my beautiful sister and precious niece

love this new picture that nancy took!

we miss you katy and molly and can't wait to see you soon...love you!

ode to mimi

On Thursday, I walked into Venus' house to pick up Natalie. "She took her nap without her pacifier today. We think she's ready," Venus says. She immediately sees the shock on my face and the tears brimming in my eyes. "Of course, you have to wait until you're ready to give it up completely," she says. Deep breath. That's right. Because, I really realized at that point that it was me that wasn't ready [not Natalie]. I wasn't ready to watch my baby girl be a big girl. Was I ready to give up the mimi?

Now, those of you who know Natalie know how much she loved her "mimi" [paci]. It might as well have been her first word. She loved that thing to pieces and has since the day she was born. I've probably bought about 15 or 20 of them since she was born. Who knows where they've all disappeared to...some were probably thrown out of carts and strollers. Some were surely eaten by Sadie Butter. But four remained. Four mimi's. And so I had to dedicate a post to the mimi's, because as you can see it's obviously a much bigger deal for me than it was for Natalie.

As she's gotten older, the rule was that she was only allowed to have them in her crib or [sometimes] in the car [I have to make it sanely to LaGrange somehow, right?]. Venus would tell stories of how Natalie would steal a baby's paci and stand in the corner, crouch down, and suck-suck-suck that paci until Venus came and took it away! And I envisioned giving up the mimi being so traumatic. But it was actually as anticlimactic as it could be. She took a nap without it on Saturday and Sunday, and so I asked Dave today..."Do you think it's time to let her sleep without it at night?"

"Yes," he says, "It's time." So throughout the day today we reminded her of what a big girl she is. And tonight, when Dave laid her down in bed, all she said was, "Night night" to Dave. [She usually says, "mimi" because she likes one to be placed right next to her in her bed].

Mimi, you have served me [us] well over these past 20 months. I will miss you, but I am so proud of my big girl. I am going to take you off of my dresser, wash you, and pack you away. Night night, Mimi, Night night.

bob's 60th birthday!

about to blow out his candles...

the yummy spice cake

nat nat was so tired after a long weekend of family fun

bob, his brother jeff, sister debbie and sister karen

low country boil at the house on friday

steve

natalie and her great uncle jeff (taken through the glass door)

we had a fabulous weekend of 'sprinkle-fun' celebrating dave's father (bob's) 60th birthday. i know that bob will be proud that i call him by his name on the website. it took me so long before i could transfer from "mr. sprinkle" to "bob."

bob's siblings all live in youngstown, ohio and they surprised him by flying in for the weekend. dave's brother tom also surprised the whole crew by flying in from park city, utah. it was so nice to see everyone and to celebrate such fun birthdays (jeff's was friday, bob's was saturday). jeff and his wife michelle and their two daughters came down. natalie had the best time with their 16-year-old, amanda. natalie also loved seeing her great aunt karen and her great aunt debbie (who is a kidney pancreas transplant patient and doing great!).

natalie certainly loves her grandpa bob and wishes him a year full of happiness. Happy Birthday!!

great grandpa

how precious our family is to us. natalie loves to read in her great grandpa's lap.

sweet molly and her family

i loved getting a chance to see molly this weekend. she is so sweet and so beautiful! what a proud aunt i am!!!

reflections

venus

we have been beyond blessed to have venus and her daughter kathleen in our lives to take care of natalie. in august 2008, natalie started going to mrs. venus' house 3 days a week...on my work days. it has been so amazing to fully trust the person who cares for natalie. venus loves natalie and she is very good to her. it has been a great fit for us and we are sad that in february 2010, it is coming to an end. venus has been caring for little ones for many years, and she is retiring in february to move to alabama. we are really, really sad to lose her and kathleen.

in six months, i will be in the same boat i was in after natalie was born. the boat's name is "i don't have daycare." i am starting to freak out a little and just praying that the right thing will fall into place. but for all of you atlanta readers out there, i need your help. if you know of any good day care options that you would recommend, please leave a comment below. any help or ideas are certainly appreciated!!

happy birthday sadie!

you're three years old and still such a pup. we love you lots! above, natalie gives sadie a love pat...

meet the kidney peeps

so... i wanted to highlight my sweet co-workers today...
i am so grateful to serve alongside such a great group of women and don't know what i would do without their support, friendship and commitment to our kidney transplant patients. we are starting up a support group for kidney transplant patients at Emory and we're excited about offering this service to our patients...this was the picture we took for the upcoming newsletter...

welcome molly

sweet molly rish
born 8.13.09
7:45 in the evening
6 pounds, 10 ounces
19.5 inches

I'm so proud to be an aunt and I'm so happy for Katy and Lonnie...Molly is beautiful!

happy anniversary...

it's been three years since that amazing day. can you believe it?
i love you so, my sweet husband. thank you for all that you do for our precious family.
happy 3rd.

sick day

sunday night...a night of lost sleep = very costly
co-pay for a visit to dr. gfroerer = $20.00
a new book for my baby girl to cheer her up = $8.00
a balloon for natalie in order to survive the grocery store experience today = $2.99
Barney 'on demand' + a popsicle = priceless [the happiest moment of the day]

fun at the lake

walking down the pier to the dock...natalie was so confident!

checking out her surroundings...

she had a blast swimming with daddy in the lake!

and she drove the boat too!

had to get a pic of her cute little hind end!

at the gas station, the attendant gave Natalie a watermelon sucker...it was her first and she loved it!

eating grapes on the back of the boat

watching mary jane's goldfish swimming

we had so much fun going to see mary jane on saturday. she was so gracious to allow us to take out the boat, and natalie had a great day. we miss mary jane, and we can't wait to see her again soon...

saturday morning tea party in p.j's

just for you, gam!