My mantra of the week was " I LOVE CABIN LIFE!" We certainly lived the good life; enjoying the weather, each other and the lake made the week fly by.

Nora and Emma at the Sunshine Factory for lunchNora, me, Abby and Emma
Nora trying to land a 5lb bassWho could ask for a better host; Jill's a real crowd pleaser....Margs in one hand and juice boxes in the other
Story time with KateJill and EmmaNora, Abby and IEmma and Nora and the very beloved baby that Nora was obsessed with all week

Horsing around

2010-07-23T09:24:00.000-07:00

Ralph, Nora, and I went out to Rock Springs Guest Ranch last week. It's where Ralph and I were married, so it was cool to go visit and think back to what our lives used to be like before child. Ahhh the good ol' days.

We wanted to show Nora the horses. Thinking like a 22 month old, we figured to her a horse was just a big big dog, and since she loves dogs of all shapes and sizes and tries to ride Bean all the time, there was barely need for introductions at all. Nora's new great love has been to walk Bean all by her self. Once she discovered Opi's lead rope she just wanted to walk him around the arena. Opi the horse was a very polite, tolerant host.

What's new

2010-07-06T13:53:00.000-07:00

Nora went to her first rodeo. She was NOT a fan of the calf roping. She yelled "No" and shook her head each time the cowboy roped the calf and jumped off his horse to flip him over and tie his legs. Jeff and Casey got Married!!!! They had a beautiful wedding in central Washington at Casey's parent's house.

Nora and Georgia met at the pool and went downtown for ice cream

Grandma, Maggie and Nora participated in the 4th of July pet parade

One tired baby! Between parades and pools, you gotta catch some zzz's where you can, even if it's on the back of the bike

Ralph got called to Alaska right after the wedding. We're trying to pack our days so time flies.

Ralph

we talk about you daily. Nora thinks of all motorcycles and planes as yours. She says "dadda" each time one passes or a plane flies overhead. Sometimes she calls for you randomly when she's in the garage; thinks she may find you there perhaps? We love you an miss you like CRAZY!!

June is here...where is the warm weather?

2010-06-07T15:09:00.000-07:00

We're giving Mother Nature the benefit of the doubt. We've come to the conclusion that she must be swamped and she's just a month or two behind schedule with the Northwest. We're banking on a wonderful indian summer into November. We've been sporting rain coats and hats more than anything this June.

Cold and rain don't have to keep one from partaking in the usual summer activities....eating ICE CREAM

My baby doesn't yet have enough "back" to hold up her swim suit. Nora and I met our dear friends Sara and Paul and their daughter Essie at Edgefield for a night. The girls caught up in the pool and the tub.

As you can see, Nora continues to be thrilled beyond description with flying.

Yep, just estatic!

Jeannie and Caden are HOME!!!!!!!

I'm not proud that Nora knows all about cell phones or that she prefers them to most any other toy or the fact that she is taking every opportunity to spread the fascination on to her cousin. But, it is what it is; they are babies of the 21st century.

Family flying

2010-05-01T06:32:00.000-07:00

In anticipation for a longer flight this coming weekend, we took Nora up in the Denver Bronco (notice the colors) skyhawk to see how she would do.

She not only tolerated wearing swimmers earplugs and Ralph's ear muffs he uses while running a chain saw; she played the part of a cool tri-pilot (I'm claiming co-pilot), eating a gardenburger, drinking some water, and acting thoroughly bored with the whole operation.

Paddle Fest took place the other weekend. There were stand -up paddle boards, canoes, and kayaks galore on the Deschutes. We found a board that has a viewing window made so you can watch fish and other ocean/river life. We thought it made a perfect toddler seat. So did Nora.

Spain

2010-04-16T11:25:00.000-07:00

SPAIN... We had a fantastic time! Being able to all be together is such a be

autiful place was wonderf

ul. We drank liters and liters of good wine and balanced our health by drinking gallons and gallons of fresh squeezed orange juice.

Nora was a superstar traveler to and from Europe. This is her in the Barcelona airport, worked, but not complaining. Nora loved Loci, a huge, gentle, mastif that lived next door and would come to visit. He remained bashful despite Nora's advances.

If you look close you can see Ralph reading and Nora sweeping, her new favorite past time.

Nora and Caden sharing Grams lap.

Caden chilling at one of the crags

Nora loved her easter basket and decided it would serve a good handbag.

Easter egg hunting

She got used to looking up to watch everyone climb. She really wanted to help belay too.

Chores

2010-03-23T17:04:00.001-07:00

Feeding Bean has become Nora's first chore.

