Talky talky talky

My favorite word that Nora is saying right now is "Almost!" As in, we are almost home or almost done with something. It's so stinkin' cute. I also love that when we pull into our driveway she says, "Hooome." It's what I would say when we got home and now she it's her job to alert us of our return to the house. She also likes calling out to you by saying, "Where are you?" which kind of sounds like "Whereareyouuuuu?" all smooshed together into one word. When she says, "Listen" she puts her hand up to cheek or ear and gets real still.

Nora is also working on more sentence type contruction. The other day she said "Closed eyes birdies" when referring to sleeping birds in a book.

More to add to the list:
Listen
Almost
Home
Mommy kiss
Daddy kiss
Nora kiss
This
Turn this way
Zebra
Piano
Train
Plane
Mommy open please
Pony
Socks and shoes
Thank you Stell (Stella, the dog)
Here you go Stell
Eat food
Eat water mouth (to drink)
Nora hot food (and then blows on it)
Nora sit down on mommy lap
Mommy's lap
Hiccups
Up top Daddy's head
Rhino
Bathroom
Music
Reach
Nora do it

1st Ice Cream

Ice cream has always been a Bendon family favorite. I remember enjoying a bowl of Philadelphia Vanilla topped with a little honey with my dad as a kid. 

So the time had come to introduce Nora to the chilly and sweet deliciousness that is ice cream. We all enjoyed an easy-to-make homemade banana ice cream (dairy free, even). It was a hit! Next up, chocolate (of course!).

So Much Talking!

Nora's language is really blossoming! So much so that we are getting to a point where it's really challenging to keep track of it all. Here are some words and phrases that we've been able to capture...

Nora do and Nora do it
Mommy get it
Baby Gam (Graham) spoon (Graham is a boy at Nora's daycare)
Oh no Stella bark
Right there (when asked where something is, where something goes, where it hurts)
Lay down
Nora bite spoon
Nora's jammies
Mommy here you go
Yummy tummy (this makes me giggle)
Soap
Nora soap hands
Rainbow
Pretty
Plane
More planes
Tweet tweet (birds)
More tweet tweets
Pop
Grass
Many many fwowers (flowers)
Fram
Close
Open
Top
House
Cock a doodle doo
Nora site down (also Mommy, Daddy, and Stella sit down)
Lily, Evan, Amelia, and Graham (kids at day care)
Outside (said over and over and over and over and.....)
Pink
TV

And poop. Yes, Nora has learned to say poop and seems to understand what it is. She likes to pat her bottom and say poop, regardless of if she has indeed pooped. I do look forward to the time when Nora only tells us she pooped when she  actually has (and when she tells us before it happens for potty training).

Then and Now: March

Here are two of my favorite pictures of Jeff and Nora and they were taken almost exactly 1 year apart from one another. Look at the difference!

March 2012

March 2013

1 + 1 = 2 Words

Nora's language continues to develop and I just love it! She is learning more words, puts two words together now, and has become quite the little mimic. We definitely have to be mindful of what we say these days. For example, sometimes we have to tell Stella "No." Nora will hear this and think that she should then say "No, no, no!" to Stella. It's kind of cute and funny, but we do want her to learn what is for Mommy and Daddy to say and what is for Nora to say. And to not walk around hollering "No, no, no" to random dogs. :)

Some of Nora's favorite two-word combinations:
Mommy In
Daddy In
Stella outside
Nora seat or Nora sit (and Mommy seat, Daddy seat)
Sit down
Up please
More please
Mommy up
Daddy up
More fruit
I know
Oh man

Huppo-G (her Hippopotamus and Giraffe lovies)

Some new words that are showing up in Nora's vocabulary:

Stella

Pearl

Draw

Handle

Alright

Boat

Toot toot

Choo-choo

Pink

Oink

Hop

Meow

Button

Flower

Out

No, Nor, Nora

Nora has learned to say her own name. At first, I totally missed that she was saying "Nora" because it can sound like she is saying "no." I was really confused, too, because she was saying (what I thought was) "no" at times that didn't make sense. Finally (and probably to the relief of Nora) I got it! And I was so excited that Nora was saying her own name that I'm pretty sure I squealed like a little kid on Christmas morning.

It still sounds a bit like she is saying "no" or "Nowr" but she knows who she is and what belongs to her so the context works! :)

Feb 2013

18 months and 2 weeks

18 months!
That is half way to 2 years old.
I don't know what to say about that so for now I'll say nothing. :)

For us, 18 months has brought with is toddler behavior. Although Nora really is a very cheerful and fun child, she has definitely begun expressing frustration when she has to do something she doesn't want to do, like getting her diaper changed or putting on her coat. Although I don't like seeing Nora get so upset and although it takes a lot of patience and effort to get out of the house and settled in the car at times, we just keep changing diapers and putting on coats and getting buckled into car seats and dealing with tears.

