month 17

What a developmental explosion this month has been. Talking, climbing, figuring stuff out are just the tip of the iceberg. She is surprising us every day with a new word or new desire. It's very cool to be a part of, but is also kind of unnerving, watching such a whirlwind of change and growth happen right in front of you. She's a kid now, really a kid, and I am a bit surprised. For so long, I thought of babies, and being the youngest meant I didn't have much experience with kids. Maybe this is blindsiding me a bit because it's my own kid. Maybe I'm properly awed at how wide open her future is or that I'm realizing how much work being a parent is going to be.

But on to what she's actually doing: playgrounds every day, tons more climbing and self-assured exploring, throwing balls, trying to blow bubbles, a swimming class with Shannon. In terms of food, she's loving beans (red and pinto), our homemade bread with honey, will try anything chocolate, chicken cooked in the slow cooker, rice, peanut butter on bread to name a few. This doesn't mean that she's always eating a lot. Often she says the word no to 90% of the choices offered to her at any meal, but if you pull back to the weekly view, then she's eating well and often.

So many more words! At the deli counter, she's shouting HAM as you are in fact purchasing ham. She'll hold up her bread for more peanut butter (likes to lick it off). She knows her body parts. She will mimic clapping at the dogs when they are wrestling. She greets them each morning by name. Granted lots of her words sound similar. Bubble, bath, and birdie are very similar, but we are all working on understanding each other. Books often have to be read over and over. As soon as you close the cover, she demands again.

The trip to St. Louis was jam packed with family, plus a friend visit and a movie (Up in 3-D). PJ was a champ on the car trips and with all the familial obligations that cut into her nap times. Also, I had a sewing class 4 out of the 5 Monday nights in June which left PJ to go to bed alone with Shannon. These bedtimes went well, with at most 15-20 minutes crying at the max. Here's a cute picture of Ellen & Nathan at dinner:


We started getting a CSA box, one that we are sharing with our good friends Kelly & Kelley. We are getting the spring stuff now and they get the rest. It's super fun to see what comes in each week. Shannon may now like chard.


I may have to go back to weekly updates when I'm home with PJ because I feel like I forget so much by the end of the month. I only have three weeks of work left and it's boggling my mind! This job that I've loved and despised and yet stayed at for 8 years. What am I going to do next? I'm very excited to be thinking about this.

Here are some of my favorite pictures from June: