Sunday, January 27, 2013

Behind the camera

I am a photographer....I even have a degree that proves that fact. I like being behind the camera, not infront of it.

Natali has known was a camera is for a while. She even knows when we are using our Ipads as a camera. She quickly wants to get behind it and look at the picture.

Yesterday Kelli and Natali went to our dog park as it was a fairly warm Texas winter day. Kelli shot a video of Natali, and Natali couldn't wait to see the screen.

httpv://youtu.be/whw2yQXsmQQ

Sunday, January 20, 2013

Sleeping on the plane...without the car seat

We took a quick trip to Atlanta, Georgia this weekend.

Natali has flown around 50 times. For at least 46 of them she was in her car seat.

We bought the CARES harness a while ago but only used it once on a short flight down to Houston. We were worried Natali wouldn't be able to sleep in a regular seat on a longer flight while being strapped into the harness. We were wrong.




On the flight to Atlanta Natali was fine in her seat with her Ipad and pacifier (it's only for bedtime and airplanes).

jan20130001

On the flight back Natali fell asleep before we took off while strapped into the harness. She slept the entire two hours. We did make a makeshift pillow with a blanket.

jan20130003

It's nice to know next time we fly (which will likely be to New York) Natali can sleep just fine in a regular seat. Things will get even easier when she can use a booster seat instead of a car seat.

jan20130000

The Georgia Aquarium was fun. It's definitely not stroller friendly which is why we left ours at home. The dolphin show was also not toddler friendly. It had a lot of dark scenes and strobe lights that didn't really help the really unnecessary story.

 

Monday, January 14, 2013

Lactose Intolerant?

Natali has had this odd quirk for a while.

Whenever she sits at her table she will often tense up, strain and squirm....almost like she's full of gas or trying to shoot out a #2. She does this for minutes at a time. It's not comfortable to watch her do this.  No gas comes out....and she doesn't make a dirty diaper.

We have tried different chairs...and putting her on the ground...she does the same thing.

I (Darren) finally thought, maybe it's her diet.

Milk products and I don't get along very well. I get cramping, gas or both. Natali is ,at my guesstimation , 45% Black. Lactose intolerance is huge for people who are classified as black. The rates are as high as 75% of people classified as black are also lactose intolerant.

So on Saturday we tried replacing her milk with Soy milk. She drank it at first....but has since shunned all milk (likely due to taste).

Sunday she squirmed a little. Today (Monday)....no squirming, straining or tensing up. Not even once. This has been a common occurrence every morning (when she has the most milk) for a long time.

I feel bad that she has shunned all milk. Time to do some research and taste testing of lactose free milk. Also not good as she likes cheese. She eats A LOT of cheese via slices and sticks.

This is an ongoing study as Kelli is high skeptical of Natali being lactose intolerant. From what I've seen over the last 36 hours....I'm thinking I'm right.

Thursday, January 10, 2013

Growing

Natali is 2 feet 11 inches tall. She grew 6 inches last year. Kelli is only 5 foot 3 inches tall. Yep Natali is more than half as tall as Kelli. I am pretty sure Natali will be taller than Kelli.

When I was younger my mom told me I would be 6 foot 4 inches tall. My brother was to be 6 foot 5 inches tall. She had our wrist tested/measured.

My brother really is 6 foot 5. I am just 5 foot 11...with the hands and feet of a 6 foot 4 inch frame. I can easily palm a basketball...and wear size 14 shoes. I had some health issues in my teenage years that stunted my growth. My genes still say I should be 6 foot 4.

Beyond her height Natali is growing on the inside as well. Her speech in very developed. I remember my niece Haley being very intelligent at 2 1/2 years old.

For Christmas Natali made out like a bandit. She got her first play kitchen, a shopping cart (she loves shopping carts!), Doc Mc'Stuffins light up shoes, Doc Mc'Stuffins doctor kit and more. She really likes her kitchen.

Our friends Eric and Angela recently had their second child. We've been over to visit a few times. Kelli heled the new baby....but not I. I have zero desire for another child. Cute....and neat....but not for us.

This is a good thing as the new house we are buying has one less bedroom than our current house (3 vs 4). Since we will maintain a guest bedroom, we have no room for another child. It won't be fair to make Natali share her room.

Finally a few photos.

thanks0003 thanks0000 thanks0001 thanks0002