After tailgating, Craig came back home and we drove the motorcycle out to meet up with Craig's friend and co-worker Mark Flanders. I have always wanted to shoot a handgun...just once or twice...just to see what it is like.  Mark owns a few guns and was willing to let us try his out at this sort of outside shooting range area they have over by the Coralville Reservoir.  We were able to shoot 3 different guns - one a 9mm, and two .22 handguns that were different in size.  They each feel very different when you shoot them, but I think I liked the larger .22 the best.  Although it was fun, it's really only something I wanted to just try once...my thirst has been quenched, so to say!

            Craig, Natalie, Craig's parents, and I had dinner together at the house.  Then we drove out for ice-cream at Cold Stone Creamery.  Nat kept hearing a train in the distance and kept saying "choo-choo train" at the top of her lungs...she is so entertaining!

 

Oct 2 ~ This morning, we participated in the Child Dedication ceremony at our church!  We decided we really wanted to have this done before Natalie turned two years of age.  Parkview holds their dedications in the Old Chapel portion of the church.  There were about 6 families dedicating their children to the Lord today!  Nile Heefner, an Associate Pastor of student ministries, lead the ceremony.  Basically, it is recognition on the part of the parents that we are "trustees" of the children the Lord has given us.  The parents stand in the front of the room with their child and then the parents commit to the spiritual upbringing of that child by making a pledge before God and the church.  You may also choose to select a scripture to read, share a hope you have for your child, and/or say a closing prayer.  We chose James 1:17 as Natalie's verse...I read that aloud as well as our hope and a message I had written for her.  Nile Heefner said the closing prayer. Wow, I didn't realize how emotional I was going to get while reading what I wrote - I wasn't prepared to break down into tears...I felt a little embarrassed...but in the end it's really how I felt, so I suppose I shouldn't worry about how I expressed myself.  This is what I read: 

James 1:17  (KJV)

 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

 

 Our hope for our beautiful daughter, Natalie Ann:

 That through the years she will develop a deep forever-lasting personal relationship with the Lord. 

 

That with both the security of God’s love and the security of our love, she will be a strong, confident young lady who is also gentle and loving and full of compassion. 

 

We want her to know just how blessed we are to be her parents.  That every time we look into her eyes we are reminded that God does hear our prayers.  What a wonderful gift we have been given!

             After the ceremony, we drove out to Amana Colonies for Oktoberfest!  We had a huge lunch over at The Brickhaus...they have great meals there...it's served family style, so you get to pass all kinds of side dishes around.  After lunch, we walked around for awhile.  The town was decorated for Fall with corn stalks, pumpkins, hay bales, etc.  We went in and out of some of the shops.  There was live music playing here and there and people selling kettle corn.  Nattie looked so cute in her new fall dress and shoes!  She wanted to walk everywhere and touch all the pumpkins and flowers and such.  It was a fun time...we may have to go back next year! 

 

 

               Natalie's News:   She is saying so much lately!  I was shocked when she actually said a five word sentence the other day...she grabbed her toy duck and said "Come here duck, eat cheese"  Some of her other words have been ones such as apple sauce, puzzle, matching, kiss, cute!, pumpkin, mickey mouse, funny!, sheep, horse, pony, mouse, thirsty, rock-a-baby, park, hot, cold, sauce, dip, pocket, cloud, tickle, pee, poop, strawberry, church, coffee, coughing, toodle (passing gas!), toothpaste, cream, big truck, tomato, bagel, hawk, grasshopper (one of my favorite words lately!), caterpiller, helicopter, snowman, butterfly, gross!, stuck, diaper, pizza, sun, moon, rain, carry, oh gosh!, fruit snack.  She also says things like "sit tall" which is something I used to say alot to her to get her to sit up straight in her highchair.  She says her friends' names like Madelyn, Jake, and Gabe. She'll say sentences like "Frog under blanket".   She is getting really good at doing simple puzzles, matching, and sorting.  She'll call out your name (like "Gramma??") and wait for you to respond.  Daddy taught her to say "Rock and Roll, yeah!" so that will escape her mouth from time to time...haha!  She tries to wash her own hands and blow her own nose.  She likes to play Ring Around the Rosie. She'll tell you all about the characters from Seasame Street...Elmo, Zoe, Cookie Monster, Big Bird, Bert and Ernie and Grover.  She'll also tell you all about the characters from The Big Comfy Couch...Loonette and Molly.  The other day she wasn't sure why the leaves were falling off the trees so she stood there saying " Uh-oh leaves".  And when Daddy was mowing the grass she said "Bye grass!".  She also loves to go to the pantry to get snacks for the dogs...and of course a snack for herself!

