A New Home for Norah Bird

Dear Norah Bird,
Just over a year ago, your Dad and I moved to Delaware for his new job. I was almost 5 months pregnant with you at the time and we were still referring to you simply as Bambino. Daddy and I didn't know much about this place called Delaware and being unemployed at the time, didn't have much money saved up to buy a house right away. So one weekend we drove down, looked at about a dozen apartments and settled on one in our price range. We then loaded up the moving truck and drove down from New York a few days before your Dad was to start his new job as the Natural Lands Stewardship Technician at Mount Cuba Center.

It was mid-June, 90+ degrees out and we had chosen a third floor walk-up apartment. It was a lot of work but we moved in, bought some furniture, and settled in. The location wasn't ideal but it was the best we could do at the time. That was until a bullet came through our window 10 days later.

CSI: Delaware

The bullet came through on a Friday afternoon at 5:00 in broad daylight. Yet no one saw anything suspicious. The bullet broke our third floor apartment window and then went through Oakley's kennel before coming to rest in one of the only boxes we hadn't yet unpacked. Luckily, no one was hurt and all things considered, this bullet was the best thing that happened to us although we didn't quite know it at the time. This room was going to be your nursery. For weeks after the incident, our nerves were on edge as we dashed by windows when we needed to pass them. We looked over our shoulders as we walked the dog and darted to our car, wondering if it was possible that we already had enemies in this new land. The responding officers lamented how bad the area was and informed us that they respond to calls in the apartment complex all the time.

Clearly, this wouldn't do. So we fought to get out of our lease before the ink on it was even dry and found ourselves a nicer apartment that was slightly out of our price range. We decided that we would rather stress about money than safety. And it was a good decision. So a couple of weeks later we moved back out of the third floor walk-up apartment and into another third floor walk-up apartment across town. Your Aunt Nado and Uncle Adam came to help us move.

Pivot!!!

Our new apartment is in a much safer area and much closer to Daddy's work, cutting his commute time in half. We're within walking distance of two great parks and in a very safe and residential neighborhood. It was a struggle to make ends meet at times but with some penny-pinching and help from family, we were able to get by on your Dad's salary while I stayed home with you.

Norah's First Home at Arundel Apartments.

This was your first home and we did our best to make it a good one for you. Our once-minimalist lifestyle was exchanged for the pack-n-play, jumperoo, and toys that took over the living room. Our counters are littered with baby food and bottle drying racks. So it is getting a little cluttered in here. That we can deal with. But there are some things about apartment-living that we can't change. Like the roaring and inefficient HVAC unit that just so happens to be located in your room. Or the neighbors who seemingly have nothing to do except smoke outside on their patio all day preventing us from opening the windows in nice weather. Then there are the car alarms, the endless supply of quarters needed to do laundry, and the maintenance problems that never get fixed properly. It would also be nice not to have to haul you, Oakley, and the stroller up and down two flights of stairs each time we want to go for a stroll.

So we were hoping for something better after our first year here. Maybe a cottage to rent in southern PA or a more rural location where you and Oakley could have a yard to play in. As time went on and we continued to scrape by this was looking more and more doubtful. And then a very fortunate and unexpected turn of events led us to your new home. In February when you were only a few months old and had just battled your third kidney infection, your Dad got some very good news at work. He was promoted to Natural Lands Manager and given a very significant salary increase. Along with his new title comes another perk: a house. Not just a house, but a free house. After years of renting and scraping by, we feel as though we've won the lottery and we're thrilled to have a place for you to grow up and call home. Even if it is in Delaware.

"Yes. Yes, Mom. This will do."

We will be moving in in just a few short weeks and about a month ago we went to check it out. It's hard to say anything negative about a free house but there are just a couple of drawbacks. The major one for me is that your bedroom will be on a different level than ours. This makes me nervous as you're still an infant and I like to have you close - especially if there was ever an emergency. Your Dad says I watch too much Dateline but as a mom, I fear some psycho breaking into your room on the ground level while your Dad and I slumber away up in our master loft. Last weekend we purchased a fancy new video monitor which made me feel a little bit better and your Dad let me buy all new bedding which appeased me a bit. I also worry about you sneaking out (or sneaking boys in) as a teenager. You try and pull that crap even once and the video monitor is coming back out. Of course, that's only if I'm unsuccessful in lobbying for and passing legislation requiring all teenage girls to wear ankle bracelets in the meantime. 

Norah's Room. No boys allowed!

These fears led us to designate the only room without a door to the patio as your new bedroom. We had some other concerns as well as it seems this house, although large, was not built for a family. Now that you're army-crawling, rolling, and wriggling your way from place to place, we know it won't be long until you are crawling and then walking. So a major concern of ours is the stairs. Oh, the stairs.

