personality

I am so thankful to have such a fun child... She is filled with joy, curiosity and affectionate love for people.

I am also thankful for my mom and dad who lovingly take care of her when I cannot be at home! I had to run to the doctor today and they had a little photo shoot while I was gone. She loves doing her hula motions to the song, "Pearly Shells." It's fabulous! You just have to hum the tune and she starts to move her arms gracefully back and forth (you'll have to see her in the hula outfit when I post the video).

She also tells you how old she is (with her tiny index finger). So sweet. Her hair is growing in now and it's nice and wavy. See that little curl that flips out over her left ear? Yeah, that doesn't lay down, ever.

To see more photos go to http://nicelle13.multiply.com/ and scroll down to "Photos."

last minute trip to see family

It was one of those trips that was planned in two days -- and one of those trips that you know God has helped you make the decision to go, so you make the most of every minute so that you don't miss "it." Basically, the reason that He sent you there. It was an exhausting trip, as California trips go, but the baby did so well! She was sweet as can be on the plane rides, slept quite a bit on the car rides (even sitting in traffic which happens on just about every ride), and had a great time with family. It was a shame that we didn't get to see everyone but it is SO difficult when you only have a week to see people in a place that you lived for nearly 30 years.



It was great that Grandpa Matye (our primary motivation for making the trip) was able to see Norah for one day. The hospital would not allow her on his floor for the rest of the week's visits but we were glad he got to see her on Monday!

On our hot days with Grandma Priss the baby was able to experience her first trip to the Pacific Ocean and of course, the swimming pool. She loved the pool but didn't care for the cool beach water of Laguna.

7 months...and crawling

photos from Lolo & Lola's house

Here are some of the many photos that Dad (aka Lolo Prom) has taken while watching the Peanut. I drop her off at their house on Tuesdays before I head to Globe meetings and she has such a great time.

"Wanna hear a joke?"


"Ahhh... you got it!"


"Wanna hear another one?"

Ohio visit 07.01.07

Our visit with the Giffords was all about food, talking, food, babies, food, Guitar Hero, some other Xbox game in the "man cave," and MORE food! Delilah found her new owner to be very agreeable and the Barnes-es-es made a surprise appearance. Good times...

vacation video

southern coast vacation

We just returned last week from our Southern Coast Vacation. It was such a great experience for us... Traveling with Norah was so fun yet challenging at the same time!

Here is a photo of Norah & her new Color Cousin, Mia. Mia is just 4 months younger so they will be great pals, I'm sure. We enjoyed our time in Orlando catching up with extended family!

On the day of the wedding I wasn't able to see many people until the reception because I was in the balcony of the Church with the exciting task of painting the ceremony for the bride & groom. It was such a beautiful building and the ceremony went by so quickly!

Tuesday morning Mike, Norah and I set out for St. Augustine, the first of the three cities on our road trip. The city was so interesting, almost like we were in a pirate movie! We enjoyed walking the old cobblestone streets that are hundreds of years old. Strange to us since we were born and raised in California where everything is new.

After St. Augustine we drove up to Savannah, GA. That was my favorite place on the road trip. The historic downtown is so cool...the layout of the city included so many parks, dotting the residential, commercial, religious and educational buildings throughout. We took a horse-drawn carriage tour that explained a lot of features. I would recommend that to anyone going there to enrich your experience! We wanted to try to eat at Paula Deen's restaurant but the reservation line was not convenient with a baby in tow. One neat thing that happened on accident was a free concert in the largest park, Forsyth Park. We were driving around the city to see the rest of the areas that our carriage tour didn't hit when we saw people walking in one direction with their chairs and coolers. Something had to be going on in the big park so we parked (got a sweet spot nearby)and walked in to find a free concert by the Neville Brothers and Ziggy Marley! It was such a clean, safe environment. I LOVED Savannah.

After 2 nights we drove on up to Charleston, SC. We wandered around the Low Country sites for the next two days and said goodbye to our friend that hosted our stay at around 9pm on Tuesday night. We decided to drive home all night so that Norah could sleep on the way.

So much fun! I can't wait to post the new videos...

videos from "auntie ate" (ahh-tehhhh)

NKP laughs

Add to My Profile | More Videos

NKPeanut....has something to say

Add to My Profile | More Videos

spring is here

We've had a fabulous 2 weeks of firsts

first night in the crib (yippeee...we're going on 2 weeks now)

first laugh (this brought tears to her Daddy's eyes)

first roll (now I have to watch her like a hawk)

first breakfast on the patio of the year (all of us sitting in our own chairs!)

first feel of grass on her bare feet

first glimpse of our spring flowers (iris, creeping flox, tulips & flowering trees)

I can also bring her with me on errands because she is this little social butterfly. Smiling & "talking" to the bankers, cashiers, clerks, anyone that walks by...

