So someone hijacked my Facebook account. I'm half amused and half annoyed. The story "I" used was that "I" was in London and got robbed at gunpoint. They took my wallet, cell phone, everything. So "I" logged onto my Facebook account to ask my "friends" to wire "me" some money. Riiiiiiight.
I had no idea anything happened until my friend emailed me and told me she had a 30-minute chat with me about how I was in London. She was worried for a few seconds that it might actually be true, but when "I" told my friend that NJ was missing five days of school because of our London trip, she quickly realized that it wasn't me.
I was able to log on to my account and change my password, but now when I try to log on, I get a message saying that my account is disabled.
Thanks a lot, Facebook Hijackers.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Weekly Natalie - Week 38
Me and my baby girl
She's wonderfully smoochable
Baby thug
Go Green Wave!
Ready to pounce
Team Smith!
Static-y hair!
I love, love, love her smile
Trying to get her arms over her head ...very hard to do when your head is enormous
Auntie K and her Nataroo
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Weekly Natalie - Week 37
Each week (or each day, really), Natalie seems to get faster, busier, noisier, more focused, and more determined. It's so fun watching her play by herself. She'll crawl over to the toy basket and methodically pick up each toy and toss it aside. She knows what she's looking for and is adamant about getting it. Lately it's been a pink rattle; this kid loves her rattle.
Our maturity level is something to be envied.
(Yes, my hair is naturally that curly. Ugh.)
Grumpy Grumpersons
Next time, I'll plan our outfits better. We clash pretty badly.
There are those munchable cheeks again!
And I love this kid's eyelashes. Are you kidding me with those lashes?!
Our maturity level is something to be envied.(Yes, my hair is naturally that curly. Ugh.)
Grumpy Grumpersons
Next time, I'll plan our outfits better. We clash pretty badly.
There are those munchable cheeks again!
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Strong Willed / Spirited / Fussy / High Needs
Does anyone out in cyberspace have any experience with books on children who are strong willed/spirited/fussy/high needs, etc? I've read a bunch of reviews on Amazon, but I'd prefer to get ideas from actual people, not just a anonymous commenter who's probably just the the book's author anyway.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
For months, I've looked longingly at these mild mannered, good natured, cuddly, snuggly babies, wondering what I could have done wrong that made Natalie not have those characteristics. And there were times I got self-righteous and thought "I hardly ate or drank anything bad when I was pregnant! I didn't have an epidural! She's never had a drop of formula! She wears cloth diapers (sometimes)! I stay at home with her! I'm doing everything "right", so why isn't she an easier baby?!?!"
When strangers ask me if Natalie is a good baby, I don't know how to respond. What is a 'good baby' really? Does 'good' mean doing certain 'baby things' well? Because there are several things she does brilliantly, such as crying, pooping, crawling, pulling up, sleeping through the night, and babbling. So if that's the case, Natalie is a great baby. Or does 'good' mean 'easy', such as being good natured and friendly, loving everyone, and crying only when hungry or tired? Because if that's the case, no, Natalie's not 'good'. But I hope that 'good' always has to equal 'easy'.
God gave me Natalie and her strong-willed, fuss-bucket nature for a reason. With all my heart, I believe that. And I'm slowly discovering what that reason is (or reasons are).
I'm panicky, emotional, easily overwhelmed, and extremely critical of myself (I'm also pretty funny, a great shrimp-stir-fry-maker, and an expert at wiggling my ears - but that's neither here or nor there). Some of my characteristics I see in Natalie. New places make her nervous (me too). Loud, busy places can stress her out (me too). She has a very tiny patience-threshold when she's tired (me too). She's very emotional and can change emotions very quickly (me too).
I'm a creature of habit and routine. But Natalie is teaching me that I can't be so rigid. Something that worked yesterday to pacify her won't necessarily work to pacify her today. In my mind, what worked yesterday should work today, but that's not how Natalie operates. She keeps me on my toes, forcing me to get creative and stop my persistence at trying to fit the proverbial square peg into the proverbial round hole.
