If I were up to date with this blog, any one of these events would have gotten its own post. But since I’m behind, I’ll let the (millions of) pictures do the talking….it’s a slideshow, because it would have taken me forevvvvvvvvver to post this many pictures individually. Enjoy!

Chris: “How do you not own a nail file?”

Me: “Do YOU own a nail file?”

Chris: “No, but I’m not a woman.”

The first one happened on the long subway ride home from Madison Square Park. We’d seen a concert with Josie and Tam, then had lunch with Chris and Kary.

Dancing to the Dirty Sock Fun Time Band at Madison Square Park

Shake shack!!!

Sitting on the bench on the subway, Natalie took off her shoe. I noticed there was some stuff in it.

“Natalie, what’s that in your shoe?”

She handed her shoe to me and I when I looked up close, I realized that there were about 20 tiny rocks in it. We’d just walked a few blocks and down a bunch of stairs into the subway.

“Rocks! That must have hurt so much to walk on! Why didn’t you tell me that you had rocks in your shoes?!?”

“Well, I didn’t want to complain. You always tell me not to complain.”

I gave my poor child a hug and we had a long talk about the difference between complaining/whining about things that we can’t control (like the temperature outside or having to walk uphill) and speaking up about something that’s easily fixed—like stopping to dump rocks out of shoes.

Later, after dinner, Natalie was getting ready to take a shower and was cold.

“Mom, I need to get in the water right away. I’m so cold I have goose bumps! I even have goose bumps on my butt cheeks!” (giggling)

“Oh really?”

“Goose bumps on my butt cheeks!!” (laughter)

“Ok, honey, enough with the butt cheeks.”

“BUTT CHEEKS!!!!!!!!” (more laughter)

“Natalie, did you ever know that you are a rascal?” (trying to hide my amusement)

“Mom, did you ever know that your name is BUTT CHEEKS?!?!?!?!”

The two of us both had tears running down our faces from laughing so hysterically. I stopped feeling guilty.

[HAAAAAAALLELUJAH!]

[HALLELUJAH! HALLELUJAH!]

[HALLE-AAA-AA-LUJAH!]

After 4 years and 3 months, Natalie is sleeping through the night!!!!!!

I repeat, Natalie is sleeeeeeeping throoooooooough the niiiiiiiiiight!!!!!!

[HAAAAAAALLELUJAH!]

Ok, to be fair, she hasn’t been waking up the same way a baby would since she was a little over two years old, but she was waking up every. single. night. and coming into our bed to sleep. And we’d tried various things to curb this behavior, but it never worked for more than a week or so, when we would all revert back into the same bad habits.

Most recently we tried rewarding her with a TV show in the morning if she stayed in her bed all night, and no TV if she came into our room. The third night she came in saying, “I don’t want to watch my show tomorrow.” I was feeling really defeated.

And then one day, in March, she stayed in her bed all night. I think it was a fluke, but we jumped on it. I gave her chocolate as a reward. Rainbow non-perils to be exact. Before breakfast. Hey, after 4+ years of interrupted sleep (more if you count the pregnancy) mom gets a little desperate. We marked the success with a sticker on the calendar and told Natalie that she could choose a toy from the store if she could get seven consecutive stickers.

Natalie's Reward Fairies

After she picked out the fairies from the toy store, we wanted to offer Natalie an additional incentive to keep the momentum going—because 7 great nights doesn’t break a 4+ year habit! So, we promised her a party if she could fill the rest of month up with stickers on the calendar. Natalie loves parties, so it worked!!! She was so excited, she was telling anyone who would listen about the party she was going to have (with cake!) when it wasn’t even her birthday! Ultimately, whatever the reward, she was just ready.

Party time!!

The nice thing about offering a party as an incentive was that it was a reward and a celebration at once. Natalie got to bask in her accomplishment in with her friends–her pride was palpable—and enjoy yummy cake shaped like a bed! And we got to tell Natalie that once she had her party, she wouldn’t need any more rewards to sleep in her bed all night. And, a month after her party, she hasn’t.

Party Girls!Ula, Natalie & Josie wearing their fabulous party hats!

Says Natalie, "this bed cake is daaaamn good!"

Yoshi & Artie love cake!

So proud!!

[HAAAAAAALLELUJAH!]

[HAAAAAAALLELUJAH!]

[HALLELUJAH! HALLELUJAH!]

[HAAALLEAAA-LUJAH!]

Rockaways

If you know me, you know that the beach isn’t my favorite place to be. I burn easily, it’s hot, and I have a bit of an aversion to sand. But I don’t mind the beach as much when the temperature is mild. And happily occupied children is a big draw. I may hate sand, but Natalie and Miranda loooooove playing in it. So last Friday, when it was sunny, warm but not too hot, Tam and I took Natalie, Josie, and Miranda to the Rockaways for a morning of fun in the sand. The Rockaways are a short drive from Park Slope, but walking on the beach felt like we were not near the city at all. I can see more trips there this summer!

3 girls diggingThe girls were so occupied by digging in the sand that we basically could have ignored them, except for Miranda wanting to smash the big girls' sand castles.

Miranda

Fascinated by the wavesMiranda got quite a shock when her little toes felt the icy water!

Josie

Dancin' in the sand

Beach lover

Rolling in the sand

"Let's go look for shells!"

Happy Birthday Girl

Parallel Play Miranda plays with Yoshi and Artie at her birthday party.

