Surprise

You thought that I would never post again.....so did I. I am inspired so here goes. Of course it has to do with my girl.

Me: Natalie, I am exasperated.
N: why?
Me: I feel like I have a lot to do....
N: Yes, Mommie but you need to remain unflappable.

Thank you Pinky-Dinky Doo!

N: Mommie, what does this say?
Me: Visit us at learningcompany.com
N: Dash org

Thank you PBS!

The child makes me laugh!!

Natalie Quote

Kim: Natalie, have a good night. I have to go to work.
Natalie: Wait, I need a dance first.

Kim turned the radio in the kitchen on and they danced. I cried. I have no idea what was on the radio, all I could hear in my head was this.

Natalie Quote

N: Mommie, you really need to clean the potty. It is really dirty.
Me: You're right, I do.

Called out by a 3 year old. Ouch!

Kids do the....

This is what I discovered when I went in to help Natalie wipe. Where do kids learn this suff?

Growing Up

She is getting so big I can hardly stand it. I was looking at her shoes sitting on the stairs and it made me cry. She is not supposed to be this big yet. My baby. My sweet girl.

Natalie Quote

Natalie: Mommie, I'm sorry your disappointed in my behavior.

Yup, that sums up our day.

More thoughts

Thanks to all of you for your kind thoughts, prayers and words of encouragement. We are doing ok.

This all feels so weird. We have this life altering news about our daughter and nothing to do about it. I did do some retail therapy on Amazon buying a fun play mirror and some black and white books, I figure visual stimulation can't hurt.

I just told my mom, I spend about 25% of my day freaking out about the MRI, 25% of my day wondering what in the world the future holds for Paige's sight and 50% of the day ok. My head is still trying to get a grip on what is happening.

I know that God is in control, has a plan and is not surprised by any of this. I am able to find mental rest when I trust Him.

In other news, Natalie is 3 going on 30. When she plays dress-up these days she does not pretend to be a princess, she pretends to be Stephanie, my cousin. You see Stephanie got married in June, Natalie went to the wedding and thought it was to greatest thing ever. So, she is Stephanie (complete with the bride outfit) dancing at her wedding, very cute.

I just got Paige's 4 month pictures back. I hung it on the wall next to Natalie's 4 month picture and it is freakish how much they look alike, freakish!!

Willy Wonka candy was on sale, BOGO at the Food Kitty this week. So, of course I indulged. Why are there banana runts?? Why??

Natalie Quote

Natalie: Mommie, may I hold Paige on the boppy?
Me: Sure, that sounds great.
Natalie: I'm not going to feed her.
Me: OK.
Natalie: My num-nums don't have any milk in them.
Me: Nope, they sure don't.
Natalie: We should go to the store and buy some to put them so I can feed Paige.
Me: Well....

Peewee Paddlers

Natalie finished up swim lessons today. I am bummed for her. The way that she improved in just 6 weeks was amazing. The girl is by no means swimming on her own yet but she made great strides and learned to trust herself in the water so much more.

I loved watching her each week and listening to the pride in her voice as she said, "Look at me, Bruce, I did it! I did it!" Or, "you put my belt on and I didn't sink!" I love watching her confidence grow!!

It was good for me too. By the end of the six weeks, I wasn't pacing the pool. Here's to more swimming lessons!!

Natalie Quote

Last night in the bathtub...

Mommie, I just blew bubbles with my bottom!!

Updates...

So, here is what has been happening at our house...

1. I had a wonderful Mother's Day. It started with Natalie's sweet little face peeking at me saying, "Happy Mother's Day, Mommie". Then she said "Let's go make mommie's lunch!" Umm, how about breakfast, I didn't sleep in. Sunday was also one of the first days that Paige started giving lots of smiles. So sweet!
   
2. Natalie's behavior is greatly improved. Early last week I was ready to trade her in on a new model...She has also taken to using the potty again, I am so thankful.


3. Paige has some sort of GI distress happening. We are still trying to find the cause. We are not sure if it is coming from a foremilk/hindmilk imbalance caused by my CRAZY oversupply of milk (we are working on that) or some sort of allergy/sensitivity. She already weighs 12lbs and 10 ounces (gained 4 pounds in 5 1/2 weeks) which goes along with my theory of too much milk on my part. I am also eliminating dairy from my diet to see if that helps. It is really hard to eliminate dairy. That mess is in everything!!
   
4. We are getting really excited about our move.
   
5. Natalie started swim classes.
   

Sisters

So, let's mark yesterday as Natalie and Paige's first sister interaction. It went something like this...Natalie heard Paige make a fun, happy-baby noise for the first time. She thought it was so funny that her sister made this sound. It made her laugh. Paige heard Natalie laugh and made another cute baby noise. Very sweet! Then Natalie wanted to lay on the floor and be near Paige. Seeing them look at each other and almost interact was amazing. It warmed my heart!!

