19 months

We are starting to ask ourselves if time is flying by faster and faster each month, it sure seems like it!  You are growing up so fast and you are becoming such a big girl.  Mommy and Daddy love you very much and we are so lucky to have you as our little girl.  You amaze us every day and our love for you grows with each passing moment!  We love you very much!

Pretty girl in her beautiful strawberry dress!

Looking so grown up on the front steps!

On the Elmo Sit and Spin!  Soon after it moved onto the carpet!

The only picture I could get of Natalie on her ladybug ride-on toy outside!  Don't worry she was fine!

Talking on her peanut butter toast phone!

"Mmmmm peanut butter"

Pretty girl playing at Grandma and Grandpa's house

We left to go to Saugatuck, Michigan for a week of vacation on Friday, June 22, 2012.  Natalie, Gigi and I drove up late after work and got to the house a little after 10 pm.  It was just over 5 hours from home, which was a perfect distance.  We spent our days playing outside, going to the beach and exploring Saugatuck and Fennville.  I was only able to stay until Wednesday, but Natalie stayed with Gigi and Papa for another two days and from what I hear was very well behaved.

Digging in the sand on the beach

"Mom stop bugging me while I work!"

Having a snack on the beach

Sammie, Marie, Caden, and Charlie

Caden and Charlie

Your favorite food: WATERMELON!

This face is pure summer joy!  Hair still full of sunscreen and a little wet, watermelon juice running down your chin and arms, while outside eating dinner!

Playing in the park around a gazebo near this neat tree!

Sitting outside relaxing with Aunt Marie and Sammie!

Uncle Joe and Uncle Mark teaching the kids how to throw pizza dough up in the air.  Probably the hardest I have laughed in a long time! 

Sammie riding the tricycle on the driveway

Natalie strutting her stuff in her bathing suit

Sammie playing with a big frisbee, while the boys played soccer

Charlie sitting on a ball.  I think he thought if he sat on the ball then no one could take it from him!

Joey dancing to the music

Caden showing his moves

Caden and Natalie dancing to the music!

Daddy came up for a quick dinner one evening which was an awesome surprise!  We were really glad to see him even if it was for just a short time!

Gigi and Papa with four of the kids

Sammie, Papa, Joey, Caden, Natalie and Gigi

Natalie kept climbing behind the chair with Ladybug and resting against the chair.

It was a great hiding place!

Gigi and the big boys walking on the beach

Natalie and Mommy on the beach

(I still can't believe I let her take Ladybug to the beach!)

Mark and Sammie

Marie, Mark, Sammie and Caden (probably one of the last family photos with four)

Joe and Charlie heading home

Natalie sitting on a bench in downtown Saugatuck

It sounds silly but this was one of Natalie's favorite parts of vacation. She had a good time beating the signs with shovels and hitting them with her hands!

On the way to the Cleveland Zoo with Ashley and Liam Haskins!  You were sleeping so peacefully that I really didn't want to wake you when we got there!

Riding the choo-choo train at the zoo!

Liam being Liam

On our way out of the zoo!  It was in the mid-90s and extremely humid!

I love blueberry jam...thanks Gigi!

18 months

What a fun month we had!  You and your hair are growing so fast we can't believe it!  You really started to talk this month.  One of your favorite phrases that you started to say towards the end of the month was "Daddy mows the tractor on the grass".  You eventually got it right, but I loved when you had it reversed!  We have been playing outside constantly because the weather has been absolutely gorgeous here!

Building a tower of cups

Looking so grown up in her chair!

"Mama sit here, read books"  Getting more books to read!

You are obsessed with this stocking hat of mommy's.  You wear it all the time!

Looking through the tunnel

Silly girl outside playing with her boots on!

Mother's Day at Joe and Amy's house

You weren't too happy about Father Ralph holding you!

Gigi in the bounce house with the kids

Happy Mother's Day!

