You are growing up.

you are getting really good at telling us what you want and need!

tonight, while you were hanging out with daddy, you brought him your box of wipes. when he asked you if you needed a new diaper, you nodded your head "yes." then you walked to your room ahead of daddy and went in and sat down on the floor, waiting to get a new diaper.

you are super interested in the bathroom and the toilet, and sometimes in the bathroom, you will say "poop," and look at the toilet. i will ask you if you want to sit on the potty, and you nod "yes," and you'll sit on there for a few minutes. you haven't gone in the toilet yet, with the exception of times that i've whisked you out of the the tub just in time or almost just in time, but it looks like you might be getting ready to want to start potty training. wow! we are super proud of you, even if you do decide to take a while.

love, mom

You have been under the weather today.

This is a picture of you from VBS last week, but i feel like it sort of expresses your sentiments from today. You've had a fever and have just seemed to feel kind of yucky. I don't think it's your teeth, because i'm pretty sure all of them have come through now. the new canines are like little pointy shark teeth.

anyway, most of the day, you've kind of been following me around, wanting to be picked up and held onto for a while. i hope you feel better soon; it makes us all sad when you are sick.
love, mom

Happy Fathers' Day!

You really do love your daddy, but you were not too enthusiastic about getting your picture made in your super cute "My Heart Belongs to Daddy" t-shirt. this top one is actually the nicest picture i could manage to get from you.

you can't really tell from this first picture of you and sam, but you are shaking your head "NO" in response to my coaxing you to smile for a picture. then you got up and ran off. you were really not in the mood. later, i tried again to get a good picture, but the only way you'd sit and not throw a fit about your picture being taken was if I gave you the toothpaste and your toothbrush to play with. i'm hoping someday you'll get a little more cooperative for special occasions! in any case, you looked pretty cute. and you really do love your daddy. and he loves you.

love, mom

you are going to have a baby boy cousin!

we went to visit your aunt michelle and uncle jeff, who are staying at grandma and papa's house for a few days. aunt michelle is having a baby boy in october. (your aunt keri is having a baby right around then too, so you will have two cousins smaller than you!)

we had fun visiting with them, but i don't think you had enough time there to really get warmed up to michelle and jeff. you spent a lot of time walking into the living room, peeking around the corner at them on the couch, then retreating back to the kitchen. hopefully when the baby is born, we can spend a few days with them.

aunt michelle didn't really want her picture taken, but here is a picture of you with papa. he played the guitar for you while you danced. and here is one of you and grandma.

you are more portable now

for a long time, you didn't seem to enjoy traveling very much. you cried a lot, and you didn't sleep very well in the car, or at our destination, because it wasn't home.

these days, however, you have been a much happier traveler. you still don't enjoy being strapped to a car seat for 12 hours, but we made it to indiana and back with relatively little angst.

the other day, i was looking at pictures from last year's indiana trip, and boy have you and sam grown up a lot.






everything is much different, when you can walk and run around. and when you are big enough to eat candy.

you have so much fun with your big brother. you like to follow him around and do whatever he does. you like to jump on the bed with him and throw yourself down. i think that you two will always be good friends.