Happy Halloween

It's hard to believe it's almost Thanksgiving (and I'm finally getting around to posting Halloween pictures)! So, here's what we've been up to...

Norah moved into her big-girl bed a month or so ago. We kept waiting for her to climb out of her crib (which she never did), but eventually we decided it was just time to make the switch. Actually, most of the bed is still the same pieces of her crib, but the old front came off and was replaced by a toddler railing. Her favorite part about this: the new railing gives her the ability to get in and out on her own. For the most part, this has gone just fine. There have been a few occasions, however, that she has taken advantage of her new freedom and decided to get up and wander (mostly just around her room to grab a toy, but sometimes around the house).

Getting ready for the first night in the new bed

Judie came out to visit us for Halloween weekend (and just in time to watch the Cardinals win Game 7 of the World Series- on TV instead of in person). Norah had lots of fun showing her Grammy all of her toys and spending time playing, reading, and generally being silly. Grammy got to go with us to the pumpkin patch and trick-or-treating, which was a big treat for everyone. Norah really got the hang of trick-or-treating this year (or at least the I-go-up-to-your-door, you-give-me-candy part). She was still a little too shy to say "trick-or-treat," but as soon as the door opened, she would open the flap on her Mrs. Potato Head purse/candy sack and hold it out to be filled up. Since she's two, everyone seemed to find this adorable, and she got tons of candy.

On the hay ride... The perfect pumpkin (never mind that she found it at the very far edge of the pumpkin patch and shortly after this picture was taken, Norah turned pumpkin-hauling duties over to Grammy)

Mrs. Potato Head... Trick-or-Treating... Evaluating her stash

Since then, Dan and I celebrated our seventh wedding anniversary and Dan's 32nd birthday. I am so thankful to have such a wonderful family, and I love them very much. Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Willoughby Wallaby Wazy

We bought another Raffi album on itunes. I think our goal was to at least diversify the children's songs we are hearing on a daily basis, but we may just be getting soft. It's hard to remember the last time we listened to regular radio in the car with Norah. Kristin's been doing it a lot longer than me, so if she gets a faraway look in her eyes and starts humming while you are talking to her, try to understand.

On the upside, I found the song Willoughby Wallaby Woo (listen)to be remarkably catchy, and versatile. You can really do anything with it. I'm considering using it in the work place for counseling people.

Willoughby Wallaby wate; your paperwork's been coming in late.
Willoughby Wallaby wired.... you can fill in the blank.

It's also useful for ordering at restaurants, dealing with customer service representatives on the phone and scaring away door to door salesmen.

Raffi may just be a genius.

Where's Raffi?

Norah has recently become very engaged with music, specifically children's music, more specifically children's music sung by Raffi. Maggie, Laura, and I used to listen to Raffi's music when we were kids, so we had an old tape of his that my mom had saved all of these years. Dan went on iTunes a couple of months ago and downloaded another album for us to listen to in (my) car. Thanks sweetie:) Now, our morning commute goes something like this:

(Pulling out of the driveway)

Norah: I don't like this station. Where's Raffi?
Me: So you don't want to listen to NPR this morning?
Norah: I want Raffi. Where's Raffi? (repeat until Raffi starts playing)

(A few blocks later, as the CD is ending and the player is threatening to cycle to the next CD)

Norah: Where's Raffi?
Me: I'll start him over (again)

I'll give Raffi a lot of credit- his tunes are catchy. I fell asleep last night to an endless loop of Baby Beluga playing in my head. We downloaded another album from iTunes the other day, just to add a little variety to the inevitable choice of music in the car. Now Dan can have the old CD in his car so he can join in the fun.

Fun Weekend!

Norah has been busy the last couple of weeks getting used to not one, but two new schools! Obviously this is not an ideal situation to be throwing at her, especially since she was really starting to make some friends in the Fresno State childcare program (where she spent the summer). However, their schedule and ours just weren't meshing, so we started over. Actually, one of the new schools is not so new- she was there in the winter and spring a couple of days a week- so that seems to be making the transition a bit easier. Hopefully we'll be all settled in within the next couple of weeks and ready for the rest of the school year.

First day of school

She's had some good Norah-isms lately, though I know she's picking some of them up from school, and not from Dan or me. The term "real bad" has now entered her vocabulary, as in, "I real bad want the ice cream." She also told my mom that "I'm just watching," when asked to help pick up her toys. Of course, she also continues to use some old favorites: "cheese hops" are her cheddar bunny crackers and "Bamabampa" (in the singular) are Grandma and Grandpa.

We spent a fun Labor Day weekend at the beach house/in San Francisco. Laura flew in for a short, but well-deserved, vacation, and Mom, Dad, Maggie, Dan, Norah, and I will never turn down an opportunity to head to the coast. We spent a pretty relaxing (and kind of foggy) few days hanging out, eating, watching Notre Dame lose, going to the park, etc. On Sunday, we headed to San Francisco to meet up with Dan's Aunt Linda, Uncle Scott, cousins Sara and Kate, and Bob, and Matt. We took a very fun tour through Muir Woods and on to Sonoma wine country. Norah enjoyed her first real bus ride (after spending many a car ride pointing out all the buses that we passed), and we all had fun seeing the sites, tasting some wine (Norah had to sit this part out), and catching up with family.

Seeing the trees in Muir Woods (I can't figure out how to rotate the last image!)

Thanks to Linda and Scott for including us in their family vacation! We also got a chance to have a (short) visit with Aunt Sue, Lee, and Grandma Nell. Thanks to Lee for making Norah a beautiful toy box. Eventually we'll get to fill it up with toys, but right now Norah is having fun putting herself in the box.

Norah's new toy box (made by Lee, with embellishments by Aunt Sue!)

Norah perfecting her "cheese" face

Fun at the beach house

Now it's back to the real world of work and school. Even though it still feels like summer here in Fresno, happy September to all!

I love you, too

Two cute, Daddy-related Norah-isms:

Norah and I were riding in the car and singing "The Wheels on the Bus." Sometimes, when we run out of verses that we know, we make up new ones. We had just finished the verse about the mommies on the bus, when Norah added, "The daddies on the bus say 'I love you, too." Very sweet.

Later that day we were in the pool. While Dan was inside getting changed, I pointed out a spider to Norah. She yelled out, "Dan, come and get the spider!" Hmm, I think she might have heard me say that a time or two...

Sick Day

Norah was home sick for a couple days. Don't worry. It was nothing too bad, just a low fever and some sniffles. It did mean that she couldn't go to school though. This mean that Kristin and I had to alternate half-days taking care of her. I think it's pretty obvious from this video how bad she was feeling.

Poor little girl...

We had to find creative ways to keep her amused. Luckily, couch cushions are very versatile. I never hope for Norah to be sick, but we did make the best of the time off.

Fort Living Room

Amen!

Norah hamming it up at the ballgame

Every night when we say our prayers before dinner, Norah adds her short prayer at the end. She started our by saying, "Thank-you Jesus..." and then choosing her favorite food on her plate that night. Sometimes she had to pause a minute to look things over to see if she could find anything she was thankful to be eating. She slowly started adding items, and now says thank-you for everything on her plate, plus the plate itself, the placemat, napkin, fork, and cup. Tonight it was "Thank-you Jesus for my hamburger and my corn and my topatoes and my ketchup and my plate and my fork and my placemat and my napkin and my milk. Amen!" Dan and I think it's very cute, and a lot of times we have to try very hard not to giggle at her very serious prayers. We definitely have a lot to be thankful for.