Welcome, Pizza

Sutton is onto bigger and better things than simple Gerber peas and bananas. He thoroughly enjoyed half a slice of big-people cheese pizza. Choosey moms choose pizza.

I just love this happy little face.

I know, Sutton. Pizza makes Mommy happy too.

Little Buds

Sutton and Luke enjoyed some male bonding. Just like regular-sized men, they didn't get too close, staying in their own seats.

March Madness hadn't started yet, so they settled for Signing Time.

Sutton just might get the motivation to crawl with Luke kicking across the room from him.

Pats of love.

Just an extra picture of the cuteness that never stops around here.

And, as if my own children weren't cute enough on their own, we have to go and add this adorable guy to the mix. Oh, how we love Luke!

Babies Playing Babies

Natalie and Ethan Sharp play so well together. Much better than any two toddler girls I can think of. Probably because Ethan just goes with the flow, doing whatever crazy thing Natalie comes up with. Right before I took this picture, I asked Ethan what they were doing and he said, "Natty said we're playing babies." She later changed her own diaper, so I'm not sure who the parent was and who the baby was. Either way, these two are adorable together.

Little Bear

Grandaddy made his rounds from NC, to KC, to Idaho and back, visiting all his grandchildren. After his visit in Idaho, he brought back a love for Little Bear and shared this with Natalie. Her new tradition is to watch one Little Bear before bed each night. AND, she cannot watch it alone, she must be in someone's lap. She definitely missed Granddad the first couple nights without him, but she allows Mom and Dad to fill in until Grandaddy can come back into town.

Let Me Count the Ways

I love Natalie Glenn Cook. Some days it shows, others, I just look tired and frustrated. In a direct answer to my prayers, the last few days of being a stay-at-home Mom have been out-of-this-world wonderful! I was just recounting last weekend to some girlfriends about how God used answering my prayers quickly and specifically in the summer of 2001, in Africa, to completely change my life. Well, it seems, He continues to bless me and show Himself to me, even now...even in the small things.

I couldn't help but smile at the perfect line of characters in my kitchen just 2 nights ago. I love finding things Natalie's played with and just picturing her talking and moving them around. I'm sure she lovingly placed them each in their respective spots for a reason. This is my new Facebook profile picture, to remind me not only that I'm living in a fairy tale, prince charming and all :), but to remind me of my sweet Natalie. I also LOVE Cinderella.

Another WAY I love her...the outfits she comes up with. I finished my shower and in to the bathroom walks this little fashionista. The Easter dress was a little stuck and she was saying, "Hope, Mom, hope me (help, mom, help me)," but other than that, her outfit was complete, down to the socks and squeaky sandals. There's no time to argue over clothing choices in this house, so out we went. Chick-Fil-A wasn't ready for this runway model, but we went there anyways.

WAY #3: Each and every day, she can be heard through the house reading her books. The stories she tells, combined with finding her all relaxed in her chair is enough to make any momma fall in love. On this particular day, I think she was reading to Granny via skype. Granny was probably reclined too, sipping the coffee Natalie just prepared hot for her, hanging on every word of her tale. That little imagination is amazing to me. That's only 3 of the many ways, but I'm sure I'll have more to come in a future post.

Just a few more words on my answered prayers. It's never enough that God simply answers my prayers and that I realize it. He often seems to put the cream cheese icing on the cake. I was recounting to a friend how I recently felt guilty for not giving myself enough time to just enjoy my kiddos (I'm quite the list maker and enjoy checking off tasks). I was remembering a time when Natalie was just a little thing and we were in the airport together traveling to NC sans Nate. I so enjoyed every little thing about her. A complete stranger in the airport walked up to me and said, "I've never seen a more joyful-looking Mother. You two look really happy together." I'd just smiled at the lady and said, "Thank you," not thinking too much of it. I guess it meant more to me than I knew, since I thought of that small conversation last weekend. I thought, am I really too tired and "over" worked (of my own will) to just enjoy my babies anymore? I decided to do some praying about this and leave my emotions and daily plans up to God. Well, after offering up the afore mentioned prayers for just one day, God so vividly answered my prayers, much like in Africa in '01. I spent yesterday morning with my children, laughing and loving on them. They had an extra long, extra bubbly bath. We read books in my bed and it wasn't bedtime. We painted fingernails, we rolled around on the floor, we did any and everything Natalie (and Sutton) wanted to do. It was wonderful. Then we were in the sam's club as Natalie calls it, having pizza. Natalie was being quite the little lady, eating most bites of her pizza with a fork and only stealing a few sips of my coke when I wasn't looking. Sutton was grinning from ear-to-ear as always, signing "more" to get extra bites of pizza and leaning in close to give me saucy kisses between mouthfuls of cheese. It was bliss, truly. Then to top it all off, again, a complete stranger, walks up to our table and says, "You all look like you're having a lovely time together." I smiled, tearing up ever-so-slightly, and just said "thank you." It was a thank you not only to her, but to my Lord, for reminding me that He cares enough about me to bring to my mind those moments from long ago, from Africa and the airport, to show me His faithfulness, even in the smallest things. All we have to do is ask, and believe.

