So sweet!

What a great relationship these two have.  I'm so excited to see it grow through the years!

I love how gentle Natalie is with Aleah, and how Aleah watches Natalie so intently.

Aleah (2 months)

Natalie (9 days shy of 16 months)

Drama Queen

Oh, Poor poor Natalie!  Here she is being a bit dramatic about something. 

I think it was that I wouldn't let her pick up Aleah out of the swing.

(Nine days shy of 16 months)

Outdoors

Up and down the driveway we went yesterday.  It was gorgeous with a little breeze out of the south. 

With Aleah in the stroller and Natalie in the sled, off we went.

As you can see, Natalie discovered that you can eat snow. 

She had a snack for the trip!

Pure joy!!!!

And as for her sister...content.

I love every minute I can get with these girls outdoors.

Blessed.

I am absolutely BLESSED!

Oh what fun...

...it is to get all bundled up...

...with Great Grandma :) and go out in the snow.

This is how we roll outside for walks these days. 

 I push Aleah in the stroller and tie a rope around my waist pulling Natalie in the sled. 

And here are the results...sleeping baby!

Holy Hopper!

My husband has been working so hard lately, and here is the proof.  40+ hoppers just waiting to be picked up by their buyers.  He took these pictures just before one of his biggest customers came to get the first 6 of 18 that he ordered.

This is the sight we see everytime that we come down the driveway.

We're so proud of him!!!

And a BIG thanks to the guys that work with him to produce these massive pieces of steel!

Natty G!

Here are some fun facts about Natty G!

Meet Duckie everyone...my favorite sleep buddy!

When asked to blink on command this is the look we get.

One of her favorite things to do...hold 'Sissy.'

It flew by!

Our little Aleah Lynn was TWO MONTHS old on Monday, March 7th. 

The time has flown by so fast!

God has blessed us with another beautiful girl to love and cherish.

What a joy it has been to watch her grow these past couple months.

We look forward to many, many more memories made with our little Aleah.

No need to worry, big sister Natalie will always be there for you...

and always have some extra kisses stored up JUST FOR YOU!!!

At two months old Aleah:

-sleeps at night for six straight hours (there have been two nights at 8 hours).

-eats very sporadically.

-tries to suck her thumb or fist, but we quickly exchange for the pacifier.

-relies on Mylicon to settle her ever restless tummy.

-has discovered her tongue.

-smiles and coos when she's fed and rested.

-likes to exercise on her play mat or just on a blanket.

-loves her fishy swing.

-blows bubbles...LOTS of bubbles.

-loves watching her busy big sister.

-does great at bathtime.

-loves being naked.

-sleeps in our room on her Boppy pillow since Natalie is such a light sleeper.

-sleeps best when tightly swaddled.

-is easily lulled to sleep in the stroller while on walks with mom and with Natalie in her sled.

-continues to melt Daddy and Mommy's hearts!

I debated...

I debated about whether or not to post this picture of my husband. 

My decision is obvious. 
He'll probably kill me, but I LOVE HIM!!!
(and hopefully he'll still love me after he sees this!)

I love you Tony!  Thanks for being such a great daddy, husband, and most of all, best friend!

Great Falls

The four of us headed over to Great Falls this past weekend to see some friends.  Our first morning there, the flu bug had hit half of the house and poor Nate had to make his own birthday breakfast.  I told him I would but Aleah wasn't cooperating.  PROOF of him making gluten-free oat flour biscuits.  This was batch #2...he forgot to read directions for batch #1 and had to toss the dough (well it was more like batter).

After kneading (a new word/process to him), rolling, and cutting out the biscuits.

I finished breakfast by basting some eggs for us all.  Here is the birthday with his birthday breakfast that he made!  (Randell, after making them for himself, he now TRULY appreciates biscuits when you make them.)

Natalie enjoying Reese.  She loved on her the entire time we were there.

Oh, and our first 'taste' of marker. 

It brings out the blue in her eyes, don't you think?

Dish-doing Attire

As you have seen in many earlier posts, Natalie LOVES helping me with dishes. 

She squeals with delight at the sound of the word 'dishes' and starts stomping her feet at the sight of me pulling a chair towards the sink.

Her dish-doing attire has changed though. :)

Isn't she lovely?

Let's just hope that 10 years from now she is still this eager to do dishes. 

If she is anything like her momma and Aunt Carrie, she will enjoy this task.

Either way, her attire will be MUCH different than this at that age...

...maybe an apron or a tea towel tied around her waist?!?!?

The 7-Week Smiles

Aleah has just started to really respond to us with smiles.  They absolutely melt our hearts!

Here are a few to share with you!

(7weeks and 1day)

And an 'oh-so-serious' one.

Where is the hair?

If you look closely, it is in a teeny-tiny pony tail!

Someday there will be plenty...someday!

Sweet little Aleah

It seems like yesterday that we brought this littly lady home from the hospital. 

Time flies too fast with my two baby girls at home...oh how I try to savor it as best as I can!

1 month 14 days

  

1 month 19 days

(Just shy of 7 weeks old)

(Click here to see Natalie at 7 weeks old sitting in the Bumbo chair.)

Before we know it she's going to be two months old!

Boots

(Sing the following to yourself, or outloud, to the chorus of "These Boots are Made for Walking" by Nancy Sinatra)

These boots are made for walkin,

but they're just way too big,

so maybe I'll just stand right here and pick my nose instead.

Dessert

Natalie does a pretty good job of staying somewhat clean when eating her meals. 

Until dessert time comes along. 

Three words:

Homemade Chocolate Pudding

Two more words:

Whipped Cream 

She knows what's good!

Mm mm mmm

This is not a typical blog for me, as you will see from the picture below. 

It is not of Natalie or Aleah,

or even of Tony for that matter. 

It's a plate of food. 

Good food.

This has to been one of my favorite meals.  And it incorporates a different vegetable that we don't eat all that often.  One that causes most people to cringe simply by hearing the name of it. 

Brusselsprouts.

Granted, I'm not a  huge fan when they are just steamed.  Supposedly my Grammie used to make them for us quite often growing up and I really liked them.  I must have outgrown that phase. 

But...

Kielbasa and Brusselsrouts with a side of Rice Pilaf.

Mm mm mmm.

(My grandma Colleen noticed when I was home in NE for

five weeks at the start of last summer that I do that 'Mm mm mmm' alot. 

She said it reminds her of Rachel Ray...

...so I watched her show once and it does sound quite similar.) 

Anyways...

not a typical post for me, but a noteworthy one at that.

Good thing there were leftovers from last night!!!