Weekly Natalie - Weeks 130 & 131

What a fun couple of weeks. A good friend and her cute family came down to FL for vacation and I got to hang with them for a bit. Nat was highly amused (and highly concerned) over my friend's husband's bald head. She was insistent that he had left his hair in her room and proceeded to spend a good amount of time looking for it. It was awesome.

Wearing his hat. Seriously, I need to buy her one of her own.

Showing off her Surprised Face

Her PJ-clad Sad Face

PJ-clad Happy Face

Bustin' some sweet moves during the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Theme Song

Pretty little love

Fishing with Daddy. LOVE these two together.

I rarely fix something for dessert. So when I do, Nat shovels it in as
fast as she can, knowing it might be a looooong time before it happens again.

A satisfied Blueberry Crisp customer

This kid and her desire to pile things on top of her ...

Relaxing at the beach

Her Sand Throwing technique is pretty spot-on

Rocking Daddy's shirt <3

June 2011 - Recap

Sweet, sweet pumpkinhead,
Guess what! You scraped your toe. And you got an ant bite. You like to remind Daddy and me (and everyone else you see, including complete strangers) of these travesties on a daily (sometimes hourly) basis. That's all well and good. Except these travesties happened over a month ago. And you're still talking about them. And fretting about them. And still requesting that we put Band-Aids on these healed-long-ago injuries.

You like to say your whole name. It sounds like "Natta-yee Jane Smiss". It's AWESOME.

Know what else you like to say? "Whassa big idea?" and "Whassa going on here?" Daddy and I can think Donald Duck for those little gems.

You are so interested in songs on the radio. Every song that comes on prompts a "What song is DIS?" from you. One of the many reasons why my radio is on Christian radio 95% of the time is so I can feel 100% comfortable with you hearing every song that comes on. I don't have to worry about quickly changing the station because the song that just came on talks about things that two-year-olds (let alone your 30-year-old mother) don't need to hear about. You're picking up on lyrics and titles very quickly and I just can't handle the thought of you knowing the words to most of the songs on Top 40 stations. Phil Whickam? Yes. Natalie Grant? You betcha. Lady Gaga? No way, man. Ke$ha? Please, oh please, no.

You had your very first full-fledged, no holds barred stomach bug this month. You were sick for a total of 10 days - those 10 days tested all of us down to our very core. Thankfully Daddy never got sick and I was only sick for a day. So it made it much easier for us to take care of you. But we were waaaaaay not prepared for the sheer ickiness that is a Toddler Stomach Bug. I've never done so many small-but-I'm-sure-as-heck-not-putting-these-disgusting-clothes-in-with-our-regular-laundry loads of laundry. I had my very first experience of public vomiting (you might never be allowed in Panera Bread again) complete with my very first experience with trying to rinse you off in a restaurant bathroom sink (Verdict? Near impossible.) Daddy and I also had our first experience with having to wash every blanket on your bed (total: 5), every stuffed animal (total: 3), AND having to give you a highly unpleasant but oh-so necessary shower at 5am. Dude. We also watched an obscene amount of TV during those 10 days. Our DVR has never been more handy. Though I can say without hesitation that I am sufficiently tired of Sesame Street, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, and Baby Einstein.

The bright side of your sickness was that you fell in love with Finding Nemo. You've never had the patience (or desire) to sit through a whole movie before, but laying on the couch for 10 days straight instills in you different patience and desires. You're okay with 99% of the movie, but the scene where the diver scoops up Nemo scares the pants off you. Not sure why the big Great White Shark doesn't scare you, or why the barracuda doesn't. But the diver, whoo doggies, watch out. As soon as that scene comes up, you say "It's scawwy, Momma! Puh-tec (protect) me!" Thank goodness for the fast-forward button. We've probably watched Nemo 20 times and suprisingly I'm not tired of it. I'm sure I will be, but for right now, I still love that little fish.

