August 24, 2021

 Dear Noralee,

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

We've made it a whole year!  You are still a very happy baby, but you're starting to figure out your own needs and how to loudly express them.

You are full of tricks.  You love to shimmy your shoulders whenever you hear any music, even if it's just Dad singing.  You can clap, wave, and blow kisses.  We like to say "go to sleep," and you flop over, and then "wake up,' and you pop back up.  You're just starting to figure out peek-a-boo.

You're 22 pounds, my biggest baby at this age.  You've been wearing 12 months clothes for a while now, but really fit better into 18 months clothes.  You've also been in size 4 diapers for a while, and probably will be until you're potty trained.

We had a quiet, but very fun summer.  We didn't go on many trips, but we were able to spend a lot of time at the pool.  You love swimming and playing in the water.  You tried popsicles for the first time this summer.  You love being outside, but don't love to crawl on the grass, so you've learned to bear crawl so your knees don't have to touch it.

You love playing with Charlie and Ari.  They are definitely your main entertainers.  You love being wherever they are and trying to play with whatever they have (even if they don't).  They love to drag you around on your tummy or on a blanket and make you laugh as much as possible.

We had a flamingo party for you at the park.  You've been going back and forth between having one and two naps, and you only had one today, so you were pretty tired.  You loved eating pizza, but when it was time for cake you weren't super into it.  You had a few bites and were done.  Then you opened your presents and luckily you had lots of helpers to help unwrap everything.

We love you, Nora!

Love,

Mom

June 24, 2021

 Dear Nora,

You're 10 months old today!

Since my last update, you've become quite a bit more mobile, but I still can't completely say you can crawl.  About a month ago you started scooting around.  And about two weeks ago you figured out you can move your knees too.  But you can still get somewhere much faster by scooting, so even though sometimes you try to crawl, if there's something you really want, you can move those arms pretty quickly. Your arms are going to be so buff soon haha.  You've started pulling yourself up, as well, so there's a part of me that thinks you may not crawl very much and go to walking soon.

You still have only two teeth.  I think you may be having more come in soon.  Even with only your two, you enjoy food quite a bit.  Your newest favorite is veggie straws, which Ari loves as well so she's happy that I'm buying them more.  You also love yogurt.

You're getting more vocal and squeaky and love to hear your voice.  You're very good at letting us know when you're upset or need something, but that doesn't really happen very often and you're happy almost all of the time.  You still love to smile and laugh.  You love playing with Ari and Charlie and get so excited when you haven't seen them for a while and they show up.

We love you, Nora!

Love,

Mom

April 24, 2021

 Dear Nora,

You're eight months old!

You're not crawling yet, but I can tell you're wanting to get around more and get your toys, so I think you're close.  You can now roll back and forth on your stomach and back.  You can push yourself up on your hands, and you're pretty close to getting up on your knees.

You got your first tooth last week!  At the beginning of April you started getting a runny nose without being sick in any other way, so I thought maybe it was coming.  And then last week I checked your mouth and could feel it popping through.  And now you have another one right next to it!

You can now feed yourself, which is pretty nice!

You continue to find your voice more and more.  You still are usually pretty happy, but you've started being a little more vocal to let us know you're there or when you're not getting exactly what you want.  You've learned you can just scream or be really loud without just crying.

We love you sweet Noralee!

Love,

Mom

February 24, 2021

 Dearest Nora,

You are six months old! We've made it half way!  Well, kind of.

You're still as happy as ever.  You're usually pretty happy and content as long as someone is near by and you have a toy to play with.

You are 27 inches long and 17 pounds and growing well!

You can sit up on your own for short amounts of time.

You can roll from you back to your stomach, but then you get stuck and usually can't get back over.  However, you're liking tummy time more and more as you get stronger, so it's not much of a problem.

You still sleep so well.  You still let us swaddle you at night, and I'm just waiting for the day you won't let that happen.

We love you so much, Nory, and your happy little self!

Love,

Mom

January 3, 2021

 Dear Noralee,

Today Dad gave you a special blessing.  We didn't figure this out until yesterday, but six years ago this day Arien was blessed as well.

