Fashion Plate

Nora's penchant for picking out her own clothes strikes again. What is it with the hats? Of course, this one goes right along with her new phrase, "Aw, jeez." And in my head, that's followed by, "Come on over for dinner- it's lutefisk with lots of butter, doncha know!"


And in related news, Nora only had red eye in one eye in this picture. My motherly inclination is to get her honky butt to the eye doctor. Then, my doctorly side kicks in and tells me to get a freaking life. Anyone care to comment on her light reflex, symmetric or otherwise?

Apple Picking

I just haven't been feeling it for the little stinker the last couple of days. Sure, I love her, but she's wearing me out with the four-tantrums-before-eight-o'clock routine. Seriously, tantrums about shoes? Really?

So, let's look at some cute things. We went apple picking when we were on vacation. It was a beautiful day and we had a wonderful time. Since then, Nora has been totally in love with apples. We picked a whole mess of these tiny little tart pie apples and she just loves to have one of those to gnaw on after I pick her up from daycare int he afternoon. The added bonus is that she's cut three new teeth (including two molars) on those apples.

Here are the afore-mentioned cute things:

Reprieve!

Nora fell asleep last nigt crying for her Baby, and woke up this morning the same way. I set my alarm early and got us out the door so that we could scour our route from yesterday again, looking for her lost Monkey.

We showed up at daycare with her other acceptable Monkey (as opposed to No Da Baby) to find Baby waiting for us in the lobby! Apparently, some other parent found Baby, recognized him (!!!!) and returned him to Kindercare. Nora snuggled those monkeys so hard that I thought she would suffocate, the whole time making a noise that was either hysterical laughter or hysterical tears. Maybe both.

She then flatly refused to give up either monkey all day long. It must have been such a relief to have everything right with her world again. I love that kid so much.

R.I.P. Mr. Monkey

Tireless companion, beloved stuffed animal, machine-washable primate- you will be missed.

In a tragic turn of events this afternoon, Mr. Irwin R. Monkey (or "Baby" to his longtime companion, Nora Lee Lauer) is missing in action and presumed dead. He was safely in her arms when her stroller left Kindercare for the daily trek across campus. However, somewhere in the midst of waving to many people and having a delicious snack, Mr. Monkey was lost. The tragedy was realized when she was getting into her carseat.

An exhaustive, but ultimately fruitless search ensued, on foot, in the car and involving the Hershey Medical Center Lost and Found and multiple confused passers-by. Nora Lee had this to say about the events of the day: "Baaaaaaaaa-beeeeeeeeeeee...Mama, Baby, peese? Baby, peese? Baaaaaaaaaaaaa-beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee...."

Fortunately, Nora's mother had a secret "spare Baby" (in addition to the two known and beloved Babies) in her glove compartment for this exact inevitable occurance. Thinking that she was "the bomb," Mrs. Lauer whipped out the new Baby and delivered it to the grieving child. Who took it, attempted a quick cuddle and pronounced definitively, "Mama, no da Baby." She then proceeded to suspiciously attempt to feed "No Da Baby" pretzels all the way home.

Irwin R. Monkey- He was filthy and smelly, had a drooping embroidered mouth and "Nora" written in permanent marker on his tag. Anyone having information on the current whereabouts of a monkey matching this description should call his family. One distraught little girl misses him very much.

Addendum

In case you read more than one post, Watkins Glen was definitely not the hike that was a bust that I referred to previously. Sampson State Park was. We drove about 50 miles to find a state park. This one was on the shore of Seneca Lake, so how could we lose?

Big time, that's how we lost. It turns out that Sampson State Park used to be Sampson Air Force base. It was closed in the 1960s and they've been following the "let Nature take it's course" philosophy of reforestation. Which apparently involves paving and mowing. I asked the ranger if she could recommend a hike to us and she said, "Well, you're more than welcome to walk on any of our roads...." Totally straight-faced.

This was the best hike that we found. Please note the rustic asphalt and scenic power lines.

Aaaaaahhhh...I feel closer to Mother Earth already. What's that you say? Wildlife abounds in Sampson State Park? What kind of wildlife would that be, Mr. Informative Sign?

Squirrels! Racoons! Wrens! Turkeys! Skunks! Fox! Things that I certainly could never see in, say, my freakin' backyard. In. Any. Suburban. Wasteland.

When all was said and done, the "hike" did accomplish this...

All together now, "awwwwwwww..."

Hiker Chick

One of our days of vacation, we visited a state park called Watkins Glen. It was one of the most amazing places I've ever been. But even more incredible than the views was Nora's reaction. You could hear her halfway up the canyon yelling, "Whoa! Water!" at every one of the waterfalls. And there were 19 of them. (And for accuracy's sake, I should disclose that "water," is actually "wah-yo." Or it was. Now, it is "water." And Mommy is sad every time she pronounces it like a big girl.)
We started out with Nora in the backpack, which was OK for a while.



Then, she decided that she wanted to try this hiking thing. She walked up the majority of the canyon. Which was over 800 steps. For those medical personnel out there looking at this next picture, the answer is yes, I was concerned about yanking her elbow out of socket. But I did it anyway. I am an awesome mother.

And this is Nora, running to Nana. Over wet, uneven ground. While carrying a pointy, pointy hiking stick. Did I mention that I am an awesome mother?

And this is just cute.

Vacation

The Lauers are on vacation in the Finger Lakes, where we have been having a great time with Nana, Thunder Dan, Aunt Kristin and Uncle Neil. The bad news is that this has made for a paucity of postings. The good news is that I have a lot to talk about.

Let's start with a study in comparisons. Last year at this time, we took Nora to Maine, stuck her in a backpack and went hiking. This year, we took her to New York, stuck her in that same backpack and went hiking...sort of. The hike was kind of a bust, but we got this picture, for old times' sake.