The Stacks

Norah Jayne - 15 Months

2012-01-16T09:30:00.000-05:00

My Daughter

2011-12-02T12:51:00.001-05:00

Guest post by: Kirk Marshall

My daughter Norah, whom most of you know from the various photographs taken of her wearing ostentatious head-gear, is by far the most significant and wonderful thing I’ve ever had a part in creating. She is gorgeous, charming, smart, funny, energetic, cute and (you’ll have to forgive the effusive praise) the greatest thing in the rather immense history of things.

On those days that start out bad, continue bad, and threaten to end bad, all I have to do to cheer the darkening doom is imagine my classroom door opening and Norah teetering energetically and inquisitively into the room with her giant eyes dancing and her fists clenched expectantly. Presumably, she is either impersonating an inebriated dinosaur or she is prepared to spar with some diminutive pugilist. In a moment of unspeakable joy, she realizes that she has just entered a room that I occupy. Her glowing eyes light up more. Her face flexes into a crooked, spasmodic smile. She wrinkles her nose and shouts, “Da-da-da!” Sometimes she just babbles breathlessly. She is so clearly thrilled that the next few moments are to be shared with me that it:

melts me into a puddle of emotional gibberish so that I crawl (matching her chaotic glee) as fast as I can, so I can hug her, kiss her, and tickle her,
braces me to face any possible situation or trial because she believes in me, even though she has no idea what “believing in me” means or what on earth it is she’s believing in me to do,
reminds me of the joy that can be found in loving someone without reserve,
totally minimizes that awful, wafting poop-smell.

Just yesterday, Norah spent fifteen minutes standing right in front of me marveling at how I was blowing bubbles with my bubble gum. Every time I blew one, she would tentatively grab or poke at it, sometimes successfully popping it and pulling strands of purple gum toward her own mouth. Other times, the bubble would pop on its own and she would watch intently as I dabbed the residue off my chin, chewed, and reloaded for another bubble. She would turn her head and lean in for closer scrutiny. She wanted so desperately to make her own bubbles that she began to make smacking and popping noises with her own mouth.

One thing that Norah hasn’t figured out is that I’m the funny one, not Mommy. I say the most droll things to her and I get only a strange smile. When Mommy does her Excited-For-No-Apparent-Reason Dance (which involves kicking, hopping, and completely losing all dignity), Norah gets hysterical. She runs in place and spins gracelessly, and the two of them, in what seems to be a rare display of spastic upmanship, eventually devolve into heathen flailing and chanting.
Also, as scads of nieces and nephews can aver, my tickle skills are unparalleled. But Norah only manages a condescending chuckle when the trademark Ticklebug (t) emerges to attack her. However, when Mommy tickles her, she has joy-seizures (I call dibs on Joy Seizures as a band name).

“What does a puppy say, Norah?” usually gets the correct(-ish) response of “Woo! Woo! Woo!” from our young savant. We quickly realized that monkeys also say “Woo! Woo! Woo!” only a semi-tone higher and with a slightly more impish look in the eye. Cows say, “Wooo! Wooo!” (moderately lower and more prolonged), if the topic of farm animals ever arises in our casual conversation. One of the few animal vocabularies that Norah has mastered that does not consist of words in the Woo variety is that of the snake. When asked, “What does a s-s-s-snake say?” Norah generally hisses. Sometimes her hisses can be a bit gurgly, as if the snake in question is using a straw to noisily finish off a Big Gulp.

I’m not sure if this post will be published before or after Thanksgiving. In Florida, the Marshall family traditionally participated in ‘Bama Bowl with the Churchill family on Thanksgiving evening. My brother and I are unforgivably excited about this year’s inaugural Hilltop Bowl, which will feature some promising rookies. Norah is pretty low on the depth-chart, but I’d like to see her get a few downs under her belt. She’s been practicing open-field running in our living room. You should have seen the balance she showed to stay on her feet and keep going after that hit that the ottoman put on her - truly remarkable footwork! I think we can convince whomever our quarterback is to dump it off to her in the flat to see if she can break a tackle or two and pick up positive yardage. On the defensive side, she’s sure to be pass rusher, most likely from an inside position like nose-tackle. A month ago, cousin Cole was riding some form of toy car through Nana’s living room. Norah came from the blind side and completely upended the car - with Cole on it - using sheer brute strength. And, in her own living room, she is the queen of the blitz. If she sees Daddy kneeling or sitting, he is dead meat. Yesterday, I was completely lying down and she still came in hard with the power-rush, leading with the head. She should have been flagged for a late-hit personal foul, but the referee was checking Facebook.

*Note: Since beginning writing this, Hilltop Bowl has come and gone. Norah elected only to observe and cheer from the playroom window. Uncle Matt can thank his lucky stars.

Only recently, Norah has shown an increased interest in books. She lets Mommy or Daddy finish entire books in one sitting without wrenching them from our grasp to chew on. Her go-to reads are You Are Special by Max Lucado, Bunny My Honey by Anita Jeram, and Harry the Dirty Dog by Gene Zion (the last one isn’t really one she’ll get off the shelf on her own, but if I ignore her choices long enough, she’s bound to get that one eventually). She prefers those custom books in which we supply photographs of family or her as a baby and she always gets a kick out of books that have pictures of puppies. Whenever I try to read a Daddy book, she wants to get on my lap and help me turn pages. It’s difficult to articulate the differences in structural integrity between the thin paper of Daddy books and the thick cardboard of Norah books. But I love that she loves books. She’ll play for a pretty long time in her room alone with various toys, but eventually, there will be a long quiet period. When I go by to check on her, she’ll often be standing quietly by her books making a selection.

I loved books when I was little, but I loved stuffed animals more. I can’t even begin to describe the odd nature of my stuffed-animal-play-time growing up. Well, I can begin: It was called Animal Baseball, and it’s everything it sounds like and way, way more (including running statistics for entire seasons). Norah is developing quite an entourage of stuffed buddies. Currently, her favorites are Ted (Jodi refers to him as Ted E. Bear, but I refer to him as Ted E. Sheringham), Wralph Wrinkles, and Tuppy the Puppy. All three of these occupy her bed right now, and, when she wakes up in the morning, she likes to converse with them.

Having a child is so many things to me and I’m grateful for each of those. But one of those things stands out to me: Having a child is rejoicing in the things you love about childhood through the eyes of your child. This is one of my prayers for my daughter: God, thank you for the joy of Norah - the joy she brings to us and the joy with which she lives her life. Help me to live my life with child-like joy that brings joy to others, so they can know the true Source of joy.

Norah Jayne - 13 Months

2011-11-13T19:10:00.001-05:00

Norah Jayne's First Birthday

2011-11-06T10:44:00.000-05:00

We celebrated Norah's birthday on Saturday, October 15, which was EARLY... So, in order to bring balance back to the universe, I am posting her party pictures LATE.

And (of course) that is the ONLY reason. It isn't like I forgot about it or anything...

Norah's first birthday party was so much fun for me to plan. It was surreal though. I kept thinking, I can't believe I am planning MY child's first birthday party!

As far as the theme and decor goes, I looked online for inspiration; the www did not disappoint. I saw this lovely strawberry themed birthday party and fell in l.o.v.e. with the idea.

I decided to go cheap and make my own decor, so I set to work.

