Norah Rings In Another Wonderful Year!

Christmas with Gaga was just the beginning of our happy holidays!  Norah's birthday and New Years still held many merry memories to enjoy!  Gaga worked hard to refurnish our house while she was here... needless to say, she left her mark!  Norah scored with a brand new big girl desk and a sweet storage shelf (to help make room for another little one... and get the toys out of the living room!!)  It was a wonderfully mellow and memorable week!  Norah had a wonderful birthday (in spite of catching a bit of a respiratory bug!)  And Mom and I finished off the year with a performance of Carmen, our first proper opera experience!

Norah was a good helper at building her new bedroom furniture

Norah and Gaga play peek-a-boo on her new upside-down desk!

My girl.

We got out for a little hike in Oregon's liquid environment!!

Norah got a new organizing shelf for her birthday...

can you spy the little birthday girl peeking out?!

Norah started her birthday off at her favorite place in the world... Bounce!

With her good friend Mia!

Norah loves to catch some air!

Bouncing beauties!

Norah and Mia were a great team at opening presents!

Norah catches a ride in her baby's stroller!

Gaga was there with the assist to blow out three big girl candles!

Norah ate her cupcake like a good little puppy!

SUGAR!!!!

Silly girls

Home for the Holidays!

We got the best gift ever this Christmas... a visit from Gaga!  There's nobody who better embodies the holiday spirit than Gaga and we were so blessed that she came all the way out here to share it with us this year!  It was a warm and rainy holiday, the kind that makes you say "I can't believe it's Christmas... it doesn't feel like Christmas!"  But with Gaga in the house it felt like a true holiday!  

Sean and Kelsey came over to help us trim our tree and indulge in a traditional Tofurky Christmas dinner.  The Packers came through with yet another win... making it even more of a holiday for Greg!  It was mellow and far from showy, but full of the genuine moments that you share best with those you love.  I love a low stress, mellow holiday.  Food, family and egg nog... what more could you ask for!?

Gaga and Norah found the perfect tree on Christmas Eve, right after Gaga got into town!

Uncle Sean and Auntie Kelsey came over to help us trim the tree.  Norah and Kelsey made a lovely garland to grace the tree.

Santa Came!

Just missing the cookies... we'll have to remeber that next year!

Norah dives in to her first present on Christmas morning... 

a family, complete with a Gaga, for her new dollhouse!

Can anybody guess Greg's Christmas wish?!

Uncle Sean and Auntie Kelsey made sure that Bishop got a well deserved treat!

Norah made gingerbread houses with Gaga and Auntie Kelsey.  It was only a matter of time before their inevitable demise!

Architecture at it's tastiest!

It was such a special treat to have Gaga here for Christmas! 

 Way better than snow!

Next year we'll have another little star for our Christmas photo!

What an exciting gift!

Chicago Christmas

We got in the holiday spirit early this year with a visit to Papa and Dede's new home outside of Chicago!   This is Norah's first Christmas with Papa and Dede, and the first time I have spent Christmas with Dad in over ten years!  I'd say we did a good job of making up for lost time!  Norah had lots of firsts on this trip and felt right at home at Papa and Dede's house.   The McGregor family made it over to celebrate too!  We missed Greg alot on this trip, still hoping our schedules will change soon!  It was a wonderful holiday and just goes to show that the best part about the holiday is gathering with family and ones you love... the date is just a minor detail!

The first order of business was to get the tree trimmed up and looking good!

Norah's ready to put the star on

Papa gave Norah a boost to top the tree

Papa helps with the fine tuning

Dede and Norah get the ornaments ready! 

Time to get the ornaments on!

Tree trimmed and ready for action!

The best present anyone could put under a tree!

Papa and Dede with their girl on Navy Pier looking back on the beautiful Chicago skyline.

Quite a Christmas tree!

Norah catches a ride through Toyland

Norah's first Merry-go-round ride!  

She loved it and went on it again and again!

Norah and I took a train ride around Toyland together

Norah was a little animal on this inflatable slide!  She was just shy of the height requirement and so I went down with her the first time... and it was mildly terrifying!  Fortunately they let the height thing 'slide' and she went crazy!

Norah had her first visit with Santa.  She was a little shy, but she did tell him what she wanted for Christmas!

Becca and Scott and the lovely Miss Rozlyn came up to celebrate the holiday, making it feel like a proper Christmas.  The girls were dressed to impress in their tutus!

Norah showed Roz all of her zoo buddies

Getting some big sister practice in

Bath time for little girls

Norah got her first ever haircut after this bath.  

Goofy Girl

Mama and her girl... so sweet!

Our upside-down girl

Two peas in a pod!

Rozlyn stood up on her own for the first time!  

She'll be walkin before we know it!

Rozlyn gets cozy with Papa

Somebody got what she wanted for Christmas!

Papa and his dancing Santa hat!

We went to the Brookfield Zoo to look at the lights and see some wild life!  

The weather was just perfect for the polar bears!

Christmas card quality!

We all got a special treat and got to see the dolphin show!

It was a great way to end a great holiday!