Multiple Personalities

Norah is in a (very entertaining) phase where she quite literally becomes a different person each day. Costumes, voices and all. The guard at Norah's school now knows to ask me first who has just arrived before wishing her a good morning. (Addressing Norah by the wrong name usually results in a huffy foot stomp.) Here are some images of the two we've had here with us so far this week:

Ladybug Girl, Bumblebee tag-along little sister, and a very entertained Cheryl:



Hoosier Ladybug Girl and her dog



Bee in the yard



The next day, it was Sarah the bride.



Sarah and her maid of honor.



Flower girl, only vaguely playing along. Usually I have to pick up her slack. Once she got distracted, I had to drop imaginary rose petals all over the yard. Sarah was a bit of a bridezilla.

Christmas, Part Two (with our new camera!)

After Christmas Day, we had several more truly wonderful days in Pensacola with the Henrys.

Here, Norah walks on the beach with Baba, Aunt Bridget and Uncle Louis. The beach was beautiful and nearly empty except for us; we watched the dolphins swim from the balcony almost every day.



Norah danced A LOT. Here she is reenacting the mouse/soldier battle in the Nutcracker.



The girls played with their Christmas presents (most of which are now in a barrel somewhere over the ocean being shipped to Georgetown...) Actually, it appears Kata played with presents while Norah danced.



We ate more delicious meals. And then we ate leftovers. And then we ate some more.



Everyone enjoyed being surrounded by lots of family. This is Kata with Uncle Driscoll's mother, Nancy.



Norah snuggles with her Baba.



Cribbage night with the Uncles.



Kata impresses Uncle Louis with her girth.



Norah and Aunt Bridget= True Love.



Enjoying our last quiet evening together in Perdido Key.



Then it was back up to Chattanooga. We packed a lot in to our last few days before heading back South.



There was more dancing and lots of dressing up.





We braved the crowds at Rock City to see the Enchanted Lights.



And Frosty provided Norah with what is quite possibly the best moment of her life so far.



Norah danced some more...



We made a quick trip to see the Nichols cousins-- big beard Nick and sweet old Guiness:



Not to mention Ashley and Mr. Flowerhead.



There was a penguin party at the Tennessee Aquarium



Where we watched the sea turtles with Charlie



In preparation for the National Championship game, the girls tried on their matching Alabama t-shirts and Kata learned to say "Roll Tide!"



We went to Aunt Julie's house to watch the game



...where the girls were able to complete their Alabama outfits.



Last hurrah in the US! Playing "Leaving on a Jet Plane" before trekking back across the ocean. What a great Christmas!!!

Christmas, Part One!

So many fantastic days in our trip Home for the Holidays that I need to keep ahead of myself with all of these memories---here are (some of) the highlights from the first half of our blissfully happy Christmas in the US!

Before we left Guyana, though, the Big Guy came to visit at Norah's preschool. I put Kata in her matching Christmas dress, took her down to the school to pop in and witness the great event. This is the look I found on Norah's face when we arrived:



She never warmed to the poor guy, but eventually we were able to take this classic Santa shot...



One of the first things we did when we got to Tennessee was take sweet Norah to see the Nutcracker. She could not have been more excited and now almost daily wears her leotard and insists we call her "Sugar Plum Fairy." An improvement over her initial confusion during which she called it the "Plumber Fairy." Here we are before the show.



My brother and sister came to Chattanooga as well in the week before Christmas.

Cousins, already out drinking together.



Kata, her double ear infection, and Charlie.



Then it was on to Birmingham to visit with Nana, pick up Patrick at the airport, and keep driving South to Pensacola.

Nana and her adoring fanclub:



Norah blinded by all the glitz and glitter in Nana's infamous jewelry drawers!



And here we are for Christmas with the Henrys in Florida! Norah started her shell collection on Christmas Eve with her Aunts Bridget and Lori.



A treasure.



Time on the beach means trying to keep Kata from diving into the ocean. Little Miss "I loose interest in the Pegasus Pool after five minutes" seems to be focused ONLY on swimming in the Gulf of Mexico. In December.



Run, run, run in the sand!



Finally got her headed in the other direction.



Two happy girls.



Christmas morning! Serious present-opening focus on display.



Christmas cuteness perfection.



With Aunt Bridget, getting serious about Rapunzel Barbie and her wardrobe.



At one point Kata got overwhelmed and started kicking all of the presents away from her. I pulled her up out of her two foot-high pile, and she found a quiet spot on my lap to play with her cat keyboard. Because nothing says tranquility like a meowing cat keyboard.



After church, family portrait on the balcony.



Time for brunch and some Dora the Explorer walkie-talkies with Aunt Lori.



Christmas night, watching Frosty the Snowman with Dad.
Bliss.