A daddy's tale

Well I don't have any pictures to put up with this because Christina has the camera up in Ohio with her, but I would like to share a little update from daddy's perspective. Christina has been in Ohio helping her sister make wedding plans and the like since Thursday of last week so this has given me an excuse to get away from Mugshot and spend some time with Natali, not as much as I would like mind you! Anyway, she continues to amaze me with her sharp mind and just the fact that she is growing up and now able to communicate with us so much better. We have this routine that needs to stop although I will miss it when it does stop. I take full responsibility for starting the whole thing because daddy is a major softy when it comes to my baby girl. Somehow at night when it is time to go to bed, Natali has decided that she needs to hold someone's hand (specifically - a finger) while she drifts to sleep. If this does not happen, she will cry out very loudly "Hold a finger, Hold a finger!!!!" So daddy not being able to say no to this, sits beside the crib and puts just enough of his hand through the slats and lets Natali hold a finger until she falls asleep. Admitedly this needs to stop because she needs to sleep on her own but I just really enjoy that quiet time and I get sad when I think it will have to end. She reaches out and gets a rather strong grip on my pointer finger and just watches me as the sleep takes over and her blue eyes get too heavy. I just sit and watch her for sometimes up to 20 minutes as she lays so peacefully and innocently in her bed. There is something about where she is in life that is desirable, she is taken care of, all of her needs and most of her wants are done for her to keep her content and care-free. If only we could learn to be that way with our Father, we are taken care of, no matter what it looks like. Nat and I have had alot of fun, but we are ready for mom to come back and put some stability in our lives! One more thing about the little ones, there is nothing on the planet like the hug that little arms can give, when it is followed by "love you daddy," it just makes everything else go away and you know there has just been a moment you would never trade for anything but you would give anything to hear it again! Being a daddy is a rather good thing to be.

Rainbow

I forgot to blog about the rainbow. On Natali's birthday, this is what we saw on our way home from ToysRUs . This was a full rainbow - you could see the whole thing from end to end. We actually stopped in a parking lot to show Natali and to take a picture (since I had my camera in the car still). When Natali saw the rainbow she said "Noah made it". :) I guess that's close. We told her that God made the rainbow and it was for Noah at one time and so on...... I am just in awe of rainbows everytime I see them. Also on the left side of this rainbow was part of a double rainbow. So enjoy!!!!

Natali's first 2 years of life

I know I'm late, but I love to remember all the moments we have shared with Natali over the last 2 years. These are only a few of my favorite pictures. Happy late Birthday again Natali!!!

We had a good birthday celebration while my sister and her fiance Bradley, my mom's parents, and my brother were all in town. I am so behind in blogging and most everything else around the house. Oh well. We are trying to get Natali over another asthma flair up.....started last Wednesday.. so hopefully she will be breathing better soon.

Happy Birthday a day late to Natali!! We had a birthday party Saturday night with the Edinger side of the family and had lots of fun. I made a ladybug cake and we had other "snacky" things and ice cream. Natali got some new vehicles which made her very happy. :)

Last night we went out to eat at Chik-Fil-A with my parents and enjoyed dinner and Natali played in/on the playground. Then we went to ToysRUs because they sent a coupon for Natali to use on her birthday and the card said that if she came in to the store, she would be treated extra special. So we had to see what that was about. She got a balloon, some candy and a crown to wear. She was SO CUTE walking around ToysRUs holding her balloon and Natali was in heaven - she looked at everything and pushed all the buttons on all the toys. Daddy was a softy and let Natali get a new dump truck that makes noises and all kinds of things. :0) That's what birthdays are for right??? Overall, we had a great birthday weekend and we are so happy to have our little 2 year old!!!

Vehicles and new race track

Natali is really in to "vehicles" lately. She will play with cars/trucks/tractors, etc. all day long and most of the time is spent lining them up, relining them up, and then puting them in a different line again. Sometimes they are right side up and sometimes she puts them upside down. She mostly does this on the couch for whatever reason. I took some pictures from a couple days last week of her playing with the "vehicles". (By the way, that is what she calls all of them - vehicles, but if you ask her what a certain one is, she will specify. EX: truck, hummer, Nissan Z, etc.) :)

Also, I got her a race track that I found at WalMart on the clearance isle. She enjoys watching them go around and around and she can actually catch them and then put them back on the track if she wants to. We had to get rechargeable batteries because she wears the regular ones out too fast.

she said..

On Sunday I was getting ready to put Natali's shoes on for church. But she saw a different pair of shoes on the rocking chair and said "These, I like"! :) It is so funny to us the way she keep putting things together. We can have pretty decent conversations with her and understand what she is trying to say to us.
She was playing in her room on Saturday and I walked in and talked to her for a minute. Then she looked at me and said "bye bye mommy". I said "Do you want mommy to leave?" and she said "yes". So I left and she kept playing in her room all by herself.
Gotta love it!!!

Finally - some pictures!!

I have had some complaints that there are not any current pictures or much of anything on this blog in the last few weeks. Yes, I have been using my time to do other things unfortunately. We have been very busy at work and at home so blogging has been on the back burner. And, it seems like I haven't taken hardly any pictures of Natali in the last few months because she is always moving - it is very difficult to take pictures at this age. But I managed to capture some good ones.

