Natalie is saying a handful of words now. It started with Mama (although I'm still not completely convinced that she associates the word with me) and then within the last month or so she started saying "uh-oh." She likes saying it so much that she has expanded her definition of "uh-oh" to also be a precursor to or reaction to intentionally dropping something on the floor. Yes, you would think that it would get old constantly retrieving the item du jour from the floor and handing it back to her. And, yes, I realize that we're encouraging "bad" behavior. But seriously, it's too stinkin' cute not to play along.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hrh4e1o7XuQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OxNg3onpPYw
Monday, June 21, 2010
Monday, June 14, 2010
Houston, we have a climber.
Apparently Natalie has the climbing gene. You know, the one where you find a kid standing on top of something and wonder if they sprouted wings and flew? Well, I have a feeling we are in store for a lot of those surprises down the road. This weekend Natalie scaled an ottoman, a rocking chair, an exersaucer, some 5-gallon water bottles, and climbed into a cooler. And she's only going to get stronger, faster, and smarter. Sigh. I don't see this slowing down any time soon because she also seems to realllllly enjoy it.
Here is Natalie climbing onto the exersaucer at my parents' house. She did this no less than 10 times in a row. She's quite proud of her climbing prowess!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wM_Q1_6T_AE&feature=player_embedded
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wM_Q1_6T_AE&feature=player_embedded
Here is Natalie climbing onto the exersaucer at my parents' house. She did this no less than 10 times in a row. She's quite proud of her climbing prowess!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wM_Q1_6T_AE&feature=player_embedded
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wM_Q1_6T_AE&feature=player_embedded
First Steps!
Over the past month or two, Natalie has been doing a lot of standing on her own and cruising along furniture, cabinets, and anything else she can hold onto. Allen and I had kind of decided that we weren't really going to try too hard to encourage walking since crawling is great for brain development and we just aren't in that big of a hurry for our BABY to become a TODDLER. It had become clear to me over the last couple of weeks that she was physically capable of taking her first steps on her own. The only reason she hadn't done it yet was because she just had not made up her mind to do it.
We stayed at my mom and dad's house over the weekend and Natalie actually took a couple of steps, not even realizing what she was doing. One of the times she had something in each hand, so she thought she was holding onto something stable. Since she seemed soooo close to making those first steps (on purpose), I figured I might as well see if I could get her to do it with the camcorder running. Sure enough, she performed for us! I have to admit, I teared up a little. My baby is growing up so fast!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6_HJ-orTtg&feature=player_embedded
We stayed at my mom and dad's house over the weekend and Natalie actually took a couple of steps, not even realizing what she was doing. One of the times she had something in each hand, so she thought she was holding onto something stable. Since she seemed soooo close to making those first steps (on purpose), I figured I might as well see if I could get her to do it with the camcorder running. Sure enough, she performed for us! I have to admit, I teared up a little. My baby is growing up so fast!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6_HJ-orTtg&feature=player_embedded
Sunday, May 30, 2010
A Few Misc. May Photos
Natalie with cousins Porter and Grace at Meega and Poppop's house.
This little light of mine...!
Raaaaawr!
Mmmmuah!
Sigh. It's only a matter of time before she figues out how to dispense water from the cooler.
Soap mohawks are kewl.
So fresh and so clean clean.Natalie's First Swim
Our neighborhood pool is officially open for the summer! Hooray! Allen and I took Natalie for her first dip in the pool on Sunday. First we waded in the baby pool for a bit. She got brave and let go of my hands and was in for a bit of a surprise when she fell forward into the water. The shock only lasted a few seconds before she was all smiles again.
Next we ventured into the big pool. She did great with everything except when I tried to float her on her back. I don't think she's a big fan of the water in her ears.
We started her first swim lesson today. We sang a song where we "washed" the babies' faces and hair (to get the babies used to the water on their faces and heads), let the babies kick on their tummies towards toy ducks, and even dunked them under briefly. She was a trooper! No tears for the entire 30 minutes, even after the dunk. She may be swimming circles around me before the summer is over.
Disclaimer: Yes, I realize that Natalie's hat and swimsuit could not be more mismatched. I will be adding several solid sun hats to her wardrobe, pronto!
Brave little girl, letting go of Mama's hands.
(Splash!!) Hey! What was that for?!
Not too sure about sitting down in the water.
No worries. We're all smiles again!
Swimming with Mama in the big pool.
