15 months old!

I am fifteen months old. Here's what you need to know all about me this month:

I like to try to say "doctor" but I actually do not like going to see him very much. He lets me play with the stethoscope but I still cry -- and those shots are the worst!

I am a big girl -- 75th percentile (though I've still got that pea head). People comment on how tall I am all the time!

Right on my 15 month birthday I decided that walking is better than crawling. I think I was inspired by a cute little girl named Azaria who I met at the library -- she kept running away from me and laughing. We had so much fun!

I have given up on avocados as my favorite food now that I discovered ICE CREAM! It is the best. My parents took me to Ollie's for frozen custard on my 15 month birthday -- most of these pictures are from there.

I have mastered a toy that I've had for a long time now with little colored sticks that fit into holes and jump if you push them. (Thanks, Stephanie and Juliette!) I'll show you if you come over to play.

The elephant slide in the backyard is the best thing ever. I ask to go out there a lot and cry if we don't get to. I also love the park and enjoy climbing on a lot more of the equipment than Mom approves of.

I nod my head to say "yes" and shake it to say "no." But right now I mostly say "yes" to everything because I love doing new things!

Jumping on the bed is so fun. I don't know why adults don't do it all the time.

Mom put all of my toys and books into bins on a new bookshelf in my room so things will be more tidy. Guess what I really love to do?

I like to climb up on the furniture whenever I have a chance. Mom and Dad do not seem to be big fans of this for some reason.

I don't say very much but I've learned lots of new words lately, like mountains and Obama and head rub and knees. I do like to say "dip dip dip" when I get to dunk my food into ketchup -- yum! And I like to point out the birds I know in books: crows, herons, and cardinals.

One of my very favorite books to read right now is a book with pictures of me from the day I was born. I am pretty sure I was the cutest baby ever.

Can't wait to see what I'll be doing next month! I'll be sure to tell you all about it.

finger painting.

More like "everything but my fingers" painting.

Colorado: play time

Even though Jason was at the conference a lot, we managed to get a lot of time together as a family, even when it was just grabbing lunch in between his conference sessions.

Isn't it cute how Jason and Lorelei make the same facial expressions? Gotta love the dimples.

Also, thanks to Hannah (see our previous post!), Lorelei and I found a fantastic little playground at the 29th Street Mall. No rocks/sand/woodchips to bother her, toddler-sized equipment shaped like trees and animals, and right next to Starbucks. She cried when we left!

Colorado: friends

We were very lucky to have some time with friends while we were in Boulder:

Lorelei and I spent the afternoon with Jill, a math teacher from P2P, and her daughter Sadie, who just turned one. Don't they look like they could be related?

We got to see a bunch of teachers up at school on Friday, and then were lucky enough to have brunch with Kristie, Kurt, and Carla on Saturday morning at a great place in the Ideal Market area.

On Sunday afternoon, Lorelei got to meet Mary's sons Cooper and Brady (and their dog Wendy!) and play to her heart's content in their sandbox.

Colorado: hiking

We took two hikes as a family while we were in Colorado -- the first up on Shanahan Ridge, near where we used to live, and the second in Chautauqua. Lorelei loves riding in the Ergo as a back carrier and would put her hands up in the air like she was on a rollercoaster. We couldn't have asked for more perfect weather!

Colorado: the first 24 hours.

 First afternoon in town -- we were all crazy tired and it was seriously hot, but we made a stop at "Rocket Ship Park" (aka Scott Carpenter) for a little bit of fun before checking into the hotel. Lorelei seemed unimpressed.

Why are they smiling like this, you ask? Breakfast at the Southside Walnut Cafe, of course.

 Outdoor adventures! Lorelei and I did a lot of exploring together while Jason/Daddy was at his conference. Apparently inspired by the mountains, Lorelei decided she wanted to climb everything in sight, safe or not. Here she is in the shadow of the foothills with her first attempt at bouldering (pun definitely intended).

Playing in the fountain on Pearl Street -- Lorelei was too nervous to actually go into the water part, but she seemed to enjoy standing and pointing at all of the other kids. Another little boy was enamored with her (and our entourage -- see below) and kept coming up to say hello and give us hugs.

Lorelei and I were lucky enough to get to spend the afternoon with Hannah and Lena, aka The Lorelei Fan Club. (I think they have t-shirts.) We paraded up and down Pearl Street together and they were awesome with her -- playing with the big rocks in front of Peppercorn, pushing her stroller that was too short for me (thanks, Lena), and putting up with her tired/cranky ways. Afterwards, Lorelei and I had dinner together at BJ's Brewery -- pretty proud that we both made it through that one relatively unscathed. Thank goodness for interesting foot traffic and an attentive waitress! Before we left, two drunk girls told Lorelei she had the most beautiful eyes and that she should "always remember that." Documenting it here for posterity!

where has the summer gone?

It's been a whirlwind of a summer! LOTS of Colorado photos to update you with -- but here are a few gems from some fun times we had before our trip:

dinner with some friends -- Jason handling three kids at once while the other adults hung out ;) 

visit from a Peak to Peak friend, Heather, on her way to the east coast! Lorelei was particularly excited that she brought her cat, Mephisto, along for the ride.

In front of the courthouse in Geneva -- we managed a fun weekend morning there for brunch and the farmer's market but only got pictures in this rather lackluster location. Oh well. (By the way, that's not a real tattoo I'm sporting, in case you were wondering or worried.)

Lorelei exhibiting her newfound passion for climbing -- more on this later!

Watching the horse and carriage go by -- we need one of these in DeKalb!