 

Oct 4 ~ I got a call from my brother late last night...he is going to be a daddy!!  Jason and his girlfriend, Nicole, are due to have a baby sometime mid-April. I was so shocked to receive such big news!  Yes, Jason is fully aware of my strong belief in marriage before children...but things happen and what's done is done and if he is happy then I am happy for him :)  I can't believe I am going to be an Aunt!!

          Natalie and I went to storytime this morning over at Barnes and Noble.  They have it weekly over in the children's section. I think it's a really great place to attend a storytime...the atmosphere is warm and cozy, the kids can look through the other books if they get bored with the story, and let's not forget that the moms can grab a coffee at the Starbucks counter there!  Today's book was Olivia the Pig. I just love bookstores...it's so hard to enter one and leave without a book in hand!

          Well, Natalie's cute little "oh gosh!" phrase has somehow turned into "oh god!".  Craig and I aren't exactly sure where she picked that up, but I'm really hoping it wasn't something that escaped from my own mouth...I used to say it growing up and was never really corrected or told it was wrong.  So now we are in the process of trying to eliminate that phrase from her vocabulary by telling her it's just not a nice thing to say.

 

Oct 5 ~ Craig and Lisa Nierman spoke at Hearts In Touch today about what husbands need from their wives. They explained the main needs as being adventure, respect, and sexual availability.  We learned that men need adventure in their lives in order to connect with other men and to stay sharp.  That wives should support and encourage their husbands' dreams as long as they are appropriate.  We learned that a man's deepest desire is to just be respected.  That although they are not perfect, we need to let our husbands rise as leaders in our household while we do our part by praying for them.  We learned that we need to accept that men have a strong biological need for sex and that we need to find ways to switch gears and be more welcoming in that area.  That many times if all is going well in the bedroom, there will be a better connection in all areas of our relationship.  Our small group had a good discussion today...we were also pleased to have another mom join our group - Heather Brezinski!

 

Oct 6 ~ I decided to resign from Iowa City Junior Service League today.  After about half a dozen emails back and forth, this was my final response to them:

"I don’t know exactly what to say about this. I guess I’m having a hard time understanding why I cannot be given a copy of this information when it is requested.  I feel I shouldn’t have to attend a dinner or meeting just to receive it.  In my opinion, if you are to run a group like ICJSL you should be willing to provide budget information to anyone who wants to see it…whether it be a member, prospective member, charity, or business.  It leads me to contemplate just how credible and organized this group really is. 

I am sorry, but I would rather spend my time and talents elsewhere.  I’ll be sure to let my friends, who were also interested in ICJSL, know my experience as well. I will send out my application for resignation tomorrow.  I would appreciate a refund of my $60 membership dues within the next week.

Thank you." 

I am really disappointed because this group just wasn't what I hoped it was going to be. The actual volunteer opportunities were sparse and there is some question as to why they have a very large amount of money just sitting in their bank account as opposed to allocating it out to charities, etc.  I'd rather not bother with it.

           Craig took a fellow co-worker, Carol Kozlik, up for a plane ride today!  He loves taking people up who are interested...ya know, he doesn't mind any excuse to fly :)  She sent out a little email report to another co-worker about her experience.  I thought it was cute and funny...what she had to say made me feel good, so I'm sure it made Craig feel good as well!  Here is what she wrote: 

"I wish to report that, not only did I "survive" my inaugural flight with Pilot Essington -- but I was mighty impressed with his command and control.  Contrary to his behavior on ground, Craig makes you feel very safe in the air. :-) 

 -- It was a blast. He explains everything that's going on (which I happen to like).

-- Both takeoff and landing were as smooth as silk.  I was amazed. Watching the runway come up to meet you is quite a rush, too.

