2013 Year In Review

I'm just going to jump right in.  This is always my favorite post of the year.

Here's a look back at some of the highlights of 2013 (not to negate the fact that there were indeed low moments, but at the end of it all, it's these pictures emphasizing some of the brightest spots of this past year that I want to remember the most).

JANUARY:  E mastered self-feeding with a spoon! (was that really JUST this past year!?)

FEBRUARY:  We had our last photos taken as a family of three before we welcomed our N!

MARCH:  Got to spend some much-welcomed quality time with grandparents as we awaited N's arrival.

APRIL:  We welcomed Nora Rose into our lives and went from a family of three to a family of four! (so thankful and humbled)

MAY:  Enjoyed time with Memommy shortly after N made her debut :)

JUNE:  Family vacay to Croatia (not to mention sun-kissed baby cheeks, yum).

JULY:  Trip to the mountains with some sweet Slovak friends and Daddy Boy celebrated Father's Day holding our newest addition.

AUGUST:  An accidental too-short hair cut (but still oh so very cute) and some outdoor time with a good buddy!

SEPTEMBER:  How was it possible that this girl turned TWO years old!?  Nonetheless, she did.

OCTOBER:  And just like that turning two meant she became a big girl.  No more paci for this little one.  Tear, sniffle, sniffle.

NOVEMBER:  Then as if turning two and giving up a paci wasn't enough for a mama to handle, the tiny one up and decided to crawl her way out of babyhood! 2014 will surely bring walking as a major milestone for sweet N.

DECEMBER:  Finally, though we have assuredly missed time with our families, we've also learned a lot about trusting the Lord and growing closer to each other...which means navigating our own family traditions, trying hard to "be in the moment" when we're together, and learning what it means to love and do life together.

2014, we're more than ready to welcome you :)  Here we go!

5 Years Ago Today

Five years ago today I stood at the alter and said "Yes" before God, family, and friends to always love God and my best friend. I am so thankful for that "Yes" and more importantly, her "Yes." I love you best friend and am glad to share this life with you. You are an amazing wife and mother. I LOVE YOU!!

Nora Rose: Eight Months!

Our "little" girl isn't so very little anymore!

Nora Rose turns eight months old today.  Let it be said, time is seriously flying by.

Weight:  Around about 17 pounds these days.

Eating:  After having quite a few cranky days lately, we've decided to up her solids intake.  She's now getting three solid meals a day (fruit and veggies mostly) and still nurses 4 to 5 times a day.  I'm thinking the girl has hit a major growth spurt (plus is perhaps experiencing some separation anxiety!?).  It should also be noted that this girl LOVES peas and carrots (which I hope will last forever…we need at least one pea-loving person in this family!)

Sleeping:  She's (mostly) on a sleeping schedule that includes two smaller naps and one longer midday nap.  At night she's still waking to eat once, but she does seem quite hungry for that one, so we're going with it.  

Fun things:  We've got a clapper!  Cutest little clap it is, too.  She's also crawling faster now and pulling up on lots of things.  She's quite agile (as proven by the picture above) and will sit in some funny positions (Jason calls one of them her football stance because she sits like she's holding the football about to be kicked, or something like that, ha!).  She also WILL NOT sit down in the bathtub which makes bathing her quite challenging.  Lastly, the girl does not like to be away from us.  If we're in one room and move to another, so does our Nor.  Sweetie baby.

(putting the star on the tree with Daddy Boy)

(hahaha, Nor is a bit skeptical, but scenes like this can be seen daily around here)

(out of focus a bit, but I still love this picture)

(Thanksgiving 2013…love these three!)

(Disclaimer:  I promise Nor does smile, but they're obviously harder to catch on this girl!)

Nor Nor, we love love you and sure do love watching you grow :)

Just a Little Boat Ride...

…down the hall and back again!  That's the name of the game around here lately.

They love laying on this blanket (on loan from the Holloway clan…thanks!) and being pulled all around, typically while singing "row, row, row your boat…"

And when I say THEY, it really means Elise drags Nora along with her.  Nora generally complies (because she doesn't have much of an option when her sis is dragging her along by her clothes haha!).

Here they are in action.

It's increasingly harder to capture decent pictures of the on-the-go two year old and her very mobile eight month old sis, but nonetheless, I like these action shots of the girls.  They completely testify to the stage of life we're in now.

(and apparently I have a thing for dressing those two in polka dots!)

(I also promise no eight month old was hurt during the taking of these photos, though her face may say otherwise ;)