A YEAR AND A HALF OLD no, i cannot believe it! at wren’s 18 month checkup the doctor was pleased with her growth and development. she’s a big girl – which we knew – topping out at the 81st percentile for weight. i love her chubby legs and cheeks, and round belly. it sure is hard finding pants that fit her properly, and shirts that will stay put over her cute tummy, but i wouldn’t want her any other way. my perfect little honeybunny.

NO! has been a popular word of wren’s these days. as i was going through her closet showing her dresses to wear, she stood with her hand on her hip, head tilted and shaking from side to side, smiling, ‘noooo…’ at each option. it was cute the first week. now, not so much. the temper tantrums have skyrocketed, so have the number of time outs. her tantrums are so dramatic and laborious, i can’t help but hide my face and laugh.  she’s quick to learn, and sweet when we explain to her why it’s wrong to kick/hit/bite mommy/daddy/kitty. she even apologizes with a hug now. it melts our hearts every time.

other neat stuff about this month: all but four teeth, back molars, are in — thank you LORD! the sleepless nights for me and her are almost over. happy birthday is her favorite song to sing. her hair is starting to get fuller and longer. we are very close to gathering it into a ponytail. she can jump and take a bow – she learned both from my sister. she’s saying a few sentences now: ‘i saw belle!’, ‘it’s a ball!’, ‘thank you daddy’, and a billion other things that i’m still trying to decipher.

i find it amusing that everyone is now asking when we’re having another baby. 18 months must be the magic number for couples to work on baby #2? hmm? i’ll have to keep you guessing with that answer.

OUR LITTLE PICKY EATER had a breakthrough this month — FISHSTICKS! phew. one more thing to add to the ‘okay i’ll eat this’ list. meals have become a bit frustrating for me when she doesn’t want anything but yogurt, apple sauce or a quesadilla. i’ve been hiding things in her quesadilla like ground turkey, kidney beans, kale or broccoli. most of the time she doesn’t even notice, but when she does, her little arms fly up over her head and she frantically waves and shouts “ALL DONE!”. and we’re all done. dinner is over. no second chances. despite what all the books and websites say about preparing wholesome, organic, homemade baby food in order to expand your baby’s palette in the first year – while healthy and wonderful – doesn’t necessarily mean your baby, once a toddler, will enjoy eating those same foods. i can’t help but question where i went wrong though. how can she hate everything she once loved? as long as i offer her delicious, healthy food, and eat all those same foods in front of her, one day it will click. hopefully. funny thing, when a mcdonalds billboard went up across the street from our home, she screamed with delight at the picture of the food, “YUM! MMM!”. ugh!

one day wren decided to whistle, nonstop. it’s the cutest thing. she just whistles all day. i think she learned it from me when i mimicked the birds outside by whistling. whenever we ask her what a bird says, she whistles and says ABIRRR! {a bird!}. she’s talking so much, mostly gibberish, but full conversations on the most amazing things, i’m sure. i love her sweet, excitable spirit. i wish more than anything i knew what she was trying to tell me.

she loves waving goodbye to airplanes flying over, strangers walking past us, and cars driving by. when those strangers wave back she cannot contain her joy, sometimes blowing them kisses. could you imagine if i did that – crazy lady. she does it and the worlds’ woes cease to exist. hardened, tattooed men have cracked a smile at her air kisses. pure magic.

in the bottom four photos above she’s trying to fit into her moses basket. she’s been sitting in there lately, just relaxing. my funny little girl.

MY WEAKNESS tabbouleh has become a staple for us this summer. tangy, minty, refreshing. i cannot get enough of this wondrous medley. below is a recipe from cook’s illustrated. i’ve been tweaking it for a few weeks now. a bit of cucumber is a nice addition. the recipe is delicious, but it’s not quite THE ONE…i’m still on the hunt. my favorite tabbouleh comes from la mediterranee on fillmore street in san francisco. how do you make your tabbouleh?

1/2 cup bulgur, fine-grain, rinsed under running water and drained
1/3 cup lemon juice from 2 lemons
1/3 cup olive oil
kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon middle eastern red pepper or cayenne pepper {optional}
2 cups minced fresh parsley leaves
2 medium tomatoes, halved, seeded, and cut into very small dice
4 medium scallions , green and white parts, minced
2 tablespoons minced fresh mint leaves or 1 rounded teaspoon dried mint
1/2 cup cucumber, seeds removed, small dice {optional, my addition}

mix the bulgur wheat with 1/4 cup of the lemon juice in medium bowl; set aside until grains are tender and fluffy, 20 to 40 minutes, depending on age and type of bulgur. mix the remaining lemon juice, the olive oil, salt to taste, and red pepper {if using} together in a small bowl. in a large bowl, combine the bulgur, parsley, tomatoes, scallions, mint, and cucumber {if using}; add the dressing and toss to combine. cover and refrigerate to let the flavors blend, 1 to 2 hours. enjoy!

THIS MIGHT BE AN ONGOING TRADITION in the sanchez house. do you remember lady liberty from last year?

WHAT A WEEKEND it was a hot one with high humidity and little cool down at night. wren caught a stomach bug with a high fever on saturday. i have to admit, her fever rattled me. it was a first for us and we now know what to expect next time. she’s been improving each day, but i can tell she is still a little dehydrated. she’s eating and drinking a bit more now, and her fever is gone, but i won’t be completely at ease until she’s back to her normal, high energy self.

i managed to find time to paint this weekend while wren napped. such a rarity because i normally spend that free time cleaning, doing dishes or laundry. since it was too hot, i had nothing better to do than just sit and paint {no complaints here!}. i haven’t used water colors in probably 15 years, but like a close, old friend, it’s like no time had ever come between us. as much as i enjoy being creative in different mediums, painting is my most natural form of creative expression. it feels good to be painting again.

the giraffes were going to be used in a shower invitation for a friend, but a little mishap with our scanner and i’m now on to designing her something completely different. no painted giraffes this time around, sadly. alright…on the hunt for a new scanner. any recommendations?

I HAD SO MUCH FUN MAKING THESE INVITATIONS wren’s invite had been on my mind since the week she was born. what type of mother starts planning their baby’s first birthday right after the child is born — this crazy mother right here. my sister loved wren’s invite so much she asked if i’d make logan’s first birthday invite too {logan and wren are four months apart}. logan has a beautiful head of thick, red hair, and my sister is obsessed with frogs, so naturally a redheaded frog invitation was in order for little logan.

i’ve added a few birdie items to my shop, inspired by wren’s invitation: birthday bird stickers, birthday bird flat notes, and little bird flat notes {birdie without the birthday hat}. with my sister’s permission, i just might add birthday frog to the shop too.

WOLF KAHN’S heading back to harbor. the colors were a pleasant surprise when i flipped the calendar this morning. i want to live in that painting right now. can you believe it’s already june? i say this every year, but this year more than ever life feels like it is rushing by too fast. way too fast.