LinvilleUSA.com

Natalie spelling her name….
Photo credit: Kaila

Today was my third Father’s Day and Erin and Natalie both worked hard to make sure it was a great one for me.  And busy!  Here is the weekend run-down:

1. Saturday morning – brunch with our friends the “Van Hams” (Todd Van Horn, Heather Cunningham, and their 13 mos old Henry) plus special guest Craig Koester!   These are great Kellogg friends with whom we always have a blast.  Come back to Chicago, Craig!

Henry, I LOVE your worm sprinkler!

Craig! Try our new trick....whoa, wait a minute... coolest adult ever!

2. Saturday afternoon – We drive up to Gymboree in Old Orchard Mall to attend the 2 year old birthday party of twins who belong to one of Erin’s colleague’s, Krish.  Krish and his wife (also named Erin) have beautiful twins named Bella and Noah.  I had never been to Gymboree, but it was a blast!  And of course, Natalie was obsessed with the bubbles (her obsession is well documented – click here for video).   Happy birthday Bella and Noah!

Check out these skills, Daddy! Gymboree? More like Jamboree!

3. Saturday evening – After scarfing down dinner and watching a few episodes of Modern Family, we were all in bed early.

4. Sunday morning – We hit the road at 7:30am to head to the Indiana Dunes and meet our friends the Kennedys!  Karen and Sean are some of our closest friends (Karen actually introduced Erin and me at Notre Dame) and recently moved from Boston to South Bend.  They have three kids, Cormac (5), Delia (3) and Claire (10 mos).

The day started off pretty overcast, and in the driveway in South Bend, Cormac apparently said to Karen, “Mom, are you sure today is a good day to go to the beach?”  But by 11am it was beautiful!  We played soccer, jumped in the waves, built sand castles, etc.  Below are a bunch of pictures, and behind Sean, you can see one of of the most unique aspects of the beaches in Indiana: power plants.  That’s right.  Huge, smoke belching power plants in the distance…don’t drink the water, kids.

"I love your hat, Natalie!" "No, you stop. I love your hat, Claire!"

Nice smoke stacks, dude.

This beach was overflowing with babes.

Get in the water kids! Yep, I'm right behind you...

Cormac is five but definitely smarter than your average bear.  He has always been the kind of hilarious, unintentional one-liners that are usually a direct result of the wheels in his head turning so quickly.  Here are a few conversations I had with him:

• Jordan: “What grade are you going to be in next year, Cormac?”
• Cormac: “Kindergarten.”
• Jordan: “Kindergarten is the best!”
• Cormac: <long pause> “What’s the worst?”

• Cormac: “Hey, Jordan!  Want to jump over waves?
• Jordan: “Sure.”
• Cormac: “Do you want to do American style or African style?”

• Cormac: “Let’s dig a big hole in the middle of our soccer field so we know where to put the ball.”
• Jordan: “Well, let’s not make it too big.  I don’t want to step in it and twist my ankle.”
• Cormac: “Yeah, that’s why we need to make it REALLY big!  So you can see it.”

5. Sunday afternoon: When we got back from the beach, Natalie and Erin gave me my Father’s Day presents.  A wireless mouse, a cool new dress shirt, and a retro rain jacket.  Erin had hid the gifts around the house and Natalie was very helpful in looking for them.

We topped the day off with some Dairy Queen.  How could you ask for a better weekend than that?

This girl loves her sand toys!!!!

Mom, ok. I smiled for your pic. Now can you help me build a sand castle?

Oh yeah. Rocking’ a 4T swim suit. Gap runs small , right?!?

Hurry Mom ! Onto the next adventure – or lunch!!!

Photo credit: Kaila

Natalie and her two best girlfriends met up at the Farmer’s Market on Saturday – Taylor on the left side of the picture and Molly on the right.  Taylor is turning 1 tomorrow (happy bday, T!) and Molly is 21 months.  Given that 5 of the 6 parents of these cuties went to ND, we’re hoping that we’ll all get to meet up at Junior Parents Weekend…. or London, if the girls decide to study abroad in London spring of Junior Year (as 4 of 6 parents did!)  This is obviously one of the huge perks of living in the City.