Leaving on a jet plane

2010-03-21T17:10:00.000-07:00

A plea to the blog readers (all 3 of you):

Please think of us, Nora specifically, on Wednesday. She will be confined to laps and narrow aisles for a very un-reasonable amount of time. Ralph and I always agree that when we're nervous about doing something with her (late dinners at fancy resteruants, a road-trip to and from Colorado, flights, day-care, long ski tours, concerts, pedicures, and other not-so baby friendly endevours) she always holds up her end of the bargin and a little bit more. Please don't let her be tapped out of patience. 3 weeks with her new cousin on a spanish isle is sure to be worth it!

New words, new teeth, new hobbies

2010-03-15T17:10:00.000-07:00

"Glass, dog, milk, duck" Her new words are very fleeting. You'll hear one and then it's gone, for a long time. She remains reserved and is content most of the time to listen vs. talk. Even though most of her new diction has only graced my hearing once or twice, they were perfect and clear.

"Bye" has become a more routine word. She does have a delayed reaction affliction though. She'll wave good bye after the door has shut and someone has left, and she'll say bye to whoever I'm speaking to on the phone after I hang up. True to her personality, I think she's just staying out of the spot light.

I've tried to be better about getting in the habit of brushing her teeth before bed. It's not eay. She loves to eat the toothpaste. I'm sure she equates oral care with dessert time. Silly Strawberry is the toothpaste flavor, the only way it could be more

enticing is to make it strawberry kiwi flavored.

Aunt Rena came for a spur of the moment visit last week. We had some great girl time.

February at a glance

2010-03-01T12:34:00.001-08:00

While February didn't necessarily equate to Winter like we're used to, it was host to alot of fun. The three of us cross country and skate skied quite a bit. Nora made her first tele turns up on Tumalo. Grandma came to visit and introduced bubbles. Ralph went to North Carolina for an EMT class and I went to San Diego for a girls weekend. Nora went to day care at Juniper swim and fitness center first time. Currently, she is cutting 3 molars...bring on the crunchy food.

You'd think after the head bonk and the surprise dunk at the end that she wouldn't like the slide....not the case. She wanted to do it again and again.

February

2010-02-02T13:02:00.000-08:00

While the new year has left us wondering when Winter will arrive (it's been a fairly horrible ski season), it hasn't stopped Nora from accepting a position as a cross country ski coach. She's gone several times.

I think she may be more hopeful for Ralph as a skiing protege' though. She pushes him harder with motivating babble. The last time just her and I went my turtle pace lulled her to sleep....hmm....I still haven't decided if I should interpret this as a complement or insult.
Going down the BIG slide continues to get more and more exciting. Now it requires a countdown from 3 to 1 to go before she'll push off.

Even though I say "she's growing up too fast" all the time....we're not quite sharing clothes yet

Skiing on skinny cross country skis without edges can be high excitement, any downhill slope is a serious endeavor. Unable to turn or snow plow or stop makes me a little nervous for coach, a helpless passenger.

Christmas

2010-01-01T13:58:00.000-08:00

Nora ended 2009 with a growth spurt. She rang in the new year at 21.4 lbs and 30 3/4 inches tall. She's gained over a pound and a half and 3/4 of an inch in 3 months. She also discovered the joys of Christmas lights, a tricycle, and Christmas cookies this holiday season! However, I'm not sure she bought Santa, while she didn't cry when we put her on his lap, she did look at him a little skeptically. He relayed to me that she wants a Harvard law degree and a mazarotti for Christmas this year (real funny Santa). We told her that her tricycle was a Mazarotti (she seemed satisfied) and encouraged her to keep up with her love of reading so she can aim for a full ride to Harvard.Unbeknownst to Heather and I, Georgia and Nora had apparently planned ahead and decided on a striped tights and jean dress/skirt look for their recent play date.
Man, if it's this much fun to just sit on, reaching the pedals is going to blow her mind.
Christmas in Portland with G&G Kaplan and Aunt Rena

We went to the zoo to see "zoo lights."
Nora proving that you can ride in a dress.

15 months old

2009-12-19T18:33:00.000-08:00

How did this happen? I have a toddler and she's half way to the half way mark of her second year of life! I know it's a cliche' but it really does go fast. I swear it was only last week that she was holding her head up on her own, and now she's reading the joy of cooking in go go boots. We made the switch to a forward facing car seat. Shocking ourselves, we went a little on the loud side; lime green loud. Yep, my car screams "this lady has a baby." I always pictured something that would blend with the interior of my car. Yea, well, there is no blending in about it, it's cooool though.
Jeff and Ralph taking a stroll with little red riding hood
Nora wearing for the first time the coolest Carhartts around. Custom couture by Jessie Haury.

