new parents

Recently P told me a story that left me laughing for days. I realize neither of us previously had children and had absolutely no idea what we were getting into but I guess having girlfriends that told me about childbirth, I at least had the idea that our entire life was going to change and we would not sleep for a while. P on the other hand... told me the other day that he read somewhere that newborns sleep 18 hours a day (I guess that can be true in some babies but it isn't for long stretches and Austin NEVER did) and he thought he would have a lot of free time. He told me he got the entire Godfather series and was planning on watching it on his "week off". Immediately I started dying laughing and when I could finally speak I asked, "what were you thinking? Why did you think we would have so much free time?" He then told me about the 18 hour a day sleep schedule and he thought he would help with the baby a little, watch him while I slept (which never happened... I mean P was there but I never napped) and then have a lot of free time. He told me he also planned to reorganize his Swiss Army knife collection and the office. When I think of how clueless we were and where we are now, I'm proud that we are all surviving and nobody's had a nervous breakdown. 

Well I guess that's debatable. 

For Natalie's News this has been, Natalie-Corinne. 

baby updates

I don't intend for this blog to be an all about baby blog, but I had an apt today so here goes.

I gained almost 3 pounds. Didn't gain any last time. I was hoping to keep that up, but my trucker appetite recently has prevented it. Birthing hips are in this season, right?

I told my doc that I quit reading "what to expect..." because it was very stressful. I just decided to be honest but inside I was already thinking omg I'm failing as an in utero mom but she wonderfully responded with, "I so don't blame you, that book is dark". Hallelujah. I don't need to know any more problems.

Something I didn't know about pregnancy is that you often get a stuffy nose and are prone to nosebleeds. For someone who already has cray cray allergies, this is no fun and the nosebleed at 5:15 in the shower this morning was honestly, just confusing. I'm usually mostly asleep until 6:00 so I just stood there looking at the blood in the shower. Finally, I realized I should probably do something about it. I've said it before and I'll say it again, there is such thing as a nurse/I know what to do in an emergency (okay, this wasn't a real emergency) situation/blood and guts don't bother me gene and it skipped me like I was the fat kid waiting to be picked for gym.

The baby's heartbeat was really easy to find and it sounded "very strong". Woot, woot. Good stock, obvi.

We couldn't get an appointment where P and I didn't have to take off work until almost the end of September. That basically in the next century as far as I'm concerned. I don't know how she expects me to plan and decorate a nursery appropriately having to wait this long. I mean, I guess people have been doing this for generations, but I'm about to be a suburbia living, suv driving, momma. I want it now.

One really fun thing about expecting during school is how incredibly sweet my normally fab students are. They are so protective and helpful. Just a sweet example...we have these huge speakers and they needed to be moved and one of my students just stood up and said, "guys, y'all need to move this, Mrs. Pratt can't lift heavy things" and then... they just did it. What?!?!? Love them.

That's it for now! Excited that Baby Pratt is happy and healthy!

For Natalie's News this has been, Natalie-Corinne. 

baby Pratt

This is one of my favorite pictures of my Mom. She is so beautiful, young, and looks so great as a new Mom. I can't get over how good she looks with a new baby! I look at this picture and smile but hurt a bit too because I miss her every minute and wish I could ask her about 1,000 questions a day.

This is my favorite picture (so far) of OUR baby. This is from 12 1/2 weeks. P and I were able to see the baby move and were so excited to know everything is healthy and happy. I think I didn't breathe for a solid minute when we first saw the baby. We had another ultrasound at 8 1/2 weeks, but this time it looked so real. The baby jumped all around, crossed his/her leggs, so amazing!

One of the things I have been so thankful for is that we were able to tell my Mom at home. Our whole family (Mom, Dad, Ben, P and I) were at their house and we gave her this and she could not have been more excited. Ben had the funniest reaction and his mouth hung open for approximately 34 seconds. Mom was so sweet and happy and we decided to call her Mimi.

We are now 4 months and there is no denying the bump in my belly. Honestly, with my Mom's passing, I think I've been slow to get excited. I have so many feelings and maybe I have been unable to do any more. Some parts of me feel guilty feeling happy. I realize others have trouble having babies and it just seems like it's hard to be happy. But lately, I've been able to get more excited, and feel less badly about being happy about our bundle of joy. Don't get me wrong, I've been elated since the beginning, but just with a twinge of guilt or hesitation to get excited. 

