Still Here...
So I am still here.  Actually all of us are.  Just not up to date with blogging, and certainly not with taking pictures.  Noella has yet to break into a run, but she is very strong at standing.  She walks very happily holding on to a finger or hand; she is about where Mariel was on Mariel's first birthday. 
Mariel is practicing her jumping, dancing, and directing.  As in, trying to direct everything that Patrick and I do.  She also listens to EVERYTHING that we say and thinks far more deeply about pretty much everything than we realize.  The other day Patrick and I were joking and I said something about feeling pride in myself.  Mariel overhears and asks: "Are you talking about the girl?"  "What girl?" I say.  "The girl at your school, mom."  At my blank look: "The girl in your class."  "The girl at my school?" (I am really confused at this point).  She gives me the look that I am sure all children- although usually teenagers- must master, the look of sheer wonder that someone so very stupid could qualify as an adult.  "Mom.  The girl.  X (now censored due to online stalkers among my student population).  You have a girl named X.  In your class."  Well, she is right.  I do.  Her name is X Pride.  And I mentioned this to Mariel about a month ago, because X is her favorite name. And had not mentioned it to her since.  But she remembers.  Amazing!

Here she goes!

First Steps!
Noella is starting to take independent steps.  My parents were visiting over the weekend (a very quick trip- they were in St Louis approximately 27 hours!).  They timed it right though, as they got to see her first steps.  This means that my mother even has pictures, so I can post one if she will send it to me. 
Noella decided to perform even without her audience, and did some walking for me this evening while we played. So apparently we have a walker at 9 1/2 months.  It is still amusing to me that with all of these milestones I was so excited for with Mariel and just waited desparately  for them... and now I am somehow surprised, a little dismayed (really?  you want to walk now?  can't you just be content to sit around?)  and certainly unprepared!
 

A new "normal"

After two weeks of Pat and I taking time off and having the help of our friends Sarah and Emily to care for the girls, we are moving into a time when another friend will be a more permanent fixture in our daily lives.   Hooray for "Brookie Poppins" and her built in playmates.  Margot and Nash, her two kids, have already been featured in some posts and pictures.  It is SO nice to know that the girls will be in a very comfortable environment, cared for by someone whose creativity, energy and general love of small children often amaze me.  Here is a shot that she sent during the day of the stamping project, when the babies were napping:

We will be working on figuring out our new routine, which will involve a bit more travel time than I am used to.  It should also involve a lot less worry, which seems like a very good trade.

Happy weekend everyone-

A quick sartorial comment:
Its been raining here.  A lot.  And cold.  So I broke out some blazers, sweaters and cool weather clothes.  Yesterday I wore a lovely professorial looking jacket, gray and brown wool tweed, nice and warm.  It fits perfectly.  It belonged to my mom and my aunt way back when and is probably from the early 1970s.  This summer I had some conversations with the same aunt about how sizing has changed over the past decade (she and I often wear similar sizes).  So I checked the tags on the jacket- size 9/10.  All of the jackets and blazers in my closet, which fit well and were purchased over the last 5 years?  Size 4.  The only exceptions are the two that I bought for interviews when Noella was 5 weeks old- they are a whopping size 6.  I guess I have some evidence to go along with all of those news stories about everything in American life getting bigger, from our dinner plates to our clothes!