Happy St. Patrick's Day

Natalie is 3!

Natalie turned three on February 21st. I can't believe how big she is!! As always she went to the pediatrician for her well check up. Her stats are: height 36 3/4 inches (50%) and weight is 32 1/4 lbs (75%).

It's kind of hard to think of things she does now because she does everything. I'll list a few funny things she does.

• When she gets mad at us she says "You're not my best friend"


• She likes to walk around the house with her infant towel on her head (like a veil) and pretends her shirts are long hair when she takes them off and they get stuck on her head. Scary, I remember doing that too!!


• She still loves to sing and dance. She has started singing this really high pitched song like Sleeping Beauty. I am sure only the dogs can hear it sometimes! She also has started making up her own songs with an interpretive dance to go with them.


• She calls Sam "My Sam". How sweet.


• The other day she told Jason that she wouldn't "freak out" when she got home. She also says things are "bizarre".


• She loves to ride her tricycle and she finally can go more than one block so it's not torturous to take her. We bought her skates for Christmas, now those are a different story.


• She has become the master of stalling at bed time.
  


• She recognizes when we are going to Tita's, to school or back home. I don't know how! She also remembers when we have been somewhere before like the other day she said "Mami, this is where you go to the dr?". We were going to Costco which is next to an Immediate Care Center I had gone to two weeks before which I have only been to once!


• She loves Tumble Bus day at school and is getting ready to start dance classes.


• I am sure there are many other things I cannot think of now.

This year Natalie's birthday was pretty low key since Sam had just been born. She had a party at day care and we also went to Tita's for dinner. Later that weekend Papaw and Mamaw came to see her. A few weeks later we got together with the Tiesman's and the Pearsall's so the girls could play at All About Kids' open gym time. I think she had a great birthday especially since she had three parties!

Natalie at her party at day care which was also her last day of being in the 2's room. She started the 3's room that Monday. That morning we went to Kroger and she picked out her own cake with pink icing.


Opening gifts from Mami and Papi. She got her ballerina outfit and shoes for dance class!
At Tita's singing Happy Birthday!
Playing with the apron Mamaw Lyvers sent her (she has her leotard and tutu on!)
Being silly with the sleeping bag Mamaw and Papaw gave her.
Taking care of baby Canna (yes, that's what she named her!) which was a gift from Tita.
With the cute jacket Scott and Jennifer got for her.
All About Kids!
Wearing her towel before bed time.
What a cutie!This year Natalie also got her third set of ear tubes and had her adenoids taking out. Poor Baby!
Even though this wasn't her first time playing in the snow, it was the first time to do it with us. Last time we got a big snow was last winter and Jason and I were in NYC.
With the girls.
Preparing for a little brother is such hard work for a princess!
In her new role as the big Sis.
Happy Birthday Natalie! We love you very much!!

The Big Sister

After nine months, Natalie is finally a big sister. Sam was born on February 10, 2009 at 2:21 am. Natalie spent the days we were at the hospital with Tita. The first time she came to see us she was a little freaked out. There we lots of people in the room and I was on the bed. She wouldn't even come near me or Sam. Things got a little better. By the time she left she gave Sam a kiss and a hug.

By the time we came home I think she had gotten used to hearing about Sam. Of course it helped that Sam had a gift waiting for her when she got home. Since then she has become a great big sis. She sits with me when I am feeding him, today she helped me give him a bath and she loves to hug and give him lots of kisses. I am sure it will only get better from here. She has been such a good sport about it all. We love her so much! Jason and I were so glad to be able to come home and so the four of us could be together.

Opening Sam's gift to her.
How did he know that she LOVES gum!
A kiss for baby brother.

New Year's in Gattlinburg

We spent New Year's in Gattlinburg, TN this year. We met up with the Krumholtz, a family that we grew up with in Ecuador. Our family rented a cabin for three nights. It was quite interesting having Alisa, Izzy, Pauli and Nati in one house! First time ever!! It was especially difficult to feed everyone at the same time but we had a great time!

Natalie had a great time playing with the big girls on New Year's Eve. Jason and I were just waiting for her to come up from the basement crying or something but she played great with them. They took good care of her and would come and get us if she was doing something she wasn't supposed to (like swing from the treadmill and bang on the window with her feet!)

Pics from when we went to the aquarium.
Nati and Mami.Nati and Tia Lucia.

Izzy enjoying the ride.
OH NO! The Sharks! Natalie kept yelling "Go home sharks!"

Should I touch it?