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Yeah for warm januaries and for daddy home on a Friday!

Happy New Year, Everyone!  2012 is off to a great start, but we still have a lot of good pics from 2011 that we haven’t shared.  Here’s a photo gallery from our Christmas in Green Bay.  Highlights included:

– Meeting our new cousin Trevor, who was born on Dec. 6.  Natalie was very sweet with him.  She would just gently touch him with her finger and wanted to help Aunt Becky rock Trevor in his swing.  She also tested out many of his toys.
– Visiting the Neville Public Museum with Grandma, Grandpa and Great Grandma Jean.  We saw an old exhibit of motorized dolls that my dad remembers from growing up.  Natalie really liked them.  She was not a big fan of the mastodon – which I’ve always found scary too.
– Spending quality time with both sides of the family, although we didn’t see my mom’s side as much because almost everyone went out to tailgate for the Packers!

To Jordan’s and Rob’s delight, Santa opened up a brewery in the North Pole too.

Merry Christmas 2011!

Natalie loves my cell phone.  She also loved the old school toy phone that my mom bought for her house (the one with the round dial and the eyes that go up and down when you move it).  Even better, she liked talking on the real land line at my parents’ house – she and Grandma “called” Nana, Pop, Aunt Ann, Mammaw, Molly, Taylor, Connor and many other friends and family.

What - you're on the beach today? Its snowing here! Have you ever tried sledding?

We missed Auntie Leah at Christmas this year – she was in Hay River, Canada, with her boyfriend’s family.  Her niece and nephew loved Skyping with her though!

Hmm... what happens when I do THIS?

A proper Christmas update will be coming sometime, but unfortunately, tonight is not the night.  I had to share this cute picture though….

Natalie is ready for Santa!  Thank you, Nana, for the amazing stocking! 

Natalie seems to be much more interested in polar bears lately – you can see why!

Merry Christmas!  Safe travels, Everyone!

First, we had Natalie’s 1-yr-old doc’s appointment today. 

Weight: 24 lbs,  oz. (90th percentile, so all her crawling and dancing is beginning to help her “slim” down!)
Height: 30.25 inches (84th percentile, so she’s nearly proportional – a far cry from her 3 mo appt!)
Head circumference: 45 cm (48th percentile – where she’s always been)

And, I’m proud to share that Natalie LOVES the main birthday present we gave her: a bulletin board of her family.  I stole this great idea from my friend Megan (who is a teacher).  We love saying “hi” and “night night” to many of our favorite people.  Megan also said that it has really helped her daughter Molly remember people that she doesn’t see as often. 

Here is Natalie’s family bulletin board.  Although we wish we could include more family and friends on it, we ran out of bulletin board space!

Natalie turns 1!  Thank you for all sharing in what has been the most incredible year of our lives.  Natalie is an absolute joy.

I was a really cute newborn!

Yay! I'm one today!

It’s a little hard to believe that 366 days ago, we were heading to the hospital and we basically knew the following things about “Lentil”.

• She is a girl
• She liked to hang out on the right side of my stomach
• She was active at night
• She liked Tums, bananas and pizza.  She disliked lettuce, chicken, and Cracklin Oat Bran.  She especially hated the smell of coffee.

Although some of those things are still true (especially the love of bananas), I am so thankful that we know her so well.  Some of our favorites:

Personality: Enthusiastic.  Curious.  Opinionated.  Eager to keep up with her older girlfriends. Fun. Sometimes a bit of a prima donna.

Favorite Activities:  Dancing, Music, Exploring, Crawling, “Walking,” Going to the Park (haven’t done a lot of that lately), Taking Baths, Keeping up with her older girlfriends, “Chasing” anyone up or down the stairs, Playing “Peek a Boo” (e.g. “sneaking” up on Daddy – multiple times in a row), Hokey Pokey, Reading (usually), Sneezing, Making friends off all ages and ethnicities everyplace we go (just this weekend – Corner Bakery for lunch, line a Wal-Mart, Church, Grocery store)

Daddy’s Top Activity:   “Every morning, as I’m making breakfast before work, Erin and Nataile ‘sneak’ up on me.  This consists of Erin carrying Natalie down the hallway and telling her (loudly) that they are going to surprise me.   Then they jump out into the doorway and yell, ‘Surprise!”  And then they do it two or three more times.  Natalie always grins ear-to-ear, and I’m always very, very surprised.”

