Weekend Warriors

Well, Jason has four less teeth than last week, but I think he's still just as wise. The surgery only lasted 40 minutes (10 minutes per tooth...crazy!), but the healing process is a little slower.

Jason is taking it like a man, though. The wisdom teeth came out on Thursday afternoon, and he mowed our front and back yards, along with half of our neighbor's yard Saturday! (Got tired of looking at the weed-infested yard of the college students who only mow twice a year!)

He's been on a real yard-kick, and it shows. The grass is green and short! Today, he used his birthday money on a new trimmer/edger from Lowe's. (Where we ran into Gramps and Grandad, shopping for plants) It is pretty and red, but I doubt it will stay shiny for long--he's dying to try it out! We also walked out of Lowe's with a new mailbox, post, the last two retaining wall bricks (to finish our tree rings) and more pieces for Jason's elaborate sprinkler system. It was pretty funny loading it all into the good 'ole Honda Civic, especially considering the trunk had the stroller in it, and we had Norah's car seat in the back. J finally ended up straddling the weedeater box across the back seat, over her--Norah got tickled at the big red box and laughed half the way home! (Don't worry, it was less than a mile!)

Norah the Explorer

Its days like today that I'm reminded how thankful I am for friends. Norah is wearing one of my favorite outfits, compliments of my best friend (and family photographer), Jenny. Jenny was sweet enough to provide an entire wardrobe for Norah, sharing all of her daughter, Patti's gently used, adorable clothes. (Patti is 9 months Norah's senior, but Jen and I hope they'll be good buddies someday.)I especially love the shoes--totally impractical, but oh-so-sweet!

Norah is three months old today! She's starting to get more curious about the world around her, especially those things at the ends of her arms that she's recently discovered she can manipulate objects with! (Although she still thinks they belong in her mouth most of the time)

Norah the Explorer, as Aunt Amanda (aka "AA") likes to call her, made a new friend today. Manda's new pup, "Bob Marley" was just the right size to cuddle with her. Marley is a teacup chihuahua, otherwise known as a "purse pooch". Amanda takes him to the grocery store and just about everywhere else with her!

We think Norah may be starting to cut teeth after all. The drooling continues, and last night we had to resort to baby Tylenol and a refrigerated pacifier to soothe her little gums. She's been much happier today.

Speaking of teeth...Jason's all set to get his wisdom teeth out tomorrow---what a way to celebrate, 3 days after his birthday! (I promised him I wouldn't put any mug shots of his swollen face on the blog)

Norah's First Easter

What a wonderful Easter! We dressed Norah up in her first Easter dress (Made and hemmed especially for her by Grammy and Gramps) and headed off to church. Even in light of the fact that her shoes were a little too big and she couldn't stop drooling (surely she's not teething already!?) we thought she looked pretty sweet. Norah stayed awake all through Foree's sermon AND Bible class, with only a short cat-nap in between! After church, we enjoyed a delicious lunch and a restful afternoon with our family. It was a wonderful Easter even if Norah doesn't remember it later on in life...at least we have the pictures!

Me? Bashful? Never!

Norah has seemingly taken to shopping at an early age. She rarely sleeps through our weekly grocery store outtings anymore, but rather smiles with delight as we trudge through the aisles of colorfully labeled products and friendly people who are sometimes as enamored with her as we are!

Last night, Norah spent the evening with Grammy and Grandpa while Jason played softball and I kept the books. We were a little worried about leaving her because she hadn't seemed like herself. She'd been a little droopy--we couldn't get her to smile for anything! Low and behold, at her first glance of Grandpa, the smile was back! Guess she just wanted her Grandpa! She was still smiling when we picked her up!

What a Night!

Tonight was an eventful evening in Robinson County. We spent the good part of 2 hours running between Walmart and Lowes, amassing supplies for our exciting landscaping project.

Jason has been working like a trojan getting our yard ship-shape. We spent Sunday afternoon cutting the lawn, edging, and planting a second tree in the front yard, and chopping wood from a downed tree limb. Tonight's trip to Lowe's yielded bricks for stone retaining walls around both trees. (Jason assembled both walls after we got home, even though it was dark outside! Guess it is a lot cooler to work then than in the heat of the day!)

Well, I'd better wrap up for tonight. Tomorrow is a full day!

Good Morning!

I used to fancy myself a morning person...then we had Norah. This is the face that often greets me first thing in the morning when I go in the nursery to check on a stirring Norah. She's usually giggling to herself or contentedly talking to her mobile. Now, granted, I might smile that big too if I were allowed to sleep until I naturally awoke and upon rising was given the choice of "meal time or playtime?" Even so, it makes my mornings so much brighter having such a cheerful riser in my midst.

Blessings Every Day

On January 19th, Jason and I were blessed to welcome sweet Norah into our family. God is teaching us so much about His love through this precious gift He's entrusted to us.

Norah is growing so fast and changing every day. She has been smiling at us for about a month now, and she is starting to develop little laugh...although its only a "ha", not a rolling "ha ha ha" just yet. (And no one has mastered the art of winning her smiles and laughs quite like Jason!)

It is still so hard for us to believe that she is really ours to keep (at least for a time). She is the most precious, sweet baby girl that we could ever have hoped for-- "immeasurably more than all we asked or imagined".