Just Another January Day

At the end of January, the sun is shining and today's temperature was in the 50s!  So, despite the mud from all of last week's rain, Natalie and I put on light jackets (ha!) and went outside to "explore."  We walked all over, fell down, got dirty, inspected some fallen limbs from a recent storm, marveled at the tiny buds on our trees and new green grass coming up already, stomped mole hills, watched waves on the pond, and then took a bike ride.  It was a fantastic way to spend a late January afternoon.

Except, I didn't have my camera!  But, I did snap a few photos on my phone:

I wonder if Nat remembers how cold and snowy it was last winter?

Burying herself in mulch is a giant advancement from last fall's eating of mulch.

I saw Mama climb this fence...

I guess I'll just watch from this side

That Foot Stinks

This is pretty much Natalie's new favorite game....and she likes play while eating? I assure you her foot do not normally smell. She thinks it's pretty darn hilarious though.

Play Room Perfection

For awhile, and by awhile I mean approximately 12.5 months, we've been a little overwhelmed by all of the baby paraphernalia that has practically taken over our house.  I would say on a scale of one to obsessive-compulsive disorder, I'm about a 9.5 on the clean and orderly scale, but even I have had a difficult time managing to keep all of Nat's toys, accessories, and whatnot in their place at all times.  So, you can imagine that after Christmas and a first birthday all within less than a week, we really had a toy problem on our hands.  The solution came to us pretty quickly: turn the basement into a play room.  Since we moved in, we had a great finished basement space that has sat empty.  We filled it partly with old furniture from our Boston apartment, but otherwise it is pretty much unused, and "unfinished."  After tossing around ideas like pool table (neither of us really play pool), air hockey table (YES!), bar, spare bedroom, leave it empty until we REALLY need it, the idea of the play room was born.  I drew up some plans, which really involved a quasi-3-dimensional drawing of what I wanted as far as storage space, and Eric and his dad brought it to life:

Here is the space before:

My "plans" turned into a usable blueprint:

Unfortunately, Burt had to find a new home...

somehow this didn't say "play room appropriate" to me

Phase 1 of the chalkboard I had to have

Boards are cut

`

and being pieced together

fabric for homemade cushions

my attempt at upholstery a back cushion

corner cabinet

And, drumroll please, the finished product:

(Rocky is finding a new home, too...)

She LOVES it!

I would say that the room turned out better than I could have hoped.  The toys are all kept in one place, and best of all there is space for all of them!  And, our upstairs no longer looks like a Toys R Us exploded, which I find much less anxiety-provoking.  Big thanks to our two wonderful engineers!

Star Search

Somebody get this kid an agent!

Lunch with Natalie

In most of the world, you'll find that folks like to eat grilled cheese with their hands. But in our little corner, we eat grilled cheese with a little more refinement. That's right, we use a fork. Or at least, those of us that have recently discovered how to eat with a fork do...

January?

I'd say that winter thus far has been unseasonably warm.  Today, was a little cooler, but still nice enough that with appropriate clothing on, was nice to be outside.  Nat and I decided to bundle up and go for a bike ride.

Nat and her new tricycle

Showing off walking in her snowsuit, arms out for extra balance!

Love this face

When walking became too much with all the layers, Nat gave in.

YOU!

And here is my latest project...a sewing corner!  I asked for, and got, a sewing machine for Christmas.  Then, with birthday money, purchased this table.  Here it is, mostly set up, and awaiting sewing projects!

Nat's First Birthday Party

As you well know, Natalie turned one last week.  Pictures from the party are long overdue, I know.  Allow me to digress for only a moment.  Do you know how challenging it is to organize, throw, and host a party, assist a one-year-old through the afternoon, AND be the party photographer all at the same time?  Nearly impossible.  So, one of the tasks had to be thrown out the window, and, sadly, that was capturing most of the afternoon on film.

I finally got some pictures from my mom...

First, the magnificent cakes!

Nat's own cupcake

They tasted pretty darn good, too!

With approximately a dozen celebrations of Christmas leading up to her party, Nat was a pro at presents...

Getting right into it

She paused to read every book she opened...

How adorable is this little hat?  It has a matching sweater, too.

Nat had some assistance from a seasoned present opener!

Looking for approval to eat her cupcake

Better double check with mom first.

One bite at a time so as to minimize messes.

She's still letting me think she needs my help.

Have you ever seen a neater kid?

Modeling her new John Deere boots and test-driving her rocking horse

Now that she's 1, she's too cool for school.  Doesn't this remind you of a celebrity dodging the paparazzi? 

Christmas Leftovers

A few weeks before Christmas, the 3 of  us attended a nice holiday cocktail party.  Even though it's old news, I thought these pictures of Nat in her formal attire were too cute not to share: