Natalie Gott

Big Girl

My son, Guillermo, turned 5 a few weeks ago, but itâs my daughter, Maya, who has really done a lot of growing up in the past month. She moved from her crib to a big kid bed, a queen-sized one at that, and is now potty training. And, sheâs handled the whole transition with grace, which seems to indicate she is more my husbandâs child than she is mine. We moved her out of her crib i…

Posted 9 mon. ago.

Teary Day

I cry at the most embarrassing times. I once cried in the newsroom of my college newspaper because I was so stressed. Another time I cried in front of a former boss because I was so stressed. I cried in front of a pediatrician when I took my son, Guillermo, to the doctorâs office when he was just a few weeks old (and I cried there because I was embarrassed that I brought him in because I tho…

Posted 9 mon. ago.

Love Them Both But ...

My sister got me thinking the other day about my relationship with my children. On an Internet posting she made in one of those âTell me xx number of things about yourselfâ (this one was for the â25 Random Things About Meâ thatâs going around Facebook), she wrote âI am madly in love with my son, Tony, who is 2 - and Iâm OK admitting it.â She followed it wit…

Posted 9 mon. ago.

Electric Company is Back!

Have you seen the new âThe Electric Company?â Itâs back, and I love the new version.

Posted 10 mon. ago.

Grandparents Moving In? Maybe ...

Do your parents live with you? Would you want them to? Would they want to? The New York Times has a story about parents moving in to their grown childrenâs homes to help with child care duties. The story follows the news that Marian Robinson, Michelle Obamaâs mother, will be moving into the White House for a trial visit.

Posted 10 mon. ago.

Entering the Big Kid Phase

Guillermo, my oldest, turns five this week and my husband will be the first to admit Iâm not taking it well. I know it, too. Songs that hold special memories about him make me weepy. Parenting mistakes I made months or even years ago haunt me as I fall asleep. The thought of Guillermo going to kindergarten, which used to make me so excited for him, now produces a big knot in my stomach.

Posted 10 mon. ago.

Big Papa

I love fathers and fathers-in-law. Since he has been here for Christmas vacation, my father-in-law has hung new blinds in my living room and bedroom, caulked my bathroom and filled a hole in the wall that was created when my son threw a block at it more than a year ago. Thatâs just a bonus, though. The best part of my father-in-lawâs visit is seeing the smile that brightens Mayaâs…

Posted 10 mon. ago.

The Party's Not Over

There is still Christmas wrapping paper on my floor, but Iâm off to wrap more presents. Guillermo turns five in a few weeks. I used to stress that his birthday was so close to Christmas. How could I possibly plan Christmas, traditionally the biggest holiday for my family, and then turn around and get ready for a birthday party ready a few weeks later?

Posted 10 mon. ago.

Bedtime Blues

The other night, Guillermo and Maya had a practice run on the sleeping arrangements weâve planned for the holidays when my father-in-law and sister-in-law are visiting. The trial run didnât go well. My kids didnât fall asleep until close to 10:30 p.m. We have a three-bedroom house and my kids each have their own room. Guillermo sleeps in a twin-sized bed. Mayaâs room has a quee…

Posted 11 mon. ago.

Christmas Traditions

I just finished wrapping two of my favorite Christmas gifts for Guillermo and Maya: A Christmas ornament for each of them. I know theyâll like the ornaments, but I also know they will quickly forget them after they unwrap other presents and find toys. I donât mind. Iâm passing on a family tradition. Ever since my sister and I were young, my parents gave us one ornament every Chri…

Posted 11 mon. ago.

about this blog

Natalie Gott

Natalie is a TriangleMom2Mom featured blogger, appearing every Sunday.

Natalie is a stay-at-home mom in Carrboro to castle- and super hero-loving Guillermo, 5, and puzzle- and big brother-adoring Maya, 2. Natalie was a wire service reporter for nine years, but stopped working after Maya was born in 2006. Most mornings you can now find her at the playgrounds chasing her kids, who frequently are wearing superhero capes. Natalie grew up in Iowa and Peoria, Ill. After college, she lived in St. Louis, Baton Rouge, La.,and Austin, Texas. In 2005, she and her husband moved to North Carolina and she proudly sings every word to the "It's Carrboro" rap. Natalie loves politics, reggae and grocery stores and readily admits she wastes too much time reading celebrity gossip, but just can't stop herself.