And Then There Were...: Our Incredibly Fast Summer

I knew I'd been forgetting something and about a week ago, it occurred to me that perhaps, I hadn't updated the blog in a while. Talking to my sister this morning, she mentioned it had been more than a month.... So sorry, you guys!

Ellie has been in school for a full month now. She will be going for a full days 5 days a week for the next couple weeks. I am hoping I'll get a bit done this week. I'd like to organize outgrown baby items, clean the spare room, and organize the craft room (which has become the repository of all things). It's a good thing I've caught up on Gossip Girl ;). Next week, we have a Texas visitor coming to keep me company since P will be climbing Yosemite's Half Dome.

I just took my first mini-trip away from Ellie. I had the opportunity to travel to Taliesin (in Wisconsin) with a wonderful group of ladies Friday and Saturday, so I jumped at it since P is traveling throughout most of the summer and this was probably my last chance until possibly September. We also took the opportunity to finally break the nursing streak. At 19 months, I think she's finally done. Unfortunately, Dad had to bear the brunt of her bad attitude at being denied the boob, but this morning, she took my refusal remarkably well. Let's hope she continues to be satisfied with hugs and yogurt instead.

She has been much more linguistically inclined since starting Montessori. Most of it is unintelligible, but we've picked up on a few new words. She also is anxious to use utensils at meals and drink from a real cup, although we have to supervise that pretty closely. Recently, she began running. She often runs "like a girl" with one arm frozen and the other swinging. It would be hilarious, if her mother didn't run the same way.... Let's just hope she handles games with balls better than either of her parents. Poor kid.

I can't believe the summer is already more than halfway through. Ellie has gone through two rounds of swim classes. For the rest of the summer, we're going to try to go on our own. She actually started to get the hang of swimming and moves kind of like a frog in the water. She also has mostly learned to keep her mouth from hanging open so she doesn't inhale the pool water.

In large part because of all the songs we sang in swim class (and the ones she sings in school), Ellie has become quite the fan of the in-car sing-along. Honestly, I thought she'd tire of NPR a little later. Favorites include: Row, Row, Row Your Boat; If You're Happy and You Know it; The Wheels on the Bus; and The Itsy Bitsy Spider. (Basically, anything with movement.) I have decided I need a crash course in singing and that my repertoire is too limited. Song suggestions are appreciated.

Rocking the Ewok at Roger's Lakewood Park

Zeus suffering after getting an insect bite. I thought he was just being a poop, but it quickly became apparent he was actually really ill. A night at the vet, and he was good as new.