Valentine's Day

February 14th

Valentine's Day has never been a big deal for me and Nathan. We usually don't have Gabriel because it's most often during the week, and if we do we celebrate by watching a movie together. This year was a little different because we have Natalie. We gave each of the kids a small basket of Valentine goodies. Gabriel had a Lego and some sweets. Natalie had a bath book, stuffy, and some sweets (that she of course didn't get to eat). They both had a pencil too, Natalie's was just for fun...naturally it ended up being her favorite part and I had to take it away!

Their baskets

Checking out the goods

The naughty pencil

Our little Valentine

The worst part is we're running out of "Baby's First..." holidays. I can't believe how fast the year is going!



Sarah's 13th Birthday Party!

February 11th

Sarah's 13th birthday party was everything a teenager could ask for- fun friends, delicious goodies, pizza, a DJ and dancing, and a photo booth with props. We all had a blast celebrating with Sarah. For me, it was sort of surreal to experience Sarah's 13th birthday with Natalie there. Sarah was 'my' first baby. I mean, don't get me wrong, obviously it wasn't the same relationship, but Sarah was the first baby I fell in love with! I loved Sarah, and she was so special to me! I still feel that way, she just isn't a baby anymore. It feels like just yesterday Sarah was born and now she's a teenager. If I feel like this now, I can't imagine what I'll feel like when Natalie turns 13! Thankfully I have a LONG time to prepare myself for that!

Here are a few party pictures taken by TK Photography:

The candy buffet

The cupcakes Kristy made

Me and my sister, Kristy

Daddy and his princess

...a Kendall family portrait...Natalie yanking on Gabriel's hair!

Brother and Sister

The birthday girl, Sarah

Cousins

Kristy, Dad, and me

Just the two of us



Natalie's First Accident

February 11th

Unfortunately, not all firsts are ones to celebrate. On Saturday, we were on our way to my parents' house to go to Orlando for Sarah's (my niece) 13th birthday party. We were hit by a car that was pulling back onto the road and right into Natalie's side of the car. Thankfully Nathan was driving or I would have probably lost my mind! Even though it all happened so fast, the time it took to get Natalie out of her car seat felt like forever. I really panicked when I couldn't even open her door because the handle was missing! I hate that Natalie has already experienced a car accident, but we're so lucky that we were all fine.

My car that I've had since my parents gave it to me at 16.

If it had to happen, might as well blog about it!

The missing mirror

 We've had lots of great memories in the Saturn, and she's been good to us over the years. She will be missed!

Natalie's First Race Day

February 4th

On Saturday, we took Natalie to her first official race! It was the Step Up 5K and Fun Run. It was a beautiful day, and we had a great time supporting my school, which actually had the highest participation in the district! Nathan ran the 5K and then we walked the Fun Run together. Natalie did a great job especially considering how long we were outside.

Getting ready to go.

Natalie is trying out a new silly face.



And in case you didn't believe me, she saw the camera and gave me a smile

Natalie has discovered the balls in the foosball table. There are two- an orange one and a white one. She loves to grab one color and then switch to the other. The funny part is she always puts the other back in the correct spot instead of just dropping it. Just another sign that we are raising a genius :)



Cheering on Daddy!

Waiting for Daddy to finish the 5K so we can walk the Fun Run.

Natalie's friend Nolan

We finished!

Nathan with his future running partner.

 

Natalie's Daddy

February 3rd

I grew up with (and still have) a very involved father. Growing up having a close-knit family raised my expectations of what my own family would be like. While dating Nathan, I was able to see what the future father of my children would be like because Nathan already had Gabriel and was already a father. It was kind of like cheating the system by getting a glimpse into the future.

I think people, women especially, underestimate the importance of having an involved father. Although I have seen Nathan interact and father Gabriel for years, it was like seeing it with different eyes when Natalie was born. I am so proud of Nathan and the relationship that he and Natalie have together. It is so special and totally unique. They go on nature hikes, take cat naps on the couch while watching cartoons, and sit in the back yard and talk to the ducks. I know these are little things, but it's the little things that sometimes mean the most. I also know that Nathan doesn't think twice because he feels he's just being a dad and doing what dads do.