Thanksgiving weekend

2009-12-01T17:02:00.000-08:00

Nora, Ralph, and Bean headed to Portland to spend Thanksgiving with Grandma and Grandpa Kaplan. I'm sorry I don't have pictures to share. I'm assured they had a great time; ate a lot of food (Thank you Lynnda for sending some to the coast, mmmmhhh!!), watched more football, and hit up black friday.

I joined them on Friday morning and Ralph, Nora, Bean and I headed to Pacific City to meet up with Paul, Sara, and Essie.

Flying

2009-11-24T16:36:00.000-08:00

Ralph took me flying yesterday. We went to Mt. Jefferson, around the sisters & bachelor, did some low flying over our house and the mill district. It was so COOL. I had to share some pictures. I definitely had an imposter syndrome kicking; feeling like we should at least sneak around a little. I played it cool though; I walked out to the plane, (in plain view) didn't run, got in, did as Ralph told me, and sat calm and collected as we taxied down the runway. It certainly was strange and awesome going to the airport and flying away just the 2 of us and it being totally legit at that.
had to add something with Nora, since it is her blog. She's loving "teddy bear, teddy bear" especially the turning in circles part.

Reading, sledding, and new go go boots

2009-11-22T09:24:00.000-08:00

It's never too early to practice your balance and improve your core strenth.

Nora found a pair of shades while we were cleaning out the front hall closet. They're a little too cool for either of us, but they worked for her.

She has grown fond of putting things on her head. We are fortunate enough that what she puts on her head is usually supposed to go there, however, a sock, a book, the remote, and the occasional grilled cheese will find it's way up there too.

We went sledding the other day....not a huge hit in Nora's eyes. She got a little too much snow in her face. We'll have to try again when she's in a better mood.

While sledding left a bad taste in her mouth, what has been a consistent source of contentment lately is reading. Ralph and I are amazed and LOVING it. For the past couple of weeks now, she will retreat to her bedroom, sometimes even closing the door, take all her books off the self, sit amongst them, and look them, one by one, independently. It's so cool.
Look at this.....she even looks bothered when I asked her to look for up for a picture.

Reading video and video of her walking in new boots from Casey.

Fall

2009-11-07T11:12:00.000-08:00

Hunting for chantrelle mushrooms is the closest thing Nora has to an annual tradition thus far. Last year she was only a couple of weeks old; she had to ride around strapped to Ralph or I's chest, she pooped on the hood of the car (how embarrassing), and really had no idea she was hunting for anything. Ohhh how a year changes things.....while she did do a lot of riding in the backpack, she certainly was more participatory. She was very good at pointing out all the leaves, trees, sticks, moss, roots, etc. Lots of excited "ohhhhs" and "ewhhhhs" then got tired and rode around the rest of the afternoon on Ralph's back.

Nora proved more of a leaf hunter than a mushroom hunter.

We were quite a hive. Ralph was the bee keeper, Nora a baby bee, Bean was a worker bee, I was the queen bee, and Lynnda was a bouquet of flowers.

Bean tried on my crown

Roma and the hive cheering on Wally
x-rated....men riding in thongs.

1st birthday, round 2

2009-10-13T13:05:00.000-07:00

We headed to Portland and Grandma & Grandpa's house last weekend to have a duo birthday celebration for both Grandma and Nora.

Saturday we went up to Rainer, Oregon to watch Dad compete in a cylecross race. Nora was in her own category, the 3-wheel category, and was the only one in her age group, 12 months and younger. That being said, she was given a 25 foot head start from the mens masters, 2 wheel, 35 + age group

She was a good fan, cheering everyone on with cowbells

Grandma Lynnda made Nora a big bird cakeshe begun by very carefully and slowly sticking just the tip of her index finger into the cake and tasting it. The demolition of big bird from the neck up began from there as she got increasingly less dainty and more ambitious.

Nora's veiw of her audiance

Nora got a new stroller equipped with baby to push around. She loves it and srtolls her baby recklessly all over the house. Nora is convinced that her baby prefers to ride up-side-down in the stroller.

Road tripping to Colorado

2009-09-28T19:55:00.000-07:00

Nora turned 1 on Sunday, she spent the day road-tripping, making her way back from Colorado with Jeff, Casey, Ralph and I. She had her year check-up before we left sprouting up to 29 and 3/4 inches tall and 18.5 lbs

Rest stop to strech our legs and get a bite to eat in downtown Burns. Almost home!!

Taking her new wooden frog for a walk in downtown Ouray.

Jeff and Nora share the same birthday. We stopped in St. Lake City at the famous Red Iguana for a quick birthday dinner.

Nora heading for the dance floor

We went on a big group hike outside of Ouray with the wedding gang. Nora had a blast. She was all smiles and walking funnier than normal.....perhaps it was the altitude, close to 13 thousand feet!

