Birth Day!

How quickly time has passed. Three weeks ago MK and I welcomed Norah Ruth into the world. In just three weeks our little baby has developed tremendously! Norah looks and acts less like a wrinkly (generic) newborn and is becoming more of her own person.

Norah's body is longer, her legs are a bit more chunky (so cute...and quite similar in shape to her daddy's), and her face is longer/fuller. Norah is also awake for longer periods of time and more alert - maintaining eye contact. She has started to hold on to things (fingers, shirts, and even my hair!). She is great at holding her head up and throwing it around, and I'm convinced Norah is starting to discover she has a voice, making more of an "ahhh" sound at times instead of just crying (thank goodness).

I think Marshall and I are starting to pick up a bit on her personality, too. For the most part, Norah is an amazing baby in the sense that she is fairly content or can be quickly calmed when she is upset. She sleeps 2 to 3 hours at a time through the night, waking up to feed, and then falling back asleep. We are figuring out her cries and the type of calming techniques Norah finds soothing. Norah likes her food (maybe I should use the term loves?), hates the pacifier, enjoys being held, and for some odd reason...she is fascinated with her changing pad. HA!

We are falling in love with Norah more and more as each day passes. Hopefully she feels the same! :o) We love watching her grow and discover new things - and I know MK and I are both anxiously awaiting the day Norah can smile...and mean it!

Below is a classic pose we caught Norah in tonight:



I also need to mention how much I love my husband. MK has been such a phenomenal husband and dad already. In just three weeks he has become the Diaper Changer Extraordinaire and has really learned how to meet my needs as a new mom. I can't even begin to imagine taking care of a newborn as a single mom...whew. I realize how blessed I am to have a loving husband who is dedicated to his family. Thank you, hubby, for all you have done and are doing. I love you more now than I ever have before. Let's continue to date each other, deal?! *winks*

Love and miss you all.
SLK

Three New Pictures

Post-bath layabout:




Sneaky peek-a-boo:

Two Weeks and Three Days

That's how old Norah is today.

the Ladies

Grandpa Wiley bought "the Ladies" flowers today to show his love. SO SWEET!

The King Beetle on a Coconut Estate

This song blows my mind like I can't even explain.

mewithoutYou - "the King Beetle on a Coconut Estate"

As the Moon rose and the hour grew late, the day help on a Coconut estate raked up the dry leaves that fell dead from the Trees, which they burned in a pile by the lake. The Beetle King summoned his men, and from the top of the Rhododendron stem: "Calling all volunteers who can carry back here, the Great Mystery’s been lit once again." One Beetle emerged from the crowd in a fashionable abdomen shroud, and said: "I’m a Professor, you see, that’s no mystery to me... I’ll be back soon, successful and proud." But when the Beetle Professor returned he crawled on all six, as his wings had been burned, and described to the finest detail all he’d learned. There was neither a light nor a heat in his words. The deeply dissatisfied King climbed the same stem to announce the same thing, but in his second appeal sought to sweeten the deal with a silver Padparadscha ring. The Lieutenant stepped out from the line as he lassoed his thorax with twine, thinking: "I’m stronger and braver and I’ll earn the King’s favor. One day all he has will be mine!" But for all the Lieutenant’s conceit he, too, returned singed and admitting defeat: "I had no choice, please believe, but retreat... it was bright as the sun, but with ten times the heat! And it cracked like the thunder and bloodshot my eyes, though smothered with sticks it advanced undeterred. Carelessly cast an ash cloud to the sky, my Lord, like a flock of dark, vanishing birds."

The Beetle King slammed down his fist: "Your flowery description’s no better than his! We sent for the Great Light and you bring us this? We didn’t ask what it seems like, we asked what it IS!" His Majesty’s hour at last has drawn nigh! The elegant Queen took her leave from his side, without understanding but without asking why, gathered their Kids to come bid their goodbyes. And the father explained: "You’ve been somewhat deceived... We’ve all called me your dad, but your True Dad’s not me. I lay next to your mom when your forms were conceived, but your Father is the Life within all that you see. He fills up the ponds as He empties the clouds, holds without hands and He speaks without sounds, provides us with the Cow’s waste and coconuts to eat, giving one that nice salt-taste and the other a sweet. Sends the black carriage the day Death shows its face, thinning our numbers with Kindness and Grace. And just as a Flower and its Fragrance are one so must each of you and your Father become. Now distribute my scepter, my crown and my throne and all we’ve known as ‘wealth’ to the poor and alone." Without further hesitation and without looking back home, the King flew headlong into the blazing unknown! And as the Smoke King curled higher and higher, the troops, flying loops ’round the telephone wires, said: "Our Beloved’s not dead, but His Highness instead has been utterly changed into Fire!"

Why not be utterly changed into Fire?