Lately I've been looking around for baby stuff. I haven't bought much (okay, anything) for the baby besides the humpty dumpty I found at an antique store with Mrs. Alicia a few weeks ago. While we were in NYC, I bought this onesie (I have no idea how to spell this!) and thought any child of mine will hopefully share our love of this amazing city!

We are so excited and could not be more thankful for our amazing family and friends. Everyone has already done so much and we feel really blessed.

For Natalie's News this has been, Natalie-Corinne.

Hotty toddy, baby!

It's that time in our lives where everyone in their mother is having the babes. My sorority sister Aimee just had her second baby, Abby. Since they live in Houston I have not been able to meet the newest rebel but I know these will bring a little bit of Mississippi to the lone star state. The talented Jenna Abington created all of these and I think they turned out SO cute :) I can't wait for Abby to rock these during our winning (dear God, it's been a hard couple of seasons..helps the rebels out) season of 2012!

For Natalie's News this has been, Natalie-Corinne.

baby mamma drama

This post is due to inspiration from long time friend Claire. Last night I received a text message that may have made my life worth living. My former roommate and dear friend sent me a picture of our mutual friend in the worst/most awkward/ridiculous maternity picture ever created in the United States and perhaps the entire world. Believe me, it is taking all my will power not to post this picture. Anyway, I started thinking about this trend last night. I know the whole natural/not posed style of photography for weddings, engagement pictures, family pictures, whatever has been around for a some time and while some of those non staged except really staged moments can seem really trite, sometimes they turn our super cute and better than the olan mills

posed cheesiness...(obviously look above...yeah show off that ring!). Maternity pictures though, seem to have waved bye bye to "capturing the moment" and embraced some sort of fantasy land where embarrassment and mythical influences are required. Although I will not post the picture that inspired this post (and believe me it's soooooo good) I will post some of the worst pictures I found on the trusty Internet. The sad part about all of this is these really aren't the worst. I found some that were so awkward and inappropriate that I wouldn't even post them. I kept picturing my Dad reading this blog and didn't want to subject him to that.

Guaranteed this one will be in the baby's book "Your first Halloween". When I saw this picture I kept thinking of the kids who came up to this door for Trick or Treat. Definitely tricked at this house.

Wilderness style baby! Better learn to earn your keep out here little wilderness baby.

This picture says, "we started embarrassing you way before you can even remember"

Yeah, this is just my pondering face. Totally normal to be sitting here in a satin blend tarp.

We're having a baby but we're still cool. I've still go a tattoo AND muscles and our backdrop is so nontraditional. Baby blocks are for suckers.

(and my personal favorite pic)

Don't worry baby, Mermaid Mommy will always be here to protect you.

I just don't get it. What makes you think...hmmm this is a good idea and better yet I should share it on the Internet where creepers (hello, like me!) can find it and put it in their blogs?! Bottom line.Everyone is excited about your upcoming baby...but not everyone is excited to see you in some kind of awkward maternity picture. Lastly, if you take a picture like this, folks will talk about you and send each other texts in the middle of the night. This is fact.  

For Natalie's News this has been, Natalie-Corinne.

Baby Olivia

It is so crazy that Alyson just had such a beautiful girl, Olivia. I have known Alyson most of my life and while driving to her house to meet the new bundle of joy I realized I was driving to her parent's house! Alyson has been out of the house for along time but somewhere deep down in the autopilot in my head I resorted back to Alyson being 16 and living at home. Even more crazy is that I remember going to Universal Studios with Alyson when she was about 8...but that time is long gone! She is been married for quite a while and now a brand new mommy! Alyson looks beautiful and Olivia could not be any more perfect! Olivia was great for us and allowed everyone to hold her. After such insanity at work it was nice to come and meet the newest addition! Congratulations!

For Natalie's News this has been, Natalie-Corinne.

another lovely convo

"Mrs. Pratt, why you not have no kids?" Student 1

"I have enough to worry about with my middle school babies" (my standard answers, btw. In the past when I've provided honest answers like...oh because I don't want little mutts (if you have kids I really do love them, mutts is mean...I don't think your beauty is a mutt) clinging to me all day when already all day I've barely survived hundreds of kids needing... all.. day...I've been harshly judged, told I would change when I got older (also been told this about my political views...) told I didn't know what I wanted, etc. so now I just lie...I also partly blame my friend Sarah because I've watched her birthing video (they cut out the actual birth) several times (always in the dark room after waaaayyy too much prosecco) and basically I am terrified)

"You better hurry up Mrs. Pratt" Student 1

"Why, do you think I'm old?" me

"Yeah, you better hurry up, you'll be old soon and then you'll have a baby and you'll be so old that you'll die of old age and then that poor baby will be left with out a Mamma because you done died of old age". Student 1

"................." Me

For one time (brief time) absolutely speechless.

