March 2010 - Recap

My sweet Baby Natalie ... isn't a baby anymore. This was the first month where I've looked at you and no longer see Baby Natalie. In her place is Toddler Natalie. Who has opinions, thoughts, feelings, attitudes, a sense of humor. How all of that can be contained in your 23-lb self is beyond my understanding. But there you are. In full-on not-a-baby mode.

So I was hoping you'd have more teeth by now. But no dice. Your tooth count remains steady at 4.1 - two on top, two on bottom, and the first inkling of your 3rd top tooth. Your gums have felt swollen for what seems like months, so I'm thinking that one morning, I'll get you from your crib and you'll have a mouth full of teeth. But until then, you have the mouth of a seven-month old.

While you may have the mouth of a seven-month old, you eat like a 14-year-old boy. Good GRACIOUS I had no idea a munchkin could eat so much. For breakfast, you have some plain yogurt that I add fruit into. Most of the time, I mix in frozen peaches with fresh bananas. That and a glass of milk is what I limit you to. Because I'm sure you could put away a few pancakes, some scrambled eggs, and two pieces of toast if I let you. After your morning nap, you have half a cup of sweet potatoes mixed with a little oatmeal. After your snack, we run errands (usually that involves going to Target, Walmart, Publix, TJMaxx, Ross, or any place where you can sit in a shopping cart). Whether you woke up from your morning nap at 9:30am or 10:30am, you're ready for lunch at noon. Sharp. SHARP. You have this incredibly precise internal clock that, if it strikes 12:01pm, you lose your noodle. Your lunch is usually whatever I'm eating (sandwich, soup, pasta, etc) - just a smaller portion. You have a snack when you wake up from your afternoon nap (usually a piece of string cheese or half of a peanut butter sandwich), and, like lunch, you're ready for dinner at promptly 5pm and not a NANOsecond later. Except that I'm not a good planner and I usually have to listen to you screech and wail and gnash your teeth while I fix your dinner.

[You have no patience. Zero. Zilch. Nada. It's, um, less than charming. So that's my goal for April - to teach you patience. Even just a tiny bit would be a marked improvement]

For every meal, I'm always the one who says you're done. You have yet to give me the sign for "all done" - even though I know you can do the sign and I know you know what it means. When I sign "all done", you immediately sign "more". And I have to play the bad cop and say "Nope, all done!" Commence with more screeching, wailing, and gnashing of teeth.

I've talked to the nurse's line about how much you eat and how it seems like a LOT for a 15-month old, but the nurses always reassure me that as long as you're not overweight (you're not), you don't seem in pain when you eat (you don't), you're active and busy when you're not eating or sleeping (oh MY you are), then everything's probably fine. You're burning a lot of calories now that you're fully mobile, so I guess you just need more food to keep you going.

And speaking about more food ... you think that anyone who is eating ANYthing is morally obligated to share it with you. You're all about fairness. You could have just eaten twelve plates of spaghetti and are now playing with your toys, but if Daddy happens to have a slice of cheese (because Daddy? He puts cheese on everything. Everything is con queso au gratin), you immediately toddle over to him and emphatically sign "more". As if you haven't eaten in years. As if Daddy's bite of cheese will save you from near death. Because if Daddy's eating something, then of COURSE Natalie should be eating something too. And heaven help us if you happen to be in the kitchen while we're putting away leftovers (which isn't often, you Human Vacuum, you). You SEE food, you WANT food. Whether you're hungry or not is irrelevant. I'm really trying to teach you better habits. And hopefully they'll sink in.

I bought you an Easter basket last month, and that's been one of your most favorite toys. Granddaddy bought you a deck of playing cards (he's trying to turn you into a poker expert!), and your favorite game is to put the cards into the Easter basket and dump them back out. And clap. It's so cute watching you meticulously decide which cards should go into the basket and which cards don't make the cut. And when you choose that lucky card to go into the basket, you throw it in there, then give yourself a round of applause. 'Ridiculously adorable' is an understatement.

You know the following signs: more, book, eat, please, and sleep. You also throw your arms up in the air when I ask how big you are. While that's not really a sign, it's my all-time favorite trick you do. You have no idea how hysterical you are. Or maybe you do ...

March was the first full month where I didn't nurse you. And I don't know if it's a coincidence or not, but you have been so affectionate this month. Before March, you never liked to snuggle, cuddle, or show any kind of sweetness that wasn't at arm's length. But now? You love giving hugs (prompted and unprompted) and you're pretty good about giving us kisses (which, in your case, still consist of you tilting your head towards us so we can kiss your forehead). You're by no means what one would call 'snuggly', but your leaps and bounds more snuggly than you were a few months ago.

You've gained quite the literary opinion this month. Whereas before, Daddy and I could read you any old book and, though you'd rarely let us finish it, you were pretty amicable the whole time. It's a different story now. Now you'll spend 15 minutes in your room, looking through every book you own, trying to find the one that tickles your fancy. And you haven't learned book-choosing etiquette yet, so instead of selecting a book from your bookshelf, flipping through it, realizing that it's not the one you want, and gently putting it back where you found it ... you dramatically toss each book off your bookshelf, then spread them around, and carefully and methodically go around to each one and examine it. And unfortunately you have been less than happy with the literary choices we've provided. If you give us a book to read, we're lucky if we can get past the first page before you're off rummaging through your Floor O' Books again. And bedtime has turned UGLY. You don't want to sit in the rocking chair with us while we read you a bedtime story because whatever book we choose is wrong. SO wrong. You lurch out of our laps, seemingly annoyed that your parents would DARE try to read THAT book to you. Maybe you're looking for something meatier? Something more than dancing barnyard animals or differing dinosaur emotions? If so, kindly tell us, Critical McCriticalson.

