Natalie is 9 months old!

Natalie is 9 months old today! In a few days we will have cared and nurtured her outside of me for as long as I cared and nurtured her inside of me (I delivered her at 9 months 6 days). And as you can see from the above photo, she moves around much more now! I can't get her to sit still anymore in the chair for her monthly photos. We may have to find a new photo location for next month.

Natalie has reached two big milestones recently. I mentioned in the last post that she had just started taking her first "steps" with crawling. Now she's zooming all over the places. Her new favorite pastime, as we were expecting would one day come, is to go after the cats

Also, on Wednesday, she started waving back to us. Mostly right now she only waves good-bye to Kinsey, our nanny, but she's starting to associate waving good-bye to both Emile and I. I was expecting her to wave backwards (with her fingers facing her) like other children given that's how she sees it when we wave at her but she actually waves the correct way. So adorable!

This past weekend, the three of us went to Wisconsin to visit my family. It was Natalie's first trip on a plane (and first time out of North Carolina). She did very well. No crying or major meltdowns on the plane. She only got fussy towards the end of each flight because it was close to her bedtime.

Natalie spent a lot of time with Nana and Grandpa. This is the chair my mom rocked me in when I was a baby:

Hanging out with cousin Hayden (and her favorite rubber teething toy -- Sophie the Giraffe, and the Cat and the Hat dolls Nana got them):

Natalie with Uncle Paul:

My brother and his girlfriend, Sharron. We like her! They look so cute together.

Natalie is going through a bit of separation anxiety. If I'm in the room with her and other people, she needs me to be holding her or next to her. Here's what happens when she wants me to hold her but I insist on trying to get a photo of her with my brother, Paul.

We went to Kendra's work pool to take Hayden and Natalie swimming. They had a great time splashing around. Hayden is becoming a pretty good swimmer!

While home, we went to my mom's surprise birthday party. Luckily, my cousin Tara's family, my Uncle Merlin and his wife Pam, my Aunt Becky and family, and my grandma were there -- the first time they all got to meet Natalie. We're glad our family and my mom's friends were able to make it to her party. She was pretty surprised!

Tara's family (including her fiancee, Mike, and their kids, Tye, Kelsey, Addison, and Nina), Merlin and Pam went back to my parents house to visit after my mom's surprise party.

My mom, sister, Natalie and I went to my good friend, Stacy's, baby shower while I was home also. She was one of my bride's maids and is due to have her first child (a son) in the beginning of April. We've been friends for about 20 years! She looks adorable pregnant. I'm very excited for her and her husband, and I can't wait to meet their little one. It was Stacy's first time meeting Natalie too.