Dad and Nora checking out the shrimp plate
Rehearsal dinner site at Telluride

Walking

2009-09-28T19:21:00.000-07:00

Nora is walking all over the place, she reminds me of a little orangutan the way she sticks out her belly and holds her arms up.

walking

2009-09-08T10:48:00.000-07:00

Nora and I went up to Portland to visit Grandma for an afternoon last week. She had a great time at the splash park.

Nora sampled the local fare in Grandma's garden.

Tomato on your big toe...interesting

We registered her as an official "walker" on Sept. 1st. She's still a much more proficient crawler and prefers to get around on all 4s, but with enough coaxing she can do the drunk man's swagger walk well!!

Lake billychinook

2009-08-31T13:34:00.000-07:00

Saturday we went down to Lake Billychinook to see a friend. Nora tested out her new lifejacket. She was trying to help clean up at the cabin, wondering where in the world this empty water bottle should go.

She's not only cute......

2009-08-27T07:43:00.000-07:00

She's a real smarty pants. Tomato, tree, dog.......the list grows daily. So, I know it may not be obvious from the video but she really does know what these things are. They truely are little sponges, hungry to suck up new things. She totally surprises me with what she knows and retains. I love this stage!!

2009-08-17T21:48:00.000-07:00

It's been a busy few weeks, Rena was here from Chicago, Grandma and Grandpa Kaplan were here from Portland. Nora met a new uncle, Rickie, and her great grandma Kaplan from Flordia too. I think she was wondering where everyone went this morning when it was just her and I.

We hiked up Tumalo on Saturday morning.Grandpa Kaplan and Nora after Tennis

Aunt Rena and Nora after breakfast
Falling water.....a big hit.

and I thought she was mobile last month....

2009-08-17T20:35:00.000-07:00

This picture was not posedNora is not only mobile, she's three dimensionally mobile. She climbs on top of, under, over and up most obstacles. She's conquered stairs, a flight of 16 to be specific, the dish wahser, the fridge, and the dog. Unfortunately these daring feets are not without their falls. She's taken a few tumbles. Her personality is un-folding more and more; she's certainly tough, she's cautious in unfamiliar environments, and although she can be outgoing and talkative, she's shy more often than not.

Beach time

2009-08-17T18:25:00.000-07:00

The newest member to the baby girls club, Lylia, made the trip west from NY to meet her Oregon fan club. Jess and I decide eachother's babies could pass for eachothers babies. Nora's skin tone matches Jess's more than mine, and lylia and I are sporting a similar tan.

swimming

2009-07-24T11:22:00.000-07:00

Nora got dunked by Dad
then decided she didn't have enough of the dunking and dunked herself in Bean's water bowl

No time for naps

2009-07-23T15:22:00.000-07:00

Ahhh, finally, a little shut eye. After the dust of a great week settled, Nora was able to relax with Grandma and get a little shut eye.

No she's not a vampire baby....it's juice from a delicious bing cherry from aunt Casey's parent's orchard. She loves them!! The mosquito (notice on Nora's cheek) must have been lured in from the sight of what he thought would be an easy drink.

It's been a great week. One of my best friends, Kate, and her brother, Matt, drove out from Minnesota. Nora basically boycotted all naps for the week, not wanting to miss a thing.

Lester diving for rocks up at green lakes.

It's official, she's mobile

2009-07-15T22:05:00.000-07:00

Not only is she mobile, she's fast, and she's busy!! In the time it took for me to call a local shop for their store hours she had her entire bottle drawer scattered across the kitchen and then had moved on to the cook books. Even when I'm watching her she's managed to take a bite out of a gift certificate, poke herself in the nose with a pine needle and eat an ant. She's knocked over a coffee table and sent picture frames flying.

She started pulling up on everything around the first of the month and now she's a complete pro. She does multiple speed laps around things, while letting go with one hand and looking back over her shoulder to make sure someone is watching her skills. She's brave and very tough, Ralph and I are always discovering new bruises and scratches and find ourselves saying "ohhhh" and "ewhhhh" alot like we're watching a sporting event in which you feel the athletes' pain. While she is a tough cookie, she has developed a new and very real fear of the vacuum cleaner - not sure what this is about. Perhaps Ralph has reminded her one too many times that this will be a future chore of hers.

Nora participated in the 4th or July procession of the species with Bean, Ben, Lester and her girlfriend, Georgia.

Ralph brought Nora a pine cone home from California bigger than her head. She was only mildly impressed

NORWAY

2009-06-24T17:48:00.001-07:00

So I was going to post about a third of the pictures, but after talking to Jill, I decided to show a little more. Thanks Jill, it's nice to know you like looking at the pictures.

Norway is definitely one of the most beautiful countries I've ever visited. It was hard to choose pictures, there is so much I'd love to share and show.