We go to St. Hilary's on Monday's for Family Life and Natalie goes next door with the other kids and the babysitter.  We had a great discussion during this week and when I went to get Natalie she had the puffy, beginning black eye.  She apparently tripped into a metal chair and felt the need to show me exactly where on the chair she hit her head.  The first of many black eyes, I have a feeling!

Wearing clothes on her head before bed

Your favorite activity: going in the "sammie poo" you know the swimming pool!

Wearing mommy's shoes

You did pretty good walking around the kitchen with them on!

Hanging out with Joey LaGamba at John Carroll!

How sweet are these two faces!

Daddy fertilized the grass so we set up your pool on the patio

You were showing me your tummy

One example of your crazy bed head!

So silly in the morning!

You love Elmo and Abby Caddaby!

Playing in the sprinkler on Memorial Day

You had a blast!

Carter...a little unsure of the sprinkler, but eventually he joined in!

Joey running around the sprinkler!

Daddy up in the tree cutting down a bunch of trees!

Don't worry he was safe with a harness on!

Daddy, way up high in the tree

Charlie's 2nd Birthday Party

The birthday boy blowing out his candles!

Your favorite books this month are There's aWocket in my Pocket, Biscuit (Dog), and Ladybug Girl Dresses Up (Lulu book).

Your favorite foods are pretty much anything that you can get your hands on, but we are starting to see a shift away from meat, but we are working on it!

Your new words: so many new things; you are working on colors and are getting pretty good at them, your started to put more sentences together this month; some of my favorites are: avocado, snackies, peanut butter and jelly, natalie go pee pee on the potty, and so many more!

We are starting to ease up on potty training, but will be picking it back up soon!

18 month Stats:

Weight: 26 lbs 13 oz (>75%)

Length: 34.6 inches (>97%)

Head Circumference: 19.5 inches (>95 %)

17 months

We have been having so much fun the last month.  We started the month out with an Easter Egg Hunt at St. Hilary's with the Family Life group.  Natalie had so much fun and we were lucky our cousin Carter could join us although I think he was a little confused by the idea.  I think that Natalie might be a hoarder....because she totally had the concept down and was filling her basket with eggs as fast as she could.  To the point that I had to throw some of the eggs back on the ground so some of the other kids would have eggs to find.

She is on the loose!

Go Natalie Go!

Look at all those eggs!

Carter hunting for eggs!

Easter Sunday came and was absolutely gorgeous!  We had such a wonderfully lovely day!  We woke up and let Natalie look at her easter basket for a little while.  It was filled with mish-mash fruit pouches, a few books and some easter eggs.  She was in heaven!

Little Bean with her basket!

Natalie and Mommy right before church

Natalie and Daddy before church

After church we headed over to Papa and Gigi's to eat and then lay down for a nap.  Natalie had so much fun playing with her cousins Joey and Charlie!  She is starting to really get into what they are doing and learns so much from all of her cousins!  The food that Gigi made was awesome and we stuffed ourselves silly!  Natalie layed down for a nap and we played cards while she was sleeping.  Some pictures of Joey, Charlie and Natalie.

Family picture: Easter 2012

Charlie, Amy, Joe, and Joey

There were so many other exciting events this month including:

pooped on the potty the first time on April 22, 2012

then again on April 28, 2012

peed on the potty the first time May 8, 2012

Words: so many new words!  You repeat most of what we say now!  Your favorites are:open, close, strawberry, no way, dolly, baby, semi-truck, amy, joey, charlie, uncle joey, sammie, caden(although you call him "tickory"), bye bye semi-truck, no way, yes, you can name most common animals and do their sounds, one of our favorites is blue shirt (which sounds like "bull s*%t")--it cracks us up every time, nano-ee (banana)

Natalie: You have become my buddy in lots of ways.  Mommy sometimes forgets that you are not with her in the car or at the grocery store and I talk like you are there.  I probably look pretty funny, but it is a great habit that I love!  You enrich mommy and daddy's life each and every day.  We love you more than we can ever express!
Love, Mommy