6 Months Old!

Frozen field skating with Grandpa

How am I always so far behind on pictures?  It’s not even worth saying at this point.  Anyways, I was organizing photos tonight and didn’t get too far.  But I did find these pictures from one afternoon with Bernie and figured I would post them. 

Brad and his siblings grew up skating here (just down the road from their house) and Grandpa enjoyed continuing the tradition.  Plus it’s a frozen field so nothing to worry about!  (I can be on a pond that a tractor is clearing and I am still a little nervous about going through.)

The random boots and such are the goals.  The conditions were perfect this week in January—they went three times that week!  It was a good winter for skating.  Some weeks Joseph skated almost every day!

Thanks grandpa!

Nora at 5 Months

(Technically 4.5 months here, but close enough)

Personality:  She is a charmer, no doubt about it.  I don’t think anyone can resist her awesome smile.  She is so funny—she usually smiles at absolutely everyone.  Like some total random person walks by at the grocery store not even really paying any attention to the baby and she gives them a big smile.  Then they usually do a little double take and have to come chat with her (and me) for a bit.

She also loves to “chat” and makes sounds such as “ma ma” and “da da” all the time.  It is very adorable!  She also discovered coughing and sometimes does it to get attention.  She also has started squealing and uses it in the same manner, which can be a bit much.  She tends to squeal more then she cries…

Physical: Almost everyone comments on her size—all the same “you must not feed that baby” comments I got with Joseph.  We had to bring her in to the doctors a couple days ago and she was almost 19 pounds, 18.13 I believe.  She has so much chub all her creases and folds collect moisture and get irritated. 

As soon as I said I thought her eyes might stay blue, she proved me wrong.  They—somewhat sadly for me—seem to be changing now.  They are more grey then blue now, with green and brown.  I really have no idea how they are going to end up.  She has a tiny bit more hair and it is bound to be curly—it tends to frizz up already.  Sometimes it looks light red to me!

Her skin is still a total mess.  This week we visit the allergist to see if they have any answers.  Fighting the excema feels like a losing war…

She can roll and move quite a bit, but doesn’t always feel like it.  Plus we tend to be on the go so much she probably doesn’t get enouph time to practice.  But, in the right mood, she can move quite far just by rolling.  Every once in awhile she starts to get her butt in the air a little bit—preparing for crawling.  She is very close to sitting; she can sit on her own for probably half a minute or so before tumbling.  She also is constantly doing little “crunches” when put in a reclined position (she has been doing this for quite some time).  

Her dexterity and control over her movements is probably what has changed the most this month.  She can reach for anything she wants, she picks things up and moves them around in her fingers.  This means she is much more dangerous—I have to be careful what is near her because she is going to check it all out!

Eating habits: Still loves to eat.  A lot. I doubt that will change.  Still nurses every 2-3 hours day and night.  Kind of wish she would slow down a bit, but don’t see it happening.  I also backed off solid foods.  She had a little here and there, then one weekend she ate a lot more and it really seemed to effect her digestion.  I am also kind of interested in incorporating some of this new idea of “baby lead weaning” but don’t really know much about it (want to share some info. Meredith?).  We are also seeing an allergist this week.

Nora did take a couple bottles when she stayed with grandma once this month (while I worked at the library).  Pumping for the day was a huge pain, but she didn’t appear to have any problem with it.

Sleep: A tad bit better.  She is waking 3-4 times a night, but that’s way better then the like 8 times.   She starts out in the crib, sometimes spends some time in her Rock’n Play and often ends up in bed with us at some point in the early morning. Her daytime schedule has also become pretty consistent—she typically naps at about 9, 12, and 4 in her crib if we are home or in the car.  The nap in the middle of the day is the longest 1-2 hours, the other two are about 45 minutes.  I love having a good schedule, however I have also discovered it is challenging since I tend to plan lots of outings and activities and they are all at different times.  So currently I am working on how to balance the getting out and about with maintaining her best nap schedule.  Plus I hope to try and improve her night times and am considering some sleep training. 