For more pics, visit our friends’ blogs:

Molly’s – http://babycashew.blogspot.com/ 

Taylor’s – http://santucci-family.blogspot.com/ (Pics aren’t up yet, but I’m sure they will be soon!)

My mom recently treated Natalie to a new toy – a stroller for her to push.  (I have been wanting her to have one for awhile, as I new she would love it – she likes to help push her big stroller, which is challenging, given her pint-size and she likes pushing her friends’ baby strollers too.)  My mom included a special treat in the stroller – Minnie Mouse, courtesy of my little sister Leah’s tremendous stuffed animal collection.  We think Minnie Mouse hails from our first plane trip to Florida when I was in 7th grade.  (Compare this to Natalie, who had been on 3 plane trips before her first birthday!)

It was love at first site.  When Natalie walked inside my parents’ house, she immediately released an “ooo” and proceeded to play with the stroller all weekend.  My mom sent us back to Chicago with the stroller – and at the last minute, insisted I take Minnie too.  When we got back to Chicago, Natalie took a nap – and when she awoke, the first thing she wanted to do was set up her stroller again.  I tried to put a new giraffe I bought her in the stroller – she wanted nothing to do with it.  So, I put her 2nd favorite stuffed animal in – Yot who lives in  Pot (Dr. Seuss). 

Then, we went on a walk to the park.  On our return home from the park, we stopped at our car to get Minnie.  Natalie let out audible excitement and proceeded to carry Minnie the remaining 2 blocks home, gently patting her back as to reassure her that “everything was alright” and that Mannie wouldn’t have to spend any more time in the car without her!

Then, when we got home, Natalie immediately threw Yot out of the stroller and onto the floor, so that Minnie could resume her rightful place.  The next day, when Natalie saw Kaila for the first time in nearly a week, she rushed to show Kaila her new toy.  I’m sure Kaila loves Minnie just as much as Natalie.

Thank goodness Natalie has grandparents who live in Florida, so we have an easy way to indulge a future request to go to Walt Disney World.  I wonder when that request happens – hopefully not until age 4?!?!

Our good friend Derek is in town for his bachelor party.  Jordan is at the Cubs game with him, as I type.  However, Derek first kicked off the weekend as most bachelors typically do… on a play date with two 1-year-olds and their mommies.

Hey, I just threw that too you - now can I have it back?

Uh oh - a pop fly!

Derek also gave Natalie a coloring set-to-go… Natalie loved it.  It looks just like Mommy’s Vera Bradley bag! 

 

Who is ready for school? ME!!!!

 

She did try to take out the crayons to see if they worked like sidewalk chalk – a wonderful toy that Kaila recently introduced her too.   The above caption is very purposeful – we often ask Natalie questions…. “Who wants to go to the Children’s Museum?  Who is hungry for dinner?  Who wants to read stories?” and she responds with the sweetest, most energetic “ME!!!”

 

Finally, as my mom reminded me, happy 17 months to Natalie!  I cannot believe she’s almost 1.5 years old!

 

 

Kaila gets the photo credit.

I know I loved my first Mother’s Day, but my second one was even better!  Despite another cold and some terrible teething, Natalie and Jordan really outdid themselves!  (Thankfully, Natalie was also in a much better mood than she was in Saturday aft.)

The day started out with flowers and a family date to the Children’s Museum.  We asked Natalie in the morning, “Who wants to go to the Children’s Museum?” and she eagerly responded “MEEE!!!”  Natalie made sure to take us to her favorites – Water Ways and Treehouse Trails – and Jordan made sure to show Natalie something new too.

Hm, I'm still not sure why you use this club when you could just throw the ball in the hole....

A pretty frame from a pretty girl!

Mom, when am I going to have pretty long hair like Kaila's?