Your sense of humor just keeps getting more and more developed - and Daddy and I LOVE it. You've already picked up the humor in saying "Me three!" after someone says "Me too!". We made it to "Me Forty-Seven!" one day before you (mercifully) lost interest. You think it's hilarious to say the wrong noise for an animal ("Momma, a cow says 'woof woof! Hahahahaha!"). You think it's funny to pronounce 'animals' as 'aminimals'. You think it's funny to say that Daddy is a girl and I'm a boy (Daddy finds this slightly less funny than you do). You think it's funny to say that Daddy doesn't have a mustache and that Mommy does (Mommy finds this slightly less funny than both you and Daddy do).

You like to go around saying things you shouldn't say - not in a disobedient way, but more in an OCD way. For instance, a big thing we're working on with you is to not say "no" when Daddy or I ask you to do something. "No" is a perfectly fine word, but not as a response to something you're asked to do. So if you say "no", I remind you that it's not an appropriate response. You say "Oh yeah. Don't say 'no'. Don't say 'mine'. Don't say 'me first'. Don't say 'now'." You like to repeat that list a lot. I find it funny a lot.

Speaking of saying "no", just when Daddy or I think you're saying "no" to us, you follow it up with "pwob-yem" (problem). "Natalie, please go to your room and bring me a diaper." "No!! .... (insert charming smile here) ... Pwob-yem". You're only two-and-a-half and already a wise guy.

You like to take something called a Fam-ee Seep (Family Sleep). After Daddy gets home from work, you like for all of us to go to Mommy and Daddy's room. You and I play on the bed while Daddy changes from Work Clothes Daddy to Comfy Clothes Daddy. Then he joins us on the bed. You (loudly - we're still trying to work with you on volume control) announce that it's time for a Fam-ee Seep, which means that all of us have to get under the covers, put our heads on the pillow, and pretend to sleep. Daddy and I could fall alseep for REAL if your Fam-ee Seep ever lasted longer than 10 nanoseconds. But you, my darling wiggle worm, can't sit still for much longer than that. So you start poking our mouths (or our eyes, ears, chin, neck, whatever) with your little bony fingers, saying "Time to wake up, Mommy! Time to not be in bed any more! Time to stand up on da floor!"

It's hard to believe that just 5 months ago, Daddy and I were worried about your lack of speech. Many people warned me that once you learned to talk, I would be wishing for the days when you didn't. Never fear, I'm so not even CLOSE to being there. I love hearing you talk. You come up with the neatest things. I put on an old t-shirt the other day and you came up to me and said "Oooh, dat's a boo-tiful shirt you got on dere, Mommy!" After I painted your toes (with some awesome sparkly nail polish), you said "Oh, tank you, Mommy, for painting my toes wiff sparkwy powwish. I yuhve dem." As we were driving around town one day, you noiced a fire hydrant that was missing its top white part. You said "Mommy!! Dat fire hydwant is missing its white hat! We need to find it!" You found a copy of the New Testament in your room (the one the hospital staff gave you when you were born). You were carrying it around the house and saying "I weadin' da Bible. It's about God and Jesus. Once upon a time ..." After I cleaned you up after one your many (many) vomiting episodes, I scooped you up and we snuggled on the couch. You looked at me and said "Tanks, Momma, for holding me in your yap (lap)." After you asked me what I was eating one day and I told you it was lasagna, you giggled and said "Yasagna. Dat's a funny word. Yasagna yasagna yasagna". After eating a banana, you came up to me and said "I need to cwean my hands. Dere all banana-y." Yep, you're totally my child. Already making up words by adding a "-y" to the end. I'm so proud.

You like to tell me what letter that words start with. If I say to you "Please get me your sippy cup", you say "Sippy cup starts wiss (with) yetter (letter) S! SSSSSSSSSS!" Perhaps you use it as a distraction method so you don't have to do what I asked right away. Or perhaps you really are just that nerdy and love everything about letters. Or perhaps it's both.

I love you top to bottom, heart and soul, my sweet Natta-yee Jane Smiss. Please don't throw up on me again.

