What happened to June?

And, just like that, June disappeared beneath us.  I'm honestly not sure where it went.  My calendar says your dad was out of town for a week, in Philadelphia, and that we went to Asheville for a weekend, and that we spend most of the last week of June in the mountains with my whole family.  There were trips to the pool and the playground and the zoo.  Work has been slow, and we're gearing up for our trip to Scotland in August and our move to DC in September.  Even so, a whole month and change has passed since I last checked in.

I think you've had a growth spurt.  Your legs are longer, and your clothes are starting to either fit properly or get a little tight in places.  You spent this last first month of your second summer running about in shorts and dresses and chunky sandals, your legs so strong and sturdy.  You want to walk everywhere, holding someone's hand, and you've fallen a good bit and skinned your knees.  You had to wear band-aids for the first time, and you (mostly) ignored them.

You are in love with water.  Trips to the pool thrill you.  You also love a good splash park, and you can spot a fountain from a mile away.  In the early evenings, before your dad gets home from work, you and I sit on the back deck and play with ice.

You also love animals, specifically cats and goats and small furry animals of all kinds.  You love books about animals, and you will stroke the animals in the books and put your face against them.  As a result of this new-found love, you've been invading Norma's space more than ever, but she's tolerated it as well as she's able.  You love to give her hugs, when she lets you.

Finally, you are inching, little by little, towards actually talking.  You understand almost everything we say--I think--and you have a small vocabulary of words that you use regularly.

Hi ("ai!")
Hello ("eyo!")
Bye-bye
Pop Pop
Night night ("ny ny")
Mama
Dada
Owl
Banana ("nana")
No ("nyeh!")
Up

And here are some photos from our trip to Bonclarken with the family:

And here you are at the Asheville splash park:

And here you are at the zoo:

Keep growing, beautiful girl.  Though you never stop moving, you are our still point.