Can I brush your chicken?

An attempt to find an object Norah would hold onto other than my finger. Awesome.



Hopefully she grows up and enjoys cooking more than I do!
SLK

Just Busy.

No, I'm not dead...just extremely busy. I'm not sure how much time I have between now and when Norah wakes up for the day, so here are some random thoughts and updates:

I put in 40 hours at Target last week. Holy crap - I think it almost killed me. All of my work last week consisted of helping to put the store together. Who knew employees manually put up the selves, racks, and all the other fixtures needed when a new store opens?! All the hard stuff is pretty much done and we are starting to put product on the selves. HOW EXCITING!

I've met with HR and I will NOT be working 40 hours this week. Thank God.

August is going to be a mess. I'm already stressed out about it.

Pumping at work is soooo not glamorous.

Marshall and I had our first date night since Norah was born. Saturday night we left Norah with some good friends of ours and went out to eat at the Olive Garden (we had a gift card) and made the 7:30 showing of Transformers 2! I think we both really enjoyed the time together.

It's still raining. Oh sun, oh sun...please come visit New England.

Starting in August, I will be watching Hayden (and Norah) on Fridays. Hayden is the son of a now former hall director from UNH. Hayden's mom and I have become good friends over the past year...and I'm really excited to be able to help them out! I'm also REALLY glad they will be staying in the area!

Norah has become a fuss pants in the evenings lately. Last night she cried for about an hour and half despite all my efforts to calm her down. At one point, I even had the vacuuming running just because it was the only thing to make her stop crying for a bit. I'm hoping she doesn't develop colic and this whole fussiness is just a phase. I read an article that says "fussiness" peeks at 6 to 8 weeks and then starts to decline. Well, here's hoping that's true - not knowing why your baby is crying is disheartening to say the least!

We received some great books in the mail from the Bruin Family! Thank you! They have already been put to use! I just love reading to Norah. :o)

My dad's pay has been reduced without a reduction in his hours. ftw.

Our tickets to fly back home have been selected and purchased! Hooray. (My days off from Target have also been approved) I'm a bit terrified to fly back home alone with Norah - but so excited for all that is planned!

Welp, I hear the little one moving around.
Love to you all.
SLK

All New! Exclusive Norah-related Content!

Bath time.


Bath time sad face.


Sitting up, having a conversation.


Family portrait.


Extreme close up.


I took this video this morning. It's just Norah lying on her changing pad and doing her thing for four minutes or so. She was pretty vocal and active this morning. My favorite part is at 3:39 when she yelps and startles herself, then gets on her invisible bike and rides away.


She also recently figured out that she could put her own hand in her mouth to suck on, so that's pretty exciting. I guess it's the little things at this point of life, you know?

Stay Gold!

MMK

A Taste of Things to Come

A few people have been asking lately for us to post new pictures/videos of Norah since we haven't had any Norah-related visual media on here in awhile. We haven't been holding out intentionally, though... We've just been uber busy with parenthood, our jobs, and trying to maintain something of a social life lately. Give us a few days, though, and hopefully we'll post some new stuff.

Norah has her first cold right now. She's a snotty, sneezy mess. I did manage to get one good picture of her today, though, after I'd given her a bath to make her feel better. So here's that!


She always looks so cute after her baths.

Anyway, we promise we'll get more up here soon... No jokes.

Stay Gold in the meantime.

MMK

I'm Thinking...

Here are some thoughts that I have in my brain right now:

Babies are mentally exhausting.

Coke Zero is a far superior soda product when compared to most other products currently available on the consumer soda market.

I still fully believe that "moderation" in terms of alcohol consumption is, for the most part, a lie which most people choose to believe in order to justify their indulgence in and support of a product which is directly responsible for the death and suffering of hundreds of thousands of people in this country alone every year.

Is it really biblical to say that premarital sex is a sin? The Bible tends to use the words "adultery" and "sexual immorality" when defining what is a sexual sin, but I don't think premarital sex is ever explicitly listed. Anyone want to clarify this for me?

America's Funniest Videos is probably the most hilarious show ever constructed. It's a show that delivers on the claim of its title.

If such a person exists, I can say without a doubt that I am most definitely not the "baby whisperer."

This is one of my favorite photographs ever:

The Soiling of Old Glory

I struggle with being okay with the idea of anyone being a "social justice expert." I struggle with the idea that we should support "social justice" work at all. While I values the things which the social justice movement embraces as important, I can't help but the movement itself is a bit self-serving and masturbatory.

