Wordless Wednesday

Natalie Singing...He Plants Me Like A Seed

After an embarrassingly long hiatus, we are back and somewhat motivated to start maintaining this site again.  Here is a short video of Natalie singing one of the songs she sang at her school program this Spring.  This is a rare moment, as Natalie is not fond of video cameras, so enjoy.



Unfortunately, it was just about a half hour after this sweet video was filmed that Natalie had one of the biggest temper tantrums we have experienced. At least we didn't capture that on video!!! :)

Nat-Nat

And now...we interrupt the silence to bring you news of Natalie's birthday!

Yesterday, our precious middle-child turned four years old. Amazing.

We prefer to save parties with several friends until next year (or maybe the following year), so we asked her how she wanted to celebrate. In the end, we decided to invite over a precious family who has three girls, two of which are close in age to Ally and Nat. It was such a fun time together! The kiddos played and gabbed and laughed and screamed while the parents (tried) to hold a decent conversation. We were mostly successful.

So our traditional blowing-out-the-candle picture is a bit non-traditional. We had to interrupt their playing to draw them back to the table for cake and candle-blowing. It is clear by her hair that they were playing hard! Our little celebration took place on Saturday night.

On Sunday, her actual birthday, we had church in the morning and Awana at night, but she chose our lunch and opened gifts in the afternoon. She chose pizza, in case you were wondering.

As you will see in the pictures below, we decided to give her a dollhouse for her birthday. And we spread the word through the family, asking for furniture for the house.

It has been approximately 32 hours since she saw her dollhouse for the first time. Take away ten hours for sleeping and two hours for Awana last night. She has played with her dollhouse for no less than 10 of the remaining 20 hours. No exaggeration.

Natalie has rarely been an "easy" child and is the cause of more than a few gray hairs, but she is the source of such life in our home. Her energy and enthusiasm is such a joy and she is constantly teaching us valuable lessons about love, patience, and parenthood.

Should you care for a reminder, you can read her birth story here. Down on the right, you can search for 2008 posts, then select January for pictures and one of our favorite videos of all time, taken the first time Allyson met her new sister.

Happy 4th birthday Nat-Nat! We love you!

A Typical Conversation with Natalie

N: Mommy?

Me: Hmmm?

N: Can I wear my sandals to the store?

Me: Sure.

N: Thank you!

Me: You're welcome.

N: Mommy?

Me: Hmmm?

N: I don't want to wear my sandals to the store.

Me: Then don't wear your sandals to the store.

N: Okay.

"Tell me about your picture!"

(Alternately titled: "Child, would you please cooperate so I can take one stinkin' picture?")



"Hey Nat, show me your picture!"



"Hold still so I can take a picture of you with your picture!"


"Tell me about your picture, babe!"



"It's YOU, Mama!"

Her First Boyfriend

Occasionally I help out my sweet neighbor friend by watching her kiddos. She has a regular daycare provider, but for some reason the sitter has been a bit flaky lately.

Riley is 3 (just about 2 weeks younger than Natalie) and Caitlyn is about 5 months old.

The other day Riley and Natalie were sitting primly at the table, snacking on granola bars. Riley, mid-mouthful said, "Hey Natalie?"

"Yeah?" Natalie responded.

"I love you." He effortlessly stated.

Without a thought or even a pause, she replied, "Me, too."

I LOVE lovable kids.

And since they're three, I'm not too worried about the ramifications of her first boyfriend.

Just Another Aaauuuuuh Moment

First of all, forgive my absence. Things are busy. And I can be lazy. A lot.

But absence makes the heart grow fonder, right? So you're feeling pretty fond about now, right?

The two little ones are playing outside in about 53 degree sunny weather ---Maaahvelous! I snagged my computer to sit in the garage and type up this story before I forget it!

We just got back from going to school to pick up Ally. She walks the 1/2 block from the school to the van with a little friend or two. Today she walked over with her favorite friend, also named Natalie, and Natalie's mom, who volunteers in the classroom on Thursday afternoons. I have known the mom, also named Kris (short for Kristina) since I first started MOPS in 2006. (Let me digress a moment to share that Kris's other daughters are named Allison and Mackenzie. I kid you not. If you don't get the significance, let me share. Our Allyson's middle name is Mackenzie. Kinda freaky, right? The similarities end there, as the daddy's name is not David, nor do they have a wildly handsome little brother named Christopher.)

Back on track now.

The three walked grinning to the van and Kris asked if she could take Ally home with her for a bit. I said "Sure!", cause I'm a cool mom like that.

The little ones watched the exchange from the van and watched Ally walk away with another family.

Natalie's lower lip turned down further than I've ever seen it and she said, "She OW sistoe, not anybody else sistoe!" (Translation: She's OUR sister! Not anybody else's sister!)

I quickly assured her that Ally would return after playing. I assured her that we would pick her up or they would bring her home in time for dinner and all would be right with the world once more.

She was quiet for a moment, then nearly yelled, "I WANT MY SISTOE BACK RIGHT NOW!"

It's not too often that I can tell if Natalie even likes Ally, but this proved it.

The sistoe bond is strong.

