Highlights

Maybe this is the way it's going to be around here for a while: no posts for a couple of weeks, then a big picture post when I finally have a moment on the computer! Enjoy it while it lasts...

We're all doing really well. The reason for the scarcity of posts lately is because Josie seems to have some sort of magical sixth sense for knowing when we're trying to use the computer. She can be sound asleep in the wrap, but the second you sit down at the computer - or heaven forbid, try to type! - she wakes up and starts fussing. It's not the sitting upright position, because she'll happily sleep through me sitting at the kitchen table, it's something about the computer. Silly baby. Doesn't she know Mama needs her computer time?!

Anyway, since my last post, we've had lots of fun times. Highlights included a wonderful and peaceful Thanksgiving dinner at Mem and Grandpa's house (after which Nora walked 1.5 miles around the block on her own!), cutting a Christmas tree out behind Meme's house on a very cold day (it's set up in our dining room now, but still not decorated - things like that take a LOT of time with a toddler and a baby around), and making and decorating Christmas cookies at Nana and Babchi's house. Lots of fun!

Nora painted a big Welcome Home banner for our neighbors Simon, Ming, and Nuobei, who were returning from China. We had lots of fun feeding their fish while they were gone for a month!

The artist at work. Coming soon: a video of the artist on break! (She stopped painting when I started the video, but it's still a cute little movie of her chatting.)
Snack time.
Maybe that snack was a little tart! I don't remember what she was eating here.
A rare (and brief) not-on-Mama nap.
Feeding Baby Doll. Sometimes she gets a bottle, and sometimes Nora nurses her, which is super cute.

Daddy, Nora, and Baby Doll.
I was changing Josie's diaper one morning, and came back into the living room to find Nora had climbed up on the couch with a photo album to look at, all on her own.
Mmmm, an apple nearly as big as my head!
Uncle Ben and Aunt Aimee came to meet Josie the weekend after Thanksgiving. Here's a picture of Ben and his newest neice.
Nora modeling the latest in Daddy work-wear.
A kind of creepy picture of Josie and Baby Doll, hangin' on the couch together.
Nora's excited about going to find a Christmas tree!
Nora and Daddy looking for the perfect tree.
Sitting down to watch Daddy cut down the final selection.

The girls and the tree! Josie is zipped inside my jacket in a wrap, with her cozy fleece snowsuit on. It was a really cold day, and I think she was the warmest of all of us! Nora and I have matching jackets, but it's not on purpose - Nana picked out her jacket, and didn't know that mine was the same color!
Happy Nora and Mama.
While I was posting all these pictures, Nora set herself up outside the door of the study. She brought over a box to sit in, a blanket for her lap, a book (about being a big sister), and Baby Doll. So cute!

When I next have a moment, I'll upload the video of Nora (not) painting, and I'll post a new list of her vocabulary. She's got lots of new words and signs since I last listed them!