You are invited!

Guess what else? He got into the UNI Master's program in Jazz and is likely to get off the waitlist and into DePaul for Jazz. We find out today, hopefully!

Things that are wrong with me

I am sure you are shouting out suggestions right now, so I will leave blank spaces at the end. Mock my physical ailments and then move on to my social/emotional problems.

1. Pelvic bone PAIN : It feels like I just rode my bike 200 miles. Actually, more like a unicycle with all my weight bearing down you know where. My bones are so sore, I think the baby might be halfway out.


2. Permanent stuffy nose: I snore now, too.


3. Grinchy heart: I was recently reminded that my heart is two sizes too small because I don't enjoy meeting new people, talking to new people, or attending events that don't permit pajamas. It was suggested that I give 1/100 of the love & energy I give to Nori to other people. It's true! I like to think I'm just introverted, but really I'm a wanna-be-hermit. Now if only I wanted to change...

sugar

I am way too excited about this....we hired a nanny! Her name is Nicole, she is 23, and married. She graduated from Hamline with a B.S. in biology but chose to be a nanny as her career. She has lots of nanny experience with infants and little children. She won't officially start until the end of August, but hopefully she will come visit the girls a few time this summer so they can get to know her. She is very excited to work on a pre-K curriculum with Nori so we don't lose the educational piece she gets now at daycare (and it will be great for me not to have load and unload kids from the car in the middle of winter)! Lest you think we are loaded, let me just add that my income barley outpaces hers but I like my job and the structure of working 3 days a week in the office and 1 from home. Plus, the benefits are good...I gotta live it up when I am old.

My mom seems to be on the rebound, too! Her new antibiotics are helping as she can breathe better and is slowly starting to get some energy back. After all she has been through, we don't take health issues lightly (unless you count a weird stomach wound that has been leaking on and off for 4 years in which case she just packs it).

Being crawled over, although kneed in the face, to be kissed good morning by a cutie pie girl makes sleeping in even better. What a fantastic family weekend we have had! We are enjoying one of our last few quiet family weekend, starting with breakfast at Egg & I, summer clothes shopping, grocery shopping, naps, reading books, and guacamole. What else is there? A few busy weekends ahead and then it won't be long until our party of 3 turns into 4! Nori has also developed a Southern accent, saying cute things like "be right back, sugar!" a few hundred times a day. She is on an antibiotic after 3 weeks with a cold & cough. The only other time she has been on antibiotics was when her thumb got infected after I tried a do-it-yourself amputation with the laundry room door (which healed perfectly, by the way)!

Hugs for Hol!

My poor mother is still sick after three weeks! Her bronchitis has morphed into pneumonia so she is now on a new antibiotic, however the side-effects are making her feel worse than ever. I am tempted to go take care of her for the weekend, but I am getting over a really bad cold myself. Pray that she can tolerate the medicine, make a quick recovery, and stay out of the H-word.

33 weeks

there's a head on my pelvis

Oh weekend, why must you end so soon? I need one more day! At least it was productive, for once! Despite us all being sick, I got most of the baby clothes washed & organized as well as Nori's summer clothes, too. I put away all my sweaters which are too small anyway and now just have a closet of spring/summer Big Mamma Jamma clothes. I am in the middle of nanny interviews as we are hoping to hire one after my maternity leave in the fall. Thanks to a little website called Care.com, I now understand the plight of online daters everywhere.

Mommy & baby

While Jake & Nori spent Saturday with Grandma Rosie and Grandpa Dick in Austin eating pancakes and counting Grandma's stuffed bunnies (127), I went to Jana's baby shower in Nora Springs, Iowa and met Baby Adira. They are both doing really well, even though all Adira does is nurse! Jana, of course, is back into her regular jeans. How does she do it? It was great to take a road trip and see all our peeps along the way, wish we could have stayed longer!

Jabberjaw

BTB, my beloved daughter never stops talking. She is always saying something insightful like "Mama! Mama! Mama! Why do prop-po-pellers move up and down?" or "Mama! Dada! Mama! Dada! When birds eat the seeds they poop them out and a rose grows" or "Can I have... um...can I have... a....a.....a....a......a.....fro yo?". Now that I know her verbal and intellectual skills are just fine, I think maybe I talked to her too much as a baby. The next one is getting the silent treatment.

the expanding family

Today we belatedly celebrated Funcle Charlie's birthday at the Twin's game. The weather was lovely! The guys sampled the Polish sausages and despite the disappearance of the Dippin' Dots stand, Nori was placated by soft-serve ice cream in a souvenir Twins hat. She loved the game and the crowd, cheering and dancing the whole way through. She had her own seat but preferred to be on her feet pumping her fists to who knows what. A true Seltz. Only 49 more days until my due date, coincidentally the same day Bert is inducted into the Hall of Fame. Wonder which one Grandpa Steve is more excited for?

Go team!

blah-g

Sick day in Dora pajamas

Busy yet boring week, sorry to say. If you want some romance and suspense, read Jim's blog about how he met and married his wife, Amy. If you think that is good, just wait until he posts about how he met Jake & I in exotic Peru mere minutes after I nearly suffered a brain hemorrhage falling in the slippery Rumi Punko shower.

Regular day in Dora pajamas

Jake made the most delicious homemade chicken parmigiana this weekend and we ate way too much. The nice weather forced us to go to Izzy's as well. We otherwise had a pretty laid back weekend although Jake did hang shelves in the baby's room closet and we got our big old computer desk out of the guest room, both long dreaded projects.

Play date with pirates Liam & Ang ( Norelle often refuses to look at the camera)

Angie introduced me to a great new coffee shop, Riverview Cafe, which not only has vegetable infused treats (carrot cake?), but also a fun playroom for rowdy kids. It's my new Go To spot!

Sabrina's shabby chic baby shower

Today I slept in while Jake & Nori went to church. It was a religious experience. Later we had Sabrina's baby shower over at Kelly's house. You may remember Sabrina from her engagement or her wedding and now her pregnancy. Girl saved it all up for one big hurrah of a year!

Pineapple hideout

Please notice the green Blankie is mine (yes, he sleeps with me) and the white one is hers. She thought it would be fun for us to play with them together! So sweet!

Hanging with Funcle Char

Funcle Char hung out this afternoon and later we were joined by Grandpa Steve, Grandma Liz and Aunt Ellen for some Brasa takeout. Nor is VERY fond of Charlie and made sure to have his full attention. Ellen just back from a mission trip in NYC and gave a presentation about it today. BTB, my brother Casey found out he is 1st in the waitlist for his #1 choice grad school, DePaul, for a MA in jazz performance and was admitted to UNI in the classical program but now wants to switch the jazz program so he needs to re-audition there. So, lots of unknowns as he is not yet sure how it's all going to pan out with school or if he will take a year off to work and reapply next year.