Mommy’s Top Activity: Storytime.  Nearly every morning and evening, we read stories in my and Jordan’s bed.  Natalie leans back against me.  I usually give her a choice between two stories – she’ll eagerly grab one or toss one to the side (nearly always with her right hand).  She enthusastically turns the pages and lifts up flaps.  She often wiggles from the original position and sometimes we end up tummy-to-tummy – and then she falls over, at which point, I tickle her.  So much fun!

Least Favorite Activities: Being on the diaper changing table, Riding in the car for too long, Seeing mom and not being able to eat right away, Shopping for more than 8 min

Milestones: High Fives, Clapping, Crawling, Pulling herself to standing, Sitting after standing, Pointing, “So Big”

Super Cute Things in the Past Week: Blowing kisses, Giving kisses, “So big”, Starting to imitate what we do, Pointing (sometimes, I even get a double point, when she’s really excited to see me)

Favorite Foods: Fruit – especially blueberries, bananas and strawberries.  O’s.  Peas. As of an hour ago, a new soup I made. The list could go on and on – she likes to eat a lot.

Favorite Books: Five Little Lady Bugs, Please Baby Please, Karen Katz’s “lift the flap” books like Where’s Baby’s Belly Button? and Toes, Ears and Nose

Although her 1-year-old doctor’s appointment isn’t until Wed, we had to go into the doctor’s last week for her cold, and she weighed 24 lbs, 9 oz.  I’m pretty sure we’ll be rocking the 90^th+ percentile again.

This bow is fascinating. Grandma is a really good wrapper

Since her actual birthday is a Monday, we moved up our little family celebration to Sunday.  We went to church (always a blast), opened up a couple presents, and went to Zoo Lights at the Lincoln Park Zoo.  Although Jordan and I usually like to do birthday waffles, Jordan ate too many cookies last night and wasn’t up for it this morning.  This is probably the only year we’ll be able to get by with not doing birthday waffles and wrapping her presents in front of her (and, to be honest, not getting her many presents at all!)

Daddy's lucky to have two bakers in the house - me and Mommy!

We love you, Natalie, and are so thankful you are here!

Natalie had a holiday-themed “friends” birthday party in Chicago last weekend.  We were lucky that my parents were able to come – and were such a big help in getting everything ready.  My mom and Natalie were in charge of cupcakes….

Grandma, I love my new kitchen!!! Thank you!!! Wanna try a cupcake too?

I could get used to this....

Many of Natalie’s favorite Chicago friends were able to come celebrate.  The day was a blast – filled with lots of crawling, walking, ripping wrapping paper, and talking. 

Natalie, this is how you REALLY open a present!

Hey, Anna - come back and play with me. I'm gonna get you!

And, Santa even showed up!  I wasn’t sure how Santa would go over, since after I had invited him, Megan told me that Molly had been scared of Santa – and they were working hard on making him seem like a fun guy.  Santa was 2 for 3 – in terms of the number of kids who cried while sitting on his lap or being near him. 

Who is this strange guy who really needs a shave?

Our friend Jeff braved Santa with a smile….

Jeff: Why does Santa smell like Bud heavy?

We had a holiday book gift exchange, which was super fun.  Grandpa helped Natalie open (and later read) “That’s not my reindeer….”

Another present for me to open? Yeah!

Towards the end of the party, Natalie asked everyone to join in for one of her fav games – the Hokey Pokey!

Can I have a birthday party everyday?You girls are the greatest friends a girl could ask for!

You girls are the greatest friends a girl could ask for!

Hey – it’s Jordan.  I’m back on the blog posting train after 5 or 6 mos away!

When in Florida at the end of November, we not only celebrated Thanksgiving and Christmas, we also celebrated Natalie first birthday!  It was quite the affair.  The whole Stevenson/Hinshaw crew came over to celebrate.  Natalie was a little overwhelmed at first and didn’t know what to make of the cake, but after a few nibbles of icing she got into it.

Everybody says it, but it is difficult to believe how fast that first year goes.  A year ago, it was a big deal to open her eyes, but now she can:

• crawl
• talk
• walk (with assistance)
• clap
• waive
• feed herself

Some pics below!