Is Nora really going to be 9 months tomorrow?

Nora turns 9 months tomorrow. I never realized how quickly time goes by... I must be getting old!

Pete and I are completely amazed about how much Nora has changed and developed in the past 8 months. It baffles me at times to think last year at this time I was pregnant with Nora. We had no idea if we were going to have a boy or a girl. We did not have any names picked out. We did not have the nursery done or even started for that matter. Pretty much, we were totally clueless and had no idea what was really in store for us. For me, I knew our lives were going to change and that having a child would be absolutely incredible. I never realized how much our lives would change and truly what an amazing, incredible, mind boggling, loving, challenging and delightful experience having a child is... WOW. Having a baby is unexplainably terrific. I never knew I could love someone as much as I love her. Each day I fall more and more in love with her.

Often times it is said that a person learns more in their first year of life than any other year (I also think a parent learns more during their baby's first year of life than any other too!). We have been experiencing a lot of "firsts" the past 8 months but the most "firsts" we have had or Nora has had have been during her 8th month.

Nora's 8 month firsts:

1. Crawling (she gets faster everyday)
2. She now knows how to wave hi and good bye (when she feels like it)
3. She figured out how to sit back on her butt from her crawling position
4. We found her standing up in her crib
5. She pulls herself up on furniture
6. Eats cheerios like its her job


I know there are probably more but these are the big milestones. Each time Nora does something new, you can see in her eyes how proud of herself she is. If only she could see how incredibly proud and amazed her mommy and daddy are! It truly is the coolest thing ever to see Nora accomplish and learn things. Best thing ever!

With all of her new moves that she has going on, she is also exploring a lot of new things. She likes to check out the door stop(s) and fling them so they make the funny noise, she enjoys outlets (which are covered), she likes to "touch" the Christmas tree and the presents underneath it. Pretty much everything she shouldn't touch or get into, she does! The other day, Pete busted her with a piece of garlic in her mouth (he was hoping that it wouldn't stick with her like it does with me). Does that make her a good little Italian girl?

Nora also experienced her first Thanksgiving. We spent TG down in Omaha. We had a nice time seeing family and friends. I will be posting pictures from TG weekend along with Nora going sledding for the first time and seeing Santa... Man, the firsts are fun!