21 weeks old!

It's been a couple of weeks, and a lot has happened! Norah was baptized! She wore a baptism gown that was made out of her great-grammie Lutz's wedding dress, and that all of her grandchildren were also baptized in! There was a lot of drama associated with her big day...first, several weeks ago, I got a call from the church wondering where Norah was! Apparently that day's date magically appeared on her baptism folder, and they were waiting on us to start that day's baptism!!! I explained that we had only just met with the deacon and hadn't even discussed a date, because we weren't sure if we could arrange it around family visits! Anyway, after a very unpleasant conversation with an older lady at the church the next day (and her accusing me of failing to show up and it all being my fault...), we called and signed up for the 16th! Then we show up on that date, and they had no idea we were coming! I was pissed off to say the least...and it turns out they lost her whole folder! Naturally. But all is well, and she is finally baptized! Daniel's co-worker Jennifer was our godmother stand-in, and we came back to our place and had cake and cocktails to celebrate!  

We also celebrated Daniel's first father's day that same day! We didn't do anything too crazy, just opened gifts and went out for sushi! Norah also got her daddy a grasshopper pie...his favorite...how thoughtful! We didn't actually capture and "father's day" pictures, but here are some of Daniel's favorites...Norah in her Irish gear playing in her "zoo"!

Then we had some lovely visitors that came for a whole week! Norah's gram and great-gram came to visit! They got tons of quality time with their little "doll baby". It was a great week for me too! I feel like I got a lot accomplished! We also had delicious meals prepared for us, night-shift was covered, got help with cleaning and laundry...what more could we ask for!!? Four generations at our house!

It was sad to see them go! Makes me wish we lived closer to home :(

Finally, we celebrated our 3rd wedding anniversary! We went out to eat while the grams stayed home with princess. It was so weird to be anywhere without the baby! We came home early! I cant believe it's only been 3 years...so much has happened! I'm one lucky girl!

Now we're back on our own! Norah must be really missing her grams, because she's just not been herself! Actually, we were wondering if she was working on an ear infection. She kept pulling on her right ear, and was more fussy than normal, and sleeping like crap!! I emailed our doc, let her know what was going on and that she was not running a fever, but she decided she wanted to see her before the weekend to make sure all hell didn't break loose over the weekend! Good news is, she didn't see any sign of infection...bad news is, she felt her gums and said they were swollen, and that she was probably feeling referred pain in her ear from TEETHING! What!!? There is no way my baby is old enough to sprout teeth! Oy! So we came home and I brought out her teething rings...sad sad day! I suspected it might be tooth-related a couple days ago and put an ice cube in her little net-feeder for her to play with and suck on. It lets her suck away on whatever is in it without actually having a choking hazard. She loved it! This little girl is growing like a weed!

From now until the middle of next week there is an excessive heat advisory. We could have record-breaking temps, they say! Gag. With our LOWS in the mid-nineties, I am going to become a hermit! Last summer I don't remember it being so bad...I was just thankful not to have humidity! Daniel wants to go golfing on Sunday...he might actually melt!! Maybe he'll change his mind...

(In her yellow convertible walker! She can scoot backwards...a little!)

(Cant figure this thing out yet...but the dog apparently doesn't like her in it! He paces back and forth, and she gets a kick just out of watching him! Funny thing is, when you hold her in the standing position she jumps up and down constantly! But the second she goes in her jumper...nothing! Stubborn little girl! Must get that from her daddy...hahaha)

(standing up is her absolute favorite position. Would rather do this than be held, be on  her back, belly, anything!! And of course now she loves to jump up and down. She dances to the song "if you're happy and you know it stomp your feet!")

19 weeks old!

