Happy Thanksgiving from our two turkeys

Nora is 9 months

11/16

We went to church this morning, then out for burgers and grocery shopping. Everyone EVERYONE stopped to talk to Nora and comment on her dress (having cute/extroverted kids, the plague of introverts). When we got home, neither of the girls wanted to go inside. Here they are eating/checking out leaves.

11/17

Maya and I have been doing season themed activities this month. Today we talked about winter. And we built a sheet igloo/ice hotel. It was a big hit with everyone.

11/18

We went to the park today. Maya and Nora both enjoyed swinging and climbing. We remembered the sand toys this time. I built sand castles and they knocked them down. One of us may have eaten a handful of sand.

11/19

Maya had school this morning. They learned about animals in the rainforest and she got a cut little pink frog. Nora and I went shopping. After lunch and naps we played outside. 

I think I'm in trouble with this one. She's a climber.

Showing off her frog

Maya says, "mom, take a picture of me. This is my thanksgiving face." Me, "Why? Because you look like a turkey?"

11/20

Nine months. How did that happen? Taking monthly photos is definitely more challenging now than it was before she was mobile. I got the sheet backdrop up, plopped her down, stuck the sticker on, grabbed the camera. She's busy trying to rip the sticker off. Finally, I distracted her enough that she left it on but she wanted to crawl away and pull up on the table/chairs/anything else within reach or lift up the sheet (in hindsight the sheet fort earlier in the week was poor planning on my part). Her other front tooth cut through today but she is still kind of a grump. Maya isn't much easier to photograph. She won't look at the camera or she does and has a goofy fake grin with her eyes all crunched up. 

Nora at 9 months: she's babbling all the time; says bye, hi, pat, mom, and dad (we think); signs milk; pulls up on everything; cruises while holding on; loves to push the little chairs around the kitchen; loves to play with blocks, balls, pop up sesame street toy, and anything Maya has; still doesn't eat much purees or real food (she only likes one flavor of one brand of baby food, plain yogurt, and bread/puffs/muffin finger foods); loves to escape to the bathroom, garage, or outside if the doors are left open; loves to climb. She thinks fake sneezing is hilarious so we do it all the time and she now says "aah, aah"

The first half of November

This month has flown.

11/1
Maya and I had a special date this morning. She wanted to go to dollar tree and pick out a special toy. She picked a mylar balloon with princesses on it.

11/2
Nora's fourth tooth popped through today, the top left lateral incisor. She is starting to look like a little vampire. But I think she will cut the central incisors soon.

11/3
I went jogging today. The first time since Nora was born. Maya insisted on wearing her Christmas pajamas and rain boots.

11/5
Nora tried cheerios for the first time today. She seemed to like them. I realized it's time to move the cereal storage back to the garage. Maya was most distraught about the whole thing until we cleaned them all up.

11/6
Thursdays with Nora 37 weeks.

11/13
Thursdays with Nora 38 weeks

Yogurt covered baby eating a biscuit 

11/14
We went to a park with new playground equipment with some friends. Maya wasn't so sure about the tall play structure at first but she really enjoyed it after she gave it a try. They also had the swings she likes. She calls them highchair swings. Nora enjoyed swinging and eating the wood chips. Her top left front tooth cut through today.

Happy (belated) Halloween

We had a week of Halloween festivities and a ton of other things going on. On 10/24, I had to go to the mall to get my rings inspected. It's always a big ordeal to go to the mall. In the evening, we went to a party with our preschool friends. 

Nora in the mall play area

Then on the 25th we went to a birthday party for one of the kids in the morning and then Nora and I went to a baby shower in the afternoon. On 10/26, we got some pictures of the girls in their Halloween costumes.

On 10/27 Nora cut her third tooth, her top right lateral incisor. Looks like the left one will soon follow.

On 10/29 I taught preschool at our house for 2.5 hours. This months theme is rainforest. We built a rainforest under our table with paper leaves and streamers. The kids all loved it. It was my best (read least stressful) class yet. After that we had lunch and a nap before heading to Derek's work for a Halloween party. They had bouncy houses, balloons, treats, and crafts. Perfect for Maya. After the party we grabbed a light supper and any to Bible study. A crazy but enjoyable day.

10/30
Thursdays with Nora (36 weeks). She was a grump today. I think she is working on three teeth up top.

Note the red eyes and tears. She was crying until I took out my phone to get a picture of her.

10/31 was a day of waiting. When's dad coming home. Can we go trick or treating yet? When's dad coming home? All day long. I tried to distract her with playing in the puddles and various Halloween themed activities but it only helped minimally. Maya thoroughly enjoyed trick or treating this year. Although she did get spooked by one house that's always had creepy decorations. Nora enjoyed watching people and any lit up jack o lanterns or other decorations. She would do her excited squeal.

Nora seems to be a fan of all things bready

Finally time for trick or treating

Thursdays with Nora (35 weeks) pre Halloween edition

10/23

Nora is 8 months

10/20

It's nearly impossible to take pictures of Nora now. She keeps trying to crawl away, grab the camera, destroy the backdrop, raise the bear above her head.

Maya's not much easier but at least she understands what I'm saying.