Natalie is getting so big!

Mmmmmmmmm, my Gerber banana puffs!
Natalie LOVES holding her hands together (like she's praying)! She's done it since she was a newborn! Everytime you pick her up or are holding her she has her hands crossed. So sweet!
She was looking at the TV (My Friends Tigger & Pooh) at her favorite show.
Her new thing is sucking on her top lip...silly girl!

Natalie will be 8 months on May 5th! She is starting to eat finger foods now. She loves the Gerber puffs! She is starting to babble too. She says Da-Da, Muh (for Mom), and uh-oh. Cute! She is sitting up on her own without assistance (until brother knocks her down!).

Fun in the backyard!!

Now we need to work on our grass!

Natalie's first trip down the slide!
Whew...swinging makes me sleepy...

We finally got our vinyl fence installed (after a month of rain!). We love it! It's so nice to know that Jack and Natalie will be contained in the backyard when they are outside playing. At the same time we also got a new swing set!

As you may recall...2 years ago we purchased one from Walmart and Todd and Dad put it together (it took 2 weekends!). Well, 2 weeks later while we were on vacation at the Lake of the Ozarks a tornado came through the nearby area and blew it into our neighbors yard (and into his swing set) 2 houses down!! Luckily insurance paid for it, but we didn't replace it that summer. Last year we couldn't decide what to do next...another swing set or fence? We took Jack to the park last summer to play.

Jack loves his new swing set! Natalie likes to swing too, or just sit in her swing and watch Jack run around and play. No pictures of Jack on the swing set yet...he wouldn't hold still long enough! I'll have to get some action shots of him playing. :)

My Sweet Boy...Part Two

Well, here is an update on my sweet boy Jack. My last post dated 2/20/08 left us battling an ear infection, sinus infection, and pink eye. The pink eye cleared up pretty quickly. But the ear infection and sinus infection has lingered on and on and on and on...since January!! We have been on 5 antibiotics and it just won't go away. It comes right back. On Friday we went to the doctor for her to check his ears to see how he was doing. Well, the right ear is still infected, but not bad. The left ear (which is the ear he complains about all the time hurting) is awful. It's infected with fluid really bad. He can hardly hear out of it.

So off we go to an ENT doctor. He was really nice and explained everything just as Jack's pediatrician had. We've come to the conclusion (after running out of options) that it's time for tubes in his ears. He is scheduled to have the procedure next Thursday, April 24th.

I'm a little nervous and scared for Jack. He's my baby!!! The procedure is minor and is outpatient. It will be over in about an hour. I know it is very common for children to have this procedure done and it has done wonders. But still...he's my baby!! I know he will do fine and will be so happy to hear again!

Please keep Jack in your prayers for a quick recovery, although I think Mommy might be the one that will need to recover! :)

Hoppy Easter!

Jack and Natalie opening their Easter baskets!

Natalie - Grandma made the dress, bloomers & hat!
Jack and Mommy - checking out what's inside the eggs!
Jack and Daddy - Dying the eggs!
Natalie on Easter Sunday and her gifts!

Sorry I'm a little late on posting pictures...it's been nuts around here!

Natalie enjoyed her 1st Easter. She was very curious about her Easter basket. She wasted no time checking out everything inside! She was very well behaved through it all.

Jack was not feeling well but managed to have a little fun dying eggs with Dad. He liked the surprise snowfall we had Easter morning!

We celebrated Easter on Saturday with Heather's family. Mom had everyone over for dinner and Natalie, Jack, and Sam opened Easter gifts and hunted eggs around Grandma's house. On Easter Sunday we celebrated with Todd's family. Larry, Maureen, and Max had such a big dinner my parents joined us! Jack hunted eggs by himself since his cousins were not there to join him this year.