Six months with no updates is, I suppose, a reflection of our very, very busy days, and I'm sure there are too many things have come and gone in this stretch of time that I haven't captured, like our summer memories!

Norah, you graduated from Preschool at St. Anne's back in May, a bittersweet day for us. Onward to big-girl school, and how your daddy and I struggled with our decision to put you in public school! Back and forth I would go on the decision, the teachers at St. Anne's were so sweet.

You started public Kindergarden in August, and since then, I have not looked back. I asked you just the other day if you miss St. Anne's, and how your new school is going, and you said "GREAT! I LOVE my new school", in your enthusiastic Norah way. You have a little friend Justin who is your prince and best friend, which is a step away from your usual girl friends.

It does not surprise me that you are doing well, you are so happy and outgoing in school. One morning when I walked you to school, you walked up to the door like you owned the place, waving this way and that at little friends everywhere. Your enthusiasm is contagious. And your reading skills! You have learned so much in the past 2 months in school, I am amazed. Perhaps part of it is a natural learning curve that has happened since turning five, but I think the formal Kindergarten learning environment is pushing you along really nicely. I am totally impressed at your ability to read words with me at story time. I'm noticing how you also are reading and pointing out signs when we go places, as well..."Mommy, that sign says 'OPEN'", and yes it does.

While Norah has been busy growing by leaps and bounds, and becoming a little girl, my sweet, sweet Fiona, I just want to keep you small forever, and the nice thing is, you still like to be my little 'baby' at times. After bath, I can still wrap you up in a towel, cradle you, and sing Rock-a-Bye Baby, and you love it! You 'pretend' to be a baby, but still, you love me singing to you, and say "Again Mommy", at least three times.

Just having turned three, you are so your own little person, with your own identity from your big sis. You go to the community center for a craft class, and for dance class, and you feel so grown up going off to your activities. While last year in preschool, you never spoke to anyone, this year you are making friends, and probably chatting every one's ears off. On the first day of your ballet class, while all of the little girls were lined up, in circle or listening to teacher, you were wandering around, looking out the window, truly dancing to the beat of your own drum. Will you stay that way? You are even more independent and strong-minded than your sister was, I wonder if that will always be a part of your personality.

Because I always ask Norah "How was school", and you are always there, taking all of the household activities in...recently on a Tuesday after your class, you came right into my office and didn't wait for me to ask and said, "Mommy, school was great", in your big-girl voice.

And of course I can't forget mentioning the new addition to our family, Mr. Duke. We adopted Duke back in April, so he's already been with us for 6 months. You girls love that dog so much! He certainly gets his fair share of hugs and kisses. Every now and then one of you will crawl into his kennel with him, as well. A little more mayhem in the chaos that is our household, the best is when you all start chasing each other in laps around the house.

Happy St. Patty's Day

The long winter is hopefully winding down, and we are just days away from the official start of spring! Thankfully the long days of being cooped up in the house should be ending soon.

We had a spring-preview with a 65 degree day a week or so ago, and you girls bolted out the door to the deck to play with all of your toys and gadgets that were left lying last fall. In one day we did a summer's worth of activities: the sandbox, the swings, the pink house, bikes, roller skates, baseball, sidewalk chalk, water play, and more. Talk about exhausting!

Funny thing from the two-year old logic file, even though this is a little off color; Fiona, you were watching t.v. the other day while daddy was showering. When he came out and was getting dressed, for the first time you took notice of his...hmmm...private parts. Your reaction was "DADDY, Your BUTT! It's HUGE!!" Time to teach the names of body parts, and to cover up, apparently.

Fiona, you are a constant source of amusement, fun, and trouble. We were having a nice dinner at our friend's Bill and Fran's house, and while we were enjoying our meal, you found a Sharpie permanent marker, and made your mark on about five of their second-floor doors. Your most recent mischievous behavior is to take off all of your clothes, diaper included. When we put you in your crib for bedtime or nap time, it seems not fifteen minutes go by without all of your clothes and diaper thrown across the room.

You are very talkative, much beyond your age in terms of verbal abilities, and can express so much for being so small. You love to sing, too, and we can hear you content in your crib in the morning, singing songs to yourself (sometimes naked). Interestingly, at your first parent-teacher conference, when you, Norah, and me went into the classroom, and you and Norah were doing your usual high-energy playing, the teachers were shocked, they had never heard you speak before, or be so bodacious. Perhaps because we only have you in school one day/week you are just too shy, but you choose not to talk at school. I know you love your class, because you are always so happy to run off into the classroom, and yesterday Jasmin told me you cried because it wasn't a school day. Your teachers had all good things to say, and knew you could understand, but literally did not know you could talk!

