Baby Natalie, er I mean Chase!

Chase's Mom sent this adorable picture of baby Chase to me today! I can totally see Natalie in him! I still think she looks more like me, darn it! I now understand why all my mommy friends would cringe when I would look at their babies and say "oh my, you look just like daddy!" Mommies bake the babies, you'd think they'd be courteous enough to be born looking like Mommy. Ha! Anyway, people are amazed at how much Natalie and I look alike when they see me holding her. But no one can deny that Chase is her father, especially after seeing this picture!

The Triple "N"

Chase and I affectionately refer to Natalie as the triple "N", or "Non Napping Natalie". Natalie is still figuring out her nap schedule and some days it doesn't go so well. On a perfect day there's a cat nap in the morning, a pretty long nap midday and another catnap in the afternoon. Most days are not perfect napping days, in fact, they're pretty terrible. Even though she's exhausted she fights taking naps. I think it's because she's flipping, rolling and sitting; life is simply too exciting to sleep! So, Chase named her "Non Napping Natalie".

Natalie's bedtime is (well, we would like it to be) around 7ish. On non napping days, it's a struggle to get her to stay up past 5:30. Which used to be OK, she would sleep from 5:30 to 7.... not now. I don't want to to wake up at 5:30 in the morning, so we try our best to keep her up until at least 6:30. Tonight she simply couldn't make it. I was holding her and talking on the phone, suddenly I realized she wasn't jabbering anymore. She fell asleep on my shoulder, it was too precious! Enjoy the pictures of our bedtime routine! And again, Andi is always around to offer her assistance.

Our Garden

For some reason my garden (which is usually my pride and joy) went downhill this year. Big time. Gee, I wonder why? Of course, the roses and planted flowers were doing alright, but the whole thing looked untidy. There were still dead plants in pots on our front porch that my pregnant/new momma self didn't give two hoots about. Enter Chase Blanton. Thank goodness for his mulching/potting/clearing/weeding capabilities. I am no longer embarrassed when our neighbors walk by! Of course Andi had to assist me by barking through the door as loud as she possibly could. Thanks, Andi!

Spring Fest

Today was such a great day! My day started off on the right note when I FINALLY (after over a year) ran my entire 3.5 mile route WITHOUT STOPPING! Who cares if I was as slow as a tortoise, I was pushing a jogging stroller... yeah, that's it; it was the stroller's fault! So, I'm feeling pretty good these days, I love finally getting back into shape.... and I especially love the prospect of getting back into those size 6's in my closet! But that's a ways off right now, I'm learning to embrace small victories. Funny side note... only Leigh Blanton would go on a run oblivious to the fact that the "Tour De Moore" was taking place and end up running against the grain in a major road bike race. Whatever, I provided entertainment for the photographer.

After my run Chase, Natalie and I went to Southern PInes' Spring Fest. Every year the town of Southern Pines has Spring Fest, Summer Fest and Autumn Fest. There are all sorts of vendors, craft makers, children's rides, good food and live entertainment. I LOVE living here. The entire downtown was closed to traffic, so the streets were full of people, strollers, dogs and fun. The only traffic through downtown was the train, it's so quaint here, I just can't get over it! There were so many worthy purchases, but we ended up with two snow cones and one giant bag of Kettle Corn! Delicious! This year's Spring Fest was so much better than last year's. Oh last year was terrible... not only was it roughly 127 degrees, but I had horrendous morning sickness and ended up sitting on the sidewalk in the middle of Spring Fest certain of my impending death. Remember that, Meredith?

Natalie is almost able to sit up unassisted now, I'm so proud of her. She can sit up pretty well by herself for a few minutes at a time, but topples over after a little while. Wont be long before she's driving!

Teamwork

Chase is really good about helping me out around the house. Last night, Andi decided to help scrub the bathtub.

Waiting to Exhale

Here we are! 6 MONTHS OLD! I can't believe it, I can almost (not quite) breathe a little easier now. When Natalie turned 4 months old, I felt hugely relieved and a little less anxious about her health and safety, particularly at night. I've been a nervous wreck about SIDS, as you all know, from day one. Poor Natalie, I think I'm largely to blame for waking her at night. I check on her much too often, and I'm pretty sure the creaking of the door interrupts her sleep. I drive Chase crazy before we turn out the lights for the night... I'm constantly asking "should I go check on her? I haven't seen her move in like... 30 seconds, at least!". He calmly reassures me that all is well in Natalie's land of nod, and tells me to go to bed. Of course, I immediately march into her room. Good thing she's a glutton for sleep and goes right back to her dreams. I need to work on my priorities. What's more important, a solid night of sleep for my baby, or my peace of mind? Hmmmm. The good news is: 90% of all SIDS cases occur before 6 months of age. Whew.

