Trip to Bloomington.....

I hadn't been to Bloomington for about 4 months and now in the last 2 weeks I have been there 4 times. One time to meet up with my cousin, and 3 times to drop off Amy at the airport! She ran some errands with Nora and I, we went to Ikea to pick up an umbrella and Babies R Us to exchange something!

Here is Amy at Ikea with Nora....I don't quite know what she is doing, awkwardly picking Nora up?

First Ear Infection

Nora was diagnosed with her first ear infection. She had NOT been sleeping well at all and started to pull her ear so I brought her into the clinic. Yes, she has an ear infection. We got some medicine and some ear numbing drops to help with any discomfort.

Poor Girl...she doesn't look to happy about it does she?

Book Group

Our bi-weekly book group. Betsy is so good at taking photos of us each week. Here we are again. The babies are getting so big!

Visitor....

My cousin Erika came over for the day! We hung out and she helped with Nora while we ran a few fabric errands. We went for a walk, which was a BAD idea since it was SO hot and muggy outside!!

Nora on our walk...was wiggling around in her carseat (yeah yeah I should have her buckled in!)

Erika and Nora, I was making dinner and they were hanging out having fun!

A Trip to the Park

Megan, Greg (her boyfriend) and Nora

We went to Cornelia Park in Edina to meet one of Matt's college friends. It was a beautiful day! We caught up on each others lives and enjoyed the weather! They got her some great books....."Good Night Moon", "I love you forever" (one of my FAVorites!!!), and a "Color/Touch and Feel" books. Thank you Megan and Greg. Greg also does photography so we are going to hook up with him sometime this summer to take photos of our dear daughter!!! Check out his website, some pretty cool photos - carbonsilver.com
We'll have to do it again, it was fun just relaxing and catching up.

Bye Bye Peacock and Cupie Doll Look!!!!!!

Nora's hair has gotten so long and 'fluffy'.....that I decided she needed a haircut. Her bangs were always in her eyes and her back hair was always sticking up like a peacock. Matt LOVED her peacock hair and when he would bathe her would purposely not comb the hair so it would stick up all over!!!! Here are HORRIBLE photos of her 'before' and 'after'. Her hair is SO blond now, so cute! We kept the hair to put it in her baby book.

Nora Before......wow not a good photo (I love my baby, and MOST photos of her are adorable, but eesh, this is a "I just woke up, why are you taking a photo of me!' photo)

Nora After.....no flyaways, no peacock hair, no cupie doll look
She is now a 'big girl'.
A better picture of her haircut! She also LOVES putting her fingers/hands in her mouth!!

Nora "Helping" Mommy

I have gotten a few diaper bag orders from my baby gift business. I set up an etsy account and have a few products for sale on there. I haven't had too much time to add any more products, but hopefully will get to putting more stuff on the website soon! I wish I could say that 'some random' people found my awesome stuff through the internet and asked for some diaper bags, but really the diaper bags are for some 'really lucky ladies' in Marshall who know my sister. I needed to get this backpack diaper bag done for a momma who was about to have twins anyday. Nora ended up 'helping' me sew becuase I put her in her Bumbo chair and she tried to touch everything on the table! I thought it was pretty cute.....and some day when I make it BIG and am rolling in the dough, we will look back on this tiny little operation and chuckle!!!

Nora helping mommy sew

Nora trying to touch the diaper bag....good thing it isn't sharp like the pins & needles!!!

Finished product....Hooray! Pretty cute huh?

Surprise Visit from Grandma and Grandpa

My parents were on their way to Branson and they decided to swing through Chaska on their way down south. We met up for a QUICK lunch at Arbys before they headed to St. Louis for a Cardinals baseball game. The last time they saw Nora was Easter, so she had changed quite a bit.

Papa Lee and Nora....wearing matching colored shirts!!

Nora was not cooperating and did not look at the camera, but here is my mom and dad (Deb & Lee) with Nora

Grandma with Nora....

Nora looks like she has spotted a Roast Beef sandwich and needs to eat it NOW!!!!!!

The BEST sound ever.......

There isn't even a need to write anything about this.....it truly is the BEST sound ever......

First Trip to the MOA....

My cousin Ashley was in town picking up her friend,Nancy, from the airport. Nancy lives in Florida and works at the Bubba Gump restaurant there. So.....they invited Nora and I to meet them at the Bubba Gump Restaurant at the MOA. Nora had not been there, and she knew she had been missing out on all the MOA fun!!! Here are some photos of the glorious day. We ate wonderful food, caught up with the family, and even had our picture taken with the 'shrimp'.

Nora looking at Laney

Me, Nora and 'the shrimp'

Nora and Laney.....I thought Nora was a peanut, but Laney is such a tiny peanut.

Nora was about 5 months and Laney is about 2 months.

My cousin Ashley with her beautiful baby Laney

The babies with 'the Shrimp' --Erika my cousin is holding Nora on the left, Nancy is holding Laney on the right.

My Husband---the BEST husband EVER!!!!

