Norah 11 months!

This is definitely the first month where we've really caught the girls playing together. It had been headed that way for awhile, and then Bam!- there they are, dancing, playing- Liliana reveling in Norah's engagement, and Norah so grateful and excited that she's big enough to join in rather than watch. And at the same time, Lily is so firmly headed from toddler to big girl, playing and comprehending at a level we haven't seen before. It's a very gratifying time to be a parent, and a really exciting time to share with all of you. Enjoy!

Love,

liliana, norah, marita, and ian

Norah 10 months!

It should be noted that Norah is now 15 months. As such, please excuse the factual and largely less-emotional delivery of this blog post. We're almost through year one, though- and then the blog can go back to being a record kept in real-time, if somewhat sporatic real-time. 10 month Norah walks, giggles, and really, really wants to be a big kid.

She also got to travel to Arizona for some wonderful time charming the socks off of G-Mo, Grandma Neva, Grandpa Dwayne, the Brimhall clan in general, and Nana and Grandpa Tom. Apparently sensing the challenge, Liliana also raised her game, being ridiculously cute (in particular with her teenage cousin Maya), and generally being lovely.

Love,

Norah, Liliana, Marita, and Ian

Norah 9 months!

Well, my dears. Another month, and another late post. At the rate we're going, Norah will be telling you how her school day was before we get to a year's worth of pictures. So why keep going? Well, you see, just last week we were reading about Liliana at 7 months, and at her nervous, excited parents in the weeks before Lily was born, and those same confident and excited parents just before Norah was born and we realized this is more than a newsletter- it's a memoir, and a record, and a narrative to enrich the picture book that we all have of our own childhoods. So we're going to keep going. But I digress.


At nine months, Norah is realizing that those legs are pretty useful. Pulling herself up on everything, and taking quite naturally to the idea of walking. And eating- don't feed her, just hand her the spoon, otherwise she simply does not want it. Unless one of the big kids has it- then she'll take anything and everything she can get. And fortunately, she is totally beloved- by Logan, who always makes sure to have an extra bok-u-gon (so?) for her. Kaya, who runs to say good morning when she comes down the stairs, and of course Liliana, whose favorite moment of any day is when Mama walks in holding sisteer to wake her up rather than going alone- "Seester- did you cone to wake me up? I will give her my bear. I played with it when I was a baby, so she can play with it now!"


Speaking of Liliana- she continues to amaze. You can see in the pictures the big girl coming out in her. She's got 3 modes right now- jumping, reading, and playing with dolls- big dolls, little dolls, imaginary dolls. She takes role playing to an incredible level- admittedly, most of the stories revolve around one disney princess or another- but the complexity of her story lines and the way she loses herself in her games is truly amazing to watch.


So, as Winter rolls into Spring and we report and reflect, enjoy the pictures- a double dose- our Christmas trip to Hawaii AND the month of January. Hopefully you see what we see- four amazing kids figuring out how to be themselves and love each other in a crazy house. Norah, I think this is your official welcome month from baby to toddler. Big kids- watch out- there's a new sherrif in town ( :

love,
liliana, norah, marita, and ian

Norah 8 months!

Birthdays! Happy birthday Kaya and Lily. How did 2 and 3 years slip by? How did eight months slip by? The funny things about having kids- your life goes on hold, but you totally don't mind. You're watching their lives pick up steam, and man are they picking up steam. While we wrestle with what to get for Christmas, Liliana wrestles with Logan and Kaya, and Norah wrestles with sleeping and with wanting to be a big kid but not quite being there yet. Fortunately, there are 3 wonderful big kids to help her along- I think she'll get it pretty quick.

What else? A visit from Grandma Alice- always a hit, and Hannukah and Christmas. The kids are always mesmerized by the lighting of the candles, and ecstatic at the prospect of hanging ornaments (and Norah by the prospect of eating the ornaments, of course). Liliana is obsessed with a couple of her holiday books- especially "Light the Lights", which follows a family celebrating Hannukah and Christmas. Everybody's looking forward to Hawaii at the end of the month. Honestly, it was a very quick month, but everybody's healthy and happy. More to report in the New Year.

aloha,
liliana, norah, marita, and ian

Norah 7 Months Remembered . . .

As your parents fall further and further behind in our posts you just need to know one thing . . . you are going up way too fast!! I am writing this as you are within weeks of being 9 months and I don't want to give anything away, but really girl slow down. Your Mama and Papa are just not ready for you to get so big. Like Liliana. Wow! She is just such a little person. Lily's personality is all her own. Precocious for sure and an imagination to boot. What will you be like Little Norah Noodle? We are just starting to see little bits of you shining through the smiles and cooing. But, wait. In this moment you are frozen in time at 7 months. We will remember how you smiled and smiled. How you loved to sit and play and watch. You were moving a little. Bump on your bottom. Scoot and lunge forward, but no crawling. You could be propped up to standing. You loved to stand. Mostly you loved to clap, clap, clap. Liliana and Logan and Kaya have no idea what's in store for them but for now they just love, love you. And you are strong enough to take their love and even show your love with a smile back at them. We are so lucky to have you in our lives!

Norah 6 Months. . . (though she is 7 Months today!)

Through 3 children in our house, Uncle Mike has lamented again and again: "Why can't we have a chubby baby?". At 6 months, I can proudly say mission accomplished. At the rate she's going, Norah will have caught up to Kaya by the end of the year, what with her 12 month thighs and bottom, making us rummage through boxes of larger baby clothes sooner than we could have imagined. No teeth, either- although we think they're coming soon.

Anyway, Norah loves food- she is such a willing and happy girl at meal times, especially when the other kids are eating- she just smiles and opens wide, all the time keeping one eye on the mayhem that is our nightly dinner with 3 toddlers around the table. She's also moving- not crawling per se, but scooting on her butt (see video) to grab something close by and she's also begun to lunge for things, laying herself flat out on her belly in attempts to reach, stand, and grab.

Through it all, Norah remains the easiest baby, content in her jumper, or on the floor with toys, or tolerating her big cousins and sister- just totally happy and interested. She can clap her hands and we're pretty sure she's got the "more, more" sign language down pat. Now if we can just get her to sleep through the night, we'll be in business.

And then there's her sister, Liliana, who kicked me out of her room so she could put herself to bed 2 nights ago. Who absolutely refuses to go potty on our schedule- only when she says so, even if it means an occasional accident. But also learning to be so sweet- to look out for Logan, Kaya, and Norah, and even her Mama and Daddy. The story of an almost 3-year old is no longer told in milestones, but in annecdotes- Did you hear- Liliana took Logan potty and read him a book. Or did you see Logan "Neeny- I think you want to go downstairs and play now, riiiiight?"

There's no good way to relate the moments of amazement as these babies turn to children before your eyes- there are no clear signs I can point to, only the tangle of emotions, elations, achievments, and frustrations that accompany a toddler as they navigate life with each other, and with a house full of well-meaning parents who pretend we know the right steps. Anyway enjoy the large batch of pictures. The 2 new slide shows basically cover October- November pics coming soon.

Love,

Norah, Liliana, Marita, and Ian

Okay- it's not quite crawling or anything, but Norah has learned to scoot. Enjoy ( :