A Sweet Christmas Eve

While Norrin still has a case of the sniffles and Da was starting to feel pretty yucky, I was in heaven. I spent most of my day in our kitchen. The day started with eggs, cheese and faux sausage. Then, there was quinoa stew, anadama bread, a chocolate layered pie, tortellini in a creamy pesto sauce and cookies for Santa. I went through almost every bowl, pot and pan at least once and it was all very much worth it to smell all the delicious foods as they were made. Despite the many things coming out of my kitchen, it was the sugary moments I needed to document :). So, here's all the sweetest moments of our day.


Norrin "tasting" the pie filling...
A lot of tasting...

As the cookies were made and finally cooled, Norrin needed to decorate just one for yet another taste test.

Once the official taste test was over, we all sat down to decorate our cookies.

There was a little bit of icing sampling, of course.

Mommy's cookies...

Da's cookies...

Norrin's cookies...which kind of look like someone stabbed them...repeatedly.

Despite how yucky Da was feeling, he was bullied into a game of froggy.

And after Norrin had looked out the window at least ten times to see if the sun had gone away, we were able to open our Christmas Eve gifts.

Now that both my guys are snug in their beds, its time for Santa to work his magic. And maybe an hour of quiet knitting :). Happy Christmas Eve.

Norrin Caroling at School

Norrin, his classmates and all the other kids from the Y had caroling in the gym today. Todd was able to get out of work for a little bit and we both got to see our big boy sing. They made super cute hats to look like Rudolph and Norrin was really happy to see us both. He sang the words he did know very loud and sort of looked around when he wasn't quite sure what to sing next :). I got a little sentimental in the beginning because my baby is just such a big boy now. He did cry at the end because he wanted us to stay, but the teachers said that only lasted about 5 minutes after we left. It was a nice, short performance that Todd and I were very happy to see.

Norrin Singing

Norrin's Christmas Vest

Everyone overslept this morning. Perhaps it was because we needed to make cards and decorate a shoebox for Norrin's Christmas party. Maybe it was because Norrin really, really wanted to watch The Grinch Who Stole Christmas...again. Some might say it was because we had to build a pillow house in the middle of our king-sized bed before teeth could be brushed or stories be read. I think we all just decided to embrace the shortest day of the year and caught up on some much needed rest before the holiday madness truly begins. However, it set off a chain of crazy events this morning that resulted in an oreo cookie for breakfast, how quickly can we get a three year old in his "nice clothes", where are your stinkin' shoes, Norrin and a second trip to the Y after I forgot Norrin's sippy cup and swim clothes. In all this chaos, I did manage to snap some pictures of my "little angel" in the vest I finished last night. The vest was actually done on Monday, but then Norrin wanted a Christmas tree on it, so that just had to be done. As he posed away, I got a glimpse of the wacky teenager this child is going to be. He loves to laugh and make other people laugh. His best friend at school is Owen and when you ask him why, he says because he laughs at everything. Nothing wrong with that.

At 11:30, I'm going back to the Y to see Norrin and his classmates do some caroling in the gym. Even when he doesn't know all the words, he sings loud. It should be very entertaining.

Where Did The Time Go?

Well, we've been MIA for quite some time, but I swear we've been awfully busy around here.

There's been decorating for Christmas...

The watching of many Christmas specials...Norrin seems to like The Grinch Who Stole Christmas the most. When I asked him what his favorite part is, he says when the Grinch steals all their stuff...hmmm...

Lots of belly snuggles...(23 weeks and all belly. I don't really know how I manage to keep myself from falling forward).

There was snow...

But only a dusting...

And a haircut for our lil man...

There was the collecting of firewood...

For a really big bonfire...

At a party...

With lots of friends (Nor liked the redheads the best...just like his Da).

Of course, there's been baking...

And a whole lotta knitting...