Norah, I went to your first parent-teacher conference in February, too. Glowing reviews from your teachers. They said that you play so nicely with all of the kids, and that you are very kind and sharing with them, and that you have lots of friends. They also said that while not many of the kids want to sit down and do their school work when it's time, you are always willing and able to sit down and concentrate on the 'work' part of pre-K, too. The teachers are very impressed with your knowledge on letters, numbers, and abilities. Half-way through your Pre-K year, they think you are well ready for Kindergarten already. The one area you need to work on was knowing when to stop talking. The teachers sometimes have to move you away from your friends, because during circle time, you don't stay quiet! Surprise, Surprise!

Since that meeting, we have been working on putting letters together to begin reading. It was difficult for you at first, but you have really begun to 'get-it'. Yesterday we were talking about words, and you figured out how to spell CAT and HAT all by yourself. This was really hard for you about a month ago, but now you can figure out many of these words on your own. It is so exciting for me when I don't help you, and you sound out these words...it's not easy for a four year old! You also read the phrase "No, no, no" in a book the other day, completely unassisted by me. The exciting part of that was that you said "No, no, no", automatically, and didn't even have to think about that one!

We are in the midst of another childcare change, and so far you both seem to be coping. I can't wait for warmer weather and all of the fun things we will do together in the upcoming weeks and months.

Christmas 2008 has come and gone. We had a busy time with many visitors.

First for Thanksgiving, we had Auntie Christina, Uncle Corey, and Uncle Rick visit for a few days. A full house with lots of activity and of course you girls love that. Shortly after our Thanksgiving crew left, we had Grandma Mary visit for her pre-Christmas stay, and Grandma always provides me with good insight as to how you girls have grown since her last visit (in October Fiona could only say “Mama” for Grandma, but she lengthened that to “Grandma Mary” by December). We had company for Christmas Eve, went to Grandma and Grandad’s in Clinton for Christmas Day, and will have a party again on New Year’s Eve. Then I am swearing off entertaining, at least for another month.

Norah, the build-up to Christmas was so exciting for you. We visited Santa at least six times at different malls throughout the season. You continually told Santa every time that you wanted a baseball bat and ball, and a train for Christmas. And that (among some other things) is exactly what you received from Santa on Christmas morning. I’ve been giving you pitches down in the basement, and you are getting really good at connecting with the ball and making some good hits, while outfitted in the fanciest dress I will allow you to wear, of course!

Fiona, you wouldn’t go to Santa, did not want anything at all to do with him up-close, although you would get very excited to see him from a safe distance. When we asked you what you want for Christmas from Santa, you would just tell us “presents”. And you did get presents, the most lasting of which will probably be the little Disney Dalmatian that Christina got for you. When we asked you what his name was, you said very plainly, “Baby-Doggy”, and so Baby Doggie it is. Now you carry him everywhere, cuddled under your arm by his neck.

One of my favorite things is having two little girls that are total princesses. I hear from many moms about how one of their girls would be very ‘girly’, and one would never wear a dress. But I get a real kick out of both of you and your desire to dress-up with dresses, jewlery, and shoes. Norah wants to dress like a princess every day, and Fiona, you are right there after her, looking for a pretty dress as well. Decked out in satin and bows, you both run through the house, so often giggling as you go.

As soon as you are both dressed, buttoned, and bow-tied, you run off to find Daddy “Look at me, Daddy!” Each being very pleased when you are told how fancy and pretty you are.

It was a fun Christmas, so good to get the extra time with you girls that I had been craving. Mommy's Christmas wish is for more of this precious time in the New Year.

What Norah's Thankful For

As a Thanksgiving Day activity, the teachers at Norah's school put together a book of all the things the children said they were thankful for, and reading through the kid's response's was very cute and humorous. As we would expect from Norah, it was one of the longer responses, but with some very sweet insight. And I quote: "Norah Healy is thankful for her family, pink and purple dresses with bows, combs and hairdryers, dandelion flowers that you can blow, carrots, apple cider, grapes and strawberries, red and blue crayons, the sun and soft gentle rain".
Priceless.

