(28 Months) - 2 Years 4 Months

The most notable thing about the Bean's development in the last month is the emergence of tantrums. Fun stuff. Not. But you know what is? 98% of the other things she does and says ...

She likes:

Tunnels and bridges - and talking about going over them, under them, or through them.

Playing "petend" - pretending to eat cookies, make a ponytail, find a bunny, etc.

Giving massages - they feel surprisingly nice, and last 3 to 7 seconds.

Making me lie on the floor and read while she falls asleep - which I kind of like too; it's the only time I ever get to hang out with her without paying attention to her, our own version of mother/child parallel play.

Pooping in the big potty - which is nice if we don't have to wipe out and bleach that nasty green little potty.

Slacklining - which includes not only the actual slackline, but anytime she walks in a somewhat straight line, like on a curb, a crack in the road, or on the wooden vegetable garden.

Climbing climbing climbing - she's mastered the rope thing at the park, and climbs up on any surface she can.
Making us laugh - most notably with her "baby stinkface," which she is able to hold for an impressive few seconds as we bust a gut at her deadpan-style humor. Then she laughs with us, so pleased with herself.

She regularly says:

"What name?", or "What that man name?" - she wants to know EVERYthing's name, but refuses to just outright ask the person.

"Mama look." - all.the.time.

"Somepin' to eat." - again, all.the.time. I fear she has Prader-Willi (Rach will understand me here ).

"Why?" - did I already say all.the.time??

"Nightnight"  - she cries this every time she gets hurt or is upset, even though she doesn't actually want to go to bed
"You" for "me" and vice versa, although she recently started to be more accurate in her pronoun use.

Random things she said this month that I wrote down here:

Running down the street to the park, "I'm getting exercise!"

Francie: "Go poop on big potty."

Mama: "Yeah, if you put poop in the big potty I'll give you a tattoo."

F: "Don't look at you."

M: "Ok, we won't watch you."

F: "Why?"

M: "Because you just asked us not to."

F: "Why?"

Francie: "Mama draw me."

I trace her. 

Francie: "Need eyes."
I draw eyes.

Francie: "Draw my butt."
Even though it's a chalk outline with eyes on the front, I draw but cheeks and say, "okay, here's your butt."
Francie: "Draw 'gina."
Me, silent and confused about how to tell her that her vagina is not an essential part of her chalkline.

iPhone screenshots of text/email exchanges from Alex while I"m at work, which make me smile big, if not guffaw sometimes:

And my favorite rando photos from the last month that didn't get their own blog post ...

Out to eat with Beebee on the Columbia before his big France trip.

Night-night reading with Laura and Garret.

I've never seen her sit as still for as long as she did laying in this infant carseat, eating almonds and watching the World Cup.

Artist at work.

Sunny days, naked babies will play.

Seriously, you guys, she's a nudist.

Neked work.

Neked play.

99 degrees = baby pool.

"Petend"ing to be a dog.

Loungin' Take 1.

Loungin' Take 2.

Uncle (first cousin once removed) Ryan visits, and we have a Sauvie Island picnic.

Baby's First Pedicure. I think I'll keep my day job.

Sandy beach = sandy buns. A swim on the Columbia after a ride in "Pinecone," the "Sugar Pine" sailboat dinghy.

And some YouTube video clips: