Combining Numbers 2, 3, and 5: The Beach

So, even though we ended up taking our beach vacation in the middle of Tropical Storm Fay, things didn't turn out too badly. The weather was mostly good... not too hot, great breezes... but, very cloudy. It's just not the beach if it's not sunny. Luckily it didn't rain that much at all. My biggest disappointment of the trip? Finding out that my beautiful daughter hates the sand. I was most looking forward to this trip because it would be her first trip to the beach... and she hated the beach! The pool she loved, but if she got anywhere close to the sand she started crying. Here are some pics from the week. If there are any good ones of Natalie on the sand, it's because we tricked her into sitting there for the picture. Enjoy.

You can't see her face, but trust me, she wasn't having fun.

This is when she put her sandy hand in her mouth... she didn't like sitting on the sand and she definitely didn't like eating it!

My favorite pic of the trip!

And, my second fav pic of the trip.

And here are a few of Mom and Dad and of Leigh, Kevin, Gregory, and Wyatt.

I'll post more snapshots in another post.

Natalie is Walking!!

The first of my updates... as promised.

Grab the baby book. Another milestone to record. Natalie is, as Joe says, "officially a toddler". She's been taking a few (5-6) steps here and there for a few weeks now, but I guess the trip to the beach and the need to explore her new surroundings in the condo was all the motivation she needed to get going. Since we've been back from the beach, she's been walking anywhere she wants (which is usually somewhere I don't want her to go - ha!). A couple times today, she's tested out running, but she gets so excited when she starts running that she just giggles and collapses on the floor. I wish I could post pics of her walking, but they'd just look like standing. Does blogger support video? If so, how do you do it?

coming soon

I know it's been awhile since I've posted anything worth reading/looking at, but I plan on changing that soon. Here's a little preview of the coming posts. Check back soon for the updates.

1. Natalie is Walking!
2. At Panama City Beach during Fay
3. Newsflash: Natalie hates sand
4. My car died three times (at least)
5. Beach Vacation Photos
6. The basement flooded (thanks, Fay)

There might be more. I can't think right now.

us

Create your own family sticker graphic at pYzam.com

All Aboard!

Last Saturday we went to a birthday party at the Railroad Museum in Calera. We got to take a train ride then have cake and presents in an old train car that had been converted for parties. It was pretty neat. Leigh, Kevin, Gregory & Wyatt were there too. All the kiddos loved riding the train.

Natalie and Wyatt sitting with Kev on the train.

Joe & I enjoying the train.

Natalie had lunch on the train.

Looking out the window. This was her favorite thing to do while we were riding.

Nat and Wy loved this little train set in the Birthday Party Car.

Before I was a Mom

I found this on someone else's myspace page and I liked it and thought I'd post it here.


Before I was a Mom,
I never tripped over toys or knew words to a lullaby.
I didn't worry whether or not my plants were poisonous.
I never thought about immunizations.
Before I was a Mom,
I had never been puked on,
Pooped on,
Chewed on,
Peed on.
I had complete control of my mind and my thoughts.
I slept all night.
Before I was a Mom,
I never held down a screaming child so doctors could do tests.
Or give shots.
I never looked into teary eyes and cried.
I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin.
I never sat up late hours at night watching a baby sleep.
Before I was a Mom,
I never held a sleeping baby just because I didn't want to put her down.
I never felt my heart break into a million pieces when I couldn't stop the hurt.
I never knew that something so small could affect my life so much.
I never knew that I could love someone so much.
I never knew I would love being a Mom.
Before I was a Mom,
I didn't know the feeling of having my heart outside my body.
I didn't know how special it could feel to feed a hungry baby.
I didn't know that bond between a mother and her child.
I didn't know that something so small could make me feel so important and happy.
Before I was a Mom,
I ha d never gotten up in the middle of the night every 10 minutes to make sure all was okay.
I had never known the warmth, the joy, the love, the heartache,
the wonderment or the satisfaction...
I never knew was capable of feeling so much, before I was a Mom.