Monday, January 31, 2011

Train of thought...Jesus edition

Norah was telling us about the story she heard at preschool today:

Norah: "Sometimes, people can't walk so they ride in a cart."
James: "Oh, their friends push them around?"
Norah: "Yes, and they put him up on a roof and put a hole in it so he could go see Jesus."
James: " And what did Jesus do?"
Norah: "Jesus told him to walk. He wanted to help him."
James: "And did he walk?"
Norah: "Yes!"
James: "Wow, Jesus is pretty cool! Could I do that?"
Norah: "No. You're not Jesus. Jesus is powerful....like Big Jet...he likes to take things....like Luca."

Saturday, January 29, 2011

Mt. Laundry


latejanuary001, originally uploaded by Chiara and James Hemsley.

Despite trucking all of our laundry up to MI on our last two visits and making my children wear clothes until they were REALLY dirty, we still had a big pile waiting for action this weekend. I didn't realize how big until James said, "I know you are busy, but, ummm, I don't have any underwear left. Do you think you could do some laundry?" Oops!

So, here's the pile--post washing, pre-folding! It took me 40 minutes to fold it all!

Do you see Norah in there? She got a kick out of hiding in the warm laundry!

Needless to say, I can't wait until we move to our new home with our OWN laundry machines!

Thursday, January 20, 2011

The imaginative one


MidJan2011003, originally uploaded by Chiara and James Hemsley.

Norah definitely has a vivid and active imagination!

What the?


MidJan2011002, originally uploaded by Chiara and James Hemsley.

I came across this bizarre scene in the living room this morning. Each Disney princess had removed her shoes (except for Ariel, who doesn't have shoes), and seemed to be doing an exercise of some kind.

When asked, Norah replied, "They're walking like ponies."

Ah, yes, why didn't I think of that?

New food experience


MidJan2011005, originally uploaded by Chiara and James Hemsley.

They make these cool little "food chewers" for babies--prevents them from choking, but allows them to "chew" their food.

Here's Luke trying it out for the first time--with a piece of fresh pear inside! Yummers!

Cool Dude


MidJan2011008, originally uploaded by Chiara and James Hemsley.

Nonna loves to comb babies' hair into a mohawk after their baths. Luke can pull it off, don't you think?

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Under the Sea


1.11.11.014, originally uploaded by Chiara and James Hemsley.

What else did we do on 1/11/11? We made Norah's big "Under the Sea" floor puzzle from Oma and Grandpa. Do you see the Norah fish right next to the Lionfish?

Luca on 1/11/11


1.11.11.006, originally uploaded by Chiara and James Hemsley.

Here's Luca watching us make cookies.

More 1/11/11


1.11.11.007, originally uploaded by Chiara and James Hemsley.

Here's Norah putting the cookies on the sheet. She wanted to lick her finger after every one, so I had to put a rein on that--lest she get salmonella! THAT wouldn't be a fun way to celebrate 1/11/11, would it?

1.11.11 activities


1.11.11.001, originally uploaded by Chiara and James Hemsley.

Norah and I celebrated 1/11/11 by making cookies. It also happens to be Grandma Patti and Ethan's birthday! Happy Birthday!

Saturday, January 8, 2011

You mean they put vitamins IN food?

Tonight at dinner:

Chiara: "James, you should have an orange. It has Vitamin C."
Norah: "I like vitamins!"
James: "Well, eat your orange then. Oranges have Vitamin C in them."
Norah: "But I like the vitamins that aren't in food."

Ha! Norah makes us smile!

Play time!

Luca loves to look in his bin of infant-appropriate toys and pull things out. He also likes to chew on the edge of the bin and scoot himself over to Daddy's toy (the Xbox) and play with the wires. We need to remedy that situation soon, because he can roll pretty much anyway/anywhere he wants to.

Daddy and Me

Luca and Daddy playing this afternoon.

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Grandpa, Oma, and Luca


MichiganVisit017, originally uploaded by Chiara and James Hemsley.

Alessia and Lucia


MichiganVisit011, originally uploaded by Chiara and James Hemsley.

The Thinker (2011 Version)


MichiganVisit010, originally uploaded by Chiara and James Hemsley.

Caught a photo of my dad at the computer, his favorite place. It reminds me of the sculpture of "The Thinker" by Rodin.

Lucia


MichiganVisit009, originally uploaded by Chiara and James Hemsley.

Luke's cousin playmate is Lucia, and they were funny to watch together. Luke is 2 months older than Lucia, but they are almost the same size now, and they actually interacted with one another! It will be fun when they are a little older!

Aunt Francesca

reading a book to Norah and Ethan about strange "flanimals"--made up animals. For every one, the first thing Norah would say was, "Do they bite?"

Christmas Trees


MichiganVisit018, originally uploaded by Chiara and James Hemsley.

The Meijer Gardens also had a beautiful display of Christmas trees from around the world. Norah and Ethan really enjoyed looking at all the trees.

Don't they look like loving cousins in this photo?

Waiting


MichiganVisit025, originally uploaded by Chiara and James Hemsley.

The Family Band recently went to MI to visit family, and, while there, we made a visit to the Meijer Gardens, where they had a great train set through some of their indoor gardens. Norah and Ethan loved following the train and trolley around the track. Here they are waiting for the trolley to come back through the tunnel.

New word

Today, Norah and I were playing princesses with her new magnetic dolls, and they rode the elevator down to the zoo (Cinderella got to push the button), and then, to get to the library, they rode up the "escamavator." :-)