16 and 4:30

These two numbers have been a big pain in our rumps the last few nights. Nora has been getting her 15th and 16th teeth which have made her wake up at 4:30 am for the past four nights. The teeth finally cut through today.

Let's hope she is able to sleep through the night...maybe that dose of Motrin helped as well!

Gas Works Park

Today we spent the afternoon giving Jay and Jessica a tour of the less-known Seattle sights. Here's a family portrait taken with a view of the city behind us. Nora loved watching the kites on the hill nearby...something that we will have to try once the weather warms up a bit ;)

 

NO & MINE

Oh the wonders of learning to talk. Nora's new favorite word is 'no.' She has gotten quite good at expressing her opinion. Don't have a clue where she got that ;-)

When I walked into Nono's daycare room on Thursday afternoon, I saw her grab a toy away from another child and say "mine" while shaking her head 'no'. The beginning of the terrible twos?

Peeing at the Fred Meyer

On a grocery trip to the Fred Meyer this afternoon, Nora accompanied me to the restroom. After watching me pee, she decided she wanted a go. As soon as I put her on the pot, she started to pee!

My first peeing experience with Nora...how exciting!

Potty trained!?!?

Nora had her first successful attempt at using the toilet today! Thanks to Grandma's quick reflexes and an impressive understanding of Nora's body language, she made it to the loo without a moment to spare.

Dress-Up

One of Nora's favorite things to do is to play dress-up. This was taken during one of her sick days this week. We got her dressed up in some of Auntie Vanessa's old clothes.

 

Drawing pictures with Grandpa

Nora was more interested in eating the Crayons than drawing with them. 

Checking out the port

Mommy and Nora checking out the waterfront last Sunday.

 

Playing the piano with Grandma

 

ENOUGH already!

Nora has once again come down with a bug. She was feverish last night and woke up around 4:00 this morning shivering with a terrible fever. She threw up, and then it was off to the ER again!

After an examination, it sounds like Nora has come down with a virus. The stomach flu is going around, so it looks like we will have a couple more days of Sick Nora to contend with. We can't wait for her to be healthy again!

Nora playing "row, row, row your boat" at Juanita Beach Park

We took a walk with Grandma down to Juanita Beach and had lots of fun playing on the swings and the whale!

Nora on Alki Beach

Nora on Alki Beach
Originally uploaded by binmke.

Look at the mountains Mommy!

Nora and Mommy on Alki Beach

Nora and Mommy on Alki Beach
Originally uploaded by binmke.

Nora had lots of fun scooping up handfuls of sand and running away from the waves!

Riding the Pig - Pike Place Market

Riding the Pig - Pike Place Market
Originally uploaded by binmke.

Grandma and Nora checking out the big pig outside the Pike Place Market.

Nora at Pike Place Market

Nora at Pike Place Market
Originally uploaded by binmke.

Grandma and Grandpa are visiting us this week, and for their first full day in Seattle we decided to give them a tour of the city...Pike Place Market, Alki Beach, and the Uwajimaya Market/International District.

Here's Nora and Daddy checking out the fruit stands at the Pike Place Market. We ended up getting some excellent halibut steaks to put on the grill tonight!

Otitis Media...it's an ear infection by any other name

Nora is back on antibiotics for the fourth ear infection of the year. We will have her checked again in April to see if this one will do the trick, if not it looks like she's going to have tubes put in.

Between the kidney incident last September and the ear infections now, we have amassed an impressive array of antibiotics...a shelf in the kitchen, a couple in the refrigerator next to the butter, and a whole container full of those little plastic syringes from Walgreens.

Fortunately Nora has been very good about taking her medicine, and the pediatricians here have been top-notch. We got a call from the pediatricians office at 7 PM on a Friday evening asking which pharmacy they should call to register her new prescription...I was pleasantly surprised!

Although her ear is bothering her, Nora is still maintaining her composure. She was very good for the babysitter last night (Mommy and Daddy needed a night off!) and we had lots of fun swimming at the Pro Club this morning.

The Cascades on the way home

Here is the view from the car on the way home from the Children's Museum, heading east on Hwy. 520 toward Lake Washington. It was a beautiful day, you could see the mountains on all sides. This is the Cascade range which runs to the east and south of Seattle. 

Painting pictures with Mommy

Inside the Children's Museum, there is an art room where kids can work on different projects. This week the special was painting and "recycled art" - building sculpture out of leftover things.  

I found you, salamander!

The Seattle Children's Museum also has a mountain and forest exhibit, with little creatures hidden under rocks. This one has a salamander in it. 

Mommy, help! I'm inside a whale!

On Saturday afternoon we took Nora back to the Seattle Childrens Museum to play around. This is by far one of her favorite places to go.