Dancing, Playing, & Fishing

My Natalie being all cute!

Natalie just started a little dance class that one of the mothers at church is doing for the little girls. Look at those long legs, what a beauty. I LOVED watching her in the little dance class, it brought back so many good memories.
Natalie started a dance class in Tucson just after Stephen was born. It was great for her. She loved it and it got her moving, she got strong enough from it that she was able to start jumping again. She hadn't been able to do that since she lost her ability to walk 9 months before.
When Natalie started she got put in the older class...I think it was because she talked so well. The girls were still really little and each class at least 2-3 would have a meltdown and be in tears for some reason or another. Not my Natalie...she was so happy to be there, there wasn't anything that could happen in a dance class that would be worth crying about...
What I loved was that she would come and get hugs from her audience after every cool thing she did (usually just David and I but on occasion she had an entire cheering section).
This was Natalie on the day of her recital, she had just gotten out of the hospital the night before (after being in and out several times that month). Her ANC was less than 20, but it was so important to her. She of course wore her mask except to pose for these pictures and during the most important 2 minute dance (nutcracker). I think I held my breath the entire time her mask was off. She ended up in the ICU later that night...

The Colonel and his buddy.
Natalie dancing circles around the boys, check out her new improved dance moves. She's moved on from just twirling. Doesn't she look great?


Here is Natalie putting on her 'pretend makeup.' Apparently she has doctors orders to wear it, sometimes the doctor tells her she has to put on her makeup five times a day, and sometimes it is only twice.




Last weekend we spent two hours at the park. It was great. As I laid on the grass relaxing (yes, somehow with chasing The Colonel around I was able to get him to sit with me) with my two kids, it reminded me of warm days in Arizona. When Natalie was little I used to walk her to a park near our house and we would lay on a blanket on the green grass. I can't tell you how heavenly those days were and to have a new day like that to add to my memory's was wonderful.

I went to get something out of the car and when I turned around, Natalie had gotten out of her swing to push her brother. Moments like these melt a Mom's heart. She takes care of him so well, even if she does like to boss him around a bit. She is always making sure he is safe and taken care of.


We got sun....
and played
and played
and played!!
Natalie was lying on the slide because she was pretending she was tied up (too much Scooby Doo) and we had to push a magic button on the playground to free her.






Here is The Colonel pulling her off the slide by her pink sparkly shoes.



This was her first time trying a big swing and doing it by herself, she can be timid about certain things.

On Monday we went to a Chucky Cheese type place (hey, we're done with chemo now so we thought we would brave the germs...plus David's day off helps cut down on the crowds). Both kids had a lot of fun. We tried bowling the week before and they loved it. Natalie bowled a higher score than I did. The Colonel was so cute with his glowing white socks; a little shorty so intent on throwing the ball.
The Colonel watching Daddy and Sissy in the go kart, too bad he wasn't tall enough. He had fun just running from game to game...no coins required to keep him happy. He loved pushing buttons and playing with the steering wheels. He got scared of a few games that made loud noises (one had a big gorilla) when you pushed something....he would run away really fast and then turn around and look back.

Natalie has been wanting to go fishing for a long time, so we tried it last month in a little pond in our home owners association. Yesterday we went for real. It was a beautiful day.

Yes, natalie has a princess fishing pole. She had a lot of fun...she told me she was trying to "catch a catfish, YUM!!" No luck!

The baby fell asleep in the car ride there, so I got to relax until he woke up. I have no trust that he won't dive into the water...he is quick. After he woke up, I only fished for another ten minutes and then took them to the little park next door. It's funny, because today I noticed that my face is red. I got some sun, but my Natalie is as pale as ever. It amazes me that she is 1/4 hispanic and yet sooo light!