When watering a new tree on June 26, we found this guy hanging from it and molting. I was amazed at how fast his process went. I watched him from beginning to end and it only lasted about 20 minutes. Now they say this means there is less than 90 days till the first frost. If we found one of the first ones to enter the area, then that means our first frost will be around September 24. How weird would that be, especially when thinking about how hot it has been? We'll be covering the late tomatoes for sure! Some entomologists don't think the early arrival is a prediction of anything, just that cicadas experienced an above average growth spurt this year.
Vanessa has also experienced a big growth spurt in the last few months, growing nearly 4 inches since December. She used to be such a peanut and now she is just as tall, if not taller than others her age. We've even heard from numerous people that she seems tall for one about to turn 3. I never thought I'd hear that! Her conversation and imagination have grown considerably too. She creates funny songs and stories and often performs "on stage." We applaud her and she bows with great expression. She's very proud to tell others that she's Vanessa Marie Betz and who others are and how they are related to her. She still loves figuring out how things work and connecting all things related. At a recent birthday party she was asking all who attended who they were and how they were connected to others there. She's a planner who holds great anticipation for things. She repeats steps to plans and processes over and over, finding comfort in knowing what to expect. She requires full explanations for many things and I can only imagine will be a master of flow charts one day. But no concern -- she doesn't keep to a rigid schedule or plan and often shows flexibility as long as she receives a full explanation for why and how things changed. She's planned her birthday celebration, using Mommy to do the grunt work. :) She often announces "I have an idea!" And she's very proud to share.
