Sweet baby MOJO!

Morgan loves to giggle & smile. The girls and I were rolling around in Lily's room when I was able to capture Morgan's precious smile!!!

After Morgan was born, I started calling her Morgie. I guess daddy didn't like the nickname "Morgie" so he started calling her "Mojo". Most of our family still refers to her as Morgie, but she is "Mojo" to daddy, and "Sissy" to Lily. Every morning Lily says to Morgan, "Hi Sissy!". I love it, Lily is so sweet!

It's a queso kind of night!

The day started with the girls and I going to a playdate. Lily will now be known to our play group as "the streaker"! We were having snacks in the kitchen when Lily goes back into the playroom to play, alone. She is quiet so I should have known she was up to something. The next thing I see, out of the corner of my eye, is Lily dashing into the kitchen then back into the playroom wearing nothing but her shirt and diaper! She has accomplished to take off her shoes, socks, and pants, but thank goodness leaving on her diaper. I don't know what she was thinking. I guess she wanted to spice things up a little! After the playdate, we pickup daddy for a big lunch at Macaroni Grill. We decide then we would be staying in for dinner tonight because we weren't for sure how bad the weather would be. All morning had been rainy then the snow started falling this afternoon. The girls went to bed early, I guess they were tired from their big day of a playdate and lunch. So I decided to make queso. Which brings me to a little story. When husband and I were first married the majority of our dinners consisted of a special ingredient, "velvetta". Tortilla soup, potato soup, many casseroles, dips, etc. all contained velvetta! Now 5 1/2 years later, with a husband on cholesterol medicine, I've had to change my way of preparing food. We eat more healthy and our meals have better ingredients. You know NOT the ones with an experation date of June 15, 2015!!! But tonight we caved in and ate velvetta! It is snowing outside, we have a fire crackling, a bowl of sausage queso, and a beer to wash it down. And did I mention the girls are asleep! WOO-HOO!!!

By Invitation Only!!!

Okay, so anyone who knows me well knows that I RARELY pay full price for anything. I want stylish, unique items, but I will put something back, even if I love it, because it is not a "great deal". I am the type of person that even shops sale racks at Target! I know I'm giving away all my secrets, but I see no sense in paying full price for something when in a couple of weeks it will be on sale! My thought is the less expensive something is... the more I can buy!!!
My friend sent me an invitation to the website below. I will try to explain, but I may not make sense. Each day new "boutiques" open. Each boutique stays open for two days and it is first come first serve. The boutiques carry high-end designer products. And did I mention everything is on SALE? Yep, that is correct, everything is on sale. I even did some price comparing to make sure. Once again, I stress, "first come- first serve", I have missed out on some great shoes and tops due to logging in too late.
So good luck and happy shopping!!! If you don't see anything you like keep going back to the website because everyday a new "boutique" opens.
Copy and paste the website then enjoy!!!
http://www.ruelala.com/invite/nwalker28

Dads and daughters

This article below is so true and I believe it is a must read for any dad raising a daughter.

Dear Dr. Dobson: Talk about a father's impact on his daughter and what he should hope to accomplish through that relationship.

Dr. Dobson: Fathers have an incalculable impact on their daughters. Most psychologists believe, and I am one of them, that all future romantic relationships are influenced positively or negatively by the way a girl interacts with her dad in the childhood years. If that is true, then fathers should give careful thought to this responsibility and seek to be what their daughters need of them. There are, I believe, at least seven components to that assignment.
First, a dad's leadership at home should be a model of strength and authority, but always tempered by love and compassion.
Second, a dad must remember that he is being watched closely by that little girl around his knees. The way he treats her mother will teach her volumes about how men and women should relate to one another.
Third, I think it is good to begin "dating" a daughter when she is six years of age, or even earlier. Dad should let the child help plan their evenings and then see that they occur when and where promised.
Fourth, a dad should always look for ways to build the self-confidence of his little girl.
Fifth, a father should keep the lines of communication open throughout childhood so that he is seen as someone to whom his daughter can turn when she needs advice.
Sixth, God designed men to be the "providers and protectors" of their families. Dad is often his little girl's "hero," and it is wonderful when that kind of relationship develops.
Seventh, a father must be the spiritual leader of his family, making clear his devotion to Jesus Christ and to the principles in Scripture.


I believe a daddy's role in his daughters life is priceless and this article is so easy to read and understand. (men need that, ya know!) So, thank you, Dr. Dobson!

p.s. I copy and pasted this article from the website of a newspaper, but Dr. James Dobson's website is very informative, too.
www.focusonthefamily.com

Are they twins?

The girls and I do our grocery shopping every Monday morning. While at Market Street Lily sits in the shopping cart and I carry Morgan either in our BECO or Baby Bjorn carrier. The girls are not the same size. Morgan is big for her age, but not the size of a two year old. Therefore, I think it is funny (odd) when the following happens and it never fails I always have this conversation with someone....

Random person: "Are they twins or just close in age?"
Momma Nat: "Not twins, just close in age."
Random person: "How close in age?"
Momma Nat: "16 months apart."
Random person: "Wow! You're busy!!!"
Momma Nat: "Yes, very busy, but lots of fun!"

Love Dare

Sometimes life gets in the way. I'm talking about relationships here. It is very easy to take a marriage for granted. Cleaning, cooking, doing laundry, changing diapers, & raising kids, etc., etc., will take over, if we allow it, and our relationship gets moved to the back burner, so to speak. Just like the following... Last year for Christmas I gave Frank, the book, "Love Dare". We very much enjoyed reading and participating in the daily "dares". Did we get through it? No. We let life get in the way and had another baby. So what do we do to guard our relationship and have more one on one time? I know when my mom comes in town, she barely makes it in our door before Frank and I are saying, "See ya, we are going to dinner!" We always take advantage of these times to have a date!!! And guess what else we are going to do? We are going to take up where we left off in the "Love Dare", and maybe finish before next Christmas!
    