For Natalie's News this has been a very old-aged, ancient, baby-less, Natalie-Corinne.

I really love your kid...

Listen...I did't get all dressed up and hire a babysitter to hear about your kid's poop..

but please spare the talk about his/her poop. I am almost afraid to post this PSA because I believe it is so frowned upon to "provide helpful guidance" (umm hummm give unwanted parenting advice from someone who has no experience parenting), especially when that subject requires the parents to censure their talk about the baby. Please don't get me wrong; I love seeing my friend's kids. I kind of flipped out when my first close friend announced she was expecting and had a slight panic attack in the back seat of her car (really supportive friend) but now I am genuinely happy for my friends and enjoying stalking facebook pic of their cute little ones and hearing about all the firsts... well maybe not all their firsts! At first I thought it was just me. We are coming to that point in our life where people have...BABIES. Lots and lots of babies. Last year our fridge was covered with wedding invitations and this year the invitations have been replaced with baby announcements. The vast majority of my friends make motherhood look too easy honestly. Most of them area already skinnier than me (again) and seem to be too cool with their designer diaper bags that don't even look like diaper bags. Then...there are the slight few (obvi you are not one of them) that think for some God known reason that I am interested in their kid's poop/problems with pooping/accidents/etc. I mean some stories about a boy peeing on the dad's face are kind of funny but it is a slippery slope. So anyway, I thought I was the only one with this "problem" but oh no. I went to happy hour with a friend this weekend and she brought up how a lady in her supper club ALWAYS TALKED ABOUT HER KID'S POOP! Wtf? At supper club? Omg, where is the countess, elegance has not been learned. My friend said the lady will go on and on about sickness in the potty, or nasty cold and what color snot is etc. And then talks about needing an outlet so she won't just talk about her kid's production of waste but hello? All she talks about is her kid's nastiness! My friend was brave enough to attempt to change the subject suggesting they talk about something more appealing at dinner and she was served a huge dose of the Mom shame. What is Mom shame? It goes a little something like this, "oh, you'll totally understand when you're a Mom". Ouch. Maybe she is right. Maybe I will one day be able to write a dissertation about the different colors, textures, smells and stain qualities of baby waste. Maybe I will rent bill boards educating the USA about how corn can disturb the toddler's digestion system. (totally just made that one up) But I'm gonna bet that I won't. Perhaps we sans kids will learn more about the never ending grossness that comes out of little ones but I pray to all things Holy that I won't rant to anyone about it unless they are a medical professional! I don't really know what the answer is. I guess if poop, snot etc where my normal I would want to complain about them too, and I don't want my friends with kids to no longer talk to me... but then again, I want us to still act like adults... well not like real adults... I mean adults that like to drink wine, watch too much Bravo, cuss, stay up too late, stalk blogs and pretend to be well-read, listen to pop music, and play on facebook...you know, normal.

For Natalie's News this has been, Natalie-Corinne.

Alyson's baby shower!

This weekend I hosted a baby shower with my Mom, Mrs. Alicia and Kelly for our dear Princess Alyson. It does not seem real that Alyson is having a baby because I remember going to Universal Studios with Alyson when she as in fifth grade and she still wore a hair bow and wanted to hold hands (not cool for an 8th grader). Now she is all grown up, married and expecting a baby girl on May 19th. We had a huge shower for friends and family. Everything went very well and I think everyone had a lot of fun! I have to say the preparation kind of took over my life and I got more in touch with my domestic side than I would ever like to know. For all of my loyal readers please know that she has been stowed away...far, far away and will not return for sometime. She is tired. Sore. It's like when you never work out and then you go and try to run 12 miles. The next day your body is in shock. What have you done to me? How and why does this hurt? But this time it's not my quads who are screaming... it's my domestic inner goddess (egh let's go with dutchess). She is rarely used and all the sudden I expected her to run a marathon. She is not happy. I'm sorry domestic Natalie, you have earned a vacation and lean cuisines will once again consume our lives. Okay enough with the Sybil personalities and back to the shower. Friday night we started the marathon by working all night on the arrangements, decorations, and food (Alicia pictured right creating the beautiful flower masterpieces). P said the boa made our house look rather burlesque but I thought our late night preparations were rather adorable. Alyson looks amazing and continues to do boot camp while expecting. Amazing. Probably one of the sweetest parts of the entire day was my Dad and Mr. Ron parking and moving cars so that all 35 guests could be in our house! They worked the entire shower and moved cars in the nasty rain! As always, I feel so lucky to have such a wonderful family; I guess it really does take a village. Below are pictures of my house engulfed in pink. Right out of Southern Living, right?