I feel slightly worthless and disconnected when I step outside of my work at the university and realize what a safe, sheltered bubble we operate in as students affairs professionals.

Our dentist here in the 'Shire kind of sucks. We're going to change soon, hopefully.

We've lived in New Hampshire for exactly one year and three days today. The time has passed quickly, but it's been wonderful.

We've had a lot of rain this summer, but no thunderstorms. That's crap.

Norah is rad. I love my kid and my wife.

It's bed time.


Stay Gold, everyone.

MMK

Singing

So you know what is awesome about having a baby? I can sing as much as I want, and she doesn't comment on which words I screw up or notes I completely miss - I even think she might ENJOY my voice!

Marshall and I recently discovered a new artist through a worship song at church. Both Marshall and I sometimes have difficulties appreciating much of the music presented at our church (I think I'll save that topic for another blog). So when we find a worship song or artist we value - it is a big deal! Anyways, we both really like "Revelation Song". I YouTubed the song just because he and I wanted to listen to it on Sunday afternoon. This search lead me to the artist Kari Jobe. Not only can she sing but she's one pretty lady. Hooray for new, meaningful music. If you're interested check it out.

Norah is asleep. I think the music and my voice did the trick...ha!

Update on my 10 personal goals (please see "Goals" if my ramblings below do not make sense) :

1) I made Marshall's lunch for 3 or 4 days in a row, then we ran out of food. I'm back to square one (but I made his lunch today!). 1 day down, 9 to go.
2) I've had zero time or interest in reading a book lately.
3) Last night I probably only received 5ish hours of sleep all together. 10 consecutive hours of sleep is looking pretty damn good.
4) No one has received a birthday card from me.
5) I've still got the milks.
6) No savings account for Norah, yet. BUT she does have a piggy bank (with money in it)!
7) I have my 6 week check-up on Monday. Hopefully the midwife will tell me I'm healed and ready to begin exercising. I've signed up for a summer woman's soccer league. I'm nervous since I'm extremely out of shape...but also excited. SOCCER IS AWESOME...and I've missed it.
8) I'm still dreaming of the mini-vacation.
9) I'm also still dreaming of getting more tattoos. Soon enough.
10) Marshall and I are doing well with paying off our car. We pay a couple hundred dollars more a month than what our payment actually is...and when I start working, I think we'll be able to put a little bit more towards the payment. YES!

That's about it. Did I mention I am loving New Hampshire? For as much as Marshall and I miss our family, for now, this feels like our home. Of course, Iowa will always be our "true" home. But I have no doubts that New Hampshire is where we are suppose to be right now. As hard as that may be with Norah...it's great to be able to trust God and know He is in every moment of our day (whether we acknowledge Him consistently or not). I really do love all of you...and miss you all.

Hugs.
SLK

For the Grandparents...

...Though I'm sure the rest of you will enjoy it, too.



Sneezes. Smiles. This video has it all.

Stay Gold!

MMK

Gold

I'm feeling pretty crappy this morning, but I am unable to go back to sleep. So, here I am writing a blog.

As you've read, Norah had her one month doctor's appointment yesterday - so fun! Marshall and I were both eager to see how much she has grown in the past month. We are glad to know she is one healthy little baby. Norah isn't scheduled for shots until her two month appointment, so that made the morning even better. I on the other hand received the Tdap vaccine (info here) per recommendation of the birth center nurses.

As a result, my arm has that deep muscle ache. I was so exhausted last night before bed but didn't really relate it to the vaccine. But I woke up at 2:00 this morning with the chills, 100.3 degree temp, and a pretty intense headache. I've been a bit concerned until I looked at the "Mild Problems" section of the Tdap description. I guess all of what I'm experiencing is normal. Gross.

Anyways, thought I'd share the following picture:


Yep, that's right...breastmilk, and it's all mine. Can you believe the body can produce that much milk in a month PLUS what Norah has eaten? Crazy. I attribute the ability to wear my prepregnancy jeans almost solely on breastfeeding. Research has shown breastfeeding burns an additional 500 calories a day! I'll take that. But hey, I'm seriously contemplating putting an ad up on Craig's List or Ebay and selling my milk. Okay, not really...but I bet I could make a pretty penny. Breastmillk is like gold. Did you know there is even an organization dedicated to breastmilk donation - IBMP? Milk donated to IBMP is sent to Africa and other countries in need. How cool is that? They are not currently taking donations right now, but I've signed up to be on the e-mail list when they reopen in July. We'll see.

