We've had such a full month it is hard for me to remember all the fun (and frustration probably) that we have had! All in the life of a toddler I suppose.
You enjoyed being at Art Camp with your preschool friends. You loved seeing your friend Emmy each day. It was great to bring home some neat artwork for our fridge! In a week or two you will get to do another fun camp at church.
We went to the cabin over the Fourth of July. Our holiday festivities got rained out but we still had a good time with Papa Tate and Beba there. You enjoyed showing off your "cavin" and the tree house playground. We went down and visited the stables too. We are so lucky to have a beautiful, peaceful place to visit from time to time.
When we came home I had a few more days off so we went on some adventures at home. We spent a day with Dalton and a few of his other friends. We rode the trolley in downtown Roanoke and went to the Taubman Museum for story-time and crafts. We had a picnic and then walked to the Peter Pan Park. You and Dalton just loved being together. It is nice that we are making friends here and I am thankful we were invited to spend that special day out and about exploring new things.
For the last few weeks we've had Ms. Candace watching you at home in the mornings while I go into the office. Since you already know Candace from doing music with her at church and preschool this has been a huge blessing! You've enjoyed playing all sorts of games with her each day from hide and seek to bubbles and water table in the yard. You like to turn the bubble blower on and then shoot the bubbles with your water sprayer. So inventive! You even like Candace enough to go potty for her some....will wonders never cease!
Our greatest adventure has been going to Montreat, your first trip. We accompanied Covenant's youth group for youth conference. You were absolutely in awe of the auditorium and the flags and music of opening worship. You loved to get out in the aisle and sing the songs. You were particularly happy to sing "Ten Thousand Reasons" which you had learned with Candace at VBS. It melted my heart to see you singing along and doing the motions you had learned. You were certainly the little darling of our section of the aud. One night as the scripture passage about Doubting Thomas was being read, you said loud and clear, "Hey, I know Thomas!" Oh honey, I laughed at that until I cried. So funny. You loved going to the "big big playground" (I knew you would) and I was delighted it was so close to one of the houses our group was staying in. By the end of the week you were telling me you were a teenager and calling them your friends. We were so fortunate to have Grams come down to the cabin halfway through the week so you got to spend Thursday and much of Friday with her. I know she loved seeing you as much as you loved being there with her and Uncle Ray. You also got to meet one of my favorite people, Bill Buchanan for the first time. Oh, to see you hug him goodbye.... all the feels. It doesn't seem so long ago that I was babysitting his children and they were your age. It did my heart god to see him. 
Sprinkled here and there have been our usual excursions to the playground and the library. You're getting quite good and climbing and playing on the playground. "I do it myself, Mommy." I think you've grown an inch this summer at least and you'll need new shoes again before long. Ms. Peggy always told me feet grow quickly in the summer. You've eaten your weight in popsicles several times over. You continue to get better at various things, from speaking in sentences to a vivid imagination. You continue to ask "why" incessantly, but I think it is getting better--I must be getting used to it. You love puzzles and ordering in restaurants. You have asked to go potty several times in public places which is a huge success in my book. Panda Bear is still the favored stuffed animal. Paw Patrol is still king in our house. Tonight you told me you wanted a hug and a kiss when I came in your room to check on you...and you insisted that I take all your sugars. Sweet boy. This mostly makes up for the bite marks you left on my belly yesterday.
Love you,
Mommy
