Natalie Update: 12 months +

So I've been meaning to update everyone on what Natalie's been doing but I was hoping to get video footage to share too, and well, that is easier said than done so here I am with a simple update. She is cuter than words could ever describe so I will work on getting videos of what I can when I can (I have a few so-so ones to share).

Natalie will be 15 months old on the 17th of this month. She started signing around 12 months and started talking at the beginning of 14 months.

• Natalie signs: eat, water, more, please, and all done. She waves hello and goodbye (sometimes only if she feels like it) and makes on "O" with her hand and says "O's" when she wants Cheerios.
• Her first official word was Papa. Although she could say the syllables ma ma since she was tiny, tiny, for a while I could not get her to say Mama for anything! But one day she changed her mind and she now says Mama. : ) Other words are poo poo, bye bye, nigh nigh, "bup" for up, and still "duh" for dog.
• Animal sounds: moo, bock bock (chicken), an elephant sound as she raises her arm like a trunk (the cutest thing ever!), a fish sound with her lips, pats her head or sometimes my head when I ask her what the monkey says, and makes claws for the lion. (Sometimes there are only gestures without the sounds but it's still so cute.)
  

She throws a ball, feeds, kisses, and hugs her baby dolls, pulls her alligator toy, pretend cooks, brushes her teeth, sits on the big toilet, and loves to walk and climb on anything that presents a challenge.

Video of throwing a ball. Make sure you observe the look on her face at the wind up.

Video of pulling her alligator toy.

Her fourth tooth (top middle) as finally broken the gums and it appears that there are three or more to follow shortly.

At 12 months Natalie weighed in at a whopping 17.4 lbs. I've been weighing her monthly since then at my OB check ups. At the one a couple weeks ago she weighed 19.6 lbs. and so we finally turned her forward facing in her carseat. Welcome to a whole new world, Natalie!

Her eczema is doing very well. A little itchy still sometimes but clear most of the time. I weened her completely at 14 months. Now we are slowly introducing new foods to her. Goat milk and eggs caused a rash but she seems to be fine with soy and citrus so far. We will introduce wheat by this summer (keep your fingers crossed!) and will try again with dairy and eggs when she turns two.

Natalie is such a sweet, laid back girl (but not without her beastly moments) and it has been so fun to watch her learn new things daily. We are excited to see her be a big sister.