(53 Months) - 4 Years + 5 months

In MI catching lightning bugs, we were talking about why we released it from the jar:

Me: "We caught it in the jar because it's fun to watch and study the bug, like scientists."

F: "I'm a scientist! When I grow up I'm going to be a Science Teacher!"

Me: "That sounds like a fun job. But you could also be a scientist."

Alex: "Yeah, you could be a scientist who studies lighting bugs."

Me: "That could be really cool. That job is called entomology. Some people go to school for a really long time and learn everything there is to know about a certain bug, like a lighting bug." 

F: "I'm a bug scientist!"

Cuddling on the couch with her arms wrapped around me before Quiet Time:

"Mommy, I just want to put my arms in your armpits forever. I just love you so much."

Me: "Oh I just love you soooo much!" 

F: "Does your heart feel like fireworks?"

Trying my glasses on:
"Everything is so blurmy."

"Daddy, can I just pop my head in that store for a sec?"

Looking out the window at Brian and Jen's house:
"Soooo, is this America?

When addressing her daddy, she now says:
"Alex ..."

While 'helping' Zahavah change Hazel's diaper:
"Oop, just a little shart. Just a little one."

While taking a Francie/Hazel selfie in BIRI:
"I'm such a good big sister. I wanna be even CLOSER than sisters. Even CLOSER than twins. I think she loves me."

Randomly, with her daddy:

F: "is my skin brown?"

A: "nope."

f: "but some people have brown skin." 

A: "yeah."

F: "and some people have black skin." 

A: "uh huh."

F: "and some people have skin like mine."

A: "yup."

Francine: "Who's that?"

Me: "It's Hilary Clinton, she'll be our FIRST female president."

Francine: "I'll be the last!!"

Alex and I both laugh. 

Francine: "Or the second!"

After helping me bake a penis cake, the next morning at breakfast with Alex:
"Can't I have just the tip?"

At Erika's wedding:
"I reeeeally want to keep dancing but I'm just so tired."

A Logan quote, actually, which Francie then kept repeating, when they were staying in the queen-sized bed together in Manzanita, their first sleepover:
"We're just gonna sleep like a husband and wife."

"I wish I had a tail ... So I could bounce in it." (Tigger reference).

She looooooves the water. Puts her face under. Even opens her eyes!

"I'm like a mer-girl."

This has been her most adventuresome month yet! She covered many miles, including somewhere in there Michigan, Block Island, Erika's wedding, backpacking/family camping, Manzanita, swim lessons ...

She saw Finding Dory with Mama and Beebee. 

She visited the doctor to have her dark ear mole checked out, which both the pediatrician and the dermatologist said looks fine. She got weighed/measured: almost 35 lbs and almost 40 inches. 

And my most favorite photos from the last month, although most are repeats from one of the vacation posts ...

Francie's rendition of our family, with "two babies in your belly!"

Good camera portraits.

The Chippewa room!

UP cottage.

UP cottage.

First firefly!

State Beach, Block Island.

Cousin watermelons!

Fruit eating fruit.

Could NOT stop loving on Hazel.

Dinner at Eli's, charming the pants off any tourist who walked by.

Cuzzie love.

Headphones and Hillary.

Minnie Mouse dress from Great Aunt Mary Ann.

And she just happened to match Baby Finley!

In mama's new front porch throne, thanks to daddy.

Baking a penis cake.

Francine, Finley, and Hannah.

Close Fam at E+K wedding.

My favorite flower girl.

Cuttin' a rug.

First backpack overnighter.

BFF's with Mila at Family Camping.

Manzanita sunshine.

Passed the fuck out in the heat. Alex bought those sheets.

"Special" mama time when daddy is away - eating in front of the TV, The Mindy Project no less.

Monthly "4" photo.

Mermaid swim bottoms and long-sleeve rashguard is the answer to my childhood sunburns.