No sweat, Ma. I shall conquer these.

The house was built in the 1980s when I'm guessing stairs must have been the latest and greatest thing in architectural design. There are seemingly stairs going into and out of each room. Because some of the stairwells didn't have banisters we need to have those installed so that we can use baby gates. A particularly hairy situation is in the foyer. Here, you can see in the picture below, we have the stairwell in the foreground leading to the master bedroom upstairs with the stairwell behind it leading down to the other bedrooms. Immediately underneath the stairs you can see what I, as a new parent, refer to as the Triangle of Death. I found myself wondering what piece of heavy furniture I could place in front of it to prevent you from crawling into and falling down the rabbit hole to the ground floor when it was decided that the Triangle of Death will simply be sealed up before we move in. Problem solved.

Our foyer including the Triangle of Death.

And as if there aren't enough stairs inside the house, there are more outside. This house comes with almost as much outdoor space as indoor living space with a screened-in porch, cascading decks and patio. Our little 2-chair bistro set is going to look mighty ridiculous in the middle of all this glorious space. I am itching to fill it with patio furniture so that it is an extension of our living room. I can't wait to camp out with you in the yard or sleep with you on the porch in our own fort made of blankets.

Our outdoor living room.

Downstairs patio with entry to the guest rooms.

Upstairs deck. I love that someone decided a potted tree would add to the forest ambiance.

More decks!

The inside space is pretty fabulous too. I've always wanted rooms with lots of light and open space and this is exactly what we'll have on the top two levels. You'll have lots of space to run around in and get into trouble. I can already sense that I'm about to earn my keep as a stay at home mom. In the couple of times that we've been in there, you've already discovered the acoustic advantages of a big, open space. You like to squawk and hear your echo.

Santa's entrance.

Checking out the space.

Let the redecorating begin! Starting with the mauve wallpaper that goes way up to the ceiling.

Look! This place comes with a Baby in the Mirror!

One of the things we are most excited about is finally having the space to host family and friends who come to visit you. Currently, your grandparents, aunts, and uncles have to stay in a hotel when they come to visit or sleep on an air mattress in the living room of our small apartment. But our new home will have two guest rooms and plenty of couch and floor space to go around. This will make it easier for us to have visitors stay with us for longer and we hope that your family will visit more often. It's hard for us to be so far away from family who are missing you growing up so quickly and traveling with you is getting more and more difficult. So we're excited to have a place where family and friends can come visit us

Checking out Mommy and Daddy's room.

Another baby in the mirror!

Mom and Dad's room is actually a loft.

Guest room #1.

Guest room #2.

In addition to all the bedrooms we'll also have a dining room and living room on the main floor of the house. I hope to make the second living room into a play room for you and maybe an office for me.

Future play room.

Dining room.

So that's the grand tour of your new home, little Norah Bird. Your Dad and I are counting our blessings that we landed in the right place at the right time. Daddy has worked real hard for this and all of his hard work combined with a little luck has gained us this magnificent opportunity - a home where our beautiful little girl can grow up in with a Mommy who can stay home with her.

Love,
Mom

8 month tidbits

Dear Norah Bird,

It's happened again. Another month has gone by and you've grown in so many ways. Our days seem to go by faster with all of the exploring that you do. We've settled into a routine of sorts that usually includes a walk with Mom and Oakley in the morning, Daddy-time in the evenings, and lots of rest (some days), exercise, and discovery in between. You eat your breakfast, lunch, and dinner with us at meal times now and nurse mostly for comfort or when you're sleepy. Peaches and squash have been added to your growing list of foods that you like.

Stink Face! Morning playtime.

Playtime has become more interactive. You still have all your favorite baby toys but we've had to cut the tags off all of them because you like to suck on them. And just when I think I've gotten them all, I find another one in your mouth! Beyond the basics of passive play, you now enjoy the benefits of increased dexterity, attention, and a little more mobility although you're still not crawling yet. I'm starting to think that you may be one of those babies that go straight to walking. Most of your baby friends are crawling by now but I'm not worried because I know that once it begins there will be no stopping you and my usual methods of infantile containment will be usurped.

Norah in a basket = a timeout for Mommy.

You can now handle yourself pretty well and like to roll around your pack n play with all your toys. You also like to see, feel, and taste things through the mesh sides of the pack n play. You've always loved textures so this is no surprise to me but it's always a novelty to you.

Messy meshy kisses.

Video Link: Norah's meshy kisses

One of your fanciest toys is your constellation glow turtle. Currently our apartment doesn't get dark enough before your bed time to project the images onto the ceiling. But you appreciate anything that lights up.

Seeing stars.

They're everywhere...

They look best on me, don't you think?

No way! Now it's green?!

Shut the Front Door! Did you see that?! 

