Summer Smiles

Summer has been really fun. It's been so delightful to have Ellie with us but it's been strange for Aeryn to be gone much of that time (for me anyway). This week she comes home and I confess that while I'm ridiculously excited for her to be back, I'm also going to miss some of the time Ellie and I have had together as just the two of us. The arrangement has been good for all of us, but I'm happy it's ending and that for a while we'll be all together again.

Oregon has been absolutely lovely lately. I think the gray, rainy reputation is simply a way for Oregonians to discourage others from finding out about the amazing summers. The days are cool and cloudy in the morning, then warm up quite a bit in the afternoons. Ellie and I actually went to buy a fan the other day in order to keep our apartment a little more bearable once the afternoon heat sets in. Granted, the warmer days mean tomatoes are starting to reach their peak and that is always a welcome thing. 

Ellie hasn't wanted to play outside very much lately, unless our neighbor friends are around. Fortunately, some friends are around and she's had the opportunity to be goofy with them most days. She's trying to find a balance in her mind between liking the idea of growing older and wanting to stay little. With Aeryn gone she's liked being the biggest kid in the area, but she's also been talking about wanting to be the youngest forever so she can get the most attention.

What a cutie. Lately her hair is in front of her face almost every time I take a picture. We do brush it, I promise! At least I'll be able to look back and say we let her be a normal kid instead of always having to look like a Pottery Barn Kids model. This way brings the most natural smiles :)