15 months!

Presenting my 15-month-old toddler:




Now that Natalie is one I decided to end the monthly updates and start updating every three months instead. The last three months have been very busy for us, there hasn't been one dull moment. Since her birthday we've celebrated Thanksgiving, Christmas and the new year, all three holidays were so much fun spent with her. Obviously I shared the holidays with her last year, but she was barely two months old and Chase was not with us. This year she sat at the table with us, opened presents and was such a delight. She has mastered walking (that took about a day) and runs as fast as she can everywhere she goes. She says several words (correctly, too): ball, up, doggy, go, shoe, bye, hi, no, dada, mama, choo choo, more, juice, button, oh my, whoa/wow and more. Natalie can even roar, moo and bark when she sees dinosaurs, cows and dogs! She understands even more words and follows simple commands like: brush your hair, bring me (insert toy here... usually "Foofa" from Yo Gabba Gabba), sit on your bottom, splish splash, give me a kiss/hug and let's go night night. She can identify her hair, her shoe and her tummy and she's started attempting to use a spoon! Lately we've begun to realize that we've not only got a genius but also a dare devil on our hands. She climbs on everything and never sits still. I guess I'm going to be worrying about her forever, not like I wouldn't if she were more tame.

It's really a lot of fun to be able to spend every day with her. I've really been able to pin point her personality and moods pretty well, and I think it's certainly safe to announce that I've got an incredibly strong willed, hard headed and stubborn daughter. I wonder where she go that....

It's been cold here lately. Really cold. Freezing. So I had to bite the bullet and join a gym. I joined one that has a children's center with a closed circuit TV so I can always watch her in there. She did really well her first day, but has been pretty cranky for them since. It's starting to get a little better now, so I'm hoping soon we'll have another good day. I think it's a good thing, though. Being that she's an only child, and is going to stay that way, and there are really no good play/mom groups in the area, I thought it was about time to start really trying to socialize her. It's important that she gets exposure to children her age, and now. I'd hate to see what it would be like if I just dropped her off at preschool when she's three with no previous experience being away from me and with strangers. I don't think it would be very pretty. Even though I know it's good for her, it's still hard for me. I still don't really trust ANYONE with her, and it kills me... even if it is for just 30-45 minutes. Even though the ladies in the child center at the gym are wonderful and treat Natalie so well, I can't wait until the weather warms up and I can start running outside with the jogging stroller again.

I am also very please to announce that I have a girly girl! She has recently begun to INSIST on wearing her tutu all day. It's hilarious, if she sees it she grabs it and has to have it on her body. She puts on my shoes (even attempts the high heels) and takes my bracelets and necklaces from me so she can wear them!

Here she is modeling my sparkly new necklace I got for Christmas:


And here is the tutu: