Natalie is actually speaking to us

We learned recently, thanks to some help from Stephen's mother, who was here for a week in early February to watch both girls while we went on a cruise, that Natalie actually knows and is speaking some words. Granted, they are still baby talk, but we are actually starting to communicate with her and understand each other.

The words she says:

ha = hat
ba = bottle
ma = milk
ma/mama = Mommy
da = Daddy

Words/sentences she understands (she can identify or do these things when we say them to her):

hat
bottle
milk
nose (can point to her nose and other people's noses)
Get your jacket on.
Take your jacket off.
Get your hat.
Put your shoes on.
Take your shoes off.
Let's brush your teeth.
Take your food to the table.
Take this to the garbage.
What does the doggy say? "Woo, woo."

She can do the hand signs for "more" when she wants more food.

She is also nodding her head fairly frequently these days, and sometimes it means the right thing, but just as often she is saying "no" when we think she really means "yes."

Growin' in 2013

We forgot to post a photo of Natalie last month on her monthly birthday, so today, for no extra charge, you get two photos of her.

January 29, 2013 - 16 months

February 28, 2013 - 17 months

Thanks in part to Baba, Stephen's mother, who came and spent a week with the girls while Mommy and Daddy went on a cruise, we discovered that Natalie is understanding a lot of words and saying some things too, even though they are not real words - still just baby talk.

Moving on up!

Natalie moved up to the 2nd floor at day care today with the older kids. I am not sure what age of kids these encompass but she is big enough that she doesn't look out of place.  Her friend Bobby did not also move upstairs. He is 2 days older than she is; I think I understood that he didn't move because he isn't a good eater.

Both girls are happy to have us home.  Lexi has been a really good helper and continues to say the funniest things. This girl certainly has a dramatic streak and an amazing imagination.

Updates

No time, no time. No time to write so a quick update.

Stephen turns 40 a week from today so he and I are leaving on a cruise on Sunday to celebrate. His mom, plus an aunt plus a friend, will be here to watch the girls.  We are looking forward to it and hope the girls will have fun as well.

Unfortunately, Natalie is sick.  She threw up 4 times on Friday and while she hasn't thrown up today, she has only eaten a little and seems to just want to sleep. She definitely isn't her usual active self.  I am going to feel bad leaving her if she is not well.  I hope by Sunday midday she is at least acting a little more lively.

Lexi had a math test this week and it sounds like it went well. They are working on measurement.  She really seems to be picking up reading and enjoys reading a different book that they send home from school everyday.  She can get a bit frustrated when she doesn't know the word.

Another month, another year

First of all, a few days ago, on December 29, Natalie turned 15 months old. See what a big girl she's getting to be!

 

Second, it was our turn to spend Christmas this year with Sarah's family, and so we went to Iowa, where we were hosted by Sarah's parents. Here is our immediate family on Christmas Eve:

Sarah's sister, Miriam, spent Christmas with us in Iowa as well and came with her husband, Andy, and two daughters, Olivia and Nora. The cousins had a great time playing with each other, since they are close in age.

Nora, Olivia, Lexi and Natalie

 One night we made krum kake, a traditional Norwegian Christmas cookie.

Where does the time go?

I have been super busy at work - no time for personal things - and our weekends and evening seem pretty full, too.  Natalie lately seems really clinging and wants to be held for no reason that we can figure out.  You can tell she is learning things by leaps and bounds though she still doesn't articulate/say any words, except Dad.

Here's some of the things Natalie is doing now.

-Natalie knows to put her arms in her coat sleeves when her coat comes out.
-Natalie seems to be shaking her head no at times
-She blows kisses, waves and gives high fives goodbye.
-She says "more" in sign language.
-Natalie understands when I tell her it is time to go upstairs to brush her teeth - she starts heading for the stairs.
-She is learning how to color (per her sister) - she definitely seems to be holding a crayon in the right grip. :)
-I saw her back down 3 steps - this has only happened once, but maybe she has got it.
-She walked up stairs holding mom's hand and was able to lift her foot high enough to get it onto the next step.
-When we are leaving, she knows to get her socks and shoes and bring them to mom or dad for help.
-When we come home, Natalie knows to take her coat off.

Lexi is learning to read. She read "food market" all by herself and she didn't even have to sound it out.  She knows lots of what her school calls "sight words" and she reads a book each night from school.  She does a really good job of reading though sometimes she does get frustrated.

A million miles an hour

Natalie is definitely a walker now and hardly bothers to crawl.  She falls down frequently but immediately gets herself back up on her feet.  She handily crawls up stairs and just today managed to crawl down 3 stairs all by herself.  We have been trying to show her but she hadn't really seemed to get it.  Maybe she finally does.

Natalie zooms all over the place and can happily walk back and forth for what seems like hours.  She also likes to take things out of boxes, off shelves, etc.  She grips a crayon like she wants to draw but doesn't quite know how to push down consistently to actually get color on the paper.  But she happily tries - and then walks around with the crayon until something grabs her attention and it gets dropped right there.  We are finding things all over the place that aren't in the place that they belong.

It is so much fun to see her moving around and exploring.  You can picture the wheels in her brain turning.  Wherever we go out in public, people are admiring her and seem to love watching her toddle around. Children can so easily bring joy to others - regardless of whether they have children themselves or not.

Natalie did manage to fall today and somehow cut the inside of her gum.  I didn't notice until I pulled her head away from my shoulder after she had mostly settled down and Lexi exclaimed that there was something on my shirt. She also cut her finger in a separate incident and didn't like having the bandaid on it so that was rather traumatic,too.

At snack time, I was getting things out of the fridge when Natalie saw the clear small container of leftover over macaroni and peas.   It was at her level so she grabbed it and then took it to the table by her highchair.  She knew she needed to get up there to be able to eat. It's amazing how kids learn these things.  Of course, once she seemed to be done eating and I took the container and spoon away from her (she was playing with it), she had a major tantrum and just would not calm down. I finally just put her in her bed and left her for a while.