Dual Update- including the boy's name!
So Nora's picked up a few more skills that are worth mentioning- she's totally off baby food, which is GLORIOUS. No more special meals for her, she now eats what we eat. She's also learned to put things IN other things- like the nesting mixing bowls, or the nail polish I keep in that little blue bee bag. She'll unzip it, pull them out one at a time, then put them back in one at a time. Then repeat, looking up with this huge LOOK WHAT I CAN DO grin every time she finishes. Oh, and she's started letting go of the wall/sofa/fridge/my leg to stand up by herself for a second or two before she grabs on again for support. I suspect she'll be taking her first unassisted steps shortly. She is a pro with a straw, and doesn't drip anymore. We have officially skipped the sippy cups step!
I brought her in a mixing bowl full of snow to play with yesterday, I'll have to post pictures.
Also, we decided last night upon a boy name. I'm not crazy about the way it SOUNDS, but I've decided that if I can't get a name that I adore, then I'll go with a name that makes as many other people happy as possible. SO, he's going to be named John Niklas Ballinger, and we'll call him Jack. Jack I do really like, John will make his dad and John O'Brien (family friend) very happy, and Niklas is doubly good because it honors Brian's best friend, and the uncommon spelling is interesting enough to satisfy my urge for something original. (Nik was the only male baby born in the hospital on St. Niklas' Day, so they named him Niklas. It's the German spelling, and my family has enough German ancestry that we can pull it off.) I don't think Nik knows yet, though, so don't say anything, those of you who know him. :)
So! We'll have an Eleanor that goes by Nora and a John that goes by Jack. And Brian promised me Graham or Grant if we have another boy down the line- though as I mentioned to Rae I plan to have a Patch on each limb and to take The Pill with every meal after I have this baby, so that damn well better not be for several years.
I brought her in a mixing bowl full of snow to play with yesterday, I'll have to post pictures.
Also, we decided last night upon a boy name. I'm not crazy about the way it SOUNDS, but I've decided that if I can't get a name that I adore, then I'll go with a name that makes as many other people happy as possible. SO, he's going to be named John Niklas Ballinger, and we'll call him Jack. Jack I do really like, John will make his dad and John O'Brien (family friend) very happy, and Niklas is doubly good because it honors Brian's best friend, and the uncommon spelling is interesting enough to satisfy my urge for something original. (Nik was the only male baby born in the hospital on St. Niklas' Day, so they named him Niklas. It's the German spelling, and my family has enough German ancestry that we can pull it off.) I don't think Nik knows yet, though, so don't say anything, those of you who know him. :)
So! We'll have an Eleanor that goes by Nora and a John that goes by Jack. And Brian promised me Graham or Grant if we have another boy down the line- though as I mentioned to Rae I plan to have a Patch on each limb and to take The Pill with every meal after I have this baby, so that damn well better not be for several years.