It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...is over!

Is it just me or do you get the post Christmas blues?!!

 

I will miss walking through the stores hearing the holiday music playing, seeing all the red & green, & watching all the helpless men looking lost as they try to figure out what to get their lady friends!

 

Now that the holidays have quickly passed, I can sit down and post a few pics of our mini-"staycation!"

 

Here are a few pics of our visit to Santa! It was a dream visit! Miss Natalie acted like she knew that old man forever! I WAS SHOCKED!

 

 

 

 

 

 

FLASHBACK: ANDY PANTS & NAT AT SANTA LAST YEAR!

(look at that little tongue hehe)

 

 

 

& Now Andy Pants & Nat this year!

 

 

 

Christmas morning was pefect. It was the three of us, & a few prezzies! It sometimes seems so surreal looking at these pictures that this is my life. When I was younger I always daydreamed about what my own family would look like, & to see this amazing little red-head with a personality that will knock your socks off is more than I could have ever dreamed about. I have a hubby that not only puts up with all my crazy, but is THE BEST father!

I am beyond blessed!

Here is few fun pictures from our morning!

 

 ANOTHER FLASHBACK OF MISS NATALIE'S 1ST CHRISTMAS FIRST!

 

 

 

 

 

PRESENTS!!

 

THIS IS THE LIGHT UP DO-DAD WE PUT IN HER STOCKING!

 

 

THIS WAS HER BABY STELLA WE GAVE HER. SHE HAS A MAGNETIC PACIFIER I KNEW NATALIE WOULD LOVE....& SHE DOES!

 

 

 

 

 

 

HER OPA, GRANNY, & AUNTIE KABOOM GOT HER THIS PHONE!

 SHE WAS VERY IMPRESSED!!

 

 

EVERY PRESENT SHE OPENED SHE RAN OFF WITH IT TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT ALONE. YOU WOULD THINK THIS KID HAD 5 OTHER SIBLINGS TRYING TO HIDE EVERYTHING!

 

 

THIS WAS HER DOING TWIRLS AFTER SHE OPENED EVERYTHING!

SHE WAS ON A CHRISTMAS HIGH!

 

 I've added a little video of our Christmas morning w/ Natalie. The beginning of the video is a quick snipit of her & Grandma (my momma) playing the piano!

ENJOY!

 

 

 

 

I hope everyone had a beautiful Christmas! I am getting together my New Years post & New Year resolutions! What's yours?!

 

 

 

LATA ALLIGATA,

 

MELISSA~



HAPPY DANCE!

I have really enjoyed starting this blog. I am still learning A LOT, but in the meantime I love using it as a journal. Or more like scrapbook without having to do all the cutting, gluing, placing of pictures, and & adding cute baubles.

That also left too big of a mess everytime I tried to drag my stuff out.

 

Tonight I let Natalie spoon feed herself.

This week, I swear, she has started using more words & really showing her BIG personality!
I LOVE IT!

 

Words she now says at almost 14months:

dada

mama

HI!

ball (over & over)

MOO

BAA

NEIGHHH

(are animal sounds considered words haha)

 

She says "itty" for RIBBY, our Beagle

 

I usually get called "itty" as well! Hmpf!

(unless she is saying Mommy is "itty bitty," well then that's ok)

 

& a couple of times she has said "tank you"

 

Here is the adorable video of her trying to spoon feed herself!

 

 

 

"Tank You",

Melissa-

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



OH MY PUMPKIN!

Oh Pumpkin Patch, Oh Pumpkin Patch, thy colors are so unchanging...

 

Well, the day had finally come & we were up & at 'em super early to get going. I know Natalie had no clue where we were going, & Andy Pants probably wasn't quite as excited as I was.

 I think I held enough excitement for all three of us.

 

I couldn't wait to see Natalie's face when she saw all of the pumpkins we were going to let her run around. I was so proud of us getting out the door on time, picking up Auntie Kelly, & getting there just as they were opening. Not only was the weather PERFECT, but we had the whole place practically to ourselves. Which meant awesome photo ops for us!

I am no professional photographer but I LOVE taking photos.

 I hope you enjoy looking at these, as much as I did taking them...

 

 

I was in pumpkin HEAVEN!

 If you haven't already read it (here) , then you wouldn't know

what a PUMPKIN head I really am!  

 

 

We set her down & she was off!! Finally someone was as excited as I was!

 

 

 

It's like Where's Waldo of the Pumpkin Patch. She blends in perfectly!

 

 

 

Me & My Boo!

 

 

I love that she is starting to not try & put everything she picks up in her mouth.

HAAAY girl you're getting dirty!

 

Pumpkin Heads!

 

 

 

Yup Girl Drivers!

 

 

 Now the FUN was really about to start.

They had this thing called the Jumping Pillow!