I wanted to try my hand at making a custom pennant banner. I bought my fabric and then went online and printed off the alphabet letters: N, O, R, A, and H to use as templates. I traced each letter onto the pink and red gingham fabric, and then, I cut them out and sewed them on to the burlap triangles. After that, I took alternating strips of the red and pink gingham and tied them onto a piece of twine. Then, using mini wooden cloths pins, I attached the burlap pennants to the twine. Ta-Da! (Sorry, Jeremy!)

I found a free strawberry template online and used it and some cute paper from the craft store to make strawberry cutouts for the banner and table decor.

I bought plain labels from Michael's and then personalized them for treat bags and drink bottle labels.

Another project I worked on was this little dress.
It was my first experience making a dress of any kind. It's sort of like a pillow case dress except that it was not made from a pillow case and I didn't use a pattern. I did consult this tutorial for a general idea of where to start.

Oh, and I also learned how to do shirring!
It is not as difficult as I thought it would be. Here is a great tutorial.

No dress is complete without the appropriate head gear...

So, I made this BIG red, pink, white and green strawberrylicious bow! I used this tutorial to make the ribbon strawberry that is in the center of the bow.

We decided to have the birthday party at Sharon Woods. We love that park and Norah and I go there often. It is just a beautiful place to spend the day.

The Menu:
Grilled Hamburgers with fixin's
Baked Beans
Chips
Strawberry Crush
Water
Annnnnd.... Strawberry PIE! ♥

My mother in law, Sherilyn, makes the BEST strawberry pie in the world. Not joking.
Sherilyn made 12 mini pies and one large pie for the party. They were scrumptious.

Funny story... neither Kirk nor I had ever used a charcoal grill, so we had a bit of trouble. (I nearly lost my eyebrows.) Thankfully Uncle Scott saved the day with his mad grilling skills!

Norah really enjoyed her pie. She even "shared" a little with mommy (she smeared cool whip all over my face).
She was not too fond of the balloons, however. She had a bit of a meltdown over them. So sad, but kind of funny too. ♥

And of course there were gifts... thank you all. ♥
She loves EVERYTHING.

The PEOPLE that came to help us celebrate made the day extra special: Nana and Papaw Marshall, Aunt Ashley, Uncle Scott and Cole, Aunt Jennifer, Zach, Jake, and Ellie, Beth, Jon and Aviah, Liz and Ava, Emilie, Jeremy and Annabel Leach. Thank you all for coming!

Speaking of the people, I failed to get pictures of everyone.
I should have at least got one with all the kids...
Oh ~~poop~~ poughkeepsie!
However, if it were not for Aunt Jennifer and Aunt Ashley, there are many of these pictures that I wouldn't have.
So, a hearty Thank You to Aunt Jennifer and Aunt Ashley for helping take pictures!

It was a fun day, glitches and all.
Happy Birthday, Tootsie!

Silence

2011-10-26T01:05:00.002-04:00

Silence: The condition or quality of being or keeping still and silent.

This picture has nothing to do with this post... ♥

I have been thinking about silence. More specifically, I have been wondering why I am so uncomfortable with it. Why is it hard for me to just be?
Last night I found myself on my front porch enjoying a few moments of doing nothing. Just sitting there. No baby. No husband. No cell phone. No Internet. No ipod. Nothing. Just me and my thoughts.
It wasn't more than a few minutes before I started thinking of something that I COULD be doing WHILE enjoying my moments of leisure:

Facebook
Blog reading
Watching the next episode of________
Chatting on the phone

You get it.

Harmless right? These things are the spice of life. The additives.
They are to life what ketchup is to pot roast.
Sweet and zingy- and totally unnecessary.

So, I was just getting ready to go inside to get my cell phone, but I stopped myself.
I decided to just soak up the beautiful evening "as is" without any additives.

You should probably know that I am constantly making lists both literally and mentally.
I've got:

my prayer list
the Norah list
the Kirk list
a running grocery list
the bill list (what's due and when)
my appointment list
my fake wish list (warm cozy socks and world peace)
my REAL wish list (this awesome lens and a girdle that "hides" around 75 lbs.)
the fix-it list
the housework list
my self-improvement list
my personal goals list
my bad habits (which I hope to someday overcome) list
my regret list (Currently at the top: "Why did I share my girdle wish with the www?")
my reading list

My point is this: I had just added another chore to one of my many lists.

This is how it went:

Inhale.
Note the pleasant coolness of the smokey breeze.
Exhale

Inhale
Note the pretty glow from the jack-o-lanterns on the porch.
Exhale.

Ok! Scribble. Scribble. Scribble.
(That was me scratching: ~~Enjoy the beautiful evening "as is"~~ off my to-do list.)

Now that, THAT'S done... on to something else!

When did it become a chore to listen to the skittering leaves as they wash across the street?
When did this cloak become uncomfortable and ill fitting?
When did I become this person that needs non-stop entertainment (passive or otherwise)?

Poet and Pulitzer Prize winner, Marianne Moore is quoted as saying, "One should above all, learn to be silent, to listen; to make possible promptings from on high."
I wonder, how many times have I missed that still, small voice because I was too busy doing?

Hmmm. Something to think about.

...and then there was YOU! ♥ (part two)

2011-10-10T01:23:00.003-04:00

Norah's Birth Story: Part-Two

We got home, and my mom, Nana, had everything clean and smelling so nice! Nana Marshall and Nana Freeman made a welcome home sign for Norah Jayne and there were balloons and everything.

I look a bit loopy in this picture... I was on pain medication. ☺

We introduced Norah to her new room.

Girl talk...

She was all cheeks when she was first born. ♥

Now comes the less pleasant part of the story...

The point of me sharing any of this is because I desire to be authentic. Confession: I have a bad habit of glossing over things or minimizing experiences that have been painful so that I can more easily sweep them under the rug... and forget they ever happened. I don't like the mess. I don't like the ugliness. God forbid that anyone KNOW I am not perfect... ha.ha.

But this story of Norah's birth and the things that I (a new momma) have experienced this first year are important and I don't want to write words here that paint a picture that isn’t accurate to what really happened or how I was really feeling.

I just keep thinking that Norah will some day, by God's grace, have children of her own; she may struggle with some of the things I struggled with- I HOPE and PRAY not, but you never know. My hope is that she will know my story and know that she is not alone. Perhaps someone reading this needs to know they are not alone.

The gut honest truth is- we all want to know that we aren't alone. There is tremendous comfort in that knowledge.

So here goes...
The first week home with Norah I think I was in a fog. Every little cry sent me reeling with indecision. Should I pick her up, should I not? Should I rock her, should I not? Was she hungry? Was she in pain? I was exhausted, but I couldn't rest because I was totally on edge and full of worry.

We were trying the Babywise method and I was torn because my instincts were to run to her whenever she cried; yet, I felt like if I did that I would "ruin" what we wanted to accomplish through using the Babywise method. My sister was such a big help during those times of confusion. She helped me navigate those murky waters.

Note: The Babywise method is a great tool, and though by no means is it the Holy Grail of child rearing technique, it does work.

Second Note: It is best to throw the schedule out the window the first couple of weeks and just roll with it.

Speaking of being helpful, my mother stayed with us the week before I gave birth and the week after. She was a big help around the house doing laundry and cooking and cleaning. I don't know what we would have done without her help.

My husband joked that before a dirty towel could hit the laundry basket, mom had it washed and folded! That's just mom.

I have to confess... during my first week home I was tired, sore and I was having a lot of trouble breastfeeding which led to mucho frustration. To put it mildly, I was hormonal and not very pleasant to be around. But mom stuck it out and for that she should be commended.

L.O.N.G. before that first week was out it was becoming all too clear that life WAS in transition. Things WERE changing. Life would NEVER be the same.