For Natalie's News this has been, Natalie-Corinne.

weekend snapshots

This weekend has already been so fun filled and it's only Saturday. I am so honored and lucky to have my dear friend Kelly join us for the weekend. Kelly is in town to sing (win) a vocal competition and bring some cray cray to Nashville.

Last night we ventured out to East Nashville to the Bogni party house. After such an INSANE week at work I was so ready for a fun weekend with friends.

Bruin reunion! This little lovely is Georgia Grace. Our bruin clan has expanded and my good friends Julie and Robert had their first little one about 5 weeks ago. Julie came into town to show off GG and we all had so much fun playing with her!

The new Momma Julie.

Jenna and Georgia

Sarah and Marco at their great East Nashville house and below is their amazing child Luca.

I mean...really? Could not get cuter!

Holding Georgia Grace.

My sweet friends Jenna and Christina took me to get a pedi for my birthday this morning and we got to see baby Clayton!

With all the baby madness going on this weekend I thought I was not really paying enough attention to my baby. She was not ready for this early morning shot.

For Natalie's News this has been, Natalie-Corinne.

Weekend Update

So the weekend was so much visiting with high school friends. It is so hard to believe that everyone has grown up and some people are actually having babies (yikes). Mrs. Bogni was so beautiful and totally has the pregnancy glow! The shower took place at the home of Sarah's parents in trendy, up and coming East Nashville (montage of East Nashville sites on left). Of course with Bruin friends this was no ordinary baby shower. First, boys were invited and actually came, Mr. Greg Suber brought a gift from an adult "book" store, and stories from glory days of high school and college were talked about more than poor baby Luca. Weirdly I had so much fun at this shower, but rest assured it in no way gave me baby hunger. In fact, it did quite the opposite. Looking at every present being passed around and having no idea what it was meant for gave me the gross and terrifying pit in the stomach feeling of confusion and terror. Not for Sarah, I have no doubt she will be an excellent and rather strict mother/attorney. No, for myself. How does one know about the diaper genie II? What does one really expect when they're expecting? Well, I sure don't know but what I do know is that the Bognis will be ready for their new bundle of joy and will be great first time parents. Extra kudos to Sarah for completing law school AND having a baby in the same year. Craziness. After the shower the rest of weekend was consumed with visiting with friends and family, cookouts, and fun times!

Focus on the Family
to The University of In other news, the rest of the family is in Kansas City moving Ben's belongings out of Missouri. As reported earlier, Ben is transferring to the University of Tennessee at Martin and will begin there in later August. The parental unit will move most of his stuff out of storage and bring it back to Tennessee. Ben has to finish a summer class and his games on his summer team. Mother of the year Michelle will travel to Oxford next Sunday to help me back and prepare my classroom. Yes, it is finally time for me to accept the end of summer, student life.. well life as I know it and get ready to be a real time adult. Oh Holy Lord, help me. Tomorrow I have new teacher orientation and will get keys to my classroom. Oh yeah, its real now.

Look forward to future stories:

*The Big Move

*Update on Girls night

*The New Job

Knocked up

The weekend is already here and I am once again escaping from responsibilities and going home to Nashville to attend the Bogni Baby shower. My first friend Mrs. Sarah Bogni (formally Sarah Hinkle pictured far right) is having a little boy and fellow high school friends Mr. Greg Suber (pictured far left) and Ms. Leigh Ann Chasteen (pictured second from left) are throwing the baby shower. Most attendees will be high school friends from good ol' Brentwood High Days. This is the first baby shower I've attended for a friend my own age so I do not really know what to expect BUT with Greg and Leigh Ann planning I am sure this will be a shower to remember. I am so excited and happy for the Bognis and know they young couple will be great parents. Wow, I feel old.

That is all for now, have a fun and safe weekend, for Natalie's News this has been Natalie-Corinne.