Monday, August 30, 2010

Mommy is a Daycare Provider....well technically!!!

I have taken a job as a daycare provider, well co-provider, with a neighbor who runs a daycare from her home. She lives right across the street so Nora and I have been walking to work this week. It has been fun seeing Nora interact with all the kids and just seeing how kids act and play with each other. I am working mornings at the daycare, coming home and trying to have Nora take a nap, then off to volleyball. Nora has been a trooper with all of these huge changes in the past few weeks. I am hoping I continue to enjoy the job as much as I have this week and that Nora starts to like hanging out with other kids! It has been a season full of changes for Nora and mommy!

Saturday, August 28, 2010

Cousin Nate's Party

Matt's cousin, Nate, was in town from New York so his side of the family had a little party to see him. Nora enjoys going over to grandma and grandpa's house to see them (and their puppy Polo!) She loved Nate and kept smiling at him. She was a happy girl for most of the night.

Great Grandma Barb and Nora

Great Grandma Neva and Nora

Nate and Nora

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Dinner with Aunt Jenny

My sister was in town all week for a photo shoot for work. We were able to catch up with her at the Cheesecake Factory in Edina, which has my favorite meal of all time (Spicy Chicken Chipolte Pasta). She gave Nora her baptism gift which is this beautiful necklace that has a stone that is engraved with Nora's name and birthdate. It is such a great personalized gift, which I get to wear until Nora gets big enough to wear it. After dinner Jenny and I went to run a few errands, it was so fun to have sister time without our kids pulling at our attention, even if it was just running errands!!Aunt Jenny and Nora

Saturday, August 21, 2010

Cousins.....

My mom/dad watched Nora while I had volleyball practice and for the wedding we had last night. She hung out with all 7 our our nieces and nephews and then also got to hang out with my cousins' baby Laney. Laney loves to lay on the floor and kick her legs like a propeller-it is hilarious to watch. Nora is not quite sure about all the commotion when she gets together with her cousins, she was a bit needy and wanted to be held. Her cousins just love her so much and want to touch her, kiss her, love her and she is used to being ALONE. Hopefully she will get better with them all so they don't feel so sad when she 'disses' them. I forgot to take photos, sorry, so here are just a few!

Nora and Laney

Nora(8 mo) and Landrey(11 mo) taking a bath

Friday, August 20, 2010

Lucas and Jessie's Wedding

My college friend Lucas got married this weekend. His fiance, Jessi, is such a great person and they are perfect together. I made Jessi's veil and then altered her dress and bustled her train. She was a stunning bride, and Lucas was handsome as well. It was a fun wedding and it was great to see a bunch of college friends.

Me, Emily, Sarah

Emily, Lucas-THE GROOM, me


Emily and I

I didn't post any of the sweet pictures of me dancing...yes I DANCED!!!! They had dueling pianos and they were awesome. They really played well off each other and played GREAT songs to dance to, and if people went of the dance floor they were quick to change the song to something upbeat and fun to dance to. I don't know how much they paid for the 'dueling pianos' but it was so WORTH IT. A lot of people stayed until the end and danced the night away.
Such a fun night.....I didn't even miss Nora, OK WAIT OF COURSE I DID!!!!


Monday, August 16, 2010

Volleyball Starting, Nora 1st Babysitter

I started volleyball practice today. Did I tell you I am a volleyball coach? I am, for Chaska High School. I had been the 9th grade coach for Edina the last 2 years and then noticed there was an opening for a 9th grade position at Chaska. It is about 2 miles away from our house versus 25 miles to Edina. I was so excited to get the job, but at the same time SUPER intimidated since Chaska is known for their tradition of excellence in VOLLEYBALL!

Practice/Tryouts started on Monday and will go until the middle of October, a very short season. With it being a short season, Matt was able to figure out a way to work from home 1 day a week to watch Nora while I am at practice. Matt's mom, Anne, is also watching Nora 1 day a week and then I found some great babysitters to watch her for the other 3 afternoons while I am at practice. The girls go to Holy Family, a private school in Victoria. The 3 babysitters are all sisters and are so great with Nora. They even clean and put away dishes and pick up after themselves....I know alot of OLDER people who don't do that, so I am so super excited to have them watch Nora.

