Mommy and Me

Crappy picture of me, but Natalie is so happy!!!!

I love corn!

And I can eat it like a big girl!!!!

A visit with Uncle Stevie...

Ma!! He won't share his beer with me!

Mom! I'm a supa-stah!!

Ah-CHOO!!!!

Natalie has recently learned to fake sneeze! This video contains other random Natalie behaviors as well!!!

Warm Vegetable Salad - YUMMMMM!

I highly recommend this recipe!!!

Giada's warm vegetable salad!

The pictures are HERE!!!!!

This isn't even CLOSE to all of them...but I just can't post them all, it would take forever!!! I am so so so so so happy with these. The photographers website is www.angelaocchino.com

SNEAK PEAK!!!!!!!!

Ang sent me a sneak peak of Natalie's professional pictures. OH.MY.GOD. She's mailing me the rest this week. I can't wait!!!!

Oh Boy! I have TWO Teddys?

Natalie found Teddy 2 today. Not sure how it happened but I turned around and she had 2 Teddys. We had Nana find a 2nd Teddy for Natalie when we realized how attached she was to the original Teddy that Nana had given her (in 2006!!). Of course it was a Teddy from BROOKSTONE!! Not easy to find. I think Nana got the last one - whew. The new Teddy is usually referred to as Teddy 2 or the MTU - Mobile Teddy Unit. We switch the Teddys up to they have the same amount of wear - Natalie doesn't seem to know the difference. Well...at least she didn't until she realized she had 2 Teddys!!!

One last visit with the Rhode Island pals!

We were able to have a nice visit with Alissa and the kids yesterday before they head home to Rhode Island. Hopefully none of them get sick from Natalie!

Here are a few pictures!

Professional Preview...

Well...not really. These are just 2 pics I took while Angela was taking the real pictures!! But you can just imagine how freaking cute the good ones will be!!!!

The Sickies

Poor little Natalie.

Either her dinner didn't sit well with her or she got a stomach bug. Last night SUCKED. The poor thing threw up 11 times between 10-12:15am - I felt so terrible for her! Especially because it was mostly dry heaving - it was awful. She was so scared, Jeff and I were so scared! Luckily she stopped and was able to sleep until the morning. She seems to be ok today but no appetite and she doesn't want her sippy.

Hopefully we'll get a decent dinner in her tonight!

My kid is A-D-O-R-A-B-L-E

Yesterday while getting her picture taken, Natalie demonstrated her cuteness to the MAX.

We were walking over to a bridge for some pictures and she's just toddling along in her diaper, holding my hand, her curly hair all over the place. There was a middle-aged couple in chairs nearby watching the lake and Natalie starts saying "hi" to them. So the woman of course waves and says "hi" back. Then Natalie points at the couple and looks at me and says "Whosthis?" Her version of "who is that?" How CUTE is that? So I told the woman, "she wants to know who you are" and the woman told us her name was Shereen and asked who Natalie was. It was only a couple of minutes that we interacted with her - but it made Natalie soooooo happy! She LOVES people and it makes her so happy when they talk to her!

I think I'm gonna have my hands full when she's able to talk more. I'm fully anticipating boatloads of embarassing and inappropriate questions asked by the cutie-pie with the Shirley Temple hair.

Photographs

We had Natalie's 1 year pictures taken today (ok, yes, yes, I know. I KNOW! A little late...but better late than never, right?)

Our friend Angela took them for us at Sturgeon Point Marina and then at Wendt Beach Park. I cannot even WAIT to get my hands on these pictures. The ones Ang showed me were beyond gorgeous. I've been wanting a picture of Natalie that just takes my breath away. And I think I've probably got several!! I am going to spend a FORTUNE on these pictures, I can guarantee it. But it is so worth it. And Ang is SO great and easy going to work with. She is crazy busy right now (she's getting MARRIED next month!!!) and she still managed to find time to fit us in today.

BYE BYE SEARS PORTRAIT STUDIO!!!!! You've been replaced by a much more talented and artistic photographer. We spent almost an hour and a half and Natalie was soooooo happy the whole time (well...a little cranky at the end. It was nap time). That is a far cry from how rushed we were and how much crying there was at Sears...in about 30 minutes.

I can't wait to share!!

In the meantime...check out Angela's website.

Jeff's Reunion!!

Last night was the Lake Shore High School Class of 1998 10 year reunion! I was nervous about going since I hadn't met a ton of people that Jeff had gone to high school with. It was really fun! We had a great time. It was fantastic to be out of the house - baby FREE!!! We brought Natalie for a 1/2 hour or so in the beginning of the party - we weren't sure anyone would believe that Jeff had a kid! Everyone thought she was adorable - naturally!!

The reunion was at the Town Park on the beach side so we were right on the lake and next door to South Shore and Mickey Rats Beach Clubs. It was sad because there were barely any boats out and they're usually lined up while people are at the bar! Its so funny, people party at the bars and then sleep it off on their boats! When the park closed we walked over to Mickey Rats and were joined by Jeff's brother and his wife Sarah. We were so excited they came out! My friend Tori was out and it was good to see her - we were able to chat for a bit! I was so sad when we had to go home, but we knew that Natalie would be up by 7am regardless of when we went to bed or how we were feeling!

Here are a few pictures!

Lake Shore High School - Class of '98


Jeff and I on our big night OUT!


The beach




Brothers!!


Steve and Sarah


Jeff, Steve, and Bob




The walk to Rats...

Bubbles

We've got 1 more thing to add to Natalie's list of favorites!!!!

BUBBLES!!!