A New Year ... With New Sounds

We celebrated an especially happy new year this year with Rory in our lives. And as this picture makes clear, Rory has already learned how to usher in the new year in style! What the picture also depicts is Rory's new-found dexterity and motor skills. But you'll need to watch this video to hear the new "Wookie" sounds that our lovely little daughter is making.

For the last week, we were in Seattle with the Katz Family ...
... And Rory kept us on East Coast time, so our mornings started early. You can see that Rory and her daddy started their day reading.
Seattle afforded us plenty of opportunities to get outdoors and enjoy the city and its surrounding beauty. But the chilly weather meant that Rory had to get especially bundled up.

Cecil considered himself Rory's guardian watchdog, running to her side every time she squawked or wimpered.
This is Rory and her daddy at the Pike Place Market, standing in front of the famous fish stand. Rory is distracted by the guys tossing fish to each other.
This picture also does a good job of showcasing Rory's motor development; she loved the lights on this music board, which has become her favorite toy.

Nan Little, a good friend to the Katz family, made this adorable quilt for Rory.
Our little family poses for the camera on New Year's Day.
On January 2, we celebrated Chrismukkah with Pops, Nonna, and Aunt Sydney. And sure enough, Rory's favorite gift was the wrapping paper!...

Although a close second was the commemorative silver dollar that Pops gave Rory to remember her birth year. (Although, you just know that Rory is staring at that coin trying to figure out the best way to get that silver thing into her mouth. ("Ohhh ... shining thing ... must bite it ... NOW!")
Towards the end of our trip, we ventured out beyond the Seattle borders to Snoqualmie Falls, where we saw a breath-taking view of the 300-foot waterfall. As you can see in this picture, Rory had as much fun selecting her mommy's lunch entree from the menu as she did viewing the falls.
Unfortunately, our time in Seattle eventually came to a close. In this picture, Rory is saying goodbye to her Nonna and Pops.