Field Trip to the Children's Museum

AA and I took Norah on her first trip to the Children's Museum last Wednesday. It was actually a first for all three of us, but I definitely think we'll be back soon. Norah loved it from the instant we arrived.



The museum has a pathway of large, brightly-colored hands, and Norah preceded to give each and every one a "high five" before allowing us to enter the building. (Honestly, it was pretty amusing to watch, so Amanda and I didn't really mind the wait)


Once we were inside, one of the first things that caught Norah's eye was a dress-up station. (And yes, I let my daughter try-on, with wild abandon, I might add, potentially lice-infested hats and other public-domain clothes & shoes...I'm just wild and crazy that way.). She loved it...but then she spotted something even MORE exciting...


Loads of gooey, wet paint, there for the taking. Norah had never painted before, so this was truly a new frontier. She donned a smock (that's right, more public-use apparel), and set to work on her masterpiece.


She took to painting like a fish to water...but I noticed she was using a LOT of paint, and we'd be there all day long waiting for her work of art to dry if I didn't intervene...


















So, I stepped in, and taught her a new technique...finger painting!



After she got over the fear of getting in trouble for touching something so gloriously cold, wet, and gooey, she really got into it...






Then suddenly, it dawned on her.
"What have I done? I'm a mess!"






...then she realized that with this mess, came power. People would run to avoid her frigid, "green mark". (Sadly, mommy stripped her of her newfound abilities shortly thereafter, by washing her hands thoroughly with soap and water)




Finally, the work of art was hung on a line to dry. AA took Norah over to admire her handy work.


























Here she is, intently listening for her crayon muse while experimenting with a different art medium. (The VW bug in the background is there for kids to paint! The museum staff cleans it off every few months or so to give them a new "blank canvas")















Next, it was on to the chalk wall. Norah opted for a strange, behind-the-back drawing technique, but she seemed happy with it, so we didn't interfere.



Our next discovery was a "toddler zone" designed specifically for kids 2 and under. Maybe that's because they figured they were the only kids in the whole place who wouldn't notice that this switch didn't even turn on the light bulb...





We quickly decided we were way too cool for the confines of the "Toddler Zone", and so we ventured out to the best exhibit so far...MUSIC! Norah didn't waste any time, and dove right in, trying the xylophone.


I'm ashamed to admit that in spite of my adamant love of all things musical (with the possible exception of jazz...another blog subject entirely), I do not know the name of this particular instrument. Norah wasn't overly impressed with it's dull sound either.



"Norah, this is called a tambourine. Hippies and gypsies like to play them...and I'm sure some other nice individuals do too..."



"I need more cow bell!"











Mommy's sober drum solo...













Followed by Norah's lively improv...









The bongos were really fun, too...











but the wood block got the award for causing the strangest reaction...something about it made Norah decide to bust out with a scary impersonation of Steven Tyler!




Here's a shot of her experimenting with the wind chimes (or maybe it's just an excuse to show off a lovely profile of my enormous belly)

Of all the instruments, I think the piano was her favorite. She might have stayed there all day long if we hadn't bribed her with the other lures awaiting us in the museum.



Our last stop? Down the rocket-ship tunnel with AA. (This was a big hit, considering Norah's newfound love of "Little Einsteins")


Finally, here we are leaving the museum-- valuable, "first-edition", original artwork in-hand. (We've decided it is a "turtle" surrounded by "high fives", and Norah is very proud to point him out to anyone who happens into our kitchen to take a gander)

It was such a great day. Thanks, AA for coming along and taking such fantastic pictures...and for being such a fun aunt. We'll definitely have to do it again sometime!

Girls' Night Baby Shower

I was blessed with an awesome Girls' Night Baby Shower last Tuesday night. A group of my girl friends got together and hosted a PJ party, with great snacks (including a toy dump truck full of my favorite pizza rolls, precious decorations (like a sweet diaper cake topped with precious John Deere vehicles...sorry Jen, I still don't know the difference between a "combine" and a "tractor"). We played games until WAY past my bedtime, but I didn't feel tired at all! (Which was a big deal for me, as these days, I'm usually ready for bed by 9 or sooner...a true testament of a super-fun party!)

I laughed more than I can remember having laughed in a really long time. (Jason and I recently came to the conclusion that my sense of humor has gone into hiding--even though I've always been known as "serious Angela"-- so this too, was a big deal, and probably my favorite thing about the whole night)

One gift was this adorable, custom bag from Brooke Avery of rags2stitches the lining is baby blue and brown toille--the perfect combination of girly chic (for me) and boyish charm (for baby brother).