 I am so blessed to have Nathan as a husband and father to Natalie. I honestly don't know how I would do it on my own, and I am so happy I'll never have to know. I think we are an amazing team, and he is my other half- my often better half. He is my support system, the man who holds everything together, and without him I would be lost. I was always told having a baby changes your relationship, and I agree with this completely. We have less us time, have to plan ahead a little more, and the weekdays can definitely be a little stressful. One thing that hasn't changed is my love for Nathan.

The card said for being a good mom. They were from my three lovins'


My class reaction was: It is your birthday or anniversary? What did he do to make you mad? Did he make you cry? Are y'all fighting?

So Nathan thank you for not needing a reason to make my day special. Happy February 3rd :)

A Fun Filled Saturday

January 28th

Gabriel loves spending quality time with Natalie. Saturday morning he took Natalie into her tent and played his harmonica for her. She thought it was so cool and just watched in awe!

Olivia's First Birthday Party

Saturday was a busy day for us. Olivia, Natalie's second cousin (or is it first cousin, twice removed?) had her first birthday party! We had Gabriel for the weekend and all went to the party. It was a fun time for all. Natalie's favorite part was playing with all of Olivia's toys! I think she thought it was Christmas all over again.

Natalie looking at Olivia's new toybox.

Olivia, April, and Joe (Nathan's cousin)

Enjoying her birthday cake

Hannah and Gabriel watching a movie together.

Natalie's First Trip to the Park

After the birthday party, we took a trip to the park. It was Natalie's first trip, and she loved it! She went down the slide with Gabriel and got in the swings. The boys threw the football and played basketball. It was a beautiful day outside!

Natalie's Love for Kitty

January 26th

Before I start this post, there are a few things I should mention:

#1 We still have a cat. He can also still move all appendages and walk.

#2 If you are a Grandparent, you may not want to read further.

#3 Natalie recognizes Kitty's name (Big milestone for Natalie, bad news for Kitty).

#4 Suddenly Kitty is a lot faster...and I think he recognizes Natalie's name too. 

#5 Natalie still loves Kitty.

#6 (the most important) The angle totally makes this look worse than it actually was.

Natalie has a super cool tent, but Kitty loves it so much more than Natalie. On Thursday Kitty discovered her tent, and I let Natalie know that Kitty was in it. This was the first time we realized she knew Kitty by name. Natalie crawled around to the side of her tent and peeked her head in. Once Natalie entered, Kitty beelined for the exit...only he ran towards the back of the tent and there is no exit there. Natalie stopped, totally surprised that Kitty wasn't running away (only he was trying to). Natalie looked at us, then Kitty. She said a quick hello to Kitty and grabbed on to his tail. Kitty gave a warning swipe and as soon as he was freed ran as fast as he could up the stairs (of course Natalie can climb those too now). We talked to and disciplined both parties involved. Kitty got a poppin' and Natalie now understands that Kitty is part of our family. Needless to say, I don't see this happening again. Although Natalie is anxiously awaiting her next encounter with her new best friend, Kitty is a lot fast and more cautious.

"Look guys Kitty isn't running."

"His tail is standing up so cute. Can I touch him?"

"Maybe I'll just grab his tail..."

Anyway, the angle is terrible and Kitty was actually quite far from getting Natalie. I don't think Kitty would actually hurt her, but he is just a cat so we can't be too careful. They are still friends, but Kitty is a lot more careful these days.



Afternoon Fun

January 23rd and 24th

Since my work hours have changed, I feel like I have so much more time in the afternoon. We love to spend time outside on the trampoline, go on wagon rides, or play with the toys inside. It's been so nice lately that we've been outside a lot!

It's definitely more challenging to get a picture now that Natalie is so mobile.