We flew into Stavanger (the beautiful city where Jamie and Jeannie live) spent several days then got on a coastal ferry for 4 days and traveled North, past the Artic circle to the Lafoten Islands where we met up with Jeff and Casey and spent the remained of our trip. The best part of the trip was learning that Jeff proposed to Casey!!!!!!!!!! Yea, I have another awesome sister!!!!

The pictures are in no particular order, and although, it's supposed to be Nora's blog, there are some shots that she's missing from (like the one below, a climb we did after she went to bed one night).

We did alot of what Ralph termed "extreme baby hiking" Nora had the pleasure of seeing alot of the country. She was a willing passenger, riding on someone's back to several places off the beaten path. She got her named signed in 3 summit log books, not bad for 9 months.

I love this shot. I got this of Ralph while he was showing Nora where he would take her. We did an amazing ridge hike a few days later up where he's pointing

The water is the same blues and greens of the tropics. On a warm day you might make the mistake of thinking it looked nice to swim in. Dipping your big toe in would very quickly bring you back to the reality that you are in the Artic. Ralph however, did swim. It was so cold he almost couldn't climb the ladder back up to the dock to get out. He said his muscles seized up instantly.

The water is so clean that the Norweigns call all fresh water "drinking water" If you ask if a lake is fresh water or salt water they'll look at you funny and say "yes, thats a drinking lake." Jamie told us that alot of Norweigns just carry a wooden ladle- like thing when they hike so they can scoop water to drink. They thought is was funny that he carried his water, "why would you carry water?" Good question, I suppose.

We found whale bones (vertebrae) on a beach hike

This is at about 1 am, we're about two thirds of the way up a multi pitch route. It had a sweet little space in the rock that made a great seat that you could belay from

I love this picture, Nora looks like a little nome.Nora sporting her new shades Grandma Lynnda gave her

The fjords are so breathtaking, un-real really. You can see our ferry below us. You can see how big the boat is and how close it is to the shore, this gives you an idea of how deep this fjords are.

Being as far north as we were, it was light 24 hours a day. We took advantage of this. Ralph and I left to do a 7 pitch climb after Nora went to bed at 9:30.

Summer!f

2009-06-02T22:34:00.000-07:00

Ahh Summer---don't worry, she's fully lubed up with SPF 150. Dear God, don't let me burn her perfect fair skin.

While the helmet will certainly be a mandatory accessory as our biking excursions expand, right now, in the neighborhood, I have let the rule slip a few times. She's a little too little for the bike seat, she needs a few inches of upward growing before she fits the seat right. With the helmet on her views are limited to her own feet and the pavement. With the helmet on she babbles and squeaks, and digs her toes into my butt (her legs not only are too short to reach the foot rests, they're so short they don't even bend- they stick straight out so the soles of her feet brush my seat.) However with the helmet off and her little whispy hairs blowing, she looks around with her chin tilted up like she's taking it all in through her nose. Shes quiet and seems extremely pleased and content to ride in endless circles in our neighborhood culdesac.

8 months, just around the corner

2009-05-14T14:34:00.001-07:00

Going on 8 months....holy moly, time does fly!! Nora continues to grow and change right before our eyes. She is in constant battle with her hair. While new little hairs are giving her a run for her money, persistantly trying to grow on her bald spot, Nora must enjoy the enhanced sensation to her occiput as she is determined to keep her head hair free (partially anyways). So far, her wiggling and head shaking while on her back has kept her ahead (no pun intended) in this battle.

I swear I try to dress her causually and somewhat gender neutral. I'm worried, however, that she may be brainwashing me

or somehow controlling me without me knowing, as I notice pink always finds its way onto her and even her toys match her shoes.

Time spent in the kitchen may be leading towards a career in cooking as measuring cups and spatulas are by far her favorite toys. She treats the spatula like a conductors wand waving it enthusastically all over the place, sometimes swatting herself in the nose.

Ralph was worried about her reputation with the above video posting of her farting. I assured him that she wouldn't be judged.

Nora, Mom and I headed back to the heartland last weekend for a girls weekend. We had a blast. I got to hang with my friends, mom got to hang with hers, and Nora got to meet hers for the first time.

Nora learned a lot from Jill's little girls, Emma, 4, and Abby 18 months. She spent the majority of the weekend watching in silent

wonderment the energy it takes to be toddlers. She was impressed with all there is to eat once you get teeth and was especially captivated by the actual transfer of food from the bowl to mouth.