We survived our first plane trip! It actually wasn't so bad...I over-packed, but oh well! Better safe than sorry. I know I promised lots of pictures, but we hardly took any!!! We started out Friday morning waking Norah at 3am...had to be at the airport at 4am for our early flight. She was in a very pleasant mood, too! Here we are waiting at the airport:

We didn't get any pictures at the rehearsal...or rehearsal dinner...or with the bride or groom...or with us all as a family...but here's one of the two of us after the ceremony! It was a gorgeous day, and the ceremony was in a rose garden at the park...thought I was going to get a sunburn! (big surprise):

The next day we were both SO tired! It had been go go go since 3am Friday morning! I was dreading the trip back home, but Norah was a champ! We barely remembered a picture with grandma and grandpa...!!

We took a few, but grandma refused to let me post any! Here's one of Norah instead while the three of them were out and about! I think they really enjoyed their weekend with the little princess! She was perfectly well behaved :)

Norah must have had a lot of fun and gotten pretty worn out! Here we are on the way back to the airport:

She slept nearly the whole 3 hour flight too! On both descents, her ears got really uncomfortable. She had the saddest little wail with big crocodile tears that just broke my heart! As soon as they popped, it was like nothing ever happened. 

So now we're back to the grind. Monday morning came too early for Daniel, but Norah bounced right back into her old routine! We've found a solution to the increasing-mobility-vs.-hardwood-floors-EVERYWHERE issue...a big foam playmat!

The layout of this house is so weird, and there really isn't much space for all of Norah's things to live, so this mat (like everything else) is right out in the middle of the 'living room'! We put a gate up around it to keep her friendly little puppy dog off of her things, and to keep her from rolling away!! So far so good!

We were given the green light to start feeding Norah rice cereal, then yellow and orange veggies! Is she seriously old enough??? Wow! Our first attempt was so hilarious! She didn't know what to do with her tongue, but she kept grabbing for the spoon and directing it towards her mouth...needless to say, most of it ended up on her face! This is going to take some practice!

Now, when she sees the bowl of cereal she starts salivating and shaking her arms in such excitement! It's so so funny to watch her try to figure this eating thing out! Such a big girl!

This weekend, Norah is getting baptized and we will celebrate Father's Day! Even though its just us, we're still having a scrumptious cake and bellini's and gifts to celebrate the baptism! I don't want her growing up thinking nobody cared, even though she wont remember!! And this time, we will REALLY try to get a lot of pictures! And then it's on to our Father's Day celebration...not sure what that will entail...guess it's up to the dad!!

Grandma JoAnn and Great-Grandma Erma arrive next week! We are so excited! I think I'll put them straight to work!!...straight to work playing with Norah, that is, so I can get some serious organizing done around here! It's stressin me out!!!

18 weeks old!

I'm posting a day early because we leave for Kansas City early tomorrow morning! One of Daniel's friends from college is getting married and Daniel is a groomsman. We are very much looking forward to the weekend! Grandpa Jimmy and Grandma Colleen are meeting us there to watch Norah so we can have a good time! This will also be our first plane ride with the little one...I've packed everything (plus more!) that we could need (in a very organized fashion, I might add!)...so it should go off without a hitch!

This week we had Norah's four-month check-up. She behaved SO well and for SUCH a long period of time...I was shocked! We went smack in the middle of her morning nap time so I figured she'd be a handful, but she was so perfectly behaved! She's weighing in at 13 pounds 2 ounces, and measures 24 inches (birth weight 7 pounds 9 ounces, and 19.5 inches). She's right around the 50th percentile now for both height and weight. At two months she was below the curve for height...big surprise! She got four shots in her little legs, screamed for just a minute, then was all grins for the nurse right afterwards! What a joker! This time she ran a low-grade temp until the next morning (99.3-100.1) but you'd never know it. Just as pleasant as ever!

(battle wounds!!)

Nothing else too exciting happened this week that I can remember! But before I forget AGAIN, we want to share that Norah will be baptized at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church on Sunday, June 16th at 1:45pm! Sorry, we've known for quite a while, but I keep forgetting to pass the info along! Daniel's co-worker Jennifer will be our "stand-in" for godmother (as we have no one here!!!), and she's more than happy and excited to do it! Norah's godmother (in real life!) will be Meghan McLaughlan and her godfather will be Henry Lutz. Next week I hope to have good pictures of the weekend to post!