July 2016 -- Grandma and Grandpa came to visit!

Happy July! 

(even though it's now August...sorry, Daddy's been busy with a new job).

Zoe is nearly TWO and she's growing up so much!

Our little angel is a talker!

She's got lots of new words and she loves to share them all!

We still love going for walks around the neighborhood together.

One afternoon Zoe surprised me by grabbing my hat and twisting 

it around backwards.

Exactly the way I used to wear hats when I was younger.

Mama's friend, Liz, came to visit and they explored Los Angeles together!

They even went to visit a space shuttle and Zoe kept yelling,

"IT'S SO BIG!"

(in fairness, I'm told the Astronauts did the same thing)

She was right.

We've kept some of Zoe's toys from her youth and 

this month she tried them out, now that she's a big girl.

For reference, about a year ago:

But let's come back to 2016 because 

GRANDMA AND GRANDPA CAME TO VISIT!

Zoe was so happy to see them!

She's been video chatting with them each weekend, but 

this is so much better!

She was so happy she offered to pick up dinner one night.

Or at least...help carry it. 

Grandma and Grandpa rented a beach house and we all went to visit!

Occasionally Dada and Zoe got some alone time with the ocean.

Zoe quickly found the piano and couldn't wait to start playing.

Grandma came to help teach her how to play.

Then Grandpa joined the band!

Grandpa quickly figured out that any good band needs...

Guitar.

So he decided to teach Zoe how to play.

Check out how well she did!

                                  

Then it was time for some Grandpa Horsey rides.

Add in some hugs from Grandma...

And, of course, lots of reading.

And a little play-doh moustache action...

And you have the perfect recipe for vacation!

The next morning we went to a playground together.

Nobody swings like Grandpa.

Back in LA, Zoe discovered that she loves super-strong garlic sauce.

Sorry to any of you who guessed, "VAMPIRE."

And she found some boots and just had to try them on!

She also discovered the joys of corn on the cob.

I like that she's holding it like a running back holds a football.

And, someday someone will erect statue of "Zoe holding Watermelon."

I'll leave you with a video of Zoe going down a slide.

Time to get some sleep...her birthday party is in the morning!

May and June

Zoe has grown up so much these past few months!

Zoe knows she has big things coming as a 2 year-old 

so over the past few months she learned how to fall asleep

by herself.

She also started leaning how to use the potty.

Unfortunately, Ernie still needs diapers.

She's also learned a thousand new words 

and loves to share them all with us!

Now that she's almost two, Zoe decided she should probably get a job.

She's a big fan of the movie, "Don't Tell Mom The Babysitter's Dead."

One weekend, Zoe asked to meet some bunnies.

Luckily there were a couple who didn't seem to mind visitors.

Speaking of large animals, we went to the zoo one morning 

to attend a class on Animals and their habitats.

Zoe was so excited she practically pulled the doors off the place.

They took us around and showed us where 

several different animals slept at night.

Then they took us to meet CJ the Tiger.

CJ decided that he wanted to invite Zoe to come play in his room.

So we went around back and got to see CJ's house!

Then we said hello to the elephants.

And they said hello back.

And, of course, you can't leave the zoo without

a ride on the carousel!

Hi, Dada!

Zoe liked seeing the animals so much

she invited one back to our house.

And he invited his friend, Mr. Butterfly.

Zoe loves our neighborhood so much.

She goes for walks every day and loves to explore.

There's a practice field in the Equestrian Center behind our house

with a fun, grassy hill that she loves to climb.

It's so far to climb!

Once she gets to the top...it's all downhill from there!

Dada -- here I come!

Zoe also loves hearing the water fall into the fountains.

More than anything, Zoe loves to swing.

Back at home, Zoe spends her free time coloring, listening to music,

and reading books.

Recently she discovered play-doh.

Recently, I discovered Mama is a play-doh savant.

The snow man has a hat.  A HAT.

Tea Parties are daily around 4pm.

Anyone reading this is invited, but you might have 

fight Ernie for a cucumber sandwich.

I'll leave you this week with a candid photo of our little angel.

Sometimes at home, things get quiet and we peek around the corner to see

her sitting on her stool, listening to music and reading a book.

How in the world did we ever get so lucky?