While the boot scoot and lurch aren't exactly new for Nora, she has started some new things; copying. She learned to shake her head back and forth and will now do it whenever anyone else does. We're trying to get the nod down so she doesn't come across as pessimistic. She's copied Tony Loughton's puckered lips and added her own flair; spit and bubbles. I think she may know the sign for milk and will sometimes copy it when I do it to her (this is amazing cause I rarely do sign language with her, I just forget). Grandma and Grandpa started copying her singing, its halirous, as soon as they match her tone she switches it up, making for a nice melodic chorus-line. She's been impressing them with with difficult two-syllable phrases like "bla-la","La- rah" and "ahhh-na." Occasionally, she communicates with Bean and her stuff animal collection, talking in low, gutteral growls. She has two bottom teeth now, which for obvious reasons make me very nervous and skittish.

She's starting going to story time at the library, she sits quietly with her mouth agape and is mesmerized.

Nora is shaping up to be a fairly quiet, VERY observant little lady. Yesterday she saw that I dropped a rice kernel on the couch and picked it up and examined it.

Resurrected from a rocky grave

2009-05-04T12:15:00.000-07:00

It's a miracle!! 7 days, a snowstorm and several rain showers later, Jeff found the camera!! Even more amazing than that is that it works!! Below is a picture of Muddy and Tilly where the camera was last seen and Jeff and unknown belayer in the background.

Nora is definitely becoming more spontaneous and unpredictable. While this is certainly cool and fun, it can be scary. It keeps you on your toes. Although she's not scooting or crawling or creeping yet, she is lurching. With most of her mass in her head she's dangerously top heavy. You can imagine that this lurching business has landed her on her head more than once. She very well may have a future in Yoga as her nose has found it's way past her toes while she's still in a seated position. Very impressive; if only we could all be that flexible.

While contemplating the logistics of land and sea travel of her up-coming trip to Norway, she discovered that the globe spins. This was a big hit!

She went from acting shocked and terrified at her first swim lesson to embracing the water by splashing, kicking and drinking it.....Ick

Hangin' with Georgia

No camera:(

2009-05-02T10:36:00.000-07:00

Ralph, Nora and I hiked up to Trout Creek last weekend. Ralph did his first crack climb in a long time and has battered hands to prove it. We had a great time watching everyone climb. The difficult hike and the skethcy approach make trout creek accessible only to those coordinated and agile enough to negotiate the bottom of the columns. Dogs and babies can have a hard time. Since Nora has proven her backpack riding skills; being able to sleep in the bumpest of conditions and staying still when balance calls for it, we carted her up there. She did pretty well, protested her nap wedged between two rocks, but otherwise had a good day.
We almost made it down without a hitch.....Unfortunately, the camera got swallowed up by the seemingly bottemless caverns beneath the columns. Ralph, Casey, Tammy, and I all went spulunking looking for it, without any luck. So....no more pictures until we get a new one:(

Stay tuned

Mom and I are headed to Minnesota next weekend for a girls weekend. We're taking her camera so I'll get something up when we get back.

Easter

2009-04-12T17:52:00.001-07:00

Ralph, Nora and I headed to the Oregon coast for Easter. We stayed at a great bed and breakfast, walked on the beach, window shopped, hung out in coffee shops, skipped naps, ate in fancy restaurants, listened to live jazz music, and kept Nora out way too late (which we paid for).

Before heading home Sunday we stopped at the Aquarium. Nora was mesmerized!

The deer were in our yard to welcome us home on Sunday evening.

Lots of Firsts

2009-04-02T11:43:00.000-07:00

Nora got her 1st swimming suit, she loves it and prefers to lounge in it at home rather than clothes. She didn't however, love her 1st swim lesson. She cried the majority of the lesson. Perhaps it was cause she also got her 1st fever that night, so it's likely she didn't enjoy her lesson simply cause she wasn't feeling up to par.

She's been acting very interested in what we're eating. She's 6 months, so we thought it was time for her to have her 1st food.

She thought she would enjoy chicken pot pie more than carrots though. She wasn't exactly gobbling them down. She's had sweet potatoes and rice cereal also, but still seems most enthusiastic about milk.

Nora also had to say her 1st goodbye to a friend. Pete died just shy of 15 years old on Monday morning. Nora helped us bury him in mom and dad's front pasteur and attended his memorial service.

Nora enjoying a book with Dad

Nora dancing with Dad

Visiting Eugene and Portland

2009-03-16T10:15:00.000-07:00

Ralph was in a heavy rigging class last week in Eugene. I worked Tuesday and Wednesday and then Nora, Bean and I headed over the mountain on Thursday. We got off to a little bit of a rough start when a air-stream camper hit ice and flipped over blocking both lanes of traffic for 3 hours. Yes 3 HOURS of stopped traffic on the top of the pass. Hazmat crews and a crane had to come from Salem to clear it. We felt pretty lucky though as we were only 30 cars behind it. I wouldn't have wanted to be any closer, but being up front was great once traffic got moving again. The fact that it was an absolutely gorgeous bluebird day helped too. We got out and watched Bean play in the snowbank, visited with neigboring motorists, Nora ate in the drivers seat (certainly a 1st), and read a few books. She handles traffic well. She did however loose her patience after 2 hours as I kept her buckled in her car seat and ready to go.

