Another song

Last video for today. I'm just excited that I figured out how to do this. Here's a video of Lolo (and Norah though she's not exactly "in" the viewing screen, you can definitely hear her) singing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.

Norah's video

Click on Norah's picture on the left to get to her video. You'll have to cut her some slack. She's little and hasn't quite learned how to play to the camera yet, but I'm sure she'll learn quick. However, I have to say, our little Norah-Kate is growing into quite the gorgeous girl. The past two mornings, she has woken up with big grins and giggles. As Lolo likes to say, "I lover"
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Another preschool visit

Another visit to a preschool today. Let's keep our fingers crossed. I really really liked this one....even though Lolo wasn't invited to play with the other kids (like the other school we visited). This one is on a 7 acre "farm". When we drove up and parked, we were right next to the miniature horses and their riding pony. Of course, Lolo wanted to take a ride on the pony. I told her we couldn't do it today. She asked me if it was because we didn't have a "ticket." I can't believe she remembers having to get tickets to ride things at the fair. Anyway, we should find out in the next couple of weeks if we can get into this school.
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Trial video

Let's test this out and see if it works. Blogger doesn't let me post videos. So I found this free site that let's me upload videos. The quality isn't great because it has to be compressed, but it's not too bad. I think the best way to do it is to link it. So follow this link to the video (it's a windows media file). Or, better yet, click on the photo at the bottom of this post...the picture links to the video too. And then, let me know how it works. It works for me. If it works for most people then I will continue to post up videos periodically. If I find a better way to post up videos, I'll let you know. BTW, zippyvideo doesn't let you download the videos to your computer - I don't know why....probably because it's a free site. Also, once you get to the video site, you'll have to click the back button on your browser to get back to our blog.
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Being 2

After last night, I finally understand why it is called the Terrible Twos....basically, it can be terrible for everyone involved. Lolo threw one tantrum after another last night. And unfortunately for her, that makes it impossible to get what she wants from mom. And on top of that, after I told her no, she would stomp over to her daddy in tears and to see if she could get her way with him. Doubly unfortunate for Lo, her daddy won't give in to a tantrum either.
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Guess what we did?

We made brownies today. Can you tell?
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Norah has discovered her hands

Perhaps the pacifier will go by the wayside.

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Pics from the new camera

Still working on figuring out the camera. Trying to get video up on the blog. If I ever get more than a couple of minutes at the computer without someone in need of attention, then I think we'll be able to get a video up.
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Hot chocolate

Music class and the library in the morning. Busy busy time for the girls. Then Ashley came over in the afternoon. I asked her to take the girls outside to play today since the weather has been so nice. As I am leaving out the door, I overhear Lolo explaining to Ashley that after they go outside to play, Lolo will need to come back in and have hot chocolate to warm up. That kid doesn't miss a beat.
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From today's playdate

Photos courtesy of David's mom.
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New camera

Just got a new camera today. Will be experimenting in the next few days.
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Spring in MN?

It's so warm here. The snow is melting. We've got big wet puddles in our yard. The girls and I went outside this afternoon to play in the melting snow. Lolo climbed onto the top of the imploded "igblue" and the snowman got knocked over when she tried to climb on it. Lo then picked up a snowball, looked up at the roof of our house and said "Mama, when I older, I get my tep-tool, put snowball on roof. OK? OK." Of course, after playing in the snow, she needed to go inside and "warm up" with a mug of hot chocolate.
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Preschool report

We had a great time visiting Crocus Hill preschool today....so much so that Lolo didn't want to leave. She had snacks with the kids, listened to stories, participated in their science lesson, and played in their gym (driving a car and riding a bike). I don't think she understood the concept that we were just checking the place out. More schools to visit next week.
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Serious girl

Serious and beautiful. What a combo.

