Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Inaugural Phillips 4th

This year was the 1st of many more to come for the Phillips (my parents) 4th of July party.  John and I felt like we didn't slow down the entire day - Natalee had a totally "off" day and was not her usual chill self :( She wasn't completely fussy, just couldn't nap and get settled down. Too much action for her to nap.  Ben showed off his swimming skills with his uncles and aunt ryan in the pool most of the day.  His day was forever changed when his crush, Mena (who is in 6th grade) arrived... poor Mena couldn't get him off her back.  She was so sweet and of course didn't care at all. By the end of the night, it went like this..."Mena, you're my best friend, right?" We ended the day of fun with games of BINGO, dinner and the most spectacular firework show produced by John and my brothers... only to get upshown by the neighbors....  next year boys, next year you can be the best in the 'hood.

Adding to his sugar high

B-I-N-G-O time!

little scratch for the number caller.... right before he dropped his drawers and showed
off his pee'ing skills with the strongest stream known to man


sleeping and listening to all the BINGO action

love this kid to pieces!

the ladies man... Mena on the left, Madison on the right... obviously likes the older ladies

typical picture pose for Beano

Seester liked the fireworks... papa wasn't sure why

Men and their sparklers... they, along with my other brother, put on quite the
 firework show and were deaf for a few hours after

Miss Baby America



most important the dessert spread....


Tuesday, July 10, 2012

like brother, like sister

Ben 5 weeks

Natalee 8 weeks

Thursday, July 5, 2012

2 month marker


She is a growin and growin.  Natalee had her 2 month check up - 11 lbs 12 oz, 23 inches - right on track! Her shots completely wiped her out for nearly 2 days.... oh darn, mom got alot done while she slept the days away....important stuff like laying out. Natalee continues to love her baths, guess it's that magical product from Europe- Puj tub. Her sleeping has been from 10pm - 4am.  She likes to get pissed off from 6pm  - 9pm; involves mom and dad trying everything to make her happy and she just wants to whine.  Usually she'll snap out of it when we lay her on her changing table and crank up the music maker from Ben's old mobile. It's mommy's lil trick I discovered to shush her up :)  She is normally chugging every 3 hours (or 2 hours), 3 ozs and started to deny the bottle. She loves her some booby. Swaddle what? This child HATES, and I use that word strongly, hates to be covered up. She will kick off the blanket if she's in her swing or scream if she can't do that and in bed fusses until you take the blanket off. Around 5 weeks she started really smiling and talking to us.  She is quite the talker! 6 weeks she started grabbing her paci....Still loves to follow Ben when he's in the room... still resisting the headbands, but in public I slip one on since she was called a boy. Natalee really is such a happy happy girl!




pretty sure she'd hang out in this all day if we let her

my favorite sleeping picture of my sweet girl... those lips!!


please no pics mom.... brother was feeding the ducks


fathers day

oh mom, why must you put this on me... fine i'll give ya a smirk!

tummy time on the biddy belly

Sunday, July 1, 2012

we bought a zoo

These animals are obviously confused - our last name is Forrest but that doesn't mean they can take up residence in our backyard!! Last year we had a armadillo roaming thru the yard, this year so far we've had possums (who are idiots and just stared at me when I tried to shoo him out), trantula and a family of foxes. Yes foxes. And yes it's more like an extended family - I've seen 2 moms. And I'm obsessed. Couldn't have picked a better time to go on maternity leave :) I find myself losing track of time watching these creatures. So it all started the 1st week of May, I saw the momma out our bedroom back doors. For the next 2 weeks, we watched the sweet lil pups. Then they left :( I lost my entertainment. But wait, they returned this week!! Much bigger and so active. They play off and on throughout the day, it is truly fascninating to watch. Ben is usually our fox spotter while he is playing the Wii in the living room - their "den" under our deck is viewable out our living room windows. We don't mind them, they eat the mice, which I saw a pup eating, it was so graphic and really not necessary for me to watch but I couldn't turn away. However, they better start pooping elsewhere! And no we don't live in the country. So watch out, your backyard could be overtaken next!

 
First time sitting of momma back in May

Hello cute pups! There are actually 5 of them


The momma on the look out

Monday, June 25, 2012

Floatie free!!