Speechless

I promised you a few pictures that, surprisingly, rendered me (almost) speechless.

I was getting ready in the bathroom the other day, and the little ones decided to join me. I barely noticed when they unloaded my nail polishes. But I began to take notice when Natalie left in search of another "chair."


What is this, a toilet tea party? Potty Salon? Practicing our colors?


No clue.


But they had a ball for nearly 30 minutes playing with my polishes. On the toilet.


Once they learn how to open the things, I'm screwed.

Huh?

As a parent of young children, I am constantly plagued with "huh?" moments.

(When I'm a parent of older children, it's possible I'll have even more.)

Anyway, I was making dinner yesterday and all three kids were playing upstairs and listening to Go Fish. Natalie started screaming and crying and rushed downstairs to report her injuries.

She said, through her tears, "Mama, Ally bit me in the tummy with her hand!"

And my response was (feel free to say it with me), "Huh?"

She repeated, "Ally bit me in the tummy with her hand!"

It took me a second (or five) to process the event then respond, "You mean she pinched you?"

Natalie, enlightened, screamed, "YES!"

Then she ran back upstairs, happy for being understood.

(In case you were wondering, Ally firmly denies this incident, claiming she did no such thing.)

Who do you believe?

Woe

Woe is me. Or I should say, woe is us. I guess that would more accurately be: woe are us.

Whatever, we are woed. Or I think woeful.

Sorry, I'll stop.

My brain is fried. This week brought two more sicknesses, believe it or not. I have stopped counting because the number was really unbelievable, but I'm fairly certain that puts us at 13 or 14 distinct sicknesses for the 5 Fox family members in the last 6 weeks.

Four trips to the pediatrician (five if you include Chris's 18-month check-up). Only one trip to urgent care.

Six prescriptions, if I'm not mistaken.

Four social-ish events missed.

This week I was stricken with bronchitis and Natalie had a NASTY virus AND ear infection painfully mixed together. She was feverish and miserable for the better part of 4 days. Today, the 5th day, she was about 75% herself. Which is to say, she was calm and quite pleasant, but had to blow her nose approximately 163 times, give or take a dozen.

The stinger is, Allyson has yet to show signs of this nasty virus (Chris had it a week before Nat). So I'm somewhat prepared for sickness #15.

Deep breathing helps a little. And ice cream.

Anyway, today was quite good, especially considering I stockpiled Kleenex last time they were on sale at Walgreen's.

Let me just tell you a quick story so we can all leave this post smiling.

One day before Natalie got so sick, I asked her as I always do after nap, "Did you have a good nap?"

She quickly responded, "Yep, it was good. I was singing some songs, and I went poopy, and I went potty, and then I sleeped."

Now you know the elements of a good nap.

THREE

It's true. We have officially survived the first three years of raising Natalie.

Our amazingly vivacious middle-child turned three today. She is a bundle of emotions, high-spirited, and temperamental, but she is also such a sweet blessing. She can make us laugh just seconds after we've pulled out our last hair. We're hoping that someday that will be her charm: her ability to sock it to ya' one second, then smother you with love the next.

With Allyson, we thought we had it all figured out. Parenthood, that is. She slept well, ate well, communicated well, obeyed well, responded well to most situations...the list goes on. We took credit for these traits, when they were mostly due to her personality.

Then came Natalie. She entered the world three years ago and had issues immediately. (Maybe that should have served as our first red flag...) She was a large baby and was completely tired of being cooped up within my short frame. Her body went into overdrive and jerked a bit more than the doctors were comfortable with. They nearly sent her to the big city hospital 40 miles away, but lo and behold, 5 hours after starting her mini-convulsion-things, she calmed and begged to be with me (or so I choose to believe). After that, she was a calm, quiet baby.

Until we left the hospital.

Things haven't calmed much since.

She was a very difficult baby and a challenging toddler, but she could stop anyone in their tracks with her smile. Still can. She finds joy in the mundane and trauma in the smallest issues. Her laugh is powerfully contagious and she loves being around people.

Sweet Natalie, you have challenged us and stretched us.
You have made Daddy and me rely on each other and God more than we ever had before.
You teach us something EVERY day (including how to function on less sleep).
You can make us laugh with just the right expression (like the one below).
You are a rare treasure.
We are blessed to be your Mommy and Daddy.

Happy Birthday!

Clown-Girl

"Look, Mama!"

"I'm a clown!"

Yes. That is my lipstick.

And just so you know, the drawer from which she obtained my lipstick was "protected" with a child lock.

Uh-huh.

Thankfully, she knew (approximately) where the lipstick should go and did not smear it anywhere else.

As far as I know.

"Look! It's My Crap!"

Yes, that's what Natalie, our almost three-year-old said.

But I should probably backtrack and tell you the story.

First of all, if you're offended by the word "crap," you may want to come back in a day or two and view the next post. If not, stick around.

As parents, we all say things that we probably shouldn't, just to hear them repeated back to you by the sweet little mouth belonging to your child. Ahem. We're no exceptions.

