A Month Has Past...

Wow, a month has past and I haven't posted a thing. We've been pretty busy around here. School started again for Mike... only 4 more semesters after this one (that doesn't sound too bad, right?!). I also had a ton of deadlines for work which kept me very busy during any downtime I had. But now that all of this has past, I want to recap what has happened this past month in Narducci Nation.

First of all, check out the pot of gold I found at the end of this (double) rainbow! We've been enjoying some awesome weather - lots of rain, cold nights, cool days. It's PERFECT!

Well, just before the semester started again for Mike, we headed North for a weekend in the mountains. We were hoping for a ton of snow, but there was only a little snow left on the ground from the huge snow storm the previous week. Nevertheless, Natalie enjoyed eating all the snow she could get her hands on.


Stephanie Reay came down for business but enjoyed a little pleasure with us the night she came in - although this picture shows Natalie enjoying the pleasure. Stephanie is tickling her arm with her ever-famous long nails and put Natalie into an instant trance of tickle delight. She is frozen stiff, hand on puzzle, not moving just staring into Lala land. I was soooo jealous!


We've had great weather. Natalie has enjoyed a TON of outside time and so have I. We've gotta get out a much as possible before the "oven" turns on!


Natalie also has been enjoying chocolate. She gets a LOT of treats from Mike. I'm the meanie and try not to give in to her candy wishes. She actually asks for candy now by signing it. However, her finger - which is supposed to point to her cheek while rotating her hand back and forth - goes in her ear which makes it look like she's trying to clean them out. It's hard not to give in when she asks for it and then follows up with a please, pronounced "pees".


I know, a bathroom picture. But I've had some fun trying to get Natalie comfortable with the toilet. I'm determined to have her potty trained this year. She's gone pee once (totally coincidental) but this event, combined with my excitement and praise, has made her totally interested in the bathroom and want to try again several times a day. Yes it sometimes is pretty inconvenient to take off her clothes and diaper, sit her on the toilet, let her pull out some T.P., throw it in the toilet, close the lid, flush, and wash her hands...all for nothing - well for now, but I think all this work will some day pay out, right?


Natalie is also very interested in how Nixon drinks his water. So to help her understand the process, Mike and I got a bowl out for her to try it herself. She had a blast - except for the time she put her nose under water!


The biggest events of this month was Mike's 30th birthday! Natalie and I woke up early, sneaked out of the house, picked up doughnuts and soda and surprised him in bed with his "birthday cake".


I think Natalie was just as excited about the doughnuts as Mike was!


Here's the small bonfire created with the candles on his "cake" (aka pazookie - however you spell it) he had at his parents house.


The night before his b-day, we had a date night with my girlfriends, our husbands and our kids. Natalie is on Buttercup, a electronic horse that moves, blinks, and eats. It was awesome! The horse and a swing they have bolted in their ceiling made the night for Natalie - besides the hair she pulled from little Allie's head! We're so embarrassed.


Natalie has been given permission to draw on her walls with pencil. I'm currently working on a project in her room which requires me to draw on the wall with pencil and I thought it would only be fair to let her in on the fun. Mike thinks it was a bad decision to ever allow this, I probably agree, but while she draws I'm also able to work on my project. I'll post some pictures of my work soon, don't worry! :)


This past Wednesday we went to the Zoo with Becca and Lucas! It was so much fun. Natalie LOVED it! And I LOVED that she loved it.


She and I probably loved the petting zoo the most. The goats were SO cute! It made me even consider living on a farm - if I had a choice, of course.


Here's a little video of her going from one goat to another. We could have spent all of our Zoo time here, seriously!



Well, I hope this helps some of you still feel connected to our little world down here. I hope I NEVER go that long without blogging. I also haven't been able to frequent your blogs, either. I feel so out-of-the-loop, but I think this might have helped.