Pa's going to love this one!

An outfit of her choosing:

(And, yes. She turned two. I'm getting there.)

a ponytail and the omnipresent black purse

... a good name for a band?

So we altered the 'tail to mimic a different mammal. Stay tuned for the upcoming pandatail. (Was that funny? No, it probably wasn't. I did stick with the "p" alliteration, so I get points, right? No? Shoot. Maybe some points for just trying? Yes? Awesome, thanks.)

My mom passed along my sister's black purse, which we now use to house aaaalllll sorts of important items during our backyard ventures. Despite its cumbersome nature, she seems determined to keep it with her. I wish I'd caught a good picture of her attempting to relocate the beach ball with the purse dutifully in the crook of her arm. That was a funny moment. But I guess you'll just have to believe me, despite the fact that it doesn't sound as funny as I apparently believe it was.
The moon on a pretty evening:
Josephine acting like she wasn't just readjusting Sean's sprinkler when he wasn't looking. Having caught her red-handed though, I warned him he'd better check the setting before turning it back on... (and yes, it is kind of sad that we're having to water in April. A little rain would be lovely.)

Lastly, just one of those calm, normal moments.

Well, "normal" until you start to question why that particular location was deliberately chosen as ideal for studying a pop-up book.

But I recommend limiting the amount you question a toddler's logic.

And I promise I'm aware that my kid turned two and that I'm kind of missing a post that acknowledges such an event. Don't worry. I'll get there.

take two.

My mom sent me some itty bitty hair ties, which successfully tempted me into another round of pigtails.

In case the pigtails weren't podunk enough, Josephine performed an extended piece of self-taught comb playing. See below. And in the last photo she's doing her finger-snapping dance move to show me exactly how musical her comb playing sounded.

I see a photo session with overalls and a washboard in her future.

book idea: authors, take note and get busy.

I've heard of helicopter parenting, and I try to avoid it.

But frankly, Josephine's the helicopter in this relationship-- not me. She monitors EVERYTHING I do. She narrates it, discusses it, debates it, protests it, tells me what I could be doing more to her liking... She's even endlessly concerned for my welfare-- always asking if I'm okay, even if I just dropped a spoon. Incessant hovering and intervening is the perfect description of my child.

Literally-- right now-- she is by my side and appears to be pointing out typos. I cannot escape.

So here: would someone PLEASE compose a children's picture book informing kids that they need to buzz off and let their parents figure things out for themselves?? At this rate, how will I ever reach my full potential of a self-actualized individual?

the success is debatable...

...but I tried.