-- Awesome views of the rivers, and trees, and light coming through clouds, and farms, and fields, and golf courses, and the stadium, and Pearson, and runways.

Note: Pearson is much more impressive from the air than from within these walls. Go figure.

Note:  Unfortunately, I forgot to give Kinnick a close enough look (on the turf) to see if I could still see where is says "Iowa sucks" -- they must have fixed it.)

If you have the chance to make that trip to Michigan, I'd do it if I were you. The scenery would be incredible, you'd be there in no time, and you'd have a lot of fun. And you get to wear your own headset and act like you know what's going on :-)"

          Natalie was so adorable at nap time this afternoon!  She fell asleep in her crib looking at her Toddler Bible!  This Bible has pictures of animals (especially sheep) all throughout the pages...so Nattie says "open sheep" when she wants to read it. Craig, Nat, and I went to Lonestar for dinner and then out to Walmart to pick up a few things. There is this large inflatable turkey out in one of the aisles at the store...so Nattie has been saying "turkey" and sometimes "gobble-gobble".  She also knows that a chicken says "bock-bock" and a rooster says "cock-a-doodle-do"! 

 

Oct 8-9 ~ Choir sang this weekend in church.  I believe I said that the last set of songs we sang were my favorite...correction - the set this weekend was even more fabulous!  Even better was the fact that we had the children's choir and the strings on stage with us.  "Come to Jesus" turned out gorgeous, but my most favorite was "I Will Rise Up"...I love the feeling I get when we do that song!  Don Tabb preached today during service. He is a retired pastor of a church at Louisiana State University and also a former member of The Billy Graham Team.  What a powerful speaker! - he was up there just shaking his finger and pounding his fist on the podium - it was exciting!  He spoke about Hurricane Katrina and about how we need to hold on to our faith during the trying times in our lives.

            Sunday evening was the first meeting of "Family Game Night"!  Steffany Kroeger had the idea to get five of us families together once a month to hang out, play games, and have snacks. Our plan is to rotate whose home we meet at - tonight was our night to host.  So we had ten adults and six children in our home!  It was Matt & Steffany Kroeger w/ son Gabe (2-1/2), John & Kim Anderson w/ daughters Fiona (2) & Sophie (1), Ken & Ashley Williamson w/ son Jake (2), and Paul & Heather Brezinski w/ son Gabriel (1-1/2).  We had tons of fun playing Catch Phrase with husbands vs. wives!  At one point the men were able to have some good conversation while outside watching the kids, as us ladies did our gabbing in the kitchen near the yummy food!  All the kids behaved pretty well around each other...Nattie was so thrilled to have so many friends to play with!  She and Gabe Kroeger had a super time together...at the end of the night they were both looking out the front window at the moon and discussing just whose moon it was saying "my moon, my moon"! 

 

Oct 10 ~ Nattie and I drove over to have a playdate at the Schafbuch house tonight.  It was me and Nat, Laura Schafbuch w/ Madelyn, and Paula Caylor w/ Madeline and baby Mara.  Mara is about 5 months old now and all the other girls turn two here in a few weeks!  Us moms ordered Chinese food while the girls enjoyed corn dogs at the kiddie table.  Natalie was fascinated by baby Mara...always asking where she was and trying to rock her in the baby carrier. I was able to hold the baby and found myself missing the feel of a baby that small...then she promptly spit up on me...didn't find myself missing that at all...haha!  Natalie was only jealous for a split second while I was holding Mara, so that was good. 

 

Oct 11 ~ Headed back over to Barnes and Noble for storytime this morning!  They read a book about a colorful elephant and the kids did a craft. Steff, Kim, Heather, and Ashley were there with their children.  Also another mother that Steff knows pretty well now...I'm so bad with names - I think her name is Annie.  And even Molly and Janna showed up from HIT.  Natalie hurried through the craft so she could go look at the pop-up books and stuffed animals.  The set up of the children's section is nice...it is not completely enclosed from the rest of the store, but boxed in enough so that the kids can have some sort of freedom to walk around and browse without getting into too much trouble.  At one point, I look over and Nattie had pulled quite a few stuffed animals down from a shelf and was sorting them into groups on the floor...ya know - the pigs go here, and the cows go in this pile here. She did help me clean them up though...she even says "clean up, clean up". 

