Sundry First Utterances

We think Nora's first word is "Hola." Every morning when either Mami or Papi enter her room to greet her, she smiles, waves and utters "Ala." She directs her "holas" at strangers, mami and papi, of course, her own reflection, passing motorcyclists and Lavonne, her purple cabbage patch doll. She says "muuu, muuu" when looking at the cow in Eric Carle's The Very Busy Spider (in Spanish) and "Kikiriki" for the rooster. Sometimes, she fuses these two creating a sound that only a "mooster" would make.

Joy and Pain

Nora emerged into our world on August 12, 2009 at 5:10 p.m. The Dallas damsel weighed in at 7 pounds, 14 ounces and measured 19.75 inches from head to toe. Nathan and Abuelita were present. "Light" (English short form of Latin "Honora") seemed a fitting appellation. The most prominent remembrance of birthing Nora is, without a doubt, the pain I felt. A good friend told me that often the most painful experiences in life bring forth the greatest joys. I agree.

At the Beach

Last weekend we drove to Woods Hole, MA where we boarded a ferry, rode for 45 minutes into the Atlantic and landed on Martha’s vineyard, a spot oft frequented by the Kennedys. Nora had her first taste of sand and sea shells and, in acrobatic fashion, climbed over a ledge in the house in which we stayed. Our adventures included walking, strawberry-banana pancakes, coffee ice cream, gingerbread houses and…more walking.