Audrey is 16 months old!

Dear Pickle, today you are 16 months old!  This has been a big month for you.

Here you are, having dumped all the froot loops on the floor for a snack for you and Daisy to share.  You are not clothed because after the pool, I didn't have the will to fight with you to put them on.  I got the diaper on, and I decided that it was enough.  You are quite a fighter, little one.

You are walking!  Really walking, as in standing up on your own in the middle of the floor, just because you actually desire to travel on your own little stubby feet.  That's new today.  We are thrilled, and it's so good to see you so proud of yourself!  Your previous favorite method of mobility was walking on your knees, and we've never seen another kid do that so extensively for so long.  We feared you would walk into kindergarten on your knees.

You've added some words.  I think you are up to 10 now.  Your favorites are ball and dog.  We hear them a lot.  I think you would talk more if your sister would speak less, breathe more or eat more.  Sorry about that.

You started school, which is a big step.  We are proud of you!  You are so big!

I love that you are starting to draw pictures with sister and play babies too.  It makes me so happy to see you have interests that are starting to form!

You can still throw one hell of a shrieking, screaming fit.  Perhaps one day you'll stop this.  Or maybe it will serve you well in life.  I think it's quite shocking to people since you are still such a tiny thing.  And beautiful!  So it's surprising when you scream like a rabid weasel at virtually no provocation.  Oh well.

We love you, Audrey Kate!

Plum picking goes eventful....

Today we are purchasing this:

because during our family reunion at the ranch we went out to do this:

and while we were picking wild plums, some of us found something slithery up here:

that required one or more of us to discharge a firearm repeatedly

Ending like this.  

57 1/2 inches long.  

No bites, but now I think we need a snakebite kit.