I have a comfort zone - it's a lovely little place where I (think I) have control. But Natalie forces me out of it. it sounds silly to be grateful to an 8.5 month old baby, but I am.
And I think God is using Natalie to improve my relationship with Him. I think I've prayed more since Natalie's been born than I have my entire life. I may not feel like I'm cut out to be the mother of such a fussy baby, but that's not the point. God thinks - no, He knows - I am. He knows how I am - how nervous and wacky I am. And he knows how Natalie is - how she goes from smiling to crying hysterically to smiling again in the matter of seconds (seriously, that's not an exaggeration). And despite all that, He put the two of together. Knowing that He did that, and knowing that He'll never give me more than I can handle, makes me feel a little less overwhelmed.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
For months, I've looked longingly at these mild mannered, good natured, cuddly, snuggly babies, wondering what I could have done wrong that made Natalie not have those characteristics. And there were times I got self-righteous and thought "I hardly ate or drank anything bad when I was pregnant! I didn't have an epidural! She's never had a drop of formula! She wears cloth diapers (sometimes)! I stay at home with her! I'm doing everything "right", so why isn't she an easier baby?!?!"
When strangers ask me if Natalie is a good baby, I don't know how to respond. What is a 'good baby' really? Does 'good' mean doing certain 'baby things' well? Because there are several things she does brilliantly, such as crying, pooping, crawling, pulling up, sleeping through the night, and babbling. So if that's the case, Natalie is a great baby. Or does 'good' mean 'easy', such as being good natured and friendly, loving everyone, and crying only when hungry or tired? Because if that's the case, no, Natalie's not 'good'. But I hope that 'good' always has to equal 'easy'.
God gave me Natalie and her strong-willed, fuss-bucket nature for a reason. With all my heart, I believe that. And I'm slowly discovering what that reason is (or reasons are).
I'm panicky, emotional, easily overwhelmed, and extremely critical of myself (I'm also pretty funny, a great shrimp-stir-fry-maker, and an expert at wiggling my ears - but that's neither here or nor there). Some of my characteristics I see in Natalie. New places make her nervous (me too). Loud, busy places can stress her out (me too). She has a very tiny patience-threshold when she's tired (me too). She's very emotional and can change emotions very quickly (me too).
I'm a creature of habit and routine. But Natalie is teaching me that I can't be so rigid. Something that worked yesterday to pacify her won't necessarily work to pacify her today. In my mind, what worked yesterday should work today, but that's not how Natalie operates. She keeps me on my toes, forcing me to get creative and stop my persistence at trying to fit the proverbial square peg into the proverbial round hole.
I have a comfort zone - it's a lovely little place where I (think I) have control. But Natalie forces me out of it. it sounds silly to be grateful to an 8.5 month old baby, but I am.
And I think God is using Natalie to improve my relationship with Him. I think I've prayed more since Natalie's been born than I have my entire life. I may not feel like I'm cut out to be the mother of such a fussy baby, but that's not the point. God thinks - no, He knows - I am. He knows how I am - how nervous and wacky I am. And he knows how Natalie is - how she goes from smiling to crying hysterically to smiling again in the matter of seconds (seriously, that's not an exaggeration). And despite all that, He put the two of together. Knowing that He did that, and knowing that He'll never give me more than I can handle, makes me feel a little less overwhelmed.
Friday, September 11, 2009
Houston, We Have a Tooth!
I haven't been able to get a good look in Natalie's mouth (though you think I would what with all the crying and fussing that she's been doing lately), but I definitely feel a bottom tooth! Hooray! I hope that the first tooth is the worst in terms of making her fussy, because oh my GOSH she's been having a rough time lately. And I'd hate to think she's going to be this fussy for each tooth that pops through. Poor kiddo.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
August 2009 - Recap
Well Baby Girl, I have good news and I have bad news.
The bad news is that when our computer died, I had a backup of everything except my recap for August. So this recap will be a little sparse and might include things that actually happened in September.
The good news is that when our computer died, I had a backup of everything except my recap for August. And I don't recall the majority of the 'low points' I had written down. So you'll have looked like a perfect angel for August!
