Nora, Kevin and I had a big weekend! It included:
It was very good to see family, but we are exhausted. Here are some highlights:
Thanks for the great poster, Oma!
Nora, your mom goes back to work tomorrow. She has spent every day with you since the day you were born. She found you the preschool in Maple Grove and prepared everything to make sure you have the best days with Ms. Cathy, Ms. Lisa, and Ms. Beth. We know you’re going to have great time at Step by Step, but we are both going to think about you (and worry some) all the time during the day. Choosing care providers and school were both tough decisions for your Mom and I (which we can explain if you ever ask) but ultimately both mom and I needed go back to work. I believe both of us do work that helps other people.
Your mom works for Hennepin County in the Public Affairs Department. She helps the people that run the county government communicate with the people that live in the county. Both your mom and I believe that government is a good thing that helps the people in our community that need it. So a big part of what your mom helps with is connecting people who need help in the county to the services that the government offers so they can live happier lives, and your mom loves doing it.
I’ve missed you lots and lots during the day since I went back to work, so I know your Mom is going to feel it twice as much the next few weeks, so can you do me a favor and giver her lots of smiles and giggles when she comes to pick you up every day. It will mean the world to her.
Love, Dad
Dear Nora,
Thanks to smart phones which now take higher quality photos than my point and shoot camera, I take a lot of photos of you each day. Some catch me by surprise as I catch a smile or great expression. This photo reminds me that even if I bought this (I thought) incredibly cute sleepsack- you have your own opinions and ideas.
You didn’t love the sweetpea getup. This was very funny for your daddy. I bought this outfit at a fantastic store called Patina. It was the only clothing I purchased for you before you were born. Your dad said, “The baby is not your doll to dress up!” He thought the peas were a little too costume-y. You looked cute for the photos we took after you stopped shouting and we stopped trying to put on the hat, but this ensemble was not your cup of tea. Oma and Grandma and friends have given you many cute items since and this sleepsack is suddenly almost too small. You are growing!
What I do know…
Love you, Sweet Pea,
Mama
Nora,
Earlier today, I carried you around in our new Ergo Baby Carrier , and I just put you down to sleep. You were so adorable today. Your mom and I are so totally head over heels in love with you. Yesterday was your two month “birthday” You have grown so much over the past two months. You laugh and smile so often now. We are starting to see your personality form. You’re sleeping longer at night and take less time to fall asleep. You do have your moments where you make mom and dad sad, those inconsolable bursts of crying, those moments where we wish we could do anything to make you feel better, but they seem few and far between and are usually solved by your smart mom. All in all we feel so very blessed.
In other matters, your dad has been thinking that this blog would be a good place for your parents to let you know a little bit about us (and possibly other important matters.) Since this is the first one of these (and I’ll definitely write more,) I don’t have to write much here, but I will say there is often a lot on your dad’s mind, it just doesn’t always come out in a neat and easy package without a lot of work, needless to say everything that comes out it always worth listening to. ;^)
Okay, Nora – It probably wont come as much of surprise to you given your dad’s first blog post to you that he and your mom are what some people would call “bleeding-heart” liberals. If this description were evenly interpreted around the world, your dad would wear it proudly, for in his mind, it means that we care about people. We try and do our best to help all people. I’ll expand upon this later, but several things have influenced your dad about this one. First, grandma and grandpa taught Dad (like your mom and I will teach you) that everyone deserves the same level of respect, it doesn’t matter what kind of life they live, who they love, what color skin they have, what kind of job they have, I could go on and on. Nora, your Mom and I believe in God and his son Jesus (which is a much longer topic but,) Jesus has told us lots of things about how to be a good person, the most telling one being the following “Love your neighbor as yourself” it sounds so simple but I’m sure you’ll learn on your own that it is very hard to do. However, in this family we constantly strive for it, for there’s no better way to make this world a place we all want to live.