Yes, we've been awfully busy. Norrin goes to school 5 days a week and he loves it. Da is working extra hard at his new job and even though I'm part time now, I'm still at work 4 days a week. The midwife scheduled the rest of my appointments and despite how large my tummy has become, I can't seem to believe how soon this baby will bless our family. I have a refresher childbirth class to take, an ultrasound to schedule, more blood tests (yuck) and a house that I'm constantly tweaking in the hopes that it will miraculously organize itself to suit a rambunctious 3 year old and a newborn babe. Norrin's schedule is quite busy, too. He has a caroling performance at school on Wednesday, as well as a party. Since he's just like his mama, he didn't want to buy cards for his classmates, he wanted to make them. We also need to decorate a shoe box for him to collect cards from his classmates and thank goodness the only thing I need to send in for the party is string cheese. Of course, I got it in my head last week that I don't have a Christmas outfit for his performance and wouldn't it be nice if I could knit him a little sweater vest. Yeah...not really sure what I'm thinking most of the time. However, his red vest is almost done and it looks big enough to fit my growing boy. The gifts are bought and most of them are wrapped and now all that's left is the planning of the Christmas Eve dinner and the baking and decorating of cookies for Santa. Every day Norrin asks if its Christmas yet and he stomps his feet and says "Humph" every time the answer is no. He told me one day last week that if we baked some cookies then went upstairs and took a really, really long nap that Santa would come. Trust me, kid...if all it took was a really long nap, I'd be all for it :). So, that's where we are. Hope everyone is making great progress on all their holiday plans, staying warm and enjoying every moment...even the crazy, chaotic ones.

Norrin's First Day

With two parents working, it was finally necessary to put our lil man in full time care. He started his first day of school today at our local YMCA. He woke up and asked when I was taking him to school. I said after we eat breakfast and get dressed. He wanted to see his new backpack and evaluate what I had made him for lunch. Everything got his seal of approval except the yogurt which he wanted to eat for breakfast. He also had three slices of cheddar cheese and chocolate milk for breakfast...all of which he said would make him bigger since he was a big boy going to school today. When Todd came downstairs, Norrin told him that I was going to drop him off at school and then I was going to come back home. By this time, he was dressed and ready to go, so there was nothing left to do except give Da kisses and allow him to take a few pictures. Norrin was willing to pose as long as he knew he was going to school. On the car ride there, he told me to "remember to visit Grandmom later". Rita and I have a date to do some shopping for our big boy and I thought it was hysterical that he's reminding me of my schedule. At school, he instantly wanted to know where the kids were, he told his teachers that he's bigger than he was the first time they met him, he found a boy named Owen who was willing to roar like dragons with him and then he told the other teachers in the classroom exactly what he wanted to do...hmmmm...can't wait to pick him up and hear how this went. I had to steal my kisses and he waved me off with a barely audible "Bye, Mommy". Uh, huh. So, I was told I could call and check up on him whenever I wanted, but I can't say I'm too worried. Besides, its more fun to hear about his day directly from him :). Now for some pictures...

Down the stairs and on his way...


Come on, Mommy. Let's go!

In the car and still holding tight to his lunchbox.

Mommy- 19 weeks!

Happy Halloween

This Halloween was a lot of fun. Norrin was a very active participant since about a week before October started. How he made it to the end of the month is beyond me :). Since day one he has had no problem telling everyone exactly what he was going to be- a spooky pumpkin! He found his costume at a yard sale, so there was no necessary sewing for this mama, but when I heard the weather was going to be cold, I couldn't help making a last minute knitted hat. He ran from house to house and got a whole lotta loot. When he was back at Grandmom's he only had a bottlecap, two lollipops and a Kit Kat. Still, Todd and I thought it would be a rough bedtime, so we decided to let him stay up and watch TV. He wanted a scary movie and chose Jumanji for the five millionth time. While I was upstairs brushing my teeth, he curled up in Todd's lap and said, "Da, keep me warm". Todd snuggled him and that's where he fell asleep maybe no more than 15 minutes later. Todd carried his little boy upstairs and tucked him in. It was a real treat for him because Norrin is without a doubt a mama's boy. And now for the pics...



Norrin waiting patiently for us to get it together and tell him its time for the trick-or-treating to begin.





Okay...one quick pose with Grandmom and then its candy time!

My happy lil pumpkin.

Banging on the door...and he may have screamed, "I want candy", but only to a few neighbors (and Todd might have instigated that one a bit).

He would ignore the steps all together and scale steep hills to see the cool Halloween decorations.

This family will always have to keep their Tigger up. All the kids love it.

This pirate ship was also one of the favorites.

He did make a small pit stop to go down a little slide someone had in their yard. He immediately went right back to candy collecting after this detour.

My fearless boy posed happily with a big, scary gorilla.

And he even humored his Mommy when she wanted to take a picture of him with Da...such a happy little family.

Towards the end of our night, Norrin started singing a chanting kind of song- "We are going trick-or-treating". It was cute and seemed to motivate him through the last few houses.