My sister-in-law, Paige, also gave me this adorable Dick & Jane quilt. She had heard that my mom had made me a really sweet Dick & Jane diaper bag for me from the same fabrics. I love them both...especially since in a little over 3 weeks, we'll have our own "Dick & Jane" family.

I got SO many other, awesome gifts, but unfortunately, these were the only 2 I had pictures of...just take my word for it, baby brother was spoiled beyond measure!

It was such a special, fun night, and I'm almost brought to tears when I think about what wonderful friends I've been blessed with. We had so much fun together, and no one rushed home (even though almost everyone had good excuses to, ranging from having a nursing infant at home, to having come straight from a 9-hour work day, to the fact that Thanksgiving was only 2 days away). Thank you so much, girls, for giving me a fun "Girls Night Out" (with no dressing up required) and making me feel so honored!

In other news, we have a tentative inducement date of Friday, December 21, pending hospital approval (apparently a lot of people try to schedule inducements around the holidays...and that's not our reason, for the record).

Her Bear-y Best Friend

When Norah was just a few weeks old, we received a package in the mail from my Great Aunt Lilas, containing a brown teddy bear, with two, hand-knit sweaters. Norah never paid much attention to it until a couple of weeks ago, and then out of no where, a kinship was sparked. "Bear", as she calls him, has become a seemingly semi-permanent fixture in her arms. (Jason and I laughed Sunday, when we overheard her telling him, "Bye-bye, Bear" as she headed out the door to church--guess she knew we wouldn't let her take him to Bible class)

Her favorite bear-trick of late is to put him on her "soldiers" and "run fast" in circles or up and down the hallway. (She first did this after Daddy put her on his shoulders...I guess she figured if she liked it, then Bear would too)





She goes to sleep with him at night and wakes up with him in the morning.
















She takes him in the car, to the store...













She even shares her ice cream with him!













Here she is giving him a "bath" in his "bucket"

















It looked like so much fun, she thought she'd give it a try too.
















Then Grandmother informed her that she wouldn't be able to fit both feet in the "bucket", so naturally, she had to prove her wrong.












Of course, it was bound to happen, eventually...with all the toting around, we finally managed to leave Bear in a shopping cart, following a rushed trip to JoAnn's on Tuesday. I realized he was missing as I pulled into the garage, and called JoAnn's to see if he had been discovered. Thankfully, we frequent JoAnn's, and the friendly staff had not only already found Bear, but had recognized him, labeled him as "Norah's bear" and put him in the back for the next time we stopped into the store. (I'm not sure how many of the employees there know my name, but everyone knows Norah).

When she realized he was missing, I explained to her that we had left him in the cart at JoAnn's. She seemed to understand, and (perhaps in light of my previous confession that we are in there a lot) she deemed it a safe enough place for him, for the time being. It was late, and I was tired, so I didn't go back for him that day (bad mom, I know). The next morning, Norah began asking for "Dough-Ann" fairly early. So, we made the trek back to the store, and there, a very happy little girl was reunited with her bear-y best friend. (So, of course, a bear hug was in order)




I even double-checked with her on the way home to be sure she still had him...and she did. He's safe and sound in bed with her right now. I'm just thankful that her first lesson in responsibility had a happy ending. (I have a feeling he'd have been a goner at Walmart!)

Thanksgiving Menu 2007

I love Thanksgiving! I love seeing family. I love spending the morning (and sometimes even the night before) in the kitchen. And of course, the feast is always fun! I especially love that no matter where we choose to celebrate, it is always pot-luck--so everyone brings their specialties to the table. Hooray for Thanksgiving!

This year, we'll be at my folks' house on Thursday, followed by a second feast with Mom R and Grandmother (they'll be in Dallas on T-day), and anyone else who hasn't gotten their fill of those delicious Thanksgiving temptations that only grace our tables "once a year".

I recently finished taking inventory for Mom G's Thanksgiving Menu. We let everyone vote on their 2 favorite sides and their favorite dessert (we figured the meat was pretty well a done-deal with no voting) and here's what we came up with:

