a rose by any other name

Lots of people have been asking about Natalie's name, wondering where it comes from and if it has any special meaning. Mike and I both love the name Natalie, and it is actually the only girl's name that we both agreed on right away. I have always loved the name, and it has a special place in my heart because of a wonderful woman I knew growing up named Natalie; the Natalie that our little budgie is named for was the organist at the church I attended as an adolescent, and is one of those rare individuals who can put the people around her at ease and is truly good in all ways. We hope that our little Natalie can carry on the wonderful qualities of her namesake and become the same kind of strong, compassionate, and loving woman as the original. As for her middle name, Iris, that is a small tribute to the place where Mikey and I met and fell in love: Elmira College. We've spent a lot of time recalling the things we disliked about Elmira, but it will always be special to us because it is where we found each other. The Iris is the Elmira College flower, and it seemed fitting to give that name to our little springtime baby, who will celebrate her birthdays in the same season that the irises will be in bloom at our alma mater.


Another big question about our girl is "Who does she look like?" At this point, she changes so much that it's hard to tell what she'll look like one minute to the next, but there are definitely times when we can see each other in her features and expressions. I figured you all could be the judges of who she looks like by comparing these latest photos with some baby pictures of me and Mikey.


Here are some new shots of our little girl:

Sleeping the day away (which has led to some wide-eyed nights);

Swaddled up like a baby burrito;

Having a snooze with Nana, right before pooping her pants and ruining her lovely Easter dress;

Looking a little milk-drunk after a particularly vigorous feeding;

And, lastly, doing her very favorite comforting technique: sucking on my pinky (mainly because we've held off on introducing a pacifier, at least for the time being... aren't we such mean parents?).

Here are some baby pictures of Mikey:

Just 13 days old, with a full head of hair;

Going for an airplane ride with his dad;

Letting gravity get the best of those massive cheeks ;

Snuggling with Grandma Cherry;

And generally being adorable with his big eyes and chubby limbs!



Now here are some pictures of me as a baby:

Just hours old, looking the size of 3 month old;

Checkin' out my mobile at a few weeks old;

Starting to show some facial expressions at 2 months old;

Celebrating Christmas morning with my mom and sister, at 6 months old;

And conked out in perhaps the snuggliest outfit I have ever seen.

So now it's up to you to decide who Natalie looks like--Mommy or Daddy? Cast your vote!