Yummy cupcake!
Pinkish-Red frosting
Who like’s cupcakes? "I do!!!"
Opening a gift from Josie
Cupcakes Revisited I
Cupcakes Revisited II
Cupcakes Revisited III
Cupcakes Revisited IV
Birthday girl with Meema
1 year old!!!
Heart Birthday Cake Mom is still learning how to pipe frosting.

“Happy birthday to you”
“You want some?”
“On second thought I’ll eat it myself”
“Here I am!” Wearing her mom-made birthday shirt

Present Time!

Two favorite gifts A cat from Grandpa and Cora and a stroller from Meema and PopPop.
Auntie Jodi and Uncle Jay tickle the birthday girl
Not cooperating for a picture with Grandpa

Poor Sick Natalie with PopPop I hope our kids won’t always be sick for each other’s birthday parties. Miranda had an ear infection and screamed through Natalie’s party, and Natalie had a fever for Miranda’s party.

Storytime with Grandma and Meema

Aunt Kary with Miranda and Daddy

Proud parents Of our big one-year-old!

I {heart} cherry blossoms!!

I am officially obsessed with cherry blossom season. Perhaps it’s because they are one of the first spots of color after the long winter, but I find cherry blossoms to be quite magical. Since we live in Brooklyn now and we are members of the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, we’ve gone to see the trees three times now. If it were just a bit closer (and we had nothing else to do) I’d be taking the kids there every day.

The first time we went, Josie and Meema & Pop Pop were with us. Then we went with grandma and some friends from NJ, who were lovely enough to trek into Brooklyn to visit with us and the cherry blossoms. Yesterday I went for the third time with the girls by myself, determined to get some nice photos. Today it’s raining, so most of the petals probably fell. I’m glad that we got to enjoy them so much while they lasted!!
Early blossoms

Birdies Looking out of their nest

Rocks in water Entertainment for hours!!
Bonsai Wysteria
So cool

Checking out the fish
Hydration and warmth from Meema & PopPop

Andrea, Cindy & Amy
Kids! It’s very difficult to get 5 kids under age 4 to all look at the camera at once!

Natalie and Grandma
The big kids Natalie, Jamison & Nathan
Smooches! Charlie plants one on Miranda
Tickle, tickle!! Soon to be big sister Charlie practices on Miranda

Consulting the map
Cindy & Jamison

Honk, honk! Nathan is an experienced big brother and very tolerant of Miranda pinching his nose!

Charlie

Jamison
Laying under the trees looking up
Petal walk
Beautiful view
Running Being under this canopy of trees was incredible.

Always on the go It’s hard to get Natalie to stay still long enough for a picture.

Big Smile!
Big Smile!
Hugs! It’s hard to tell, but Miranda’s smile is as big as Natalie’s.

Cherry Blossoms 2010
Cherry Blossoms 2009

Mr. & Mrs. G

Jodi and I have been friends for over 20 years and she has been there for me and our family countless times. So I was thrilled when she asked me to be her matron of honor and Natalie to be her flower girl. We have been looking forward to Jodi and Jay’s wedding since he proposed last year. There were many fun things leading up to this weekend—making favors, dress fittings, the bridal shower, bachelorette party—but we couldn’t wait for the actual wedding to arrive.

Natalie was so excited to be the flower girl! She has been telling everyone who would listen about the upcoming wedding and her role in it. At the rehearsal the day before the wedding, I started getting a little nervous that she would be too shy to actually walk down the aisle. But by the end of the rehearsal, she felt comfortable with the location and all the people in the wedding party who were new to her. Here are some pictures of the rehearsal and the bridal party getting ready to go out to dinner the night before the wedding. Jodi made all of our awesome shirts!
Flower Girls practicing
Lovely Bridesmaids Amanda, Marisa, and Lisa

Groom and groomsmen
Bride and Flower Girl
The famous Auntie Lori with the bride

Friends of 20+ years!!!
Bride and her Mama

The day of the wedding was picture-prefect. Sunny, not a cloud in the sky, with a light cool breeze. Jodi and Jay picked a gorgeous location for their nuptials—Wickham Park in Manchester, CT. The view beyond the alter was a beautiful valley. The day went without a hitch, everything was perfect down to every meticulously planned detail. Jodi and Jay did so much work to make everything special and it showed.

Natalie was extremely well-behaved and patient the entire day, even though much of it was spent waiting—for hair and make-up to be done, for the ceremony to start, for pictures to be finished, etc. I was waiting for her to have a meltdown at some point because she didn’t get to bed until after 10:30 pm the night before the wedding! But she started out happy in the morning and was an angel the entire day and night—we didn’t leave the reception until 10 pm!

After the ceremony, I was explaining to Natalie what would happen at the reception. I guess I spent so much time telling her what would happen during the ceremony, that afterward she though the wedding was over. Upon hearing that there would then be dinner, music, dancing, and cake, Natalie said, “well, Mommy, I’m a lovely dancer!”

We had decided beforehand not to take Miranda to the wedding. Although I wanted her to share in this important family event, at her age she isn’t able to wait patiently through a ceremony or stay up past her bedtime without freaking out. So, we left her with Bonnie and Ray, who said she did very well. Looking at how beautiful the pictures are, I was sad that she wasn’t with us. Maybe next year we’ll take another trip to the park and have some family photos taken.
Hair and Make-up
Natalie and Chayenne Flower girls all ready and waiting for the ceremony to start.
Marisa, Heather, and Amanda Jodi’s friend Heather served as the wedding coordinator and did a fabulous job!!
Flower girl with her Dadddy
Family shot
Flower Girl and Matron of Honor
Running
“No more pictures!!!!”

I can’t wait to see the professional wedding photos from Val McCormick!! Congratulations, Jodi and Jay!!!!