 

Oct 12 ~ Steffany invited a bunch of us moms and kids over to her house for a playdate this morning. There were definitely some squabbles over certain toys today, so some toys had to go bye-bye for awhile. Overall, it was a fun time for the kids and nice conversation for me, Steff, Ashley, and Heather! 

              Craig, Nat, and I were going to take the plane out to Omaha this Friday and Saturday. The plans were to stay somewhere with a pool Friday night and also visit the zoo there...they are supposed to have an awesome zoo!  But after discussing it tonight, we've decided to hold off until maybe next spring or fall.  After calculating the cost, it was going to be a little more than we wanted to spend right now...plus Natalie will probably enjoy it more next year when she is older anyway. No biggie - we have a lot on our plate right now as it is...so I'm sure we'll find something to keep us busy this weekend!

 

Oct 14 ~ Took Nattie over to the doctor today because she woke up from nap with a fever of about 103 and was very uncomfortable.  The nurse on the phone suggested getting her checked out because of a lot of viral illnesses going around lately.  They could only get her an appointment at the Iowa City office - so she saw Dr.Gardner there.  Honestly - neither Nat nor I liked her too much...she moves too quickly and isn't very personable. Nattie was checked for strep throat, but the test came back negative.  So the doctor said to just rotate doses of Tylenol and ibuprofen for the next 24 hours and she would probably be fine.

 

Oct 15 ~ Craig worked hard today painting the basement and cleaning up the yard!  We've decided on a deep red color for the basement - it seems to be looking pretty nice to me :)  Also stopped by a sale at the mall to get Craig some new sweaters for this fall/winter...I must say he looks quite handsome in them!

 

Oct 16 ~ After church today, we drove over to Atkins, Iowa to Bloomsbury Farm!  We went there last fall and had a blast, so we figured Natalie would have even more fun this year.  We spent a good three hours there!  We showed Natalie how to hold out her hand and feed the goats. I was surprised at how quickly she overcame any fear she once had of them.  She also got to see cows, donkeys, sheep, a turkey, chickens, peacocks, and pigs.  We took the hayrack ride out to the pumpkin patch and Natalie got to touch all the different sizes of pumpkins.  It was funny, because she immediately had the urge to try and turn any of the pumpkins that were on their sides to the upright position!  Some of the things she does are so hilarious!  Craig really wanted to attempt to make it through the maze they cut through the cornfield each year.  It is a HUGE maze and they say it takes most people about an hour and a half to get through it.  So I told him to go ahead and go for it and I'd keep Nattie busy doing other fun things.  Well, he made it through in about an hour!  Meanwhile, Nat and I rode together on the tractor-pulled kiddie train, played in the hay stacks, did some swinging in the playground area, and also played in this huge box that was filled with corn instead of sand (it was pretty neat).  Before leaving, we picked out a large pumpkin to carve later and a tiny little pumpkin for Natalie to hold.  We knew for certain that Nat had a great time when we went to change her diaper in the van and all kinds of straw and corn kernels were stuck inside her clothing!  She was fast asleep in her carseat shortly after we left the parking lot!

 

Oct 17 ~ Natalie went with me to Yummy's today to order her birthday cake.  They have a big display case of cookies at the front of the store.  Natalie basically had her nose and hands suction-cupped to the glass case the minute we walked in the door.  After I placed the cake order, I told Nat we were leaving and she looked up from the case with huge eyes and said "Mommy, cookies!".  I said, "Yes, but we just ate and I don't think we need any cookies right now."  She smiled real big and said "Mommy, see them?, see them?!"  Mommy couldn't resist and caved in and we had a cookie.

              One of the gals from my Hearts In Touch small group, Monica Neil, invited our group to her home tonight for kind of a "Girls Night In" thing.  It ended up just being Steffany and myself who showed, but it was great time of conversation and getting to know Monica better! 

