Nora Jo's Meet and Greet Party

We had a little get together to welcome Miss Nora Jo Anderson to . . .  um, the world I guess.

Here are a few pictures of the event. I am sure Amanda will be posting a bazillion of the photos we ended up capturing after everyone left. ! !

The happy group. 

Everyone took turns holding Nora and of course we got in a few good stories and laughs.

She was awake for about 10 minutes of the 2 hours we were together. I don't blame her, I wouldn't be able to stay awake either if I was being rocked and snuggled and cuddled to death.

After everyone left, she fell asleep again on Julia's lap and I decided to cut the tops off of the Gerber Daisies I had on the table and place them around her. It was like an Anne Geddes moment. Anne Geddes, except I am sure her camera doesn't die during a photo shoot like mine did. By the time we were done, Nora had 10 daisies surrounding her, I am sure Amanda will post some of those. Here is the one I got. 

The Ocean and Meeting the "Greats"

Carter got to stick his toes in the ocean sand for the first time ever.

He was a little scared at first but after 5 or so minutes he was trying to pull me into the sea.

A California girl and her beach buddies

The next day, we got to go see my Grandparents. A first time for both boys to meet their Great Grandparents, Great Aunts and Cousin.

This picture is out of order (if anyone knows how to move a picture mid-post on a Mac - let me know) Anyway, about the picture. . .  after our visit, Doris predicted Carter would be asleep before we hit the freeway, she was right. He was asleep before we turned off of their street.

This is why he was so tired, a slide! and Bear the dog.

The Paparazzi.  Aka -  Great Aunts Doris and Joan and Cousin Earl.

and A LOT of running.

A Day at the Zoo

Last Sunday, while in San Diego, we took the boys to the Zoo. Carter has been to the Woodland park zoo in Seattle before, and he enjoyed it then at only 13 months old. Now at 22 months old, he was enthralled by all the animals. We couldn't even get him to turn around to pose for photos.

Nor could we keep Camden awake past the elephants and giraffes

Close up of Mr. "POPO"

Just monkeying around.

One quick look at the camera, before . . . 

turning back around to look at the "effant"

Double trouble. Funny thing about this photo is we had just past a couple with 2 sets of twins and they commented, "Oh look, another set of twins." Huh? We continued to get that comment through out the day and then on through most of our trip. Ummm, if these guys were twins, I would feel real sorry for the one who seems to be about 6 inches shorter than his brother, isn't walking yet, and doesn't talk or feed himself.  If they are twins, he obviously got the short end of the stick.

 I said to Carter, "look at the Panda Bear up there" and the rest of the trip when I asked him what he saw he said, we saw a "Panda Bear up der"

Carter and Camden both loved watching the giraffes eating.  Carter kept saying, "Mommay, he's eating trees!"

Dinner and Straws

Maybe some other parents out there can relate, when we eat out, we must have straws.

They provide constant entertainment.

You can sip out of them.

Play with them.

Chew on them.

and tell great stories about them. Forget buying expensive books, toys, games . . . just ask your waiter for straws.

San Diego

Strollin' with Daddy

Boat watching with Mommy

and yep, you guessed it, more boat watching.

Vacation and picture catch up

Carter did this eaxct thing with those little Gerber cereal snacks. They seem to get stuck on their foreheads instead of in their mouths.

Vacation in San Diego. The view from our room at the Hyatt.

Carter loved watching boats in the marina.

He loved it so much he informed me he would be taking "nap nigh night" out there.

Nap time lasted until another boat came into the marina, then both boys decided they better keep an eye out for big "booowwats"

CONGRATS!

Congratulations to Dan and Michelle on their new baby girl. 

Kalia Erika Ratliff  born June 25th, 2008 

at 

12:41pm (give or take a minute) 

She weighed 8lbs 3oz and is 22 inches long. 

Can't wait to see her! 

Sneak peek pictures on their blog. 

We are gone . . .

Jeff whisked me away Saturday for a vacation . . . Ok, what actually happened was he was going to have to be away on business for the second week in a row and we missed him (aka, I needed help!) so we are tagging along. What happened last week is a blur . . . Jeff was gone Mon - Wed on business. Monday, Nora Jo was born and all the anticipation left me zonked. Tuesday, and Wednesday I just had to hold her, so I spent some much needed time with a new baby in my arms. I actually danced in the waiting room when we found out she was a girl, thank heaven no one caught that on camera! Friday was my birthday and the best ever! Great calls from friends, a new mattress (sounds like a silly gift but I was thrilled) and a pending (looming) trip to Anaheim for 5 days with the boys and one fully loaded Ford Expedition. Saturday, we arrived at the nicest Hyatt hotel I have ever stayed at. After 6+ hrs in the car, anything would seem nice but this truly was. We were right on the water and Carter loved watching the boats leave the Marina. Sunday, we went to the San Diego Zoo. The boys did very well, considering the heat and no nap. We hiked it all without fail, we got to see the Pandas (my favorite) the "oooo -ooo- a - a's" (monkeys) , "Pos" (hippos), giraffes, "effants" (elephants) and then it was over. The boys got a much needed nap in the car on the way to Anaheim. We did Downtown Disney. Saw "ICCKY Mouse" We wore them out! Today we are moseying around the hotel until Jeffy gets back, but then it's off to Newport beach to show the boys some sand and surf. Tomorrow, we will go see my grandparents and then my Uncle/Aunt/Cousins. Wednesday, back home. (Thursday and Friday: recovery mode, and posting pictures)

And then there was Nora . . .

Just when it seemed impossible to love another child . . . First there was Bree, Dane followed, Carter and Camden too, Jhett arrived and then there was Nora . . . 