I feel so lucky to have met the babysitters, to have Matt be able to work from home and to have Matt's mom watch Nora so I am able to keep coaching and doing something I love to do....play/coach volleyball!!!

Saturday, August 14, 2010

Visiting Nora's Godparents

We visited Nora's Godparents' Kirsten and Ross at their home in Spicer. Kirsten and I have been friends since 7th grade, so a LONG time! It was their 6th wedding anniversary on Saturday so it was fun to celebrate with them. The weather was beautiful, and Nora loved driving the boat with Ross. I have a great video of this that I need to upload so you can see how cute he is with her. We went to Sibley Park and hiked up to Mount Tom, very exciting!!!!
At the Top of Mount Tom

On the way down from Mount Tom

Nora, wow, PINK!

Kirsten and Nora
Ross and Matt lounging in the water

Family Photo 2010

Ross and Nora Driving the Boat.
Watch where you are going!!!!!

Friday, August 13, 2010

Some Random Photos....

Aren't I just so sweet.....

Smiles!

Yep that is Nora standing on her moving rocking chair
.....and I am the GREAT parent who takes a photo instead of taking her down!

I love my Burt's Bees Lotion!

Nora at the beach....hanging out on the blanket my grandma made her

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Dinnar at Aunt Katie and Adam's New Apartment

Adam, Matt, Katie and Nora

Adam and Nora

Cute!

We went to see Katie and Adam----they made us dinner. Yummy! Spaghetti and bread and salad and wine.......oh and creme brulee! Nora loved the creme brulee. She also loved crawling around the new space and checking out everything at their new place. At one point while the adults were eating, she crawled away and then turned around and realized "why am I so far away" and got sad!! Nora loved hanging out with them and stayed up way past her bedtime. She fell asleep on the way home and was out all night!
Adam, toasting our creme brulee- yes with a propane tank!!!!

Friday, August 6, 2010

Meeting Angie for Lunch

Nora, eating some baby paper, and Angie
Nora and Angie

We met our friend Angie for lunch at the california pizza kitchen today. Yummy food and good conversation. We were able to hear about updates on their adoption process and see how her summer is going. We later met up with Matt, his dad, and his grandma who were at Southdale as well for lunch.

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

8 Months OLD

So happy!

Whoops - so happy I pushed all the blocks off the chair!


What you looking at?


These blocks are made to be eaten right?

Nora is 8 months old. She weighed only 17 pounds 11.5 ounces when I brought her in to the clinic becuase she was crabby and pulling at her ears (doctor said her ears look beautiful.....so she is just crabby!!!!)
She loves:
feeding herself with adult food -she tried to put my whole special k bar in her mouth one day

trying to pull herself up on furniture -I went to check on her during one of her naps and she was standing up in her crib walking around, she saw me and got scared and fell over and needed some hugging to ease her pain

her daddy -he gets home from work and then needs 'a snack, to go to the bathroom, and to change' and from the moment he leaves her she cries until he gets back downstairs to play with her

crawling -she can get around so fast now and gets pretty excited that she can get places on her own

smiling for the camera -she knows what the 'big lights' are all about and most of the time starts smiling when the camera comes out.

babbling - she is really good at saying dadadadad but no mmmmm's yet (so no mamamama yet!)

sleeping -she has been sleeping all night long from 7:15-7:30pm until 8:30-9am. I think she is going through a growth spurt. I am loving being able to wake up in the morning and have a little alone time and to be able to brush my teeth before noon! Even though she is sleeping so much at night, she is still taking good naps! It really is too good to be true!

Monday, August 2, 2010

Swimming Lessons


Nora (and Matt) finished up swimming lessons this week. I have NOT stepped back into the pool since our 'puking episode' a few weeks ago. Matt and Nora really loved the time together and enjoyed the water. She got a certificate stating she passed Parent/Child 1. Nora's first certificate of achievement!!!!!