The Big Day

Wow what a day! In the morning we woke up and had presents with Daddy before he went to work. I also got a present from my Godmother Krista! Then we spent the day getting ready for the party! Boy was that fun! We had a craft, pizza, and cake! Natalie had a great time!

What A Difference A Year Makes

One year ago today I was waiting in the hospital, almost 2 weeks over due. Nothing was working for the induction, so they finally decided we would wait til the 27th. But after dinner they tried again and the whole process began.

Now a year later I am sitting here almost as anxious awaiting the 27th to come for Natalie's first birthday. I can't believe it is almost here. She went from a newborn to a walking (almost running), talking, singing, dancing pretty little girl. I am so blessed to have her in my life.

Oma is here helping me get ready for the party. We've been baking cakes, preparing icing, and getting all the goodies ready for tomorrow. We have 36 friends coming to celebrate! Yikes! But she's only one once, so it will be worth it. Then on Sunday we are having a party with some church friends and Grandma and Popaw! What a lucky loved little girl.

Look for bunny and cake pics tomorrow night!

PS Thank you for the prayers - she is doing fine from her surgery. She was pretty cranky today but maybe tomorrow will be better!

Updates

My x-ray came back and apparently my lower back is 'normal'. Very frustrating. Do I really want to pay out of pocket for a chiro? After I heard about a friend who got a bulging disc FROM a chriro...yikes.

Natalie goes in at 7:15 am for her ear tube procedure. They will put her under general anethesia via mask and we should be headed home by 10. Then it's off to the airport to pick up Oma for the week of first birthday fun!

Ryan will be working an exercise this week and will be working 12 hour shifts and will be missing Natalie's first birthday party. He's really bummed, but I'll tape it for him, which is the best we can do. We're having a small party with church friends Sunday night so we'll re-do the cake smash for him then.

Our driveway was finished this week and we used some of our tax money to get an LCD 40'' tv, woo hoo. All the rest will go in savings, so we are BOTH happy! Plus our TV came with a Target gift card, and who doesn't love Target?

More Birthday Parties

These pics are of Natalie from Moani's birthday party. I love the way the top brings out her eyes. It also shows me I need a nicer digital camera - she has one of the Rebel X cameras. Soo jealous!

Purple Piggies

Just random shots of my baby girl!

Back to Normal

Ryan went back to work last night after his week of leave, so today things are back to normal. Logan and Natalie played, ate, and napped.

I had a letter B playdate where we read a story about butterflies, made a butterfly and caterpillar craft, colored butteryfly pictures and ate foods that started with B. Both Logan and Natalie slept through that, which helped me work with the other kids. Natalie loves that her books are downstairs and spends lots of time pulling them down!


I also went to the doctor about my back pain from childbirth and breaking my tailbone. After a year, it still hurts to do normal activities. I've tried physical therapy, Motrin 800, and exercising on my own. I'm frustrated because the doctor said unless there is something on my x-ray, it's normal pain and it will be worse if I have another baby. I know plenty of people who have or had babies that are not in pain after a year.

We get our taxes done tomorrow and concrete poured on a driveway addition as well. So things are busy as usual, the way the Windle's like it! Or at least the way I like it.

Teacher's Kid

Can you tell this is the playroom of a teacher's kid? Check out the labels on all the boxes, the huge amount of books (not to mention the full size bookcase upstairs that has all my classroom and childhood books, these are just baby books!).

Snow!

What a Vaentine's Day! I woke up to snow! I had not heard it was forcasted or anything. In fact, I was up for over an hour before I opened the door to let Drake out and it totally shocked me! Here he is peeking around the corner.

4 Year Anniversary

Ryan and I celebrated our anniversary a day early, since everyone else will be out for Valentine's Day tomorrow. We had dinner at Applebee's, where we first met. Then since 4 years is fruit/flowers we went to a coffee shop for fruit and chocolate fondue! Then we walked around Target sans Natalie and brought a bottle of wine home. So much has happened in four years! It was nice to rememeber how far we've come! We took Natalie to our friends the Donaldson's. As you can see, she wanted the camera, and to take her socks off!

Liam's Birthday

Today we went to Liam's first birthday! It was a blast! Natalie liked swinging, playing with the balloons, and toddling around with the kids. Liam really enjoyed his cupcake. As soon as we got in the car, Natalie went to sleep! If you notice, she now has her seat facing forward. She is happier that way too.

First Surgery

Natalie will be getting ear tubes put in on Februrary 25th due to the amount of infections she has already had. Oma will be coming that afternoon and hanging out for the birthday week, and Grandma is coming for the weekend. So at least she'll have company to cheer her up. Ryan may or may not be able to attend the surgery with me because he has an exercise that week. Hopefully he will. It's going to be so sad to wait outside.

Re-Enlistment Day

As I stood outside this morning and watched Ryan say his oath as the sun came up over the river, I was reminded how proud I am of him. He and I both have made many sacrifices - moving away from home and our family and friends, going through deployments, shift changes, exercises, you name it, we're doing it! But when he stands there against a backdrop of flags and jets in his camoflauge I can't help but feel so amazed. He promises to hold up the constitution and protect our country. It's not easy, but he is very serious about his duties. Natalie and I love him for taking care of us and our country. The officer that swore him in is Tony Dominice, our community group/bible study leader from church, so it was neat that it was personal for us.

New Foods

It seems like Natalie is trying and liking more food everyday. I tried a new recipe today called "Egg in the Hole". Basically I took a piece of bread, cut out a circle of the bread, and fried it in a pan with egg in the middle. She loved it. Here's a photo journal of the adventure. She also had some cheese.

We had to get called out of church because she was crying in her room today. I am afraid it could be another ear infection because her antibiotics end today, and her nose has been drippy. She only has 2 more Sunday's in the birth-12 month room, then she moves to the one year old class. The actually sit in chairs for snack and sit for a story. How did this year go so fast???

HMMMMM...I wonder if I will like this new food...


Here it goes, what does it taste like?


Oh wait, it's food, I don't care what it tastes like, I'll eat it!

Pigtails

I can FINALLY make pigtails! I need to get some small plastic rubberbands for her hair because just using the clips they tend to slip out.