It's not all a fight for toddler independence though!

Nora's sense of humor is blossoming and it is so fun to watch and hear her laugh at something that she finds funny. These days, Jeff and I will do anything, no matter how goofy, to get that giggle going.

Sweet smiles

Along with the giggling, we love hearing all the new words that she is learning. I'm doing my best to keep a list of each new one, but sometimes I can't keep up! This past week she has really enjoyed saying "handle" and "I know." We learned handle at the indoor playground and Nora learned "I know" from me. I have a little mimic and I'm reminded on a regularly basis that I need to watch what comes out of my mouth.

She is also starting being able to climb on chairs and stools more independently. This is both exciting and terrifying. For Christmas, we got Nora her very own arm chair. Not only does she like to climb all over it, she also turns it into a bit of a fort. When it's time to play this way, Nora tips her chair over and yells, "IN!" Below Daddy is "in" with Nora and they are spelling out her name, which is embroidered on her her chair.

IN!

Nora still loves getting outside whenever we can, but those days are few given the winter season. To get out and about we have been venturing to the indoor playground, Barnes and Nobles (they've added a toy section and Lego table), and we still have lunch with my co-workers on Tuesdays. Sometimes we head to the library for story time, too.

So the consensus on 18 months is that it is exciting, exhausting, and exhilarating.

18 Month Teaser

2/3/2013
Halfway to two years old

Some quick stats and then a more complete post will come later (when it isn't 10:45 at night!):

Weight: 25.7 pounds
Height: 30.75 inches
Clothing: 18 month and 18-24 month
General status: healthy, happy, active, adorable, sweet, (did we say active?), and starting to embrace her status at "toddler" (more on that in the next post)

More Words

We have a chatty Nora on our hands! I know that is very surprising given how talkative her parents are.  :) We really do love hearing her speak and are occasionally blown away when she says a new word. Last week's surprise-to-mommy-word was "purple."

Here are some more words that she is using:

Purple
Yellow
Hand
Ear
Hair
Belly button
Apple sauce (this is adorable - applebaba is how is sounds when she says it)
Bark bark
Hippo
Bath
Choo choo
Hot dog
Minnie (for Minnie Mouse)
Milk (sounds like "moe")
Bye
Duck
Fruit
Kick
Hop
Stomp

Enjoying some applebaba.

For the first list of words that we posted, click here.

Words

I love to hear Nora talking. Her little voice just makes my heart so dang happy!

It is so amazing to hear her learn and use new words. It is also fun to hear the tone that she uses when saying different words. In the morning, it is especially sweet to hear her babble away in her bed when she wakes up.

I've been trying to keep a log of all the words that she is using. Here is what we've got:

Dada
Daddy
Mom Mom
Ma (usually shouted)
Dog Dog
Oof Oof (what the dog-dog says)
Hat (said while she taps her head)
What's That
Up
Down
Uht oh
No
Nunt-uh (for no)
Dolly
Bunny
Knock Knock
Baaaaa (what the sheep says)
Thank you (well, sometimes)
Weee
Boom (while bumping fists or feet)
Apple
Boot
Bubble
Stop
Buckle
Owl
Stella
Bye
Mine
Cheeeese (into the camera)
Vroom
Hello
Book

As Nora's vocabulary grows, I'll add them to the list. Next up, saying 2 words together?? I can't wait!

Good Morning!
Snuggles with Daddy, Dolly, and Bunny.

Day Care-iversary

It's been one year since Nora has started going to day care up the street at Miss Laura's house. You can revisit that post from last year here. You can also see the changes in Nora and her day care pals Evan and Lily below.

10/31/11

10/31/12

I'm not sure we could have a better day care situation. Nora is truly cared for by Laura and she gets along well with the other kids. Lily and Evan are always kissing Nora goodbye at the end of each day and Amelia likes laying dress-up with her. She goes on field trips, does some crafts, listens to music, and has a lot of toys to play with. It's wild and loving and loud and tender and perfect for us. 

14 Months Old

Nora is 14 months old. There are so many things that I have been neglecting to share on the blog about what she is doing now. Mostly because what she is doing sure does keep me busy!!

She is walking. Her first steps were at Day Care on August 20. Four little steps. The next morning she took three more, which we got on video. Last week she started walking backwards. She attempts to run a bit, but that skill is still in the "trying to perfect" phase. Sometimes she trips and falls, giving me yet another baby-induced heart attack.  Sometimes when she trips and falls, she knocks her noggin. I feel terrible every time it happens. I suppose this is an early lesson that I can't protect her from everything.

