These photos need no explanation...
Last time when we were at Toys R' Us, Natalie became very excited and worked up about all the different things she could identify like "boh-boh" (balls) and "woah-woah" (dogs) and "fah-fah" (flowers). She walked everywhere, yelling and waving her arms, and very importantly pointing out these objects to us. She is learning new words every day.Watch Video 149 of Natalie reading through a book of first words, identifying her favourites objects and turning the pages.
Just yesterday, I came home after work and looked at Natalie who was super cute, clean and fresh after a bath, and I suddenly realized that she is no longer a little baby, but undeniably now a small child. She talks (can identify several objects clearly), walks well, and her head is no longer too big for her body which has lengthened to just a couple inches shorter than her 2.5 year-old cousin Vanessa. How did this happen? More specifically, when did this happen? Also, last night, around 2:30am, I felt a small hand tapping my shoulder, waking me up. I looked over and Natalie was wide awake. She opened and closed her hand several times (sign language for "milk"). I asked her "Do you want milk?" and she did the signal again. So told her I would be back and she lay quietly on the bed as I left and then quietly drank her milk when I returned. When she was finished her bottle, she said, "Ma-ma," and handed the empty bottle to me, popped her thumb into her mouth and went back to sleep. Amazing!Natalie walking around, trying to get "in" with the boys crowd playing at QQ Club.
All the other boys were older than her and spinning circles around her. They were fast! She looked on in fascination (mouth open most of the time).
This boy is 7-years old and was super nice to Natalie. He helped pick up her little bouncy ball. He was very patient because as soon as he gave it back to her, Natalie would throw it again and then walk after it calling "Boh-boh! Boh-boh!", and he would go and pick it up for her again.
Poor Natalie could only watch as the other boys raced around her. She's not big enough to move the car while sitting on it and was happy pushing the car ahead of her. One bright point is she can now walk backwards while holding the car (and not always be stuck against the wall any more).

Parents always claim their babies can speak certain words, and occasionally people don't believe us when we tell them "Natalie said ____!". Some people think it's just our active imaginations. Watch Video 148 of Natalie saying "Turtle".
Natalie loves to learn! Whenever she learns to do something new, she is super happy and pleased and will often laugh and clap for herself. But, when Natalie is trying to learn something new and not quite getting it, she can get very frustrated and grumpy and complain and even cry. Watch Video 147 of Natalie trying to put two markers together. When she can't do it, it really upsets her, but when she gets it, she is super happy!
Thanks to Clark to downloading (and then uploading) the below videos of Natalie. You can see she has grown alot in the last few weeks. It's amazing to see the changes in her!Watch Video 143 and Video 144 of Natalie feeding herself. With a little help and lots of encouragement (clapping and cheering from her adoring audience and also from herself), Natalie has started to learn to feed herself. She's not super coordinated and sometimes the food will drop off the spoon before it reaches her mouth, but it's a great start :)Watch Video 145 of Natalie standing up by herself. Although she's been walking by herself for a while now, she only learned to stand up (without pulling herself up on anything) recently while in Taipei. Watch Video 146 of Natalie playing in the pool. We went swimming every day and everyone had a nice little tan after the trip.
While in Taipei, we spent a lot of time with our close family there. It was really nice to see everyone again (we missed you!) and also great for Natalie to meet all her aunties and uncles again and hang out. Natalie with Nai-nai, Clark, and Tai-por cuddling close on the couch in our hotel room.
Tai-por playing with Natalie. Natalie loves playing with Tai-por. They seem drawn to each other (maybe because they look exactly the same!)
Natalie laughing and giggling when Tai-por tickles her.

Natalie playing with Ching-por. She's very interested in what Ching-por has in her hands. She'll watch for a short while before demanding the interesting object be passed to her.
Good thing Ching-por has a toy drawer that has been around for 30 years and played in by her daddy, and numerous uncles and older cousins. Natalie was kept very busy by the toys in that drawer.
Natalie also spent a lot of time with Auntie Ann who showed her all the magnets on the fridge and looked through lots of photos with her. It was so sweet to watch them play together.
4 look-a-likes and one Tracy pose for a family photo. Cheese!

Natalie hanging out with Auntie Amy. Auntie Amy just came back from Malaysia and we were really lucky to meet up on our last night there.
Uncle Joseph, Ann's mother, and Auntie Ann with Natalie. At this point, Natalie was very grumpy and sleepy. Look at her trying to wriggle away.
Nai-nai, Natalie, and Tracy pose for a photo before heading out for lunch. This was our last meal in Taipei and on my request, we had Western (I was all asian'd out by then). We had salad, ravioli, and shepherd's pie at Carnegie... yum!
Natalie with Nai-nai. She likes to kiss the jade necklace that hangs around Nai-nai's neck.
The above photo was taken right before we said thank you to Nai-nai and kissed her good-bye and got on the Tai-Yo bus for the airport to head home. Thank you so much to Nai-nai for helping to take care of us and Natalie for the past 2 weeks while our helper was on vacation. See you again soon!