Memorial Day Picnic

Summer weather has finally arrived!  We took full advantage of the warm temperatures, and celebrated Memorial Day weekend by planting flowers, tending to our yard, and having a family picnic.  Natalie got her first opportunity for a dip in the pool!

Donning an adorable sun hat, Natalie splashes in the pool for the first time!

Of course, she loved it.

Family photo op

While the adults enjoyed traditional picnic fare, Nat sampled some mashed bananas..mmm!

Love this kid

She loves being outside

"flying" with Aunt Beth

Playtime with Aunt B

Five Months

As promised, five month pictures!

(some day she might be really upset with the number of times I have published the "cheeks" picture!)

Today

Let me say that for a child who spends a fair amount of time in front of the camera (first born baby plus mom obsessed with taking pictures, you do the math), Natalie was in no mood for pictures today.  She practically smiles on command, but today she would not give it up...

"Hey, did you know there is a foot on the end of this leg?!"

"And, look!  I can pull it all the way up to my face!"

"Wow, and these toes go right in my mouth!!"

Cici agrees to tolerate Natalie and Natalie agrees not to pull her fur too hard

Not just anybody can be soothed by the handle

"This is what I think of your stupid photo project, Mom!"

I like to think that our daily story time has already created some interest in reading...

So serious

Love the bright blue eyes

Natalie discovers that her keys do not in fact start the car

Finally (finally!!), starting to show a little love for tummy time

"Are you watching me?!"

We are going to be in big trouble soon!

So May was crazy.  I'm hoping June is a little quieter, because I feel like we need to catch up a little around the house.  We had 2 great trips this month, to St. Louis and to Milwaukee.  Natalie did outstanding on both trips!  She was a real trooper for the long car rides, and settled fairly well right back into her schedule on the road and upon return home.  She was a little out of sorts for our Wisconsin trip.  So many new people to meet happened at the same time that Miss Natalie decided to develop a little stranger anxiety.  No offense, please, Wisconsin family!  Promise to be a little more outgoing next time!

Within the past week, Natalie has been impossible to keep still.  She rolls as soon as she's put on her back, and can now spin herself around on her tummy using her arms.  She is starting to pull her knees up, and this morning she was on her forearms and had pushed all the way up on her feet so she was in an inverted "V" on the floor.  Whoa.  She went crashing to the ground pretty quickly, so I'm guessing it will be awhile before she tries to pull that one again.

For her 5-month birthday, Nat got her first taste of banana.  She seemed to love it, which only makes sense since we eat about 18 bunches of bananas a week at our house.  (Seriously, we eat a ton of bananas, weird.) In honor of the long weekend, and a day without rain in the forecast, we are headed to the pool tomorrow for Nat's first dip!  I have a mental note to pack my camera.

Coming up in June...Nat's first girls' trip!  That's right, the ladies of the family are once again headed out for a week without the boys.  This year Savannah and Tybee Island get the pleasure!  

Happy Memorial Day weekend!

Baptism

Last weekend we spent our second weekend this month on the road as we headed north to Wisconsin for Natalie's baptism.  Thanks to everyone who attended!  We appreciate your support and well-wishes.  Big, big thanks to Nat's God Parents, Mark (and Jill and girls) and Beth (and Adam) for making the trip in from out of town.

The ceremony was very nicely done, and the party afterwards was great!  And, of course, no trip to Brewer country would be complete without catching a game.  We saw a Brew Crew victory Sunday afternoon before heading home....

(my apologies, the order of the pictures got a little wild as they uploaded!)

Despite LOVING the bath tub, she did not dig this at all

Nat with us and her God Parents, Mark and Beth

(see, crazy order)

Love Eric's face in this one!  We were all a little surprised at how much she hated the water

Nat and Ellie catching some much-needed zz's at the start of the party

Nat with Mom, Dad, and both sets of grandparents

Showing off her beautiful Christening gown, handmade with love by Grandma K.

Nat, Dad, and Aunt Jen and Aunt Em

Great 4 Generation picture!  First time meeting Great Grandpa K.

A little love for the Bern man

So proud of my beautiful babe

Total ham getting a diaper change post Brewer victory

First visit to Miller Park (but 3rd baseball game!)

You know what tomorrow is....5 month pictures coming up!  Plus some adorable randoms of Natalie discovering that she can get her feet in her mouth.

Man's Best Friend

For over 3 years, we have been happy "parents" to Bernie, our cuddly poodle/spaniel mix pup.  Sadly, this weekend, Bernie moved on to a new home in Minnesota with Aunt Jen.  It was an impossible decision.  Of course we loved Bernie very much, and still do, but he developed a less than desirable tendency to steal objects, then become very possessive of them, snarling and snapping when someone tried to retrieve them from him.  When this behavior extended to Natalie's toys, we knew we had a bigger problem.  Not wanting to run the risk of her getting bit, we decided it was best for Bernie and Natalie for him to have a new home.

Bernie, we love you and miss you very much, but know you are going to love your new home!

shortly after arriving at our Boston apartment

enjoying some time at a dog park in Beantown

Bernie always enjoyed his sleep, but for some reason especially loves to nap on his back

Looking a little wiser with age

A Day in the Life Of

Oh to be a baby.....

To be entertained by the simplest toys:

To look so lovingly at your mom, even at 6:30 in the morning when she is annoyed you are so awake:

To make new discoveries and develop new talents every day:

To hang on the edge of every word, and joyously offer your own jibberish responses:

Then patiently await an appropriate reply:

(by the way, I have a feeling this isn't the last time I will see this "uh huh, right Mom" face)

And, finally, for it to be so much fun to play with no pants on:

Baby all-star was up and at 'em early this morning.  Who can blame her?  Lately she's been rocking brand new skills every day, so who wouldn't want to get a head start on the day's latest discovery?  I found her in her crib this morning...on her tummy!  I knew it was going to happen any day, but was still surprised to find her that way!  I should add, that, not only was she on her tummy, but turned completely sideways in her crib so that her head was facing the wall and her feet were sticking out through the slats.  

She LOVES rolling lately.  I can't keep her on her back during playtime, which is funny because she still gets pretty darn mad most of the time when she's on her tummy.  So, you tell me, what's a mom to do?  I'm trying to "teach" her to roll back over, but she immediately flips back to her tummy.  

She took full advantage of playtime with her diaper off this morning.  I will say, she was totally digging tummy time with her hiney free!  Ah, my little exhibitionist....

Car Seat Love

Simply put, Natalie hates her car set.  She screams while being put into it.  She tries to sit up, and arches her back while the straps are being tightened.  Then she cries once she is actually strapped in.  The crying continues until she can fight it no more, and eventually she succumbs to the soothing movement of the car....

I love how she's holding her pacifier by the part that goes in her mouth...

T-3 days until our next road trip.  Nat is gearing up for her first trip to Wisconsin, and her first ball game at Miller Park.  Also on the agenda is her baptism.  It's going to be a busy weekend for her, but she's been such a trooper during the busy past 2 weekends, that I'm sure she will handle it as well as a 4.5 month old can.  Promise pictures from this trip!