for those who didn't read it on Facebook....(a.k.a. guess I should have skipped the second helping...)

My kitchen seems to have a hex on it these days. First, my electric skillet kamikazed off the counter, breaking off the handle and “foot” on one side. Next the toaster oven became, um, toast. Then the microwave bit the dust. If the expression about things coming in threes were accurate, that would have been the end of it. But last night, something else failed—rather catastrophically.

The day hadn't been going all that well anyway. I woke up with a sore throat and congestion. The cable went out (not a big deal, unless you have a telecommuting husband who needs that Internet connection to do his job). Natalie's nap was cut short when she somehow scratched her head (we still haven't figured out exactly how it happened). And so on.

I had made ribs and mashed potatoes for supper. I decided that I wanted a second helping of potatoes (hey, I'm a nursing mom! And potatoes are comfort food. I'm entitled, right?). I got up to go get them and returned to my chair to sit down.

Unfortunately, the chair (which had been a bit wobbly of late) chose that moment to fall apart completely. It was like something out of a slapstick sitcom, all happening in slow motion (at least that's how it felt to me). There was a sickening crunch of splintering wood. The chair gave way, I went down, mashed potatoes flew all over the kitchen, and Natalie and Sarah both broke into hysterical sobs of terror.

Ouch. Not to mention messy.

I consoled myself with a homemade gingerbread latte.

Anyone know a good carpenter? I have a project for him....

opportunistic blogging parents strike again

Remember this post? Sarah got stuck in a laundry basket, and I snapped a picture before rescuing her. After all, this is what a good Blogger mom does!

Last night, something similar happened. Natalie was crawling on the bed (Nelson was watching her). She fell off the side--not into the floor (Nelson would not have let her do that)--but into her own bed (a co-sleeper that attaches to ours). She got stuck, and she just looked too cute not to take a photo before rescuing her!

See? Isn't she too funny? (And she doesn't look at all unhappy about this turn of events!)

sisterly bonding, driving in reverse, and other things

I'm going to combine several posts here. It seems easier than trying to do separate ones for everything!

Sarah is continuing to learn to read, and Nelson was able to take some pictures of her reading to Natalie the other night. You can see from the photos that both girls were really enjoying the experience! :)


Okay, so Natalie was less than interested at first...




Much better!




In the end, a good time was had by all. :) (Or rather by both, I guess I should say.)




Those on Facebook know that Natalie is mobile...in a manner of speaking. She can only go backward. She scoots all over the house, just in reverse. She often gets stuck though, under the couch or a chair or against the wall, because she just can't figure out how to go forward! She very nearly pulled herself up to standing in the tub the other night,though, so she may end up being one of those babies who skips crawling and goes straight to walking.

Here is a picture of Natalie taken today. It doesn't show her moving backward, but it's still cute! ;)





Finally, here is a photo of the deer near our house hanging out in the snow we got yesterday. Pretty! I wish we could have gotten some pictures of the snow hanging on the tree branches, but it didn't last long enough.

conversatIon in car

While driving to visit my parents yesterday, Natalie was jabbering away and waving her hands in her car seat. She was really having a great time of it. Sarah was not impressed, though. She informed me, "Mommy, Natalie is getting TOO rambunctious! She needs some self-control!"

"Hmm. Why don't you teach her that?" I responded. My tongue was planted firmly in my cheek, but this of course was lost on Sarah.

A few minutes later, Natalie had settled a bit (I think she was getting sleepy). "Mom!" Sarah exclaimed. "Natalie has self-control! I've never seen her do that before!"

Sarah's reaction to Aunt Tara's maternity photos

We've been decorating for Christmas the past few days, and we've started our yearly Advent Bible study. Sarah and I have talked about Christmas being a celebration of Jesus' birthday. She is of course eager and excited.

A few minutes ago, I was browsing Tara's maternity photos. One had Tara holding a small flower near her belly. Sarah asked if that was so "the baby could smell the flower." Then she asked the million-dollar question: "Is the baby a boy or a girl?" I answered that we didn't know yet, but we would find out at Christmas (December 23 is close enough to Christmas for that to be a legitimate response, right?). Sarah's eyes grew wide and her expression puzzled. "Because the baby is Jesus?!"

Oh, dear. Didn't see that one coming! I probably should have. But now Sarah knows the right birth date for her new cousin, and that although the baby will be very special, he/she isn't on that level!

Halloween

Friday night, Sarah, Natalie, and I went to a party at our church (Nelson had to work). Sarah dressed up in her Halloween costume (she was a bee). I put Natalie in a cheerleader outfit that Grandma and Grandpa had bought Sarah when we went to Florida.

Sarah was two when she wore this outfit. Natalie is seven months. Hmm. (To be fair, it was a little big on Natalie...but only a little.)

Saturday night, Sarah trick-or-treated in Greeneville. She is loaded up with candy and treats. Thankfully, she likes to share. :)

Here are some pictures of the girls all costumed up.

My dad took these photos, so I'm not sure what Sarah's deal was in these first two pictures...she looks like a mean bee, for sure!






Oh, much better! A happy bee!




Now a silly bee...




Still silly...




Even sillier...




Natalie in her cheerleader garb.






Natalie and Mumsy hanging out before we put her costume on.




I'm not exactly sure when this picture was taken. But doesn't she look pensive?




P.S. At a recent doctor visit, Sarah, age 5, weighed 32 lbs. Natalie, at 7 months, weighed 16 lbs. 1 oz. Anyone want to take bets on how long it will take Miss Natalie to catch up to and then bypass her big sister? :)

not smiling

I really wish I could get a good picture of Natalie smiling. Her whole face just lights up, and it's beautiful. Alas, she continues to elude my attempts with the camera. But here are some photos of her...not smiling.




Sarah is always willing to perform for the camera.




So solemn...




She's very close to being able to crawl...just hasn't quite figured it all out yet. Hey, Dad, like the UT onesie? Gotta train 'em early! :)




Sarah, very willingly smiling.




Last night, Sarah was running back and forth in the downstairs hallway. Natalie was watching this intently. She was studying it. Her eyes followed Sarah's every move. And her body would jerk every so often. You could tell that she was trying to figure out just how Sarah was doing all this running business, and how she (Natalie) could take off after her!

Oh, and you want to know how to really make Natalie cackle with laughter? One, be Sarah and jump up and down. Or two, say (with great enthusiasm), "YAY, Starbucks!" She'll always at least grin at this, but usually it's enough to make her howl with delighted laughter. Is she my girl or what? ;)