Our Beautiful Life: 14 Months

This girl....

...just won't stop growing!

She is SO busy these days. I feel like I am always saying that, but she continues to amaze me with the amount of stuff that she can get into within a short period of time. Don't turn your back on this little lady! She can empty a purse or diaper bag in less than a minute, pull every ziploc bag out of the box and scatter them all over the kitchen while I take a quick bathroom break, find something on the floor to taste (it seems my hardwood floors are always dirty!) while I put away laundry, and get her hands on the salt container from the pantry while I'm in the other room. Don't ask about the salt container....she's obsessed with carrying it around... Last week, she reached up on the end table and dumped a glass of ice water on her head. I heard the table bump against the couch, the sharp gasp as the ice water hit her sweet little head, and then of course lots of wailing. I couldn't help it - I laughed until I cried. She looked like a little wet dog with the water running over her head and down her back. That's what you get! I told her.

Little Miss Busy - despite her busy-ness - is so FUN these days, and we just laugh at her all the time. She is such a little ray of sunshine....always happy, smiling, singing, babbling, laughing. It is so contagious. Pure joy.

She is getting BIG, and we have noticed lately how tall she is getting - mostly because she can reach things that she didn't used to be able to reach. She is looking more and more like a little girl, and less like a baby. With this warm weather, I love how she is looking in summer clothes - soft little white arms, rolls, chubby knees....yum. Mostly 18-month clothes, and my little foot is just now getting into some size 4 shoes. I hope her feet catch up with her someday!

She is talking up a storm these days and getting good at repeating things. Her new words include "up", "thank you", and "uh-oh". That last one is the cutest darn thing I've ever heard! She will repeat animal sounds like "woof woof", "baaa", and "quack quack" when we read books. I love her little voice, and I love how much she is learning. She understands what I say to her, and will do what I ask of her most of the time. She likes to "help" do things, like putting trash in the trashcan, pick up laundry and put it in the basket, or put her toys into the bathtub while the water is running. When we get ready in the morning and I grab her shoes, she will sit down in front of me and stick her feet out so I will put them on her. She enjoys brushing her own teeth and hair, and tries to put on her clothes by holding them up to her body (she can be a little diva sometimes if she isn't allowed to be as "independent" as she'd like). She can point out her tummy, nose, eyes, ears, hair, toes, mouth, and hands. If I sing "Twinkle Twinkle" she will do the actions that go with it. She amazes me!

She is still eating and sleeping like a champ! Loves milk....we have cut down to one bottle a day, at bedtime. She wants to eat whatever we are eating, and wants to hold it and take bites. If she is being picky about eating what is on her plate, I give it her in a bigger piece to hold and that interests her enough to continue eating. When I give her half banana or whole waffle to hold, she will grin and nod her head and continue eating. Like I said, Miss Independent. :)

This little girl is SO sweet. She loves to give hugs and kisses, and adores her Mimi. When my mom comes over, Natalie loves all over her like no one else. My little lover baby. :) She always has a minute for a snuggle with Mommy, blankie, and paci. This child loves her blankie. She will hunt it down, drag it around, rub it on her nose, wrap it around her neck, and pile it up on the floor and lay down to nuzzle her face in it.

And, of course, as with every other child her age - this one has quite the naughty streak sometimes! That look in her precious blue eyes....a glint of ornery and mischief....when she knows she is not supposed to do something, but wants to do it anyway! She'll look right at me, too. Testing the waters. Finally at dinner one night last week I had to snatch her out of her chair and put her in her crib. She wailed (for the one whole minute she was in there). A cry like I've never heard. Yes, I know my child is too little for timeout. It was more of a break for Mommy and Daddy - who were tired of the food throwing, whining, temper tantrums, and cup banging. When I went in to get her, she nuzzled so deep in my neck. Hiccups and ragged breaths. Poor tortured little thing. :) We had some loves and made up....and she finished her dinner without incident.