My husband is awesome! He took a half day today, knowing that we haven't gotten to spend a ton of time together since I got a part time job at Home Depot and we work opposite hours, and I work all weekend long. He took off at noon from work and surprised me with my FAVORITE food, Spicy Chicken Chipotle Pasta from the Cheesecake Factory. What a great guy!!! I was even able to get an errand done since he (and Nora) took a nap so I was able to run and get some fabric for some baby stuff I am sewing for a few clients. What a great end of the week. I love him so much, only he would know that I needed some 'matt time' and my favorite food today! Here is a photo of a bunch of my favorite things.....Spicy Chicken Chipotle Pasta, Bread, Sunlight, Matt, Nora,



Nora and Matt were listening to some music and Nora decided to sing along to 'Empire State of Mind'....pretty cute, if you ask me!

Ice Cream......

I scream, You scream, Nora screams for Ice Cream!!!!

Nora and I went to visit my 'pretend' cousin at the Eden Prairie mall. Kevin just became an uncle so I told him he should 'practice' taking care of babies with Nora! He did a great job. We ended up getting Dairy Queen, I got a cone and he a blizzard. Nora saw him eating the blizzard with his spoon and every time she saw the spoon going to his mouth, she would open her mouth thinking she was eating. It was so cute (and hilarious!) Here are a few photos, which don't capture the moment, but I tried!!

Looking at Kevin eating 'her' ice cream.

Opening her mouth, thinking 'Why is this spoon not feeding ME?'

Taking a lick of mommy's ice cream cone. yummy!

Nora's Clinic Visit

So I brought Nora in to the clinic on Thursday because she had a bit of a tickle in her throat and with me working all weekend long, I didn't want Matt to worry about her. I wanted to make sure she was healthy, as we did just make her take family photos in the cold and hail last weekend!!

The doctor took a look at her and said that she doesn't have a cold, didn't have a fever, but had a few bumps on her throat(probably something viral). So that is why she is coughing. He said it was probably something minor but to keep an eye on it.
She weighed 14 lbs and 8 oz--she is getting so big, we just took out all her 6-9 month clothes and washed and took the tags off. She is a lucky girl---look at all these tags....

Photos from Twins Game

The field (or should I say right field) from our seats....why I didn't take a photo of the actual bases, I don't know!

Tanner and I at the Twins Game

Courtney, Jenn, and I at Twins Game

Jenn and I at the 1987 World Series 'guy'

1st Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to me! It was just like any other day....well actually no it wasn't because I didn't spend it with my darling daughter, which was a bit sad. My brother brought all my siblings(and spouses) to the Twins game at Target Field so Grandma and Grandpa Forslund watched Nora during the day.

It was the first time for most of us at the new stadium and it was an amazing site. I still am on the fence and miss the metrodome (I know, anti-MN) but I really enjoyed not having to bundle up and wear 10 layers in order to watch a baseball game. Good thing it was a bit sunny and not too cold and NOT raining. I would not have gone had it been raining.....I know not a very good fan! Thanks B, for the tickets...we did have a blast and it is always fun to hang out with family!

Nora hung out with her Grandma and Grandpa at their house and they say she was a great baby! Maybe next year we'll all hang out as a family on Mother's Day! oh and Matt got me a card that was signed "thanks and best regards-Matt" and a hydrangea plant----anyone know how to care for a hydreangea plant? let me know as I don't want to kill it.

Looking back and knowing how badly I have always wanted to be a mother, I cherished my first mother's day even though it may not have been what I had expected. I always think of my mother on mother's day and what a great job she did raising me and my 3 siblings....well I turned out alright! To be a mother is amazing and I truly love every minute of it. Nora is my light and joy and laughter. Every day she does something to make me just love her more. I love being a mommy, it is the best thing in the world! I love having this daughter who lights up when I walk into the room and giggles at me shaking a stuffed cat at her.

There was an article in American Baby (which you can subscribe to for free !!!!) that states:
12 Reasons to Love Being a Mom:
1- You receive a reception worthy of the next American Idol even though you'd only left the room for a minute to get more wipes.
2- There's no better exercise program than chasing after your baby/toddler
3- When was the last time a grown-up hugged you simply for buying cookies?
4- you can't very well put videos of your husband dancing to Beyonce's "Single Ladies" on YouTube. But the baby....upload away
5-Babies don't accidentally butt-call your cell phone and they NEVER hog the remote.
6- Nothing's sexier than a man holding a baby---except for a man changing a diaper.
7- The 100th reading of Goodnight Moon is every bit as good as the first.
8- You no longer look quite as silling dressing up for Halloween.
9-You've got a built-in excuse for RSVP'ing "No" whenever you feel like it
10-Somebody loves you no matter what you're wearing, what you're doing, or how long it has been since you showered
11-Naptime
12-Alarm clocks are WAY more appealing when they're wearing footie pajamas.

I loved this list....Babyhood goes by way too fast. So we all need to stop and appreciate the lovely, funny and just plain crazy little moments that happen every day and ALWAYS remember how much we love being moms.

Happy Mother's Day to all you mommies out there!