Hugs and smooches,
Mommy & Daddy

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Headlines from July 1, 2011

• Los Alamos fire to become state's biggest ever
• Casey Anthony won't testify; defense rests
• Simon, Paula back bickering on 'X Factor'
• Venezuelans stunned by Chavez cancer revelation
• Sources: Strauss-Kahn case near collapse
• William, Kate draw heartfelt ‘awwww’ from Canadians
• NASA gives sneak preview of shuttle finale

Weekly Natalie - Week 129

Because sometimes, she just needs a good, old-fashioned

foot blubber.

And in this house, foot blubbers often turn into Natalie pendulums.
(side note: where did my baby from those pictures on the wall go?!)

Yaaaaaay!

Weekly Natalie - Weeks 127 & 128

It's impressive that I've taken ANY pictures these last two weeks. Natalie had her first full-blown stomach bug and it brought poor Team Smith to its knees. Thankfully Lee and I didn't get the bug, but it was still r-o-u-g-h. Our spawn does NOT handle being sick well.

Once Nat started feeling better, Lee put her to work. He asked her to help him with a 'project' (ie: putting the cover back on the AC). You'd have thought he asked Nat if she wanted a big bag of cookies. She was so excited. She was the official flashlight holder :)

Helping Daddy organize his tools

Holding the flashlight

My awesome in-focus love and my
awesome blurry little love

Weekly Natalie - Week 126

This was a pretty slow picture-taking week for me, but we did get our pictures taken in a silly photo booth at the mall a few days ago.

This may not seem like much (besides being adorable, of course), but it's HUGE. These four pictures bring to about FIVE the total number of pictures I have of the two of us smiling in the same picture. Five out of 70 bajillion. We're making progress.

Weekly Natalie - Weeks 124 & 125

Lee's birthday was this past week and his one request was to take Natalie bowling for the first time. Genius idea!! Air conditioning? Check. Nat gets to roll a ball? Check. Nat gets to knock things down? Double check. It was a winning idea all the way around.

Did you know that bowling shoes could be adorable?
They are if they're a size 7. LOVE.

Doing a little pre-game dance

About to bowl her first game
(Apparently if you're two, you can cheat and use a ramp.
And bumpers.)

Knocked 3 pins down the first time

Aaaaaand knocked the rest of them down for the spare

So proud!

Getting ready for our Babydoll Parade

My mom made Natalie this sweet dress.
With a matching purse. And a matching dress
for her baby doll. And a matching blanket for the
aforementioned baby doll.
My mom = adorable.

The Babydoll Parade takes off!

Twinsies!

Stopping mid-march to show off her mad dance skillz.

LOVE her.

May 2011 - Recap

So this was kind of a hairy month. You didn't feel very well, I didn't feel very well, and Daddy didn't feel very well. Here's hoping June in all its annoying humidity and beginnings of hurricane season fares a bit better.

One thing I've recently discovered is that you like to take credit for things that I do. For instance, let's suppose that you can't find your pretend slice of pizza (a common occurance in your world). You run up to me and report the devestating news. With my Mommy Cape flapping in the breeze, I march over to your play kitchen, locate the missing piece of pizza and hand it to you. Your eyes open up wide, you smile a huge smile, and proudly proclaim "I found it!" Um, no, in fact, you didn't. I found it. Stop stealing my thunder.

I'm sure that you'll think I'm hopelessly lame for posting this (because Muh-THER, Twitter is SOOOOOO 2011), but Bob (ie: my mom) recently made an observation about you. You would be the perfect Tweeter. You (typically) speak in 140 characters or fewer. I've considered creating a Twitter account and just post the random things that come out of your mouth. It wouldn't be any less interesting than some of the off-the-wall things that other people post. In the span of 5 minutes, I could post the following tweets:

• I wearin' shorts
• I ridin' in Mommy's car
• Mommy's dwiving da wheel
• I have bwown hair
• I yike to sing
• My mouse (mouth) hurts
• I weadin' a book
• Wass dis song?
• I yike dis song
• I yike cookies wiff spinkles (sprinkles)
• I eatin' a snack
• Yots (lots) and yots (lots) of cars
• Dat fire hydwant is dirty. Get some cweaner and cwean it! (Many thanks to my dad for showing you how to clean a fire hydrant ...)