Voting

Today was Virginia's primary. Natalie and I headed to the polls. There is something very emotional, for me, about voting with her with me. This is the second time that I have done it and have been moved to tears both times. I can't really explain it. I don't know if it is the thought for voting for the future of our country or the thought of how lucky we are to live where we do but it gets to me.

While I was voting she asked me, "Mommie, can I vote too?" Sure sweetie in about 15 years (that is frightening). Actually I said, "Someday sweetie. Voting is a priviledge of being an adult."

I was disturbed by the small number of people who were there taking part in this priviledge. I can get on my high horse pretty quickly about this, so I won't. The only thing I will say is that I don't get people who don't go vote....

On a lighter note, as we were leaving there was a car running and you could see the exhaust coming from the tailpipe (it was very cold and rainy). Natalie said to me, "Mommie, is that car going potty?"

Oh, if you notice a lot of glaring spelling errors it is because I can't get the spell check to work and I am a terrible speller, sorry,

What community means...

to a 3 year-old.

Natalie and I went to Chick-Fil-A for dinner tonight. Of course the question came, "When I am done can I play on the park (the indoor germ infested park)?"

Me: You can try if you want to but I cannot help you climb up. My belly is getting too big. (Gross-motor skills have never been her strong point and she struggles getting herself up to the top).
Her: OK, I can do it
Me: If you get up to the top, you have to come down by yourself. Mommie cannot climb up to get you (I have done this on more than one occasion)
Her: OK, I can do it
Me: You have to be brave and come down all by yourself.
Her: I will find a friend who can help me!!

Sure enough, she did. She found a sweet little girl to help get her up to the top, who helped her when she got scared, and made sure she made it down the slide.

I love that my girl trusted that there would be "a friend" there to help her.

(I am also really thankful because me climbing in that thing would not have been pretty!!!)

Today in Natalie's world

Natalie is June
I am Annie
Kim is Quincy
Jingle is Leo
and, of course, our car is Rocket

Happy Birthday, Natalie!!

How can it be that in three short years she has changed from this....

to this....

It is so hard for me to believe that she is three. My little girl is growing up. I am so thankful for the person that she is growing into. She is kind, compassionate, and empathetic beyond her years. She is sweet, she is loving!! She is smart. She loves to be tickled. She loves to be read to. She loves to sing. Everyone is her friend. She is outgoing. She loves people. I am so proud of her.

One of her most favorite things to do lately is for her to be Mommy and I am Big Natalie. She makes lunch for Big Natalie, tucks her into bed, gives her kisses, she "carries" me around the house (she holds onto my knee while I walk). When I am Big Natalie, Kim is Big Natalie's Daddy. She has it all down. Often I am greeted in the morning with "Good morning, Big Natalie!" Funny, funny, funny.

I love you, sweet girl! Happy Birthday!!

MIckey Mouse Birthday

Natalie's birthday is not until Thursday but we had her party today. I can't believe my baby is almost 3!

Cake made Mommie.

Getting ready for the party.

Everyone needs ears!

I wonder what her wish was.....

Snow Day

We had a snow day today. We got a couple of inches, enough to make it an inside afternoon, my girl is not a big fan of the cold.

Anyway, we made sugar cookies (actually sugar bricks but anything with icing and sprinkles is great!). This was our first baking adventure together. Much fun!!

Now, if the cookies only tasted as good as they look. We will have to work on that...

Some updates

It has been a while...
We had a great Thanksgiving! We spent the long weekend in Windsor with Kim's family. On Thursday we all went outside to play in the front yard, so wholesome I thought I was on "Leave It To Beaver." We ate so much yummy Mama Askew cooking I found myself feeling sick. Kim got to play on the family farm with his brother and dad. Natalie and I got good time with Kim's mom, Caitlyn, Carson and Aunt Lesley. A classic family Thanksgiving!!

When we got home on Sunday, after Natalie brushed her teeth she sweetly asked me "Mommie, where is Gigi (her name for my Grammie)?" She asked me out of the blue. I was floored. I instantly teared up. I looked at her and replied, with my chin quivering "Gigi is with Jesus." I was prepared for a longer discussion but her next question was "Where are Chief and Fran (my other grandparents)?" "Chief and Fran are in Florida." Simple answers and that was the end of it. She did ask me to make "that funny face again" (my trying hard not to cry and talk at the same time face) and gave me a big kiss. Sweet girl.

We are all doing well, after a long day. I was on the way to take Natalie to the doctor and got in a little fender-bender. I rear-ended someone. I was stopped at a stoplight, Natalie asked me a question, I got distracted and took my foot off the brake. Not so smart. I freaked out. I was such a girl!! I actually forgot that I was pregnant for the first three minutes after the bump and then freaked out. Natalie was fine, I felt fine but what about my poor baby inside, yikes. I went to the hospital. They monitored the baby, everything looked fine so I went home. Natalie was a champ and thankfully Sarah was able to watch her while Kim took me to the hospital. Not a fun day! But praise God we are all ok.

I those are all the major updates/reports that need to be made. I need to blog more often so that I don't get so behind and feel so overwhelmed!

Natalie Quote

Mommie, are you getting bigger?