Monday, March 30, 2009

Warm weather

Hannah was just ecstatic on Friday when it was so warm she went to school with no coat, and that when she got home she could play outside all afternoon. Apparently one of the things she's learned at school is how to ride a bicycle. Not on two wheels, she definitely still needs the training wheels, but she can pedal and more importantly, steer. So I parked in the road and she got to ride her bike in the driveway for a while. Then she invited our neighbors over to play in our backyard, so they stayed until dinnertime. Hannah is thrilled we have neighbors with kids, even if they are a little older. Their mom came over to chat for a while since our mailman delivered some of our mail to their house. They're all just really sweet, so I'm also glad we have some nice neighbors that we potentially have something in common with.

Saturday it was gorgeous also. Hannah had plans to go to Meema's house, so after she left we went grocery shopping with Norah and had lunch. Then we went shopping and headed up to Northampton to walk around. The weather was fabulous, sunny and warm with just a bit of a breeze. I know spring is underrated mostly because it's generally pretty wet, but the nice days are much more than "nice" when we get them.

Friday, March 27, 2009

The things they say

It amazes me the things that come out of Hannah's mouth lately. The other day in the van on the way to Kat's house I hear in the back seat: "My nose hurt at school today. Why did my nose hurt, I don't know? OH!! Because I have boogers in it" I don't know why she thought that commentary was necessary, or better yet why she didn't get a tissue at school instead of waiting until I picked her up.

I also love her mispronounciations. One of my favorites, and most hilarious is how she doesn't like "Peckeroni's" As in "I would not like peckeroni's on my pizza"

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Monday, March 23, 2009

Snuggling Babies

I got to snuggle a baby again, and yes I know I snuggle mine all the time, she's just not TECHNICALLY a baby anymore. Laurie came to visit with her whole family from New Jersey for the day, and even though they got stuck in traffic, they still made it by lunchtime. Jonathan is just as sweet as he could be, and I swear I do not ever remember Norah being that little. Hannah was SO excited that there was another baby in the house, especially one who doesn't yet have personal opinions about who should hold/feed/kiss/play with him. So she got lots of helping time in feeding and holding him for Laurie. And of course we got to play with slings. I showed her how to put her little man in with his chubby little legs out, and how to put her sling so it won't hurt her back. He was very happy, if a bit cranky periodically from not really napping much.

It was such a nice day, and even Kat came over (no, not a shocker, she's here all the time these days) to come meet Laurie and snuggle adorable Jonathan. We had a lovely day all day, it was just perfect. I haven't yet downloaded my camera, but I have some sweet pictures of Hannah holding Jonathan.

Friday, March 20, 2009

Fun

Hannah played hookey from school on Wednesday. Instead we drove out to Westfield and went to a giant indoor playscape. We went with Kat and her girls, and her friend Kate and her girls. Seven girls all together, oh the joys we will behold in about 10 years. They all had a blast, and it was worth every penny of admission. Norah even napped on my back for a much longer time than she normally does, so all must have been great.

Then tomorrow my fabulous friend Laurie is bringing her new baby, who is no longer very new, to visit. She'll bring her husband and older son also, you know, to amuse the other people in my house. I'm hoping to have lots of pictures, and she's excited to play with my "sling stash"

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Spring?

Oh spring, are you here already? The weather has been downright GORGEOUS the last few days. Go outside in a shirt because it's so nice. Hannah has begged to go outside, cried when it's time to come inside, all the typical things she does when the weather is nice. Yesterday she didn't even come in the house after school, she just handed me her stuff and said "Will you take this in for me" Um, sure. I love it when it gets warm. I hate it when you get a tease and it gets cold again. Tomorrow they're saying a possible high of 65. MMMMM 65, that's fabulous. I'll be line drying clothes or diapers.

Unfortunately around here we're also living for the weekends. Steven is on mandatory overtime because a person he works with is apparently incapable of doing his share of the work. It's frustrating for him, obviously. But even more so for Hannah. He left at the regular time yesterday morning (6:50 to drop Gary at the bus stop) and wasn't home until after 7:30. Hannah kept telling me "I wish Daddy would be home now" Me too baby, me too.

Monday, March 16, 2009

GORGEOUS

It was just stunningly gorgeous this weekend. We went outside to play yesterday and spent most of the afternoon out there. It was wonderful to be able to go out and enjoy the sun. It was nice enough to go without even a sweatshirt or anything as long as you were wearing long sleeves. We went for a nice walk after dinner too. Hannah was so happy to be outside again, it's clear we've all got some cabin fever going on.

Hannah also got the other half of her birthday gift, which she decided should be a Tonka Truck. Norah's a big fan of it also.

