Nora's Eighth Week

4/10

7 weeks old. She's really smiley these days when she's not screaming. She also has started talking/cooing this last week. She's solidly in the 0-3 months stuff now. Some of them are even getting too short. I feel like she went straight from newborn stuff to growing out of 0-3 month stuff. Seems like Maya should be this small still. Time flies.

4/12

One of Maya's little friends had a birthday party at the "park of torture". Maya was a little nervous at first but really enjoyed the train ride. But since it's not a train ride unless one of my kids is crying, Nora screamed. Maya said she was going to ride a horse on the carousel and one of us could stand right beside her. Derek took her on and she did get on a horse and then got a little nervous about it. Derek convinced her to stay on and I think she enjoyed it. Overall, I'd rate the experience as less horrible than the last time we went to this park. And there were cupcakes.

After the party, the girls napped and I put together my new toy.

4/14

It's been a Monday around here. Nora's been a grump. I accidentally nicked Nora's thumb while I was cutting her nails. She cried harder. It bleed a little. Maya had a meltdown during all this because she wanted me right NOW. She also had a meltdown for a number of other reasons because she's three. I was almost caught up on laundry, but every single diaper has been a blowout.  So I leave you this cute face (Maya wants to know why her tongue wiggles)

4/15

Ah, 3 year olds. When Nora woke up this morning, Maya greeted her with "it's ok, mom's sorry she cut your finger when she was cutting your nails."  Thanks, dear.

I had a chiropractor appointment first thing this morning. Derek came with me since Nora still hates her car seat most of the time especially if it's not moving. We then dropped him off and went grocery shopping. Nora fell asleep on the way so I took her in in the stroller and just pulled the cart. Maya was also pushing a little cart so we were quite the parade. The cashier seemed incredulous that I didn't need help out. In the evening, we went to eat with Derek. It went a little better than last time. There was no vomit.

Nora's Seventh Week

4/3

Nora is six weeks old today. It was also Derek's first day back to work. Maya, Nora, and I survived without him. It actually went better than I had expected.

This is how pacifiers (aka chewies) are most frequently used at our house

 4/4
Derek's coworkers gave him a baby gift, including this hat. It's a little big but it cracks me up.

4/5

We went to the farmers market today. Maya really, really wanted a balloon. We let her get one since it's been a long time. Of course, two of the flower petals popped as balloon animals frequently do. And it was the end of the world as is frequently the case for three year olds. After lunch and a nap, she enjoyed playing with it and it even survived a few more days. I still kind of hate balloon animals. 

4/6

Nora continues to spit up a lot. Today I put clean clothes on Nora and Maya offered this gem of parenting advice: "mom, if you give her more milk she's going to spit up on her clean shirt so let's just not give her any more milk." I'm sure that will work out well.

4/7

This evening, Nora went to visit Derek at work for the first time. She wanted to be held the entire time we were there. She seems to have a sense that allows her to know when I'm about to eat. She can be totally out of it until I get a plate of food and then she need milk right now. She ate, we ate, then she wanted to eat again (while Derek and Maya played with lego's and in the ball pit). Then she vomited all over a nice upholstered chair. It may never be the same.

I'm always amazed at how fast babies can go from this

to this (and the other way too)

4/8 

We survived our first outing with the three of us. Maya had a pediatrician appointment this morning to recheck her asthma. Nora slept in the ergo the whole time. Maya was a sweetie as usual. She's a real charmer. Her doctor was like "did you know you are cute?" and Maya's like "I know". We will work on modesty later I guess.

4/9

Maya, Nora, and I went out to lunch with some friends and then went grocery shopping today. Nora was kind of fussy at lunch and just wanted milk. I held her, helped Maya eat, and fed myself. Not exactly relaxing but it was nice. Nora slept while we shopped, then screamed all the way home. At least she doesn't scream every time she's in the car seat now. Just about half of the time.

Maya has gotten several "big girl surprises" this week to help keep her distracted while I nurse/change/calm Nora. The biggest hit was a pack of little plastic animals. We've seen a lot of this for the last week (they also enjoy jumping and taking baths):