1. Cajun Fried Turkey-- Jason is the king. After growing up eating Gramps' incredibly delicious oven-baked turkey (the traditional, cook it ALL night and toture yourself with the tantilizing smells, way), I didn't think there was any possible way to improve. However, a few years ago Jason got a turkey fryer...and we've never looked back. He injects the bird with his top secret, cajun marinade and fries it up in under an hour. It is moist, and tender, and not at all greasy like fried chicken. (The hot oil immediately sears the turkey, locking in all the delicious juices and locking out all the grease) Gramps' turkey is still scrumptious, but I'll never pass up Jason's fried turkey!
2. Smoked Ham-- because on Thanksgiving, one meat on your plate just isn't enough.
3. Green Bean Casserole-- I don't care who makes it. It's a T-Day staple! Bring on the cream of mushroom and french fried onions! This was the most-requested item on our family's Thanksgiving menu. (I think 5 out of 7 people named it as their "favorite side" when we were planning the menu...and at least one of the 2 who didn't was using a "strategy" because she knew that someone else would pick it and wanted to make sure we had LOTS of food on the table...did I mention she majored in psychology?)
4. Philly Corn Casserole-- I think I owe Meg Knight props for this mouth-watering recipe, which I actually got from Brooke Avery (thanks for sharing). It is delicious! I personally think every Thanksgiving feast should have a little something yellow. And I like corn.
   
5. Dorrito Salad--sure, we have salad just about every night of the year with dinner. But my Thanksgiving plate just seems, somehow incomplete without it. (Maybe it's just my feeble attempt to have some real, non-starch, veggies in the sea of unhealthy, but delicious consumables that is my plate...no wait, I guess the dorritos probably negate the non-starchy qualities of this dish...no, it must just be because it's delicious--not to mention it's fun watching Jason eat a salad with a dressing other than Ranch, since this one is pre-dressed in Catalina) Contents: Lettuce, tomatoes, shredded cheddar, nacho cheese doritos, black olives, drained ranch-style beans, and Catalina dressing.
6. Cheesy Broccoli & Rice-- It was requested by AA (and I was glad because I wanted it too!). Even Jason, the self-proclaimed "Broccoli Nazi" will eat those "little green trees" when they're enveloped in cheesy goodness!
   
7. Ramen Strawberry-Broccoli Salad-- Ok, so maybe I just love broccoli. And this sounds really wierd, but Mom G made this a few years ago for Thanksgiving and its been a family favorite, ever since! I couldn't tell you what's in it, but if I had to guess, I'd say a little bit of pixie dust, because how else could broccoli and strawberries taste so good in the same bite?
   
8. Dressing-- I say dressing, cause I'm not a fan of "stuffing" it back inside the turkey cavity. (I had that job one year for Thanksgiving, and it was a little unappetizing) Stuffed or not, I love this delicious mish-mash of cornbread, cooked celery, and whatever else you throw in it. My personal favorite is the Gilmore family dressing recipe, which was bestowed upon me last year, and has been carefully filed into my heirloom recipe book to share with Norah, someday.
   
9. Ultra Creamy Potatoes-- Usually one of the sides I choose to bring because I can not do without potatoes! And its Thanksgiving, so I'm always careful to load them up with all the good stuff-- sour cream, cream cheese, cheddar cheese, milk, and butter (guess my taters aren't for the lactose intolerant) and maybe some chives just for a little color.
10. Texas Rolls-- the super, jumbo yeast rolls (I like Rhodes) that rise for 6 hours prior to the feast. Perfect for soaking up any left-over gravy or mashed potatoes that may have clung to your plate. (What can I say, I like to do my part helping clean up the dishes.)
11. Neiman Marcus Bars-- Jason's personal request for dessert, which I must say, surprised me. Maybe he chose them because I haven't made them in a while, or maybe because he knows they're one of my brother's favorites...but I think they'll compliment the dessert table well.
12. Peanut Brittle--because for me, it wouldn't be Thanksgiving without it. I'm working up the courage to ask Uncle Wayne for his famous recipe (he's been making it and bringing it to Thanksgiving and Christmas for as long as I can remember!)
    
13. Banana Pudding--AA's contribution to the feast spread. Last year she brought the McAnn Family's Secret Recipe Banana Pudding (which must not be TOO secret since they were willing to share even before she had the ring). I'm looking forward to a second sampling this year.
    
14. Pumpkin Pie--Perhaps I should mention that the desserts are never lacking at our family's Thanksgiving table. This was my little brother's pick for Thanksgiving dessert. I've never tried it (it just looks unappetizing to me), but I've decided this is my year. I made tons of pumpkin bread this fall and LOVED it, so I figure, the pie's gotta be good too.
    

Mmmmm...I can't wait! Next job on the agenda? Set the menu for Saturday's feast!

Family Date Night

Friday night, we decided to take a family trip to Marble Slab. It's always overpriced, but I still think it's the best ice cream in town, and since we've made it nearly 2 years without ever taking Norah, we thought we could splurge a little. Here she is tasting her first bite of Daddy's plain, strawberry ice cream...









