Thankful for Norah

Lately, Wayne and I have both been feeling like our love for Norah has evolved and intensified (if that's possible). I've felt this many times over the couple years - that something will shift at a certain point and I literally feel my love for her change and grow. It's only happened a few times but it's palpable and on those days I can't stop touching her face or kissing her or playing with her hair. It's like I'm intensely smitten with her for a few days and then it becomes the new normal. (Has this happened to anyone else?) =) She's nearly 2 1/2 and feels more like a genuine companion, every day.

 

When I'm out running errands with Norah, often we have full conversations and I find myself bursting into laughter at things she has said. And this is one thing we've noticed - she has come to the realization that she's very funny and seems to have mastered comical delivery. She'll say things, with a completely straight face, knowing how funny they are and there's something even more hilarious about it coming from a 2 year old.   

 

And in the evenings, I love finding the things she's left in random places. Two days ago, after she was in bed, I go in our room and find a tiny plate with a plastic beef patty on it, sitting on my bedside table. Behind our bedroom curtains: her tiny knitted purse filled with a plastic hotdog bun, a Kroner coin from Denmark, 2 legos and a small ketchup bottle. And one tiny rain boot on our bedroom floor with an alarm clock in it. (clearly I let her play alone a lot as I have no idea when/why these things happened) You just can't help but giggle and feel so thankful to have a little person around when this is how your evening ends. And I need these moments, after the days of hardcore potty training like today, when - standing in the toy aisle of Tesco (grocery store), Norah gave me that look and I knew she was...peeing. (this is despite taking her to the restroom 15 minutes prior and she swore she couldn't go) So here I am with a buggy (stroller), a huge bag of groceries and I'm half a store away from the restrooms. So I awkwardly parked the buggy, asked a clerk to watch our groceries and carried a sopping wet 2 year old (in jeans) to the bathroom. Every person I passed gave me knowing looks that said "Oh ya... been there. You're doin' just fine". Thankfully I had the extra clothes packed and we survived what I thought was my worst nightmare, completely unscathed.

Nana mailed this painting book to Norah - something I hadn't seen since I was a kid and it brought back so many sweet memories. It's one of those books with the color already on the page, and all you do is 'paint' with water on your brush. They're genius! (and I don't know why they're not in every store.)



 Here you can tell why I always want to touch her hair and kiss her cheeks.

"Bringin' in mah tools"

 Some nights, when Daddy reads bedtime stories, this is how I find them.

Another example of being blown away by her and feeling so smitten:

Last night, I was home with Norah and Wayne was working really late at UCD. So I made dinner, gave her a bath, etc. did the whole evening routine. Well, bathtime didn't go so well and Norah became a furious monster.  She cried through the entire 'washing' portion (very uncharacteristic) and then splashed water/threw toys everywhere as I tried to drag her out of the tiny bathtub situated in our even tinier shower. Pulling a wet, soapy, limp-bodied 26-pound turkey out of a tub (in a shower) is....hard. I was just frustrated and had very little patience with her. Anyway, when we were reading stories I said, "Norah, I'm sorry I got frustrated during your bath" and she says to me.....my TWO year old......with the most genuine, adult look on her face: "It's ok Mommy, it was my fault too".

We just continued reading before she went to bed and in mind, she was a perfect angel (no memory of the soapy, writhing monster-child from 7 pm). And then, to seal the deal, every night she says "Goodnight mommy. I love you. Sweet Dreams. See you at breakfast. Leave the door open". So that helps too.