 

Oct 18 ~ Natalie was asked to participate in a research project for the University of Iowa Department of Speech Pathology and Audiology.  The university sends out letters once in awhile to people whose names they've obtained from local birth records.  The project sounded easy and fun so we agreed to help out. This particular study is being done to determine how children learn words that describe location.  So Nat and I went over to the Speech and Hearing Lab.  A really nice young lady (a graduate student) brought us into a small room for the study.  She showed Natalie a bunch of different toys and items. The location word she wanted to work on was the word "under", which was chosen because most kids under the age of two don't understand that word yet.  She'd hand Nattie two toys and ask her to place one of the toys under the other one.  Sometimes Nat understood and sometimes she didn't.  If she didn't understand, the lady would then either demonstrate or show her a picture of what she wanted her to do and then ask her to do it again.  It was really interesting and Natalie had a fun time playing with new toys...plus the lady was really playful and you could tell she relates well to kids.  The session maybe lasted 45 minutes and then we go back in two days to see how much Natalie remembers from today.  Natalie gets to take home a small toy at the end of each of the sessions, plus we get $10 in cash at the end of each session as well.  So I thought those little incentives were nice and it gives us something different to do during the day. Plus, the knowledge the university gains from this study may be useful in developing teaching activities for children who have language disabilities...so that is an awesome thing!

               Craig had class tonight, so I called up Ashley to see what she was up to.  So Nat and I met her and Jake at Culvers for frozen custard.  Natalie tried to give Jake a hug while waiting in line for our treats...Jake was trying his hardest not to crack a smile...it was so cute!

 

Oct 19 ~ Today, two local police officers spoke at Hearts In Touch about keeping your children safe.  The best part though was hearing our pastor's wife,Cheryl, tell about the time they accidentally left their daughter at Taco Bell!  I won't go into detail here, but it was quite funny (though I'm sure at the time it was not) and always nice to know that even a pastor's family isn't perfect!  We had a nice showing of women in our small group today!  It was me, Amy, Steffany, Monica, Heather, and Kim.  And we had a really good discussion and prayer time today as well.

              Tonight's choir rehearsal was one of the best practices I've been to so far!  We are doing some really upbeat and rich-voiced music right now.  The main song we are singing is a gospel number called "Your Name", and we are really excited about it!  Scott had us in a different seating arrangement tonight so that we were more in a circle rather than just in straight forward-facing rows.  Also he had us reading from a lyric sheet only, rather than allowing us to see the notes.  So I think those two things are what helped make it a wonderful and productive night.  We were better able to "get into" the music.

 

Oct 20 ~ Nat and I went back over to the U of I Speech Lab to do the second session of the research project.  Natalie did a pretty good job remembering what the word "under" meant and placing toys in the correct positions. Though there were still a few that stumped her. 

              Craig was going to skip work today to get some more painting done in the basement...instead it ended up that he stayed home because he wasn't feeling well and decided to go to the doctor. The doctor thought that all of his symptoms pointed toward strep throat, but the test came up negative...though she decided to go ahead and give him antibiotics anyway. 

              Mom and Dad Essington showed up in the evening so they could spend the weekend celebrating Natalie's second birthday with us!  They had just come from a vacation to Branson, Missouri and before that they were in Dallas, Texas visiting Craig's brother Michael. 

 

Oct 21 ~ Grandma and Grandpa E. took Nattie out to the park and to lunch so I could have a little time to myself!  I had a great time just doing some shopping and grabbing a bite to eat and some coffee. 

              Craig, Nat, and I spent the evening at The Kroeger's home.  They hosted a pumpkin carving party and it was a lot of fun!  Everyone brought their own pumpkin and carved them in the garage (well, Craig did the carving for our family)...then everyone lined their pumpkins up on the back deck, lit them up, and voted for their favorite.  Craig did an excellent job cutting out a goofy face for ours!  We all brought food to go with the awesome chili and apple cider that Steff and Matt made.

