No camera:(

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

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

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

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.

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.

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Dad's Home

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

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