Fearless

Tonight, before dinner, Brian and Stella headed down to the Tot Lot for some fun. As Brian turned around for a split second, he realized Stella was hanging from the monkey bars all by herself. Yup, she climbed up her normal big toy route and then took the plunge. Needless to say, he ran in a total panic just in time to spot her as she independently and successfully reached for the second bar. What a little gorilla!

Then, in true Stella fashion, she decided it was time for a rest. So she and Brian headed to a little tree in the park which serves as the perfect pedestal for her brave little bum. Stella is really starting to get into imaginative make-believe play, so this kind of thing is right up her ally right now. After she made herself comfortable in the tree, she naturally and calmly announced to Brian, "La La is loungin'."

Ah, yeah. That's our girl.

Stella is fearless. Sure, she has her moments when she sits back to observe, and she definitely knows when to use caution, but she also knows how to challenge herself. The photo above captures a recent moment where she simply grabbed our beloved Abby's hand and headed into the great Puget Sound to explore. Ruffled skirt and all, she was ready to dive in. And we love this about our Scout. I'm beginning to think this little one had a hand in choosing her middle name. It's like she kept whispering it in our expectant ears as we awaited her arrival two years ago. Seeing her fulfil such an accurate and deserved namesake is proving to be pure joy for both of us.

(I promise to update this blog more in the coming days. We have lots to share from our trip to Cannon Beach, visits with family and friends and, of course, Stella's birthday celebrations. Stay tuned...)