She is talking. I know she has been for a while, but her vocabulary is increasing. She is saying thank you, ta da, mom mom, tick-tick (tickle-tickle), hi (which sometimes also mean bye), up (we are working on please with that), duck, and nuht-uh (no). She has been saying da da and dog dog for quite some time. She is also making animal sounds like "oof oof" for a dog, "mmmmmm" for a cow, and "na" for a horse. It's dang cute.

Nora also very clearly understands what we say more and more. What an amazing process to watch unfold, cognition!

And laughing. What a laugh this little girl has! Her giggles are the best. We love her cheerfulness.

Nora loves to pick out a book, sit on our laps, and have us read it to her. She also loves being outdoors. Whether it is in the back yard, taking a walk down the street, going for a spin in her stroller, or playing at the park, this child loves being outside.

She is also a bit of a momma's girl. We spend a lot of time together, especially now that Jeff is in his travel season, so I suppose it is to be expected. I don't mind a momma's girl; I love the snuggles and playtime and being a part of her growing and discovering. I just want her to also be ok spending time with other people. I understand this is a common phase for kids to go through and we do get out and about. On M, W, F she is at daycare. On Tuesdays we have lunch at my office. We run errands on the weekend. We go to the park. We have baby swim class on Saturdays.

So 14 months. Here we are. Happy. Talking. Walking. Loving.

Bye Bye Bottles

The week before Nora turned 13 months old, we decided to stop the bottle. Our pediatrician told us that once she turned one, she wouldn't need formula any longer. I procrastinated a little bit because I was feeling a little sad about this milestone. 

How funny that I was feeling so reticent given how our bottle adventure began. First of all, I didn't even expect to be using bottles and formula. And when we did have to depend on the bottle, I certainly thought it would be easier than it was. Getting Nora to take 3 ounces in less than an hour felt like a miracle. I was nervous and afraid when she wouldn't take her bottle. There were times when I would be in tears because she wouldn't eat, something that was incredibly important given Nora's weight when she was born. 

Then things changed. 

And Nora took a bottle from me. And we had sweet snuggles during her feedings throughout the day and night. She grew and the pediatrician was pleased. Jeff and I were ecstatic. 

Fast forward to the recent past...first night without the bottle. Nora was angry. She was crying and pointing (with frustration) to where her bottle normally sat. She wouldn't take solace in her sippy cup of water. She did not want to read a book. She wanted her bottle. She continued to cry after being put to bed, resulting in some rocking chair snuggles to calm down. 

Second night without the bottle...Nora still cried but did take her sippy cup and we read a book. Again, she continued to cry after being put to bed and again we had some rocking chair snuggles. 

On the third night, Nora was sulky but was willing to have her bedtime stories. I still had to go back to her for some soothing after she was put in her crib. 

4th night? It was as though there was never an issue. Bath, pajamas, story time, bed. And the thing I was worried about missing the most - our night time snuggles - we still have when we read our books. Books and snuggles! I'll take it. 

Nora Turns 1

Nora has turned 1. She is about the cross the 13 month threshold. I am so, so happy and thankful that she is growing and developing as she should. And sometimes I just want to keep her small and eager to sleep in my arms.

July 2012

12 months old!!

I have an admission. I have been procrastinating on Nora's 12 month post. And the rest of her birthday posts. The feelings I've been having with this milestone have been many. With all of the joy of Nora turning one comes a little sadness of some of the baby things that are getting to be less and less. We're almost done with the bottle, snuggle naps are extremely rare, and I no longer get to hold my little girl whenever I want. My time with a baby is coming to an end. And it's ending forever, given our fertility issues.

But toddler-hood brings with it a lot of fun times. Times that I appreciate so much.

Nora loves to explore and we are often "walking" all over the house with Nora holding onto our fingers or with one of her push toys. She dances to music, cruises between toys and furniture, loves to crawl up the stairs, brings the dogs their toys and is learning to pat them gently, points to things she wants, and smiles a lot. She has learned to smile for the camera, making what we call her "cheese" face. Her laugh is amazing!

Nora has also learned to express her opinion! It's very clear when Nora does - and does not - want something. It is really amazing to watch her develop her own ideas. She is still as observant as ever, always watching and taking everything in.

As you can tell from our blog, it's been an amazing first year and we are just so dang thankful for it all. So HAPPY 12 MONTHS to our sweet, sweet girl. We are so excited for the next year of memory-making and milestones!

