Happy Fall!

Nora's first school field trip

Look for more posts soon! 

We're back!

Ok, so we took a really long Christmas break and are just getting back to reality.  Well, not really.  We've been back for a while, but now getting back to the blog.  sorrysorrysorrysorry

Anyway, we'll ease back in slowly.

This week, on MLK day, I took Nora to work with me.  (Tess went skiing with Dad.)  Nora and I had fun... I find that she tends to act a big 'older' when she's by herself... perhaps because she's not the little sister for a few minutes.  We packed some snacks, some coloring books and of course, the iPad.  We parked in my structure and walked a few blocks in the cold!  She loved it.

So about the picture above... I usually have a picture of both girls together as the background on my phone.  I don't think I've ever had a picture of just one of them by themselves.  Anyway, I thought this picture was cute, so I made it my new background picture yesterday.

This morning, Nora had my phone in the car.  I watched her pick it up and then quietly gaze at it lovingly, admiring herself for a minute...

... and next thing you know, she took the phone, pointed it right at Tess so Tess could see, and said, "Look.  Just me." 

Um, sister threw me right under the bus. 

Meanwhile, check out big sister on the ski slopes (because God forbid, I don't give them equal opportunity):

Nora's Christmas Concert

Nora had her first stage performance tonight... she may be rethinking this whole decision to ditch the ballet after tonight.  Her daycare had a Christmas concert.  We weren't sure how she'd react since she sometimes doesn't like being put on the spot.  But she did great!

Here she is coming into the gym with her class...

And a video!

Happy 3rd Birthday to Nora!

Where did the time go?  My baby is three today!  She just went to sleep in her new big-girl bed, which she is very excited about.  And she helped to make princess cupcakes for her class tomorrow... in which there are only three girls (and 11 boys).  Hope you like the princess rings, boys! 

Nora is a little spit-fire, but a sweetie all at the same time.  She's been giving us a run for our money lately.  We love you sweet girl!  Happy happy birthday.  xoxo

 

Catching up!

Ok, so here we go...

Not that things aren't normally busy, but lately with school starting, it has been especially busy.  I feel like I started kindergarten too.  New schedule, new routine... and new early bedtimes for everyone.

Tess has been loving kindergarten.  She got to bring home the class pet a few weeks ago... a ferocious hamster named Fluffy.  Her assignment was to document all of Fluffy's activities that evening, including Fluffy eating dinner with us.  (Fluffy had a carrot.)  Good thing he was pretty well-behaved.  Only once was I worried that he was going to lose his head after Nora got hold of him and wouldn't give him back, resulting in a sister tug-o-war.

Now we are going to jump backwards to Labor Day.  This year, we went back to Dayton to visit with Diana (Damon's cousin), Lainey and Cole.  Papa Art, Grandma Muriel and Uncle Marky-Mark met us there.  We squeezed in a little boating in between the rain clouds.

The weekend after Labor Day, we took a quick trip to Mackinac Island so all the girls could run in a race.  I ran the eight mile and the girls Tess ran the kids' race.  Nora talked a big game pre-race, and then it was all over when they shot the gun.  No, there really wasn't a gun.

 

My poor sweet and innocent Nora is turning to the dark side.

 

Lastly, both girls started dance class in September.  Tess is taking hip hop and loves it.  Nora is in ballet/tap.  Lets just say she's still "warming up" to it.  She loves getting dressed to go, will now willingly enter the room, likes to put on her tap shoes, and then proceeds to not participate.  At all.  We'll try a few more times before we decide if we hold off for a while longer until she's a bit older.

Hip hop doesn't suit her at all, does it?

And there you have it!  All caught up!  Will do better, will do better, will do better...

Baby swimmer no more

Yesterday, a bittersweet event happened... Nora moved up to the big-kid swim class.  This was sort of a surprise as she graduated a little early from the baby/parent class... which means that for the first time in a LONG time, Damon was not needed in the pool.  When Tess made the transition a few years ago, it was rocky to say the least.  Damon wasn't able to be anywhere in sight for her first few swim lessons on her own as she screamed for him, so much that we had to move her back to the old class for a while as it was such a disaster.

Needless to say, we were pretty skeptical how Nora's first time on her own would go.  It seems crazy that she is even ready for this!  Wasn't it just yesterday that she started swim lessons?  Anyway, we got there and she seemed to be okay.  We kept asking her if she was ready to swim like a big girl all by herself and she would answer "yea!"  When it was time to go sit on the edge of the pool, she held Tess' hand and did ok.  And then it was time to get in the pool...

Um, guess who wasn't upset at all?  Not even one bit.  She never looked back.

But guess who was a bit choked up?  I didn't get a picture of him, darn it.  He had sad puppy eyes and everything.  His young grasshopper was off on her own and loving it. 

And to further illustrate how big she is getting: