"These days, they are a river
and we're all floating down
every loved one, every neighbor
in Tennessee, in my hometown
so let us not take this for granted
let us not waste the second hand
let your love rage like a lion
let your heart break like a lamb."
(Andrew Osenga)

My sweet baby Norah is 16 months, and the days, they are indeed a river. It seems I was just sitting on our front porch (where she is in the above photo) when I was in the first trimester of pregnancy with her, sick as a dog. I was holding Luci Belle's hand in mine as we waited for a friend to come pick her up to play for the day so I could return to my miserable schedule of napping and throwing up. My love for Norah was already raging in my heart, and that's what pushed me through so many horrible days of sickness. I won't ever forget how much she was wanted, prayed for, anticipated.

At 16 months, this little nugget absolutely adores her sister and upon waking every morning (in the sidecar crib next to our bed), she step-step-steps down the hall to Belle's door and knocks. "Gock, gock!" Belle always opens and answers, "Well HEH-lo!" And they hug. Seriously? How did I get so lucky with little girls who get along so well? I hope it's always so!

Norah loves being outside, getting muddy, coloring with crayons and markers, copying everything her sister does, trying to put on her shoes, reading books, watching Sesame Street, washing her hands, climbing on every stool and chair possible, and standing on tippy-toes and brushing her teeth alllllll the live long day.

Favorite words and phrases lately include: sticker, tickle, block, uh-oh, puppy, baby, bath, and "where go?"

Foods she can't get enough of: Mommy's smoothies, cucumbers, eggs, carrots, apples, avocados, and basically anything in my bowl - ha! She turns up her nose at bananas, berries, and olives.

As Norah starts to wear so many of the clothes Belle wore as a toddler, I cannot believe these clothes are cycling back around so soon - it seems that Belle was just wearing them, that I had just tucked them away for "if we have another girl one day." Now she's 16 months into her sweet life, and I am doing my best to slow down time by being present, sitting with her and playing and trying to have one-on-one time with her just like I did with my firstborn. It's not easy, but it's so worth it.

The other evening, we were outside during a glorious sunset, and she looked up and pointed with her chubby little finger and said, "Woooowwwwww....." I love having a toddler again. Happy 16 months, baby girl.