Seriously. This all came out of your mouth before we barely got out of our neighborhood one day. But then again, you're two. And I'm willing to bet that something similar to these phrases show up on grown-ups' Twitter accounts. You get a pass. The other guys? Maybe not.

You had your very first trip to the dentist this month. I wasn't planning on taking you until you were three, but you were complaining (a lot ... no, make that A LOT) that your mouth hurt. You had bumped your mouth on your bathroom counter a few days before that, and while I never saw a bump or any blood, I wanted to take you in just to make sure you didn't do any damage to your teeth. Come to find out your teeth are fine. You just need to learn to get your tongue out of the way of your new two-year molars. The dentist took one look in your mouth and said "A ha! I see the culprit!" He showed me a huge blood-red spot on the side of your tongue where you must have bit it when you hit your mouth in the bathroom. The annoying thing about biting your tongue is that it's easy to keep doing it. Over and over. And over. And over again. Needless to say, you were pretty miserable this month with teething-and-continuing-to-bite-your-swollen-tongue-over-and-over-again pain. I say this with all the love in my heart, but you are NOT pleasant when you're in pain. A bright moment came when you were convinced that a frozen GoGurt (to help numb your tongue) was ice cream. Why yes, yes it is. Absolutely.

Daddy's birthday was this month and his one big request was to take you bowling for the first time. I thought it was a GREAT idea. And let me tell you, it was hee-LAR-ious. You had the best time! You didn't care if you knocked down zero pins or 10 pins - you were just tickled to watch the ball roll down the alley. And I was really proud of you for waiting your turn so well. You didn't freak out when it wasn't your turn to bowl (you did, however, run laps around the bowling alley while waiting for your turn though). I'm proud to report that Mommy and Daddy both beat your score. (Yes, I was intent on beating my two-year-old at bowling. That's pretty harsh, I know). Granted I only beat you by 2 points, but winning's winning. And in my defense, you got to use a ramp AND bumpers. But I still beat you. Ha. Ha ha ha.

A super cute thing that's happened this month is that instead of me singing to you before bedtime, you've started to sing to me to me. You sang both verses of You Are My Sunshine. Seriously, kid, your cuteness brings me to my knees sometimes. Another one of your current favorite songs is In The Good Old Summertime (Bob sang it to KK and me when we were little, so I like singing it to you now). Except you don't call it "In the Good Old Summertime". You call it "In Da Gouda". Methinks I need to work on my singing annunciation.

You've known this for a while, but it's finally Internet Official. You're going to be a big sister!! I'm enormously glad that God doesn't always listen to me. If I got pregnant when I wanted to, I'd be having a baby this month. And that is a scary, scary thought. I know that plenty of two-year-olds do just fine with a new sibling, but I just don't think that you fall into that category. Thankfully God knows best, and instead, you'll be almost three when the baby comes. And I truly feel that's an ideal time for you to be a big sister. Since you were such a late talker, I'm still constantly in stitches, laughing at the things that you say. I want to soak up every minute I can with you before November. I have no doubt that you'll be an amazing big sister, and Baby Buzz Yightyear (I'll give you zero guesses as to who came up with that name) is so lucky to have you. You already talk to Buzz; you already pat my belly; you already try to feed Buzz food (both real and plastic). Daddy and I decided not to find out if I'm having a Boy Buzz or a Girl Buzz. Pretty much everyone thinks Buzz is a boy. Either is fine with me, though I think you having a sister would be neat. I love your Aunt KK so very much and I think it'd be neat for you to know that bond too. I know you won't care either way. My only concern is that you're going to be mad when I don't give birth to a Space Ranger.