 

Oct 22 ~ Today was Nattie's birthday party!!  October 24th is Natalie's official date of birth, but we had our celebration today...HAPPY 2ND BIRTHDAY NATALIE!!  I can't believe my baby girl is two years old already...where has the time gone??  She looked like such a little lady in her navy/floral dress, white stockings, and black dress shoes!  Natalie can even tell you that she is "two", and sometimes she tries to hold up two fingers but hasn't got the hang of it yet :) Craig and I had decided that we were going to try to keep her birthday a bit more low-key this year.  Last year was a super party...but not something we want to do every year.  So we stayed at our house and celebrated with Nattie's Grandma and Grandpa Essington and her Grandpa Bair.  My dad, his girlfriend Deanna, and her daughter Caroline showed up about lunchtime.  We just had some simple sandwiches and sides.  We also had one of those delicious cakes from Yummy's bakery!  Nat needed help blowing out the candles, but did not need help sticking her fingers in the frosting!  Natalie just loves balloons, so I had promised to pick her up some for the big day...so she was surprised when I brought them into the house :)  Natalie received so many nice gifts, too.  She got a Pooh blanket that Deanna made; a Little Tikes basketball hoop from my dad (she already knows how to dunk the ball!); lots of adorable clothes, books, a JoJo's Circus DVD, and a wooden sewing toy from Craig's parents; and Craig and I spoiled her with a toy box that has like five different wooden toys in it, an Elmo potty book, a Big Comfy Couch Molly doll, and three other little mini babydoll playsets that we picked up last minute!  We probably shouldn't have given her so much, but it is so hard to resist and so much fun picking things out!  In the evening Craig, Grandma & Grandpa E. and I took Nattie over to Chuck E. Cheese in Cedar Rapids for the first time!  We had some pizza and pop and watched the "show" there...I think Nat thought it was pretty neat.  We had a cup full of tokens, so Nattie could try out all the games. There were quite a few things she wasn't big enough to do yet, but just enough to still make it worthwhile.  She played on the toddler play equipment there, rode lots of little rides, Daddy taught her how to play ski ball, Nat and I went on a jet ski ride together, and we also had our pictures taken in a booth.  But Nat's favorite game was one where she got to "stomp spiders"!  Near the end of the night, all of us adults were also getting into playing the games and Craig even won a few hundred tickets playing ski ball! 

            To be honest, I've been having kind of a hard time with Natalie turning two this year.  I talked to my friend Sara about it recently...and she understood where I was coming from because she said she had a difficult time when her daughter turned two and again when she turned five.  It's like Nattie is hitting a stage where her growth is just skyrocketing...I mean she talks constantly, is getting so tall, and is really just blossoming into her own person.  Of course I am so proud of her and should be just relishing every single stage in her life, but it is also a little sad as if my baby is slipping away.  We still have her sleeping in her crib and sitting in her highchair...mainly because Craig and I believe there is no reason to rush a child into anything just because other parents may be quick to push their children into adulthood.  We feel many things in this world have become way too hurried. So many times we try to just flow with Natalie's natural cues and depend on our instincts. Anyway...I'm getting a little off topic once again here...  I'm just a little heavy-hearted because I know that soon it will be time to put away the highchair and the crib and who knows if we'll ever get the opportunity to bring them back out again.  It's also a little depressing because Craig and I had hoped to at least be pregnant with another child by the time Natalie turned two.  But ya know what?  There is so much to be thankful for despite our bits of sadness...we just have to keep enjoying what we have been given at this moment.  Our Natalie Ann has filled our lives with more joy than we could have ever imagined possible on this earth. 

 

Oct 23 ~ Nattie went to nursery this morning while Craig, Mom and Dad Essington, and I attended church service.  Today was a fantastic message dealing with the relationship between husbands and wives. Basically referring to Colossians 3:18-19 “Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.”   Pastor Gilmore spoke very plainly and really got his message across to everyone in the room.  One of the biggest things he had to say was that a couple really needs to make sure and resolve conflicts as quickly as possible in order to keep their marriage strong...sometimes it's better to be happy then to be right.  I really appreciated what all he had to say on this topic.  After service, Craig's parents picked Nat up from nursery while Craig and I attended our New Members Class.  Today's class was kind of different.  We participated in what was called "Volunteer Speed Matching".  Basically we went around to various tables and learned about church ministries we could volunteer our time to.  It was kind of like what speed dating for singles would be...we got to spend about three minutes at each table getting the feel for each particular ministry.  Our group was the first to try this concept out - the church is hoping to maybe make this a larger event a few times per year to spark interest within the congregation and help them to figure out how to use their spiritual gifts. 

