Category Archives: Nori

The Holidays

We have A LOT of books.  I get a lot of them at garage sales on the cheap.  The girls have always loved to read them.  And even though we have tons of books–it feels like we read the same ones over and over.  We have them all memorized. 

When I read to the girls, and when the girls want to listen to me read, they sit quietly on my lap.  Sometimes I prompt them to end the sentence or I ask them questions, but mostly they just listen.

More often lately, however, I think they’re hardly paying attention to me when I’m reading.  They dilly-dally and squirm and tickle each other.  So, I get frustrated and just stop reading as I struggle to see the words and they seem to be uninterested.  Of course when I stop they protest.  But I have found that when THEY read the book themselves, they can really recite a lot of the lines themselves.  It’s really quite amazing and does something for one’s ego when it appears that your 2-year-old child can sit down and read an entire book.  So, I’m pretty sure they are paying attention when I read, sometimes it just doesn’t feel like it.

So, you might imagine my surprise when Nora sat down on the living room floor yesterday, plucked a book entitled “Hanukkah” from her book bin and, somewhat ironically, broke out into a toddler version of “Jesus Loves Me”. 

???

Finally! A decent meal around here!

Look who is a member of the “Clean Plate Club”: Miss Norita.

We love sausage and corn chowder, peaches and carrots.  Yum.

Taken with Chad’s camera phone because we could not pass up this photo op:

God that was good!  We laughed until we cried.

Nora 2 Steppin’

I knew the day would come.  I knew it would be soon.

Yesterday Nora took her first two steps.

Casually gripping the side of the exersaucer, she let go and took two steps.

Freaked out.

And then fell to the ground.

The first episode of many, I am sure.

Let the fun begin.

The Inch

We’re back!  Actually we didn’t really leave town but we had a great vacation and boy do we have some great stories to share.

First off–the race is definitely on.  Tessa is army-crawling along at a rapid pace.  And even though the girls are genetically identical Nora has a totally different mode of transportation.  We call it “the inch”.  She’s really getting good at it.

It begins much like the “plank” position in Pilates.

inch-1.bmp

Then she pulls up her knees so she’s on all fours.

inch-2.bmp

Then she pushes off with her knees on to her belly (oof!)

inch-3.bmp

And volia!  She’s reached her destination.

inch-4.bmp

We call her “inchy” for short.  It’s cute.

TESSA CRAWLS!

It’s official.  It may be a belly-draggin’, deep gruntin’, pseudo-rollin’, army crawl—but it is definitely a Point-A-to-Point-B mode of transportation.

Congratulations, Tess.  We are baby-proofing this weekend.

tessa-crawls.bmp

In other news…

NORA FLIES!

nora-fly-1.bmp

 nora-fly-2.bmp

nora-fly-3.bmp

…with a little help from Aunt Gana.

A little one on one time…

In the seven (plus) months we’ve been with the girls, it is rare that I’ve only been with one girl at a time.  When they were first born I would take one out for a bit–like to Target or church–while someone watched the other, and then I would alternate and take the other somewhere else.  But they were so little then and now that their little personalities are really blossoming, it’s a whole new ballgame.

A couple of weeks ago something funny happened.  When I put the girls down for a nap on Saturday Nora wasn’t tired and just played in her crib grabbing her toes and giggling.  After about 20 minutes I scooped her up and sat down in the big rocking chair in the nursery with a couple of toys.  We just hung out with a stuffed monkey and a couple of books while Tessa slept.  It was so neat.  Normally, it is tough when both babies don’t nap at the same time but this was such a unique opportunity to bond with Nora that I couldn’t pass it up.  It was great.

Later that afternoon–you guessed it–Nora was zonked and Tess was gearing to play.  It was cool outside but partly sunny and so we spread out a blanket in the backyard and just played and played.  It was great Tessa time.  Luckily, I got some pictures.

tess-outside-2.bmptess-outside-4.bmptess-outside.bmp

Such sweet babies.  And such a treat to get to know each one better, separate from her sister.

I have always maintained that I would treat the girls as individuals–like sisters.  I imagine that it is difficult as a twin to break apart from your “twinness” from the “unit” that is the two of you.  It’s even more difficult as a parent of twins to find the time, the energy to know my girls separately as I have come to know them together.  But it is so so important.  It was a great lesson to learn that weekend.  And such a sweet treat.

The look…

I’m not sure what to call it, but when people ask me about the distinct personality traits of the girls, one of the things I bring up about Nora is “the look”. Often, she’ll give you a good look while her head is pointed downward. She knows what you’re up to….

norathelook2.jpg

norathelook.jpg

I love this trait in her. It’s so cute!