Instagrammies: Jam Packed Edition

I've been meaning to post this for a while, but I've been super busy keeping up with the puppies and the baby this week. My Instagrammies pretty much flopped, so I'm just going to be doing my own thang, since I love Instagram so much and it's an easy way to "document our lives in pictures".

I've been thinking about blogging a lot lately, and I have to say I can't participate like I want to anymore. Natalie is getting bigger and she's requiring more and more of my time, and she doesn't like to play on her own that much right now. I'll still be here, but I don't think I'm going to be scheduling any posts, or doing any "themed days" anymore. I want this blog to go back to the way it was when I first started blogging, for ME. Just us, our lives, no gimmicks, no flash, no sponsor posts, no giveaways, and blogging about what I want, and ONLY what I want...with a few reviews and maybe a hot guy or two mixed in. ::wink, wink::

You'll still see my nail polish (when I can find the time to do it), you'll still see my baby (DUH), you'll still see lots of pictures, I just can't be the blogger that everyone on the interwebs is trying to be. I can only be me.

That being said, I have a HUGE photodump ahead...prepare yourself! =)

I hope you'll continue reading, and I hope you won't be disappointed! Thank you as always! We love you all!

Natalie: 11 months!

Dear Natalie,

You are now 11 months old! Momma can't believe that your birthday is only 20 days away! It's amazing how fast this year has gone by, and I know it's only going to go faster the bigger you get!

Your next appointment was supposed to be in July around your birthday, but we are going to have to reschedule because we are going to the beach that week!

Stats:

Weight -

Birth: 4 lbs 0 oz
1 mo: 5 lbs 13 oz
2 mo: 8 lbs 3.5 oz
3 mo: 10 lbs
4 mo: 13 lbs
5 mo: 12 lbs 13 oz
6 mo: 14 lbs 4 oz
7 mo: 15 lbs 2 oz
8 mo: 15 lbs 3 oz
9 mo: 16 lbs
10 mo: 16 lbs 5 oz
11mo:  17 lbs

Length -

Birth: 18 1/4 in
2 mo: 20 1/2 in
3 mo: 21 in
4 mo: 22 1/2 in
5 mo: 24 1/2 in
6 mo: 24 1/2 in
7 mo: 25 in
8 mo: 25 3/4 in
9 mo: 25 3/4 in
10 mo: 26 3/4 in
11 mo: 27 in

Nothing has changed in your eating routine! You still have fruits and oatmeal mix for breakfast around noon, veggies for lunch around 5 pm, and a meat/veggie combo or macaroni and cheese (your favorite!) for dinner around 9 pm. You are drinking three 8 oz bottles a day, one with each meal.

The only new foods you tried this month are:

Strawberry Apple puffies
Orange Medley

Your favorites are still:

Macaroni and cheese
Peas
Green Beans
Sweet Potatoes
Bananas
Apples

You are now a pro at holding your bottle. I used to have to hold it for you after a while, but now you don't need me at all, and I only sit with you to make sure you don't get up!

 

You are still having a little bit of trouble sleeping. We think it might be because we have been letting you have Violet going to bed and instead of falling asleep you decide to play with her. Then the next day you fall asleep with your breakfast bottle.

You have also been waking up at different points during the night and playing quietly in your crib. You also do this in the morning, and thankfully let Momma sleep a little longer after Daddy goes to work.

 I'm not sure if you are teething yet or not, because you are DROOLING, but we have yet to see any even SLIGHT showing of a tooth yet.

You are adding new words! So far you have said:

HI
HAHA
Maaaaaaaa
Good Girl
Dad
Hey
Eat
Eddie
Mom
Up

New words:

Ba (which we think means bottle)
Hat
Daddy (Da-Dee)

You are still in size 2 diapers, 6-9 month clothes and size 3 shoes! Momma is going to have to make your birthday outfit because all of the ones in stores are 12 mo size and will be too big!

You will be walking any day now! You still can't stand independently, but you sure are working on it! And you are a little speed demon in your walker!!


