18 & 19 Months

I had really intended to write a big ONE AND A HALF YEARS OLD! post last month.  I really did.  Life, however, had different intentions and I was emotionally and physically exhausted since our bout of bad luck started in April.  Nothing was going right due to external forces and I was sick of being frustrated, tired and sad for 2 months straight.  However, over this past weekend things have really picked up and there has been fun, joy and a lack of broken appliances in our house.  It has been amazing!  My dad did fall 20 feet out of a tree, but he seems totally unscathed thankfully.  That could have been really bad.

Enzo, on the other hand, has been healthy and doing all sorts of smart and active things ALL THE TIME.  He surprises me every day with all the words and signs he pulls out of his little peanut brain.  He jumps off furniture, loves to ride his push tricycle, runs around the house in circles while babbling and sometimes even plays independently.  He just started experimenting with imaginative play which is super duper cute.  Baby Sweet-Feets (current nickname) is the class clown at school and remains a picky eater.  He has 16 teeth as of last weekend (the canines look like little gremlin teeth).  He's into watching videos on Youtube, and can watch this one over and over if we let him.  He really cannot get enough of those dogs.    

And now for the reason you all stop by here....

We'll start in May when we were Michigan the first time.

By far my favorite picture of the summer!

At Meijer Gardens in Grand Rapids

Observing goats at the zoo and feeding our friends' chickens in Detroit

Back in California it was HOT.  Staying cool except for the hiking boots he insisted on wearing.

And now we're in June, officially 18 months old.

Loves tricycles - this was actually at a restaurant.  And eating plain tofu.  Hey, whatever he will eat.

 Back in Michigan helping make strawberry shortcake for 150 people for Pat's memorial.  Strawberries are his passion.

Back at Meijer Gardens.  These swim trunks kill me!!

Grandpa Angelo brought out the rocking horse he made and that I played with as a child.  Enzo loved it.

Does Grandma Tweet-Tweet dress like a toddler boy or does Enzo dress like a grandma?  You decide.

Organic California strawberries are his jam!  (pun intended)

His "where is it" gesture.  THE CUTEST GAME EVER!!!

Helping dad shop at Trader Joe's while mama works.

Ollalaberry picking with dad.  Loved the box of dirt most of all.  And yes, dad did put a temporary tattoo on him.

And we've been making some amazing food this summer!  Mexican tofu scramble with refried beans and cilantro salsa was a hit.  Summer produce is in full swing as is our garden.  LOVE IT!

Ollalaberry pie before being put in the oven.  This is Jake's favorite pie (made for the first time last year) and shall be made every summer from now on.

Next up on the blog, some shots of the garden and other summertime activities!