One of your less fancier toy favorites is bubbles. Like most children, this old standard amazes and captivates both you and Oakley, putting you on an even playing field of discovery. Of course by the time we took the video you were bored with the bubbles and Oakley had mostly figured them out.

Video Link: Norah's Tiny Bubbles

You're starting to enjoy certain activities that we've been doing for a while now, like reading, bath time, and "peek-a-boo" but you're only just now beginning to appreciate. I've always read to you but mostly you were interested in eating the book. You still like to gnaw on your board books if given the chance, but you now pause to listen. You mostly like the rhythmic stories like "Flip Flap Fly" and "Pout Pout Fish." But we also enjoy the Eric Carle books as well as your touch and feel books. One of your favorite books is an audiobook, of sorts. Your Aunt Erin, Uncle J, and cousin Natalie recorded it for you when you were in the hospital a few months ago. You love listening to their voices tell the story.

Daddy just has to turn the pages.

Tubby time has gotten a lot more fun for you. As part of our bedtime routine we give you a bath before changing you into your big-girl pajamas. You enjoy splashing and playing with your little squirty toys and you're getting much more efficient at distributing water. We indulge you until your little toes prune up or there's no water left in the tub, whichever comes first, and then it's time to come out. We wrap you up in your bath time burrito towel, say goodnight to the baby in the mirror, and head off to dreamland.

Video Link: Norah Tubby Time

Another milestone that has been reached is needing to lower your crib mattress. You've started pulling yourself up onto things and often scrunch down your crib bumpers to peer out at us. So before you learn to pull yourself up and launch yourself over the side, we decided we had better lower it which was no easy task. More or less it involved me "holding" the bottom up from underneath while Daddy adjusted the thingies to lower it. You were blissfully ignorant of our struggles and were content to chew on your hair brush.

Death by crib.

Finally we got the crib all set and wrestled the mattress back in (because we were too lazy to take the bumper off). You took a break from chewing your way through your toiletries toys to give it a test run. Now you enjoy peering at us through the crib slats and this is how I usually find you in the mornings and after waking up from naps.

Cutest little monkey in the zoo!

Your vocabulary has grown rapidly in the last few weeks. You have yet to cognitively produce actual words but you're more assertive with your "babababa" and "mamamama" sounds. Recent additions include a sucking sound, a "geh-geh" sound, and even a complex "nyeerp" sound that resembles what I would imagine is close to alien dialect. You enjoy communicating with your Dad and I, babbling back and forth. And my favorite noise of all, of course, is your laughter. You find more humor in life now and your screechy giggles and belly laughs are music to my ears. There is no sweeter sound. Speaking of music, we still regularly attend your weekly music classes with your friends and you very much enjoy them.

Norah and Riley at the drum.

I'm making noise!!!

Baby music class somehow always turns into mommy aerobics class.

Last week we also tried out baby story time at the local library. Mostly you enjoyed it but there were a lot of "older babies" there and it got a little crazy. But you were on your best 8-month-old behavior and listened to the stories and rhymes. We even met a little boy who was born just one day after you.

Norah and Snuggle Puppy enjoying some stories and rhymes.

We've enjoyed getting out for our classes, story times, and play dates when they don't coincide with your nap times. I think it's important for both you and I to get out of the apartment as much as we can and I think it's good for you to experience baby-friendly programming and classes that expose you to other children since you spend most of your time with me. Even so, we still spend lots of time just taking things in on our own time and you love being outdoors to explore anything your eyes can take in, your toes can wiggle through, or your little paws can grab.

Tall parents help me reach the trees!

Got it!

Daddy's girl.

Some afternoons, if it's not too hot, we venture down from our balcony to spend some time chilling under a tree waiting for Daddy to come home from work. We like to watch the goings-on of our apartment complex world and entertain any visitors who stop by to admire your cuteness. Sometimes your neighbor buddies come to play with you, but mostly you just enjoy feeling the grass in your toes and exploring things close-up and personal.

Video Link: Norah Sitting Outside

Hello, world!

Fascinated by the little things.

Some things require further exploration.

It's been a busy month and, as completely lovable as you are, you still present parenting challenges. It took me seven months to finally start this blog, in part because I didn't want it to take away from time with you and those first 6+ months were pretty demanding for a new parent. Most of my time spent putting this together is done while you are napping or after you've gone to bed at night. I want to share your moments with your family and friends afar but don't want my doing so to take away from the time I spend with you day to day. As such, there are periods when I have plenty of time to compose your stories and others when we hit a dry spell due to a napping strike or a busy social calendar. Last week was one of those times and it just so happened to be a week full of good news that I will have to include in my next story, "A New Home for Norah."

Love,
Mom

Toes in the grass. Ankle rolls. Does it get any cuter than this?!