This past Sunday was Father's Day. Here is the photo collage that we took of you to frame:

We also got Daddy an outdoor grill and some utensils to use! He loved it!

I'm so excited to see what next month brings!

I hope this next month is alot of fun for you, with your first trip to the beach and then your birthday party! AH! You're turning one!

Sometimes I look at you and you are so beautful that you make my heart hurt!

Momma and Daddy love you more than yesterday and less than tomorrow!

Natalie: 10 Months!

:: Another Disclaimer:: This post has been in my queue for FOREVER waiting on photos. I took them and never edited them. So even though today is her 11-monthday, I won't be posting her 11 month photos until next week. Here we go =) ::

 

Dear Natalie,

You are now 10 months old! You are getting so big, Momma is wishing you would just SLOW DOWN!

We finally had another doctor's appointment for you!

Stats:

Weight -

Birth: 4 lbs 0 oz
1 mo: 5 lbs 13 oz
2 mo: 8 lbs 3.5 oz
3 mo: 10 lbs
4 mo: 13 lbs
5 mo: 12 lbs 13 oz
6 mo: 14 lbs 4 oz
7 mo: 15 lbs 2 oz
8 mo: 15 lbs 3 oz
9 mo: 16 lbs
10 mo: 16 lbs 5 oz

Length -

Birth: 18 1/4 in
2 mo: 20 1/2 in
3 mo: 21 in
4 mo: 22 1/2 in
5 mo: 24 1/2 in
6 mo: 24 1/2 in
7 mo: 25 in
8 mo: 25 3/4 in
9 mo: 25 3/4 in
10 mo: 26 3/4 in

 

You are doing good sticking to your eating routine! You have fruits and oatmeal mix for breakfast, veggies for lunch, and a meat/veggie combo or macaroni and cheese (your favorite!) for dinner. You are back to drinking three 8 oz bottles a day.

The only new foods you tried this month are:

Prunes
Banana Puffies
I was really surprised that you didn't hate the prunes! I guess they taste good, although Momma doesn't like them!

Your favorites are still:

Macaroni and cheese
Peas
Green Beans
Sweet Potatoes
Bananas
Apples

You are now a pro at holding your bottle. I used to have to hold it for you after a while, but now you don't need me at all, and I only sit with you to make sure you don't get up!

 

You have been even more active sleeping lately. There have been a few nights where you have absolutely refused to go to sleep for almost an hour and a half and will stand up in your crib and scream/cry. Now, I know you're faking just to try and get me to come get you, and I'm not falling for it, but let me tell you it is HARD! But once you are out, you are OUT COLD.

You are adding new words! So far you have said:

HI
HAHA
Maaaaaaaa
Good Girl
Dad

New words:

Hey
Eat
Eddie
Mom
Up

 

 

We've moved you up in clothes! You are now wearing anywhere from 6 mo, 6-9 mo, and 9 mo clothing. Momma has lots of cute sundresses for you this summer, and I can't wait to dress you up in them!

Also that tongue thing that you have started doing? HILARIOUS.

You are in size 2 diapers now, and they seem to be much better. We're thinking you'll probably be in them until your first birthday or maybe a little after.

 

You still just LOVE bathtime! I can't wait to take you to the pool and see how you do with LOTS of water! =) I just love your little bathrobe! It's probably one of my favorite things!

You are officially a crawler! You are starting to walk more and more and you just love to stand up! We can't stop you!

This month we celebrated my first Mother's Day, and let me just say it was perfect =) I had to work in the morning, but afterwards you and Daddy gave me your present (a gorgeous snowglobe) and then we headed out to Red Lobster where you were (as always!) the center of attention!

I'm so excited to see what next month brings!

I hope this next month is just as exciting as this past month was! And that it goes by SLOWER!!

 

Momma and Daddy love you more than yesterday and less than tomorrow!

Instagrammies: Week 1

Before I begin, I'm sorry I'm so late posting this, I know I said Monday, but ::SINGS:: it's my party and I'll post when I want to!