Hugs and smooches,
Mommy & Daddy


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Headlines for June 1, 2011:

• After 122 million miles, Endeavour's work is done
• Expert: NYC, San Diego overdue for hurricanes
• Heat just too much for Mavs in Game 1
• Friend back on stand in Casey Anthony trial
• Oral rounds begin at Scripps National Spelling Bee
• Charlie Sheen Could End Up a 'Freak Show' Like Mike Tyson or Pee Wee Herman, Expert Says

Weekly Natalie - Week 121, 122, & 123

I would like to formally blame a certain pint-sized munchkin for preventing me from posting updates. Grumpasaurus Nat has been visiting recently (even though NO one invited her - rude.) and I just haven't had the energy to post an updates. And it's also why the latest pictures are from two weeks ago. Grumpasaurus Nat is not photogenic.

Team Smith's inaugural kite flying expedition.
Nat was super excited to see Buzz and Woody on the kite.

Trying to reach the kite - so cute!

NOT a good kite-flying-helper

Boing-y PIGTAILS!

Once Nat and I were far away on the other side of the playground,

the kite took off. I tried not to be offended.

Posey McPoserson

Showing off her Chuck Norris moves on the fountains

My little love. I could just eat her up.

Ha!

Right in the kisser. Awesome.

Sweet baby girl

So excited about the fountains!

And what better way to end a trip to the fountains,
than to splash your mother. Punk.

April 2011 - Recap

Oh my silly, silly Natalie,
This has got to be one of the funniest months in recent history. You're talking in real sentences now, and the things that come out of your mouth are nothing short of hysterical. Here are just a few that I can remember:

• Come on babies, let's (yet's) go read! (said to your baby dolls after I told you that I couldn't read another story because I had to go make dinner)
• I okay! (said after falling down then quickly getting back up)
• I so fast! (said when crossing the street)
• I found me! (said after coming out from underneath a blanket)
• I'm so happy I found you! (said to the mall. Yes, to the mall.)
• Fire trucks (twucks) are loud (woud) cuz dey help people! (said to a fire truck after one of the many times I've explained how their sirens are loud but not scary)
• I all dwessed up and I yook boo-tiful
• I a pwincess! (and when I politely tell you that no, you are not, in fact, a princess, you say "No, I a sweet girl" Yes, yes you are.)

And you also love LOVE to sing. You sing the ABCs no fewer than 20 times a day. You also love singing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. Here are the lyrics, according to you:

Twinkle twinkle, yiddle staw
Uppa buppa world so HIGH
Yike a diamond in da SKY
Twinkle twinkle, yiddle staw
Uppa buppa world so HIGH

You and I also do a pretty sweet Jesus Loves Me duet. I'll sing a line, then you sing the next line, and so on. Did you know "dey are weak but He is stwong?".

Whenever you do something physical (throwing a ball, running around the living room, being chased by Daddy or me, etc), you say "I Mouse-kercizing! I Mouse-kercising!" Thanks, Mickey Mouse, for teaching my child that exercise is fun. I owe you one.

For some reason, you've just NOW realized that you can scream (I'm not complaining by any means; I just think it's funny we made it 27 months with nary a scream [your tantrums are plenty loud, trust me, just not scream-y]). Needless to say, you learned about Inside Voice and Outside Voice this month. You've also learned about Whiny Girl Voice and Big Girl Voice. One of them makes Mommy's ears hurt; the other makes Mommy happy. I'm really proud of how quickly you've picked up on that concept. When you come up to me fussing about something, I'll ask you what kind of voice you're using. Nine times out of 10 you'll say "Big Girl Voice" (though 10 times out of 10, it's not). I ask you to try again using your Big Girl Voice. And you usually do. It's helped a LOT.

Daddy and I are working with you on using full sentences when you want something. In the past, you've said (for example) "Snack!" and we've asked you "Would you like a snack?". Now we're trying to teach you a more socially acceptable way of asking for something (you know, like "Pardon me, Mother Dearest, loveliest woman in all the land, might I trouble you for a morsel of food?"). Except that we haven't been good at teaching you different ways to ask for things. Like, you're pretty good at asking "Mommy, may I have a snack?" but you also ask "Mommy, may I have take a walk?" A+ for effort; C- for grammar.

