Is this normal behavior?

I have a 16 month old daughter and she has been increasingly whiney and fussy. Some of her frustration I believe is due to her wanting to accomplish a task, but her motor skills have not quite caught up, so playtime seems to just frustrate her. We are constantly working on communication verbally and with sign language to help her tell us what she needs. I assume most of this is normal behavior, but I also worry too that it will never stop. Sometimes when the whining is for attention, I may ignore her, and then she may carry on after a few moments and be fine. Any tips from mommas out there? My patience is running out and I also feel like a terrible mom.