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Preschool

Apparently I'm already "behind" in the preschool race. I found out a few weeks ago that people have had their kids signed up at certain preschools when they were born. Plus, preference is given to families who have already had a kid at that school (big disadvantage for the first born but nice perk for Norah Kate). We're starting to get Lolo on waitlists, visiting preschools, and turning in applications. I'm hoping we'll get lucky and she'll get into the one we want.
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Busy girls

We've been keeping busy. Finally found a girl who will be helping me out a few days a week (monday, wednesday, friday afternoons). Her name is Ashley and she started yesterday. Lolo seemed to have had a good time with her yesterday so I think that's a good sign.
Today we went to the library for storytime. We read a lot of books and Lolo was enamoured with the storyman who also juggles at the end of storytime. We then came home. Had lunch. And decided to bake chocolate chip cookies.
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Getting paged

This afternoon Lolo abruptly stopped playing, ran to the phone, shaking her head and saying "Oh man! I got paged."
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Lolo-style

Yesterday was a busy day. I told Lolo we were going to music class. She HAD to wear her tutu (since clearly music=dancing). Both girls enjoyed class immensely. We then went shopping for a big girl bed and then to shop for a new jacket for dad. Lolo basically wore her tutu all day...her sweet Lolo-style made a lot of people smile.
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On our way to music class today....

From last night's storytime

Why?

Tonight Jim asks Lolo "Why?" just like she's been asking us.
Lo gets frustrated and says "No! Don't say why!"
Dad says "why?"
Lo says "Because it makes me not happy!"
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Booger

How did I get designated as keeper of Lo's boogers? For some reason every time she has a booger, she asks me to take care of it. Dad is not allowed to help. Bummer
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Differences between the girls

People always say that every kid is different. It's amazing, but true. Our girls are very different from one another. Here's an interesting (to me anyway) compilation of some differences.

Bouncy seat vs. Swing
Lo is a bouncy seat girl. Even today, she enjoys sitting in it and turning on the relaxing vibrations. Norah gets mad in the bouncer, but loves the swing. We've let her sleep in the swing at night when nothing else works. Lolo thought the swing was a big dud as a baby....though she enjoys pushing Norah Kate in the swing and putting her baby dolls in there.

Daddy's girl vs. Mama's girl
Hands down. Lolo was a daddy's girl from the start....even in the womb she loved to play with him. In the womb, Norah would shy away from Jim whenever he would press down (as opposed to Lo who always punched or kicked back). Norah is a Mama's girl right now (but I suspect that will change).

Pacifier vs. No Pacifier
We couldn't get Lo to take a pacifier. For Norah, the paci is a life-saver. We can't live without it.

Bathtime
Lolo always loved her baths. Norah fights me just about every single time.

Strength
Norah is a strong strong baby. (I guess it's from all the crying and fighting). She's already rolled over (though not consistently). Lolo was a little behind in the rolling over department....not nearly as strong as Norah Kate.

More later
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Out cold

The girls had a very busy day today. First, Norah went with me to a doctor's appointment while Lolo stayed home to "help" her dad. Then, the girls and I went to a very fun playgroup in the morning (and gave Dad some peace and quiet). We went to our neighbor's (another little girl named Olivia and her brother Nicholas) home in the morning, where Lo got to play with a bunch of other kids around her age. Norah basically slept in her pouch and woke up briefly for a snack and diaper change. We came back for a quick lunch. Took Dad to the eye doctor, where Lolo played in the playarea for a little over an hour (long wait for us, but thank goodness for the play area). By the time we got home, she was exhausted (but, of course, she didn't want to take a nap). She's been out cold for the last hour and a half.
Another busy day is scheduled for tomorrow. The girls have their first music class tomorrow morning and then we're going shopping for a big girl bed! Will keep you posted.
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Naps no more

This week, Lolo has decided that she does NOT want to take naps. She is now given a choice....she may either (1) take quiet time in her crib or (2) take a nap in her crib. Obviously, our big girl chooses to have quiet time every day. Thankfully, she still ends up falling asleep every time she takes quiet time....though I'm really dreading when she really outgrows her naps.
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Pictures of the week

Since we haven't had photos in a while....
a couple from tonight.
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Why?

