funny little girl...

Mommy: Hey Natalie, Maizie is barking, could you let her in for me please?
Natalie: Ummmm, I'm doing my homework.
Mommy: Your homework huh? Well, do you think you stop you homework for just a moment and let Maizie in, it will only take a second and I'd really appreciate it.
Natalie: (without looking up from her "homework") Absolutely not.
Mommy: I'm sorry, say that again?
Natalie: (finally turning to look at me.) AB-SO-LUTE-LY not.



AHHHHHHHH!!!! It's funny and annoying to her them say your phrases.:O)

Michigan tomorrow

We had a blast on Halloween! It was so much fun this year! We had fun with Tracy and Kevin and Baby Henry- heading to the Sacramento zoo- "boo at the zoo" on Saturday... Although it was really crowded. Then for Halloween Night, we did our court and went to Ms. TC's and then headed to Tracy and Kevin's to finish up the night. We are packing for Michigan tonight, we leave tomorrow for Michigan for Uncle Beave and Uncle Candace's showers and visiting family. Enjoy the pics! Michigan, Here we come!!!

Fall

What a busy October!!! It seems that we only get busier as Natalie gets older!:O) We have enjoyed the start to our fall out here in CA. The weather is finally starting to cool down and feel fall like. A week or so ago, I took the day off work to go on Natalie's daycare field trip to the pumpkin patch. She had a blast. It was such a fun trip! We took a train ride, visited the petting zoo, enjoyed the slides and other climbing toys and picked out a pumpkin for decorating at daycare. The next weekend we went as a family to another more basic pumpkin patch to pick out our pumpkins. Earlier this week we drove 1.5 hours to Truckee, CA to meet with Aunt Jessica for dinner. She was in Reno for work which is only 2 hours away! Natalie got car sick on the way there.... Very car sick. So that part was no fun, but she was right back to her old self immediately after and ate a great dinner! I posted some pictures from the summer on my picasa website but I'm having trouble getting the link on here. I will keep trying.

http://picasaweb.google.com/whitney.sowle/Summer2010?feat=email#


enjoy the pics!

I know, I know, I know

I broke my New Year's resolution. That's pretty good considering I kept it up for 9 months. ( it was posting twice a month for those who don't remember) September was SUCH a busy month for us with heading to WA in early September for David's camping trip and fun with Grandma Mary and Grandpa Scott and then David and I to Chicago and Virginia to visit family and go to a cousin's wedding. It felt like there was hardly time to breathe! Our time in WA was nice, David had his boys time and Natalie and I got some R and R with Grandma and Grandpa. (not sure Grandma and Grandpa did with a 2 year old running around though!) Natalie spent time swimming in the hot tub and playing at a great playground near their house. We did make it to Lake Chelan, although we never hooked up with the boys... which may have been a good thing after hearing the stories! Natalie and I got into it on the way home from the lake and had Grandma laughing pretty good. On the way to the lake, Natalie had complained about the sun being in her eyes. So we stopped and I hung her blanket in the window to block the sun. On the way back from the lake, I put the blanket up before we left.

Natalie: Momma, I don't want the blankie in the window

Me: Well, when we drive out of the park, the sun will come in that window and will be in your eyes otherwise and we won't be able to stop and fix it.

Natalie: the sun is not in my eyes.

Me: that's because it's blocked by the mountain

Natalie: Oh- the mountain?

Me: yes.

Ten minutes go by and we have driven out of the park

Natalie: Momma, there is no sun coming in.

Me: that's because we're still next to the mountain. See, look out the window, see the mountain.

Natalie:Oh a mountain?.

Ten more minutes go by and we're pulling away from the mountain

Natalie with her head under the blanket, looking out her window: See momma, I told you.

Me: What? ?- (not paying attention)

Natalie: I told you the sun wouldn't be in my eyes.

Sure enough, we were away from the mountain and the sun was not in her eyes just yet. LOL!

Another Natalie story:

David picked Natalie uo at TC's and starts driving toward town.

Natalie:Oh, we're not going home?

David (surprised): no, we're going to the golf store, I have to get my club fixed

N: Oh, wonderful. I can pick a club for you?

D: sure

N: Ok. I'll pick out a club for you, M & M's for me, sounds like a plan.

Enjoy some of the pics!

photos and videos...

Getting ready for another trip! We will be heading out to see Grandma Mary and Grandpa Scott on Thursday while Daddy goes for a boys weekend at Lake Chelan. Mommy and Natalie are looking forward to a little R & R!:O) Things have been pretty busy here this summer. It seems like we're either gearing up to go somewhere, just getting home and unpacking or waiting for someone to get home from a trip or traveling for work. David is returning from a short trip to MI to work on the rental units he owns there. I know that although he worked hard, he had a little fun playing as well. :O) He had a nice time visiting with everyone and even got a chance to see Grandma Luey. Natalie and I spent the weekend, just us girls. Friday, I went with a friend to the Just Between Friends sale. It's basically a giant rummage sale. I found some great baby accessories for Natalie as she is just starting to pretend and want to "mother" her babies. I also found a few options for Halloween. I found a cat, elephant, and horse. I wears them all. Daily.:O) I also found a few books for her which turned out to be her favorite thing that I brought home. They were nursery rhyme books and a great series that I'm in love with- the lama lama series. I love the Lama Lama Mad at Mama book. It was perfect timing because Lama Lama whines in the book and we were just talking about whining..... It was good for her to hear it in a book too. Enjoy the videos- the first one is long- her reading her books. I think it's 5 minutes or so and the second ones are of her in her elephant costume singing the Itsy Bitsy Spider and riding her horse. It cracks me up! Enjoy!

