Lisa: ladies who lunch

Nora and I went Christmas shopping, and stopped while we were out for a little lunch at Mimi's.

Lisa: Grossy McSupersick

For my birthday, Dawn promised to take me and Nora to see the Festival of Trees and then to lunch afterward. Nora was pretty tired by lunchtime (and teething) and turned up her nose at the food...until she discovered tartar sauce. Tartar sauce, where had you been all her life?

Lisa: Sabrina Strikes Back

Who is this intruder, and why is she in my chair?

Lisa: lay flat to dry

Wash on warm with like colors.

Lisa: Christmas photos

This year we had another friend take Nora's Christmas pictures--Lacey Pappas, who took Dave and Angie's engagement and bridal photos.

Check out the whole shoot on Lacey's Flickr stream, here. There were so many adorable ones of Nora for us to choose from. Thank you, Lacey!

Lisa: bedtime story

Lisa: Not so much here, or over here, but all around HERE.

I seem to have gotten a tiny bit of spaghetti on my face.

Nothing a little bath won't take care of.

Good as new!

Lisa: eggs on toast

Nora thought her fried eggs were really tasty, until they started giving her a rash. Oops.

Lisa: funny face

Lisa: Mom, can't you just let me eat in peace?

No. No, I can't.

Lisa: a Christmas miracle

Grandma brought over gingerbread cookies, and Nora was actually allowed to eat them!

Well, "allowed" might be a little strong. I'm sure if Dad had anything to do with it, those cookies would never have seen the light of day. Nora loved them, though.

Lisa: head to toe

Nora loves to play with the Ziplock bag of her "hats." Spreading them all out on the floor is big, as is pulling them all out and putting them back in the bag again--but nothing quite surpasses the appeal of putting elastics around her toes.

Lisa: Christmas Eve

Lisa: Christmas Day

Here's Nora, bumming around at home while we threw the last few items in our suitcases. Since we almost crashed on our way to Spring City, this might have been the last picture of Nora, ever. Do I even have to say how glad I am that it wasn't?

Sarah gave Nora this adorable tutu. The vest is also from Sarah, actually. What a good aunt, right?

The table and chairs are from my parents. Unfortunately, they made Nora grow up about four months in five minutes...but she loves them.

Lisa: pegged

Nora quickly put her new table to good use: becoming a genius.

Lisa: winter sports

My dad had the awesome idea of pulling Nora around their property in a sled. She loved it, even when one too-sharp turn spilled her out onto the road. She just got right back in the sled and started chanting, "fast, fast!"

Lisa: this little piggy

Just a few snapshots of our day--more hats on toes, with a side of trying to climb onto the couch.

Lisa: in the eyes of the state

Nora passed the time in line to get a birth certificate with a little nap, and then showed us how to properly use the Wii.

I'm not sure how we never got Nora a birth certificate before, but when I went to collect the documents to get her a passport, all we had on file was the novelty certificate from the hospital. Now she has officially been borned.

Lisa: Now make Mommy a sandwich.

Nora loves to 'cook,' which usually means stirring the air inside some kind of receptacle with various vaguely oblong implements. CUTEST BEAN EVER.