Milestones

Emerson is 5 months old!
Wow, has he progressed this last month. He sits up very well (with a little assistance, of course) and rolls all over the place. He's also developed a funny, backwards way of scooting - he flips on his back, then inchworms himself with his head leading the way. Anything that he grabs goes immediatly to his mouth. This is great news for the pacifier, but also means we need to be careful what we leave within his reach. Emerson talks all the time and loves to engage with everyone around him and still becomes most excited when he sees Ryan. Nightime is progressively improving, thank goodness!
Norah is 2.5 years old!

The change from her second birthday to now has been extraordinary. SHe has an hilarious sense of humor and loves to be silly. The imaginative games that she is playing are so fun to watch and be a part of. She loves to chat with everyone around her and her language skills are constantly improving. We've moved from full sentences to comeplete paragraphs! She spends a lot fo time reading and writing and is begining to make vaguely recognizable letters. We are sounding things out and she is begining to understand that the letters she recognizes actually have sounds attached. She still loves to dance and sing and play instruments, pretend and real. The other day as she was dancing in a tutu she told me that she was a Degas painting. My little child genious. ;-)

We are so lucky to have two such wonderful children!
Both are sporting their Hawaiian presents that Grandma Carmen brought back. We are ready for warm weather...!

Great-Grandma's Birthday

An afternoon with G&G! We visited their new condo, then had a celebratory treat at TCBY. This was their first experience with frozen yogurt and we won them over. The weather was warm, so we sat outside and visited. Happy birthday Grandma!

Enjoying the HOT weather

Attention Walmart Shoppers

Emerson rode in the front of a shopping basket for the first time today - it was quite exciting - especially for him. That's where the action is! I was a little jealous of the moms with the cart liners; poor Emerson probably has skeezy germs all over. I guess we're just building up his immune system. ;-)

Check out all the drool spots on this fella - teeth have to be coming sometime soon!

"I'm sitting here watching my flowers grow"

Today Norah and I planted a flower border around the front yard and filled a few flower pots. She had so much fun and just kept cracking me up. At one point she spotted the moon and kept jumping up to try and catch it. She said "I can do anything I want to try I can do" - a morph of what we always tell her - "You can do anything if you try". Well, the moon is still out there, but we had fun trying!



After a much needed bath Norah climbed up on a chair in front of the window and told me she was watching her flowers grow. I love my little monkey!

It's a parade!

Setting up for the Hazel Dell Parade. I haven't been since my younger brother Neil marched in this extravaganza. Actaully, its lots of fun. Very small town - lots of baseball teams driving by in the back of pick-up trucks.
The parade is coming!
Lots of antique fire engines (and antique farming equipment, too)
I thought she was running over to the clown - nope, see that speck on the ground? Its a piece of candy. :-) Norah made off with several bags of treats. We left most of it with Grandma and Kodiak, but did sneak a few pieces home.

Even Emerson took home some loot
Finally, mom let her open a sucker
So sleepy - Emerson slept in the back of the Mom's rover, until the fire engine horns woke him up.
Woohoo - so many instruments makes for a happy and fascinated Norah!
Skyview HS - and Grammie, Norah and Kodiak in the background.

In the Summer

Yesterday Norah told me that she wanted to "go sit out in the summer". :-) Me too! Although both Norah and Emerson haven't been feeling well this week, we still are trying to spend a bit of time outside to enjoy the weather. Its been fun to sit out on the front lawn and watch the people go by - well, I watch the people, Jones tries to chase them, Norah runs all over and Emerson tries to eat the grass.

Irving Park - Emerson's first swing

Awake
Asleep
No Fear!

My how he has grown...

Every time we go to storytime with Grandma Peggy, we take a pic of Emerson and Grammie in the big purple chair. They hang out there while Norah and I enjoy the storytime for toddlers.

This week

January!

Amariah's Birthday!

My very best friend in the whole entire world, and her sweet little pumpkin, Ian. :-)

Isabelle's 1st Birthday!

Our niece Isabelle was toddling all over the place during her first birthday party. She was quite the hostess - even sharing her new toys with all the kids at her party! We loved her fancy party dress as well - she was a delighted cutie!
Norah, showing off her twirling skills in the cool new dress Gramma made her...
Yeah, I can walk!
Everbody wants to play in the pond...

Grandpa's birthday + tea party, OMSI and storytime with Kimmie and Hadley

More pics from the Dave's family visit, plus pics of my grandpa's 90th birthday!

Good Times

All about Norah

Norah is such a special girl and is growing up SO quickly. Her language skills are incredible - I can't think if a word that she doesn't know - and she continually surpises me with the things she says. She loves to play pretend games, especially ones that involve animal families. I frequently and a lion mama and she is a lion baby. Norah loves to be a big sister and likes to help with Emerson. She will be really excited when he can play with her! She now likes to get dressed by herself and pick out her own clothes, which makes for some interesting outfits. :-) Music and dancing fill her days - she does some fabulous pirouttes!

Dave, Katie, Kimberly and Hadley visit

butlers

omsi