Milestones!

Big Milestones this week!

Tuesday, 6/21 (first day of summer, should be easy to remember), Natalie decided she wanted to sleep in her big-girl bed! We had gotten a toddler bed at a yard sale awhile back and David repainted it and put it in her room. It's been there a month or so. Usually its purpose is a jungle gym for Natalie and she thinks its fun to bounce on. For whatever reason, Tuesday night she decided she wanted to go Night-Night there. I convinced her to get down so we could put PJs on, and then she hopped back up and said Night-night. David and I looked at each other and decided to let her try. We told her good night, gave her a little milk, and left her door open a crack. Then we waited for her to come running out to the living room, but instead we didn't hear even a peep! We couldn't believe it. She repeated this every night since then. (took a break on Saturday night since she wasn't feeling well and didn't sleep too great). I keep expecting her to want to get in her crib, but so far she's stuck with the big-girl bed.

So exciting and a little sad too. We can't believe she is growing up so fast! And, we fully expected the bed transition to be a gradual move with a lot of ups and downs..if this was it, it was way too easy! (now that I've written this for the public to see, I'm sure we are guaranteed a little regression).

On Wednesday (6/22) we made the Big Flip - Natalie now faces forward in her car seat. We let her do it a few weeks ago when we were travelling, and occassionally she rides forward with daycare and lately she has been really resistent to sitting down and getting buckled. She was cranky and crying and it just wasn't easy to get her in the car. So..we flipped the seats and she is a much happier camper! She likes to point out cars and dogs, and we have little mini conversations now that she can see me.

Natalie knows quite a few animals and their sounds. Took me by surprise..she must be working on them at daycare. The other night I asked her where her sheep toy was and she responded by picking it up, saying "sheeps" and then "baaa"! So, then I tried cow..she said "Cow" and "mooo". She also knows monkey and chicken, but both of them do similar sounds..she flaps her arms and says "ah ah ah". Horse is still a work in progress.

I don't think I can even begin to write down all of her vocabulary any more; she's picked up a lot of new words lately. One that surprises me is that she understands the context of "off" and "on". She'll use it for both turning the TV on/off as well as putting her shoes on/off!

Approximate 20 month stats (since I'm already a little late!)
Weight: 24lbs
Height: 33ish inches
Diapers: size 4
Clothes: 18 mo & 24 mo

I fully intended on this post having pictures and more of an update, but if I keep waiting to post, she'll be 21 months. So, might as well make it live. Besides, maybe I'll have more free time soon, you know, after baby #2 gets here, right?! Ha!