 

Oct 24 ~ Craig, Nat, and I had dinner at Outback Steakhouse for Natalie's official birthday!  We ended our meal with one of their "Spotted Dog" sundaes...yum!

 

Oct 25 ~ Nattie and I went to Barnes and Noble for storytime today.  The ladies there read Halloween themed books and handed out little plastic pumpkins with fruit snacks at the end.  Kim, Heather, and Ashley were there with their kids.  Ashley and I spent some time talking and gulping down coffee while we watched our kids play in the mall play area.  Boy was Nattie having a not-so-good day today!  She didn't want to play long, so we all walked down to the other end of the mall to Target. Nat refused to walk near me and also refused to be held, so we had a problem there.  Then in Target she decided to throw a huge tantrum...I ended up feeling as if I didn't have much of a choice but to give her a little swat on the bottom.  Well she didn't like that one bit and raised up her hand to swat me back!  Finally after blocking her attempt, looking her squarely in the eye, and firmly stating that her behavior was not acceptable - she chose to obey me so we could go back to our car.  I am not really fond of spanking...not totally against it, but just not fond of it...I mean, who really is anyway?  It has just seemed that it's the only way to get Natalie's attention in many cases at her age.  But now that she is trying to be physical back, I think we need to move on to something else.  Steffany has started a new thing with her son that I think I might try.  She bought some pretty, shiny rocks and puts one in a small jar for times when he does something that deserves praise...then she takes one out each time he acts up...then when the jar is full he gets some type of reward like a toy from the dollar store, or stickers, or a special activity.  She said at first she had to make sure the jar was filling up quickly so that he'd understand that he'd be rewarded when it was full.  Now he seems to have a good grasp on the concept and many times all she has to do is warn him that she will take a rock away and he'll behave.  So I'm wondering if Nat is old enough to try this with?...I think it's worth a shot. If not, we'll just try something else...I think each child is different and each family has to find what works best for them.  I don't think she's quite ready to understand time out yet.

 

Oct 26 ~ Kim, Steffany, and I brought our kids over to Heather's house for a playdate today.  We've decided to try and do playdates on the opposite Wednesdays of Hearts In Touch.  It was a nice time for both Natalie and me to connect with our friends!

             We had another great rehearsal for choir tonight!  Scott ended up changing the key of our main song...I'm learning to be prepared for last minute changes when it comes to Parkview choir!  I am so in awe lately over the ability and effort of the entire music staff at our church...everyone has so much to give and they are so full of enthusiasm and passion!

 

Oct 27 ~ I went in to get Nattie out of her crib this morning and found her wearing only her diaper!  She had managed to take off her one piece footed pajamas all by herself!  Then later in the afternoon she decided to climb into her crib without help.  My best guess is that she was trying to retrieve one of her toys.  The side of the crib was lowered when she performed her dare devil act, so hopefully she doesn't try to repeat her stunt when the crib is at full height! 

 

Oct 28 ~ Natalie had her two year physical with Dr. Miller today!  We love Nat's doctor...she is so good with Natalie and so full of knowledge...most times she has already answered our questions before we have a chance to ask them!  Natalie now weighs just a tad over 29 pounds (which puts her at 80%) and is 36 inches long (95%).  The doctor warned us that other people may expect Nat to act older than she really is since she looks more like the average 2 1/2 year old.  We were told to go ahead and switch her from whole milk to what we drink (skim).  Natalie seems to be right on target for her age...the only things we may want to work with her more on would be drinking small amounts of liquid from regular drinking cups, catching a ball, and drawing simple shapes like circles.  Dr. Miller said it was good that we introduced her to the potty, but not to push it because she will get it in her own time.  We also talked about discipline...we were told to try timeouts with her when it comes to behaviors such as hitting, biting, or saying no to us...that it may take a few weeks of us holding her in a sitting position, but that she should eventually catch on.  Any other more minor problems she gives us (like throwing things), we should focus on taking away toys or videos, etc.  My main question was what to do with her in public when she throws a tantrum?  The doctor said the best thing to do is just leave and go home (which I have done many times).  She said it stinks for the parents, but is best for the kids...otherwise you will end up trying to bribe them with snacks or toys and then they will expect that every time you walk into a store. 