Nora at 12 months old:

• 23.8 lbs and 27.5 inches
• Says Dada, Mama, Dog-Dog, Uht-oh, Kisses
• Wears 12-18 month-sized clothes
• Eats mostly finger foods - current favorite is a hummus sandwich
• 8 teeth

I'm gonna get this owl!

Birthday Celebrations, Part 1

Nora's 1st birthday! This is the first of many celebrations we have had. To commemorate the occasion, Pop Pop Tom got Nora a gorgeous lemon cake from an Italian bakery. As we carried the cake to the car, my Dad told me that when he was a boy he always had lemon cake for his birthday. 

We all sang Happy Birthday, which Nora just loved! She grinned the entire time. Cousin Madeline helped her to blow out her candle and then we slid the cake in front of her to let her dig in. At first it was just a little finger of frosting.

Which she really liked...

After a little bit of encouragement and assistance, Nora dug right in! She laughed (as did the rest of us!) as she smooshed and smeared the cake. She ate some of it, too. :)

I enjoyed watching Nora experience her first cake much more than I expected to. In fact, I had so much fun that I forgot to take any other pictures. Just Nora and cake! No big family birthday picture. Ugh! I don't even remember snapping this one, but I sure am thankful to whoever took it for us.

Nora's first 1st Birthday party

11 Months Old

OMG! I'm almost a year old!

Nora is...

On the move! Our sweet girl is on the go, seemingly all the time. Crawling is a cake walk these days. Pulling up? Easy-peasy. Walking while holding onto Mama or Dada's fingers is preferred. She is also pretty good at cruising around (walking while grabbing onto items like furniture). Perhaps those first steps are on the horizon.

Teething. We started out the teething process without too much discomfort or unhappiness for Nora. Well, her fifth tooth has brought along with it crankiness, drool, snot, and fever. We are really feeling for our little sweetie.

Munching. Nora now prefers to feed herself so finger foods are all the rage. We still spoon-feed her some foods, like her baby cereal, yogurt, and some pureed veggies. The veggies have to be snuck in between bites at times. We are also starting to transition from "baby food" to "food." A couple of the meals that we have shared with Nora lately include zucchini tacos (minus the shell) and ginger/zucchini/tofu pasta. She loves eating these tasty and flavorful foods that her Daddy is so good at making. And although it's a bit too early for Nora to be chomping down on Mommy's specialties (baked goods), she has been introduced to banana muffins. One word to describe the muffin experience: devour! She devours them. It's pretty fun to watch. :)

Vocal. When Nora wakes up in the morning, she is content to babble away in her crib for a bit. We love laying in bed listening to her chat, chat, chat while we get an extra few dozes in. Nora also talks it up when we are in the car, playing with toys, going for a walk, having a meal, at the pool... Maybe our little girl is going to turn into a chatty-Cathy. Between Mommy, Daddy, and Nora our house will be filled with chatter!

Adorable. Seriously, have you seen her?

Vacationing in Wisconsin, Part 2: Geneva Lake

On our last day of vacation, we decided to take Nora to the beach. Her first visit to the beach! We were pretty darn excited, I must say. It would be the first time she felt sand between her toes and be in a natural body of water. Pretty neat stuff! 

It turned out to be a pretty windy experience. See that umbrella below? That didn't last. 

Nora's first trip to the beach
Geneva Lake, WI

Also, Nora cried when she touched the sand. 

HOWEVER...once we got down to the water, all was well. She loved standing at the edge of the water with her feet in the wet sand. We also went out into the lake, letting the water (which was quite choppy from the wind) lap at her feet and legs. She liked that a lot! Nora is definitely a little water baby.

Although our trip to the beach was short (we left within an hour due to the wind and no protection against the bright sun), it will always be a memorable first with Nora.

The Ninth Month

Nora's ninth month started out with a lot of excitement! In the first week of her ninth month, Nora started crawling, cut her first tooth, and we stopped giving her a 10:30pm bottle. The second week brought us Nora's second tooth. Nora also loves standing up, feeding herself, standing up, playing, and standing up. We also like to read (and eat) books. One of our favorite ways to read books is by laying on our backs looking up at the books. Nora often tells us stories (they are about dadadadada and babababa and gagagaga) and giggles like crazy when we gobble on her neck and sides. She also gives raspberries and clap her hands.

* 20lbs 14oz * 26.25 inches * 

Woah, What a Week!

Monday: Nora begins crawling
Tuesday: Nora decides bed time is an hour later than usual
Thursday: Nora turns 9 months old
Friday: We stop giving Nora her 10:30pm bottle
Sunday: Nora's first tooth begins to appear


Nora's 9 month check-up is on Tuesday. We'll post a complete 9 month update along with adorable picture after we get her stats from that visit.