Hearing Test Update

Mara had her hearing retested at CHW Wednesday. We needed a retest because the first time Mara had fluid in her ears that may have skewed the results. Well, thankfully she didn't have to have the same test as last time (where she had to stay asleep or she would have to be sedated). She got to sit in a sound booth with Travis and listen and respond to noises from the corners of the booth. Anyway, bad news is, she still has fluid, now in both ears. Her ENT Dr. cleared out the wax and did a timpanogram, which checks to see if the ear drum moves like it should. It did not, indicating that there is fluid in her middle ear canal, again. Luckily, no infection. So she has mild hearing loss because of the fluid, so we just have to talk to her closer and look at her face when we speak, but that is it. We will have an ENT recheck in January and discuss tubes in the ears to help the fluid drain. Then, if that is successful, do a hearing recheck. WHEW! What a day! Thankfully, I didn't have to go back to work, so Mara could rest at home, because believe me, the ordeal of having wax cleared out was NOT FUN!

Promised pictures

I am counting babies!

OH! Reading is so much work!

I can't turn the page without sticking my tongue out!

Hey all, here is my new booster seat for mealtimes. What do you think?

Playing isn't just for Mara, anymore!

It's for daddy and mommy, too!

Ready for the Badger game after a good dinner of Pizza Hut.

Close up of my cute tattoo (that took 15 minutes to scrub off Sunday morning before church!).

Here is mommy and me, but mommy likes watching the game more than posing! We won, by the way, or so I am told. I was sleeping...

Don't call CPS on me for this one! She just tipped over (no crying=no owey!)

Christmas is a-coming

We have a beautiful tree! I wanted to get a video of Mara when she first saw it, all decorated and lit up, but she woke up before we were done and we didn't have enough lights to cover it, so she didn't seem that impressed. I sure do like the fresh smell of pine in our casa, though!!!

We had a great weekend and have lots of fun pics and video to show, but you will have to wait till tonight to see it. Swimming continues to go well and she loves splashing me. She is sitting up so well, reaching for everything, eating her toes, and bouncing and clapping a lot. She is testing a few new sounds, like ada, but definitely has an affinity towards dada. We caved in and bought her a booster seat for eating. We used to use her Bumbo with a tray, but, sad to say, her thighs are too big to fit in it now! DON'T LAUGH! So now she has a cute rainforest booster seat for years to come!

We are expecting a snowstorm soon, so maybe we can get some pics of Mara in the snow this week. On Wednesday she has another appt. at Children's Hospital to get her hearing retested. We are praying that it will be accurate and she won't have any fluid in her ear like last time, otherwise we have to get retested again in 3 months! Hearing tests are VERY DIFFICULT, to say the least! More later...

Art Project, Kinda

Mara and I tried to work on our Christmas art project tonight, while Trav was sleeping (he is sick =( ). Needless to say, she hated it. She loved playing on the floor while I got things ready, but once the paint was applied, it was all downhill. Hopefully we can try again another time.

Mara exploring a wooden spoon.

ETC....

ETC....

Mara playing with the soap water that we washed up in (see following video...)

Trying so hard....

...to crawl. I did some internet searching on different techniques to help babies crawl and found one. We are intent on getting Mara to crawl (supposed to be good for the brain, I read), so we tried something new tonight.

Oh Yeah, I chopped all my hair off because most of it fell out. So instead of having long hair with spikes of new hair everywhere, I have short hair and can hide the spikes. I hope that this was due to baby hormones and nothing else!!!

Mara standing!!

My big little girl!

So here is the technique: You place the towel under their upper chest to push them up onto their hands and knees and help them get used to this position. Then you put a toy in front of them and assist them in moving forward toward it. Doesn't look like much, but it is great progress for our lady!!

Where have we been?

Sorry it has been so long in-between posts (special apologies to grandparents!), but I haven't taken a lot of time to take pics or video, we have just been going and going and going....