Oh boy...Lolo has started asking "Why?" to quite a bit. This afternoon, I asked her not to "spin" the lampshade and a string of "why", "why", "why" came out. I think I'm in trouble.
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Spelling ace

The other day Jim asked me (in front of Lo), "Is it time for her N-A-P?"
Guess what? It turns out Lolo knows what a N-A-P is, because she immediately said "NO! I awake, Daddy." Who knew a 2 year old would be able to figure that out?!
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Hand washing

Our conversation this morning....
Me: Lolo go wash your hands.
Lo: I did. (Showing me her hands).
Me: No, you didn't. Go wash your hands.
Lo: I did.
Me: When did you wash your hands?
Lo: Friday.
*Note that today is Saturday.
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Compliments of a two year old

I don't know why this is, but getting compliments from a 2 year old really warm my heart. I can't remember what I was doing the other day but Lolo was right beside me with encouragement...."You almost got-y Mama!" and when I finished "You did it! Good job Mama." And my favorite compliment at dinner last night...."Mama, you make-y so good."
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Playdate photos

Pictures from yesterday's playdate at David's house. You'll notice that Norah is riding in the front pouch. Lately, I've found that she does really well in this pouch. I've been wearing her all week and our days have been much more manageable. (Nights are still a problem but that's another story). As an added bonus, I think wearing the pouch has been giving my back a work-out. So, even though I'm not yet hitting the gym, at least one part of me is getting a little stronger. And oh, the photos are courtesy of our neighbor, Corrine, who noted that it seemed that most photos of Norah were of her crying (not a big surprise when you take into consideration how many hours a day it seems like she cries)...so, here's a non-crying photo (of course, Norah is sleeping).
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A strong strong girl

Norah rolled over from her tummy to her back today....mostly due to the fact that she got so mad at me forcing her to spend "tummy time" but she did it. (She was screaming and kicking her legs like crazy!) I'll have to check to see when Lo first rolled over, but it seems like Lolo was kind of late about rolling and Norah is definitely early.
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School Bus!

Yesterday, we went out for a quick walk with Lo's friend David and his mom. While outside, one of our neighbors drove by in his new yellow Hummer. Lolo points to the car and excitedly says "school bus!"
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2 months today

Norah is 2 months old today. Here's a quick pic of Lolo at 2 months to compare with the photo of Norah from last night.
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A rare moment of peace

Norah enjoying her swing for a moment tonight.
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The sun's out

The sun's out and we're soaking up the Minnesota rays. Norah-Kate enjoys sleeping on our walks outside (she rides in a front pouch) and Lo gets to enjoy the last bits of snow.
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Lolo's newest "thing"

Lo newest "thing" is "pumping" milk for her baby, Cherry, and on occasions for Norah-Kate. I should have seen this one coming.
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Just a couple more xmas pics

More pics from Christmas

Passport fees

Can you believe it cost us $82 to get Norah a passport that's good for 5 years?!? (Well, actually only 4 1/2 because many places won't let you visit if you have less than 6 months on your passport). $52 to passport services and another $30 to the post office. Geez.
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Norah's 2 month checkup

Our little girl is growing quite well. Here are the stats from today's visit to the pediatrician:
Height : 21 inches - 50th percentile
Weight : 11 lbs 8 oz - 90th percentile
Head : 15 inches - 40th percentile

Not too bad considering our Norah started her weight at the 10th percentile. Also, we went a little early to the pediatrician because PoPo is here and this way I only had to take one to the office.

As a comparison check at 8 weeks, Lolo was :
Height : 23.5 inches - 90th percentile
Weight : 13 lbs 3 oz - 95th percentile
Head : 39.5 cm - 75th percentile

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Comparisons

Lately, I've been thinking the girls look an awful lot alike. Here's a comparison shot of Lolo and Norah...both 6 weeks old. What do you think?
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High chair or not?

Today's issue...whether or not to keep Lolo in her high chair or to let her sit in a grown up chair by herself. Obviously, the pros for the high chair are that (1) she remains strapped in and can't leave the table until we let her out and (2) she is boosted up to table height without being on her knees. On the flip side, the pros of no high chair are (1) increased independence for Lolo, which she clearly enjoys and (2) she can get on the chair by herself and I don't have to help her. The biggest con in this case is that she can easily get out of the chair by herself too. I'm leaning towards strapping her back in.
As another step towards further independence, Lo is trying to give up her afternoon nap. Unfortunately for her, this is one area where I won't give in. I need her afternoon nap time - perhaps more than she does.
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Pacifier use