Which was quickly followed by her second (more enthusiastic) sampling of Daddy's strawberry ice cream. She liked Daddy's pretty, pink ice cream so much that she refused for quite a while to try mommy's less attractive (but far tastier, at least in mommy' opinion) double dark chocolate ice cream with fresh strawberries. Finally, after a great deal of encouraging, she did give mommy' s concoction a whirl, and didn't go back to daddy's boring ice cream again.




"Bear, you've gotta try this!!"










Her favorite discovery from this new experience? "SPRINKLES"!! (a word she quickly picked up on, and exclaimed periodically, thereafter) Mommy agrees, Norah...sprinkles always make the ice cream taste better!

More Fun at the Park

Who ever said that the kids have to outnumber the grown-ups for a successful play-date? Last week Aunt Paige called and scheduled a lunch with Norah and me and our good friend, Amy. We met at one of our favorite parks for a picnic lunch, and of course, lots of swinging and sliding!





Amy even took a turn on the swing. Norah, apparently saw this as opportunity to try something new and exciting, so when she saw Amy swinging beside her, she began exclaiming, "Amy, hand! Amy, hand!" After a couple of times, Amy got it.
















She grabbed Norah's outstretched hand, synchronized her swing-speed to match Norah's, and they were off! Norah thought this was about the coolest thing ever!


Norah went down the single slide...















And the double slide...

















And even the big, tunnel slide! (This was Norah's first-ever trip down the tunnel slide, alone.) I was surprised at how fearlessly she climbed up to it's mouth, and then proceeded into it's dark entrance, without any hesitation.









I think her expression makes it pretty evident that she loved it.








It was a great play-date, and we left the park being thankful to be blessed by such sweet (grown-up) friends who were willing to use their one hour lunches at work to play with one very appreciative little toddler who thinks the world of them both.

Uncle Grant's Surprise

Uncle Grant came by our house earlier this week to let us know that two of his goats had given birth to twins (Twins are very common for goats)! By the time we made it out to the farm last night, another two mother goats had delivered, leaving Uncle Grant with a total of seven new babies!

Norah loved meeting all of the new baby goats. (And I have to say, that I now have a new favorite "baby animal") They were all so tiny and soft, and kept making their sweet, baby goat noises. (Norah thought it was her fault, so every time a baby goat would cry, she'd sweetly tell it, "I saw-wee baby dote" )

It was fun watching her in the animal stalls with her Uncle Grant. She reminded me of a little Fern (from Charlotte's Web...which I can't wait to read together)


Because of the time change, it was completely dark by the time we made it out to the goat's pens. I knew as we were approaching them that we were in for a treat. Uncle Grant (U.G.) had done SO much work to make it look great. It's hard to see it in the picture, but over to the left, there is (a hand-built by U.G.) hay-feeder, that looks a lot like the manger baby Jesus might have slept in. Uncle Grant had plenty of lights (this picture was taken after he had turned a few off) to keep the babies warm, and to help us see them better. We felt very privileged getting to see something so special in the dark of night.

These were the first goats we saw. I think they were my favorites, but it's hard to choose because they were all so cute! They were much smaller than I expected them to be, which of course, made them that much cuter!



Norah even got to witness a baby goat drinking some of its momma goat's milk. We explained to her what was going on, and I think she understood, because as she was looking over my shoulder at the pictures this morning, when we came to this one, she pointed and said, "Drinkin' milk!" with enthusiasm.


The brown and black twins were the newest babies to the herd, born only a few hours before our arrival. I was amazed, thinking that they were already walking around with ease, and very comfortable with people.

I also felt a little ripped off when I learned that the gestation of a baby goat is a mere 5 months, so these goats were pregnant a little over half the amount of time that I have been, and they're done! (Of course, Grant reminded me that most goats DO have twins...but even with that, their labor lasts only about 30 minutes!)



It looks like Norah is ignoring the baby goat in this picture, but that's because she's listening to what Uncle Grant is telling her. The corner where she's looking is where the momma goat was. This particular mother goat was a little skiddish, so U.G. was explaining to Norah that she needed to stay close to him and the baby and leave the momma goat alone. (And that her horns were very sharp!) Thankfully, she paid attention and obeyed.

It was another great trip to the farm, and Norah left in tears, reluctant to leave Uncle Grant and his animal menagerie behind. He sweetly reminded her that she could come back to see the baby goats any time, and I'm pretty sure she will very soon! (He has at least one more momma goat who is likely to deliver soon, so there may be even more babies the next time we go)