Tasha Tells It All

Here are some funny stories/sayings from Tasha this month...

Tasha: Uffta (I wonder where she learned that one, Grandma!)

Tasha: I want to go up there (pointing to the sky)
Me:  That is too high, you can't go up there.
Tasha: I need my bouncy shoes.

Tasha: The garage won't open.
Me: Nope, we need to fix the garage door opener
Tasha: It needs new batteries
Me: Maybe
Tasha: Oh no, my house is broken (with a sad look on her face)

Tasha: I do it all by myself!  (getting in and out of the car or walking with mommy)

Tasha: Mmmm, ice cream... that's my favorite
            Mmmm, smoothie... that's my favorite
            Mmmm, cookie... that's my favorite
(She has a lot of favorites)

Me: Natasha, where do you go pee pee?
Tasha: On the toilet.
Me: And where do you go poop?
Tasha: Outside!   
Agh yes, the wonderful tales of potty training... that will be a whole different blog post. 

And here are some photos from this month: 

 Riding her new plasma car

 And the artist... not much made it on the paper this time!

24 Weeks

 I am 24 weeks along and feeling pretty good despite this head cold that I can't seem to shake.  Both Natasha and I seem to get these together... I guess we are just having too much fun this summer.  Anyway, Baby Nikolaus (yes, we have a name and I think this is the way we will spell it.) is doing great.  We had a routine doctor's appointment on Thursday and his heartbeat was strong, my weight and blood pressure were also good.  My doctor did tell us that the radiologist who reviewed our ultrasound from four weeks ago did find that we have a marginal insertion umbilical cord.  Which means his umbilical cord does not connect right in the middle of the placenta, but to the side.  The middle is known as the "meatiest," where he would get the most nutrients to grow.  There might be some restrictions with growth with a marginal insertion, so we will just have to watch his growth with more ultrasounds.  Just when I thought I was not going to have any more ultrasounds during this pregnancy (because I never did with Natasha), we get to see him more often.  My doctor also said that I should still be able to have a vaginal birth.  The only complication that might happen (and sorry for the TMI) is when I am delivering the placenta, if the cord detaches from the placenta before the placenta comes out, then my doctor will have to reach up and grab the placenta.  She highly recommends an epidural (um yea, no s**t), which I was already going to have anyway.  And she said this is why she is my doctor... she has the smallest hands in the business.  Did I lose anyone with this post?  Baby and I will be just fine, we just want to make sure he keeps growing before he makes his big debut.  

Anyway, Baby Nikolaus is a mover and a shaker.  I feel him everyday, especially when I am lying down and trying to relax.  He is pretty strong and I can now feel him from the outside.  He really enjoys story time at night before Natasha goes to bed.  I guess he will like books too, just like his big sister.  Natasha has been very interested in her baby brother.  She asks to talk to him and wants to know when he will be coming out.  It is so cute.  She is starting to call him baby Nikolaus, but usually it is baby brother.  Thanks for checking in on our growing family.  More updates to come.  

The Wedding

 Ben and Ingrid's Wedding

 Grandma Lou and the flower girl

Back of Natasha's dress

 The two flower girls playing around before the wedding

  Hugging

 

 Tasha and her basket of flower petals

 

 Tasha and Kiki walking down the aisle with Rose (Ben's niece)

 Natasha checking out the crowd

 Walking towards mommy

 

 Our beautiful girl!

 

 Ben and Ingrid

 

 Natasha sat quietly during the whole ceremony

  Her shoes

 Picture time

 Kiki, Ingrid, Tasha and Ben

 Tasha climbing the hill with daddy

 The cake with loons on top

 Me and my girl

 Family picture (with baby boy Larson too)

 Dancing with daddy

  Both girls dancing with Zac

 At brunch the next day

 Lounging

Best buds since the 3rd grade!

The reason we traveled to Wisconsin last weekend was to celebrate our friend's Ben and Ingrid getting married!  The wedding was absolutely beautiful and took place at Ingrid's parent's house over looking the lake.  Zac and Geoff were co Best Men and Natasha and Kyra were the flower girls.  It meant a lot to us that Ben included the girls in his wedding.  And yes, I cried when Natasha walked down the aisle!  Both girls did an amazing job.  Kyra did the majority of the work of throwing the petals on the ground.  And as Jackie put it, Natasha was more attached to her petals.  After the ceremony, when everyone cleared out, she did scatter her petals down by the alter.  Everyone had a great time dancing to the band and watching the fireworks!  It was a wonderful day and weekend in Wisconsin!

Wisconsin

(I apologize ahead of time for the picture overload... I'm also doing this in two posts)

 

Like father...

  

... like daughter.

 Can't blame her, it took us three flights to get to Wisconsin!

 

 Having fun in the grocery store with Kiki

 Our hotel had an indoor/outdoor water park

 Natasha loved the water slide

 Splashing around with Kiki

 Practicing her swimming

 Driving more cars

 Mom and son race

 Our cute little girls (Tasha with Kiki)

 At Indian Shores for the rehearsal dinner

 Family photo (with Lake Tomahawk in the background)

 Lumberjack breakfast at Paul Bunyan's

 View from our room

Linda sunbathing and Zac waving hi from our room.

We had a great time in Wisconsin, but I don't ever recommend taking three flights to get to your destination.  It was just a long day.  Natasha did great traveling (as usual) and she just loves being in a hotel room.  The weather turned out to be cooler than what we expected, which was a nice break from the 95 degree weather we were (and still are) experiencing in Southern California.  The girls had a blast at the water park together and really went with the flow with all the activities since they had each other.  It was a short trip, but we sure did pack it all in.  I will post the pictures from the wedding in my next post... the girls were absolutely adorable little flower girls and the wedding was beautiful!