Kelly & I had so much fun on this thing. (As you can see in the pics below)

I want one for Christmas Andy Pants..K?! Thanks!

 

 

THEN IT WAS MOMMA'S TURN!!!

 

 

HIGH FIVE TO THE FACE!

 

 

Andy Pants had to drag us off of this thing so we could do the corn maze & all the other boring stuff..hehehe We really could have jumped all dang day!

 

 

Andy Pants & Natalie conquering HAY MOUNTAIN!

 

CORN MAZE!!

KELLY WAS OUR GUIDE!

Auntie Kelly took too long to get us out, so Nat took a Nap!

 

After the corn maze, we all pretty much needed a nap. It really was a dream come true getting to take my sweet pun'kin head to the pumpkin patch. I loved seeing her light up running around everywhere. I will never forget these moments with her. I am getting all excited just thinking about the years to come & all the different memories we will make as she gets older.

 

This past weekend was jammed pack full of FUN events.

We actually participated in a ZOMBIE WALK on Sunday with friends. I have some fun pics & a great little video to go along with that I will post soon!

(I may save it for Halloweenie...MUhahahha)

 

stay tuned!

 

LATA ALLIGATA-

MELISSA

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



CRABBY NATTY

I don't even know where to begin for this post. I guess I will just start with the facts.

 

Our daughter is part Crab.
 

Yes, you read that correctly.

She has the perfect little pinchers & she knows how to use them!

 

 Don't let that sweet little crab you see in that picture sway you!

Oh no no no! I am being completely serious right now.

You got me?!

 

Let's see if I can explain a little better. Andy Pants & I are not quite sure where this all began. Our little Crabby Natty earned this name early on. She has always had this weird fixation on rubbing on our arms or neck when we would rock her to sleep. It started as a "aww melt my heart" kind of thing. I mean what parent doesn't melt when their baby rubs on their arm with those soft little Johnson & Johnson baby hands?!

 

Well, from there she started getting control of those fat little baby hands, & learned how to use her fingers. Especially how to PINCH, & every day they got stronger.

 

Sure, pinching is a great tool to have as a wee-one.

 

-Picking up tiny puffs or food

-Turning pages in little books

-Pulling tiny threads on Mommy's sweater

-Being the Ultimate Competitor at a game of "Operation"

-Tightening those tiny screws in Grandma's glasses

-Picking up every tiny speck on our living room floor

 that Momma missed with the vacuum

 

You get what I am saying here?

This ain't no joke!

 

I mean even Andy Pants is scared to be shirtless around her.

Lord help him if she gets ahold of one of his nips! YIKES!

(FYI: this HAS happened...ever heard a grown man screech like a little girl?)

 

 

 

Here is a great picture as proof of what I have been trying to convey.

She is double teaming me with both hands in this pic. I went in unarmed, knowing good & well what I was getting myself into. Look at my red neck!

OH, & let me forget to trim those little daggers she calls nails.

I swear she sharpens those things every night.

Why don't you swaddle her hands down you say?

This child has HATED being swaddled since the beginning.

She cannot stand to be wrapped up. What do I do?!!

 

Use Socks on her Hands you say?

HA! That only worked when she had no control of those pinchers.

 

I have even tried putting a silky blanket on my arms or around my neck to get her to get the affection for something else...& not human flesh!

 

So, now here is my new game plan. I'm a little scared she may find my eyes.

 

 

She doesn't only do this now when it's time for bed. She will even find that nice sweet spot on the back of your arm, while your checking out at a store, that will make you wanna scream & holler like a teenage girl at a Bieber concert.


 

 It has brought tears to my eyes.

(I look like Natalie Portman in Black Swan w/ those sock hands)

 

Can anyone out there help us? I am clueless on how to break this habit.

These pinchers are only getting stronger...& people at work are starting to question these bruises ;)

 

 LATA ALLIGATA-

MELISSA

 

I may have a problem...

 

Ok I will admit it...I am addicted to anything PUMPKIN!

 

This time of year always puts a pep in my step. I don't know if it's the cooler weather, the halloween candy galore in the stores, or all the pumpkin flavored crap goodies I can get my hands on!

 

OH YEAH! & my own little pumpkin was born this month as well!

 

 (grumpy pumpkin girl)

 

Sooo here is just a little evidence of the problem I "may" have.

(I type this as my pumpkin candle smells up our living room)

 

 

 

I mean really?! I may turn into a pumpkin. I wish I had more time in the day to try more pumpkin recipes. Right now my quick go to ones are pumpkin muffins & the

OHHH SO delicious PUMPKIN ROLL.

You may have to roll my my butt off this couch after I eat all these muffins.

 

I plan on making my pumpkin roll this weekend, after we visit the pumpkin patch first of course!! My pumpkin sized head may explode when we get there!! SO. EXCITED.