There are few things that those who know me well - or too well - know about me. However, you may not know these things, so I'll just put 'em out there.

I don't deal with change very well.
I tend to be a pessimist, downer, killjoy, and prophetess of doom all rolled into one major party pooper.
I like to feel like (or at least THINK) I have control.
I have major body image issues.
I struggle with never feeling good enough.

As you can probably imagine, having just given birth to my first born, I was faced with all of these "issues" at one time and I was NOT coping well.

Here are a few words that kind of sum up the next few months...

Exhaustion

Love

Tears

Sadness

Fear

Confusion

Joy

Failure

Guilt

Anger

Transition

Laughter

Tears

Ingratitude

Weakness

Tears

Frustration

Wonder

Anxiety
Panic Attacks

Tears

Darkness

Postpartum Depression

Prozac

Weight gain

Tears

Self-pity

Each of these words has a story. Some too painful to think about, let alone write out in excruciating detail. So I won't. I don't think I need to. I think you get it.

Please do not misunderstand- I never for one moment wished Norah away.

But.

I did question my capability to be a good mother.

I did doubt that God knew what He was doing.

I did fear that I would somehow mess Norah up.

I did have uncertainty as to how we would be able to financially "make it."

I did wonder if I would ever feel normal again.

I did struggle with the changes in my body.

I did feel like a total failure on most days.

The negative self-talk and negative thoughts were overwhelming!

I had so much "noise" in my mind- it was constant. Deafening. Like a staticky radio station going at full volume. It was hard to think rationally let alone pray.
I just held Norah and cried- A LOT.

I was a mess.

God saw and had compassion on me.

One way that I was able to find help was by seeking professional, Christian counsel.

It *just so happens* that my husband works for a school that offers free/ low cost counseling for employees and their families. Of course, I was intimidated and embarrassed to talk to a counselor. I felt stigmatized.

However, I was desperate so I made the call and set up an appointment. Let me say this: of any of the benefits that GBS has to offer its employees, this is by far the greatest.

Another way God showed his compassion for me was by leading me across the blog of Marianne Brown who *just happened* to be sharing about her recent struggles and victories. She mentioned that she was using a program by Jim Berg, called "Quieting a Noisy Soul" and after asking her a few questions and talking to Kirk, I decided to purchase it. I am so glad that I did.

The two major truths I (re)learned from this program were (taken straight from the book)-

God is always good- always.

Which means:

He will always meet my genuine needs- always!
He will always forgive my sin- always!
He is always up to something good in my life- always!
He will always love me personally- always!
He will always give me the grace I need- always!

God is always great- always.

Which means:

He is always in control of ALL things- always!
He is always present with me- always!
He is always the same- always!
He is always trustworthy- always!
He is always wise in what He does- always!

The program also gives Scriptures for you to memorize that back up each of these truths.

Never a bad idea to memorize scripture, right?

Right.

The objective is to know these truths so well that you are able to test every "stray thought" by them. Remember all the noise in my mind that I spoke of earlier?

Having the Truth as a filter for all my thoughts (aka: noise) sure made things a lot quieter.

I could think clearly. It was easier spot the lies and the irrational thinking. God's Word is powerful.

Even today...

When I wonder, "What is God thinking giving me this little person to raise?"
I remember that God is always up to something good in my life- always! And, He is always wise in what He does- always!

When I am paralyzed by fear or struggle with panic, I remember: He will always meet my genuine needs- always! He will always give me the grace I need- always! He is always in control of ALL things- always!

Truly, Norah is a blessing!

Sure she brought dreaded "change" into my life, her arrival stirred the pot of my stagnant existence. Her arrival was the impetus that forced me to admit that I can not - try as I may - control everything in my glossy *good and perfect* world.

Folks, that may seem like a small thing, but the compulsive need to control can lead to some terrifying places.

And so here I am a year later.
Still haven't lost the baby weight.
Still mourning the loss of my glorious shoe collection due to a whole shoe size increase.
Still me.
But I am thankful. I am finding joy in midst.
It isn't that I've got it all figured out. I definitely do not.

It has been a YEAR and there are still a lot of issues I am working through...

The difference between now and before is that I AM working on them.
I am striving to be authentic.
I am working on replacing negative core beliefs with positive core beliefs.

I am no longer sweeping the "uglies" under the rug and pretending that everything is fine.

I am learning that God is GOOD no matter what and that I am good enough.
I am learning that ALL things come from His hand and in EVERYTHING I am compelled to give thanks.

I am not just working on me for... me. I am doing it for Norah too. Why?

Little Eyes Upon You

There are little eyes upon you
and they're watching night and day.
There are little ears that quickly
take in every word you say.
There are little hands all eager
to do anything you do;
And a little girl who's dreaming
of the day she'll be like you.

You're the little angel's idol,
you're the wisest of the wise.
In her little mind about you
no suspicions ever rise.
She believes in you devoutly,
holds all you say and do;
She will say and do, in your way
when she's grown up just like you.

There's a wide-eyed little girl
who believes you're always right;
and her eyes are always opened,
and she watches day and night.
You are setting an example
every day in all you do;
For the little girl who's waiting
to grow up to be like you.

Author Unknown

...I can't afford NOT to.

...and then there was YOU! ♥ (part one)

2011-10-09T22:31:00.002-04:00

Norah Jayne's first birthday is just a few days away so I decided to write about the day of her arrival. It was a red-letter day, and one I hope never to forget.

A picture I took while on my walk the day before Norah Jayne arrived.
It is a deliciously golden tree right outside of our home!

OnSunday, October 17, 2010 I bet you can't remember what you were doing.
Well, I can. I was having contractions. They were not regular, but theywere persistent. And while they were not unbearably painful, they wereuncomfortable.
I went for a walk- THREE miles to be exact. It wasexhausting to say the least. But I was determined that this little girl was going to come sooner than later.
It seemed to make my contractionsmore frequent so I called my doctor.
She said to time them foranother hour and to call her back.

Idid. They were still irregular ranging from five minutes to 20minutes apart and still not too painful.

But,believing that I had an extraordinarily high tolerance for pain, Iwas worried that I could be in labor and not even know it.(Ha!) The Doctor said to come to the hospital and they would check meout.

At10:00 PM, I got to the hospital and they took me back to thetriage area... hooked me up to the monitors and did someinvestigating. Turns out I was having a lot "uterine activity"(aka: contractions) but they were just not the kind that "meantbusiness."

Thenurse pretty much told me that I needed to "chillax."She told me I looked dehydrated and exhausted and that my bodywasn't going to be able do what it needed to do as long as I was soworked up.

Shehad a lot to say and she meant business.

Shegave me fluids and two Ambien (sleeping pills) andsent me home with instructions to relax and sleep. By the time I gothome (around 1:00 AM) the pills were taking effect and Iguess I started saying some pretty crazy things so Kirk put me tobed. Kirk said that as he helped into bed I asked him, "Do youthink this boat will hold both of us?" Ha!

At5:00 AM I woke from a sound sleep with what I can only describe asthe most awful pain I. have. ever. experienced. It was like thestomach flu on steroids. In my haze of pain I vaguely remembered thenurse telling me that if I started have regular contractions that Ishould not rush to the hospital, but wait about TWO hours. She said,"Do whatever it takes to relax: get in the bathtub, walk,breath, lay on your left side, etc..." I did all those things. Ifelt kind of in a daze (compliments of the Ambien I am sure).

Iwas watching the clock. The contractions were every 5-6 minutes.