Speaking of "have take a walk", you love taking Fire Hydrant Walks. There are two fire hydrants close to our house. One is big; the other is little (yiddle). You like to go back and forth between the two of them, talking about how they're red. How one is clean (cwean) and the other is a messy mess (thanks to Minnie Mouse for teaching you that phrase). How both are heavy. How Mommy won't let you pick up either one of them. I sure hope our neighbors don't mind you playing with the fire hydrants in their yards.

You've decided to have favorites this month. Your favorite color? Yellow (you've liked this color the best since before you turned one). Your favorite number? 1. Your favorite letter? A. Your favorite shape? Circle. Your favorite animal? Cat. Or doggie. Or pig. Or horse. Or whatever animal pops into your mind.

You've turned into quite the Backseat Diaper Changer this month. When it's time for a diaper change, you (loudly) remind me to use wipes and diaper cream. I don't know if you're aware, but I've been cleaning your rear end for 28 months. I got it, thanks.

When Daddy or I come get you in the morning or after a nap, we always ask you if you had sweet dreams (answer: yes). Then we ask you what you dreamed about. We had gotten used to these wild and fantastical dreams you would tell us about. But this month, the answer has been the same: horses. And pigs. And when we put you down to sleep, you automatically say "Dream 'bout horses!" So cute.

One of your favorite games is "How Many?" I ask you how many [insert body part here] and you give me some wild, off-the-wall answer. And then you giggle hysterically. It's like this:
Me: Natalie, how many eyes do you have?
You: Fourteen!
Me: Fourteen eyes? Oh my GOSH!
You: Oh my GOSH!
Me: Natalie, how many ears do you have?
You: Seventeen!
Me: Seventeen ears? Holy moly!
You: Holy moly!
Me: Natalie, how many toes do you have?
You: (in a totally serious voice) Ten.

Of course you have ten toes. How silly of me to ask.

So while this month was a really, really funny month, it was also a sad month. You learned how to say 'eleven'. Which means no more 'yum-yum-yum." Not that I want you to be 18 calling it yum-yum-yum, but still, I miss it. A lot. And you also learned how to say Pluto. So no more 'boe-toe." I guess you're growing up. Or something.

You melt my heart on a constant basis. Just last night, I was reading to you out of your "My First Bible." We got to the story of Jesus' birth. I pointed out Mary and Joseph, and when I was about to say "Baby Jesus", you said "Baby God." I mean really. Are you kidding me? That level of cuteness is beyond my wildest imagination. And that level of cuteness totally makes up for you having 14 eyes and 17 ears.

Hugs and smooches,
Mommy & Daddy


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Headlines for May 1, 2011:

• Volunteers Across the South Tend to Storm-Ravaged Communities
• Tornado Victims Seek Comfort in Sunday Services
• NASA says no new launch attempt before next Sunday
• Charlie Sheen Slams Chuck Lorre Again: 'No One Cares About Your Feeble Show Without Me'
• Prince William, Kate leave palace in helicopter
• Legally blind runner wins women's marathon in Ohio
• Gates gives $20 million for digital learning

This headline came late last night, after I had already posted your recap. This is big news, my love. You'll learn why when you're older:

• President Obama Confirms Osama Bin Laden's Death
  

Weekly Natalie - Week 120

We had quite a fun Easter around the Smith house. Holidays are exponentially more fun since Natalie came along. We don't do the whole Easter Bunny thing, but she got a big kick out of looking for Easter eggs. And an even bigger kick out of eating her very first batch of jelly beans.

"Yook Momma! More eggs!!"

Yes, I know there's a egg over there. I put it there.
It's your job to retrieve them.

Pleased with her loot

A jelly bean!!!

I love my girl. She rocks.

This is her jelly-bean-eating face
(she's trying to chew and get the jelly beans unstuck
from her teeth at the same time)

Sweet, messy PIGGIES!