Nora Jo Anderson arrived

at 12:27 pm 

7.4 lbs 19 inches

***dimple in her left cheek

Proud parents, Mike and Amanda Anderson

Amanda is doing very well. 

Was only in recovery for about 2.5 hours, and elated to cuddle her little girl.

She is a bundle of perfection, smells like lavender kisses, already could rip my heart out. 

Proud Daddy

The happy family

Get used to all these photos, Nora and I have an appointment to play dress up.  

All I have to say is "YEAH, PINK!"

Missing this . . .

 When things feel hectic I remember that I'm going to miss these moments. Just like I miss high school and that being my only true responsibility. Though at the time I thought I had too much on my plate. I miss those 1st dates with Jeff and how I was only thinking about our next date together. I miss our 1st years married in our little apartment when there was little to worry about except who we were going to hang out with that evening. I miss when we packed up that little apartment and moved to Nevada, a world away from my family. Had I known we wouldn't move right back to Seattle like I expected, I would have savored moments like shopping with my sister or dinners at my parents. I complained so much those months that I am surprised Jeff didn't set me on the curb. I miss falling asleep next to the pool, and the burn I would whine about the next day. I miss feeling Carter kick inside my painfully huge belly. Though at the time I felt like I was being pummeled to death.  I thought of Amanda today, Monday she will become a Mommy of two. It wasn't so long ago that I was a Mommy of 1 still. I am already missing Camden as a newborn. So the teething, the fighting bedtime, the protest about leaving the park, will only be remembered as moments of cuddling, story time, and playing on the slides that soon I will want back.

I just love this song.

Excavator

Trash day, Dane visits and Story time

Tuesday and Friday are trash day. The garbage truck comes between 7 and 8am. If Carter happens to still be in bed, he will scramble down stairs as soon as he hears the truck round the corner to see the trash get collected. The garbage man even knows Carters name now, they are pals. This day, Carter requested Camden join him for the festivities.

Mike and Amanda had a date night for their 10th anniversary. We got a date night with Dane. 

Daddy reads to his boys. Camden is very happy about this!

Camden is quite impressed with his Daddy's reading abilities.

Camden Claps

He started doing this last Friday and now he will clap when he sees Carter clapping. 

He is too cute.

8 Months

My Sweetheart Camden,

8 months sure goes by fast. I was just commenting on how small you were when you were born. Now you are almost 20 lbs and trying really hard to crawl. You are sitting up all by yourself, you love to mosey around the house in your walker. You run over toes and grab magnets off the fridge with such glee we can only laugh. You babble things like "Dada" "Bzzert" and Baaabaaa." You now like to play on your tummy and roll back and forth, "stealing" toys from Carter. So innocent in your thievery, but Carter yells at you, "MINE!" And you just smile. This morning you greeted me with a cheeky grin, sleepy eyes, messy hair, and reached up for me from your crib.  As I leaned over you, you puckered your little fingers open shut, open shut, like you were willing me to pick you up. I lifted you and you nuzzled in to my shoulder, you will never realize this is the best feeling in the entire world. You have a smile that sends fire through my heart. 2 little teeth sticking up in the middle of your slobbery gums and I melt. You love your brother already, he makes you laugh those belly laughs. My hope for you today is that you always keep that smile, the ability to laugh the deepest laughs. I can tell that you have the purest of joy bursting through you and it radiates to everyone. I am happy you are happy.

Love, Mommy

22 months

My Cubby,

These are the things I want to remember about the day you turned 22 months old. We went to Gymboree this morning. You pretended you were a monkey . . . the first real imitation/pretend play I've ever seen you do. You walked across a plank "tree branch" all by yourself and when you got to the other side you clapped and said, "Yeahhhhh meeee!" You played nice with another girl and she was quite taken with you which made you embarrassed. You stuck your little lips in and turn your head to the side when you get embarrassed which is new in the last week or so too. You have started yelling MAAAAMMMMA! when you want something, not in a demanding way, just a sort of, "Hey lady, I need you." More of a question than a demand. Like when you were looking at your fish tank and wanted me to stand right next to you. You said, MAAAAMMMAAA, close?" You have grasped the "idea" of sharing with Camden. You steal his toy but the replace it with something you can part with for a few seconds. You make Camden laugh like crazy. I can't make him laugh like that but you can just by giggling yourself.  Tonight you have had a hard time falling asleep. This is your 4th night in a row, maybe the 2 year molars I spotted coming. Maybe the nightmare you had the other night. You learned how to get out of your room on your own and this makes night time a little harder for us parents. (You came down stairs on your own this morning too. You tiptoed very quietly which scared me to death. I thought there was someone in the house . . . no, just my sleepy eyed boy looking for some cuddles.) Tonight night you said, "Mommy lay down pillow," in a cute whisper and tucked your pillow under my head. You gave me your "wuvvy" (lovey) and scooted as close to me as possible. Then you said "tickle tickle" and tickled my cheek. I tried to hide a laugh as I was trying to fake sleep and wanted you to sleep badly too. But you picked up on it right away and this lead to 10 minutes of giggles from the both of us. I finally had to get serious and told you, Go to sleep Carter, to which you replied, "Nope, lay down Mommy. Lay down." I couldn't or we would be up all night, but I wanted to. Sweet dreams, silly goose.

Love, MMMMMAAAAAMMMA

Sharing, Crazy Hair, and A New Picnic Table

Learning to play nice, Carter lets Camden get "close" to his tractor. 

Before moving in to reclaim HIS toy.

But Camden doesn't know what the word "MINE!" means, so it didn't stop him.

Camden's hair is a bit wacky in this picture, a mixture of sunscreen, BBQ smoke and a long day of no naps. . . But a very cute shirt. 

"Hi, Grandma" - Carter's new picnic table. Of course, set up in the house right now since he is using it as his farmyard ranch.