Naps

We're working on trying to take more scheduled naps (again, I think I've said this before). She's also started clutching this bear blanket. She was screaming in the car seat yesterday and I pulled it out of the seat in case it was over her face. She screamed louder until I gave it back then she calmed down. She's so cute!

3 Month Bunny Pic

3 Months


2 month


1 month

Sweeter than strawberries...

We all went to pick some berries today, man were they good. Ryan's mom's neighbor made this beautiful strawberry dress for her so we knew we had to go. It was beautiful weather. I love the picture of me and Natalie with her hand over her eyes like, somebody please make this crazy lady quit dragging me around! One picture she's holding her own berries too. It was a great day!

3 Month Pics

We took Natalie to do pictures today. We went to Portrait Innovations, which I HIGHLY recommend. They do great pics and reasonable prices. I took pictures of the pictures, so the quality might not show. She's way cute though!

Baby Legs

My mom helped me sew these little baby legs for Natalie. They are like leg warmers, and especially good for crawling.

Williamsburg

Here's Natalie in Colonial Williamsburg with Oma!

Can't Get Enough

I just can't get enough pictures of Natalie this weekend. Here she is in the jumper. Daddy likes to swing her and bounce her in it. We had to shove a blanket in to help her sit up, but she really likes it. As much as I can tell at least. She's jumping in our bathroom, it's the only doorframe on the first floor!!!

Yard Sale

I went to a yard sale to support my mom's group today (www.peninsulamommies.com) and found Natalie this Bumbo seat. It helps her work on sitting up. We also got her a doorway jumper. She's a little small for that, we have to put a blanket in with her to help her sit, but she likes us to bounce her in it. She's getting so big already to be able to use all these new toys!

Fun Friday

Ryan got off of work early today. We had fun playing with Natalie. She flew like an airplane, had some tummy time, and chewed on her pants. We also bought this new hutch for our dining room. Excuse the dog hair on the carpet and the dog whiskers that got in the other picture. Oh the joy of dog ownership!

Shoes!

Natalie is our little lady bug today. She also wore her first pair of shoes, size 1! In other Natalie News, we bought Baby Einstein Language Nursery. It's a 30 minute DVD where they count and do nursery rhymes ina bunch of different languages while pictures of baby toys and flowers and shapes scroll by. She is very interested in it. It's funny to watch her eyes get big as a different picture comes up. Check out the double chinned smile and the wide-open mouth is her talking to the ceiling fan...hmm...maybe she needs more Baby Eintstein if she is talking to fans!

My New Job

POSITION :
Mother, Mom, Mama, Mommy, Ma

JOB DESCRIPTION :
Long term, team players needed, for challenging permanent work in an, often chaotic environment. Candidates must possess excellent communication and organizational skills and be willing to work variable hours, which will include evenings and weekends and frequent 24 hour shifts on call. Some overnight travel required,
including trips to primitive camping sites on rainy weekends and endless sports tournaments in far away cities. Travel expenses not reimbursed. Extensive courier duties also required.

RESPONSIBILITIES :
The rest of your life. Must be willing to be hated, at least temporarily, until someone needs $5. Must be willing to bite tongue repeatedly. Also, must possess the physical stamina of a pack mule and be able to go from zero to 60 mph in three seconds flat in case, this time, the screams from the backyard are not someone just crying wolf. Must be willing to face stimulating technical challenges, such as small gadget repair, mysteriously sluggish toilets and stuck zippers. Must screen phone calls, maintain calendars and coordinate production of multiple homework projects. Must have ability to plan and organize social gatherings for clients of all ages and mental outlooks. Must be willing to be indispensable one minute, an embarrassment the next. Must handle assembly and product safety testing of a half million cheap, plastic toys, and battery operated devices.. Must always hope for the best but be prepared for the worst. Must assume final, complete accountability for the quality of the end product. Responsibilities also include floor maintenance and janitorial work throughout the facility.

POSSIBILITY FOR ADVANCEMENT &
PROMOTION :
Virtually none. Your job is to remain in the same position for years, without complaining, constantly retraining and updating your skills, so that those in your charge can ultimately surpass you

PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE :
None required unfortunately. On-the-job training offered on a continually exhausting basis.

WAGES AND COMPENSATION :
Get this! You pay them! Offering frequent raises and bonuses. A balloon payment is due when they turn 18 because of the assumption that college will help them become financially independent. When you die, you give them whatever is left. The oddest thing about this reverse-salary scheme is that you actually enjoy it and wish you could only do more.

BENEFITS :
While no health or dental insurance, no pension, no tuition reimbursement, no paid holidays and no stock options are offered; this job supplies limitless opportunities for personal growth and free hugs for life .

For all the Moms out there who accepted this job, HAPPY MOTHERS DAY! You deserve it!!

Bah Humbug!

So Ryan did the extra Security Forces thing from January-March. He worked to fill in because they are short-manned because most of them are deployed to the desert. The shifts were crummy - had to check in at 5, work 6pm to 6am, then check out. He'd get home at about 7:30, sleep until 3:30. Then shower and head back out to work again!

Well, they just told him today that no one else is available to fill in for the next round because all of their training is overdue. So Ryan is supposed to work this schedule again for the next 3 weeks (after next week, because he has a different training) until the other person gets done with the training. Yeah right, I'm sure they are going to switch him out. Ryan is very annoyed. At least the first week he's doing it my mom will be here so I will still have baby help!

Oh, the joys of being a military spouse. Hmm, what did I get for military spouse appreciation day?? Oh yeah, nothing :-) I didn't get Ryan anything for military appreciation month either (this month it is I think). We've already got our new Mother's and Father's day holidays to worry about anyway!

Check Up

And in this corner, weighing in at 12 lb 11 oz with a height of 23 3/4 inches is Natalie "Sleeps All Night" Windle!
She's in the 90th% for 2 month olds, what a big girl. This outfit is 6-9 month size!

So yes, our backyard may look like a rainforest currently. But I was able to spot some wildlife today!


Also, here's a daily Natalie fix. She's got a small case of the sniffles, but can't be too bad if she's still smiling. We go to the doctor for her 2 month checkup and shots! I'll have a weight and length update then.

Opa's Visit

Island Beauty

I love this little hawaiian print dress. I also love this picture where she does not look like a baby, she looks like an accessory store threw up on her!