 Nicknames: Noranator, Baby, Norabelle, Stinkerbelle, Noni

Mom stuff: I think I am starting to settle into the whole parent-of-two-stay-at-home-mom-again thing.  A job opportunity came up and, after lots of thought, I ended up deciding not to go for it.  I am still on the look out for something eventually, but am really appreciating the opportunity to be home for now.  Especially given all the sickness hitting us this winter.  First Joseph’s step, now Nora has the flu.  It’s been horrible and very scary for me, but she is getting better quick.  I am rethinking the extent to which I have toted Nora around, both because of her sleep schedule and illness. Up to this point I kind of thought to myself that I could do all the same things despite being pregnant or having a baby.  But, maybe I now need to be a bit more responsible and not drag Nora everywhere…primarily I am thinking about going into Joseph’s school.  I have brought her tons and love spending time at the school, but maybe it’s not the best place for her.  We will see!  Oh I also had a bought with a clogged duct which was very unpleasant and my first major nursing problem.  It did clear up quickly tough.

Goals for a productive (rest of) February

I am feeling the need for a little more order in my days.  So here are some goals.  I am hoping putting them here will keep me accountable and on track!

1) Clean/organize each room/aspects of my life listed below (4 days a week)

2) Work-out/exercise in some manner (6 days a week)

3) Work on eating (mostly) clean (6 days a week)

4) Make a dent in my long-term to do list (1 item a day)

5) Just plain PLAY/relax more with both kids

6) Start a creative project for myself

Rooms to clean/organize:

• Enrty/desk area
• Living room
• Kitchen/dinning area
• Bathrooms
• Laundry/storage area
• Nora room
• Joseph room
• Our room
• Car
• Garage
• Shed at old house
• Pictures

Yikes.  I’m tired just thinking about all this…

Early December

Hockey, hockey, hockey.  We have had our ups and downs with it.  I think the three practices a week and all the gear are a little much for Joseph, but there is no question he has gotten to be quite a skater and sometimes he really enjoys it!

Corralled the boys!

Waiting for Santa

These pictures are all from a very busy Saturday—the first Saturday of December Santa always arrives in Middlebury on a firetruck and then all sorts of activities are planned.  We started the day with hockey at 7:30, then went to a free breakfast at Agway.  While we were at breakfast Bob got us a number to see Santa (its free but you have to get a number).  Every other year I have just joined up with someone else, but this year we did things right and Bob got us #2.  Thanks!!

Then we always visit the gingerbread house competition at the Folklife center and vote on our favorites.

And of course there is the train exhibit at the Sheldon Museum.

And then gingerbread house making at the library.

Posing

(Out of order)  Visiting Santa!!

Joseph told Santa he wanted a Spy kit, a prank kit, and an I pod.  Then he told Santa Nora wanted a new paci.

I was very, very nervous about doing all this, with a very small baby, but it all went amazingly well.

When we got home I nursed and cuddled with Nora (since she was such a trooper) and Joseph decorated himself…

Then he really wanted to make our gingerbread house…

Joseph LOVES projects like this. 

The next day (after a hockey game) we ventured into the woods behind my childhood home to find a Christmas tree. 

A family picture!!

Cutting the tree

This was actually a bit of on ordeal.  We were tired from the day before and from Brad working 7 days a week during that time.  And this was around the time that Nora just suddenly stopped sleeping. Then unexpectedly Brad got done work a little early that Sunday.  So we made it to Lincoln, but then Nora had a huge blowout.  Then Joseph was mad about not having a “normal” Christmas tree.  Then I lost my keys….  In this picture Joseph was whining about the tree.  But we still actually had a good trip!  The pictures of course highlights the good times.

After getting the tree we visited with Bob and Nora feel asleep in his arms.

Lots of reading for Joseph.  This was his first chapter book for school.

The Elf on the Shelf came to visit this year.  It was a lot of work, but very cute.  Here he is reading some of Joseph’s homework.

Nora loving her bouncer.

With her excema cheeks all lubed up.

Decorating the tree.

Posing.

Moving!  One of the first times that I put her down in one place and found her in another.

Putting up a wall with dad at work.

Before Christmas every year I organize a program called book angels, where we take ages and interests of children from local social service agencies and match them with books.  It was is a big project, but lots of fun!

More reading.

First day working! Nora accompanied me to the library one Saturday morning in December.  It went surprisingly well.

Then santa came to visit.

Our Charlie Brown tree.

Testing out her Santa outfit.

Holiday concert at school!

All covered in goo.  I do this to her every morning and night.  And it doesn’t really help.  Poor girl.

This day Nora totally surprised me.  She had just barely started rolling and moving at this point.  It was a shock to put her down in one place and then find her in another place.  Then this time I was doing something, not watching her, when I heard her giggling to herself.  I looked over and she was laughing at herself in a mirror she had picked up!  What a genius!

Sledding

Playing in the snow afterschool

A note from Joseph

His xmas list.