Natalie is growing into such a unique little person. I just thought I'd share a few things that make Natalie Ann such a wanna-squeeze-her-most-of-the-time cutie pie:
She's obsessed with trash and litter. She has the eyes of a hawk, I tell you, and she sees everything from gum wrappers and bottle caps to tiny "made in China" stickers WHEREVER we go. The best part is, she cannot rest until she's deposited her trash treasures into a legitimate trash can. At the park, she spends more time picking up trash and taking each piece (one by one) to the trash can than she does on any of the play equipment. What a little steward of the earth she is.
She is obsessed with all things round and shouts "ball" whenever she sees a polk-a-dot on a sock, a small plastic bb at the park, or, of course, an actual ball of any breed. I had a lovely zit in the middle of my forehead the other day and she pointed to this perfectly round and red annoyance and shouted, "ball"! Great. I explained to her that it was not a ball, but a Mommy owie. Now every morning when she sees my uncovered blemishes she frowns, shakes her head, points to each of them and says very sympathetically, "oh, Mommy...owie!"
She says "hi" to everyone and I mean everyone. This condo complex where we're renting is not filled the friendliest folk, but that does not discourage her one bit. Natalie doesn't let the lack of eye contact stand in the way of a good and cheerful greeting. By saying "hi" to everyone from neighbors at the mail boxes to checkers at the grocery store, she snaps people out of their own little worlds for a minute and usually gets a pleasant response. It's been a lesson to me, actually, as I'm not often the initiator with smiles and hellos but thanks to Natalie I've seen how such simple gestures can brighten a day.
She's OBSESSED with shoes. I know I've done quite a few posts about this but that is because it is a major part of her life. She points to my slippers as soon as I get her out of the crib in the morning and she shouts, "schoos", "schoos" until I surrender them. There is no shoe too large or clunky that deters her...she'll try any she can find. We were invited to dinner the other night by very dear and longtime family friends of Corey's, the Stoneburners. Another guest at dinner and longtime friend, Beth Smith, was wearing flats and one was nearly falling off her foot as she bounced her crossed leg while we talked. Well, this drove Natalie nuts. A shoe that's almost off the owner's foot and almost available for the taking...it was too much to bear! Beth had no idea as we talked and she bounced that leg and foot that barely held onto that flat that Natalie was standing right next to her lifting her own little foot up and trying to wedge it into that half empty shoe mid-bounce. I was laughing so hard. Poor Beth, had she known Natalie longer than 1 hour she would have (probably) gladly surrendered her shoe but she just had no idea of the angst she was causing our little footwear fanatic!
And finally, coloring! This child is a born artist! She is perfectly happy with paper (and anything will do...receipts I'd hoped to save, grocery lists that haven't been put to use yet, and occasionally, actual blank paper) and a writing utensil (pens are preferred but crayons will do). She will sit for an hour and just draw on anything and with anything she can find! I actually have to write lists and thank you notes when she's asleep or not looking because if she sees me reach for a pen I'll absolutely have to set her little "artwork hour" up!
What a delight getting to know her continues to be! She turned 22 months old on Tuesday...22 months...that is so almost 2 and I can't believe it!
She's obsessed with trash and litter. She has the eyes of a hawk, I tell you, and she sees everything from gum wrappers and bottle caps to tiny "made in China" stickers WHEREVER we go. The best part is, she cannot rest until she's deposited her trash treasures into a legitimate trash can. At the park, she spends more time picking up trash and taking each piece (one by one) to the trash can than she does on any of the play equipment. What a little steward of the earth she is.
She is obsessed with all things round and shouts "ball" whenever she sees a polk-a-dot on a sock, a small plastic bb at the park, or, of course, an actual ball of any breed. I had a lovely zit in the middle of my forehead the other day and she pointed to this perfectly round and red annoyance and shouted, "ball"! Great. I explained to her that it was not a ball, but a Mommy owie. Now every morning when she sees my uncovered blemishes she frowns, shakes her head, points to each of them and says very sympathetically, "oh, Mommy...owie!"
She says "hi" to everyone and I mean everyone. This condo complex where we're renting is not filled the friendliest folk, but that does not discourage her one bit. Natalie doesn't let the lack of eye contact stand in the way of a good and cheerful greeting. By saying "hi" to everyone from neighbors at the mail boxes to checkers at the grocery store, she snaps people out of their own little worlds for a minute and usually gets a pleasant response. It's been a lesson to me, actually, as I'm not often the initiator with smiles and hellos but thanks to Natalie I've seen how such simple gestures can brighten a day.
She's OBSESSED with shoes. I know I've done quite a few posts about this but that is because it is a major part of her life. She points to my slippers as soon as I get her out of the crib in the morning and she shouts, "schoos", "schoos" until I surrender them. There is no shoe too large or clunky that deters her...she'll try any she can find. We were invited to dinner the other night by very dear and longtime family friends of Corey's, the Stoneburners. Another guest at dinner and longtime friend, Beth Smith, was wearing flats and one was nearly falling off her foot as she bounced her crossed leg while we talked. Well, this drove Natalie nuts. A shoe that's almost off the owner's foot and almost available for the taking...it was too much to bear! Beth had no idea as we talked and she bounced that leg and foot that barely held onto that flat that Natalie was standing right next to her lifting her own little foot up and trying to wedge it into that half empty shoe mid-bounce. I was laughing so hard. Poor Beth, had she known Natalie longer than 1 hour she would have (probably) gladly surrendered her shoe but she just had no idea of the angst she was causing our little footwear fanatic!
And finally, coloring! This child is a born artist! She is perfectly happy with paper (and anything will do...receipts I'd hoped to save, grocery lists that haven't been put to use yet, and occasionally, actual blank paper) and a writing utensil (pens are preferred but crayons will do). She will sit for an hour and just draw on anything and with anything she can find! I actually have to write lists and thank you notes when she's asleep or not looking because if she sees me reach for a pen I'll absolutely have to set her little "artwork hour" up!
What a delight getting to know her continues to be! She turned 22 months old on Tuesday...22 months...that is so almost 2 and I can't believe it!
3 comments:
This is the piece you need to send to that parenting magazine! It's hysterical--and it's not easy to make me laugh at 5am on a SATURDAY morning! I love our little trash-collecting, shoe-obsessed, artistic greeter! (And boy is she going to be excited when she sees all the "balls" on MY face today!)
While we were at the park over Thanksgiving weekend I did notice how obsessive she is about trash!! Each and every little piece had to be placed in the garbage! What a little angelic doll she is!!! And, green to boot!
Hi Ashley and Cory, she is beautiful-seems to have traits from her grandparents and that is a great gift.
Not sure about the picking up of trash, sounds like a rather bald headed gentleman that I know. Artist, would of course be from all of her grandparents---have a wonderful holiday. Jan J
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