Finally,at one point, when I was on all fours in the middle of theliving room breathing through a contraction, my mom said,"We need to go NOW!"

But,I wasn't sure I should because it had only been an hour and half andnot two hours.

(ObviouslyMY common sense was not in working order at the moment.)

However,mom's common sense won out... and off we went to the hospital.

Ididn't even get out of my PJ's! If anyone saw me and wasscandalized by the sight of a pregnant women in her PJ's... oncampus...come see me, I'll apologize to you in person.

Kirk,upon entering the hospital lobby, politely (yet slightly panicked)asked no one in particular- "Can I get a wheelchair!?" A dearwoman wearing a uniform in the lobby assessed that I was inactive labor and volunteered to get me to Labor and Deliverypost haste.

Onceback in triage I was greeted by the same nurse who I'll fondly referto as "Nurse No Nonsense."

(Honestly,she kind of scared me... but it was nice to see a familiarface.)

Shechecked, sure enough I was having the real thing this time.

Uponinvestigation she exclaimed that I was already dilated to 7 cm!

Ibelieve she patted my leg and said, "Good girl!"

Inever felt prouder.

Theytook me directly to the labor and delivery room. I barely got myepidural.

AllI can say is- YOU MUST BE INSANE IF YOU CHOOSE NOT TO GET ANEPIDURAL!

Eitherthat or you are one brave momma.

Thepain of each contraction was so intense I thought I would pass out.

Somuch for my theory of having a high pain tolerance... I am only fleshafter all. **wink**

OnceI got the epidural, all was well. I won't say labor was entirelywithout discomfort, but NOTHING like what it was before.

Theyinvestigated again, and I was complete! Time to start pushing...

Ipushed for about 45 minutes. My epidural was not so strong that Icould not feel the contractions building which really helped me topush with all my might. Also, they had this handy mirror positionedso I could see all the commotion. (I have a strong stomach,fortunately.) It was great motivation to push a little harder when Icould see her head start to crown! And of course, Kirk was therehelping me all along the way giving me a strong hand to hold and lots ofencouragement.

Shewas ready!

Sowas I...

Andthen she arrived.
All 21 inches, 8 pounds and 13 ounces of beautiful Norah Jayne Marshall.

Kirkwas all set to cut the cord, but at the last minute the doctordecided to do it because the cord was looped around Norah's neck.Blessedly, she was OK and her APGAR score at one minute was an "8"and at five minutes was a "9".

Sidenote: The pediatrician said it was virtually impossible for ababy to get a 10 because it would look like they(the professionals) didn't "look hard enough" or"pay close attention to the details" if they gave a baby a10... weird, slightly paranoid, but... interesting trivia.

Theylaid her on my chest... goop and all. I remember thinking how lovelyand pale her skin was and how pink her lips looked in contrast. Shewas beautiful! They took her away to clean her up, and I don't knowwhat all transpired... but at some point they brought her back to meand I kissed her pretty little mouth. It makes me emotional to recallthe moment my life completely changed. I have a new ache in my heart.It is not a bad ache... just a tender and vulnerable spot that I nowcarry. She is our baby. Our little girl. Wow.

We had several visitors: Nana Freeman, Nana and Papaw Marshall, the Reiff's, the Durr's, Leroy, Emilie Leach and President Avery stopped by too!

You could see our house from my hospital room window!

Kirkand I stayed the night in the Hospital. I was running on endorphin's and/or adrenalin so I insisted that Norah stay with me throughthe night.
Sleep didn't really matter.

Shewould cry out and I would attempt to feed her.

Shewould fall asleep within a few minutes of being in my arms.

Iwould lay her back down.

Shewould cry... and so the night went. At one point I just fell asleepwith her in my arms.

Thenext morning, after a rather abrupt awakening from the doctor, I decided that I wanted to go home and not stay anadditional night. Hospitals stress me out and I wanted to be at home with my little one... So the doctor discharged me.

On her way HOME from the hospital!

More to come...

Norah Jayne- 11 Months

2011-09-30T16:48:00.000-04:00

My little girl is eleven months old!

Eleven.

I always liked that number.

A little about Norah at this age:

She has SIX teeth and I think she is working on a couple more.
She is sleeping 11-12 hours every night.
She is taking 2-3 naps a day. (When I can get her to take that 3rd one!)
She is getting pretty good at walking; we are still working on some balance issues.
She is transitioning off the bottle and formula and onto the sippy-cup and whole milk. So far it has gone "just okay" - not great.
Soon we will be tackling the pacifier. That should be fun. **eye-roll** Today I saw her walking around with one in her mouth and one in each hand. She likes to be prepared I guess.
She has taken to kind of humming along when mommy or daddy sing to her. No, it isn't exactly what we are singing, but she has caught on that she can join in, in her own little way. It is sweet.
Yesterday, she crawled up the stairs to our apartment without my help. Of course, I was behind her the whole way, but she made it on her own power!
She loves her daddy. He hung the moon, you know.
She loves to socialize. She doesn't know a stranger. She will go to anybody.
She thinks she is pretty funny. And she kind of is. She makes us laugh a lot. Sometimes we are trying not to laugh because she is doing something she shouldn't be.
She loves the mirror. I don't think she is conceited, I just think she enjoys her own company. (Now that I think of it, she DID kiss her reflection today...)
She gets pretty cranky when she is sleepy. I wonder who she got that from?
She is into EVERYTHING. She has learned to open her closet door and dresser drawers and she likes to pull the contents out- so her room looks like Babies R' Us exploded when she gets done playing.
She is climbing. The other day I was sitting at my desk which is positioned behind the sofa and an end table. She was playing in a little "safe" area. I had my back to her and all of the sudden I feel two little hands on my shoulders... she had climbed onto the sofa, then onto the end table and then leaned out to where I was sitting and grabbed my shoulders! Scared. me. to. death.

Here are her 11 month photos. I took them on two different days, thus the wardrobe change-up.

Please excuse my name being plastered all over the place. I have a real ego problem. I am working on it.

It is my new watermark, and it is a little too ostentatious, so I will be redoing it.

However, right now, I really don't have the energy (or the time) to go back and redo everything.

We'll just deal with it for now, alrighty?

Learning to Walk

2011-09-27T23:41:00.000-04:00

At the age of 7 months Norah started crawling.

At 7.5 months, Norah started pulling up and we knew it wouldn't be long before she would take her first steps.

At 9 months Norah took her first wobbly steps!

She is getting more steady now, and as they say, practice makes perfect...

Here is a little video taken over the span of 3.5 months.

From crawling to walking.

Carmen Miranda and Bowspiration

2011-09-13T17:05:00.002-04:00

Hello, Everyone!

Happy ~~Monday~~ Tuesday.

I just thought I'd share a little bit about what is going on these days in our house. Chaos. That is all.

Ribbon everywhere.

I've been making bows.

BIG bows.

I think of Carmen Miranda as my big bowspiration. (That's right, I coined a new phrase.)

When I make a bow, I say to myself, "Is this Carmen Miranda worthy?"
Seriously. ☺

I was out shopping with my MIL and SIL recently and they found this iron decal that said:

Perfect!
I bought two (and some extra ribbon- one can never have too much of that).

Below is my most recent creation.
Now, not only do I feel superior to everyone else, but Carmen would be proud, also!
Norah, however, is not impressed.

Speaking of Norah...
The other day, I went to get Norah up from her nap. This is how I found her.
No, my child is NOT wearing a bolero shrug... that is her shirt which she managed to get half-way off.
She was pleased with herself as you can see.

