Beth has started being able to answer yes and no questions. It's been very helpful. If we ask her a question, she will either say "uh-uh" for no or "pwea" (please) for yes. She's been doing it for about a week, but it took me a bit by surprise on Christmas morning when after cuddling with me in bed for a few minutes, I asked if she was ready to get up and she said "pwea" and then practically jumped over me and off the bed! It was very cute.
Beth has also started really mimicking her big sister. When sister needs a napkin to wipe her face, Beth will ask for a napkin. If sister has a spoon to eat her potatoes, Beth needs a spoon (which she holds in one hand and eats with the other). When my sister and I were little, we used to call her the "me too" kid. Beth appears to be following in her footsteps. It's very cute to see!
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Christmas 2010 Summary
We had a wonderful Christmas celebration this year! It really started a week before Christmas with our traditional Chinese food and gift exchange at my grandparents. My aunt and uncle from Florida were up visiting and we had a blast. Because Beth has been much less clingy, I was able to leave my grandparents house and help my sister pick up dinner -which meant a mai tai! Mmmmm. Nora and Beth had a great time!
On Monday, my sister and I went to Wrenthem with the kids. We didn't get a lot of shopping done, but we had fun. It was pretty chilly and windy out, but Nora had a blast running around outside. I'd love to go back for some real shopping - perhaps I can drop the kids off at my dad's house and then head down. We did hit some interesting weather on the drive home.
On Tuesday, my sister and I went to my grandparents again to visit. They had a few inches of nice wet snow and Nora was itching to build a snowman! I stayed in with Beth, but Nora had plenty of company building the snowman. We also went to the enchanted village at Jordan's Furniture, and that was a lot of fun. Nora seemed nervous about it at first, but warmed up to it pretty quickly.
Friday brought Christmas Eve. We decorated cookie houses, baked Stollen (holiday bread) and played games. My dad, sister and brother in law joined in the fun. I think it was one of the most fun days! Nora was so excited to get presents, and even Beth seemed to enjoy opening gifts - although she didn't seem to care nearly as much about what was inside!
Christmas morning was wonderful! Nora was super excited and was thrilled to see all her packages under the tree. It was a very nice relaxing morning. After lunch we went to visit family. We had a nice dinner, but Nora and Beth had some problems. Nora didn't want to leave all her toys behind and Beth was overtired and just kept melting down. I think there was just too much stimulation for her.
The day after Christmas, we drove up to Maine. We had to keep our eye on the weather, but we had a wonderful trip. It's a lot of driving in one day, but we really enjoyed visiting with family and I think the longer day works well right now - Beth just doesn't do well outside her own bed. Once again, Nora and Beth enjoyed opening gifts. Beth loved playing with her Grampa and her Uncle and I enjoyed the fact that she didn't insist on being held all day!
Now we are looking forward to a week with daddy, complete with lots of snow!
On Monday, my sister and I went to Wrenthem with the kids. We didn't get a lot of shopping done, but we had fun. It was pretty chilly and windy out, but Nora had a blast running around outside. I'd love to go back for some real shopping - perhaps I can drop the kids off at my dad's house and then head down. We did hit some interesting weather on the drive home.
On Tuesday, my sister and I went to my grandparents again to visit. They had a few inches of nice wet snow and Nora was itching to build a snowman! I stayed in with Beth, but Nora had plenty of company building the snowman. We also went to the enchanted village at Jordan's Furniture, and that was a lot of fun. Nora seemed nervous about it at first, but warmed up to it pretty quickly.
Friday brought Christmas Eve. We decorated cookie houses, baked Stollen (holiday bread) and played games. My dad, sister and brother in law joined in the fun. I think it was one of the most fun days! Nora was so excited to get presents, and even Beth seemed to enjoy opening gifts - although she didn't seem to care nearly as much about what was inside!
Christmas morning was wonderful! Nora was super excited and was thrilled to see all her packages under the tree. It was a very nice relaxing morning. After lunch we went to visit family. We had a nice dinner, but Nora and Beth had some problems. Nora didn't want to leave all her toys behind and Beth was overtired and just kept melting down. I think there was just too much stimulation for her.
