DIY: Feeding

Using your own spoon is a big deal to a 14-month old. Before it was sufficient enough for me to do the hand-off - scoop the food for her, give her the spoon while guiding it to her mouth. But now, she wants to be in charge of scooping. OK. Sure.

At first, I had a compulsion to continue wiping her hands and face and trying to keep it "clean".... an idea I knew I quickly had to get over. Learning to feed yourself is messy. I get it!

Look at the concentration!

So I've relinquished control and let the mess happen. She's getting better every day. She was flipping the spoon over on the way to her mouth but we changed her grip and now she's much better.

But it still flips often. Thank you, God, for sticky oatmeal.

Yogurt has been another great practice food.

Not to mention how very happy she gets when she gets it to her mouth and she hears our praises! (and she realized I was taking pictures and was being a ham)

There was more on her face and bib (and highchair and pants) than the picture shows but now I'm realizing that's half the fun.

Later I caught her sharing her snack with Rusty. He's such a great, patient dog with her.

Got it in You?

Everyone is a little Irish today. Whether it's drinking a Guinness, tipping back a green beer, devouring a Reuben, or just wearing green beads, chances are you celebrated somehow today.

I don't have a drop of Irish blood in me but today you can color me green. I'm making these corned beef sandwiches in the slow cooker - serving it with coleslaw instead of cabbage. Bought a loaf of Irish Soda Bread at the store. Next year, I'll try to make it myself using this recipe. (I love the all the blogs I read and the great recipes they post) Dan invited Jeff & Katie over for a St. Patty's dinner/Wisconsin playing in NCAA tourney/Idol results show kind of party. Sounds like a good reason to make Chocolate Guinness Cake with Bailey's Cream Cheese Frosting to me! Doesn't just reading the title make your mouth water??

How do you celebrate St. Patty's Day? Do you have any traditions?

Lastly, I leave you with my Lucky Charm.

Side note --

I saw this robin through my window as I was typing this. You know what that means. It's Spring. It's official. (And that was my second robin... first one came yesterday.) She showed herself in the 67 degree weather we're having today!

Boxed In

Creativity is the cure!

While the weather is warming up it's misting on and off today. Rain is heading this way and I'm afraid to take Rusty Roo for a walk because I don't want to get caught in it with Missy.

He's a little bummed but he understands. At least he got to enjoy some time on the stoop.

As for the humans of the house, we are having fun with a box. Yes, a box. Nora got a new "big girl" car seat yesterday. She has just about hit the weight limit of the infant car seat so it was time to upgrade to a convertible seat. Getting a big car seat also means getting a big box! What better toy for a one-year old?! So as I saw her continuing to peek inside and try to crawl in, I thought, why not make this into something new to do.

So I cut the flaps off and cut a door (complete with a hole for a handle - fancy, I know.)

Welcome to my humble abode!

The luxury version of the box house (pictured above) includes a picture window so it's not so dark when the door closes.

Finally a picture you can see her TOP teeth in!

Spring fever won't have its hold on us today! Happy Tuesday!

100 mph

Daylight savings had nothing on this little one!

{She thought she was the bees knees walking outside. Big smiles all the way from the garage to the back door. It's the little things in life.}

Unlike her father and me, Nora didn't seem tired at all. She was 100 mph ALL DAY! I think she's got the worst case of Spring Fever of all of us. Here's some of what she was up to.

Went to show Dad our new plot of land -- did I mention? We bought some land! A 25 x 25 foot garden plot through the park district for a whopping $13 so we could grow the big stuff (zucchini, corn, snap peas, etc) without taking up all the room in our little garden at home.

It doesn't look like much but here's to hoping it'll work wonders for us.

She helped me unload the dishwasher

and made some of the clean ones dirty again {but who can complain when your helper is this cute!?}

boy, does it sound different when you breathe and babble into a mug

She took all of Rusty's bones off the shelf.

Then decided....

they were better on the shelf -- apparently not an easy decision since she did this at least eight times. Must have tickled her funny bone though, she was laughing the entire time.

Up and down the stairs numerous times.

Shaking her booty to the music.

Crawling under the toy to get to another one.

Daddy playing games when we were getting ready for a bath.

What a day! She was pure pleasure Sunday -- I just love days like that. Especially when Dan is home to experience it too.

Some others from the past few days.

elbow deep in puffs

Spring has sprung down here. The tulips and hyacinth are coming up. Now let's get the temperature up too!!

Enjoying naked time {you should really see the one I've got with her trying to put on her shoe - TOTAL CUTENESS! But I really don't want nakey pics of her online.)

Chatting with Gram. I cannot have a conversation without hearing "EH!!" (her sound for everything) while pointing to the phone. So I ask, "Would you like to talk?" and she does the sign for please.

Seeing Blue

Trucks, dirt, and cowboys are in our future. March 3rd, Dan and I found out we'll be having a boy! During the ultrasound, I said to Dan I think the ultrasound process is even more amazing the second time around. After having one child steal my heart already, you really realize how amazing the whole pregnancy process is. Seeing his heart beat, his arms move, and his spine, etc. just blows my mind. There's a person inside me! Wow. God is good!!

Without further ado, here's a sneak peak of the boy who is kicking as I type.

We were amazed at how much his profile looks exactly as Nora's did at her 20 week ultrasound.

Author's Foot Note: For the sake of the little man's modesty (and fear that he'll be absolutely mortified and hate me years from now) I won't be posting the picture that proves he's a boy.

What's Up Doc?

Saturday, Nora had her first sick visit to the doctor's office. She came down with a cold with a cough on Wednesday. By Friday, she kept falling over as she was walking. Dan and I had quite a few giggles at her expense -- sorry, Miss -- because there were times that she looked a little tipsy! I also noticed she started touching her right ear.

Considering it was Saturday (if it were a week day, I would have waited) I thought I'd take her in just to rule out a possible ear infection, even though in my heart of hearts, I didn't think she had one. So it was off to the doc we went. She did marvelous during the check up letting the doctor do all her poking and proding. As a result, we learned she had the best sounding lungs of the week (there's been a bronchial cough going around) and although she has a little fluid in her ear, it's not infected. PHEW!

I also learned something new. With relatively new walkers, as Nora is, they still have to concentrate on walking. So when these little ones get sick they aren't concentrating on walking as much as they might usually and sometimes will even revert back to crawling. Huh... totally makes sense. Thank God for great doctors like we have. They reassured me I made the right decision bringing her in just to double check and never made me feel like I was a nuisance to them. I love our pediatricians!!

Anyway -- she did SO well that she got a sticker which she proudly wore (along with the necklace that I can't seem to keep off of her lately) Getting a picture of the sticker was not the easiest task... she was on-the-go!

closing the door

and opening the door

going towards the stairs

up and down the stairs.... repeat last 4 steps numerous times.

She's nearly back to her normal self now. Glad to see the cold is weaning.

Smarty Pants

Magazines. That's what she likes to read lately.

Most of the time she prefers Daddy's political-type magazines. She'll point to the pictures and ask what it is. When I said, "cheeseburger" for one of the pictures, she did the sign for 'eat'.

Sometimes she likes to read my parenting magazines and wave to the babies.

or even give the lucky ones kisses.

She says she loves to read so much because she's "SO big!"

(just an extra picture of her with Guy)