 

Do you have a go to pumpkin recipe I MUST try?!

I NEED THEM!!

(don't worry you won't be an enabler)

 

 

 I have to include this last ridiculous picture of me & my VERY PREGGO self!

Natalie's OPA still thinks this is the reason she was born a red-head. The orange paint must have gotten to her! hehe

 

I can't wait to tell you all about our Pumpkin Patch trip!

Natalie Momma is going to have so much fun!

 (# of times "pumpkin" is on this page: 23)

 

LATA ALLIGATA-

MELISSA

The Wheels on the Bus...

Whew! What a whirlwind of a weekend. October is a big month in our family for birthdays, 6 to be exact. My sister, April, had my nephew a week & a day after I had Natalie. We even have another 1st birthday to go to this coming weekend. (Andy Pant's nephew's son was born a couple weeks after Natalie as well) That's 3 in a row! I have chalked it up to a party month & I have been cramming every chocolate covered oreo I can get into my mouth. Actually the last 3 months of the year are party months. I love this time of year. The holiday season is MY FAV, & October definetely kick starts the festivities.

 Happy Birthday, BOO, Happy Turkey Day, HO HO HO, & 3,2,1 Happy New Year!

(image from google)

 

So we packed up my parents brand new RV & headed up North to the beautiful state of Virginia. Traveling with a toddler in an RV is so much more convienant.
 I can pack my whole house up practically.

Although packing for a toddler is just plain ridiculous. Even if we are going to Wally World to buy groceries five minutes from the house, we have to pack like we are going camping. I just like to be prepared for whatever experience we may encounter, & if you have a toddler you know exactly what I am talking about.
Who doesn't love that perfect timing of a diaper explosion. BLEH!
 

I was so worried about what to pack for Miss Natalie that I completely forgot to pack my OWN pair of jeans that I planned on wearing for the main event: Carson's 1st birthday party. Thankfully there was a kick ACE Target near my sis' house. I know I keep getting off of subject but I am so jello of the selection at her Target then at the one near us. Their FALL clothing choices are killer. I had to make sure I just bought jeans...they were a perfect fit with my boots.
 I was too excited to finally put my boots back on!

We arrived in VA around 6pm on Friday. We fed the kiddos ,
let them run around & destroy play in the house before bedtime.
Once bedtime came for them, a little drinky drinky came out for us.
It was a long day & much needed, don't judge me.

Morning came & the party planner in me got to work. The theme was a YO HO HO, Pirate Party. My sister found some of the cutest Pirate "treasures" to decorate with. We lined the driveway with pirate flags, and set out tons of bandanas, gold clip-on earrings, foam swords, tattoos, & chocolate gold coins any pirate would "kill" to have! She rented a bounce house for the kids & all that was missing was the barrels of RUM for the adults.

Here are some pics of another successful first birthday!

 

 A quick pic of my sis & I preggo together!
Hard to believe we both have just celebrated our babies 1st birthday.

We were able to reuse our little pinterest project we made for Natalie's Circus Party for the Pirate Treat Table too!

I see us using that stand at all our parties!

 

Carson getting some bounce house time before all the kids get there

He loved it!

 

Then it was time to get the party started. My mom made him his Pirate Costume.

Have I told you my mom is an amazing crafter. She should have her own show for realS!

 

 

MOM LOOK! Dad is a Pirate!

 

Cute pics of the Birthday Boy we hung around the canopys!

 

Sista Sista! Rockin' the Pirate hats my mom made.

 

Cute little Pirate ship cake my Mom made as well.

I'm telling you this woman can do it all. I only wish I can learn half of her skills.

 

Natalie looking for treasures.

 

She did not stop moving once the party started.

 

Giving Pirate friend some kisses.

 

She got a hold of my cupcake when I looked away. I have never seen her move so fast.

That's my girl! Outta our way when it comes to chocolate.

 

Then it was time for the birthday boy to taste some of his yummy smash cake. My mom made him a little treasure chest to dive into.

 

THIS PIC IS MY FAV OF THE ENTIRE DAY.

"I pity the fool who tries to touch my cake"

 

The bad girl in me wants to photoshop a little middle finger on that hand. He just looks so hardcore with that little look & his tie on. Love that Face!

 

 

Well, I am finishing this up as we head back home. I like to pretend I am I am pop star traveling in my tour bus. Minus the hair & make-up & and no screaming fans....just a screaming toddler :)

 

 

I know we have another birthday this weekend to attend, but I am hoping we can squeeze in a fun fall trip to the pumpkin patch with our own little pumpkin head. I have always invisioned my own little one running around the pumpkins & through the corn mazes. I. CAN'T. WAIT.

Is anyone else doing any fun FALL trips? I would love to hear what traditions you & your family have!

 

LATA ALLIGATA,

-Melissa