...and I thought the first year was the hardest!

Since Natalie started walking I have been in non-stop NO mode. The child has a curiocity that would rival any cat you would come across! She apparently feels the needs to touch, smell, and taste everything on this planet! I prayed for a smart child when I was pregnant and BOY did I get what I asked for. She is also a little bit of a bully. Natalie is a tad bit of a biter and and hits and pulls hair. Its a little disturbing to see your sweet little cuddly baby go after one of her cousins with such force! Maybe she is just defending herself (since she is the smallest one) but I think that she is just so frustrated that she can't make anyone understand what she wants that she lashes out.

I am trying to nip this situation in the bud, but thus far a gentle, "No-No Natty thats not very nice" is not cutting it! I have decided to take more serious action that would maybe be reserved for an older child....I don't want her to be "that" kid who nobody wants to play with because she is such a BEAST!

On a lighter note...its almost like I can see her getting bigger by the minute. She is really communicating a lot more than she used to! I say communicating because she isn't really saying actual words....more like made up words that make no sense. I know in time this will turn into english but its fun to watch her learn and see that light bulb go off when she figures out how to do things!

She is practically RUNNING around now. She loves to get down and walk into a store or restaurant. She thinks she is big stuff to be able to do it herself! We have a small issue with her foot though. Her left foot turns out to the side. This is nothing new since my feet turn out and so do my dad's but she does trip A LOT....onto her face! I am convinced she won't have any baby teeth to lose when she is five if she keeps this up!

As much as I get frustrated with her and want to pull my OWN hair out some days...I usually have a funny story or two to tell her Papa at the end of the day! And when its time for bed and she is laying in my lap smelling good from her bath, warm in her jammies, drifting off to sleep, all of those frustrations and aggrevations go away and I am left with my sweet snuggly baby who can do no wrong.....until she wakes up rearing to go the next morning....the little turd :)

She loves the bathtub so much she can't wait!

She loves to brush her teeth...she insists on doing it herself though!

I love this kid!