Oma found the time (I don't know how--see previous posts on all the stuff I had them work on...) to make a twirly ballerina skirt for Norah for Christmas! Norah really liked it once she got over the novelty. She twirled around and around and around all morning! Thank you to Oma!
Monday, December 14, 2009
Making Snowballs...
...but NOT throwing them at nearby people's faces! (We had to teach her that lesson.)
First Snowfall (after the blizzard passed)
Norah and Daddy went out in the snow to play on the first warm day after the blizzzard. Norah had a good time making snowballs, but they couldn't make their snowman because the snow wasn't sticky enough.
The Nutcracker
The Nutcracker ornament helped us keep her attention while we snapped photos. Here she is trying to hang it back up on the tree...
Christmas Photo
Norah patiently posed by the tree while I took about 30 pictures for a possible Christmas photo (it is difficult to get a good photo of a wiggly toddler!!!!!). Here's one many of you might see in your Christmas Cards (coming soon in the mail!).
Grandpa and Oma visit
Grandpa and Oma made it to IC just before the dreaded "Blizzard of '09" hit our doorstep! We were trapped inside for about 2 days before they plowed our street, so we had a lot of together time!
Thank you to Oma and Grandpa for all the projects they suffered through while trapped in my house, including (but not limited to):
Making a Play house for Norah in the cubby under the stairs
Re-hanging a counter that had been removed by some repairmen
Painting our hand-me-down nightstands
Cleaning lady bugs out of our light fixtures (we always have tons of lady bugs in the fall...)
Replacing the globe on our new bathroom fixture
Choosing photos for and hanging frames in the bathroom
Fixing the futon
Fixing our toilet so it re-fills automatically
Finishing the doorframe between the finished and unfinished basement
Troubleshooting a broken spotlight in our basement
and much much more!
(boy am I a taskmaster or what?)
Oma and Grandpa still had time to browse the internet, convince Chiara (but not James....) of the wonders of Google's Picasa program, enjoy meals with us, make Christmas cookies, play with Norah, watch Little Einsteins and Sesame Street with Norah, read books and magazines, look through recipes, dance with Norah to the Nutcracker, sing Norah's "Baby Jesus" song, watch Norah in her first Christmas Pageant, and on and on. What a great visit!
Nonna's Porch
While Ethan's favorite book at Nonna's house is undoubtedly "Elmo Loves You," Norah's favorite book at Nonna's house is, "Nonna's Porch." Here they are enjoying a private reading by Nonna herself!
Fred and Lena
Here are the kids sitting with the Garden's benefactors, Fred and Lena Meijer (or bronze statues of them anyway...).
Meijer Gardens, Day 2
Nonna and Jeri took Norah, Bree, and Ethan back to the Gardens the next day. Here they are posing by the elephant!
Norah and a trolley
She was so fascinated by the trolleys; they would go back and forth on the same track, but she reacted like it was the first time she had seen them every time they came her way!
The train to end all trains!
The Meijer Gardens had a beautiful train set up inside. It was elevated and spanned two rooms! There were also 3 little trolleys that went around "old Grand Rapids" at toddler-level. Norah couldn't get enough of this train, and we stayed there for a good 30 minutes before I had to drag her away!
Following the Leader...
Auntie Francesca led the way across the big green field, and Norah and Ethan were not far behind! Can you tell we are trying to burn some of their energy?
Thanksgiving Trip to GR
We went to GR for Thanksgiving this year, and we made it out to the Meijer Gardens two or three times that week! Here are Norah and Ethan by the "big bear."
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