I remember her birth like it was yesterday and yet there are tons of details I have forgotten in the 30 years in between. Just last week one of the teachers brought in her twin girls and one of them weighed 5 lb. 3 oz. Three ounces more than Natalie did at birth. And I looked at that tiny, tiny baby and I couldn't believe that my BABY had been that size. Natalie was six weeks early. At the time I remember my leg shaking in the Emergency room, but as I look back on it now I see that sometimes ignorance is the best policy. Now I would be out of my mind if one of my kids were in that situation, but then I had all the faith in the world in what I did not know.
I love this photo of her on her first birthday. So delicate, so feminine, so sweet.And Natalie survived very nicely, always a tiny little girl and always stubborn. She gets that quite naturally from both of her parents, but Ed and I firmly believe it is this tenacity of hers that allowed her to arrive in this world early and fight her way to a healthy survival.
As a little girl Natalie was a talker. She talked and talked and talked. I think she talked for Josh. I love this photo of Natalie and her dad.
And then there's this one with her Barbie house.Ed (Santa) built it for her and we still have it. (WHY?) She spent hours playing Barbies.
And I can't forget her childhood friend from birth (Corrine's birth) to the end of first grade when she moved. Natalie and Corrine were inseparable. It was such a loss for them both when Corrine moved to Minnesota. Here they are on their first day of preschool.
When Josh was in high school he became our talker and Natalie took a back seat. So when Josh went away to college we noticed that Natalie did have things to say! We loved those two years of just her with us.
Then she went off on her own and blossomed and bloomed into the wonderful person that she is today. She is determined and talented in her work. She is creative and knowledgeable about fashion and retail and color and design. I love to get her opinions (and she gives them freely!)
We were so proud of her when she married Brad. She knew what she was waiting for. He is a gem and the perfect mate for her.
And she couldn't be a more perfect daughter. We had all those ups and downs when you are working hard to instill the morals and values as the foundation for a child, but she is showing us that she remembered and retained every one.
She is compassionate, loving, and devoted to those who are near and dear to her heart and I am so proud to be one of those people.
EVERY time I am with her I beam. Just as the first moment I saw her 30 years ago, as today, I cannot believe that this is MY baby!
Happy Birthday Natalie and many, many more.
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