This is how we spend every weekend morning... all sitting around, quietly reading the paper.  Mariel enjoys doing the crossword puzzles.  And of course Noella can read- she's a baby genius, after all.  She prefers the business section, just like her dad. 

While the quiet moment pictured above lasted for, well, a moment, we did manage to do a surprising thing during the holiday on Monday.  Mariel, Patrick and I did a 400 piece puzzle that we got for Christmas.  Perhaps this is not strange to other people, but it seems very odd and far too civilized for my family.   

Noella's 1 year check up
Noella went to her one year check up today.  She is now 22 lbs 1 oz and about 30 1/2 inches tall.  This means she is at about the 75th % for height and between the 50th and 75th % for weight. So I guess we are slowing down a big- although, as her pediatrician noted, she is still not going to be pushed around by any other babies.

We also have snow on the ground and bitter cold here in St Louis.  Here are some pictures of the girls on their new sled yesterday.  We had a snow day for myself and Mariel (Patrick still had to go to work) and were out in the snow by 8 am. 

Happy New Year!

I am still thinking of the holidays last year, with our newborn baby.  Though I have not managed to do any monthly pictures of Noella in, well, months, here are two recent shots in her "birthday suit" that are cute and show off her growing physique.  Also one of her very first bath shots from last January in what was perhaps not the most flattering angle.

Noella, 1 month

Noella, 1 year

She is, literally, ready to run.  She has also developed an interesting arm swinging dancing style.  I wish she qualified as a baby for a while longer, but I think at this point she does count as a "toddler." 

Baby Translation: I like cake.

We all had a great time at Noella's party- it was surprisingly easy, given the 14 children and 15 adult guests.  Lots of snacks, a craft project and a game, many cupcakes, juiceboxes, and one monkey cake later, the party was over... and I barely took any pictures.  I should be better tomorrow on the actual day without so many distractions.  So- more birthday girl pictures to come.  In the meantime, here are some of Noella enjoying her birthday cupcake. 

A year ago today, I was in the emergency room at Children's Hospital waiting to get Mariel's head stitched up.  It was also Noella's due date, which gave many of the doctors (and nurses, and custodians) reason to pause and look a little worried.  As we now know, there was no need- just like Mariel, Noella was coerced into being born five days after her due date.

Her first birthday party is tomorrow, with far more people than should be allowed to attend a baby's party.  Since she is my "chunky monkey" she is having a monkey themed party.  Here are the cake and cupcakes.

They are being stored VERY high overnight, to prevent any interested dogs from taking a taste.

And now I must go work on my strategies for entertaining 14 children and their respective adults.  I'm thinking pin the banana on the monkey.  I'll report tomorrow...