Happy Birthday Natalie!

Natalie is my first.  Not my first love.  Not my first boyfriend.  Not my first kiss.  She is my first child.  Not only my first child, but my first baby girl.

I always wanted to be a mom.  I joked with my husband that we were going to have a DOZEN!  I look back at that and think I was nuts!  It didn't take much for us to get pregnant, but once we found out, both Ross and I were overjoyed!  We actually discovered we were pregnant, the day after we returned from a missions trip to Jamaica.

My pregnancy was ok.  We didn't find out the sex, we wanted it all to be a surprise!  We didn't even tell anyone her name!!

8 Months Pregnant

I started having contractions during the night of July 29th.  We spent most of the night up and down with contractions.  The next morning, July 30th, Ross and I went to our scheduled appointment (how convenient) where I had my membranes stripped.  Within an hour, I was having serious contractions and I knew my baby was coming!!!!!  That afternoon I took a nap, watched some Jeopardy and we headed to the hospital.  When we pulled in to the parking lot, I told Ross to drive around the block because I wasn't ready.  Child birth is scary!

We were admitted at 6:00 p.m. and Natalie Louise Benzen was born at 9:16 p.m.  My delivery was quick, no drugs, not pain free, and she was perfect!

 I was in love and our lives were forever changed.  She owned us.  Natalie did everything she was supposed to, the day she was born.  She is my gift from heaven.  Children are a gift from God.  All children are a blessing.

I would take the labor, the pains, the pushing, the colic, the poop, the pneumonia, and everything else...even the head lice...over and over and over again.  That is how much I love being a mom.

Since Natalie is turning six, here are my six favorite things about her (I love everything, it's hard to pick just six)!

1.  Her smile
2.  Her laugh
3.  Her generosity
4.  Her love for everyone she meets
5.  Her sense of humor
6.  Her protectiveness of Eli

Here is six years of Natalie!

One Year Old

Two Years

Happy 3rd Birthday!

I'm Four!

Fifth Birthday

Turning Six!

Happy Birthday baby girl!  Mom and dad love you!