Friday!

Well I'm sad to report it's Friday already, end of my last week at home with Natalie.  We did have a great week as a family, enjoying the little things. 

We went for a walk/run one afternoon, which ended at some friends' house.  Natalie got to try out her jogger stroller and I think she likes it!

We had some extra cuddle time on the floor, reading books, talking and laughing together.  She is so alert these days!

We also made some apple crisp, yummy!  I actually found a recipe that is super easy which includes baking it in the microwave - love it.  We found time to clean the house, work on the large laundry pile plus work on Natalie's scrapbook, it's turning out pretty cute!

Last night we enjoyed an extra long bubble bath, she is really enjoying her baths these days!

Ms. Smiles...

Look she found her tongue...

Hi Daddy!

We also took a trip to Grandpa Mike's work, finished decorating the house for fall, walked main street in Cedar Falls, in the wind...that's hard to do with a stroller.  We got a Scratch cupcake, another yummy!  We visited Frannie and Grandpa Gary one evening.  Natalie almost slept all night, at least went 7 hours without a bottle, that's pretty good!  We went to my doctor's appointment yesterday where she got a lot of attention from the nurses, even gave them a smile or two.

Then today we went and got her 6 week pictures taken (I'll share those in the next post) shopped a little at the mall, got lunch together and ended our afternoon with Nathan and Natalie enjoying a nap together on the floor, looks like Daddy likes Natalie soft blanket too! :)

Onto the weekend where I hope we get to spend more time together as a family!

Lots of firsts....

Our weekend consisted of "lots of firsts" for our family.  Friday night Natalie stayed overnight with Grandpa Gary and Frannie, first time staying away from Mommy & Daddy.  She also got to spend most of the day on Saturday with them while I went to Des Moines.  I had a great day seeing Brandie's new house, hanging out with her and doing a little shopping while Natalie had fun with Frannie and Nathan worked, I'm sure he had fun there!

Then Sunday we went to church in the morning and Natalie actually woke up during the service, which is a first....she usually sleeps through the whole thing.  After church we headed home for a couple of hours and then it was off to the John Deere's 5K, which Nathan ran in, his first 5K ever.

Here is Nathan and Natalie hanging out by a tractor, which they had on display in the parking lot before the race began....

On your marks, get set......

Go!

This is what Natalie did while Nathan ran....



 

And here he comes...



Great finish honey, a 3.1 mile run under 29 minutes, a lot better than I could do, that's for sure!

And here's to the beginning of my last week at home with Natalie before heading back to work next week.  We have a couple errands that we need to do and a doctor's appointment for me this week otherwise my week consisted of hanging out with her.

1 month....

I can't believe it but Natalie is 1 month old today, time is just flying by - before I know it she'll be heading off to school.

Not much on today's agenda, this morning we ran to Grandpa Mike's work to drop off cupcakes for his 50th birthday....

We also took him out for lunch to Texas Roadhouse this past Sunday, here is Chris & Carson hanging out while we waited for our food to come....

Part of our "large" group....

Also over the weekend Frannie went shopping while she was at Prairie and found Natalie this cute book, that's she loves to look at already and this bowl (which I'm sure we'll be using before we know it) with her name on it, how cool is that....

We are enjoying the sunshine this afternoon, I've also got a little bit of scrapbooking done while Natalie napped.....we are having a great week so far, can't believe it's Wednesday already tomorrow!



Relaxing...

With the weather changing to cooler temps and rainy weather these last couple of days we have found ourselves hanging out inside more...

I also got a chance to finish this great book, it's a must read....

Here we are all dressed up and ready for church...

After church we grabbed some lunch then it was home for the Bears game - we had to add the bow in the hair otherwise she really looked like a boy, here she is sporting her shirt that says " I watch the Chicago Bears with my Daddy."

And Mommy...

She has been awake a lot more these last couple of days and the smiles come pretty easy lately....

Later in the afternoon Nathan's Grandma and 2 Aunts from the Fort Atkinson area were in Waterloo doing some shopping so they stopped by to visit.  They also got to meet Natalie for the 1st time so that was fun, we also enjoy having visitors.

Here's to another fun filled week - ours consist of running a couple errands, a doctor appointment and just hanging out together!

Diapers and Smiles

Today's big events included Daddy coming home with LOTS of diapers from the guys at work.  When somebody' wife has a baby everybody within the dept brings in diapers for the baby.  How cool huh?  Well we are well set on diapers for awhile!

Right before supper tonight Miss Natalie was one happy girl and gave us some pretty good smiles, her 1st big ones, tried to catch them on the camera but it didn't work too well, here's what we got though!  What a happy girl she is!

Bank Account

Today was a big day in Miss Natalie, her SS card/number came in the mail today so once Daddy got home from work we headed down the street to Lincoln Savings Bank and opened Natalie's 1st bank account. 

She is now part of the TADS (Totally Awesome Dollar Saving) Kids Club and since she's not big enough for one of their t-shirts she got a bib!  How cute huh?

What a fun day!

Super Sunday....

What a day  9-11-11 has been for us!  Natalie was baptized this morning at church, she got to spend the afternoon with family as we had lunch at our house together, including her wonderful grandparents on Grandparent's Day.  It was the 10 year anniversary of 9-11 and it was opening day for the Chicago Bears football team so Natalie got to watch the big game with her Daddy and they ended up winning!  What a day!

Both Natalie and I got a gift early, Frannie stopped by Saturday night with a beautiful cross necklace for me and a cute little bracelet for Natalie, we got to wear both items to her baptism.

Mommy & Natalie before heading off to church...

Dave Bartlett (the pastor who married us just 2 1/2 years ago) baptized Natalie...

Grandpa & Grandma Rausch with their 4 grandkids: Nolen, Natalie, Emmalee and Braeden....

The 3 of us after church...

Us with Mom & Gary...



 

Us with Dad & Lanette....

The 2 girls, Emmalee and Natalie (just 8 weeks apart in age)

Sleeping Beauty...

Natalie Lynn Rausch...

Cousins forever Carson and Natalie...

Cousin Carson getting his loving in...

And a snapshot of her yummy cake, marble w/butter cream frosting.....