The day after Christmas, we drove up to Maine. We had to keep our eye on the weather, but we had a wonderful trip. It's a lot of driving in one day, but we really enjoyed visiting with family and I think the longer day works well right now - Beth just doesn't do well outside her own bed. Once again, Nora and Beth enjoyed opening gifts. Beth loved playing with her Grampa and her Uncle and I enjoyed the fact that she didn't insist on being held all day!
Now we are looking forward to a week with daddy, complete with lots of snow!
Saturday, December 25, 2010
Christmas 2010
Christmas has been just wonderful this year! Last year was fun, but I think this one tops it. At 3, Nora is old enough to really "get" the whole Christmas thing, and she fully enjoyed it. She had a bit of difficulty falling asleep last night and was so excited this morning!
"Before"
"After"
"Before"
"After"
Monday, November 22, 2010
busy busy busy!
We've had a very busy month! Beth was sick for the better part of November, ending with 8 days of high fever, which fortunately broke right around Thanksgiving. Shortly after that, we caught a stomach virus. Nora got it first, then I got it about 3 days later and Beth got sick almost a week after Nora. Luckily, it was only one bad night for each of us, but Beth really didn't need to be sick again.
We've been spending the past few weeks keeping busy. On Thanksgiving weekend, we did the Nashua Holiday stroll and had a blast. We also had Nora's Advent Spiral of Light, which was beautiful. I spent the majority of the time in the hallway outside the room playing with Beth, but fortunately Nora was the first child to make the trek through the spiral!
Beth is now (just over) 16 months old. She's doing wonderful. Loves to stack and unstack cups, blocks and coasters. She enjoys her sorting cube and loves racing up and down the hallway playing chase - especially with her sister. She has had a word explosion recently. Some of her words are "there-she-is," "I-want-that," banana, strawberry, cup, plate, coat, hat, shoes, nose, please, thank-you, more, daddy, No-wah, help, more, up, potty, poop, chicken, book and purple. I didn't write most of them the way she pronounces them, but strawberry sounds more like barburry and chicken sounds a lot like shichen.
Nora continued to be a wonder. She loves Bluebell, but has made it very clear that she doesn't like school. It took us a while to figure out, but she calls her original preschool "school" and clearly isn't interested in going back. We are touring 2nd Nature Academy after the new year and will need to decide soon whether she'll continue at Bluebell or if we'll switch her to the closer preschool program! Nora has really explode in her imaginative play, which I believe is partially due to her time at Bluebell and partially because she's now 3. She loves to dress up, dress (and especially undress) her babies and goes on all sorts of adventures in the house. She'll get on her horse and ride out to fairy land or the grocery store and then she'll come home.
We've been spending the past few weeks keeping busy. On Thanksgiving weekend, we did the Nashua Holiday stroll and had a blast. We also had Nora's Advent Spiral of Light, which was beautiful. I spent the majority of the time in the hallway outside the room playing with Beth, but fortunately Nora was the first child to make the trek through the spiral!
Beth is now (just over) 16 months old. She's doing wonderful. Loves to stack and unstack cups, blocks and coasters. She enjoys her sorting cube and loves racing up and down the hallway playing chase - especially with her sister. She has had a word explosion recently. Some of her words are "there-she-is," "I-want-that," banana, strawberry, cup, plate, coat, hat, shoes, nose, please, thank-you, more, daddy, No-wah, help, more, up, potty, poop, chicken, book and purple. I didn't write most of them the way she pronounces them, but strawberry sounds more like barburry and chicken sounds a lot like shichen.
Nora continued to be a wonder. She loves Bluebell, but has made it very clear that she doesn't like school. It took us a while to figure out, but she calls her original preschool "school" and clearly isn't interested in going back. We are touring 2nd Nature Academy after the new year and will need to decide soon whether she'll continue at Bluebell or if we'll switch her to the closer preschool program! Nora has really explode in her imaginative play, which I believe is partially due to her time at Bluebell and partially because she's now 3. She loves to dress up, dress (and especially undress) her babies and goes on all sorts of adventures in the house. She'll get on her horse and ride out to fairy land or the grocery store and then she'll come home.
Saturday, November 20, 2010
3 Year Well Child Visit
We had Nora's Three Year Well Child Visit. She is still doing very well and is growing into qute the little girl. Similar to a year ago, she is right around average for height and weght.
your child is 33 pounds, and that is
at the 69th percentile for weight.
your child is 37.5 inches, and that is
at the 54th percentile for height.