Norah and Daddy have been spending some quality time together since quantity isn't really an option some days.

Her favorite word is still, "Dada."

♥ I'll just throw this one in for kicks... and because I think she is a cutie. ♥

♥XOXO♥

Norah Jayne- 10 Months

2011-09-01T23:04:00.000-04:00

The day is sunny and the grass is green.

My little lovey is delighted to be out of the house and in the park

with Mommy and Daddy.

I walk with her in my arms out into the grass.

I let her down onto the brick path and

she stands up straight and tall.

I catch my breath.

Where has my baby gone?

It makes me want to cry to realize how fast time is passing.

I realize more than ever that I can't just wait until tomorrow to begin being the mother I want to be.

There are never enough tomorrows.

Lord, help me today to be the mother that Norah Jayne needs.

She may forget that I've told her "I love you" a million, zillion times;

she may forget the bottles I've prepared, the cloths I've washed, the books I've read,

but she will never forget the way I made her feel.

Lord, may my words be gentle, my hands be soft, and my heart always tender towards my daughter.

I am her first teacher and role model. I have the ability to imprint on her a godly identity.

Lord, help me to find my identity and self-worth in You ALONE so that I can be an

healthy, godly role model.

She will learn how to treat others by observing how I treat others.

Lord, help me to be respectful of all those you bring across my path.

Help me to give people the benefit of the doubt.

Help me to forgive quickly and to practice random acts of kindness.

She will learn how to love by observing my love for her Daddy.

Lord, Help me to nourish my relationship with my husband, to be unselfish, to be kind, to be respectful and appreciative of all that he does to provide for our family.

Lord help me to be present in every moment, large and small, and to be thankful.

Five Years!

2011-08-05T00:39:00.000-04:00

My Mr. M.

It's you I like,
It's not the things you wear.
It's not the way you do your hair,
But it's you I like.
The way you are right now
The way down deep inside you
Not the things that hide you
Not your diplomas...
They're just beside you.
But it's you I like,
Every part of you,
Your skin, your eyes, your feelings,
Whether old or new.
I hope that you'll remember
Even when you're feeling blue,
That it's you I like,
It's you yourself, it's you
It's you I like!

- Mr Rogers

Dating

Marriage

Honeymoon

Married Life

1 + 1 = 2

All because two people fell in LOVE...

To Be Continued...

Norah Jayne - Nine Months

2011-07-31T21:47:00.001-04:00

As promised, I have added the nine month pictures of little miss Norah and Mr. Ted E. Bear. As you can see she has grown this summer! At the doctor's office she weighed in at 22 lbs 7 oz. and measured 27 in long. Personally, I think she is longer than that, because the MA wasn't very thorough.
Either way, she is still off the charts!

As an aside, I used an orange diffusion filter on my external flash to get a warm glowy effect.
I am not sure if I LOVE it, however it did warm up the photos.

I just wanted you to know in case you wondered if I had been force feeding carrots to the poor child.
(I have, but don't tell anyone.)

Guess what!? Her top two teeth are coming in now! So far, I have been unable to get a picture of them...

Norah's tongue is her new favorite thing- she waggles it back and forth while making noises and also clicks it very loudly off the roof of her mouth. She thinks this is hilarious behavior. (We kinda do too.)

And a couple of the bloopers...

Norah diving for the camera as soon as she sees it.

Hey, feed the models!

Seattle

2011-07-31T21:01:00.000-04:00

July 1st was my brother's wedding in Seattle, WA. He married the lovely Jennifer Whitcomb and made her a Freeman.

Hooray for love!

So of course we flew to Seattle for the wedding. I'd have flown to China if need be to see my little brother tie the knot.

Norah's first airplane ride at eight months of age went great! She is a super duper traveler much to mommy and daddy's relief. I wanted to get a picture of her with the pilot, but I was too chicken to ask- so we settled for a shot at the airport.

The night before the wedding we went out and did some sight seeing. Seattle is such an amazing city. It is completely different than what I am used to, but I could get used to it. Very beautiful.

Mr. M. feeling his oats.

The first EVER Starbucks... of course it was closed so I didn't get to partake. Boo!

The morning of the wedding we were hanging out at the hotel and snapped some pics of the guys. Dapper gents they were.

At the boat (yes they were married on a boat) the sights around me were rich and I couldn't help but take a few snaps.

Jonathan and Jennifer were married on this boat, the Virginia V (5). It was a lovely historical setting.

Her flowers were breath taking. I love the lemons.

The Space Needle was visible from the boat. Funny, how I always imagined it to be WAY bigger. Yes, it is big, but in comparison to some of the buildings around it, it appeared rather diminutive.

My oh my... I love sailboats!

Dad posing for me- what a great sport!

The lovely cake- it was yummy too.

Papa and Norah Jayne having a great time visiting

Aunt Marilyn and Uncle Ron - By the way, Uncle Ron did a fantastic job officiating the wedding.

It was wonderful to visit with them again.

Mom and Dad - I LOVE this photo of them.

Daddy and Norah Jayne - First dance

PS - I feel horrible that I didn't get any pics of the bride and groom together... I could kick myself.

I will say this- she was the loveliest bride I have ever seen, and Jonathan wasn't too shabby either.

Norah Jayne - 8 Months Old

2011-07-29T15:25:00.000-04:00

Sweet Norah Jayne was EIGHT months old in these pictures.

She is now NINE months old (pictures to come!).

I snapped a quick pic of Daddy and Norah and I thought her facial expression was priceless- she makes me laugh.

Sharon Woods- You're Lovely

2011-07-29T15:11:00.001-04:00

These pictures were taken in JUNE... and here it is the end of July and I am just getting around to blogging them.

I'll tell ya'll a little secret... July was BUSY for this little family!

We were regular ~~world~~ travelers this month.

We traveled from the West Coast to the East Coast this month- and I am weary.

But more on that in the coming posts.

Enjoy these pictures from a day we spent at Sharon Woods Park on the lake.

We had fun paddle boating. Norah's first "boat" ride. She seemed to enjoy it and so did we.

It will most likely become a summer tradition.

I didn't include any of my pictures because I looked like a hot mess in all of them- and not in a good way. Photo editing can only do so much in these situations. Sigh.

Score!

2011-06-21T21:58:00.002-04:00

First I want to make it clear that I am not bragging, I am celebrating!

Ok, ok! To be honest there is a small part of me that has wanted to take a picture of groceries that I was able to procure at a fraction of the cost so that I could join the ranks of all you other "Nifty Thriftys"

Recently, I started couponing and playing the drug store "game" at CVS in an effort to save money.
I won't lie it is not for the faint of heart, but so far I think it has been worth the effort.
I am still a newbie and I am learning all kinds of things- but after a haul like today, I feel like the QUEEN of COUPONS!

(Which, if you followed me around the grocery store for very long you would come to find is a gross overstatement...)

All this you see... (right arm extended in a grand sweeping gesture)... was obtained for $5.13 at CVS this very day...(Head bowed in false humility.) 

The best part is that it they are all things we use:

1 Body soap
5 Dish soaps
2 Toothpastes
1 Hair Gel
2 Boxes of Cheez-its
1 Tube of Tylenol Cream for sore joints
10 Packages of Baby Wipes (72 count each)
1 Pack of Hershey's Bliss Dark Chocolate - (Of course dark chocolate is a necessity!)

You may ask, "How?"

The answer: by using coupons and ECBs (Extra Care Bucks).
Check out this link for more information if you are interested!

