Catching up...

Since our last post, my little boyfriend pictured above turned 2 months old! I am so late on posting he is currently 9 weeks old. He is changing so much every day. A few days after this picture, his ritual of crying/screaming during Nora's bedtime faded and he is a much happier little guy. He still does not like is crib or co-sleeper for long periods of time. I definitely need to work on that though. He is one big guy! He is already wearing 3-6 month clothes!
TJ has also been traveling a bunch. This Wednesday, he will have been gone for 10 days. This is what we think of that...

WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!


He is such a sweet guy. I am in love all over again. He is not as much of a cuddle snob as Nora was, but I make do. He is smiling now at all of our silly faces and he is talking back when we talk to him. Right around his 9 week birthday, I got a little giggle out of him. SO SWEET! I love a babies first giggle.

Nora is always giving Teddy attention. She is beginning to understand Christmas this year which is awesome to watch. She wishes everyone a "Merry Christmas" and loves to play with the manger people, read her Christmas books, go to holiday parties, and sing Christmas songs. Her favorite are Jingle Bells, and Frosty the Snowman.
We have been building some killer forts!
Nora has been helping me fold clothes. She is actually really good at washcloths. She can do about 6 before realizing it is not fun at all.
While daddy has been gone we have been trying to keep busy by making gingerbread houses,
making reindeer food, and baking cookies. We made 2 batches this year and with a 2 1/2 year old helping and an infant wanting to be held...I'm DONE. No more cookies for this lady.
oh...cheeks.
What's up froggy?
We went to see my great, great, aunt at the nursing home the other day, then realized how many sick people were around and left quickly. However, it made my aunts day, she was so proud, she started crying when we walked in and she saw the kids. Then, Nora and my mother decided to put on a show of before leaving and sang Jingle Bells for all the elderly people watching. This daughter of ours performs. She has quite a bit of my mother in her and her aunt Tara I think.
An attempt of a picture while at a Christmas party...can't be perfect.
A friend of mine made these hats for Nora and Teddy-they are so cute I had to show them off. Teddy is a huge fan as you can tell.
Tonight we had fun at another Christmas party with friends of mine from high school.
I am realizing without TJ here, one event per day with both kiddos is quite enough for me. January is going to be a very tough month-TJ is gone practically the whole month! Ahhh! However, we are lucky he doesn't travel all the time.
Single mothers----kudos to you.

A night away

This past Friday we had a little get-away at the last minute. WE went to this fabulous place in Lake Geneva called Timber Ridge Lodge. Honestly, it is the perfect place to go if you have kids and are in the Chicago land area. The rooms are great and spacious with kitchens and the hotel has family/kid activities planned on the hour if you wish to take part in them. Nora and TJ had fun at the indoor water park. Nora has never gone to bed so quickly as she did Friday night!
Being Ms. Independent.
Hanging out with the kiddos in the hotel room.
Chillin' with some books.

Oh...we have a 50.oo voucher for the place to be used before Dec. 31st if anyone is interested..only catch it has to be Sun.-Friday.

Have to add this...Nora is playing with her Barbies right now and they have a toilet and bathtub. I just heard her putting Barbie on the toilet and saying "go potty" followed by grunting noises. hmmmm?

bedtime

oh Bedtime...
This is/was a typical picture of what bedtime looked like at our house for the first few weeks after Teddy was born. We have to read Nora a few stories, say our prayers, and say goodnight. Teddy had to join us of course which made the transition to leaving the bedroom and cleverly putting the bedrail up with my foot quite interesting.
Bedtime is a bit different recently. Nora's bedtime i definitely affected by changes, whether it is changes in the time, traveling, staying up later than normal due to holidays, and when she is sick.
Nora had a cold for a good couple of weeks. She was horribly congested, thus waking up to blow her nose a TON. T.J would go in her room at night to help her.
Currently, night time looks like this...Nora gets a bath, Teddy gets a bath or cleaned up, Teddy starts crying around 6:30 and Nora wants a book read to her, usually by me. TJ has been doing a great job distracting her and reading the books to her. If Teddy is still fussing, TJ lays down with Nora-which can take up to 45 min. Teddy falls asleep. ahhhhh...quiet.
2hours later...Teddy wakes up and so it goes on.
Love these little buggers.