Natali being tickled by daddy.

Say "cheese" !

This is to show what a big girl she is getting to be in her chair - she used to look so small sitting in it.

Silly girl - she is giving a funny look.

P.S. Yes, her hair is very light, sortof sandy blonde I guess. People ask us quite frequently "Where does she get the blonde hair?" We don't really know - Josh's sister has blonde hair but other than that we all have brown hair. Who knows. Natali gets the blue eyes from daddy but who could figure I/we would end up with a blonde hair / blue eyed kid. :)

New saying

I was giving Natali a bath yesterday morning and I was trying to wash her legs and this is what I get - "go away". I kept washing her legs and then "go away Mommy" with a whine to it. Yeah, the whole getting their own will and opinions on things is for sure in fully swing. It's a challenge to deal with her right now - definitely a learning experience. :) Good stuff.

cookie bar and other Nat stuff

Natali is into "cookies" these days. Cookies include: fig bars, granola bars, and real actual cookies. Every morning lately she says "cookie... bar" and she would like either a granola bar or fig bar. She pretty intent when she wants a certain thing to eat. :)

Natali is also learning to sing. She almost has the alphabet song down and she'll say "Now I BCs". (Now I know my ABCs) and then"sing me" (sing with me). It's pretty cute. She also sings part of Old McDonald. I know this is sad but I watch American Idol on TV sometimes and their theme song has this certain sound at the end that changes from one note to another one a little bit higher. Natali does it perfectly with a "ooo...oooo" with the note changes.

Natali just amazes us every day on her ability to communicate and understand things. She is so smart and she isn't even 2 years old yet. She still likes to read and play with all her toys. She is still lovin' the pacifier but we will let her have it for a while longer. Overall, Natali is doing great.

outside

Natali the other day after it rained. She absolutely loves to go outside!! She doesn't care if it is dark outside, raining, freezing cold.....whatever the weather, Natali wants to go outside.

First hair cut

Natali's first hair cut! I only was allowed by daddy to cut bangs - I couldn't even trim the rest of her hair. :) So I did a really quick job of the bangs while Josh was home Wednesday night. Natali was a little nervous about the scissors but we made it through. Then she got a bath which she loves.

An 18 month checkup finally...

(the shirt says "and no one gets hurt" under the big letters)

We went yesterday for Natali to have her 18 month visit and shots. We haven't been able to go because Natali has been sick the last couple months. But anyways - she looks good! Ears are still okay thank goodness. Everything else looks and sounds good. She got 2 vaccines and the flu shot.


Here are the Natali stats:


27 pounds 33 inches long/tall 19 1/2 inches head circ.


Overall, she is above average - in the 75th percentile. Dr.Roberts says to keep Natali away from cookies and french fries!!! :) Natali really doesn't get those that often but I guess that is a nice way to say she is a little pudgy? :) Oh well. She just eats so much at mealtime so we might cut her back some. Also, I am to make sure to brush Natali's teeth twice a day (right now it's probably like every other day). So I will do it after each time I give Natali her medicine.


We are happy to have a healthy little girl right now.

update

Well, Natali had her doctor visit last Monday and there is good news. :) Her ears look great right now - not redness or discharge! This is wonderful but we still go 2 more months on the 2 antibiotics. Natali's GI system is holding up pretty good - she had some diarrhea over the weekend but seems to be better now.

Natali is progressing very fast in the area of talking and understanding what things mean. She actually knows most of her alphabet and she tries to sing "Old McDonald". :) She can recognize letters anywhere. She saw a letter on a rug in a store and told us what letter it was. We are just amazed at how she can remember things she is taught.

Unfortunately Natali is becoming more independant. For example :
Natali is looking at her letter magnets on the refrigerator and saying her letters.
I go over there and say "What letter is that Natali?" And she tells me a couple.
Natali : "No mama" and proceeds to push me out of the way.
She does things like this quite often or only wants a specific person to do something for her.

Overall, we are doing well and enjoying Natali but also having some frustrating times with her and trying to figure out how to discipline her. Like when she doesn't come when we call her, when she screams in a store when I pick her up and it's time to go, or if I try to help her with eating food and she starts screaming at me. :) Fun stuff.

Family Christmas picture

This is our attempt at a family picture for Christmas. Yeah, Natali wasn't exactly looking at the camera when we wanted her to......seems to happen with kids huh? :)

Natali is finally letting me fix her hair sometimes. I have put pigtails a few times and she looks a lot different to me but it's pretty cute. It's hard to believe at this time last year she was just about bald!

Things are going pretty well. Natali is now on a 3 month regimen of 2 antibiotics together to try to finally clear up her ears. She had drainage again the week of Christmas and that's when they started the medicines. She had been on these 2 before, but only for like 2 weeks. The PA is saying it's possible the ear problems are from allergies, but we will see what happens. Natali goes to see her every 2 weeks now and we will go next Monday.

Natali is talking like crazy and is super smart. She understands so much now and puts 2 or more words together all the time. She also mumbles a lot too but she sure means something! We love the way she is growing mentally - it is amazing actually.

Here are some pictures of Natali that I took outside last week. She looks like a big girl. :)

Say "cheese"!