You're finally saying 'momma'! Let me rephrase that. You've been saying 'momma' for a while now, but 99% of the time, you said it when you were whining. 'Momma' sounds far less cute when accompanied by sobs. But now you say it with a smile on your face! We still go back and forth with me saying "Momma!" and you saying "Dadda!", but that you voluntarily (and happily) say 'Momma' does my heart so good.

This has been our most favorite month. You've kept Daddy and me laughing practically non-stop. Watching you walking around, boldly wandering off (stop doing that), and trying to play like big kids do is just a reminder that you are growing up. It is such an honor to watch you do so. And in the words of Gramma Lu (who said this to Auntie K and me), you're not a baby ... but you're MY baby. And you'll be that forever. So there.

Hugs and smooches,
Mommy & Daddy

Weekly Natalie - Week 64

Weekly Natalie - Week 62 and 1 Day. Oops.

We had a first yesterday though. Lee AND I AND Natalie all got sick at the same time. It was just a cold thankfully, but it was enough to wipe us completely and totally out. Natalie had the lightest case (thank you God), so she was snotty but didn't feel bad enough to cuddle. Boo. And let me tell you, I would have LOVED to cuddle on the couch all day and watch movies. But no. My snotty girl had other plans.

I'm feeling tons better today and Natalie doesn't seem to feel any worse, so at least there's that. Puffs Plus gets to stay in business for another 412 based on how many boxes of tissues I bought yesterday.

NJ is all about 'reading' by herself lately. She doesn't have the
patience anymore to sit in our laps while we read to her.

It was mighty nice of her to put the counting of airplanes
on hold while I take a picture of her

She's my best audience.

We went to Kangarooz with Uncle Cam, Aunt Sara,
and Cousin Ella last weekend. It's like Chuck-E-Cheese.
But waaaaaay better. And with far fewer mean, face-scratching kids.

Friendly, good-natured Ellaroo with
wary, sensitive Nataroo

Daddy and Natalie playing in the bounce house

Seeing if it's okay if she climbs on the pelican.
I personally thought she should have asked permission
from the pelican and not Daddy.

Calamity Jane strikes again

My little puppy

Daddy's so fun

Almost 15 months of her tongue taking residence outside her face!

She looks like she's begging for a treat

Test-driving the four-wheeler outside Bass Pro Shop

Aunt Sara and Nataroo

I love Ellaroo's curls

Friendly Ella and Grumpy Nat

Going down the slide for the first time by herself

Going down the slide for the second time by herself
Is there a funnier face in the history of faces?
I think not.
LOVE x 1000!!

Weekly Natalie - Week 63

Natalie's hair is growing really quickly - I've already noticed a difference in how her pigtails (I mean, PIGTAILS!) looked a month or so ago with how they look now.

Way too cool to use her hands to carry Daddy's hat
through the house

"Seriously, Mom. Get a life."

Grumpy PIGTAILS!

*Please note, she's wearing capris and not
highwater pants*

My PIGTAILED! girl got a kick out of playing with dirt

My lovely mom with my sullen PIGTAILED! kid

Me with my allergic-to-looking-at-the-camera-when-mom-
wants-me-to PIGTAILED! girl

PIGTAILED! Blues pilot

Looking pretty snazzy in her dress, Mardi Gras beads,
and Lee's work socks on her hands.
We like to call her Nattie Sock Hands.

Being goofy really takes it out of a kid

More goofiness. Totally gets it from Lee.

We just got back from a road trip to Savannah. Lee was going to a conference there, so Nat and I hijacked his trip and went with him. Lee was stationed in Savannah while he was in the Army, so he was excited to be able to show us his old stompin' grounds.

Nat fell asleep while rooting around that bag
for some snacks. :)

Pretty Forsyth Park

My gappy-toothed little love

She's very squeal-y

That pink ball was well worth the $1 I spent on it.
And it goes so well with her ensemble.

Still tries to use the ball to support herself
when she tries to get up.
Pink ball = support FAIL

Savannah has now been graced by Scruncher Bear!

Natalie so wanted to be with those big kids playing
in the parachute

Ha! Caught you, you little flower picker

"Who, me?"

She's an obedient one, that's for sure.

Hello, Paula Deen's restaurant!
My arteries are thanking me for not eating here.

She toddled right over to that chalkboard and
proceeded to hug it over and over again.
Nat = chalky mess.

Mmmm ... chocolate gelato ....

Nat fell over from the sheer weight of the bulldog's tongue
Poor kid.

My cute waving boy helping the Waving Girl

Looking across the Savannah River towards the Westin

Waving Girl, part 2

Looks like 12th Avenue in Pensacola!

Not ready to let go of Daddy's knee before exploring the park

She was fine as long as she had her trusty stick

My wonderful little love

"Natalie, how big are you?"

Wheeeeee!

She's not a baby anymore!

The baby in the mirror followed us to Savannah!

Dancing with the other Natalie

Pure sweetness

Pure NOT sweetness.
I turn my back for one second and she had
taken all of Lee's clothes from the dresser
and thrown them on the floor.
The little stinker.

Neat bridge

The many talents of Natalie Jane

Bubbles!!!

Big tree, little munchkin

Hello, my sweet girl

Signing for Daddy to blow more bubbles!

Soooooo big!

Giving herself a round of applause

We like to share our dorkiness with other states

My two loves in front of the fountain spraying
green water (for St. Paddy's Day)

Me and my little love
(who still refuses to look at the camera)

Team Smith!