melted smoosh

i think it was around age eleven that i first wrote down a bucket list of sorts, including such varied accomplishments as visiting Antarctica, getting my hair highlighted, and getting a tattoo. (you can probably guess which of these things i've actually managed to do.) but when i turned 29 last September, i didn't have any particular goals in mind for the year. leave it to Jon to start working on a 30 Before 30 list in April, just five months before my big 3-0. not to be outdone, i created my own list and managed to complete all but two items on it. this has truly been one of the most fun and fulfilling summers of my life as i raced the clock to visit new places, try new restaurants, learn new skills and, in short, do all those things i always say i've been meaning to do. in coming up with my list, i tried to think about my own short term and long term personal goals, and also about what i would do if i were a tourist in my own city. and as for the two things that just didn...

i'm sure the day is coming when Greta will lie to me about something ... or scream that i'm a mean mommy ... or sneak off to do something verboten. but today, i'm soaking up the sweetness of toddlerhood.  the fact that she spontaneously kneeled during the Eucharistic prayer this morning (when usually she sits on the kneeler or stands right next to me), and how she looked up at me with a huge smile to make sure i noticed her.  the moment she exclaimed, "Jesus!" during the homily.  her dramatic narration as she  pushed the Power button on the TV: "uh oh! what issss it? what happened? oh no!" her alternating requests for me to sing "Jesus" and "gor-ly" on our drive home from the grocery store this afternoon ("Jesus Loves Me" and the "Glory To Thee" text to the Thomas Tallis canon), and the undeniable plea for "more sahn! more sahn!" (more song).  oh, sweet girl. i hope you never stop singing. 

dear Sweetpea, this month you've had a language explosion! you repeat what we say (for better or for worse), and it's clear that you're starting to put together more abstract concepts like emotions. if you hear Daddy's alarm go off in the morning, you stop whatever you're doing and say, "Daddy! Beep beep! Daddy sleeping? Daddeeeeeeee!" the other day, you said "Where daddy go?" i told you, "He's at work, honey." and you said, "Daddy church?" smart girl. last but not least, i pointed to the crucifix in our dining room one day and asked you who it was. you weren't sure, so i told you it was Jesus. you said, "Jesus stuck? Jesus boo-boo?" out of the mouths of babes. He loves you so much, baby girl!   you can put your socks on, and sometimes take them off. you love putting buckles together (for example, in shopping cart seats or restaurant highchairs) and frantically ask for us to unbuckle them so you can r...

dearest Sweetpea, summer's in full swing and you're loving every minute! we kicked off this month with a trip to Living Treasures Animal Park in Ligonier with Nana. you got to feed the kangaroos, pet the zebra, and wave to the monkeys. you even went on your very first pony ride! i walked beside you, but you did a good job holding on by yourself and keeping your balance. by the end of our visit, you were more interested in eating the baby carrots yourself than in giving them away to the animals.  we made another trip to Idlewild, and this time we visited the new Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood attraction. we watched the lifesize trolley come and go several times before it was our turn. you were so excited to go through the tunnel and come out the other side! (now, any time I ask you where you're going, you say "tunnel!".) you sometimes watch Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood on Netflix, so you were happy to see O the Owl, Prince Wednesday, and the other ne...

dearest Sweetpea, we're into the full swing of summer and you love it! just like last summer, you're staying home with Daddy on Mondays and Wednesdays while i work. you're excited to see all your friends at school on Fridays -- in fact, one morning when we were walking into the building, you said "fwends! fun!" as much as you enjoy it there, you love your time with Daddy even more. you read lots of books, play outside, and sometimes, Daddy even lets you help work on the car.  you love doing the hokey-pokey, ring around the rosie, and "row, row, row your boat" (you sit facing me and "row" your arms back and forth). lots of times you'll start dancing on your own, but as soon as we join in, you stand there and look at us like we're crazy. sorry to break it to you, kiddo -- we are!  you're pretty good about saying thank you ("doodee"), and you like to count aloud. usually it goes something like this: "o...

dear Sweetpea, you're now officially a toddler! and boy, are you busy. you love  to run around the house, or run around outside, or run around the church narthex after mass, and sometimes you'll announce "wun! wun!" to make sure everyone notices how fast you're going. i bet you wish that i wouldn't notice you running across the coffee table or climbing to stand on top of our upright piano, but alas! you don't get away with those shenanigans. i love watching you explore and develop strength and balance! you still love going down slides, and often times you'll say "whee!" right before you let go of the sides and go down all by yourself. milestones for this month include walking on your tiptoes, walking backwards, and trying to jump (although only one foot ever leaves the ground at one time, so it looks more like a frenetic stomp). at your 18 month well visit, you weighed 22 lbs (50th percentile) and measured 33 inches tall (82nd percenti...

dearest Sweetpea, with the warmer weather, you're absolutely loving spending time outside! it's no coincidence that you say "sigh" for both "outside" and "slide", since you could easily spend an hour going up and down the hand-me-down Little Tikes slide our neighbors generously gave us. sometimes you get to the top of the slide and just sit there, calmly surveying your domain. it must be fun to see the world from a new vantage point!  you also love to "help" Daddy with yard work, picking up leaves and trying to use the rake. you're intrigued by caterpillars, ants, and any creepy-crawly thing, although the texture of grass on your barefeet still gives you the shivers sometimes.  your sense of humor cracks us up. sometimes you'll walk around with an exaggerated strut (and check over your shoulder to make sure we're watching). other times, you'll be giving your baby doll her pretend bottle, when you suddenly pu...