Love, Dad
Nora’s Auntie Lou is our family photog. We are lucky to have her- she takes such beautiful photos of our lives (engagement, wedding, pregnancy, and now newborn). Louisa makes us look good.
When I look at this beautiful photo of Nora, it makes me giggle to think of what is the behind the scene. We are in our living room. Nora is laying on a gray blanket I bought for meditating. She’s on the boppy and Kevin is holding her from behind.
I can’t resist sharing some of the other photos Louisa captured.
Dear Nora,
I can’t believe you are a month old. You change everyday growing and developing and yet, for me, you are becoming more familiar. I try to read your cries, detect any possible health issues or discomfort.
This evening, I confess, I freaked out completely. You have a cold (I think) and I was reading in to your symptoms and got your dad worked up too. We called Aunt Krista for advice and decided to stay here. Now you are fussy and acting more like your baby self, and we are waiting to take you to the doctor until tomorrow.
There is a documentary about Paul Simon’s Graceland album on PBS right now. Your dad and I were talking about how much we love this music and want to share it with you. He wants to dance with you. We are supposed to be calming you and getting you ready for bed. So I shoot him a disapproving look. Still I am rocking on the couch and I can’t resist singing:
And sometimes when I’m falling, flying
Or tumbling in turmoil I say
Oh, so this is what she means
She means we’re bouncing into Graceland
I pray for patience and grace and the ability to take this all in stride. There is so much joy and love in this world and I can’t wait to share more with you.
I’ve tucked you into your crib, but on the baby monitor, I can hear you start to fuss again… I’ll save the rest for another day.
Love, Mama
Every time I get Nora asleep in my arms I think of the scene above from Indiana Jones, and I think ‘Clearly he didn’t have kids. You need to do things much differently than that.’
I’m still figuring out how lay her down with out waking her up, not to mention trying to determine which is worse a giant stone ball rolling after me or a inconsolable crying infant.
Kevin
ps. Merry Christmas
Welcome to our Eleanor Jane Knodl who arrived 18 days early on 12-2-12 at 2:12 pm. We couldn’t be happier or more in love. Our little family is complete!
This baby has already has already accumulated a myriad of nicknames including but not limited to:
Kevin has tackled major Dad milestones:
Thank you for all the well wishes on Facebook, Twitter, and Flickr. If you are interested in seeing more photos, Kevin and I will both be posting more photos on Flickr.
B
aby Knodl is active- kicking and tickling and growing. She measured six pounds on Monday. Hopefully she knows by now that her daddy is the one who keeps tapping out the Fibonacci sequence on my belly. She has hiccups and is a little night owl.
Almost 35 weeks into this adventure, we probably have less than 5 weeks to go. My blood pressure has been up and my doctor is definitely watching out for preeclampsia. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that ed-bay est-ray is not in the stars. I’m at the doctor for weekly nonstress tests- a misnomer if I ever heard one! The little girl has passed with flying colors so we’re a-ok.
Although we originally planned on a drive to Milwaukee for Thanksgiving, we’ve been grounded.
So here’s what is happening in the meantime:
Dear Baby,
Fall is here. The leaves on our trees (!) are golden and ready to fall. On Wednesday, we started our third trimester. You are growing, and are over two pounds now. We are propelled to nest and daydreaming about our future with you.
I had a pedicure last week. Hadn’t had one in a while and it was a pleasure. The technician reached out and touched my belly she asked about you. I told her you were a girl. I thought about how fun it will be to take you to join me for a pedicure when you are five or six. Your dad has been talking about taking you for 49er pancakes at the Good Day Cafe. He’s pancake obsessed. Maybe you won’t like pancakes or pedicures, but we’re excited to learn what you do like and how to make you smile and laugh.
Baby showers are in the planning. Grandma K got you a stroller and a car seat so we can take you home. Oma has been hard at work making your nursery pretty. Your honorary Aunts and Uncles are also excited to meet you.
Keep growing strong and we’ll meet you soon enough!!
Love, Mama