Summer Has Come!

2011-06-17T21:00:00.003-04:00

Summer days-

Norah and I have been enjoying Sharon Woods this summer, and when Mr. M. can come along he does. It is so much fun to walk the trails and see the beautiful foliage and the occasional little critter.

The park has a lovely pond and a parcourse which is a fitness trail.
No, I didn't do any body curls out in public... I didn't want to embarrass ~~myself~~ Norah.

After our long walk we went and visited the playground. These following pictures are of Norah's first time to be in a swing all by her little self! As you can tell by her face she LOVED the experience.

Sorry for all the pictures in the swing- I just couldn't choose!

Aforementioned little critters...

Summer fun at home!

Norah just got her first swimming suit- so of course we had to get some pictures!

Note how well she is pulling up (all by herself!) to standing. She is will probably be walking before long. YIKES.

Silly little Norah! She was on her belly and sneezed really big and when that happened her face went under the water (much to her chagrin).

This picture was snapped right after she regained her composure and decided that she wasn't going to die after all...

The Seventh Month

2011-06-04T18:18:00.000-04:00

What Norah Jayne is up to these days:

She loves to MOVE! Gone are the days when I could set her on the floor and expect her to be there when I turn around! She is crawling and pulling up.

She now says "Baba" which we think is her attempt at "Mama." We will tell her, "Say Mama!" and in response she used to say "Dada!" But now she stops and presses her lips together like I do when I say "Mama" and she says "Baba!"

She loves to play with her "toys" a conglomeration of items that look like "no nos" but are kosher- ac remotes that no longer work, an old calculator and Spelling Ace, pink measuring cups, etc... of course we do have real toys for her, but for some reason she prefers the "no nos."

She is eating well! We have introduced all the fruits and veggies you can buy in a jar (which is limited) and of course she gets her rice cereal.

She has TWO teeth, the lower middle ones (central incisors).

She loves to pull hair (she recently discovered Kirk's leg hairs are fun to pull) and to pinch noses and lips... Ouch! We are trying to curtail that behaviour.

She now is pretty much always sleeping on her belly. I put her on her back, but she always turns over.

Did I mention that Daddy and I still like to go in and "spy" on her while she sleeps?

She is too cute to watch.

She is in to EVERYTHING- loves to explore every nook and cranny of the house. Usually she discovers the nooks and cranny's that we don't want her to... her favorites- outlets, cords, trashcans, the vacuum cleaner, electronics (DVD player, camera, computer, the computer mouse).

She is afraid of the sound of flushing toilets...? I don't know why, but every time we are in a public restroom and someone flushes the toilet, she starts crying. Hopefully this passes because when she is seventeen it could be a problem.

She loves music. Whenever we have music playing she stops and stares. She loves for her daddy to sing to her and he does frequently. We hope she is musically inclined.

She is ticklish on her lower back and under her chin. It is sweet to hear her giggle!

I could go on and on...

Below: Snaps of Norah around the house... Her favorite hideout is under the piano bench.

We call her crazy legs because she comes up with some interesting sitting positions!

Eating her sweet potatoes at Nana Marshall's house on Memorial Day.

Norah Jayne's Dedication

2011-06-04T16:25:00.000-04:00

On May 22, 2011 we the parents of Norah Jayne Marshall presented our daughter to be dedicated to the LORD by Rev. Bennie Durr as witnessed by her maternal grandparents, Rob and Theresa Freeman, her paternal grandparents, Bill and Sherilyn Marshall, her maternal great grandfather, Rev. Russell Roberts, her aunt, Jennifer Waits, her cousins, Zachary, Jacob and Elizabeth Waits, and the congregation of Kenwood Bible Methodist Church.

Special song, "Your Whole Life Long" was sung by Mark Foster.

I pray the Lord will hold you close and keep you through the night,
That you will wake up smiling in the early morning light,
That He will always comfort you and make you brave and strong,
I pray that you will follow Him your whole life long.

I pray that you will grow up to be wise and good and true,
I pray that you will please the Lord in everything you do,
I pray that you will hear His voice and learn to sing His song,
I pray that you will follow Him your whole life long.

I pray that you will follow Him,
I pray that you will follow Him,
I pray that you will follow Him your whole life long.

I pray the Lord will bless you with His presence every day,
I pray he will protect you every step along the way,
Help you love what's right and lead you far away from wrong,
I pray that you will follow Him your whole life long.

I pray that you will follow Him,
I pray that you will follow Him,
I pray that you will follow Him your whole life long.

The Ceremony

Great Grandpa: Rev. Russell Roberts

(After we got home we changed her for her nap and she had just woke up when we took these pictures.)

Nana and Papa Freeman

The dress...

Roberts Family Reunion 2011

2011-06-03T23:16:00.001-04:00

So, this past month my mom's side of the family, the Roberts, had a family reunion. Actually, it was more than that. It was also an estate auction for my grandpa, Russell Roberts.

It sounds all cut and dried- but can you imagine having all your possessions auctioned off? I think it would be very difficult for anyone to face, so the family gathered and decided to be there to support grandpa on this momentous day.

The night before the reunion/auction we stayed at my sister and brother (bil) house and had a wonderful time as always! Just for kicks I have included the above bath time picture of Norah and cousin Ellie... two of the sweetest little girls this side of the Mason-Dixon. In my (oh so) humble opinion...

The following pictures were taken at the reunion/auction. You may notice (ahem) the yellow attire we are all sporting. These t-shirts were lovingly made by Becca Hoard and an unnamed cohort.

So in the spirit of family, camaraderie and (MOST IMPORTANT) so that we didn't get mistaken for the all the non-family ~~riffraff~~ members we all wore our VERY yellow t-shirts.

Right: Norah- 7 months and Left: Ellie- 9 months

Below: Ellie Lynn - with the prettiest blue eyes I have ever seen!

Below: Norah getting friendly with a total stranger (at least to me)- she wanted to go to her and so I let her. She was very taken with this women.

Below: Grandpa Roberts

Grandpa Roberts and Austin (first cousin once removed) talkin' and pickin'

Below: Hunter and Blake

Below: The Second Cousins

Hmmm... Who is this handsome hunk and this beautiful little girl?

Below: Fast Friends... Jacob (my nephew) and Makayla (my first cousin once removed).

Below: ALMOST all of the second cousins!

Daddy and Norah

First Tooth!

2011-05-16T20:30:00.000-04:00

Below: Having fun playing with my new flash. I bounced it off the wall to my left and I quite like the effect.

Below: Having fun with natural light... nothing like it!

Also, this picture looks a lot like my baby pictures. Her face is a little rounder than mine was, but that scrunched nose is all mommy.

Norah Jayne, These Days...

2011-05-05T16:37:00.000-04:00

Two videos of Norah Jayne. This first one was just taken this afternoon. I couldn't believe it, she took her feeding bottle in hand and just started eating all by herself!

Gasp... slow down! You are growing up WAY to fast.

This second one was taken last night. She was in a very talkative mood.

She is a sweetheart. (Even though she won't say mama...)

For Mom...

2011-04-24T23:49:00.000-04:00

The Marshall Family on Easter Sunday

Seconds.Minutes.Hours.Days.

2011-04-22T12:06:00.001-04:00

Here are some snaps that I took this month.

Mr. M. was kind to be the subject of my photos. It's not his favorite thing to do, but he was a good sport.

A handsome sport...

It is hard to believe we will be celebrating FIVE years in July!

I'm a lucky lady.

This is Norah Jayne, do you recognize her? She is grinning from ear to ear!

