BOO

Now that your hair is finally long enough for pony tails, I've been doing them as much as you'll let me.  A funny thing happened once I started doing this.  An unusually large amount of people keep commenting that you look just like Boo, from the movie Monsters Inc. 

15 MINUTES

I wonder when the photographer will find a kid cuter than you to use in all of her advertising.  Until then, it's always entertaining to see your picture pop unexpectedly.  Kind of like when my wedding cake turned up in a Portland bridal magazine advertisement two years after your father and I got married.  Or when your father and I turned up in the company's website where we got our wedding cake...

JUNK IN THE TRUNK

I have a feeling it might be a faux pas to let a toddler run around a public fountain like Jamison Square, in a diaper and not a swim diaper. Unfortunately I forgot your swim diaper and even more unfortunate is that there was no way to hide this fact, thanks to your super-absorbent diaper.

LIFE LESSONS

Today I realized that I take many things for granted and am reminded daily that as a mom, I'm responsible for teaching you some common sense things.  Like why it's important to eat an ice cream cone from the top, and not the bottom...

THE MAYOR

It's only a statue of a former mayor of Portland, Vera Katz.  It's not one of those creepy statue people that spray paint themselves silver and stand still for hours on end collecting money.  Although I would have to agree with you, I don't know which is creepier, one of those men or this statue.   

PICK

We're still patiently waiting for you to outgrow the nose-picking stage.  I'm convinced your left nostril is a little bit bigger than the right because of all the picking as of lately. 

SAY WHAT?

You greeted me at the door tonight waving with one hand and the other hand no where in sight.  When I asked you where your other hand was, you casually replied,"In my butt."

Of course it was. Where else would it be these days? Now I'm left wondering two things.  One being, when will this phase stop?  Two being, who taught you the word "butt"?

WHAT'S YOURS IS MINE

What's the best part about going to the zoo an hour before the gates close on a rainy day?  Not having to share any of the toys in the sand pit!

DAREDEVIL

It's a little difficult making a bed when a 19-month old decides to do somersaults on it...

SANTA

These days any white-bearded man is Santa to you.  At the sight of the white beard, you immediately yell, "Santa" repeatedly, with your finger pointing directly at any man who shares no more in common with Santa, other than for the white beard.  To you, Santa shops at Costco, hangs out at the Max stop by the zoo, eats brunch at Gracie's, and walks the streets of downtown Portland.  And sometimes he's black or Asian.

Six months after Christmas, I'm surprised you even remember who Santa is.  I'm even more surprised that you're excited to see him.  Especially since your last visit with him wasn't the most enjoyable for any of us.

GROSSER THAN GROSS

What's gross?  You trying to play with the waste basket at See's Candies.  What's grosser than gross?  Turning around to find you licking the chocolate wrappers from the waste basket. 

NUTTY

How in the world did you wind up with a nut and egg allergy?  No nuts and egg whites...this puts a serious kink in my cooking repertoire.  I was banking on taking the easy way out of feeding you and had planned to use peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and scrambled eggs as the fall-back meals throughout your life.  Here's to hoping you outgrow these allergies...

SHOPPING SPREE

For Easter your Grand-Uncle David and Grand-Aunt Lori gave you a gift certificate.  A gift certificate with a stipulation...It could only be used on toys and other fun things for you.  It couldn't be used towards practical things like clothing or essentials like diapers.  It had to be something that's fun for you.  Fair enough and probably a good thing for you too.

Without this stipulation your Easter present would've been a new training toilet, lots of white socks, and bigger baby bibs.  Instead, you got...

A puzzle that makes lots of noises.

Your own laptop.  In hopes you quit pounding on ours.

And a musical sheep that is supposed to soothe you at night.  But only seems to upset you when we turn it on because you know it's bed time.  Musical sheep?  Not so much  fun for you.  2 out of 3 things that are fun for you?  Not bad.  It would've been 3 out of 3 had I not lost the receipt.  So, it looks like you're stuck with the musical sheep. 

CINDERELLA

Your latest activity?  Trying to run around the house in anyone's shoes but your own.