Loves Christmas Except...

...Santa. That's right. Natalie HATES Santa!

At our ward Christmas party on Saturday night she freaked out when he walked in. He was half a gym distance away and she was still frantically trying to climb over Mike's shoulder to get away from Santa.

She eventually calmed down and I stood in line with her to see if she would sit on his lap. She was fine while we were in line (even when she saw him), but as soon as we were the next up she started crying, screaming, and climbing over my shoulder to get away from him. So, this is the best that we are going to get this holiday season of Natalie sitting on Santa's lap.

Other than Santa, Natalie loves Christmas! She loves looking at the lights, the tree, etc. We decorated our gingerbread house the other weekend. I made the gingerbread house from scratch (just as my mother did for us growing up). Natalie loves the licorice on it!

This Christmas will be fun with Natalie when it comes to opening up presents. Hope you all are getting in the Christmas spirit!

P.S. All is well with Natalie's arm. It must have just been sprained.

A Sad Sight

Natalie had a little accident on Tuesday. She fell off of a little neighbor girl's bed and hurt her arm. She hardly cried at all. I observed her throughout that afternoon because I suspected that something was wrong. She didn't cry when I felt her arm, but she sure didn't want to use it.

So we went to the ER to have it checked out. They could tell that about mid forearm Natalie didn't like them touching or turning her wrist to rotate it. The x-rays revealed nothing. So they called it an occult fracture (or hidden fracture) and sent us home with a splint and a sling.

We go to Natalie's pediatrician tomorrow to see what they think and see if another x-ray needs to be done. She's been using her arm more since yesterday afternoon. And her poor little hand is swollen from the fall. Natalie's a good sport and doesn't mind the splint or sling too much.

Pink Puff and White Stuff

Having a kid makes you feel more like a kid. I get all excited when I think of things that Natalie can experience. So when it snowed about 8 inches Saturday night I couldn't wait to take her out in it the next morning.

I just love Natalie in her winter coat! She looks like a big pink puff marshmallow. When she is wearing it, it reminds me of the little brother in A Christmas Story where he can't put his arms down.

See the resemblance!

I think that Mike liked the white stuff too because he was able to use our snow blower for the first time. It sure was a back saver considering how wet and heavy the snow was.

But we also put Natalie to work too!

Falling

The other week Mike was cleaning up all the leaves in our yard. Natalie loved watching him blow all the leaves into a pile. But she sure wasn't happy when I put her in it for pictures.

We found out the next day that we think that a spider must have crawled up her pants and bitten her thigh. That may explain why she wasn't too happy being in the leaves!

Nappy Hair

Natalie + nap = some funky hair!

Natalie is one funny little girl! She does something on a daily basis that makes me smile and laugh. We are just glad that she's ours!

Beautiful Fall

At the beginning of this month we spent the weekend in Midway with my family. We had lots of fun being with them. One of the evenings we went to Cascade Springs up American Fork Canyon.

Gotta love those little chipmunk cheeks!

I absolutely LOVE this picture!

P.S. Isn't my little brother an excellent photographer?! He took all of these pictures since I forgot our camera.

Oh the places you'll go.

You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes.
You can steer yourself in any direction you choose.
You're on your own, and you know what you know.
And you are the one who'll decide where you'll go.
Oh the places you'll go.

~Dr. Seuss~