Thursday, January 15, 2009

Christmas Day 3


Winter 2008178, originally uploaded by James Hemsley.

How can I play with my new phone AND my baby's bottle at the same time????

Christmas Day 2


Winter 2008180, originally uploaded by James Hemsley.

Norah LOVED the duplo blocks!

Christmas Day 1


Winter 2008182, originally uploaded by James Hemsley.

We had a beautiful Christmas Day. We woke up to about 10-12 inches of fluffy snow, and it was just gorgeous to see it on the usually brown Reno mountains. Here's Norah with her best pal Uncle Adam and Aunt Cassie (Ah and Ca).

Gingerbread lane on steroids


Winter 2008213, originally uploaded by James Hemsley.

Reno has a neighborhood that goes ALL OUT on the Christmas lights. There are three houses in particular that have their lights timed to about 15 different Christmas songs! People just pull onto the street, park, and watch the 40 minute show! There are angels that "fly", a dancing Santa, and lights, lights, lights! It is pretty cool, and Norah loved it!

Baby Jakey 2


Winter 2008032, originally uploaded by James Hemsley.

Here's Jacob again. Notice the spit-up rag always at his side. He is quite the spitter, but cute nonetheless.

Baby Jakey


Copy (2) of Winter 2008020, originally uploaded by James Hemsley.

We went out to Reno for Christmas to see James' family, and got to meet our nephew Jacob for the first time! He was a real cutie--totally a mix of Pete and Liz. Norah and he got along swimmingly.

La Norah mangia gli spaghetti! (Ma e piu grande!)


Norah in the Snow035, originally uploaded by James Hemsley.

Here's Norah eating spaghetti again for the Italian relatives. She really knows how to get it everywhere but the mouth. It is quite stunning!

Norah in the snow 5


Norah in the Snow001, originally uploaded by James Hemsley.

Did I mention she was independent? Here she is walking down the sidewalk like she has somewhere to be.

Norah in the snow 4


Norah in the Snow009, originally uploaded by James Hemsley.

Walking by the house.

Norah in the snow 3


Norah in the Snow013, originally uploaded by James Hemsley.

Snow must be very strange and fascinating to an 18 month old!

Norah in the snow 2


Norah in the Snow015, originally uploaded by James Hemsley.

"I can barely walk in this thing!!!"

Norah in the snow


Norah in the Snow021, originally uploaded by James Hemsley.

Norah likes to play in the snow, so I took her out one balmy afternoon. She likes to get all bundled up, but has a really hard time moving and getting back up when she falls....it's funny to watch.

I also keep thinking she is saying "no, no", but she is saying "Snow, Snow" over and over. She's like a broken record!

Baby Cy


NovDec2008031, originally uploaded by James Hemsley.

Here's baby Cy from the front. Norah has a blast helping me watch him one day a week! He is a sweet baby.

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Norah and Cyrus


NovDec2008027, originally uploaded by James Hemsley.

I watch my friend's son Cyrus once a week, and Norah loves to play with the "baby!!!". Here she is stealing all the dangly things on his play mat. I think she is just paying back what all the older kids used to do to her when she was littler and more immobile!

Norah and the Tree


NovDec2008053, originally uploaded by James Hemsley.

Norah LOVES the Christmas tree. She has been really good about being GENTLE with the ornaments, but her favorite activity is going around the tree and pointing out all the ornaments that she knows. We taught her to say "HO HO HO!" for Santa, and that is really funny!

Christmas Photo 5


NovDec2008041, originally uploaded by James Hemsley.

And we're done! (For today!)

Christmas Photo 4


NovDec2008005, originally uploaded by James Hemsley.

Smile!

Christmas Photo 3


NovDec2008066, originally uploaded by James Hemsley.

We got tired of posing with penguins, so we had to play some peek a boo--and of course, this only works well behind the sofa. It is really difficult to get a good photo (with a natural smile) of an 18 month old!!! At least one named Norah! The next photo will show you what I get when I say, "Smile!"

Christmas Photo 2


NovDec2008076, originally uploaded by James Hemsley.

I told her to kiss the penguins, so she is going in for the kiss!!!

Christmas Photo 1


NovDec2008078, originally uploaded by James Hemsley.

I have been trying to get a good photo of Norah for Christmas. This would have been cute if she was looking at me, but intead, the penguins had her rapt attention. Isn't it neat how the snow-globe magnified her dress?

Oh, and I quickly learned NOT to give a snow-globe to an 18-month-old child!

Caught in the act


NovDec2008087, originally uploaded by James Hemsley.

Ethan looks like he was just caught going to the fridge for a late-night snack!

Christmas Pajamas


NovDec2008089, originally uploaded by James Hemsley.

Norah and Ethan got Christmas pajamas from their mamas who can't say no to a bargain! Here they are sporting them!

Meijer Gardens 4


NovDec2008129, originally uploaded by James Hemsley.

Norah and Ethan were there, too! They could barely move in their outerwear, but they were there!

Meijer Gardens 3


NovDec2008125, originally uploaded by James Hemsley.

Reindeer were there, too!

Meijer Gardens 2


NovDec2008130, originally uploaded by James Hemsley.

Oma and Nonna were there, too!

Meijer Gardens


NovDec2008132, originally uploaded by James Hemsley.

We went to the Meijer Gardens while Norah and I were in GR. Mom made Alessia and I get into this silly sleigh for a photo opportunity. Thanks, Mom!

Thanksgiving


NovDec2008100_edited-1, originally uploaded by James Hemsley.

Norah's look seems to say, "Is the meal over yet???? Stop feeding yourselves, people!!!!"

On the phone 2


IMG_0223, originally uploaded by James Hemsley.

Just thought this one was cute. By the way, I think Dad and Maria took these photos when they were here, and we were so bad, we didn't take any of them!!!! The memory will live on in our hearts, though!

On the phone


IMG_0213, originally uploaded by James Hemsley.

Norah loves to talk on the phone. Whenever it rings, she yells, "Pho!" (which means phone) and wants to talk to whoever is on the other line. We aquired this battery-less cell phone from Jeri, and Norah likes it because it resembles the real thing.

Bedtime


IMG_0210, originally uploaded by James Hemsley.

Norah loves to be read to. We pull out a stack of books, and say, "This one?" She says "No!" until we get one she likes. She is now making requests, too, like "Choo Choo" for "The Little Engine that Could". That book is so repetitive, we just make up our own words for it.