Anyway, we had a nice Thanksgiving in Madison with Trav's family. I saved this super cute outfit for her to wear and I thought that since it is 6 mo and she isn't too big for any of her other 6-month stuff, she would be able to wear this. OH NO! It was so tight on her. We kept it on for the dinner, but then changed her. We kept having to unbutton her top button on her jeans so she would be comfortable, sorta like me!

Anyway, All is well here. We are waiting for the 6-9" expected tonight, anxiously! I am not super excited to drive in snow, considering the horrible accident from last winter, but am praying that slowly all that anxiety dissipates. Later today we will go pick up our Christmas tree and take lots of cute pics of that.

Here are some pics and video from this morning and afternoon and Thanksgiving:

Here is Samara in her uber cute outfit. Notice the sleeves don't even hit her wrists! So sad!!

Mara and big cousin Kam.


Our Hoodie family. Trav was bundled up to finish putting up Christmas lights (can't let our neighbors outdo us!).

Here is Mara holding on to her swing, standing like a big girl. No luck on crawling, yet. In fact, she really doesn't even like being on her tummy much anymore, not since she became a big girl and can sit up!!

Here Mara is attempting to eat Cheerios for the first time. She liked to pick them up, but no put them in her mouth. Later, we put one in her mouth for her, but she didn't know what to do with it, so we took it out before she choked!!

etc....

I forgot to post this. This is video of Mara playing in her wagon. She really wants to eat it, so I let her try to eat the handle, but instead she hit herself in the head with it!

Catching Up...

Things have been very busy here, but we thought that we should catch you up on what is going on in the Nonn Household.

First, the Badgers don't suck. It's called rebuilding and bad recruiting. So before you ask for Beilema's head on a platter (or laugh at our misfortune), think: Alvarez had his share of bad years, also, and yet he is still revered as the King on Wisconsin football (do you remember in 2003 when we lost to the Gophers?). Plus, we just beat the Gophers and are going to be bowl eligible, yet again. 'Nough said.

Second, Mara is doing great! No crawling yet, but she is getting used to standing with support and playing with her toys by dumping them out of her ice cream bucket. Healthwise, she is getting over her third cold (yet another cold I gave her =( ), and finished her 6 months shots two weeks ago. She is starting to fit in some 6 month clothes and growing out of other 3-6 month clothes. She is also eating like a champ, and starting her stage two foods. I really like Earth's Best baby food. All organic (which I love!) and some really cool varieties, like Lentils and rice, pastina, and whole grain oatmeal with bananas and plums. She especially likes the peas and brown rice.

We are getting ready for Christmas already. I love it! We have also been busy with Trav out of town in NY, visiting the OCC shop (and working); while I have been busy with my after-school center, church, a baby shower, swim lessons with Mara, work, and family life. We are praying for snow so Mara can enjoy her first sledding experience on a piece of cardboard, or at least make a snow man (more like watch Mom and Dad make one).

Anyway, enough talking. Here are some pics and video:


Mara's first stocking, courtesy of Target's $1 aisle.


Trav and Samara, playing hide-n-seek with me.


Mara's first item of clothing she grew through.


Mara playing with her ice cream bucket.

Here is Samara playing with her ice cream bucket. She is trying hard to gnaw on her toys through her bucket, to no success! Good times at the expense of my daughter!!

Swim Class

Off we go to our first swimming class for Samara. Not sure if we will get any pics, but I will let you know how it goes!!

Halloween costume, at last!

Here are pics of Samara's costume. No wonder she won best costume! Needless to say, our neighbors Ken and Cathy loved her outfit as did their grandchildren.


Mara and Daddy


Mara and her butterflies. One bootie on, one bootie off.


Mara, looking like a tough linebacker!

Here is video of Mara in part of her costume doing lots of talking. Near the beginning, she sounds like she is saying, 'I like them' when I ask her if she likes her butterflies, near the 24 second mark.

PS: The video is especially for Grandma Swanson, Grandma Nonn, and Grandma Vickerman. Pay careful attention to her shirt!! =)