Surprise!

Talk about the shock of all shockers... a positive pregnancy test at a time in our lives when things were turned upside down. I was in denial until I saw the little bean with a flashing heartbeat at our first ultrasound.  I just wasn't have the normal morning sickness and other symptoms, so I thought I'd for sure have a miscarriage like in the past.  Especially since I hadn't been taking my folic acid supplements.  But nope, this little baby kept growing and growing.  Nat and him will be 17... 17 months apart. Deep breathes.  Funny thing is, this is not why I quit my job but what pefect timing. So here is to the 3rd and LAST pregnancy for our family.  Trust me, no more babies, it's been taken care of :) Everything looked right on track at our 12 week scan!

sorry but it's an alien baby!!

Santa 2012

I'm just a tad, a tad behind.  But now that I've quit work, I have a little bit more time to update the blog.  Natalee's 1st birthday is approaching, so I'm playing catch up.  As usual we went to visit Santa at Bass Pro, because that is where he lives while not at the North Pole, duh. We will never be allowed to go elsewhere, Ben would question that too much.  I was afraid she'd freak out since she had been in her stranger danger phase, but nope, he didn't phase her one bit!

Yeah right buddy, keep wishing.

View of our tree :)... you will notice all the red balls in the lower right. Ben
helped me decorate and the balls had to be color coded into groups. Sheezz he's a doozie! 

10 months

10 months:
- Cruising around the furniture, but still no letting go
- Favorite toys: pretend ice cream cone, play dough containers
- Foods: Still loving most any food and would prefer "real" food, not the puree food
- 1st snow:  Was dying to get outside with me and Ben.  She tasted the snow and all she needed was one taste and done.
Not too much excitement this month.  Just being an awesome happy baby. Very content.  Good sleeper. Couldn't ask for a more laid back baby girl!

Let me out in the snow!!!

Looks like one of those fishes.... and nice shot of her honkin big front teeth

Oooooo man that's cold snow

Double Trouble

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Got her favorite toy - the fake ice cream cone

Stood on own for about a millisecond

Busy pushing her baby around

Can't go wrong with Thunder shirt and Iron Man in other hand

9 months

9 months:

- first ear infection :(

- saying "bah bah bah"

- bangs on high chair tray for food

- "pants" like a dog

- Carry objects around while you crawl

There were just too many pictures from this month not to share, so it's picture overload :)

 

 

still loves to go after anyone's hair and YANK!

so innocent....

Sink bather.... but not for long

Poor child finally graduated from the sink and takes baths with Brother in her new seat

up to no good!

Thumb? No thanks... you still love your 2 fingers

"cleaning" the window with slobber or just making out with yourself

7 aaannd 8 months

Yikes! I have abandoned the blog ship for too long! Let's just say life has been a tad bit in the way. 
So back to Miss Natalee....
7 months -
1. 1st week of November, she got from her belly up to a sitting position
2. 2 days before Thanksgiving - we have a CRAWLER!!
3. Always sitting up in her bed
4.  Eating variety of veggies and fruits.  Puff snob - she wouldn't eat the generic and loves mum-mum's
5. Met Santa. Loved him and has escaped the stranger danger phase.
6. First time at park in Duncan and LOVED the swing
7.   The start of the teeting marathon....
8 months -
1.  1st week of December, I found her standing up in her room, she had pulled herself up on the crib
2.  Soon turned into finding her in her crib, standing up, chewing on the side rail
3.  She pulls up on anything and everything.
4. Natalee got 6 teeth in a month. Yes 6 teeth. Talk about a sleeping nightmare for the both of us. She now has a total of 8 teeth.
5. Dive bombs your plate if she's in your lap while eating. She wants "big people" food - so she has tried french fries, steak, chicken, mashed potatoes and loves it all!
6. Gives high fives
By 8 months old, she is a speedy crawling machine.  She is an explorer and has mastered crawling on the slippery slopes... aka tile and wood floors.  She "pants" like a puppy and thinks it's so funny.  She isn't afraid of the dark, multiple times found she had crawled into the pitch black playroom.  I see spunkiness in her and think she is gonna be quite feisty!  Brother and her still love each other :)

Any chance she gets, she steals Ben's sippy cup

She was in awe of the tree

She's up!

1st I found her sitting up in bed, haha it was funny.... now it's full time. And yes, we are so proud but it's not funny because she is dying to crawl now. Babyhood is going by way too fast!

 

5/6 month combo

Natalee is 6 months - I will say that was the fastest 6 months! She is at the best stage of a baby, in my opinion, the golden months of sitting up, non-mobile and so happy. I failed to do a 5 month update, so here we are doing a combo of 5/6 months. 
6 months she weighed in at 15lbs, 12 oz and 26 inches long.
Sitting up - at 5 1/2  months she conquered this feat! she worked hard to get the perfect balance of not falling forward and back. 
Jumper - little lady gets feisty in her jumper! man, you put her in there and she goes to town bouncing and jumping all over.  it's hilarious because once she gets tired, she'll slow down and then eventually "rock" herself, going slowly side to side.
Food - uuuummm not so much! But just this week, Noni whipped up some carrots for her and she liked those.  Loves her bottles.
Rolling - Diaper changes, it's a game... for her. How fast can she turn over while on the changing pad. She grunts and grunts, flips herself over and is so proud.  If you lay her on her back, instantly she rolls to her belly, which leads to my next topic...
Crawling - No, she isn't crawling but kinda.  She gets herself from point A to point B.  Nat will get her knees up under her and launch herself forward, so you can kinda say it's a starting point of a "crawl".
 Smiles - What puts a smile on her face.... the sound of your tongue making a "tock" in your mouth and doing it to make a tune. She loves when I do this or when I sing the Elmo theme song.  Loves for me to hold her and chase brother around, she'll start laughing hysterically.  Really anything Ben does, she laughs at.  She really appreciates a good old fashion episode of Tom and Jerry and also a few shows on the baby first club.  A remote control is usually what she goes after, if it's in her reach.  Also, loves big people cups - she tries to lean forward and drink from your cup if it's in your hands.
Frowns - hello stranger danger.  we've never dealt with this, so it's new territory.  she is wary of men especially.  loud noises will upset her, but over the past month she has gotten better.  not much else.... at this age, she is normally pretty happy and content.
Natalee continues to be a great sleeper. No more teeth but the faucet is still turned on. She starts daycare next week and I know she is going to love it (hopefully).  She'll be in heaven watching the other kids. Natalee is paci-FREE! By no means were we trying to make her quit it (shoot I didn't mind, it kept her quiet :)), she all the sudden said peace out and hello fingers. Woo hoo!

No baby was harmed during this :) She was lovin brother pulling her on the carpet

Uummm, how old am I.... oh yes, 5 months

wwhhoooaa what is this?!

Pillow is not longer needed, this was an initial jumping episode

yep... again, flippin me the bird