Someday I Know I'll Miss...

For some reason this past week I've been thinking of all the things I know I'll miss as my kids get older.

I know I'll miss the way Nora grips my finger or strokes my arm with her baby soft hand while I'm feeding her her bottle.

I know I'll miss the way she grins in her half awake half asleep way.  Or just her little baby smile in general.

I also know I'll miss her baby belly laugh.  Oh it's the best!

I know I'll miss Ben's little way of speaking.  "My freezing!"  "Ours blanket" for your.

I know I'll miss Ben's wide eyed enthusiastic look.  I have yet to capture it on camera which makes it all the more heartbreaking.  I wonder if I'll really remember it as the years go on.

I know I'll miss they way both he and Isaac jump or bounce when they are really exited and telling you something.

I know I'll miss Isaac still wanting to snuggle.

I know I'll miss Isaac asking me to play with him.  I hear it so often these days that right now I'm kind of annoyed by it but I'm trying to remember that someday, I'll wish he still wanted to play with me.

Oh my word...I'm getting all emotional and teary as I think about these kids of mine getting bigger.  I know I'll miss these days!

1/4 of a Year

Nora is 3 months old!  What!?!

Oh, she is a little slice of heaven.  I want to freeze time with her for just a little bit.  She has the best chubby legs and cheeks and double chin.  I kiss those cheeks all day long.  But I think my favorite thing about her is her laugh.  She is such a happy baby and smiles for everyone and laughs pretty easily for those in her family.  Ugh...just look at her!

She has some pretty great faces these days.  And she is busy!  She wants to be involved in whatever Isaac and Ben are up too.  She follows their play with her little head and eyes and you can just tell she is ready to jump in with them.

Nora can roll from tummy to back, though she doesn't often do it.  I don't think I've even caught it on video yet.  She has also started getting up on her toes and knees and then face planting while on her tummy.  So mobile already.  She scoots doing this little number enough that she can move off the blanket I've set her on.  

This is her partial smile.  Her whole smile lights up her whole face.  And her laugh!  Oh my, the cutest thing ever.

I love that she laughs for Isaac.  She LOVES Isaac.  Sometimes I'm worried he's smothering her or something and then I see her grin and adoring eyes and ask myself why I'm trying to calm him down and move him back a bit.  She loves him in her space even if it makes me nervous.

So close to the actual roll over!  She's actually pretty content on her tummy lately and will play there for a little while.  Especially if she has some toys to try and grab.

She has gotten really good at holding toys and passing them from one hand to the other.  Her favorite thing though, is a burp cloth or blanket to suck on.  She sucks on all her clothes and whatever fabric she can get her hands on.

Nora started napping in her crib shortly after reaching 3 months old.  She's doing great!  So great that she now does most of her nights in the crib too.  She has only been waking once at night to eat.  So once she was doing good long naps in the crib, we began the night transition too.  So far, so good!  I'm still trying to get used to it though.  I worry a bit and do check on her once or twice through the night.  But I did that in my room too, so, whatever!

Jacob and I think she may be teething.  Seriously.  Isaac got his first tooth and 4 months old and in a lot of ways Nora's drooling and sucking on stuff is a lot like his was.  I guess only time will tell.

This three month stage is pretty fun.  I'm really enjoying Nora at this age.  I hope her happy, easy going nature stays with her as she gets older.  I can't wait to see more of who she will become.  But for now, I'm loving the giggles and smiles of this chunky monkey!

And her dad and brothers love her too.

Halloween Goodness

Happy Halloween!

This year was maybe not our best Halloween ever.  But, the kids still got plenty of candy and dressed up in costumes they picked themselves and LOVED.  

And Nora was the cutest little pumpkin there ever was.

We did trick or treating at Jacob's work two days before Halloween and our ward trunk or treat the day before.  By the time Halloween night arrived everyone had enough candy.  And Isaac wasn't feeling well.  So, he stayed in for trick or treating that night and helped me pass out candy instead.

We carved pumpkins Halloween morning and put them on the porch.  The squirrels still ate them.

Ben was not a huge fan of cleaning out the pumpkin.  Not surprising considering his aversion to all things sticky and slimy on his hands.

Isaac took a great deal of convincing to get his hand in there too.  Finally he did and didn't hate it.  Also not surprising.

And here are the three cuties before the big night.  Jacob took Ben to a handful of houses for trick or treating and Nora, Isaac and I chilled at home.

And that was that.