By the way, if you didn't notice, I have a new layout for my blog - I'm proud to say I did it all myself! I think it looks much more clean, and less cluttered. Tell me what YOU think!

We had a good weekend. It was long, because I had to pick up an extra day at good ol' Outback. The reason I didn't post yesterday was because we were a little busy spending some moolah on these:

I am in LURVE with that rainbow bathing suit! I can't wait to put it on her! And those shoes! And the unicorns? Who DOESN'T love unicorns?? And we still have about $27 dollars leftover (we had $100) to use toward her beach tent that we are going to need when we go HERE:

We are going for a few days the weekend of Natalie's birthday, and we will be in Ocean City ON her birthday which I think is a perfect way to celebrate, just the three of us.

So all in all a great weekend.


Moving on....

Welcome to the first week of the Instagrammies! This week, link up your photos on Instagram with me and you could see your photo here on my blog next week!

<center><a href="http://youmeandnatalie.blogspot.com/search/label/Instagrammies" target="_blank" target="_blank"><img alt="Instagrammies" src="http://i1250.photobucket.com/albums/hh534/thegrowingtree/instagrammies.jpg" height="200"/></a></center>

My Instagram photo dump:

Now it's your turn! Link up, use the hashtag #instagrammiestgt, or tag @thegrowingtree in your photo this week, and I will chose my favorite five photos to be featured next week! I hope to see you all link up!

If you want to add the blog hop to your post simply go here and copy the code! Easy-peasy!

This is going to be FUN!

P.S. - Linking up here:

Tuesday 10s: #1 Ten Favorite Books

I am so excited for my first time linking up with Lena for her Tuesday 10!

This week's theme is:

Your 10 Favorite Books

You might not know this about me, but I'm kind of a bookworm. I was always reading growing up, and got caught in my room after bedtime MANY a night, reading along to my books on tape. I have a few specific authors whom I love, and I believe you'll see this in my choices. Choosing ONLY 10 books was/is really hard for me because I love so many SERIES of books! So I'm amending the previous theme:

Your 10 Favorite Books/Book Series

Here we go:

#10:

I am a complete cat lover, and this book was just so sweet. A definate must-read.

#9:

If you like the TV show Charmed, you will like these books.

#8:

I read these right around the time that I was planning my wedding, and I LOVED them. Great love stories.

#7:

SO much better than the movie, although the movie was still good.

#6:

Now these, I consider one series, even though they are three sets of books. Because the stories all tie together into one huge family that by the end of the last book, you are left celebrating, crying and falling in love with them. It is by far a series that I will read over and over again, and just talking about it makes me want to read it!

#5:

I was so excited for The Golden Compass when I heard that they were filming it, mostly because I was sure that I was the ONLY one who had EVER read the books and wanted it to be made into a movie! The second and third books get a little wierd, but I haven't read them in a while. I think I would have a new perspective on them if I were to read them again, because I was much younger the last time.

#4:

Now this is where my top books will probably become a little "teen-ish" to some people, but I really didn't buy into the hype until my friend was like "YOU HAVE TO READ THESE!" So I did, and I was hooked.

#3:

Ahhh, the Sisterhood. I only posted the first book here, because I think posting TWENTY books is overkill. But, seriously, this series is just the OPPOSITE. It is SO GOOD! I praise The Sisterhood Series up and down to all my friends, it is great GIRL POWER reading! Just get Weekend Warriors, I guarantee you will be hooked!

#2:

Yes, The Host is my number 2 book. Yes, I realize I am 27, almost 28 years old. It really is SO good! I'm reading it again right now, and I love the fact that it's sci-fi meets romance meets adventure. Just read it. Even if it turns out not to be your favorite, it's still a great book!

P.S. - If you STILL don't want to read it, the movie is coming out soon!

#1:

Ok, I feel like I need to repeat myself. I am 27. I know that Harry Potter is for kids, but I WAS a kid when these came out, and I will always love them with ALL my heart.

Which books made your list?

Next week: Ten favorite things from the 90s. - This one is going to be tough too!!