August had a LOT of firsts. You are now officially mobile. It didn't take long for you to get the hang of crawling. And now, there's no stopping you. You're still very distractable, so you often times don't make it to your original target. "Here I come towards that ball. Look at it! It's so pretty and pink. Here I come, Mr. Ball. Ready or n-- Ooooh! What's that over there? Daddy's cell phone?! I need that NOW. Here I co-- Ooooh! What's that over THERE? A fuzzball! I need THAT!"
But before you had figured out crawling, you pulled yourself up! You love to stand now. The couch and the loveseat are your new playground. I'm grateful for our carpeted floors because you've taken a couple of impressive spills already. You don't get too upset anymore when you fall - you get right back up again. Though you did bonk your head on the coffee table pretty hard, which prompted Daddy and me to move it to the corner of the living room. You haven't had much interest in the coffee table since then.
Separation anxiety was full-fledged in August. You can be happy and cheerful, and I leave the room (or even your field of vision) for a nanosecond, you burst into this pitiful, panicky cry. And as soon as I come back into the room (or your field of vision), you look simultaneously relieved and extremely annoyed that I would have the nerve to leave you. As frustrating as that can be, it's pretty endearing. You think I'm pretty awesome and I have to admit, it's quite a little ego
trip for me. So thanks for that.
You started feeding yourself with a spoon this month. I was feeding you one day, and you took the spoon out of my hand and put it in your mouth. And the food that was on the spoon pretty much all made it in your mouth. I tried not to intervene ... I want to foster this new independence of yours but I also am trying to keep the dining room from being splattered with sweet potatoes. Perhaps that's a futile move on my part. And I don't know if you wanted to feed yourself or you just wanted to continue on with your desire to stick everything in your mouth. Speaking of that, how come you put EVERYthing in your mouth (your toes, my toes, cellphones, the remote controls, your toys, etc) but as soon as you pick up a Puff or a Cheerio, you immediately drop it. The thing you're SUPPOSED to eat is the thing that you never put in your mouth. You'll eat them if I feed them to you, but you never put them in your mouth yourself. Why is that?
You're still toothless, much to all of our dismay. Your mouth seemed to really bother you this month. Thank goodness for Baby Motrin and mesh feeders full of frozen banana and avocado.
You had croup this month. Not a serious case, thank the Lord, but I think we were able to catch it before it got too bad. I took you to get x-rays of your chest and neck to make sure that you hadn't swallowed something that was now stuck in your throat (the pediatrician said you didn't 'look' sick besides having a barking cough - so she was worried you had something in your throat). The x-rays confirmed that you weren't choking on anything and also confirmed that you
did have croup. I was hoping that since you were sick, you'd be a little more cuddly, but no dice.
Even though we have proof that you've smiled in the bathtub, it was a one-time thing. You hate baths. Seriously HATE. It's like you're allergic to water or something. Well, that's not true. You don't mind at ALL getting hit with raindrops. You tilt your head back and let the drops hit you on the face. But you still hate bathtime. And now that you're mobile, you're in need of more frequent baths. Sorry about that, kiddo. Maybe one day you'll like them.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Have I mentioned how much Daddy and I are in love with you? Because we are. There are many times a day when we'll just sit and watch you in amazement. You're spunky. You're a spitfire. You have personality coming out of your ears. You're opinionated. You're playful. You're giggly. You're determined. You're destined to be a big goofball. And we couldn't be more proud or consider ourselves any luckier to be your parents. You, my darling, are amazing.
Hugs and Smooches,
Mommy and Daddy
The bad news is that when our computer died, I had a backup of everything except my recap for August. So this recap will be a little sparse and might include things that actually happened in September.
The good news is that when our computer died, I had a backup of everything except my recap for August. And I don't recall the majority of the 'low points' I had written down. So you'll have looked like a perfect angel for August!
