Dear Natalie

Dear Natalie,

Today is your half birthday; you’re one and a half years old. Time has flown by and I can’t believe it. I occasionally flash back to the day you were born, seeing you for the first time and turning to your Mom, giving her the shake of the head that yes you have Down syndrome. I could notice your features; your almond eyes, that flat Asian bridge of your nose, and my personal favorite, your little tongue that doesn’t fit inside that tiny mouth of yours. You are simply beautiful!

You’ve grown so much in these months, developing and beginning to show your personality. While I am going to miss these moments of your baby stage, I look forward to the many years to come. I look at your sister and reminisce on all the memories we make and can’t wait to make new ones with you.

You give the sweetest, juicy kisses that make me laugh every time. Eventually there will be a time when ‘being cool’ doesn’t include giving me kisses, so for now I will cherish the memory. And every other moment, I will treasure.

You lay your head in the nook of my neck and smile. It's how you give 'lovins' and it makes my heart melt. You take your chubby hands and grab my necklace Mommom Marna gave me. It's as if somehow you know. 

You as well as your sister make me a very proud Aunt. I love you both, to the moon and back, to infinity and beyond.

Love,

Auntie Kell 

State Fair

Shawn and Ben were scheduled to come home Monday from their Down syndrome Convention in DC. Mom, Dad, and I had the girls since Thursday night and I try to keep it fun for them! I originally planned to go to the State Fair Friday but the weather decided it didn't want me to. Monday morning rolled around, I had a doctors appointment at 12:50 and told my Mom I wanted to take Hannah to the State Fair once I was done. She wanted to join so plans changed. I canceled my appointment and we packed and such while Natalie took a nap. We planned to leave for the hour drive once she woke up.

Arriving at the Fair

First stop was the feeding area! This is the first thing she saw and she was amazed! 

You could buy carrots for $1 and feed the giraffe so we did just that

She had pure joy on her face! 

I love comparing her size and the giraffes size! 

She didn't exactly like feeling the giraffes tongue, so we moved on to the goats. 

She loves ponies! So she fed him! 

And this guy too! 

Oh look another pony! 

My high school was running the children's barnyard, so we stopped by!

Here's sa funny story! When I was younger, my parents took me to Milburn's Orchard where you can feed the barnyard friends. They sent me into the goat area with food in my hand...I got attacked by the goats. A child's worst nightmare come true. The picture below brought back these memories.

She loved these little piggies. Notice how she has her hand cupped petting them! 

She was even brave enough to go in by herself! 

I remember doing these as a child! 

More ponies that she could pet! 

And then we got to the rides section. Girlie loves rides!

Getting her tickets. See that, 25 tickets for $20. RIDICULOUS!

Oh look a fake pony! And let me tell you, this Carousel went fast! 

Trying to get my photography on, but with the horse going up and down it was hard! 

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That face! 

LIGHTENING MCQUEEN! 

Natalie! 

Those top teeth! :)

We ran into our friends, this is Jordyn. She adores Natalie! 

Hannah, Jamie, and Jordyn! 

I love this picture so much!! 

The girls somehow got me to go on the ferris wheel. I don't know how, I hate those things. I fear them. 

But they do provide nice areal views! And this was only half of the fair, the ride side! 

She's a 'woo girl.' She gets it from her Mama! 

I tried to get a good self portrait of us, but it didn't work so well! 

We ran out of tickets and needed more. Luckily the lady in front of my gave me a coupon for $10 off the wrist band that lets you get on all the rides! Hannah loved it! She requested I take a picture of her bracelet! 

Changes

There's lots of them happening. And to be quite frank, I don't know how I feel about it. Natalie's growing! It's a good thing, but I love the baby phase and now she's becoming a big girl! Her car seat, it no longer faces backwards, she gets to see everything that's happening!

And just look at this picture, anything different?

If you guessed all the bottles are missing, you're right! She no longer needs a bottle. You see that orange cup, it's hers. She sips out of a straw now, like a big girl.

And you see this, this here is a big girl having ice cream for lunch!

Today I realized, come July 28th, she will be a year and a half! Not 18 months, no that sounds baby like, saying a year and a half suits her big girl self better! :)

I suppose I should be very happy about all this, she's growing and exploring! But there will always be that one part of me that wants her to remain a baby.

Watch out world, Natalie's not a baby anymore!!

Longwood Gardens

After Canal Day was over and we got home, Shawn and I had about an hour to get beautified. The DSA (Down syndrome Association) had created an event 'Moms Night Out' and this time it was at Longwood Gardens. Only three people were going; Jenny, Katie, and Shawn. I volunteered to go and be a DD as Shawn told me this would be a 'fun' moms night out. And let me tell you, it sure was fun!

The Longwood Garden event was a spectacular Light Installations by Bruce Munro.

Our night as it began, still daylight but able to see the moon! 

Jenny trying to quickly get us to the cafe before it closes. There was a 'DO NOT CROSS' sign. We hopped it...and were denied access. Oops. 

The Italian Gardens. 

The cookie Shawn was supposed to get for Hannah. Keyword: supposed 

 And here begins the start of AMAZINGNESS!

You see those beautiful light fixtures above, they're really 1 liter soda bottles with light in it! GO GREEN 

The Moms! 

As my sister taught me, you can't use the flash and you must keep absolute still to capture the beauty. But sometimes when you move, you get beauties like this! 

My AMAZING photo of the night! 

And this one was amazing too!