hey, i'm from the county, too!

While every week with Natalie seems to be a "big" week, what with it feeling like she is just tearing through milestones and learning and doing new things every day, last week was actually a pretty big week. In addition to drinking water (from a cup!), Natalie experienced The County for the very first time.

First, about that water: she hates it. She does, however, love looking at, gnawing on, and turning upside down a cup filled with water.

We had a great visit up north, enjoying my favorite kind of not-too-hot-but-still-sunny weather for our entire trip. Natalie got some major quality time with her Poppy, who has quickly become one of her very favorite people. Working in his favor is a very fun to play with beard, as well as little to no inhibition--he's always quick to make a silly face, blow a raspberry or twelve, and babble right along with the budgie, no matter who else is watching. She eats it right up, and has started giving him some major scrunchy-faced-open-mouthed grins as payment for his efforts.


We spent a lot of our trip just enjoying letting Natalie check out the big backyard for the first time, which we like to think she loved, despite her perpetual frowny-face while she ran her fingers through the grass and did her best to alternately crush and eat the various flowers she came in contact with.

In addition to snuggles from Poppy and her first big-girl bath with me in my parents' old claw foot tub, Natalie also got to meet some very special people for the first time. One of my best high school pals, Mr. James F.A. himself, and his dear wife Melissa hosted us for lunch and got to meet our girl. Natalie fell hard and fast for James, which I think is only about 50% due to his fabulous red hair.

Perhaps the most special moment of the weekend was when our little Natalie got to meet her namesake, the original, lovely Natalie. Just by chance we pulled into the parking lot for church at the same time Original Natalie was sliding into the spot right next to us. I can't tell you how happy it made me to be able to jump out of the car and show off our budgie to this wonderful woman. The two hit it off quite well, and I think it is the start of a great cross-generational friendship.

We're finally settled back in at home, and can't believe that summer is coming to a close. We still have some fun visits from friends to look forward to before fall whooshes in and Vacationland closes down for the year, and I'm hoping to get in some more beach time while the weather will allow it since Natalie is such a little fish.