6 months

Happy Birthday, NJ! She is half a year old already! Wow!  Some milestones:
*she is sitting up by herself
*still loving her rice cereal
*had her first sickness (strep)
* eating 6 ounces every 3-4 hours
*jabbering a lot
*still sleeping through the night (8:30-6:15)
*celebrated her first Easter
*can nearly roll from back to tummy
*her hair is getting longer on top; long enough for a clip!
*happy girl!

We feel so blessed!

All work, no play

Keeping up with this blog has become more work than play!  For a week Natalie has been extremely congested with a cross between a runny and stopped up nose. When it sounded like it was all in her chest, I called the doctor. I was worried it might be RSV. We got her in Saturday morning at the last minute, and after a swab, found out she has strep! What?! Not sure where she got it, but she has it. You would have never known she was sick because she was her usual content self (thank you, Lord!).  Doc said she would be contagious for 24 hours so that mean no Easter services for us=( I went to church to complete my volunteer duties during the 9:30 hour, and Brian (who also wasn't feeling well) stayed home with Natalie. We will save her dress for next week!
Once I got home we loaded up and headed to Allen for a birthday dinner for Brian's 31st. The weather was perfect! We sat outside in a pristine (sp?) location with a nice cool breeze, and delicious food! We shared my favorite Lemon-Herb Garlic Chicken, with a side of mashed potatoes and carrots. Then topped it off with a Snickers Cheesecake. Yum!

Doesn't the little flower on the side look so cute?! Her hair is getting just long enough on top to hold it in! She was perfect while we ate, and again got many "ooohhhs" and "ahhhhhhs."

She was supposed to have her 6 month check up and shots tomorrow but since she is on antibiotics, we had to push it back a week. However, on Saturday they weighed her and she is only 14.8 lbs. Still a skinny girl, but getting some good thighs!

*Sigh*

Work is kicking my butt right now. I am home by 4:30 or 5, then it is play time with Natalie followed quickly by dinner preparation, her dinner, our dinner, play time, bath, pick out her clothes and mine for the next day, pack my lunch, sit down, go to bed. Not much time for anything else. The house stays messy until Saturdays because I am too tired to care. Random other things get put off because I have no time or can't remember to do it (that is becoming a big problem these days). I haven't had any time to update the blog and let you know how our little one is growing and changing!

Next week she will be 6 months which means I am already behind on her 5 month photo page! Argh!  She is eating her rice cereal really well, but still only once a day. She is sitting up by herself with only a little support at times, and I am loving this! It is so fun to watch her explore. She drools ALL the time, and lately has been a bit crankier than normal. We are guessing a tooth is bound to pop up any time now. She constantly 'chews' on her gums like she has some bubble gum, and her fingers are always in her mouth.

She has just completed week 3 with the sitter, and it is working out beautifully! She has so much fun with her new little friend, Sadie. They 'talk' to each other all day apparently. Meagan says she does really well when she takes her out and about and still gets lots of ooohs and ahhhhhs. We are so blessed to have Meagan keeping her! Every day when I pick her up she gets a 'report card.' On it she tells me her nap times, feeding times and amounts, what they read that day, what toys were her favorite, and what her mood was like for the morning and the afternoon. It is the cutest! Natalie really seems to enjoy going because she never cries and it always happy when I pick her up.

The weekends don't get any calmer because we are using all of that time to do our running around that I can't do during the week! This weekend is special because it is Easter and Brian's 31st birthday! Hope I can make it special for him.

Thanks for the outfit, Mimi and Poppi!

Hello Spring!

This dress was too cute not to show off! It is a JojO Design, and I looked it up on their website. Brand new this thing cost someone $41.99!! But not ME! Brian picked it out at Just Between Friends sale for $4. Now that is bargain shopping at its finest=)

Welcome Back

Yesterday was my first day back to work since December 18th or so! I was surprised at how I was feeling as I prepared to go back. I didn't have that dreaded feeling on Sunday afternoon like I thought. The day went pretty well, and the kiddos were so excited to see me! It is always nice to be loved and feel missed.

Today was a different story. I left the school feeling like a failure, frustrated, and no fight left in me. I have one very difficult student this year who has given me quite a run for my money. There is a lot of background on this little one that breaks my heart because I love him and want to help him. But my hands are tied. I cannot control his parents or their thoughts or actions, and I cannot control how things run in the world of education.  Therefore, I'm left fending for myself. He is a constant disruption and I have spent way more time on his behavior than on the teaching/learning of the rest of my class. Out of 20 students I really have 18 wonderful kinder kids. But 2 overshadow it all. (the second because of the first)
I do not feel I have given them all they could have had this year, and that doesn't settle well with me. The sadder part is that the student I have spent the most time with, has made no academic growth=(

So I'm left trying not to dread the last 8 weeks I have for this year. Trying to ignore this behavior (while he destroys my room in the process),  and give the other 18 a great ending to a really messed up year. I covet any prayers as this will be the only thing that gets me through. I am trying to stay positive, but after two cries tonight, it's touchy.

On a much lighter note, Miss Natalie has done GREAT with Meagan, our babysitter! She has been happy, healthy, and having a blast with her new playmate, Sadie=) God has definitely provided for us there! We love you, Meagan!

5 month pictures and Arboretum

I finally got around to getting Natalie's 5 month shots.  Out of about 25 pictures, we managed to get a decent one so here we go.

Did you notice she is sitting up by herself?!?! This came out of nowhere! Now of course there is that occasional lean and fall, but wow!

This is what happens when you ask people to take your picture. Out of focus, off centered, ugh...annoying!

Anyway, Brian took Thursday and Friday off to enjoy being home before I go back to work and get cranky and stressed again!=) We decided (after 5 years of living here) to go the Dallas Arboretum. The weather could not have been more perfect (75 degrees), and the blooms were gorgeous! Natalie was in a great mood the whole time, and it was so nice just the three of us walking around outside enjoying life! Thank you, Lord!

But, she's happy!

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this picture!

I know, I know you just want to eat her up, right?!?! Me, too! You are lucky you didn't get the full spectrum of pictures taken while we were at the Arboretum!