Next we ventured into the big pool. She did great with everything except when I tried to float her on her back. I don't think she's a big fan of the water in her ears.
We started her first swim lesson today. We sang a song where we "washed" the babies' faces and hair (to get the babies used to the water on their faces and heads), let the babies kick on their tummies towards toy ducks, and even dunked them under briefly. She was a trooper! No tears for the entire 30 minutes, even after the dunk. She may be swimming circles around me before the summer is over.
Disclaimer: Yes, I realize that Natalie's hat and swimsuit could not be more mismatched. I will be adding several solid sun hats to her wardrobe, pronto!
Brave little girl, letting go of Mama's hands.
(Splash!!) Hey! What was that for?!
Not too sure about sitting down in the water.
No worries. We're all smiles again!
Swimming with Mama in the big pool.Girls on the Run 5k
As I mentioned in this post, Lyndsey invited me to be her running buddy in the Girls on the Run 5k two weeks ago. It was a lot of fun to see soooo many young girls all pumped up for the run. After pinning on our numbers, getting our hair dolled up, slapping on some temporary tattoos, and warming up to Lady Gaga and the Blackeyed Peas, we were off! Lyndsey did a great job for her first 5k. She never doubted herself and was in great spirits the entire time. She warned me that she has a pretty good kick and that I may not be able to keep up at the end. Turns out she really does! Maybe she'll be a half-miler like her ol' Aunt Sally some day...
Matching Girls on the Run tatts? Check.
Green hairspray? Check.
Race numbers pinned on correctly? Doh! Hey, maybe 891 sounded like a better number to me than 168.
Natalie getting some Q-time with Uncle Jerel.
Granny and Peepah take a turn entertaining Natalie.
Lynsdey gives the family two thumbs up at the 2-mile mark.
Cute group shot of the Dawsons after the race.
Natzilla getting her exercise too!
Matching Girls on the Run tatts? Check.
Green hairspray? Check.
Race numbers pinned on correctly? Doh! Hey, maybe 891 sounded like a better number to me than 168.
Natalie getting some Q-time with Uncle Jerel.
Granny and Peepah take a turn entertaining Natalie.
Lynsdey gives the family two thumbs up at the 2-mile mark.
Cute group shot of the Dawsons after the race.
Natzilla getting her exercise too!Saturday, May 29, 2010
An Aamoth Reunion
Hooray! I'm finally getting around to posting some pictures from our trip to visit my sister's family two weeks ago. Around Easter, Lyndsey asked me to be her running buddy in the Girls on the Run 5k. (If you're not familiar with Girls on the Run, it is a fantastic organization that teaches pre-teen girls across the country about self respect and self confidence through running and teamwork. I'll be adding pictures from the run in a separate post.) There was no way I could pass up the opportunity to spend some time with the Dawsons and support Lyndsey in something that is near to my heart, so we started making plans to drive up to Troutman, NC. Allen wasn't able to make it that weekend, but luckily my parents wanted to go and were kind enough to chauffer me and Natalie there and back. (Thanks Mom and Dad!)
It was great to spend some time with Karen, Jerel, Lyndsey, AJ, and Lars, who I don't get to see nearly as much as I'd like. I know they enjoy getting to see Natalie too. Unfortunately she's going through an incredibly clingy phase and spent much of the weekend stuck to me like Saran Wrap. I don't think everyone got their fill of cuddle-time with her, so I certainly hope that the next time we all get together she'll share the love (and give me a break!)
It's never too early for piano lessons! Natalie had fun banging on the piano with Aunt Karen.
Bedtime? Can't you see I'm hanging with Aunt K and Unce J?
Natalie's first Pebbles hair-do.
Start your engines! (We were in Nascar country, after all!)
This is the "you will have to surgically remove me from my Mama" look.
It was great to spend some time with Karen, Jerel, Lyndsey, AJ, and Lars, who I don't get to see nearly as much as I'd like. I know they enjoy getting to see Natalie too. Unfortunately she's going through an incredibly clingy phase and spent much of the weekend stuck to me like Saran Wrap. I don't think everyone got their fill of cuddle-time with her, so I certainly hope that the next time we all get together she'll share the love (and give me a break!)
It's never too early for piano lessons! Natalie had fun banging on the piano with Aunt Karen.
Bedtime? Can't you see I'm hanging with Aunt K and Unce J?
Natalie's first Pebbles hair-do. 
Start your engines! (We were in Nascar country, after all!)
This is the "you will have to surgically remove me from my Mama" look.
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