Twenty-One Months

Dear June,

Today you taught me that picking up cottage cheese can actually be difficult.

You sang the ABC song to yourself and made it all the way up to S. Then you stumbled through the rest and sort of sang the ending with the "now I know" part.
You also sang three out of four verses to ring around the rosey, which I think may be your favorite song.

For breakfast, you ate a bowl of applesauce, wielding your spoon like a total pro. Speaking of coordination, you are getting pretty good at most everything. Every chair, conquered. Steps, you almost have them, but sometimes you second guess your new skills and want a hand for "holdie". So cool.

For dinner, you ate a handful of cheez-its, some orange juice, cottage cheese, broccoli, some chips, and a few bites of corn bread. Sheesh! While your Dad and I ate you wandered around the house peeking out from either side and making faces at us, then running and hiding again. Our house forms a circle from the dining room, to the kitchen, to the computer, to the 2nd bedroom, and then again the dining room. You like to wander around and surprise us. You also loved to be chased, especially by your Dad.
You have funny ways of walking that I wish I could share. Suffice it to say, you can walk kind of like a gorilla. You have another move from daycare with your arms flying backward - I think they call it airplane. Kid, you have a fantastic sense of humor.

You really like riding on the back of the bike with your Daddy.

You are really good at getting your way.
Jack, who owns the day care you attend said, "She's her own girl isn't she?" to Adam the other day. June, you really are. You have a mean independent streak and a lot of determination.

I really wish I got the exposure right on this photo above. :(
At Chris and Emery's wedding, you adored listening to the live acoustic guitar being played. You call music "meekah." We love it. We love you too.

Here is a story your Dad told about walking with you yesterday. I just learned it tonight. He had gotten you all ready to go swimming (at the hotel down the street) and decked you out in your new swimming suit and everything. On the way there it started to thunder and it seemed as though a monsoon storm was coming. So he turned you around and you were just fine with it (thankfully). But you did not want to be in your stroller anymore. So, he held you by one arm and pushed the stroller with the other, towel strown over his shoulder. And he thought to himself, "this is what it means to be a man." Marinate on that (as your Dad might say).

Junie, you have a really wonderful man for a father. We love you sweet pea. Happy Twenty-One Months!

Love,
Mom

PS Thanks for this reposting of a Nie post. It helped me write this, thinking of the little daily things I will want to remember in the future, and to enjoy them while they happen.