For Daddy

Nate took a trip to El Salvador a couple weeks ago on a short mission trip, leaving behind this happy clan. We were trying to get a recent picture of the three of us, so he wouldn't forget us while he was gone! :) Can you even believe he could leave us for even a day?

Indoor Sports

Just when you thought Friday Nights were only for football...

Hooter Hidin

Most of you have probably heard of the popular breast feeding cover, called a Hooter Hider. If not, it's pretty self explanatory. Here's Natalie using our friend Alyse's one night a few weeks ago. Good to see we're raising her to be modest. At least for now. After a few weeks (or years?) in Africa, the breast feeding modesty will probably fade!

Success!

Fritz's, yo

Natalie makes the paper engineer's hat way cuter than it's cut out to be.

Sutton's first time at "the train place." Again, making the hat way cuter than it ever thought it could be.

Natalie wasn't overreacting. It really is quite exciting when the little arm drops and the train deposits the food to your table! Grilled cheese, yay!

Watching the train go round and round and trying to keep up with all the big kids is exhausting for a baby. Plus, imagine how hard it must be to hold your heavy eyelids open with the lashes weighing them down!

Hugging bye. I love their love-hate relationship. This is Caden. Natalie makes up stories when he's not around about them fighting over things. It's actually pretty cute.

Arteest

Coloring a valentine from her great grandmother, Nonnie. Coloring is one of her favorites pastimes lately. Mom loves it. Now, if we can just get all the lids back on the markers we'll be doing really well...

The Buns

I just couldn't resist. I mean, honestly, he could not be cuter.

"Mom, come on, I'm trying to read here."

Afternoon Tea

Practicing for if we move to Africa one day. Lots of tea to be had there.

Making Valentines

Sorry if you didn't get one. They made it to the party, but never made it to the mail.

Born to Fly

I know she's flown a lot, but every time I'm still amazed by how good she is. It helps when we get 2 entire rows to ourselves. She's becoming quite the little lady.

Natalie and Daddy hard at work.

Traveling light went out the window for us long before the additional fees for checked baggage were added.

Old Town, Alexandria

Okay, so we weren't technically in Old Town, but this little chair at Chris and Katie's looked pretty Old Town to Sutton. A perfect fit for our happy guy.

He fit right in at Noah's house. They're very close in age, so the chair wasn't the only thing that fit perfectly. So many toys to play with...although, most of the time we spent there, everyone napped.

More from DC

Katelyn and Natalie played really well together. They are so much alike in looks and interests. Here they're making bread for dinner. No, we didn't mind their not-so-secret ingredient: saliva.

They were really too cute together.

And what's a playdate if it doesn't involve a bubble bath?

Snacks and movies.

They even both have adorable little brothers...

with matching dimples.

Carson thought Mr. Nate was pretty funny.

Far Away Friends

We were happy to get the chance to take a family vacation to DC. We have 4 sets of friends living in the area, all of which were available to visit with us while we were there. The kids all played together and the Mommies and Daddies somehow got plenty of time to play too.

Here are all the kids watching a movie while the adults enjoyed dinner upstairs! Don't worry, we fed them first. From left to right: Rebecca Joy (Swank's girl), Katelyn K, Natalie and Micah (Swank's boy).

Sutton and Micah jumping on the bed, sort of.

I came downstairs to find Natalie already up and in Laura's arms helping with breakfast. They were such wonderful hosts. Rebecca Joy even shared one of her beloved babies with Natalie.

I guess Natalie DID share her baby too. Rebecca Joy is so excited to be getting a new baby brother from Ethiopia at their house hopefully soon. She is a great big sister already.

See how happy she makes babies?