"18 months" (or) "Please indulge a doting mother"

Norah reached 18 months last week, my baby is officially no longer a baby. She is a walking (more like running), talking, BUSY little gal.

A few things about Norah at 18 months:

She loves colors, numbers, and singing the alphabet.
She can count to ten all on her own.
She loves her music class.
She still loves a great bath!
Just like both her parents she LOVES ice cream (especially chocolate ice cream)
She loves books and puzzles and will plop down on anyone's lap who is willing to read her a book.
She loves to 'color,' (which there has been much evidence of on our walls :). Thank heavens for Magic Eraser! I've had to teach her the coloring mantra, "Just on Paper," which she now repeats to me any time I bust her coloring on something she shouldn't.)

She loves animals, butterflies, balloons, and anything to do with water. Anytime we go out anywhere I always ask her in the car what we should look for and she always says the same three things: "Fufflies" (butterflies), "manoons" (balloons), and "wato" (water, i.e. the ocean). And anytime I ask her where she wants to go she says, "Beach!"

She loves her people. Her highchair is across from the refrigerator where we have lots of pictures of family and friends, and while she eats we have to go through each photo and say everyone's name.

She is very interested in checking stuff out and exploring new ways to do things. A few weeks ago I came in the front room to find her watching her show like this:


and since then her wagon has been one of her favorite places to hang out.


One of my favorite things that she likes to do right now is to come behind us and give hugs.


Needless to say, these 18 months have been magical. We love you Norah, thanks for being our best little friend.

Christmas and our 2 1/2 weeks of winter

This year we decided to take a long holiday vacation and visit family in both Washington and in Utah. This allowed us to see more family and friends, and to enjoy 2 1/2 weeks of winter weather. We started in Washington where we were able to do such things as sit by a roaring fire, eat lots of yummy food, and wear our warmest cozy pajamas.




It also meant the reunion of these three. Which of course was the best part.


Christmas Day was also an obvious highlight. The kids weren't quite sure what all the fuss was about as we urged them down the stairs, but they sure were loving opening the presents, and all the cool toys.


Stockings.




Opening presents.





When we arrived in Utah we were glad to see that the stockings there were also hung with care, and we enjoyed a second round of gift-giving with family there.

(thanks L for these photos)

We were also welcome by fresh snow that continued to fall for much of our time there. Since we knew that this was probably our one shot at playing in the snow, we were sure to take advantage.





We had a really great time with both of our families. That was the best gift, to be able to spend time with every member of both of our families at Christmas time. What is not photographed is all the fun time we also spent with friends we don't get to see often enough. It was really really great to see everyone in both states. And 2 1/2 weeks of winter was just the right amount :).