Much Celebration

Zach - Of Note

• Zach has started strapping his animals in the car now - penguin and teddy bear (aka Katija)
• He's still waking up VERY early. I used to convince him to let Daddy sleep, but that doesn't work much anymore. We're all up at 6:20/6:25 am and this week it's been more like 6am. On 7/14 - maybe - I had a bit of a breakthrough and told him it was too early. He peed, and then got back in bed. I've heard him talking, but he hasn't gotten back out of bed and it's 6:53am, so....
• We visited Clemyjontry for the first time in a long time and the train was back up and running.

• Zach started using old shoelaces to lead us around the house “on the butterfly” like he does at school. 
• I took him to the shoe store to get fitted for new shoes since we think the lack of fit may be causing some of his accidents. We had lunch at La Tolteca. Yum!
• Some mornings we read books together in “Mommy’s bed." Faves have been: Journey and One Red Dot 
• He has a new move. I call it the hop turn. 
• More injury. He fell into a rock wall foothold in the big gym and cut his eye. Daycare insisted I take him to the doctor. They told me he said they should call me since "Daddy already has a boo boo." No stitches needed, but he did have bruising on his eyelid. 

Several sunny weekend
days playing in the
fountain at Lake Anne

• Zach has mentioned being scared this month - of monsters and the noise we made one night in the laundry room (below his bedroom) just after he went to bed
• He got the hiccups and said he was hick-upping (wrong emphasis) and then hicking up too! Tee hee.

Zach - Potty Training ('cause I know you're dying for an update!)

• It's still going great. For a while, he'd say, when I put him on regular sized potties, “you'll hold on to me?” So sweet.
• He now prefers to say "pee coming."
• He's gotten a little cocky and doesn't get to the potty in time.
• He's almost completely thrown over his little potties in favor of sitting on the big potty, though he did go completely by himself on the little potty earlier this week!
• He peed in the woods after initally reluctance. I think it's because in Potty, doggie "goes outside."

Look, his one hand isn't
even on the keyboard!

Zach's Words

• Zach made up a word, “Tafooti”? He says it, and he just laughs. 
• He says, “It's my fault,” because they say that ALL the time at the end of Fireman Sam. (It took me three weeks to realize this!)
• “That's a good idea, Mommy.”
• Zach knows what “commando” means. One morning he wouldn’t put his undies on and said he wanted to “go commando.”
• He's still really excited about going to the beach and Michigan in August.
• "That gonna be a disaster!." He's loving his book, The Knight and the Dragon.
• Zach has started saying, “why,” a lot.
• Zach asked about Lisa's ponytail in Cordoroy, and I pointed out my ponytail. Now, he looks for it!

Susan & Frank

• Canoeing on the Shenandoah River. We got a beautiful weekend and stopped at Cobbler Mountain on our way to Gamma and Bob's. The next morning, Sunday, we got up and canoed on the Shenandoah and took a picnic lunch to Castle Vineyards. Thanks, Gamma and Bob for babysitting!
• Date night: dinner at Four Sisters and and the movie, Leave No Trace

Good Food

• Awesome birthday treats: sour cherry crisp and lemon poundcake by Auntie Em
• Terrific birthday dinner out with Auntie Em at Ten Penh
• Peaches, cantaloupe smoothies, spread, summer bounty ratatouille, garlic scape/basil/sunflower seed/parmesan cheese pesto 
• Mustard, maple syrup, soy sauce, and olive oil marinated tofu = a hit with beets, avocado, walnuts, and rice. 
• Ginger beer summer cocktails

Cider at
Crank Arm Brewing

Visit with

• The Shaheepskys. We met them at Potomac School's playground and went for tacos afterwards. It was a hot day and Zach shared his popsicles
• Patrick and Jen's baby shower. Emily and I saw a wolf or coyote out by the brewery, Twinpanzee!
• An overnight visit with Kathleen
• Grandad, and he got us Thai from La Ong and a hobo Stout from Total wine.
• Pool with Auntie Em on the 4th of July
• Aliana and Nathan hosted us at their house in Fairfax. They a huge, beautiful house! Evera and Zach had fun eating together. Zach loved her little guitar. 
• Gamma and Bob in Woodstock
• Kathleen and Brian at Dry Mill Winery
  

Fun Stuff (Personal & Professional)

• Father's Day excursion to Old 690 for lunch
• Lots of research on motivation and recognition and kudos from colleagues for my work. Thanks Jeanne, Katie, Sameena, Andi, Betsy for more motivation help!
• Great work with Tim G. and vols and good work convos, Jayne, Marc
• It took a while to get into, but definitely enjoyed The Storied Life of AJ Fickry 
• Meeting with Boomer Works on how to work through fear, uncertainty, and doubt. Fascinating presentation. 
• Even though there's been some blazing hot weather, we've had some nice low humidity days. Walks to daycare and home have been enjoyable.
• Met Fateh and held Raubia's wedding celebration at SCORE. Rachel did an AMAZING job helping
• A nice lunch out at Lake Anne Coffee House
• Trip to Raleigh for the TICE conference with JPL/d'Vinci folks. It was great. Dinner out and local brewery. Tom knows Vertical Horizon. Lots of fun talking music. Talked to Megan from Hershey who loves skiing. Kati and that onboarding energy (A Positive Adventure). Girl Scouts!
• Nice Raleigh walk and coffee/breakfast with Lucy. 
• Emily and Andrew are engaged!
• Heel digs at Zumba. 

• Visit with Greer in Philadelphia. Lunch at Barbuzzo, so delicious. Thanks, Betsy. A visit to the Philadelphia Museum of Art and Elixr. 
• Enjoying La Foret on Netflix
• Lots of birthday wishes! Tom Burgum! Greer, Mary Kay, Raubia, Morgan, Jessica, Sofia, Zara, Sameena, Kate. Tons of fun blading (a snake slithered across the path!) and then having lunch at Senor Ramon’s with Frank. 
• Caught up with MKC.