A month???

Wow, I can't believe it's been a month since I've updated. It doesn't feel like that long.

Your first trip to Lagoon with the Gough's.

We've had trips to the zoo with the Lafeen's.

Dinner at aunt Jodi's. (and Trevors). Our one an only family dinner there, since they have sold their house and are moving to (gulp) Utah county for the next 2-4 years. You loved playing in the sprinklers and on the neighbors slide. And the sparklers were new to you this year too.

Fishing trips with Grandpa Lafeen and Dad. I was surprised how well you did, sitting in a boat for 4 hours. But, you guys caught a lot of fish, or 'sea monsters' as you called them. (Catfish). I'm really not sure where the term sea monster came from, I'm guessing from Curious George?? At the end of the that trip you came home with a new and fun toy too.

We've had trips to the Air Force Museum with Grandma Hardcastle, and trip ON trains (Trax) to SEE trains (at the Union Station in Ogden) with Grandpa Hardcastle.

We've gone to the children's museum and swimming with Kathy (no pictures on that one).

It hasn't been all fun and games though. You had croup a couple of weeks ago, but got on a couple days of steroids which seemed to clear it up almost immediately. You woke up in the middle of the night, and I thought you were trying to throw up. It was such a loud, weird sound. But, then I heard the 'barking seal' cough I've heard so much about. I've thought a few times that you might have croup, by hearing you cough, but I new immediately what it was. I had no idea that a cough that sounds like a barking seal could ACTUALLY sound so much like a barking seal. You slept in our bed that night so we could hear your breathing. We've only done that one other time, when we were camping, and I don't think you or I got a lot of sleep, but your dad at least did.

We've had many days without our dad, and we have a few more before the end of the summer. You've learned how to say your dad's in Chicago and Michigan. This week we'll work on Washington D.C., and we'll end next month with Rhode Island. Between dad's 'real' job at Oracle and the Navy you've had a lot of mom time this summer.

You seem to come up with new things and cute things every day. Which thankfully, is balancing out some of the tougher times of being a toddler. I won't lie kid, this potty training thing is not easy. You seem to do really, really well... and then we have a day (or a week) where you really struggle. Basically, you just haven't been able to figure out that you need to tell someone when you have to go to the bathroom. So, it's just me guessing and getting you to go consistently -and coming and finding you when you're hiding.

This weekend you stayed at Grandma and Grandpa Hardcastle's while your dad and I had a date day (Lagoon and a movie) and went to church with them. While you were in the bath Grandma gave you the soap and you responded, "Thank you. You are a good grandma". You're still super happy when you wake up in the morning, take naps nearly

every day, and still go to bed pretty easily.

You love being outside, you'd stay out there all day if I'd let you. In fact, if we haven't gone 'someplace fun' for the day, you beg to go somewhere in the white car. You're definitely a 2 year old and we have our moments, but we sure love you! And, you D

O make life fun and interesting.