I'm starting to understand why so many mommies get sad when their little ones grow up. We put the swing, infant car seat, and the bouncy seat in storage yesterday. Natalie hasn't been able to use any of those things for at least a month now, but for some reason I felt comforted by their presence in my home. It made me feel like I still had a squishy and cuddly widdle newborn. Lord knows I don't miss the screaming and the late nights, but I do miss the tiny little quirks she had as a newborn baby. The way she would throw her arms over her head while sleeping (Mom and I would giggle and say "touchdown"), the way she would randomly jut her chin out, her "Pumba" noises... I know she's only 6 months old, but she's growing too quickly. I saw my doctor last week for a follow up and he asked about Natalie. I told him how old she is and how much she's growing, talking and interacting; he said: "Don't blink". Noted.

I do feel a tremendous sense of accomplishment, though. I had several goals when I first became Natalie's Mommy. I wanted her to sleep in her big girl crib (mainly because of the previously mentioned "Pumba" sounds), I wanted her to sleep through the night (although, she did that one on her own.), I wanted her to have a reliable bedtime routine and bedtime (did it! She sleeps 7p-7a), and lastly I wanted her napping in her crib. Check. And I did it all by myself (If Mom tries to tell you that I made her move in with me for the first 3 months of Natalie's life and that I really only had one month alone with her before Chase came home and that I made her stay at my house until late at night every night. Don't believe her. K, thanks. wink wink) Everything just sort of fell into place, and I feel so privileged and proud to have Natalie as my daughter.

So here's what's going on with Natalie now that she's SIX MONTHS OLD:
*Rolls over both ways (She likes to do this one while sleeping, and the screams because she's scared herself awake, which usually sends her Father bolting into her room at the speed of light at 2 a.m.)
*Can sit unsupported for about a minute (hey it's something)
*Eats big girl food (Peas, bananas, sweet potatoes, prunes, pears, carrots, green beans, cereal)
*Can balance standing up by herself for a short time
*Makes all kinds of new noises (she has just started "clucking")
*Can entertain herself for longer periods of time
*She's got two teeth and is working on a third
*Can put cup to her mouth and drink from it (when she feels like it)
*Feeds herself teething biscuits

Hope you enjoy the pictures of Chase and Natalie! Chase says he looks like he's missing a tooth, but that's OK... the pictures of Natalie are great! These pictures were taken just after we got home from taking Natalie to the park, we had to do something for her half birthday!

Taco

Natalie has played with and LOVED her activity gym for a few months now, but I'm afraid we're not going to be able to keep it for much longer. Now that she's rolling over and flipping around like crazy, she keeps pulling it down on top of her. Chase calls it "taco-ing", which I think is pretty hilarious... she does look like a Natalie Taco! Usually, she gets pretty frustrated when it happens and cries immediately; yesterday she just couldn't let go of that toy!

Cool shades

Natalie and I went on a walk with our wonderful neighbors and friends, Stephanie and Christopher, this morning; we thought it would be a good idea to break out the sunglasses for the first time this year. Surprisingly, Natalie was OK with the glasses, she even kicked her leg up on the stroller bar and relaxed like a cool kid. So funny.

Daisy Duke goes to the playground

Today was full of super cute "firsts". Natalie wore her very first pair of daisy dukes, sat in a big girl swing and went down the slide! It was also her first play date at the park, our friends Heather, Matt and their adorable 2 year old son, Corbin, were there. Corbin was pretty uninterested in baby things, though. He was busy hiding in the bushes. I think Natalie's going to be a playground kid, she really seemed to enjoy her time outside and in the swing set. She really liked the swinging, too. We had been warned by Heather that Corbin got pretty green his first time in the swing! I think Natalie was a natural because she pretty much lived in her infant swing 24/7 the first 3 months of her life (thank you Fees family). It was a short visit, we didn't want to overdo it on Natalie's first trip, but it was so much fun. As we were leaving Corbin said "Bye bye Manamowee", too cute.

Side note: Check out the view of Natalie's thunder thighs in her stroller... I just want to eat them!

Natalie is almost able to sit up on her own now, she's a little wobbly but is getting better every day. We've had some rough nights lately, I think her teeth are really bothering her. And by rough, I mean she wakes up a few times (always before 10) needing her paci and then falls back asleep and wakes at 6 a.m. So I guess we're pretty blessed... it just seems terrible because we're so used to her sleeping 7-7. I was told by a pediatric nurse that babies tend to change their sleep habits around 6 months, any other mommies out there notice that?

Natalie is growing like a weed, she's outgrown her infant carrier (in length) and weighs 18.5 pounds! She's a monster! She's got a healthy appetite and the most hilarious personality. Can't wait for you all to meet her... if you haven't already!

I'm so blue... DUKE BLUE!

This post is really nothing to do with the Blanton Family, just some thoughts that I want to share.

