So proud of our...

...little acolyte!

Today was Stephan's debut as an acolyte (alter boy). To say that he has been counting down the Sundays until this day would be an understatement. Some might even say he has been hounding the acolyte coordinator about starting this job sooner! He carried one of the tall candles today & was quite excited about the whole thing. You can't tell by his lack of smile in the picture, but that's because I was totally embarrassing him in front of the other acolytes and the practicing choir by taking his picture.

(And yes, he could use a haircut...one of our church friends joked with us that maybe Stephan will have his first haircut soon just like Norah!)

Daddy & Norah in the nursery.
Norah was waiting for her teachers Annie & Mary Martha to arrive. They are high school aged sisters & the sweetest girls. Norah just adores them. And they came every single Sunday ready to play.
And to be a little superficial for a minute...this is probably one of my favorite outfits Norah has ever worn. The skirt has a line of tulle under it that makes it stick out for good twirling & the sweater is covered in ruffles. I found it at Target for a sweet bargain. I just love it! She is also wearing one of a few bows my friend Katie made for her. Her daughter Annabelle is a little over one, and she & Norah have a blast together. Katie and I have a favorite bow shop on Etsy until one day Katie decided to try her hand at making them. I keep telling her she should open her own Etsy shop because they are adorable! I made a little birdhouse bow holder (sort of hard to explain) for Norah & I think I'll make one for Annabelle to return the favor!

First haircut!

Today I took Norah to get her first haircut! I have trimmed a couple of tiny pieces here & there, but today was the real thing....

...I did not want to think about cutting off those curls. (This is her dancing on Super Bowl Sunday. Norah is in a naked phase!) What you can't see as well in the picture is how uneven it had become. It was definitely a mullet. She did NOT like the idea of a haircut & cried whenever I mentioned it. We chose a kids salon nearby hoping all of the distractions would keep her occupied. She literally cried all the way to the salon until she saw all of the toys!

This place is pretty wild & a little over the top. Norah did an excellent job though! When we walked in, she looked a little nervous when she saw a couple of boys crying their eyes out during their haircuts, but when it was her turn, she sat very still & chatted away to the stylist.

Can you hear me now?

No haircut is complete without a big dose of fairy dust.

And a sticker!

They had a special running for the first haircut which included a certificate, a picture they took, and locks of her hair. Along with a 50% discount!

She took quite a bit off the back, but it will grow out nice and even. She also layered it a little in the back to help the curls fall nicely.

I could not resist this Easter bow!

Then we picked up big brother and headed to Amy's chocolate shop near our house so they could each pick out a little treat from the case.

Down in the trenches...

I think Stephan has enjoyed winter this year more than ever. He spends everyday outside digging trenches and fox holes in the snow...you know in case the Axis soldiers show up. He hopes to have an afternoon when he can invite his fellow "WWII buffs" over for a day of battle!
Casey was out of town for a few days and Stephan rented a documentary on the making of Band of Brothers, a WWII miniseries that was on HBO a few years ago. He was totally engrossed!

Snow dog!

This is Norah in her baby swing. She begged and begged us to bring it up from the basement. One Saturday morning I finally gave in. She sat in it for hours with her legs hanging over the edge!

Snow day!

We had a snow day today! No school for the kids so I got to stay home and be snuggly too. It has been snowing at a steady pace all day, and we're supposed to get 10-14 inches.

Stephan enjoyed playing in the "WWII fox holes" he made in the snow and went sledding with a friend.

Lily and I went for a run earlier today before too much snow accumulated, but before the plows came along. Running in the snow is quite a calf workout! I am training for a half marathon and trying to stick to my training chart. I need to switch around some of the days, but as long as I do everything listed for the week sometime during the week. Today was a running day & I was determined to run! I really did not want to be on the treadmill. It was actually a nice, mild day for running. I was ready to take off my gloves and scarf by the end.

Baptism

This weekend we finally baptized both Stephan and Norah at our church--St. Christopher's Episcopal Church. Here we are with Godparents Dan, Aunt Shelly, and Aunt Jessie. Uncle Elliot was there in spirit!

Norah had a wonderful time playing with her cousin Reese.

Cousin Stella and Stephan

Fr. John Crosswaite performing the ceremony

Norah did a good job with the water. (She was very uncertain about it when we talked about it in the days before the baptism.)

Cake from our favorite place...Metro Market. Yum!

our little dancer

Norah enjoyed her second creative dance class today. She just loves it & her school teachers said she talks about it every day.

The kids watching the teacher set up things for them to jump in, step over,

and balance on.

Little feet....

Hula hoop helicopters

Dancing like different animals

(The little one in striped tights is also named Norah spelled with an H. We just keep finding them everywhere we go!)

"Washing up" during a bathtime song

What a difference a year makes...

Winter 2008

Winter 2009

Norah is such a big girl! Her teachers comment that she acts like a little mommy (in a good way) and seems even more grown up these days. And she lets us know that she can do everything by herself!

Norah was 28 months on Christmas Day. We just had a trip to the doctor...she grew 3 inches since her 2 year old check up and gained 1 pound. She is now 34 inches & 29 pounds.

Norah starts a little creative dance class on Saturday...at her request! She loves to sing, dance, perform, and lead others in song making sure they can be heard & that they use the proper hand gestures! Maybe she has a future as a choral director.

Norah continues to add new words to her sentences like "I am not quite done with my picture yet" and "Yes, I certainly do want more orange, please." She also has lots of cute sayings like "yesirooni positooni" (or however that is spelled). She regularly puts her hands on her face & exclaims "Oh my gracious!"

When she is not taking care of her dolls, some of Norah's favorite activities include making "masterpieces" with water colors, puzzles, doing somersaults across the floor, and lacing big wooden beads. She is also having fun with her little cd player. She puts the cd in by herself and stands right in front of the player while she dances along. Hand gestures and all!