19 Months and Counting

Dear Natalie,

I don't know where to begin, but I'll start with a very loud - YOU ARE SO SMART! I have so much fun watching you grow and learn. This month you have finally lost all hesitation to speak and are talking like crazy! You are saying new words on a daily basis. Words that I'm not "making" you say, you are just using them on your own. It is amazing! I am frequently asking myself, "Did she just say that?" "How do you know how to say that word, let alone know how to use it!"

You are a very independent and determined little girl. You do what you want to do and rarely can I make you change your mind. I keep telling myself that I need to get a book on how to handle your personality to direct your strong will down the right path. For example, you love to put on my makeup. I noticed you got a hold of my foundation, and knowing that I saw you, you quickly hid it behind your back. I asked you, "What do you have behind your back?" You responded, "Nothing!" Okay, first of all, when did you learn that word? This was the first time I ever heard you use it. Secondly, how did you know to use it in an attempt to get yourself out of trouble? You are ONLY 18 MONTHS OLD! Eeeekkkk!


You are definitely a character. You use facial expressions to show us how you are feeling. It is awesome! I can't help but laugh when I see you pull a face. A few Sunday's ago we went in the back yard just after we got home from church. You were standing just outside our sliding glass door and your dad and I were just inside the door. All of the sudden this big black crow-like bird (for all I know it was a crow!) swooped down in an attempt to - I swear - take off your head! Just missing your cute big head, he swooped back up. Apparently that took a lot of effort because POOP shot out of this bird and it landed right on your back. Dad and I ran over to see what happened and found this-


The best part of this whole story, really, is this picture. Your response was perfect. You are such a good sport, obviously laughing and having fun with the whole situation. If I didn't have to clean poop off your dress I would have eaten you up right then and there.

Here are a few other pictures I took of you this past month showing your great ability to communicate with your face. You are a comedian by nature - thanks DAD!

"How about this face, Mom? If you keep taking pictures of me, I'll keep pulling them!"

"So you think it's pretty funny that I'm stuffing my face with cupcake, huh? Well, how does it look in there? Yummy? Want some?"

"I don't know about this robe. I think it's a little small."

Well, as I said last month, I was really looking forward to having you attend nursery now that you're old enough. We have had a few opportunities to try it out thus far. You LOVE being in there - you just HATE it when I leave. Bummer. This "clingy" gene has to be a Narducci one. I don't think there was anyone in the Aidukaitis family that ever looked back once given the opportunity to break away from under the supervision of parents. I hope that your comfort level there quickly develops. I'm dying to attend church - without any distraction!

Although it doesn't seem like it, every now and then you show us that you do have a desire to be obedient. A few weeks ago, as we were saying prayers over our dinner, you kept your arms folded and your head bowed during the WHOLE prayer! What a little treat that was for me. You've been pretty consistent in doing that ever since. (I'm smiling as I write this!)

We are still working on saying please and thank you, and you are starting to be more consistent with it. However, you do know, and have known for a LONG while now, that if you want something and I'm not giving it to you that if you say please, I end up doing whatever you were wanting. I'll have you know that I am only doing this to reinforce that you need to say it, but one day soon I'll have to still say "No" even if you say "Peeeez!"

This month your interest in developing a true friendship with Nixon has grown. Practically every morning you wake up asking for him - "Nison, where is he?" It is SO SAD when Nixon doesn't return the same desire for friendship. It is obvious by looking at you how sad you are when he runs away after you so lovingly pat your lap and call his name.

Well, here are a few things you have done this month and have absolutely amazed me:

• You know all the body parts and can say all the names when I point to them.
• You are learning your shapes. Circle and Oval are your favorites.
• You LOVE LOVE LOVE to dance and are actually learning dances as taught by Yo Gabba Gabba. Side note: You still love to watch this show. In fact, you ask for it by saying "Whoooo" and waving your arms in front of you like DJ Lance does in the intro. You did this a few times before I finally figured out what you wanted. When I did I asked, "You want to watch Yo Gabba Gabba?" You said "Yes!" and your face lit up as bright as the sun.
  
• You say "hold you" when you want me to hold you. SO CUTE!
• You say "ar-pane" when you see an airplane flying over our heads.
• You looked out your bedroom window and said "bush", pointing to the bush just outside.
• There are very few things you can't identify when I ask you to point to something to show me where it is.
• You call your pacifier "ba-joo". I don't know where this came from...maybe (pass-ooh)fier? I don't know but it's so cute!
  
• When I ask how you are doing, you say "Good".
  
• You can say that you are "one" when I ask how old you are.
  

Here are a couple of little stories I love to share with everyone:

*About a week ago you said "banana" when we pulled up to Target thinking we were at the grocery store (I give you a banana to eat while we shop). It was so cute to hear you ask for one! What was even cuter was when I told you we'd go get a churro at Costco after we were done shopping at Target and you said, "Churro, where is it?" when we got out of the car at Costco!

*You are a dare devil! While visiting your aunt Alisa, we went to WalMart. It was late. You were tired and didn't want to sit in the cart. I put you in the big basket to see if that would help and it did! You loved it. You stood up, arms raised above your head and yelled "Wheeee" in between catching yourself as you would lose your balance.

You love to play and get dirty. I now know what my mom was doing when she told us to get out of our "school clothes" and put on our "play clothes". I definitely have play clothes for you. When you're not wearing them, I am in constant panic that you will stain your "good" clothes. Your play clothes, unfortunately were your "good" clothes that are now stained.

When you're not getting dirty it's because you are playing with your dolls. I bought you a doll stroller for your many dolls and you push it EVERYWHERE - around the house, outside, to the park - you even want to take it with us when we are going somewhere in the car. You have such a fascination with caring for dolls/babies. It is adorable to see how good you are to them. It's the CUTEST when you say "Hi" to them. I love it!

Well, you certainly have grown a lot this month. I could keep writing and writing! You are one bright little girl. I absolutely LOVE this stage you are in. It is excitement day after day. I can't wait to see what next month holds!