This photo was taken yesterday when our bi-polar temperatures here in TN dropped from the 80s to the 40s. She had to wear her beanie & fuzzy clothes again!

bepop a bebo

15 weeks and she is so talkative...It's incredible how much she wants to talk as soon as she wakes up in the morning. She also loves spending her mornings outside walking with us in the yard or sitting on the patio. She got upset the other day when I brought her inside so I positioned her to look outside the door and she was content! I wonder if she'll love it that much when all of the summer bugs come out...

Here is her latest music video (to Bebo Norman) with a bonus "conversation" at the end.

...and another two!

Congrats, Jeff & Miyoung. We can't wait to meet the beautiful Sophia!
Oh yes, and we also congratulate Toerien & Monique with the arrival of Reuben. Lovely blue eyes...

two more friends are born!

This week, we welcome to the world, Mariani & Ian James!
(congrats Demonte/Kristin & Jim/Charlene) We look forward to meeting them as well as the other friends that we are waiting anxiously for (there are about 6 more to come in the next 2-3 months).

It has been a whirlwind of pregnant friends and family...Norah has not yet met cousin Judah Tulio. We were leaving California the day that he was born! It was fabulous, however, meeting Jared Yamamoto on that trip. (see proud dads in photo...)

these are the moments

There have been a couple of disturbing local news reports lately about babies being killed or hurt by their own parents. It is especially awful when the babies are so close to Norah's age. It is so sad that the challenges of parenthood are taken to a different level for people who have some dark side of themselves to deal with.

I've heard it many times, "cherish these special moments while they are babies." So, I am trying. I find myself wanting to hold her a lot more. I cuddle with her, talk to her, kiss her all the time and tell her how much she is loved. I even relish the times that she is sticking that bottom lip out and crying!

I'm learning how to relax a bit with her and I'm not trying to accomplish every task at once. This has been the greatest challenge but I think we all need to slow down sometimes. I don't want to look back and think, "I should've taken those days a bit slower." There is something new every day and I don't want to miss anything!

zutalo! we have a sleep routine

baby made her own schedule:

7pm-ish...eat

8ish...lay baby down in bed, asleep or awake
8:30ish...baby is asleep!
2ish...baby wakes up mommy to eat
6ish...baby wakes up mommy to eat
7-8ish...baby wakes up mommy & daddy to play and doesn't need to eat until close to 9ish. mid morning nap
eat, eat
long afternoon nap
eat, maybe eat again
start all over
Fabulous!

baby's first music video

Mike has made a little compilation video of some clips that we've been taking here at home. She's getting so big! Everyone says it...time sure does fly. Enjoy!

an all day affair

Four hours later and I've completed my first posting. I'm trying to get used to how long it takes me to complete any task these days.

(By the way, I apologize to anyone who has not yet received their Thank You card!)

11 weeks and counting

We've reached 11 weeks... I find myself feeling a bit startled arriving at this "mile marker" so soon! It is just one week before that so-called cutoff date. I've learned through friends that 12 weeks is when a mother & father need to be rolling with a schedule for their baby. Any time after 12 weeks is supposed to be difficult to fix any "bad habits" we have with a baby. So, at 11 weeks I'm trying not to freak out.

My baby, Norah Kate (NKPeanut, as Auntie Nennette so affectionately calls her), has sort-of created her own schedule. Seems pretty good to me, but the hours are not predictable. Do they need to be?

Oh yeah, and she doesn't like to sleep by herself. Not at all...not during the day...not during the night...not ever! Unless she's sleeping so heavily that nothing can wake her, she will stir, wimper, then cry full voice until someone joins her or picks her up.

Today I had the Peanut in her sling while I took apart the bassinet that was sitting beside our bed (which she slept in only 20% of the time). I am in the process of transferring her monitor system to her crib, removing all of the stuffed animals in order to launder the sheet again and pray that she'll like her crib this week. Am I ready? Not sure.

So I am admitting that I am not sticking to the schedule and crib training that I thought I would before she was born. I was so convinced that I would be training her to be an independent baby that would sleep when put down and eat on the hour prescribed. Now I'm discovering that it is understandable for a baby to want to be with someone all of the time. They are helpless and unsure...they need to feel safe and secure. As many books say, there are so many cultures that strap on their babies until they can walk. Those babies don't seem to have colic (whatever that REALLY is). Her personality requires much more attention than our society has deemed normal for a "good baby" and actually reflects how both Mike & I were when we were babies!