What has happend in the last month?

So, so much!
Natalie turned 1.
She sings (okay..hums), loves to give kisses (watch out boys.. she is a kisser), has learned how to stand up on her own and is even giving walking a good try (but on her own time and own terms).
She is so much fun... more and more fun everyday. She loves songs. Her favorite is the milkshake song from storytime... she starts pouring and shaking and you know it is time to sing.

J.D. is learning to use the potty. What a process. He is in big boy underwear during the day and we have had minimal accidents. (It helps when the underwear has The Wiggles or Thomas the Tank Engine on it... you don't want to get them wet!)
Last night we had a typically potty training experience. J.D. had to go #2. Put him on the potty- he didn't want to go--- but he didn't want to get up either. He cried and cried for about 1 hour. Then, I brought in the portable DVD player, put on Elmos Potty Time and he calmed down- did his thing- and promptly asked for candy. Then, 1.5 hours ago I promised that we would play outside after he went potty. Now, it is 8:30pm- dark and cold. But, we did it anyway. I had a choice to make. Was I going to be that mommy that was too practical- or was I going to make good on my promise? The neighbors must have thought we were nuts. But, honestly it is one of my favorite mommy-moments so far.

In the last 6 weeks, Miriam Storm has come to live with us. She is amazing. She plays so well with the kids. I can't even begin to tell you how wonderful she is- or how much we are going to miss her when she leaves in April. She is Aunt Mimi to our kids- and we just wouldn't be a complete set without her.

Natalie is waking up... gotta run.
More pictures to come... who knows... maybe sometime before June :)

Carrie

Natalie Turns 1

Okay, so she turned one a month ago... to the day!
We had a great day. We started, as is our tradition, with cupcakes and eggs.
Then, we hurried to get ready for our first birthday party. The theme was Pink and Green.
We had pink balloons, pink plates, pink cupcakes, green table runner, Natalie wore pink and green. It was everywhere.
We had a couple of friends over- Garrison and Daniel Counts and Isabel Carew (plus their mommy's).
We played outside, it was a beautiful day. The boys played basketball. Natalie tooled around in her walker.
It was great fun.
Then, we moved inside for the one year old lunch consiting of: peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, strawberries, chocolate cupcakes with pink icing. Yum, Yum.
Even the adults ate the tiny tots menu!
As you can see, it was great fun.
Natalie got some cute clothes, great toys and more sessions of Tumble Tots. Very exciting.
Can't believe she is one already. What a blur this year has been. She surely keeps us on our toes.