On Thanksgiving, we ran to K-Mart to try and snag a deal or two and let the kiddos get some fresh air. We shopped for just a bit and when I paid, David took the kids to the front door. Near the door, the ever-present quarter-toy machines summoned their attention.

Thinking it was something else, David jumped on board, purchasing a green die with various words on each side.

When it came out, Dave discovered it wasn't as cool as he originally thought. The girls quickly asked, "What is it?" He muttered, "A piece of crap."


I arrived at the door and asked Natalie what she was holding. She promptly, and excitedly answered, "A piece-a-crap!" (Picture a big grin...as if she had found a treasure!)

We laughed all the way home. And we continually laughed every time she mentioned her prized possession. The next morning, she asked, "Where's my piece-a-crap?" (You have to admit you're smiling.)

Let me just take a moment for a side story. I can't resist a good side story.

The die is like a not-so-fancy version of those Magic 8 Balls. You ask a question, shake the ball, or die in this case, and wait for the answer to "appear." Ally was playing with the die this afternoon and started asking questions...

A: Does Mommy love me?
P-of-C: Oh Totally.
A: Does Daddy love me?
P-of-C: Super Likely.
A: Does Chris love me?
P-of-C: Definite Maybe.
A: Does Natalie love me?
P-of-C: Doubtful.

Then she continued:
A: Will I get a time-out tonight?
P-of-C: Doubtful
A: Will Nat-Nat get a time-out tonight?
P-of-C: Super Likely.

I gotta say...there may be something to this twenty-five cent piece of crap.

Back to the point...

The small die gets lost in our piles of toys, so Natalie hadn't seen it in days. This morning, I heard her squeal, "Look! It's my crap!"

It never gets old.

She'll never be the same...

Both Natalie and her doll are a bit more...uh...moisture resistant today.


In Nat's words, the doll "got a owie on her head," and apparently all the Desitin in the tube couldn't fix it.

The upside is that the doll smells remarkably more lifelike now with the distinctive aroma of diaper-rash cream.

Wait, that might be a downside.

Proof

Just in case you didn't believe me, or in case you're looking for a reason to smile (or giggle), David snagged a video of Natalie talking about the craft she created at MOPS this morning.

Enjoy.

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday

Thinking Outside Inside the Box.

You're Making a What?

Allyson is quite the creative little thing. She's constantly pulling things out of the garbage that she wants to make into a craft. Most of the time, these "crafts" are little more than decorated garbage, but don't tell her I said that.

Anyway, Natalie is accustomed to her sister's work ethic and sees her working at her desk often.

This morning, Nat was in Ally's chair at the desk, collecting bits of paper and stickers. I asked her what she was doing and she quickly responded,

"I makin' a crap."

Okay.

Really, what can you say to that?

Mind your P's and F's.

As anyone with a young child knows, clear speech takes awhile to master. And until then, you enjoy all the funny things that exit their mouths.

Take, for instance, our Natalie. At 2 1/2, most F sounds are replaced with P. It makes a lot of things sound a little "punny." And as most toddlers do, she will also leave off ending sounds like d, r, and t. So the word "for" will be pronounced "poe."

Our favorite example of her sweet speech happens almost nightly when she insists on praying over our dinner. Sometimes her prayers are just one-liners and others they go on and on while the rest of us stifle our giggles. But this line is almost always recited.

"Dee Jesuh, Tank you poe all ow poo."

That would be, "Thank you for all our food," in case you didn't get it. Or in case, like us, you got another image altogether.

I suppose we should probably be thankful for poo, too.

Fall Beauty...or not.

Am I alone when I say I love the fall? It's not my favorite season; that would be spring. But fall is such an interesting season to me. School, and many other things, get re-started after the summer hiatus, weather cools just enough to be enjoyable, colors change and abound, new television shows start...I could go on, but I'm thinkin you get my drift.

Although it is by no means our habit, the little ones and I sometimes play outside for a bit after taking Ally to school. The mornings are cool, but not cold, and the sun is bright. On this particular day, I was enjoying the autumn leaves that are beginning to fall. The red ones are my favorite.

I really love that God created a season that kind of revolves around death (or at least hibernation), but infuses it with splashes of color and warmth. Take, for instance, this plant I thought was dead. (I'm sure my tendency to forget to water our flowers has nothing to do with its demise. I'm thinking it was bugs...or...uh...lack of rain...or any attention at all...or something.) But, out of nowhere the sweet thing goes and blooms again! See?


I was picking up my favorite leaves and showing them to the little ones. Chris examined the leaf treasures and promptly tossed them aside.


Natalie snatched one up and smooshed it into her purse as if it were the last apple cider doughnut.


Then she took her baby on a ride.

Yes, she is wearing her pajamas. (No judgement, okay? Sometimes 8:00 AM arrives a little too quickly to actually dress everyone. Ahem. At least Ally was dressed. And Christopher. And I'm pretty sure I changed into actual clothes, too.)

Before long, Natalie caught my fever and began picking up leaves of her own. This is the one she carefully presented to me as if it were a homemade pumpkin pie.



She quickly provided the words that must have been on the tip of my tongue:

"Aaaaah, look at duh cute little leaf!"

More proof that beauty is in the eye of the beholder.