I was born and raised in Durham, North Carolina, home of the Duke Blue Devils... and I'm proud of it! My father played football for Duke in the 70's, which ignited a love for the Devils that would remain in my family for years to come. Even though my family has more degrees from UNC Chapel HIll and the UNC school system (including my Duke Blue Father), we're still diehard Duke fans.

I'm not just a fan because my family is... I have very fond childhood memories of Duke and especially Duke athletics. We attended every single home football game as a family. Mom, Dad, Granddad, Gidoo, Sitoo (Granddad and Grandmom in Arabic), and myself all piled into the car, drove to Wallace Wade Stadium and walked proudly in carrying our seat pads, visors and programs, ready to cheer on the Devils. More often than not, Duke would lose... but that didn't deter our faith. We were still there rattling our keys and wringing our hands! Wallace Wade was the last place I saw my Gidoo, and that's a wonderful memory, it's a very happy place for me.

In high school, I remember walking around Wallace Wade Stadium with my friends, almost everyone from Riverside went to Duke games! We drank lemonade, ate nachos and enjoyed our little bit of freedom while our parents sat in the stands watching the game. Those memories are among my fondest and happiest.

And we weren't just football fans... of course we cheered for the Devils on the court, too! I've only been lucky enough to watch a few games in Cameron, the energy of the crowd will never leave me! Amazing! On the nights of big games, if Duke won... we could go outside our house and hear the cheering of the students and see the glow of the bonfire... it was as if the entire city of Durham bled Duke Blue!

Cameron is also very special to me because I graduated from High school in that stadium. Duke basketball is the reason I got my first pair of hightop sneakers (thanks to my absolute obsession with the "Dream Team" and their infinitely cool kicks). They were yellow and too big, but I didn't care! I was Christened at Duke Chapel and that chapel has always been important to me. I had a good guy friend in high school who would sometimes come pick me up at night and we'd head over to the chapel and just sit there talking. Whenever I see Duke Chapel I feel an overwhelming sense of home. It's like my personal beacon that will always guide me back to my roots. I had many dates at Duke Gardens, and watched a good friend get married there. A Duke doctor treated and cured my Father's cancer. Needless to say, Duke is very important to me for more than a few reason, and I will always be a Devil! I even went to Duke to watch UNCG play them in soccer... I sat with UNCG and secretly pulled for DUKE!

Last year on April 6, UNC Chapel Hill won the National Championship. While I am not a Carolina fan (not even slightly), I was cheering them on! I was happy that an ACC team made it to the final game, and even more so that a NC school had! I was happy they won and proud to be a North Carolinian. I don't know if my support for UNC came from my parent's numerous degrees from the University... or if it came from being taught to always pull for ACC... either way I was proud of the Heels! I'm even proud when people from out of state automatically associate me as a Tar Heels fan. So I guess that's why I'm so disappointed with the enormous amount of negative comments I've received about Duke's win last night. People were actually cheering against them... and sad that Coach K won. Seriously? Now, I'm not saying that Duke fans are angels...after all, we are the Devils! And I know that a lot of Devils can be down right immature, but I can honestly say I've never witnessed a more depressing reaction to an ACC win. Rivalry is one thing, but why the displeasure in a win that brings a National Championship to our state TWO years in a row? What happened to sportsmanship? I can take joking and I'm certainly not taking this personally, I'm just sad. I will always be a Duke fan, but will continue to support UNC ( as long as the Devils aren't playing them) as well. But I guess it's to be expected from the Carowhiner Tar Holes, huh? Sorry, had to do it...

Anyway, congratulations to the Duke Blue Devils and Coach K on their 4th championship win! It was a great game, both teams were deserving, but I guess we are.... "Simply the Best"!

Happy Easter

Easter has always been a special Holiday for me, but no other Easter in the history of my life compares to this one. Celebrating Easter with my new baby allowed me to view the day in a whole new light. Celebrating Christ's Resurrection is particularly powerful when spending the day with Natalie, a brand new life that Chase and I created. I've never been so thankful for Jesus!

It was a great day... we had beautiful weather, wonderful company and yummy yummy yummy food! And of course, Easter baskets!

Bibbity Bobbity Boo

Natalie's Godmother (or as Chelsea prefers.... the Fairy Godmother) came to visit her yesterday! Chelsea hasn't seen Natalie since she was about two months old, and Natalie has changed so much! Natalie cuddled up with her Auntie for quite a while and enjoyed reading her new Elmo book that Aunt Chelsea gave her.

It was also a special visit because Chelsea FINALLY brought her boyfriend, Adam, over to meet us! We like him, Chelsea! Wink!

We got to see Chelsea, Pam and Adam today after Easter service, Natalie and her Fairy Godmother needed to spend more quality time together before Aunt Chelsea fluttered hers wings and flew back to Asheville!

I have some really sweet pictures of Natalie and her first East basket... hopefully I'll get those uploaded tonight!

Exersaucer Fun

Don't know why this video didn't upload in my last post... I'll try again. Enjoy!