Pop Quiz: What’s better than going to the Oktoberfest parade?

Answer: BEING the Oktoberfest parade!

Trust me when I say I spent countless hours practicing my high-knee march in the living room with much enthusiasm and dedication. But, as it turns out, the living room fails to prepare even the most skilled marchers for how distracting and intimidating the paparazzi experience can be. Still, I’m confident that my camera-shyness and stiff-knees didn’t disappoint my fan club (mom, Grandma and Jackie)! In fact, I got lots of hugs, kisses, and high-fives to prove it.

I survived the 2016 Warrens Cranberry Festival! Dad had to work on Saturday, so mom and I tagged along with Grandma & Grandpa to enjoy some outdoor shopping. As it turns out, however, mom and Grandma were the main shoppers because I had to babysit Grandpa. (Luckily, he was well-behaved.)

We also met up with Great Aunt Mary and Great Uncle Peter and got to play in their camper! My favorite part of the whole day was the yummy meat & cheese tray, compliments of Peter. But I also had fun people-watching, listening to trains, jumping on the inflatable tiger, and taste testing a cranberry-infused cream puff!

My only regret was not getting to splash in the mud puddles that were scattered throughout the festival grounds. Of course, it’s just as fun to stay dry and clean… SAID NO ONE EVER. So watch out mud puddles, because next time, I’m not going to let a silly seatbelt hold me back.

Last weekend, we made a return trip to Lark Toys. We ate ice cream and fudge, read books, played with toys and rode the carousel! It was all fun and games until we had to leave. But luckily, I didn’t walk out empty-handed; Grandpa and Dad spotted a super-duper airplane kite that wanted to come home with us. And so today, the fun continued as we played in the wind, pretended to be pilots, and flew that plane as high as a kite!!

We went in search of apples today…

[Spoiler alert: We found them!]

I survived my first couple weeks in the 2-year-old room! It was a slightly rough transition with lots of morning tears at first, but by the second week, Mom did much better.

My new teacher’s name is Angela, but I still like to run into my old room to say “HiiiiiByeee!” to Kim before starting each day. I was happy to see some familiar friends in this new room, especially Huddy & Sonia, but there’s a lot of kiddos I don’t know, so maybe I’ll expand my buddy circle this year?!

Since returning to campus, I’ve been able to experience neat-o things, like a musical show by the UWL Marching Band, Awareness through Performance, puddle-jumping from rainstorms, and just your casual hang-outs with mom’s favorite college students. Plus, later this month, on September 29, I’ll be participating in our very own Oktoberfest Parade!

I’m confident I’ll learn a lot this year, but one thing I know already: Life. Is. Good.

First day of school photo! (Complete with bee sting on my cheek and mosquito bites all over my body.)

Look out teachers; I’m ready!

Watching the UWL Marching Band

I loved the band!

Cheering on my ATP buddies! (Thanks for changing the world!)

Momma & Bobby, hugging before he leaves for Minneapolis.

Me and Jamie at the Clocktower

In case you’re ever looking for me, you might find me in the office, playing with my new Thomas the Train Track Master set! Wanna know how to get one of these?

Step 1: Be a really good, patient, charming kiddo while mom and dad are running boring errands.

Step 2: Like, so good that mom and dad feel compelled to stop by Toys R Us as a reward for such impeccable behavior.

Step 3: Listen closely as they say “You can pick out ONE toy,” and notice that they gave no other parameters.

Step 4: Strategically find the biggest box in the store that features Thomas the Train. Innocently and with great enthusiasm, point to your discovered toy and say “I found one!”

Step 5: Keep looking irresistibly cute as mom and dad squirm, wishing they had given more parameters.

Step 6: Scream and clap as you watch mom & dad place the big box in the backseat of your vehicle.

Step 7: Smile and giggle the whole way home about how you just beat the system.

Step 8: Enjoy being the proud, new owner of ONE nice toy!

Tomorrow, I’ll make my return to the classroom to get schooled. I’m excited to meet my new teacher and make new friends, but before looking ahead too far, let’s take a moment to look back…

…because this was the summer of water slides and pillow fights! It was the summer I discovered my love for puddles and how to speak in complete sentences. This was the summer I experienced separation anxiety and then overcame it through my quest towards independence. I spent my days solving puzzles and inventing new dance moves, and in the evenings, I learned how to tight-rope-walk along the edge of my crib. I could often be found trimming my own nails (with my teeth) or zooming around the house on my scooter. I rediscovered my love for “root berry” soda and I was introduced to my new favorite songs: “Can’t Stop the Feeling” by Justin Timberlake and “Oh Donna” by Ritchie Valens (thanks to a visit from Aunt Donna). And in between all the camping, fishing, hikes and bike rides, somewhere along the way, my feet grew and my pajamas shrunk.

