Florida

Just a few of my favorites of our trip last week to Florida. I had a conference, but John and Norah came along for a little vacation. Faith and Gracia stayed home with grandparents helping out.

Itasca

At the Mississippi headwaters in Itasca State Park, Minnesota.
John grew up going to Itasca every summer because his Uncle Ben worked as a naturalist there in the summer, and Ben and Aunt Lou and their sons spent the summers up there every year. This is the first time John got his wife and girls up to the place he loved going as a kid.

Visitor center at Itasca State Park

Norah explores the visitor center

Creeping PUMPKIN!

Norah is SO CLOSE to crawling for real. She is getting up on her knees, but still lowering herself to the floor to launch. It is a matter of days before the knees and arms work together...and then...we'll be chasing her instead of her coming to get us!

I found the pumpkin hats Faith and Gracia wore for their first Halloween. They were only 4 months and Norah is almost 8 months! She's probably going to be a pumpkin. That's what Daddy wants her to be and their are baby pumpkin costumes on every rack, plus a coworker of mine thinks she has a retired one at home for her. Faith will be a cheerleader and Gracia will be a pink unicorn.

What a little darling. She is such a gift to us. We are so blessed!

Baltimore...system failure

Even in the age of post-9/11 fears, sometimes, nice flight attendants ask if a baby wants to get a picture taken in the cockpit...these one even put on the Captain's hat! This was our flight HOME from Baltimore after Norah and I got kicked out of a medicine conference, because I brought a baby. Not a cry was heard the first hour of the program, but one of the participants must have been bothered enough by her sweet coos and babbles as she played nicely on the floor next to my chair on a blanket with quiet toys. Unpleasant experience of discrimination. So, we flew home. Oh, well. Norah made it to the East Coast for 2 nights.
Below is, at least, proof that Norah made it to the Inner Harbor, Baltimore, Maryland.
She was a GREAT travel companion, even if we weren't welcome in Baltimore.

Double First Graders!!!

Gracia with her teacher, Mrs. Bethany Huse.

Faith at her desk with her teacher, Mrs. Cindy Viesselman.

Faith on her first day of 1st grade.

Gracia in her cute cap on her first day of 1st grade.

Double Trouble on the first day of school!

Cutie Pie Norah

We got to spend some time with Grandma Gerry, who just moved into a beautiful residential group home over the weekend. Norah took an interest in Grandma's earrings and glasses, but was a little too wiggly for Grandma to keep on her lap too long.

I just don't have enough pictures of Norah in her diaper. She was sitting on the floor playing with her toys and Norah is a petite baby with such a cute little posture, I couldn't resist a few snapshots.

Such a DOLL!

The Great Minnesota Get-Together (A.K.A. MN State Fair)

Norah's first State Fair...she was a dream baby...like she is everyday of her life! Most of the photos I got of her are with her sucking her thumb. She was so content all day. I think she enjoyed being outside seeing so many new things and people, colors, smells, and sounds.

Norah's a little mad here...she doesn't like wearing her sunhat. Gracia, on the other hand, loves her hat, and Faith seems to wish she had one, looking into the sun!

Gracia could NOT WAIT to get to "Little Farm Hands" at the Fair...her favorite stop.

Probably this is the last year the girls are able to ride the mini-tractors. Aawww :(

Cute!

It was a great day! And so far, no H1N1 at our house! Knock on wood! (But I did diagnose a probable H1N1 today in a 15 year old dismissed from the Fair Sunday with other 4H'ers.)