Seven Months

On Thursday, Natalie turned 7 months old!  Let me start by saying that if one person can successfully photograph a seven-month old baby unassisted, they deserve some kind of award.  Here is how the photo shoot went...

Me: Position Natalie generally where I wanted her.
Natalie: Smile sweetly at me, ready for her close up.
Me: Run to my camera to prepare for action.
Natalie: Crawling as fast as she can after me.

Most of the pictures I took are of the top of Nat's head, or have her only half in the frame because she is too fast for me to get a decent picture of.  Next month I'm either hiring an assistant, or super gluing her bottom to the floor.

Here's our photo project:

These are some of my favorites from the day....

What?  Hold it how?

Now she's just mocking me trying to get her to hold these signs...

Hey!  Here I come!

Shout out to Grandma K for making this adorable petal dress

but, let's face it, so hard to crawl in a dress!  Nat loved looking at it just as much as wearing it!

Keeping an eye on things

and over here

you'd think we never fed her...

On the Go

That is exactly what we've been the past two weeks.  Busy!  And that seems weird to say, because I'm not quite sure what we've been doing.  We did decide to have a yard sale (first ever), which seemed like a great idea, and now seems like the best idea ever.  It really is amazing how many things one can acquire.  Our yard sale is a combined effort, so there are going to be some great finds to be had.  Aug 6-7, in case you're interested.

In the last two weeks, Nat's first tooth now looks like an almost full-sized tooth!  The second bottom tooth is so close to coming through now, too.  She is also crawling all over the place, and fast!  Her latest trick is to crawl to the coffee table, pull herself up, and shriek until everyone in ear shot is ooohing and aaahing over how clever she is.  It's pretty comical.

Here are some pictures from around the house:

love the face

and the smile!  can you see her tooth?

Look, Mom!  Are you looking?!

Let me at that camera

Here I come!

Pretty girl

If I could just get up here, maybe I would get a snack

country girl

she's so busy.  all the time!

This is her new show-off-my-tooth-smile

Spears and Slices

Look out, Vlasic.  We are in the pickle-making business now, too.  About a week ago, we harvested cucumbers from our garden and pickled away.  Here's the result:

And, here's our little crawler!  Also this week...Natalie FINALLY got a tooth.  It's a tiny sliver of a tooth right now, just barely through the gum, but it is definitely here.  Hopefully this will bring some needed relief for Miss Nat.

She's getting really fast...

on carpet and hardwood

and into everything...

Nat is now pulling up with relative ease, using anything she can get to (including, apparently, this ficus tree!).  The betting pool is officially open for when Nat will be walking.  She loves walking around the house now, with help, of course.  The mark to beat is 8 months, set by Aunt Jenny!

4th of July Campout

To celebrate the 4th of July, we headed north to Wisconsin for a weekend of fun with family.  Sleeping arrangements involved a tent and sleeping bags.  I was, needless to say, a tad nervous about how Natalie would do "roughing it."  Of course, she did great.  She really never ceases to amaze me.  She tolerated 7 hours in the car and a very, very bizarre schedule.  I do think she has been glad to be back home this week after 2 weeks of craziness between our trip south, followed by our trip north.

Watching all the "big" kids run around made me very excited, but also a little sad, thinking that next summer that will be Natalie.  I am so proud of her, and amazed at how fast she is growing, but at the same time part of me wants her to slow down just a little....

Anyway, here are some shots from this weekend:

We got to visit with Bernie, looking trim as ever

I love camping!

Sharing secrets with Evan and Grandpa

dada time

Yes, she is a Brewer fan

Toasting Great Grandpa Brigowatz with a PBR

with Great Grandpa Kranz

talking shop with the boys

hi Great Uncle Steve

Next on our agenda.....nothing!  Not for a few weeks, anyway.  Our next big event is in August, when Eric and myself are 1/3 of a team for a 5K through the mud!  Those pictures should be entertaining....

To totally change gears, Nat went yesterday for her 6-month check up.  She's doing great, and is ahead of all her milestones so far.  She got 3 shots, but the good news is she not due for anymore until her 12-month check up!  She weighed in at 16 lbs 11 oz and is now 26.5 inches long, 50th percentile for weight and just under 75th percentile for length.  We don't go back now until she's 9 months.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Baby All-Star

Nothing is safe now!

Beach Baby

Natalie has become quite the traveler recently.  I am happy to report that she now rather enjoys going into her car seat, as opposed to the wild tantrums she used to throw if she got within 4 feet of the thing.  How can one blame her, really.  I'd hate being strapped in like that, too.  Nat went on her first girls' trip in June.  After a 12-hour drive south, we arrived on Tybee Island, just outside of Savannah, Georgia.  We girls spent a week on the beach and touring downtown Savannah.  Despite the HOT weather, we had a great time!

Playtime after 12 hours in the car

beach bum

the ocean water was very warm

pretty Aunt Beth

Nat has not yet grasped the concept of sand toys

seeing the ocean and waves for the first time

not sure what to think!

definitely liked watching better than swimming

shovels are for eating

Nat and Grandma, showing off her awesome new hat

watching the sun set and dolphins swim

beautiful sunset

Nat conquers her first girls' trip