While we were at the Dr's office, we also had Beth checked out. She had a high fever and was just miserable all day Friday. She surprised the nurse with how high her temp was and managed to pee all over me while the nurse took her vitals. Unfortunately, I think this was a bit traumatic on both kids. Beth nursed for the remainder of the visit and Nora would not leave her daddy's side! Beth did have an ear infection, so we began to treat that. Hopefully, both kids will be healthy for Thanksgiving this year!
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Preschool update!
We decided to switch Nora to the Bluebell nursery program at Pine Hill Waldorf School in Wilton, NH. It's 3 days a week- Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday) from 8-noon and the kids spend a lot of time outside! I think the 4 hour blocks are still a bit rough for her and she's exhausted by Wednesday afternoon, but she really enjoys going! The first few weeks were tough - I was doing the drive both ways and poor Beth got stuck in the car a lot. Luckily, Nora has a friend who lives nearby and her mother is driving Nora to Bluebell in the morning, so we just have to pick her up. She is a totally different child since starting. I don't know if it's because she's 3 or because she's happy in school, but I'll take it! We still have our challenging days though. I've modified my afternoon plans to accomodate for a tired Nora. She won't nap after Bluebell, but we do a quiet activity together and then play outside or do some cooking for a bit.
I'm really enjoying my mornings with Beth and afternoons (while Beth naps) with Nora. It's been great to have some special time with each child. I do often wish I could have an afternoon respite, but the kids will only be this age once, and I'm going to do my best to enjoy it!
I'm really enjoying my mornings with Beth and afternoons (while Beth naps) with Nora. It's been great to have some special time with each child. I do often wish I could have an afternoon respite, but the kids will only be this age once, and I'm going to do my best to enjoy it!
Monday, October 25, 2010
Some photos
While Beth was napping, Nora and I went outside and played in the leaves. We also bagged up a bunch of them!
While Nora was in school, Beth enjoyed some freeze dried strawberries. She enjoyed them!
While Nora was in school, Beth enjoyed some freeze dried strawberries. She enjoyed them!
Walking!
Beth started walking on Nora's 3rd birthday, but over this past weekend really decided that she wanted to be walking. The fun begins...Beth can chase Nora AND have her hands free!
Nora is 3!
Wow! Where did the time go. I can't believe that Nora is 3 years old! She's really turning into quite the little girl. Clever, sweet and very independent, every day is an adventure in this household! Nora has been potty trained for a few months now. She still occasionally has accidents when she's overtired or being stubborn, but overall she's done great! She still wears a pullup at night because sometimes she'll wake up wet, but she's dry many mornings!
She loves preschool, but will tell you that it's not preschool, it's just Bluebell if you ask her about it! Nora loves to do crafts - painting, play dough, cut and paste, you name it! She loves helping in the kitchen. In fact, she often insists on helping in the kitchen and will ask to bake every day! She's pretty good with her kid safe cutter and will help chop carrots, squash, potatoes!
Nora still loves reading. She would let us read to her all day if we let her! Some of her current favorites include Pumpkin Soup, Strega Nona, We're Going on a Bear Hunt and Miss Rumphius. She has most of her favorites memorized and will "read" them to Beth, which is really sweet.
Nora spends as much time as possible outside. She's still a bit nervous on her bike (she's still a bit short for it too), but she loves her trike and loves going for walks and hikes. She's really a workhorse and will help plant bulbs, rake leaves and pick up acorns. She's already asking about winter and building snow people!
She loves preschool, but will tell you that it's not preschool, it's just Bluebell if you ask her about it! Nora loves to do crafts - painting, play dough, cut and paste, you name it! She loves helping in the kitchen. In fact, she often insists on helping in the kitchen and will ask to bake every day! She's pretty good with her kid safe cutter and will help chop carrots, squash, potatoes!
Nora still loves reading. She would let us read to her all day if we let her! Some of her current favorites include Pumpkin Soup, Strega Nona, We're Going on a Bear Hunt and Miss Rumphius. She has most of her favorites memorized and will "read" them to Beth, which is really sweet.
Nora spends as much time as possible outside. She's still a bit nervous on her bike (she's still a bit short for it too), but she loves her trike and loves going for walks and hikes. She's really a workhorse and will help plant bulbs, rake leaves and pick up acorns. She's already asking about winter and building snow people!
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