20 Months and Counting...

Dear Natalie,

I can't believe how fun this past month as been with you. You are amazing and surprise me with something new every day...and sometimes with a whole day full of new things!

I am absolutely amazed at how much you have learned this past month. Here are a few of these things:

• Earlier this month while taking a bath you put two of your toys on the bathtub edge, counting each one as you put it down. I was awestruck! Not knowing you even knew how to say ONE or TWO, you said them and used them as you COUNTED! Wow!
  

• A couple of days later you counted to THREE. Again, I was shocked. Either you are absorbing everything like a sponge or Grandma is really doing some good work with you while I'm at work.

• About a week after that we were at Grandma's house swimming and you just randomly started counting and actually counted up to SEVEN! What? Seriously, where are you coming up with this? We haven't even been practicing it - which is cool but embarrassing on my part because I should have been! So doing this is absolutely amazing.
  
  
  Later that day you counted to TEN. Since that day you count to TEN all of the time. I can point to things and we count them. I can ask you how many items you can see of something that we are looking at and you can point at them and count them one by one.
  

• Since this bout of counting we started working on the alphabet. You can sing along with me, singing parts of the song with me or even before we get there. You did this even on the first time we started working on it.

• You, as always, wanted to play with Dad's laptop. He got out your laptop (Dad's old one we let you play with). Dad told you that his laptop was "Mine" and your laptop was "Yours". You then pointed to your laptop and said, "Mine" and pointed to Dad's and said "Yours"! We couldn't believe you understood possession like that! Amazing!
  

• This past week you have been copying EVERYTHING I say. Last night we were at Old Navy and you brought me a fancy swimsuit top you pulled off the rack. I said to you, "How fancy" and you went around the store saying "fancy". It was hilarious. So cute. However, also confirming that I will really need to start watching what I say.
  

• You are also saying two word and sometimes three word sentences. Almost everything you say is at least two words together which makes it a lot easier to understand what you want. Of course there are days where you are trying your hardest to tell me something and I can't understand it. What a frustrating moment for the both of us. However, it is so cute to see you repeat yourself over and over again with an expression on your face like I'm dumb because I don't know what you are saying.
  

• You have always been super loving to your dolls. This month you started rocking them and singing "Rock A Bye Baby" to them. It is absolutely adorable!

• You have also found a new love for Dora. It might have started after I bought you an oversized Dora doll. You love her and ask to watch her show every morning. You are even choosing that show over Yo Gabba Gabba! I ask you if you want to watch "Gabba" and you say, "No, Dora." You are also watching other shows like "Max and Ruby" and a bear cartoon - I can't remember the name of it.
  

• We've been sneezing a lot around here lately because of all the allergens in the air. We always say "Bless you" after each sneeze and you have now started saying that. It is so cute.

• You are a true caregiver. We were at one of our indoor soccer games and your Aunt Becca, Shalyce and Uncle Nick were watching you. I guess Lucas started running off and you ran after him saying "Lucas" and looking behind you at your Aunts and Uncle with the expression on your face like Lucas was in trouble and you needed their help to get him. Apparently it was hilarious! You LOVE Lucas. You always ask for him. You even love Nixon, even though he doesn't share the same enthusiasm. There has been several other moments where you were concerned about Nixon and where he was when we're out in the front yard. You call Nixon and look around all worried about him. It's adorable. I can just tell that you will be such a good older sister!

• You kiss and hug us all the time. You hug and kiss dolls and even Nixon (when he lets you). You are so loving and affectionate. It makes me so happy!

• Dad finally finished the second semester of Law School and has started going to work. When you wake up in the morning you always ask where he is. I now say, "He's at work." and you respond, "Go see!". It is so cute. You frequently say "Go see!" when you want to see someone.
  

• We listen to some fun kid CDs in the car and you know your favorite songs. You ask for them, too! "Shoo Fly", "Shine", among other songs. I have to find them on the CD for you and as we search for it you can recognize how the song starts and you tell me "No" when you hear the intro of the songs until we get to the one you want to hear. It's really funny!

• You are really good at recognizing circles and ovals. You point them out frequently when you see them. When you draw, you draw circles and say "Circles" while drawing.
  
  We were even cleaning the toilet and you looked in and said "Oval" pointing to the oval part down in the bowl. (Don't worry, you are really good about not touching the toilet. You even say "Yuck" as you look at it!
  
  When you were with Grandma at her house, you were out back by the pool splashing around. You noticed that when a drop of water hit the water in the pool it made a circular ripple. You pointed at it and said "Circle!" You are so observant. Again, you amaze me!
  

• Your hair is getting pretty long and I'm having so much fun putting it up in pony tails and french braids. Thank you for your patience!

• We are always "eating" you and say "Yum yum yum" when we do it. You now do the same to us. It is so funny!

• You demand to dress yourself. When you want to do something by yourself you say "Do it!". It's in a voice that makes you sound like you are an Italian from New York. "Do it, do it!" We copy you all the time because it sounds so funny! You're a doll!

• When you are mad at us you say, "Go!". That is not so cute, but it's still funny!
  

Well, as you can tell, this month has been one amazing display of your intellectual development after another. You are a blast to be around. I couldn't love you any more than I do at this moment - yah right!

Thank you for being such a joy in my life. I don't think I could have imagined the joy I receive from your sweet personality. I LOVE LOVE LOVE you. And I LOVE LOVE LOVE being your mom.

Love,

Mama