Intense Norah

Norah, Norah, Norah:

What will we do with you? I think you have too much energy, too much feeling trapped inside your little self. Every day since we turned the clocks back last week you are back to waking up at 5:30 a.m. And it's not just waking up-it's waking way UP. I think you might wake up to try to cuddle with me before I get up in the morning. As soon as I'm done in the shower you make your way into the bathroom, and talk to me the WHOLE time I get ready in the morning. "Mommy, what's this for?" (mascara) "Mommy, can I wear your makeup? Mommy, I had a dream about Ariel last night. Mommy, pretend I am a princess and you are the prince. OK? Prince, oh Prince, where are you?" And so it goes.
I cherish the time we spend together just the two of us, and I get the feeling that's why you wake up so early, to steal a little time before Daddy and Fiona wake up. I just wish it wasn't on Saturdays as well!

Funny Fiona

Fiona,

It was a long week this week. I was out the door very early every day, just five minutes after you woke up on most days. Returned home late a few days, and I felt like I hardly saw you.

I've been looking forward to this weekend all week, when I knew I would have today with you and Norah all to myself. You have grown up more since I last spent quality time with you. But you are still a stinker, and getting into everything lately. Your new thing is to take milk or yogurt, or whatever food you are done eating and finger-paint with it on the doors going out to the deck. You make such a mess!

Little things you did today that surprised me--you counted sheep in a book with me ten. And you pointed out "Two pumpkins on the wall, Mommy." That seems very advanced to me for a just-turned two year old. You talk a lot, and you sang little songs to yourself a lot today, too. While you and Norah were playing together in her room today, you took her little teddy bears and put one of each of them into a little drawer cabinet that she has in her room. I thought that it was very inventive, because the drawers fit the bears perfectly, and you had one little bear tucked neatly into each drawer.

You gave me a devil of a time trying to change your diaper today. You are in that weird place where you don't want to feel a dirty diaper, but you can't give it up yet. Soon I predict.

Your Daddy and I marvel at you and adore you every day. You are quite the little daddy's girl at the moment. And you are gorgeous and funny and we love you.

Mommy

Journaling for My Girls

Norah and Fiona,

This is your mommy's wish to capture and hold on to some of your beautiful and wonderful ways before your sweet and fleeting childhood passes us all by. Day by day I see you both grow and change so quickly, that I am afraid there are little nuances of your daily lives that I will forget all together if I can't get them written down somewhere.

I wish more than ever I could stop and press 'pause' just to watch you and be with you a little more each day. Right now our family is stuck with the jobs and time that we have, so your father and I try to make the best of it every day.
_________

Norah, you are already four years old! Four going on twenty. You are beautiful in your ways and your intelligence. Wise beyond your years for sure. The quiet time I spend with you tucking you into bed is one of my most favorite things, if only you would go to sleep then! I get a glimpse in to how your mind is working, thinking, figuring all the time. Last night after we read "Nemo", you were tired and fidgety, the way you get. Of course you fought me on going to sleep, as you always do, and were trying your litany of things to get back out of bed.

You told me, "Mommy, I can't sleep, I miss Jennifer".
And as my heart breaks a little every time you say it to me, I replied "Norah, I know you miss Jennifer, I miss her too, but you can't use that as an excuse to not sleep. Why don't you blow a kiss out to her, and the kiss will find her, all the way in Germany".
And your eyes lit up as with a great idea, "I know, mommy! I will blow her kiss up to God, and God will send it to her".

You never do cease to amaze me, Norah, and of course tears came to my eyes over the sweetness and pure childlike wonder of that idea. You and I have had very little in the way of conversations about God. But you do come home with lots of little prayers from school, and again I am taken back by this separate life you have from me, and of the ideas you get that come from your life, and not all from me anymore.
________

Fiona, you just had your second birthday last week. Where did these last two years go? You are funny, rambunctious, and a little trouble-maker. And you are sweet beyond words, and such a good sleeper, and you are your own little person more than I could have ever have imagined. Your wild curly blond hair is almost white in the front from the sun this summer. You run around constantly, with curly-cues bouncing behind and all around you. Perhaps this makes you seem like more of a wild-child than you are, and I can't wait to see what the year of 'Two' brings to us this year.

You are in your realm of perfect baby logic, and your aptitude for conversation lets us in on your adorable little thoughts. Last week at dinner, you were literally shoving rice in your mouth with both hands, like you hadn't eaten in days. I thought I'd slip a little cauliflower in your bowl of rice to get those veggies into you. You picked it up, examined it, and exclaimed "Big-rice-mom-my!". You can speak in full sentences, but it is funny the way you do it. With little pauses between each and every syllable and word. And to you, the white cauliflower was a very exciting big piece of rice, the likes of which you had never seen before.

The little things we adults take for granted and no longer notice is perhaps the greatest joy of spending time with you children.