              Craig, Natalie, and I drove over to Sycamore Mall in the evening to participate in some Halloween activities there.  They had employees giving out candy at all the stores and also a hayrack ride in the parking lot.  Natalie dressed up in her ladybug costume...she was so adorable!  She saw herself in the mirror and just giggled and smiled so big!  She loves wearing it!  She walked along the mall with her own pumpkin goodie bag and we taught her how much fun it was to walk up to someone, say trick or treat, hold open her sack, and say thank you.  It didn't take her long to get the hang of it...well, at least the walking up and opening her bag part!  She got all kinds of candy and even a toothbrush. We also ran into a few friends at the mall...Jake Williamson was dressed as a pilot, Olivia Davenport was Elmo, and Madelyn Schafbuch was a cat I think (she wasn't in the mood to wear her outfit).  The hayrack ride was fun...this old guy was driving the tractor and just whipping it around the parking lot!  Afterwards, we went across the street to McDonalds for dinner where we also ran into Madeline Caylor who was a princess.  It was a fun night!

 

Oct 29 ~ My mom's side of the family came out to visit us today!  They wanted to celebrate Natalie's birthday.  It was Nattie's Great Grandma & Grandpa Fleming, Aunt Diana, Uncle Mark, and cousins Tara and Amber!  Craig made an awesome lunch for everyone and I had thrown together a vanilla cake w/ chocolate frosting (from a box mix - shh, don't let the secret out...haha!).  Natalie had a ton of fun opening gifts.  She got an adorable pink Adidas outfit and shoes to match from Tara & Amber, the Little People dollhouse from Mark and Diana, a babydoll and stroller from Grandma & Grandpa, and a Dressy Bessy doll from Uncle Jerry & Aunt Marie who unfortunately weren't able to make it to Iowa.  Everyone helped put together the stroller and dollhouse so that was nice.  Aunt Diana even brought some Dora party hats with her so we could celebrate in style!!

              Choir sang tonight and it was awesome!  Everything came together real well and it was such an exciting night of music!  When you are standing on stage you can sometimes see here and there a few people in the congregation...it depends on the lighting, etc.  There were a few folks out there standing up, lifting their hands high, singing with all their hearts...so when you see that it gives you somewhat of an indication that the songs are hitting home for a few people. Now of course that doesn't mean that if you aren't real physical in that way that you are any less moved by what you hear...it's just nice to see sometimes.  I myself am not much of an "outwardly expressive" worshipper...I tend to be more private...but I feel that no matter whether you are the subdued type or the more obvious type - then either way is fine as long as you are being sincere and are truly there to bring glory to God. 

 

Oct 30 ~ Choir sang again this morning and it was just as exciting as last night!  Craig, Nat and I were invited to the Caylor's home for Madeline's second birthday party!  And what a party it was!  The theme was Elmo...Elmos everywhere!  There were lots of kids running around.  There was Falbo's pizza and a yummy cake.  Nat had a wonderful time playing with the children while Craig and I were able to have some adult conversation with the other people there.  Along with Madeline's gift, we also brought by a birthday gift for the other Madelyn who will be turning two.  The Schafbuchs had brought a gift for Natalie - a Dora doll who talks/sings in English and in Spanish.  What a blast it was...unfortunately Paula won't be having a blast trying to clean up the cheese and cake crumbs that ended up all over the place :) 

 

Oct 31 ~ Nat and I spent the day kind of vegging out playing toys and watching videos.  We have been keeping ourselves pretty busy lately, so we thought we deserved a break :)  Craig came home from work and we walked Natalie up and down our neighborhood for Trick or Treating!  Nat was so thrilled to put on her ladybug costume for the second time!  She did a super job walking up to all the houses and holding out her bag.  She even said "bye" to most of the nice people who gave her treats.  I liked it best when some of the neighbors had packages of crackers or cookies to hand out in place of candy...that way Nat could enjoy more of the snacks. A few of the houses had some decorations that were a bit scary to Nattie, but it was generally fine.  Nat was getting tired by the end of the night...she was dragging her little pumpkin sack along the ground...but she refused to let us carry it for her!