She had a great night sleep in her tent in the hotel room. Ralph had class again Friday so Nora, Bean and I walked ALL OVER Eugene. I took her all through campus. I did get a few looks when I was pushing her through the crowds of students in between classes. They seemed like pity looks, hmmmm, perhaps people were thinking "ohh that poor mother is taking her baby to class with her." We visited with Will and Carly and their little girl, Sophia. Nora and I watched Will and Sophia in gymnastics.

We traded our sunscreen for raincoats and headed North to Portland and G. Kaplan.

We went out to Kenny and Zukes for a world famous pastrami sandwich. Grandma gave Nora her 1st pickle.

2009-03-09T10:23:00.000-07:00

Grandma Kaplan got Nora a sweet new back-pack. We plan to take it to Norway and do some great hikes with her. I can't wait for this summer to go on overnights with her and friends. Stacey and I have already been scheming. We've been wearing it around the house and on hikes around town where the stroller can't go. Grandma Wenger tried it on for size too.
We all went out to Zydeco for Ralph's 35th birthday on Sunday. We celebrated his actual birthday with a party at the house last Thursday. Nora had a great time meeting everyone. Her favorite thing was the bright red keg cups. She'd stare at them and reach for them and managed to latch on to a few of unsuspecting party goes that were trying to hold her and enjoy a beer at the same time. A chorus of about 30-40 people singing happy birthday did scare her to tears though.

For the last month or so Nora has saved her laughs primarily for Bean and other four legged, furry friends. Now, however, she has decided that Ralph falls into the funny category.

Dad's Home

2009-03-03T10:12:00.000-08:00

Ralph made it home after a long month. We all missed him beyond telling.

Nora has a routine in which she watches us make our meals. She sits in her bumbo chair and observes the goings on of the kitchen like the blender, a frying egg, or the suds of the dishwater. Since Ralph has been home she's taken on a whole new level of interest in what's cooking as Ralph has starting showing her fruits and vegetables and letting her explore them.

And Ralph thought his forearms were tired from using a chainsaw for a month.........

Sitting up

2009-02-16T12:32:00.001-08:00

I forgot to post her sitting up success in the last one.

5 months

2009-02-14T22:39:00.000-08:00

Yep, she's growing up fast. Inbetween trying to eat page 2, Nora is already reading novels about bunnies to her friend Georgia.

This past week has been big in terms of growth and development. Nora has gone from sitting like a top heavy bobble doll to bracing herself upright with her short little pudgy arms. She loves to stand too, and with help will go through the motions of taking alternating steps.

Although she eats all her meals horizontal in a comfortable chair, she's begun practicing for meals at the table. She sits maturely in her new high-chair-like seat watching the bowl of fruits and vegetables longingly.

She went from rolling over on accident to doing it within 30 seconds of being on her stomach (yep, still hates tummy time), every time (only to the left though).

She's reaching for, picking up, and transferring objects from one hand to the other.

She's figuring out the spectrum of her voice, trying out everything from low growls to sound barrier breaking squeals.

She's discovered her feet and will spend countless minutes, (a seeming eternity) staring at them in jaw-dropping wonderment, and then will resort to the old stand-by....trying to eat them.

More immunizations

2009-02-02T11:10:00.001-08:00

Things started off as usual this morning. Nora was happy to greet a new day.

However, things changed once she got in her car-seat. Her baby sense told her that today's Dr.'s appointment was going to be more than a height and weight. Her carefree playfulness changed to concerned worry.

She got two immunizations today, one in each leg. I felt guilty holding her in my lap since I was in on the mean trick that was about to go down. Nora was smiling and drooling at the nurse who was talking baby talk to her. Why wouldn't she? The nurse was carrying on about how cute she was, and how good she was being, and didn't mention a thing about jabbing her in the thigh with a needle.

Her check-up confirmed what we already knew, she's growing like a weed. She's in the 95th percentile for height at 25.5 inches and the 75th percentile for weight at 14 lbs even. We began to be suspisious that she's bigger than the average baby when she started busting out of 3-6 month clothing and moving onto, into, and through the 9-12 month stuff.

Things seem to be back to normal though. All the whimpering and tears wore her out, so she took a nap when she got home and seems to have forgotten the whole thing.

4.5 months

2009-01-31T10:57:00.000-08:00

Time is flying by. Nora is 4.5 months today.

