Happy 22 Months!

Okay, I am starting to accept it. My baby girl IS almost TWO years old! Crazy! Insane! Oh-so-bittersweet! Here's a little update on this, the day she is officially 22-months old.

Our beautiful daughter ...

1. sleeps 12 hours at night (from 8 to 8) and takes a 3 hour nap (from 1 to 4) - I actually start to miss her during that long afternoon nap, but I also love that it affords me the time to get housework done, blog, or take a nap myself :)


2. still loves that darn binky, but she's only allowed to have it when she's in her crib. If she asks for it before nap or bedtime, I say, "Natalie, when do you get your binky?" And she replies, "Nap. Nigh-Nigh."


3. continues to call out (about once each night / early morning) because the binky has fallen through the crib rails onto the floor ... and I continue to be the sucker who goes and gets it for her.


4. snores, big time, like her Grampy (and Grammy) ... sometimes, I'll say to Chad, "Darth Vader is hanging out in Natalie's room again."


5. drinks about 16-20 ounces of whole milk, much prefers (diluted) apple juice to orange juice (but I love the way she says, "owge"), would rather snack than eat a meal, and has food texture issues, just like her mama


6. has less interest now in the potty than she did three months ago; I hope I didn't miss my potty training window! She still requires privacy to make her poopies, and she definitely knows when she's going pee-pee in her diaper.


7. sings "Happy Birthday to yoooouuuuu!" whenever she sees a greeting card, of any kind.


8. said very clearly on our way to the park today, "Sunshine! Sunshine! Sunshine!" Yes, baby girl, we don't see it often enough; celebrate when we do!


9. has an obsession with animals, especially those at the local zoo - we have a family membership. There are birds that play peek-a-boo, two beautiful tigers, and a cougar ... at least that's all her list includes. Also, we've created a little confusion because Natalie was introduced to Santa at the zoo during their Reindeer Festival. So she's pretty much convinced that Santa lives at the zoo. She asks to see him everytime we're there.


10. counts to 10 ... sometimes just because, sometimes to tell me how many ducks are in a picture or kids are at the park or pieces of cereal she dropped on the floor.


11. says "Messshy" about everything ... raindrops on the windshield, mulch on the sidewalk, food on her hands, cereal she dropped on the floor, ...


12. loves to play with her foam letters and ABC puzzle; she knows them all and loves to line them up ... just a matter of time before she's spelling :)


13. wants to "deeeep" her food in whatever sauce, dressing, or condiment is available.


14. is all about taking care of her babies and Baby Elmo! She rocks them, feeds them, puts them "nigh-nigh," changes diapers, and shushes them when they cry - she does a ver convincing "wah, wah" followed by "shhh, shhh, shhh."


15. sits and "reads" books for 15 minute stretches ... all by herself ... she points at pictures and says what she sees ... animals, colors, Sesame Street characters, letters, ... the babbling goes on and on


16. also loves to be read to; it is so sweet when she carries a big book to me and says, "Read." Before I even have time to respond, she turns herself around and backs up to plop down in my lap. She has a few favorite books ... Little Critter collection, Curious George, a book about Zoe and Elmo called Just the Way You Are, Deep Down in the Woods at Sleepytime, Goodnight Moon, Feet Are Not for Kicking, The Teeth Book, ... but will read anything including the newspaper or any magazine.


17. cannot get enough of "Wheels on the Bus" except our version usually doesn't include the wheels or horn or doors. Natalie prefers to sing about the people/characters/animals in her life. So we sing, "When Uncle Ty's on the bus, he says, Yo, Yo, Yo," and "When Elmo's on the bus, he says, Hee, Hee, Ha, Ha," and "When the hippo's on the bus, he says, "Pardon me, Pardon me."


18. calls out "Bus" everytime a bus or large truck passes by. She has a good eye; sometimes she'll spot the "bus" before I do :)


19. only really gets in trouble when she runs away from me and doesn't stop when I say, "Stop." She loves the freedom of running down the sidewalk or across the park, and it really terrifies me. I fall asleep at time with visions of her getting hit by a car. I don't know how to make her stop. She just giggles and keeps on running.


20. is heading toward her first haircut ... soon ... I know I've been saying that forever, but I think I am almost ready, and her hair is getting so long. It's still an obvious mullet, but she does have some bangs now ... love my whiskey tango baby girl :)


21. is still working on her teeth. On top, she has her front four and a few "molars" further back. One eye tooth has just broken through the gum. On bottom, she only has three teeth in the front - where the heck is that fourth? - and a few "molars" in the back.


22. remembers everything! A promise to go to the park. A face in a photograph. The way to certain destinations. That Tuesday (the day after hanging out with daddy while mommy works) is her day to go to her buddy "See-See's" house.

I just hope I can remember a fraction of this beautiful time we are spending together right now!