Big Girl

Pushing Jenna in her stroller.

Reading "Big Wed Dog Cwippord"

Well, I think I can say that we are officially potty trained. We have an occasional accident here and there and we still wear a pull up to bed- we only need it about 2 times a week though. Whew! That was quite a process! I'm glad we're through the hardest part though. My sympathies to my friend Lisa who is just starting the journey.:O) Natalie and I had so much fun tonight. She is definitely not a baby any longer. I taught her how to use the mouse pad on the computer to play a computer game. She picked it up after two games and can now play the Clifford game on PBS kids independently. Talk about impressive fine motor control! Natalie's vocabulary continues to explode, but it's funny to see her reasoning sometimes. For example, she was watching Dora in our bedroom the other day while I was making dinner. She had been quiet for some time, so I went to check on her. She had gotten the box of band aids from the bathroom drawer and put them all over herself. She was whining about her boo boos (she didn't really have any under the band aids) but she wouldn't let me take them off. Half way through dinner, after two crying episodes and continuous whining, she let me take off the band aids that we covering nothing and miraculously she was just fine and back to her sunny self! LOL I had to explain to her that the band aids make the boo boos feel better; they don't cause boo boos. Pretty funny! We are getting ready to go to Wenatchee next week for a nice little get away. Natalie is excited to see Grandma Mary and Grandpa Scott!

Bad Girl

Can you tell the heels are a favorite dress up item???!!!??

I think we might officially be in the terrible two's... Natalie is gaining more independence and learning that she is able to think for her self and that she doesn't physically have to do everything I ask her to... Consequently she has been spending more and more time in the corner... The other night she opened her Skype conversation with Grandma Jill with: "Hi. I a sass box. I go in time-out. Mommy said knock it off, I go in time-out." Grandma Jill promptly began laughing and forgot to look away from the computer camera.

Natalie had a rough day at daycare today.... we wrote Ms. TC an apology letter. Natalie told me what to write. It took us 30 minutes, but here is the end result:

Dear Mi-Mi,

Um, I sorry to Ms. TC for doing get the pretzels down. I broke Diana's cup and made her sad.
Sorry. N-A-T-A-L-I-E (she spelled her name) I won't tinkle in garage. I tinkle Ms. TC's house in the potty chair. In the toilet. Sorry not to tinkle in the garage. Tomorrow probably open my ears. Love, Natalie.

LOL. Just thought I would share.:O) Things have been really busy here for us (does it ever get un-busy?) David and I have both been working longer hours (yuck!) and I have had some complicated patients at work that are taking more of my "off" time. I'm still enjoying my job though, it's just a little more busy and a little more stressful right now. I also have a new boss, whom I think is great. However, I think she's getting some pressure from upper management to try to increase productivity which means streamlining our day- which in my opinion really can't be any more streamlined or any more full. ahhhhh, ok. done venting, going to bed. I will try to post again this month. enjoy the new pics and check out picasa as I updated that too under Summer 2010.

More summer pics...

Silly Daddy!

Nekked Driving!

Swimming in the driveway because the grass is non-existent and the weeds will pop the pool!

Smooches Daaaahhhhhling!

Pure Joy.

Jeeze Louises. The summer is just flying by!!! We had a great time out in WA with Grandma Mary and Grandpa Scott. We spent a few days in Wenatchee relaxing and then drove to Bellingham for David's cousin's wedding. It was a beautiful wedding, and we had a great time dancing the night away. Natalie took a late nap, work up as dinner was being served and cut rug all night long. We couldn't keep her off the dance floor. She helped close the party! I took some really cute pics and some video of her dancing with her grandparents, great grandparents and great aunt, but they're on My father in law's camera- I will post when I get a hold of them:O) We came back to a really busy week at work for me and David was out of town for 3 days. Natalie and I both got a cold and are just now recovering... That's pretty much the way it seems to go! Oh yea, and Natalie is getting 3 of her 2 year molars... She is crabby! The only thing that made her happy this weekend was clomping around the house in my 3 inch heels and painting her nails! She was vacuuming in her heels and underwear. I couldn't help but laugh. It reminded me of 1950's cleaning commercials. I took pics and will post when I get a chance.

Busy Busy Busy

At the park for Natalie's birthday party

San Francisco!!!

Natalie and Sharky in San Francisco

Natalie and Flo the penguin

Posing in the giant clam!

Boy have we been busy! We enjoyed a wonderful visit with Grandma Jill at the end of June and Just returned from a quick vacation to Wenatchee for David's cousin's wedding and seeing Granma Mary, Grandpa Scott, Uncle Nick, Grandma "P", and Grandma John. While Grandma Jill was here, we really enjoyed a mini vacation to Monterey and the Monterey Bay Aquarium, Carmel and San Francisco. Natalie LOVED the aquarium!! There was so much to see, and there was an awesome kids section where she was able to pick up star fish and shells and even pet a sting ray! In San Francisco, we were able to tour Alcatraz and got to see Al Capone's cell. Mom was jazzed! Enjoy the few pics I posted, I still have to post more from Natalie's party and our recent Washington trip. Stay tuned!

Maizie and Natalie a chronicle...

I'm sorry it has taken me so long to write my second post for the month, but at least I'm posting! Here are the Maizie n' Natalie Chronicles. I will post again soon with pictures from Natalie's little birthday party we had and our time with Grandma Jill. Hope everyone is having a good summer!