Norah- 5 months!

(this is being written a few weeks late so hopefully I can remember everything!)

Norah, you are growing fast, sweet girl.  I feel like every time I turn around you're doing something new and exciting.  This month has been big for you in terms of personality and mobility- and you've got both!  I feel like you are often so, so happy... or so, so mad!  You definitely know how to express your needs and wants!  You reach for anything you see that you want to get your chubby little hands on, you will spin around when we're holding you to see what you want (so we've got to hold on tight), and when you want to eat, you sure let Momma know!  You have started laughing, mostly at Zoe, and it is the cutest sound and sight.  All she has to do is jump up and down, or make a silly sound, and you have a deep belly laugh that makes us all laugh with you.
You roll all over the place, can push yourself around on your belly, have started flopping out of the bouncy seat (must buckle you in now, but you arch and scream if you don't want in there), and are starting to try to army crawl.  You're a strong girl (physically and in terms of your will), there's no doubt about that!  You are slowly  learning to like being in the car, but it still isn't much fun.  You'll arch your back the second I put you in your car seat!  Maybe someday...
The biggest thing for you this month was your first time flying and being at the beach!  What a great air traveler you were- you slept every flight and were a flirt with everyone you saw on the planes and in the airport.  Now the drive from Charlotte to the beach wasn't fun, but Mamaw and Papaw were good sports and we all just tried to tune out your screaming :)  You loved the pool water and had your toes in the ocean a few times.  Vacation surely agrees with you, because several times you only woke up ONCE at night, and that was at 4am.  Sadly you got a cold and that ended quickly.  Please start sleeping more soon, sweet girl.  Momma needs some rest!
I will say that although I want you to sleep all night AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, I will miss our cuddle time at night.  That is when you nurse the best and you're so sweet when you're so, so tired.  During the day you are so distracted that it's often a struggle to get you to nurse well.  What a curious girl you already are!
I wonder what your little voice is going to sound like once you start talking.  Are you going to be silly like your daddy?  Talkative like your big sister?  What will be your favorite color, or toy, or food?  We are having so much fun with you, Nor Nor!!

Comments

If you are one of the (very) few people who read this blog, will you comment so I know you're there?  Just wondering who all actually takes the time to read!

Norah- 4 months

Little Norah, you are 4 months old already!  You have added a whole 5 inches to your length since birth, and have more than doubled your birth weight!  It's not surprising considering your love of nursing (especially at night!).  You are still a super quick eater, which makes things much easier having a big sister that needs a lot of attention too.

You are a mobile one, now rolling front to back, and when on your stomach you can push yourself backwards if you're on the bare floor!  Your favorite position is to be upright, usually with someone holding you.  Shrieking in the highest pitch I've ever heard (when excited or mad) is something you love to do, and sometimes it's so loud it makes the dog next door bark (I'm not joking).  You love, love, love your big sister, and often are pulling on her hair or face.  You are now big enough to go in the jumperoo and although your feet don't quite touch the floor, you love being upright to play with your toys or look around.

On your list of things you don't like, car riding is still #1!  We went to Ohio for Zoe's 3rd birthday, and drove overnight both ways so as to limit the screaming.  Thankfully, it worked and you slept like a champ, with only 2 stops to nurse.  You are starting to do a little better with a bottle, and have started sleeping in your crib!  Yay!  It was a rough few months with that, but now you wake up, eat, and you go right back to sleep in your crib.

You have a sweet disposition and we're excited to watch as your little personality starts blooming!  We love you, Nor-Nor!!

Oh, Zoe

The other night I was snuggling with Zoe on the couch.  "Momma, is there another baby in your belly?  Maybe it's a boy... or maybe Norah went back in there".  Time for some sit-ups, I suppose :)

Norah- 3 months

This girl is 3 months old already!  She is so smiley, and lights up when she sees her big sister, Momma, or Daddy.  She has a super strong neck/head and love to be upright.  She's rolling over from front to back and doesn't like to be in one position for long!
This month Norah went to her first circus (although she slept the whole time!), and we went to the zoo again.  She is a pretty happy baby, as long as Momma doesn't have any dairy or soy.  Poor girl has her big sister's sensitive stomach.  Her disposition is different from Zoe, although I can't pinpoint exactly how.  She does seem to be either super happy, or super mad... there isn't really a middle ground yet.  Car rides are still terrible because she screams the entire time... even if it's just a short ride somewhere!

What an adorable, perfect fit for our family you are, sweet little Norah.  These past 3 months have been a challenge but a huge blessing to us!

Norah- 2 months

This big girl is 2 months old already!  Time is sure flying!  The look Norah has on her face here is quite common- a look of surprise, one would say.  Eyebrows up, eyes wide open.  She's got a strong neck and this month rolled from her stomach to her back several times.  Norah got her first shots at her 2 month appointment and had a rather hard time that day.  It appears as though her eyes may end up being blue, just like her daddy!  She is such a sweet baby, and we're already beginning to be able to see a lot of her temperament.  She's quite different from her big sis, and is usually pretty content and laid back.  Like Zoe though, she doesn't like riding in the car and also has the same stomach issues (boo!).  As long as mommy stays away from dairy and soy, she's so chill!  She'll just fall asleep when she's tired (without much fuss) but is still a little cat napper.  She's not yet a fan of sleeping in her crib but we're working on it!  This month she was baptized, which was so special, and we took her first trip to the zoo on a rather warm day.  How we love our growing girl! 

Zoe speaks...

... and speaks and speaks and speaks! (name that cartoon) Our big girl is a chatty one, that's for sure.  Once she said her first word she never looked back!  It's so funny and weird to have a full conversation with her, about anything and everything under the sun.  She asks lots of questions, and is also very in tune with her feelings and can verbalize them easily (takes after her Momma on that one).  She keeps us on our toes and we definitely have to watch what is said around her.  Even if it seems like she's doing something, if she's in the room, she's probably listening to the adult conversations happening.  She knows if we're talking about her and gets very bothered and asks us what we're talking about!  As most toddlers do, Zoe still has some funny words for things that I'd love to not forget.

- furray!!! (hooray!)
- marote (remote)
- rabra-ta-dabra (abracadabra)
-acause (because)
- Balentime's (Valentine's)

Her nicknames for her baby sister:
-Nort
-Nor Nor
-Little Honey (said in a very sweet sing-songy voice)

We're so amazed at the verbal skills of our sweet Zoe, who won't be 3 until May.  She is able to express things that I don't think most kids her age can do.  The day after we brought Norah home from the hospital, Zoe was very sad and was crying a lot.  I laid down with her at her nap time, and as she was crying, she said "Momma, nobody can make me happy.  Nothing will make me happy".  Talk about heartbreaking!  I sobbed!  Our little girl suddenly seemed so big.  She loves Norah and will often tell me "thanks for bringing Norah to my house!" or "Thanks for getting her out of your belly, I'm so glad you're at my house Norah".

My apologies for a rambling post, but this was written over 2 weeks :)  and now a sweet picture of our big girl