This smile melts mommy's heart!

She's so sweet.

The official 6 month picture with Mr. Ted E. Bear

She is sitting up all by herself! Such a big girl.

Sunny window shots taken in my kitchen. Norah loved the spring breeze and sunshine this day! So did I.

I have these little bee and posy gels that cling to the window.

They are cheery and Norah is fascinated by them.

My dear mom came to visit for a few hours last Friday afternoon- wow has it already been a week?!!

She has been so busy getting things ready for my grandpa Roberts to move to Kansas with her and my dad.

We were glad that she was able to visit. Norah got some Nana lovin'.

I just included this picture to symbolize the changes that are happening in Norah's diet.

She is on a four hour schedule and eats four times a day.

So far she has eaten brown rice cereal, green peas, and green beans!

She really enjoys her veggies... which makes mommy happy.

Next week we are going to try carrots.

This training cup she is holding is just so that she can get used to drinking from a sippy cup.

I am not giving her any fruit juices yet...

I usually put an ounce or two of water in it and let her experiment.

She is SLOWLY getting the hang of it.

Well that's it for now!

Tonight we have the Aldersgate Christian Academy Junior/Senior Banquet.

Mr. M. is the Junior class sponsor so he is going to be a busy bee and I am taking the photos tonight...

wish me luck!

Think On These Things...

2011-04-17T23:06:00.001-04:00

Psalm 23

The LORD is my shepherd,

I shallnot want.

He makes me lie down in green pastures;

He leads me beside quiet waters.

He restores my soul;

He guides me in the paths of righteousness For His name's sake.

Even though I walk through the valley

of the shadow of death,

I fear no evil, for You are with me;

Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;

You have anointed my head with oil;

My cup overflows.

Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life,

And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

Amen,

Hmmm... First Words?

2011-04-16T20:30:00.000-04:00

It may just be babbling... but it sure sounds like "Dada" to us!

Daddy was babysitting for most of the day while I ran errands.

The report is that she was saying "Dada" over and over again.

He decided to get out the video camera so that I could see it for myself... PROOF!

This is what he was able to capture.

I have mixed feelings about this... I have REALLY been working with her to say "Mama."

Obviously to no avail.

Dad rules!

Mom drools... **sniff sniff**

Frowny (F)oto Shoot

2011-04-14T16:54:00.000-04:00

Yeah, just try and make me smile mommy.

I don't think so...

Nope, not havin' it.

I can sit here allll day without smiling- just try me.

Sweet Dreams, Nory Nory Punkleton

Snotsucker Extraordinaire

2011-04-06T13:34:00.001-04:00

So, Norah has been sick for about a week and a half. Started with the stuffy, snotty nose, and progressed into a full blown chest cold.

The doctor thought she might have pneumonia after hearing crackles in her lungs, but after a quick trip to the Children's Hospital for a chest x-ray, he gave us the good news that it was NOT pneumonia- just a big. bad. chest cold.

Not fun.

AS you may know, babies are obligate nose breathers.

That's just how they roll.

When their nose gets plugged up or goopy it makes them grumpy.

Eating slows.

Sleeping becomes difficult.

Life is generally more difficult.

I have a bulb syringe- actually two. One from the hospital and one I bought.

They work in a pinch... but they aren't very powerful.

I hate using them because I have to keep assulting Norah's nose to get anything accomplished.

She hates it. She really does.

Poor sweet baby.

I am afraid that she is going to associate me with this terrible blue bulb syringe and grow up to hate me.

Recently I bought an ELECTRONIC nasal aspirator.

Yes. I. Splurged.

I was kind of desperate.

It even plays a cool little jingle to distract the baby- which worked like a charm the first couple of times. However, after that it only served as a forewarning to Norah for what was about to happen and she had time to warm-up for the fit that was sure to ensue... crying, screaming, squirming, tossing her head, kicking her feet, and throwing punches... Lovely.

This device worked. Eventually.

The biggest problem with this battery operated gadget was that the suction was either lacking or too much.

Using per package directions didn't accomplish much, so in order to remedy the situation I would have to pinch one nostril while I suctioned the other because when all the air was directed through one nostril at a time, I could get greater suction power. TOO MUCH suction power.

Yikes.

Plus, this made it a TWO hand job.

Which means I had no hands left to hold the flailing baby down!

FAIL!

So, what is a desperate mother to do?

While commisserating about sick babies with Emily Leach last Sunday, she passivley mentioned that she owned this little snotsucking device that works great because the mother controls the amount of suction via her mouth...

Gross! Weird!

But remember-

I am desperate.

So when I got home I decided to do some googling...

And I eneded up purchasing one from Amazon.com.

I just got it today!

All ye mothers that have snot ridden babies, listen up!

Have I got a product for you...

BEHOLD! NoseFrida - THE Snotsucker.

http://www.nosefrida.com/index.html

It is really awesome. It works like nothing I have ever seen.

Before you run away from your computer to throw up in the bathroom, please read on!

None of the nose goop will get in your mouth- I promise!

There is a little hygiene filter that prevents mucus transfer from baby to you.

Yipee!

Also, the BEST part about this is that you never put anything inside the baby's nose, and you control the amount of suction you use! AMAZING.

Love it.

They should pay me for advertising...

Forever...

2011-03-28T21:05:00.001-04:00

good morning glory

2011-03-28T21:05:00.000-04:00

So. Much. Love.

2011-03-22T19:57:00.000-04:00

Can you believe this little rascal is five months already?

Well, she is.

These past five months have taken some getting used to.

A lot of changes.

But, we've grown accustomed to having her around the house so we've decided to keep her.

Yes, we voted.

It was unanimous.

Tiny Blossom: Tutu Couture

2011-03-18T16:49:00.001-04:00

Remember this tutu I made before the little lady was born?

Well, we finally got some pictures of her in it.

I didn't get the newborn pictures that I thought I would- but that is ok.

Every moment is special.

So in remembrance of 4.75 months...

"Each leaf,
each blade of grass vies for attention.
Even weeds
carry tiny blossoms
to astonish us."

- Marianne Poloskey

Norah Jayne Presents-

2011-03-12T23:52:00.000-05:00

So, this is what has happened in the past couple of weeks...

For starters, I got my 4 month immunizations.

It was terrible...

I cried reeeally hard and made my mommy feel just awful.

In fact, I was pretty much a big baby about the whole thing.

You should have seen me... I was down right pitiful.

Believe it or not, I have had to take a few baths these past couple of weeks.

Mommy is kind of a stickler when it comes to my hygiene.

Bathing is one of my favorite things to do!

I just love all the splishing and splashing.

And bubbles- I love bubbles!

I am pretty rambunctious during tub time.

Kicking. Twisting. Flailing.

Once I even tried to escape my baby tub! However, Mommy caught me before I got too far.

If she'd let me, I'd flip right out of my tiny tub and go for a real swim in the BIG tub.

She keeps telling me to be patient- that I'll be "big enough soon enough."

Speaking of which, you may not be able to tell from my pictures- but I AM growing really big and strong!

My doctor says that I am off the charts for height and that I am in the 90th percentile for weight...

Yep, my mommy and daddy feed me the good stuff.

Sometimes I like to help out- you know, to show them that I'm no "free-loader."

I know that they appreciate the extra set of hands when preparing my bottle-

especially in the mornings before they have had a chance to... "caffeinate."

I do what I can.

After all my helping out, I tend to get a little "geared-up" and tense.

I know how important it is to NOT get too stressed out.