August had a LOT of firsts. You are now officially mobile. It didn't take long for you to get the hang of crawling. And now, there's no stopping you. You're still very distractable, so you often times don't make it to your original target. "Here I come towards that ball. Look at it! It's so pretty and pink. Here I come, Mr. Ball. Ready or n-- Ooooh! What's that over there? Daddy's cell phone?! I need that NOW. Here I co-- Ooooh! What's that over THERE? A fuzzball! I need THAT!"
But before you had figured out crawling, you pulled yourself up! You love to stand now. The couch and the loveseat are your new playground. I'm grateful for our carpeted floors because you've taken a couple of impressive spills already. You don't get too upset anymore when you fall - you get right back up again. Though you did bonk your head on the coffee table pretty hard, which prompted Daddy and me to move it to the corner of the living room. You haven't had much interest in the coffee table since then.
Separation anxiety was full-fledged in August. You can be happy and cheerful, and I leave the room (or even your field of vision) for a nanosecond, you burst into this pitiful, panicky cry. And as soon as I come back into the room (or your field of vision), you look simultaneously relieved and extremely annoyed that I would have the nerve to leave you. As frustrating as that can be, it's pretty endearing. You think I'm pretty awesome and I have to admit, it's quite a little ego
trip for me. So thanks for that.
You started feeding yourself with a spoon this month. I was feeding you one day, and you took the spoon out of my hand and put it in your mouth. And the food that was on the spoon pretty much all made it in your mouth. I tried not to intervene ... I want to foster this new independence of yours but I also am trying to keep the dining room from being splattered with sweet potatoes. Perhaps that's a futile move on my part. And I don't know if you wanted to feed yourself or you just wanted to continue on with your desire to stick everything in your mouth. Speaking of that, how come you put EVERYthing in your mouth (your toes, my toes, cellphones, the remote controls, your toys, etc) but as soon as you pick up a Puff or a Cheerio, you immediately drop it. The thing you're SUPPOSED to eat is the thing that you never put in your mouth. You'll eat them if I feed them to you, but you never put them in your mouth yourself. Why is that?
You're still toothless, much to all of our dismay. Your mouth seemed to really bother you this month. Thank goodness for Baby Motrin and mesh feeders full of frozen banana and avocado.
You had croup this month. Not a serious case, thank the Lord, but I think we were able to catch it before it got too bad. I took you to get x-rays of your chest and neck to make sure that you hadn't swallowed something that was now stuck in your throat (the pediatrician said you didn't 'look' sick besides having a barking cough - so she was worried you had something in your throat). The x-rays confirmed that you weren't choking on anything and also confirmed that you
did have croup. I was hoping that since you were sick, you'd be a little more cuddly, but no dice.
Even though we have proof that you've smiled in the bathtub, it was a one-time thing. You hate baths. Seriously HATE. It's like you're allergic to water or something. Well, that's not true. You don't mind at ALL getting hit with raindrops. You tilt your head back and let the drops hit you on the face. But you still hate bathtime. And now that you're mobile, you're in need of more frequent baths. Sorry about that, kiddo. Maybe one day you'll like them.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Have I mentioned how much Daddy and I are in love with you? Because we are. There are many times a day when we'll just sit and watch you in amazement. You're spunky. You're a spitfire. You have personality coming out of your ears. You're opinionated. You're playful. You're giggly. You're determined. You're destined to be a big goofball. And we couldn't be more proud or consider ourselves any luckier to be your parents. You, my darling, are amazing.
Hugs and Smooches,
Mommy and Daddy
Weekly Natalie - Week 34, 35, and 36
Bothered by my interrupting her while she stares at
herself in the mirror at Belk
herself in the mirror at Belk
Already more stylish than me!
Hasn't quite mastered the art of getting the Puff 100% in her mouth
Totally impressed with herself
Work it out, munchkin
Happy in her carseat
Extreme closeup!
She makes the wackiest faces
The noises that go along with this expression are hilarious
Me and my Sox baby
Happy Sox fan
Not in the mood for my picture-taking shenanigans
She's a squealer
She already thinks Lee and I are hopelessly lame
Dee-licious
Me and my Hippo Head baby
What's that?! Is that a smile in the bathtub?!?!
She loves her some Tigger
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