It has seemed to me in the last few days that Norah just isn't eating as much or perhaps she's just not taking as long to eat since she's been on the pacifier. In any event, in my quest to find out if this is a problem (which is doesn't seem to be since she's still fat as can be and we didn't introduce it until she was about 6 weeks)...it seems like pacifier use is actually a good thing. For some reason, there's less risk of SIDS. Interesting to me anyway.
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In memory of the igloo

Since the igloo has now imploded, I thoughted we'd enjoy another look back at a successful, but short-lived project.
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Passport

How crazy is an infant's passport? Lo doesn't look anything like her passport photo and I dare say that Norah won't look anything like hers in 5 years when it expires.
As a side note, I probably should have worked a little harder on that cow-lick.
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Snow melt

Due to recent warm weather, the igloo has melted to the point where it is more appropriate for use as a dog house rather than a playhouse. Major bummer. I can't believe this is Minnesota.
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Mahjong

PoPo showed us the "treasures" she brought back from her recent trip to China. Among the treasures was a mahjong set. Lolo says "This is gamble Mama?"
Good grief! We don't gamble and never play mahjong. I can't even recall Jim nor I ever using that word around her. How did she learn about gambling?!
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Naked girls

Lolo and Norah's PoPo (my mom) is here for a visit. Here's an excerpt from last night's conversation:

Lolo: I want to be naked.
PoPo: Lolo you have to wear clothes. PoPo doesn't like for you to be naked.
Lolo: Daddy likes naked girls.

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A pacifier at last!

Hooray for Norah Norah Norah-Kate! Unlike Lolo, NK has really taken to the pacifier the last couple of days. What a difference that has made in our lives. Amazing how two kids can be so different.
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Igloo!

The igloo is now complete. Thanks to a signifiant snowfall on friday, Sam and Jim completed the igloo in our backyard. Lolo now has a playhouse! (So does her dad). We're hoping it stays cold for the rest of winter so the igloo will stay up.
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A new look

A new year, a new look. Thought, we'd try something new. Let's see how this goes. The christmas/new year update continues.
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All about Norah

A moment to talk just about Norah, who seems to get the short end of the stick in this blog. In short, compared to Lo, she's had a tough time adjusting to life outside the womb. First, she ends up back in the hospital for light therapy because of jaundice. Now, she's got reflux. Major bummer. Basically, for Norah, it means projectile vomit, pain about 40 minutes after eating, and the need to be relatively upright (hence, sleeping in her car seat). For me, it means more laundry, eliminating foods from my diet (namely, caffiene, which I know isn't good for me; but gosh, it seems so necessary after another night from hell), a lot of rocking and thumping on Norah's back to make her feel better. For Lo, it has meant a lot more PBSkids shows than I'd like for her to watch, but so be it. Bad mom. And poor Jim, he gets a rotten night's sleep and has to deal with a crabby, short-tempered wife.
Anyway, instead of medicating her, we've decided to gut it out until Norah's muscle gets stronger and the reflux resolves on its own (typically by 9 months). In the meantime, due to the excess "spit up", Gouda became Tuna. We're working on resolving that unfortunate problem too. On the bright side, Norah is obviously gaining weight and growing; as evidenced by the triple chins and the fact that she is about to outgrow the 3-6 month old clothes. And, perhaps most joyously, Norah has started to smile. The smiles, though brief, have helped us get through the day.
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Christmas evening photos

Jim got home late on Christmas. Lolo opened a few presents. Norah slept through it all. (Of course, she was bright-eyed just a little bit later after all the festivities were over).
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Christmas day photos

Just us girls hanging out together Christmas day; while Jim had a long day on call.
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Christmas update

Long story about christmas. Photos to come....hopefully in the next day or two. Basically, I got beyond the point of exhaustion. Thankfully, Jim's family (Jim Jr., Meg, Sam, Ben &Susan) were here and helped out immensely once I freaked out and lost it. In any event, now I'm back on track. Still tired, but it's a manageable tired. I don't think a decent night's sleep will be mine for another 9-10 months.
As for christmas....Lolo has been slowly opening the fantastic gifts every one sent to her and Norah. Due to her short attention span, she managed to open just a couple every day or so....kind of like Hannukah. More to come later.
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