(I don't want to look like my mother at the age of three and half, ya know.)

I take my health very seriously.

Here I am chillin' with my toys.

The one I am gnawing on is especially tasty.

This giraffe makes me drool. A. LOT.

It is not pretty, BUT it is good for my gum health (and you know how seriously I take my health) so I try not to worry too much about the drooling.

Besides, Mommy worries enough for both of us-

And I say, let her get the gray hairs...

Well, I hope you enjoyed this little update.

Come back and visit soon!

I love company.

(You hear me Nana?)

I LOVE COMPANY!

(Mommy just says to call first...)

Here's Lookin' at You...

2011-03-12T22:34:00.000-05:00

Thank God it's FRIDAY!!

4 Months = 121.7474 Days

2011-02-21T16:38:00.000-05:00

Mr. Ted E. Bear posed with Miss Norah for her obligatory 4 month picture.

As you can see, they both were totally pumped to be in this photo.

More Sunday morning pictures.

Look how big and strong I am!

This sweet little dress is on loan from cousins Chloe and Kate.

Daddy and Norah = sweet sofa potatoes

Out of Order!

2011-02-20T20:35:00.003-05:00

I recently realized I had never posted about our trip to Wichita.

Egad!

These pictures were taken the end of January.

Below, are a few pictures of Daddy and Norah Jayne hangin' out together the night before we left.

She is very much a "daddy's girl" - except when she is with me and then she is Allllll mine!

Mr. M. looked at me quite seriously the other day and asked, "Are you a little jealous that she loves me more than you?"

I THINK he was joking... Men are sooo delusional sometimes.

This was Norah's first trip to see Nana and Papa Freeman. It was a LOOOONG trip too.

She did great. Pretty much just ate and slept and pooped.

What more could you hope for (~~besides a little temporary constipation)~~?

Sweet little Ellie rode along side Norah Jayne.

I am sure they bonded, and had hours of stimulating conversation about current events.

Norah's first night at Nana and Papa's house. She slept like a... baby.

Another great adventure we had was driving to Beloit to meet Great Grammy and Grandpa Freeman! This was the first time they got to meet Norah and Ellie. It was great to see them both.

Group picture!

(Don't ask me why I am trying to look like a bow-legged cowpoke in this picture,

because I have no idea...

I should be medicated.)

Grammy and Norah Jayne - in thoughtful repose.

Just some snaps from our time in Wichita.

Norah, in her bouncy seat by a sunny window.

Ellie, on the sofa looking adorable.

It's all fun and games until someone...

...has gas.

Nana Freeman and all her grands...

I love this picture of my mom- she is so beeeauuutiful!

Papa and Norah having some quality time.

And you know that I have dozens more pictures... but I think this is a good assortment.

I had to end with this one.

It was taken once we got back home.

I think Norah misses ALL the activity and excitement that goes with having her little cousins around so she has resorted to talking to herself in the mirror.

Who was it that said, "Well, if you can't enjoy your own company, you're not fit company for anyone else"?

THE END

16 Weeks!

2011-02-07T20:57:00.000-05:00

So, my baby is nearly 4 months old...
She is learning something new everyday.
She is becoming more... ahem... vocal.
Some call it cooing.

I call it screeching for joy.

What did we do without her?

I finally broke out one of her Christmas gifts from my sister and bro-in-law.
It is awesome and Norah is captivated by it. She just stares and smiles at all the pretty colors and shapes. It has a tiny piano keyboard and whenever she manages to hit a note - sometimes by accident - she smiles like someone handed her a warm kitten.

Her little legs are barely long enough to touch the ground, but she does what she can...

CHEESE!

Getting ready to walk out the door for a little Friday night family fun (aka: eating and grocery shopping - yes, food IS fun.)
The things we do to get a baby to smile; however, it appears that she was only half convinced that mommy's silly voice deserved a smile. In fact she looks a little confused... or worried.

Roadtrip!

2011-01-22T21:17:00.000-05:00

OK... I am not crazy. I just want to make that clear.
Yes. I did indeed make a special roadtrip hair bow for Norah Jayne... HOWEVER, it came about quite organically. I was in my sewing kit looking for a needle and I noticed this ribbon I bought a couple of years ago for a scrap booking project I was working. (I think I got it out of the dollar bin at Target.)
ANYWAY... I noticed the ribbon and the thought struck me, "I should make this into a korker bow for Norah ~~and then blog about it so everyone knows how AWESOME I am!~~ .
So I did just that.
I think it turned out well.
She shall be wearing it on Monday with her yellow polka-dot ~~bikini~~ leggings.

If you are interested in making a korker bow... check out this tutorial from The Ribbon Retreat .

It super easy and fun!

Going to Nana's

2011-01-19T23:03:00.003-05:00

Norah is going to go visit Nana and Papa Freeman very soon.

Her first really LONG road trip.

We've already started packing...

Which brings to mind the little red "Going to Grandma's" suitcase I had as a little girl...

I have a feeling mom packed all the important stuff in her suitcase,

because I don't think we could've gotten

everything in this little case.

I found this picture on Etsy. It is exactly like the one I had!

I was tempted to buy it for sentimental reasons... however, it was already sold.

Oh, my- sweet days gone by.

"Everything you do is marvelous! Of this I have no doubt."

2011-01-19T21:36:00.000-05:00

13 Weeks

Psalm 139

The LORD Is Always Near

¹You have looked deep

into my heart, LORD,

and you know all about me.

²You know when I am resting

or when I am working,

and from heaven

you discover my thoughts.

³You notice everything I do

and everywhere I go.

⁴Before I even speak a word,

you know what I will say,

⁵and with your powerful arm

you protect me

from every side.

⁶I can't understand all of this!

Such wonderful knowledge

is far above me.

⁷Where could I go to escape

from your Spirit

or from your sight?

⁸If I were to climb up

to the highest heavens,

you would be there.

If I were to dig down

to the world of the dead

you would also be there.

⁹Suppose I had wings

like the dawning day

and flew across the ocean.

¹⁰Even then your powerful arm

would guide and protect me.

¹¹Or suppose I said, "I'll hide

in the dark

until night comes

to cover me over."

¹²But you see in the dark

because daylight and dark

are all the same to you.

¹³You are the one

who put me together

inside my mother's body,

¹⁴and I praise you

because of

the wonderful way

you created me.

Everything you do is marvelous!

Of this I have no doubt.

¹⁵Nothing about me

is hidden from you!

I was secretly woven together

deep in the earth below,

¹⁶but with your own eyes

you saw

my body being formed.

Even before I was born,

you had written in your book

everything I would do.

¹⁷Your thoughts are far beyond

my understanding,

much more than I

could ever imagine.

¹⁸I try to count your thoughts,

but they outnumber the grains

of sand on the beach.

And when I awake,

I will find YOU nearby.

*Contemporary English Version

Norah Jayne - 12 Weeks Old

2011-01-09T19:11:00.000-05:00

Mamarazzi Strikes Again

2011-01-08T21:58:00.001-05:00

Yes, I am as sweet as I look.

Hmmm... I wonder what's for lunch.

It's hard work being so adorable all the time.

FLASHBACK PIC BELOW!
This was taken when she was only a few days old... Wow.

"There's a roof up above me
I've a good place to sleep
There's food on my table
And shoes on my feet
You gave me your love Lord
And a fine family
Thank you Lord, for your blessings on me"

Christmas Sunday

2011-01-08T12:35:00.000-05:00

We were running late, but managed to snap a couple of pictures to document the occasion.