It's Tatge-tastic!!: September 2012

WHAT A BIG GIRL! Lots of fun this last month! We are so excited for Ireland, 12 days and counting!

We added Owe, Juice, & pop (bubbles) to our vocabulary! She is really starting to babble lots, it's so cute. She abuses the word "owe" lol. It's pretty funny, everything is owe, and she makes such a good hurt face too! Little faker! I've done a ton of reading on language development in the last few weeks. My conclusion is I need to stop worrying. She is just fine, understands everything I say, communicates as best she can, and the words will come at her own pace. I've discovered lots of things my first 17 months as a mom (and I have a truck load more to learn). A big one is this: Anytime your little one does ANYTHING good or bad, slow or fast, wrong or right, you immediately think it's something YOU did wrong. News flash...it's usually not. Ever kiddo is different and realizing that recently, especially with Nat's talking and picky-eating, has simmered me down a TON! She is eating better, but only when she feels like it. She is progressing with her speech, but not yet striking up conversation with us. I'm just fine with all of it :)

Her temper is also progressing nicely. She has a very strong personalty and knows what she wants. We have days when she is as sweet as pie, and days where she is a little terror lol. However, both days are equally as busy, fun and entertaining!

She is really pushing herself and testing her abilities physically lately. Lots of falls, minimal tears, and completely fearless. It keeps me on my toes! Another thing keeping me on my toes is learning how to discipline her when she SLAPS ME...right in the face. At first it was only in front of my mom to get a reaction out of her. She would slap me, look right at Mimi, she would yell "don't you hurt my girl Natalie!" And Nat would laugh. Now she slaps me when she gets frustrated, or when tell her she can't do something. I've put my foot down, my routine when she behaves like this is almost perfected. She still hasn't stopped doing it, but she is starting to hesitate before she does it. Hopefully we will have that under control soon lol.

IRELAND UPDATE: Ok, getting down to the wire. Nick and I have our clothes laid out, Natalie's clothes are tried on and laid out. Everything we think we need is purchased, passports are packed. Oddly, I think I'm less nervous this week than I have been in the last month. I'm super excited, not to concerned about anything specific. A bit anxious about the flight, but other than that just stoked for the trip, THE WEDDING, seeing family, family seeing Nat, exploring Ireland, and spending time with NICK! It's going to be a trip of a life time :)

I miss Nick very, very, very much. This has been a long few months of lots of travel. I, again, don't know what I'd do without my parents (and brother). I've been with them 4 sometimes 5 days a week, and poor Nick has been working so insanely hard. I can't wait for the end of October lol. Another reason I'm stoked for Ireland...10 straight days with my husband!

We have a busy wknd full of packing, Bedner farms for the pumpkin patch, and a 1st birthday party!

Nat is: happy, healthy, tall, packed with personality, funny, smart, ball kicking and throwing, sweet, active, limit pushing, dancing machine, and totally adorable little girl who I love very much. Next update will be after the big trip!