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!