He blessed you with looking for the good and helping those around you.  You have such a sunny, bright personality, and he blessed that you could bless those around you with who you are.  He blessed you with the ability to make good choices that will benefit you, your desires, and what Heavenly Father has planned for you.

I've never told you how we decided on your name, Noralee Rose Whitesides.

Because you never knew your Grandma Becky (whose name was Nora Rebecca), we wanted you to always have a piece of her so we gave her first name to you.  I've always wanted my kids to have longer names that can be shortened so we added Grandma Abby's middle name (Lee) to come up with Noralee.  Grandpa Steve always called his mom Rose (because her last name was Rosevear), so we decided your middle name should be Rose.  You have a 100% family name, which I think is pretty cool.

Nora, you have been such a special blessing to me this past year.  I could have easily been discouraged with my mom dying, but you provided the perfect distraction (inside me and out) to keep my mind off of things and give me hope for a brighter future.  2020 was a crazy year for lots of reasons, but you made it so great and blessed me with exactly what I needed.  I will forever be grateful to you for that!  Thank you, Nora!!

Love,

Mom

January 4, 2021

 Dear Noralee,

You're four months old!  Sometimes writing these posts can be a little boring and there's not much to add month to month, but I can tell from here on out there's going to be a lot to add as you continue to grow and learn new things.

You smile ALL THE TIME.  You are so happy!  You really don't cry that much.  Yesterday was your blessing day and just because of everything going on we were a little more aware of your schedule and how things were going.  You cried two times the whole day.  Two times!  You're such a sweet princess!

You're still an amazing sleeper.  We just barely moved you into your own room last night, and both Dad and I would have been perfectly fine to let you keep sleeping with us because we hardly ever hear you in the middle of the night (because I'm pretty sure you don't even make any noises in the middle of the night).  Dad and I were a little sad to not have you with us last night, but we know you have to grow up at some point.

You're starting to use your hands a lot more.  You're learning to put your binky back in by yourself.  You love sucking on your hands, especially your thumb when you can figure out how to get it in your mouth.  You're not super reliant on your pacifier, so I'm wondering if at some point you'll get rid of it on your own and go to your thumb.  We'll see.

We celebrated our first Christmas with you!  You got to join in on all of our Christmas traditions, celebrations, and activities.  You came to the mountains with us to get our tree and stayed awake in the carrier the whole time and seemed to enjoy it quite a bit.  You were baby Jesus in the Nativity on Christmas Eve, and did a great job!  On Christmas Day, you fell asleep half way through opening your presents, but I think you still had a good day.

You are a very easy going baby and don't complain too much, but here are some things you don't like:

-boogers.  You always scratch at your nose when you can feel something in there.

-poopy diapers.

-being alone.  You usually cry if you're awake and no one's around to look at or entertain you.

Love you, Nor Nora!

Love,

Mom

November 30, 2020

 Dear Nora,

You're three months old, and I can definitely tell you're getting older.

You are such a smiley, happy girl!  You smile all of the time.  There are lots of times when I feed you in the morning that it takes a little bit of extra time because you can't stop smiling and focus on eating.  You haven't stated to completely laugh yet, but I can tell you're really, really close.  You coo all of the time and love talking to us.

You still are on a great schedule and sleep super well.  You eat 5 ounces about every three hours and take naps in between.

I haven't weighed you in a while, and I don't think you've gained a ton of weight, but I can tell you're getting a little bigger.

I've started putting you in the bumbo to sit up.  You still need a little help and can't sit for too long, but I can tell you like it so much more than just laying down all of the time.

Even though you're still so small and can't interact much, you provide all of us a ton of entertainment.  In the mornings, I usually will feed you and then while I'm getting ready I put you out in the family room to play.  Usually Ari and Charlie will immediately gather around you and play with you or by you the rest of the morning until you go to sleep.  Charlie loves, loves to lay by you and hold your hand.  Ari loves to see you smile and hold you.

You came with us to get your first Christmas tree, and you did amazingly well!  You slept on the way there, so you were super happy and awake when we went outside.  I put you in the carrier and your little snowsuit and because you're getting older I carried you in the holder so you were facing out.  I'm pretty sure you loved it!  You didn't cry at all, and we probably could have stayed outside a little while longer.

We love you, Noralee!

Love,

Mom