Friday, March 13, 2009

I'm learning something new

I recently purchased a different kind of baby carrier. Ring slings are really pretty and I love them, but she's starting to get heavy for one shoulder carries, so I bought two woven wraps. However there's a learning curve that goes with them, so she's annoyed, but I've been watching youtube video's and aggrivating her while I practice. I seem to have the front wrap cross carry down, so I started trying to learn the back wrap cross carry, because I NEED to be able to have her on my back. There are no pictures of the horrible job I did the first few times, ending up in a sweaty mess that had given up completely. It was AWFUL, but like everything new, practice helps. I'm nowhere near where some people are. It takes me a good 5 minutes (I know of people who can do it in 1) and while she's secure, it could certainly be better. She's fine once she's in and I'm standing up again, or I bribe her with goldfish.

So here are a couple really bad pictures, because I took them myself in the bathroom mirror. The first is Hannah in a FWCC, because she was a more willing participant. The second is Norah in my first doable BWCC.






Thursday, March 12, 2009

Four unbelieveable years

My baby is four. It's been four years since she made me a mom, and every day I'm reminded why she's so special.










Wednesday, March 11, 2009

The internet is amazing

Every morning I get up and square the girls away with food and toys, and then try to check my email/facebook/mom's board. I never fail to be surprised when something unexpected happens. People I haven't seen/thought about in YEARS find me and remember me. It truly shocks me because I don't feel that I'm a "memorable" person really. More of a blend into the background person. Sometimes.

It shocks people when I tell them I met my best friend on the internet, though I'm not sure why. I don't really see that it's so different than meeting your partner on the internet, and surely lots of people do that. My best friend is the greatest. She understands and listens, we have the same sense of humor, and I'd be truly lost if I'd never found her.

Monday, March 9, 2009

Party Time

I may be updating the blog with more pictures as some of the other people who were here show me their pictures, but this is what there is, considering I didn't take a single picture. Steven did a really good job with what he got. I wish there were more of the kids playing, but hey, what can you do?








Friday, March 6, 2009

Broken

So I think my camera lens is broken. It doesn't work with my camera and refuses to do what I tell it. I even went so far as resetting the camera to get back to orginal factory settings and it still refuses to work. That's the bad news. The good news is that I bought a second lens, and while a 55-200 is a bit ridiculous for indoors, it does mean that I don't have to go without pictures. Which was fabulous as I realized all of this first thing Monday morning with oodles of pictures to take because it was Norah's birthday.

And Norah's appointments have all gone well. She's growing and is totally off her reflux medicine, which is fantastic in all aspects. The GI was very pleased with her and said that she could be seen again if I found it necessary, but as of now he feels she's doing fine without him. Hannah was also thrilled to go to the "Tummy Doctor" and on our way into Baystate she was amazed at watching a medical helicopter of some kind take off from the landing pad behind the hospital.

Yesterday I did a favor for Kat and took all her girlies for a couple hours while she went to work. She really loves her new job (Polish interpreter, go Kat) and was almost equally excited that she'd be up close and personal with a Heart Catheterization. It was probably very cool, but we were in chaos here with 5 girls. But yet somehow, the cupcakes for the party got made. I have some pictures of it all even, but I have yet to download my camera :)

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

Busy Busy Busy

So because Norah's birthday is this week, we have a zillion and one appointments and errands and things to take care of. I don't normally have any problem with this, but their party is on Saturday and more people coming Sunday, so I also have a lot to do here. I'm a little frazzled, but what can you do. Yesterday the girls had their WIC appointments, and got weighed/measured, but thankfully not iron tested. Those finger pricks are the death of me when I'm alone with them. They're both growing well and staying on their curve according to WIC, but I find they're not generally reliable, so I try to wait for actual doctors appointments to update height/weight.

Norah also has a GI appointment today, and I'm really optimistic that this is her LAST appointment. She's been off all of her medicine for around 2 weeks and seems to be doing really well with it. She is eating actual food and drinking milk, so I'm hopeful that bottles will soon be a thing of the past as well. And we can get a naked weight and hopefully an actual height that I can believe.

Hannah also started gymnastics again last week, so she has that tomorrow and is eagerly looking forward it. Also of course she's looking forward to her birthday. Every morning now when I go in to get them up she asks "Is it my birthday today?!" I just ordered her birthday gift yesterday, but tracking says we'll get it in time to wrap it for her next Thursday. She asked for a kite, so I ordered her a very cute pink elephant kite from http://www.intothewind.com that hopefully she'll love. She informed us yesterday that she really wanted the shark kite, but that a pink elephant would be ok if there were no sharks left.

Tuesday, March 3, 2009

Monday, March 2, 2009

It's happened

My baby is officially no longer a baby, but a toddler. Though I will refuse to call her any such thing until she may actually be toddling. I'm very thankful she isn't. She's such a sweet happy little one so much of the time, I really can't complain. We've come a very long way in a year since she came, and I'd like to think I've done a decent job with her and managing two of them together.

And two pictures, The first at only a few hours old, and the second is the most recent I have.