Mom and Nora with Flat Stanley. A project of Nicole's, our little cousin, in Kansas

Nora meets Jill

2009-01-27T22:27:00.000-08:00

Jill came out to see us this past weekend. We had a blast. Nora loves her; she smiles and pays attention when she talks, doesn't cry too much, and saves all her throw up for me. The 3 of us spent the weekend walking around Bend in the freezing fog, great weather for catching up and sipping hot drinks and wine.

Monday was a tough day-Ralph flew out to Arkansas at 6am and Jill flew back to MN at 10am. It felt a little lonely.

G-diapers

2009-01-19T19:26:00.000-08:00

Thought I'd show you guys what the G-diapers look like

4 months old

2009-01-18T23:14:00.003-08:00

Narcolepsy affliction???

Nora's had a busy week, exhausting, so it seems. We're still (as always) working on the house. We had the windows trimmed in this week. We had a cyclecross party, a baby shower, and a surprise birthday party to attend. Grandma and Grandpa had their inspection on their new house. I'm working, Ralph's still flying and staining doors, and then there's Nora's endless schedule of getting bounced around, eating, spitting up, and pooping. Oh and changing clothes at least 2-3 times each day. It's alot. She'll be wiggling one minute and asleep the next. In the above picture she had been working tirelessly with Ralph trying to find him last minute tickets to Seattle for the weekend for Fred Beckey's 85th birthday.

She got a bumbo. It's basically a lazy boy for infants. It's really high backed, and has a center that allows them to sit up-right. It holds her pretty snug, so theres no way (this week anyways) that she can wiggle out of it. It's awesome.

It's official, Nora's doing her part to be a Green baby. We finally made the switch to the G diaper system. I've been meaning to use them from the beginning, but had regular disposables to use up first. The first day, none of us were sold. I starting thinking " ohh come on, 50 days vs 500 years to break down, it's not that big of difference....."

Don't worry though, we love them now. The consensus is they're cool and really a pretty slick system. Her skin has stayed rash free as they keep her dry, and when we put them on right, they don't leak. I wonder if these G-diaper people have ever thought to do a study on water consumption though? Our washing has certainly increased.

Back to work for mom

2009-01-08T09:04:00.001-08:00

I started back to work on Christmas. The transition was much harder than I anticipated. I swear she grew an inch, gained a pound, and matured drastically that first day back. I much prefer Nora to the Medela pump. The conversations seem so one-sided, it doesn't coo or smile or giggle, it won't even look at me. Nora, however, seems to be adjusting to the transition without a hitch. She's been enjoying all sorts of new experiences on her "tours of Bend" with Ralph and Bean

I asked Ralph to make sure she's warm enough when they are out for extended periods of time. He documented to show that he knows what he's doing. She had the works; hat, gloves, socks, and shoes and my down vest.

Getting ready for Christmas

2008-12-24T11:02:00.001-08:00

Yea, Jamie and Jeannie are home. Although they didn't make it to their final destination, they made it from Norway to Seattle. Jamie drove the rest of the way down to Bend to meet Nora. They'll both be here after Christmas for a week.

Bath time...luvin it

2008-12-18T18:32:00.000-08:00

Bath time.....who hooooooooo, what fun!! I wish I could silence the audio, as I sound kinda annoying. Nora is pretty cute, though

She hates tummy time, but loves to stand

2008-12-17T08:05:00.001-08:00

The snow has arrived. I switched out tires yesterday so we can have a little advantage driving on the slippery roads. Since the car was waiting in line at Les Schwab all morning Nora and I couldn't make it to the mommy & me spin class. We went x-country skiing with Casey and the dogs instead. 5 degree temps made me wonder if it was too cold for Nora, but I bundled her up, put her in the baby bjorn, and (with Casey's help) clicked into our sweet 1989 ski set-up. With Nora on my chest under a down jacket, I looked like the abominable snow made sliding down the road. Nora seemed to be very cozy and comfortable while I sweated my brains out.

No matter how we tweak it, Nora doesn't enjoy tummy time. She'll start huffing and puffing, drooling, and kicking, and a full blown melt down usually ensues. She does however, love to stand.

The Jingle Bell run

2008-12-10T11:53:00.001-08:00

Last Saturday Casey, Mom, Dad, the dogs and I all did the jingle bell run.

Nora riding Bean and Ralph introducing her to riding a mountain bike by watching mountain biking videos

another weigh in

2008-12-05T14:14:00.001-08:00

At 9 weeks Nora has grown 3 inches, now measuring 23 inches and weighs 11lbs, 6.5 ounces. I didn't realize, but she was also scheduled for her 1st immunization. I believe in, and agree with the importance of (most) immunizations (Measles still kills 500 kids a day worldwide---crazy), I just didn't realize it was going to be at this visit. It was hard to watch her get an injection into her innocent pudgy little thigh, she did great though, didn't even cry until the needle was withdrawn.