18 Months

Dear Scarlett,

Today is your 18 month birthday.  You haven't changed as much physically over the last few months- your hair and face and height seem the same, but your mind proves that you're growing.  Every day you're saying new words and phrases.  Yesterday it was 'hold on'.

This was a month of important birthdays.  You've learned the word 'party' and you say it, often.

Hope's birthday party was supposed to be at the Mt. Tabor playground, but it was pouring rain that morning.  So the party was moved indoors, and was a hit.

Dressed fancy for Hope's party

Opening presents

Hope's forest-themed cupcakes

The next weekend, Lucy turned 2. We celebrated at another park on a gorgeous summer day. I'm sorry baby, with a February birthday, you might never get an outdoor party.  But Lucy's was lovely; you ate an obscene amount of strawberries, and ran around chasing balloons.

Next up was Uncle Tom's birthday, celebrated at Foster Burger.

We celebrated Jon's birthday, and had another Foster Burger outing for your dad's birthday*

What else?

• We took you to see the Indigo Girls, your first concert, at the zoo.  You stayed up late that night, danced with cousin Hope, and were a real champ.  
• Aunt Sally and Uncle Tom renewed their vows at the Wahkeena Falls, in a very sweet, informal ceremony.  I'm so glad you were so there to celebrate the occasion.  

In the past month you also:

• Met your cousins CJ and Logan for the first time, when they came to visit from South Carolina*
• Are now able to drink from a cup you hold herself, adult-style
• Gained proficiency with a straw
• Are still sleeping with a sippy cup (every night 'tea, tea')
• Started saying Ramona's name.
• Have been growing out of everything!

Your favorite food starting out this month was blueberries, but this week you aren't so interested in them.  Daddy thinks your favorite food is sunbutter.  I think it's popsicles.  

We have this book, A Flower Pot is Not a Hat, and it describes your days perfectly.  You love playing with my purse and every day when I get home, you run excitedly to the door.  Mama mama, you say.  And once I step inside, you say 'purse, purse'.  You take each item out and examine it, use the hand lotion, try to open the mirror.  Mama's purse is not a toy...but if you play with it, it is.

You've learned so many words but my favorite is 'borrow', which you said about 30 times on a trip home from the library.  Daddy taught you to say 'octapus'.

Your daddy and I love you more than anything.  

Mama

*Events worthy of their own blog post