Natalie's a year old!

Holy cats! My baby's a year. I can't believe how fast that went. She is now a full-time walker and is already working on running. She will run away from me because she thinks it's funny, but will run toward her daddy to give him a kiss and here's what that looks like...

This picture also proves that baby's 50 spf really works!

We had a small birthday celebration for Natalie at home (on the 13th) after being in the midwest for a month. She loved her cake and then we put her birthday hat on and she thought since it was her party she could cry if she wants to, cry if she wants to, you would cry to if someone made you wear that hat, too. Oh how I love music from the 80's! As soon as the hat came off she went right back to devouring the cake as if nothing ever came between her and her beloved cake.

So now let's back-track a little. We flew out to Chicago before Natalie was 11 months, so it was the second week of June. We spent two wonderful weeks with Matt's family, soaking up all the love that families know how to give. We spent our time going to the Lincoln Park Zoo, Canterbury Farm, the park, Alfie's - where Natalie had her first cheeseburger and took the whole thing down no problem, going on walks, celebrating Grammy's birthday, doing major landscaping work at Bryan's house, and just hanging out with the fam. Here are some of my favorite pictures from this half of the trip...

This is Matt standing on his tip-toes after playing in one of Bryan's basketball league games. It was fun watching the brothers play together.

I made Matt come outside and take a picture with me because there was a rainbow and we never get in the same picture anymore, one of us usually is behind the camera.
This is Matthew and PopPop playing "Bags" or "Baggo" or "Cornhole" depending on what part of the country you are from. PopPop made six sets of this game! Ours, naturally, says "Matt and Rebecca" on it. Matthew "Cornholed" a few of his throws - a direct shot right in the hole! What an athlete, I tell ya.
Here's Auntie Cari and her boyfriend "Uncle" Paul. "Thanks for the ride on the train and for taking me to Rainforest Cafe", says Matthew.

Ok, so I'm only through half of the Chicago trip, but Natalie's awake from her nap and I'm going to try to take the kids to the pool, so more updates to follow...stay tuned.

I'm back and up for updating more photos. There's so much to tell and show, I could sit here all day and tell funny stories of making great memories with the family!

Here we are visiting Great Grandma at her house. She is showing the kids her collection of Disney music toys. They were mesmerized.

Here are the kids after a pizza dinner in Naperville.

And now on to Michigan. Natalie had a blast in this contraption and Matthew wanted a turn, but he also wanted to make sure he was safe, so he kept his swimmies on for extra flotation.