It was the perfect 103 degree summer day to spend the day in the pool with our good friends, the Rews! Ben and Jackson are 4 months apart and acted like they were good ole buds from way back when (their dads played baseball at OSU together). Natalee and Lyla (3 months apart)... well they spent the day trading off nap times and snoozed the heat away. 
Most importantly today - Ben swam with NO puddle jumper today! Like really swam, head under water and kicking away swimming from the middle back to the steps!!! So proud of my dare devil!


aaaawww cute picture....

no wait - this more like reality!! .....they were not asked to do a funny face, just real life baby)

ok mom let go of me, i got this...

.... he's not sinking...

going for the stairs!!

sorry Lyla, maybe Natalee won't be so pouty sleepy next time :)

Monday, June 18, 2012

Pool rat!

Ben L-O-V-E-S the pool, like would swim from sunup to sun down if we let him. I am so glad he isn't afraid of the water but it's almost a curse because he isn't afraid AT ALL.  About gives us a heart attack with his "new moves" as he calls them.  We are now working on trying swimming with no floaties.... so far he loves to dunk his head under and under and under....phew he wears me out!

Setting the feet....

Launch mode...

and BAM BELLY FLOP!

Thursday, May 31, 2012

the newborn month

As I think back to what's been going on the past month, I'm somewhat blank.  What a blur the 1st month of newborn'hood is! Let me try to recall from her 1st month....
Week 1:  Slept alot. Went 6 hours one night.  Yep, sleeping was about it for the 1st week. Your first bath at home went suprisingly good, you absolutely loved it (and still do at 5 weeks)!  Went to your first doctor appointment, where Nurse Cathy said "she has the most beautiful coloring" :) Yeah we know she is beautiful.  Much to our relief, you weighed in at 6.11 lbs. Mommy's milkin machines were working! Lots of visitors too.... Uncle Seth & Aunt Ryan, Uncle Peter & Aunt Julie, cousin Jack, and Great Grandma Duncan.  Your personal photographer (and perhaps future MIL) Lindsay McDaniel did a fabulous job on your newborn photos.  It was alot of work getting you to sleep but those 5 minutes of shooting the pictures on each setup were worth it!
Week 2:  We discovered you like to sleep on your back and lay on your side.  You appreciate your paci in when you are trying to fall asleep. And as you fall asleep you ALWAYS smile, get this grin and then a big smile. We had to move you into your room when you sleep at night because you sound like an 80 year old snoring man! Kelsey Jennings came by to see you but you snoozed away.  Still a perfect angel.... well except for when you flipped me off during your daily photo shoot!!
Week 3:  Uuummm let's just blame a growth spurt on your moodiness. You became a eating machine for a few days and were never quite content to fall asleep.  Aunt Allyson came to the rescue, flying in from CA to see you! She spent many hours over here helping mommy and playing with your brother, she is the best "mommy's helper" money can buy :)
Week 4:  Hello night sleeper! Please please stay around.... you have been sleeping 4-5 hours during the night.  It is glorious! Mommy and daddy have a routine down - mommy gets up in the middle of the night (2 or 3am) and daddy does the early morning shift.  You usually eat for mommy and fall right back asleep, as for daddy, well you normally like to chit chat with him after eating :)  You have grown out of newborn clothes, such a proud moment.  I feel like all this feeding and pumping has paid off! You have really plumped up.  Speaking of plumping up, you got a bit constipated over Memorial Day weekend. Not pooping for 24 hours and then explosions when you did.  Holy mustard blowout poop! It was S-I-C-K!! You love love to watch your brother.  You coo at him and grab for his face when he gets near you.  You really only do that with him, you chit chat with me but really grab at brother!

So perfect and beautiful!

already learning how to keep that paci in




For the first couple weeks, when brother would hold sister,
 he would demand a picture be taken, like that was
 what the purpose of holding her was!

Yes I get it, you don't like me dressing you up in headbands.

Sad you outgrew little sister onesie :(

And here we have it again, the "nervous lets get this picture taken
so I can put her down" face



I'm over this mom!!!
now, now... let's not already be lifting our skirt up lil miss!

Aunt Allyson!!!! ok not really an aunt per say, but pretty darn close to it

1st time in a dress!

GOTCHA brother bear!

look at Ben's face... such a toot!

Yay! Clap for 1 month bday! Woody, despite my best photo shoot set up efforts,
creepily made his way into the picture. hahaha


ppssshhh is this headband really necessary?!

momma and natalee... really going to try to get in
more pictures this time around.