This was the summer of 2016.

But, beyond the boundaries of Deerwood Drive, many other events also shaped the summer of 2016:

• The world lost a legend: Muhammed Ali, a professional boxer and activist.
• A little boy, about my age, fell into a gorilla exhibit at the zoo. As a result, Harambe, the gorilla, was killed to save the boy’s life.
• One of the largest U.S. massacres occurred in Orlando, at Pulse Nightclub. This was a hate crime and an act of terror against the Latinx queer community, the deadliest incident of violence against LGBT people in United States history. 49 people died and another 53 were wounded.
• Also in Florida, a two-year-old toddler got attacked and drowned by an alligator.
• Racial unrest, police brutality and disproportionate killings of unarmed black men continued to plague the country. Most recently, protests were happening as close as Milwaukee, WI.
• Residents of Louisiana were flooded by what’s been called the worst US disaster since Hurricane Sandy.
• Hillary Clinton became the first woman nominated by a major party for the United States presidency.
• Summer Olympics took place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. We cheered on the athletes from our couch. Luckily, we scored front row seats to most of the events!

This was the summer of 2016…

…sometimes wonderfully historic while also tragically scary. But within the good and the bad, there’s always much to be learned from what’s going on around me. So tomorrow I will make my return to the classroom to get schooled. Wish me luck as I figure out how to navigate the 2-year-old room!

1. Eat an abundance of wild blackberries during your pre-bedtime hike.
2. Wake up at 3:00 a.m. and vomit said blackberries.
3. After getting cleaned up, with new pajamas and bedsheets, puke all over your bed once again 30 minutes later.
4. Display lots of tears and snuggles until mom and dad are convinced that the only cure is a family slumber party.
5. Enjoy your visit while it lasts because soon you’ll learn this belly ache wasn’t just a case of overindulgence. In fact, you’ll spend the next seven days perfecting the art of throwing up – complete with diarrhea from the other end of your body – all in the comfort of your own bed…. quarantined.

Top 10 reasons why this July was a month to remember:

1. I reconnected with familia… Aunt Nae Nae and Aunt Cha Cha came all the way up from Arizona and Florida to love on me! I also visited my Great Grandma Garcia. She fell last month and got an ouchie, but she’s doing well!

2. I traveled from the Elegant Farmer to the East Troy Depot via train! (Thanks, Cha Cha!)

3. I discovered new parks!

4. I visited some of mom’s old stomping grounds: Mukwonago High School and the Brookfield Square Mall. (At the mall, we played in Barnes & Noble until closing time!)

5. Aunt Cha Cha and her fur-babies moved into our house for a week!

6. I used my Build-a-Bear gift card (thanks, Papa Florence!) to bring Huddybear to life. He has a heartbeat, says “I love you,” and smells like cotton candy!

7. We made it to the La Crosse County Fair to see Ashlee and Cortney! Speaking of Ashlee, I’ve been getting to see a lot of her this month since she’s my babysitter best friend.

8. We spent quality time on the river with our Docan-Morgan friends before they left for a year abroad in South Korea. (Miss you already!!)

9. I toured the Wisconsin Dells by experiencing a Duck ride, perusing through Timbavati Wildlife Park, enjoying the Tommy Bartlett Water Show, and relaxing at our campground.

10. I’ve successfully earned LOTS of stickers! Sure, I still wear diapers, but so do lots of 85-year-olds. The point is, I’m getting better and better at using the potty. Want me to pee outside? No problem. Want me to go standing up? You got it. Want me to pretend I have to go potty after my parents put me to sleep just so I can get a free ticket out of the crib and delay bedtime? Every night.

Yesterday marked 9 years of missing Nana Florence. In honor of this anniversary, we took a trip to Mukwonago High School to visit Nana’s memorial brick. (Thanks for helping us locate it, Donna!) Mom says Nana was the family’s rock… the impact she had is everlasting and the love she instilled is permanent and fixed… that’s why her name is written in stone.

After returning home, we exchanged stories of Nana over our very full plates of homemade Mexican rice, beans, tortillas, tamales, salsa & guac, and pistachios. Mom says Nana would have been proud of us… and insisted we eat a second and third helping.

Our hearts and bellies are full! Hope you’re smiling down, Nana. We continue to search for signs…