Hope you are all well and happy.
Love.

SLK

Doctor's Appointment

Norah had her one month check up with our doctor today. Here are the crucial stats:

Weight: 10 lbs, 1 oz (up from 7 lbs, 11 oz at birth).
She ranks in the 75th percentile for her weight.

Height: 22 inches (up from 20 inches at birth)
She ranks in the 50th percentile for her height.

Head: 39.5 centimeters (I think) (aka frickin' huge)
She ranks in the 95th percentile for the size of her head.

The doctor and her nurse (both of whom are absolutely outstanding at their jobs) said that Norah is totally beautiful and healthy and normal.

She slept all day after the doctor's appointment, then woke up about half an hour ago and pounded down nearly 5 ounces of milk. What a hog! But at least she's growing up right, so we won't complain too much.

She also loves the straight edge. (Thanks to Leah for this onesie!)


Sarah texted me at work yesterday to tell me that Norah was being pretty vocal and chatting up a storm on our bed while Sarah was folding laundry. Sarah took this short video and caught the tail end of Norah's chat-fest. Apparently she was far more vocal than this just minutes before this was taken...


And now I'm off to the gym to get totally ripped. Have a good afternoon everyone!

Stay Gold,

MMK

Dedication

So Sarah and I decided to have Norah dedicated in our church and faith rather than having her baptized. The difference, of course, is that the child is not committed to Christ when dedicated, but rather that the child's parents dedicate themselves and their family to raising the child in the spirit and character of the Father. Essentially, we've decided to leave it to Norah to decide how and when (if at all, I suppose) she'll commit herself to God, but have made a public declaration that we'll do our best as parents to serve as Godly examples for her to follow.

We didn't necessarily have a time frame set for when the dedication would occur, so Sarah sent an email to our church's children's minister yesterday to ask about the church's dedication procedures. The children's minister called us back last night after reading Sarah's email to let us know that the church offers seasonal dedication services, for lack of a better term, where they do dedications for the children in the church who have been born in the last three months or so. She also informed us that the summer season's dedication service was today and that we could either have Norah dedicated today or wait three months to have it done in the fall.

So, Norah was dedicated today. It was pretty awesome.

She didn't have a special outfit or anything ('cause we're not really like that), but we did take with us to the dedication an afghan knitted by my grandma Theanny.

See how it's like she's looking toward Jesus? We're not good with subtlety.




Yesterday was Norah's one month birthday. There's a tradition amongst a number of the people who work in my department of taking pictures of their children on the monthly celebrations of their birthdays. The tradition also includes the monthly birthday photo having a sign in it which says exactly how many months old the child is on the day the photo was taken. I know, it's a pretty ridiculous thing and something I would have probably rolled my eyes at a year or two ago. But, seeing as how I'm a parent now, I think it's a pretty solid idea. So, Sarah and I have decided to take the monthly photographs.

Here's the first!


...And here are a couple more from her one month birthday.




And here's Norah hugging a sock monkey sent to her by her Eagle uncle Kevin and his fiance Sarah. How precious.


Life is good right now in the 'Shire.

Stay Gold!

MMK

Goals.

As some of you may know, both my brother (Justin) and my sister (Grace) are taking the 101/1001 challenge - completing 101 goals in 1001 days. Justin began the movement, with Grace following suit. Quite a few of the goals set by Justin and Grace are impressive and are going to take extreme dedication and effort. To see Justin's goals and progress, click here. To see Grace's goal website click here. I know they both are going to do great! Marshall and I agreed tonight, we now feel as though we should join the parade.

*insert sarcastic laugh here*

Yeah, right. With a new baby, 101 goals seems overwhelming and frankly, unnecessary. I have one major goal right now - to be a good mom! Obviously. But I still like the idea. So, here is my version!

10/365 (ten goals to complete in the next year):
1) Make my husband's lunch for 10 consecutive Market Basket shifts.
2) Read 10 books recommended by family and friends (suggestions please!).
3) Sleep for 10 hours - straight, twice.
4) Send 10 birthday cards to family or friends on time. (I stole the idea from Grace...but this is something I've wanted to do for a while.)
5) Provide Norah with breastmilk for at least 6 months.
6) Open a savings account for Norah.
7) Run a half-marathon (NO WALKING!). (Justin - want to enter the same race?)
8) Go on a mini-vacation with Marshall up to the White Mountains. See here.
9) Get at least 3 tattoos. (Diamond on wedding ring finger, black X on wrist, and another tattoo on my left arm...design TBD.)
10) Pay off our car.