Breast Feeding

I have been meaning to post about breast feeding.... I have weaned Morgan so I need to post now or I will forget about it. First of all, let me say, "Breastfeeding Morgan has been an absolute joy". I have created an amazing bond with her and I can't help to mention "breastfeeding is cheap!" I will now spend at least $100, a month, on formula due to weaning Morgan. I have had no issues with breastfeeding in public and I am glad no one has had an issue with me doing it. Granted, when I would breastfeed in public, I was always covered up, but you never know how people are going to react by a mother nursing her child. The process of breastfeeding is amazing. It is so empowering that we as mothers carry, deliver, and actually "feed" our babies breastmilk. We are directly in charge of the growth & nutrition of our babies. I mean come on that is awesome! After Lily was born she never latched on so I had to pump and give her breast milk. When Morgan was born I knew I wanted to try breastfeeding again, but I didn't want to stress out myself (or the baby) if things didn't go as planned. Thank goodness Morgan took right to it. We had no problems at all and the process of breastfeeding Morgan was easy.
I do have to admit the drawbacks, though. At about 6 months of age Morgan became very attached to nursing throughout the night. Every night was like an "all you could eat buffet" and in return neither she nor I got much sleep. I became very exhausted, was sick at the time, and I could not get well. I was not extremely ill, but I was having a tough time with my sinuses and I couldn't shake it. These "all-nighters" were more of Morgan wanting to nurse for comfort instead of hunger. This was exhausting me. At the same time I wanted to sleep train her. Needless to say, Morgan and I went to her 6 month check up with me in tears. I was not emotionally ready to wean her but, yet, I had to get some sleep. Our pediatrition is awesome. She listened me to cry, heard my concerns, and completely understood. Her baby is six weeks younger than Morgan so she was experiencing the same events as I was. After much thought, I decided to not wean Morgan at that time, but to sleep train her. She is now sleeping better. Thank godness!
So now two months later, Morgan is weaned. When I look back I remember having to nurse Morgan many times in public. I have listed some places (I remember) where I had to nurse her.

Rick's Chop House, McKinney, TX,   DFW Airport,  several airplane rides,   Starbuck's, Winter Park, CO,   Randy's, Winter Park, CO,   Nordstrom, Frisco, TX,   several different parking lots in TX, OK, & CO;   University of Gymnastics,  a few birthday parties/playdates,   Ashley Thompson Photo Studio, Muskogee, OK,   I'm sure I've forgotten places, when I remember, I will post more. 

New Year Pics

I wanted to post a few pics....



Lily watching "Thomas" go by at the "Trains at Northpark"

Morgan Christmas Day

Cotton Bowl

As I stated in a previous post, husband and I went to the Cotton Bowl. We met at Russell's house to get on the party bus at 10:00 am and didn't get back to his house until about 8:00 pm later that night. This was the first "full day" Frank and I spent together away from the girls. Thanks to Rochelle for coming to our rescue and babysitting the girls. I checked in a few times her and she always replied as everything was good and to enjoy ourselves. That we did!!! Here are a few pics.

As far as the game went... well, it was good until OSU started losing, but it really didn't matter to us. We were enjoying ourselves by hanging out with our friends in a suite at the Texas Stadium. Jerry knows how to do it. Each suite comes with a private bathroom, private servers, all you can eat & drink, three flat screens, (as if the GIANT screen above the middle of the field is not enough!), theatre seating, bar tables, bar chairs, and somebody to clean up after you! What an event to remember!

Bye-Bye, Peg!

Before Christmas, I sold our PINK Peg Perego stroller. BOO-HOO! I feel kind of sad. I'm sure you're asking, Why?". Well, this stroller was a part of our life. I would just strap Lily in and away we went. The weekend before I sold it was our last trip to the mall with Lily strapped in our Peg.
Now, I need a double stroller. Yes, I sold the only stroller I owned without buying a double stroller, first, and, now, I have no stroller. But I'm on a mission to find a phil & teds sport buggy with doubles kit for a great price. So wish me luck!

An update!!!! We now have a new stroller! And it is so sassy! I found a pink, camo phil & teds stroller with doubles kit for a great price. I accomplished my mission! Doesn't Morgan look so cute chillin' in her new stroller?

Happy New Year

I love the holidays. Shopping, decorating, cooking, and all of the other fun stuff that comes along with holiday season. Craziness is the term I like to use. Lily's Birthday is the start of the season and our festivities don't stop until after the New Year. Here was our rough time line. Lily's Birthday Party, play dates, gymnastics, my dad's Birthday, Frank sister's Birthday, family dinners, hair appoinments, girls night out, Christmas Eve in Oklahoma that we missed due to inconvenient, bad weather, Christmas Day, day after Christmas shopping, another family dinner, New Year's Eve/ Frank's Birthday!, and it all ended this past Saturday with a memorable day, (away from the girls), to the Cotton Bowl at the new Cowboy's stadium! Hello Jerry's World! This place is the MECCA of all football stadiums. The teams playing were OSU and OLE MISS. We were rooting for OSU (of course) but OLE MISS won. Oh well, we still had a fabulous time!!!
Am I glad the holidays are over? Kinda, now the girls and I can get back to our same old routine. Mondays-grocery day, Wednesdays-gymnastics, Fridays-playdates, and of course Tues & Thurs are for playing, cleaning, laundry, etc.
I'll post holiday pics later.

Happy New Year!!!