Penelope-isms & Summer Plans

As per usual, it has been nothing but craziness here at the Justet home. I finally talked to an adult...I was going on a 31 hour streak since our car broke down and the hubby was fixing it, (which resulted in him sleeping at his parent's out of convenience) and my "new" phone already crapping the bed. And even then I realized the only adult I talked to yesterday was Penelope's dentist which was like a 30 second conversation (little kid dentist appointments are so pointless.)

This past weekend, Jesse and I celebrated 4 years of marriage early (our actual aniversary is tomorrow), since this weekend is also crazy. Luckily we were able to still celebrate since the very night we were to drop Penelope of at the grandparents, and get out of town, Jesse called me from work saying the car wouldn't start. Lucky for us his parents had a spare car and were willing to let us borrow it so we could still go.

We did the drive ins and saw San Andreas (awful 1 out of 10) and the new Avengers which was really good from what I saw but I couldn't stay awake and fell asleep in the lawn chair. We then spontaneously headed up to Park City, ate at our favorite restaurant Red Rock Brewery, and stopped at our hotel to drop off the food. Jesse somehow always gets these immaculate places for extremely good prices and this time was no different. I was certain I wanted to move in and never leave. The bed was literally like sleeping on a cloud...it was amazing. And there was a fire place!

After that we headed over to Heber (my absolute favorite place in all of Utah) and took a scenic ride on an old train down the Provo River. It was so much fun and we look forward to doing it again around Christmas with Penelope. The next morning we ate breakfast at Penny Ann's, who has the best pancakes in the entire world (I've tried to recreate them to no avail) and then went to pick Penelope up from her grandparents. I was certain she would be super excited to see us but when she saw us it was like we hadn't been gone all weekend; I'm pretty certain I missed her more than she missed us.

It was a simple celebration but it was just what we needed. It's always nice to spend just one on one time with Jesse and try to remember the days when we didn't have kids. It's also funny how much easier it is to get out the door!

But without further adieu, here is a list I've been compiling over the last few months on some things Penelope has been up to:

• Penelope can officially, as of yesterday, count to 6 without any mistakes, on her own. 
• About 40% of the time she can also count to 10 all on her own.
• She can sing the tune to ABC's and can get literally get A, B, C, nothing in the middle, but W, X, Y, and Z.
• She looooves to twirl. I swear she twirls every half hour.
• She is frequently repeating back everything we say.
• She easily knows over 300+ words and is talking constantly.
• The pediatrician says she is super advanced verbally (and seriously--I think most of the credit goes to Penelope. She's just a naturally super smart kiddo!). 
• Loves to have conversations with or without us. Sometimes they make perfect sense, other times not.
• She can talk in short sentences! Almost everything she says now is in a sentence and it's crazy.
• My favorite thing she says is, "Where'd it go?" because she says it super fast.
• She also likes to tell us she loves us in perfect diction randomly.
• She can say prayers now by us saying it and then her repeating it back.
• She knows the words to all the popular primary hymns and can be found saying random words to them on her own, with us, or sometimes finishing the sentence when we're about to get to certain parts. (My favorite is "I'll Walk with You" because she loves to yell "YOU" and "I WILL, I WILL!"
• Her favorite food is cheese and edamame.
• She can say most things very clearly.
• Her favorite songs are popcorn popping, ring around the rosy, and baby bumble bee.
• Most days you can find her randomly breaking out in a dance with, or without music. Her dances are pretty hilarious too!
• On a daily basis she talks about her Papa (Jesse's dad), Conliegh (our good friend), Evelyn ("Evy" Penelope's little friend), and Jeff (our landlord). 
• She will only let me read to her at bedtime but mostly wants dad to put her to sleep.
• She took swim lessons last month and usually really enjoyed it. She is such a water bug and is a natural, jumping off the side and going down the big slide.
• Has a slight obsession with ice cream.
• She loves the rain and puddle jumping.
• She likes to make up her own signs and then I have to remember them because she'll use them again later.
• She is hands down, the goofiest and most hilarious child ever. I'd say it was just my opinion but I've been told it quite frequently too by strangers and people who know her as well.
• Has the best expressions and funny faces. She also loves to say things to get a rise out of us.
• She is easily excitable.
• Still loves Barney but also loves Mickey Mouse now.
• Is a pro at throwing tantrums (thankfully they're usually at home).
• Requests I Know that my Savior Loves Me as the bed time song.
• Likes to "SHH" people.
• She loves to give us zooberts.
• She takes her baby doll everywhere.
• When asked, "Who are you?" she responds with, "I'm me." and we have no clue how she learned that.
• Loves animals with the exception to large dogs.
• She likes to do everything her self. Especially all my chores, except of course, picking up her own toys.
• She only likes to go down slides on her stomach all of a sudden.
• Has regressed in potty training. She has a desire to use the potty, but then wont go.
• Can sign every word I throw at her (words she'd know that is) including colors. 
• However, she only knows what green, yellow, and pink actually are.
• She loves puzzles like nothing else.
• Asks to hold me by saying, "I hold you!" and then sits on my lap facing away from me.
• Recently figured out how to turn on the TV and now we have daily TV on/TV off battles.
• Recognizes temples (all of them--even ones she's never seen!).
• She loves other kids and we're pretty certain she desperately wants a sibling.
• Loves to jump and "skip."
• She is 89% in weight, and 27% in height. I was actually pretty surprised by this since she's thinned out a lot.

First, and very much needed, haircut!

Sleepy sick kiddo a couple weeks ago.

Goodbye Mullet! Look at how cute this girl is!

She loves the mirror.

So sad and cute at the same time!

'

Being her cute, goofy self.

We might be MIA for a little while longer (starting tomorrow--I already wrote a little post, so be on the lookout). This summer is going to be a busy one. This week alone we're got a bunch of our summer traditions. We got Taylorsville Day Fair on Thursday, Manti Pageant on Friday, and Taylorsville Day Parade on Saturday. And in exactly a month we will be heading out to New Hampshre for two weeks, with plans to go to Horace Lake, Hampton Beach, Story Land, and hopefully a weekend in Boston! Also, My Grandma from Michigan is coming out during that time too which makes me just that much more excited!

I'm doing everything I can to finish up my last 14 hours of my internship so I can be free to enjoy these next couple months (and so I can be done with school forever!).


As always,