Whew, I'll let you know how I do here and there through blogging.

On another note, Norah is officially one month old. How the heck did that happen?! Despite some rough moments here and there, time has passed quickly...as I knew it would. I love being a mom, more than I could have predicted. I'm starting to understand how there are parents who can only hold conversations about their kids. Norah is why we are here, now. She needs both Marshall and I to care for her, to love her, to show her life. I feel MY life has more purpose now than it ever has before - it feels right. I'm still struggling with trying to grow closer to God...but with Norah here in my life, well, she is evidence of how gracious my God is.



Love and miss you all.
SLK

Pretty Lady

I finally captured a classic Norah face...yes, the "O Face".


Norah in the first girly outfit given to her by my good friend Katey. Adorable.


Video of Norah holding her head up. At times, it looks as though she is resting on her own arms...but really she is still holding her head up! Super Baby.


Ah, Marshall and I are in love..yes with each other, but also with our little one.

SLK

What it's Like to Work...

So, I've been asked recently by a good number of people about how my summer job at the grocery store has been going and how I'm enjoying the job. Here are some answers to those questions.

I really underestimated the physicality of the work I'd be doing at the store. I commented to Sarah earlier today that I'd like to take a pedometer to the store with me someday in order to calculate the number of steps I take during each shift and the total number of miles I walk in a day while working. I might also someday count the number of times I bend down into a crouch and then stand up again. I am constantly sore in my knees and lower back after I'm done working and want only to come home and put my feet up when my shift ends. Standing on concrete for eight hours does little to comfort one's joints.

For as much as it sounds like I'm complaining in the description above, I really enjoy working at the grocery store. As a Hall Director, I have very few working hours which are definitely set each week. Thus, I have a schedule that shifts with the needs of my students and which keeps me constantly primed for having to work. My schedule at the grocery store, though, is set each week with a definite start and end to each shift I work. I know that I'll start work each morning at 7am, that I'll get an hour break from Noon to 1pm, and that I'll leave the store for home each afternoon at 4pm. There are no questions about when I need to be thinking about work and when I don't. While I rarely feel like I've accomplished much or have something to show for the work that I do as a Hall Director, I leave the grocery store each day feeling like I've really had an impact on something and knowing that I have proof for the labor I've provided. In other words, I feel accomplished in my summer job in ways that I don't think I'll ever feel accomplished in my career. Also, I dress better when I'm working at the grocery store (slacks, a dress shirt, and a tie) than I do when I'm working as a Hall Director (jeans and a hoodie).

I don't think I'd choose to ever leave my career in the Ivory Tower to work in a long-term physical blue collar job, but I'm certainly enjoying the experience for right now. I've talked with some people who have commented that working as a stocker at a grocery store is "beneath" someone with my level of education, but those people clearly don't know what they're talking about. I make a fair wage (and time and a half on Sundays!), my work does not consume me, my coworkers are both fun and personable, and I get to interact with a wide variety of people. There is nothing about this work that is below me.

The only thing left to decide is whether or not I'll continue to work some weekend hours at the store once school starts again in the fall. I could continue to work on either Saturdays or Sundays and make an extra 60-100 dollars a week, or I could not work and have my weekends off entirely. While the extra money is appealing, the thought of not having to shave and being able to regrow my beard if I didn't continue to work at the store is attractive in ways that I can't even describe. I guess we'll just have to wait and see how the rest of the summer goes.

And so that's what it's like to work as a grocery stocker. Hope this helps answer those questions of yours!

Stay Gold, everyone. I'll be enjoying a couple of days off...

MMK

New Hampshire Legalizes Same-Sex Marriage

We're proud to be living in a state that publicly and legally recognizes human equality. Six states down, forty-four to go...

New Hampshire Legalizes Same-Sex Marriage

Stay Gold!

MMK

Boo Cyclones.

Norah hanging out under the play system Kevin & Sarah bought for her. Notice the Iowa State hat - also given to Norah by K&S. This reminds me, I need to buy Norah some purple and gold...GO PANTHERS!

Norah holding her head up to look at Daddy! She is strong!!!

The typical Norah shoulder pose. She loves it.


SLK