Fun in (and out of) the Sun

Last weekend, our friends Cameron, Maria and their three adorable kids were in town for a visit. We spent the day at their family's pool splashing, eating, and catching up. Eleanora just loves their kids (as do we!) and the whole day made us wish they were back in Tucson for good...

mmmm, looks yummy

try a bite...

Enjoying a post-pool bath together...don't they look like sisters?

The rest of the week we've spent finding ways to beat the triple digit afternoon heat, all of which involve staying home in the air conditioning. Eleanora's favorite activities are building forts/obstacle courses in the living room, reading to baby doll or stuffed animals, and chasing Charlie.

First Days of School

Eleanora had a very big week. Last weekend we took advantage of the heat-relief offered by Mount Lemmon and had a family picnic in the cool 85 degree weather (as opposed to over 100 degrees in Tucson). Eleanora loved wading in the mountain stream, exploring, and getting totally soaked.

Blowing a kiss to a treasured stick as it floated down stream

On Tuesday she had her very first gymnastics class offered by the Tucson Department of Parks and Rec. She loved the obstacles to crawl under, around and through, all the jumping, walking on the balance beam, and running around under a parachute at the end.

On Friday, she attended her very first day of "school". A local church offers a "Mom's Morning Out" program to allow parents one solo morning a week (for me this will be filled mostly with doctor's appointments) while their little ones are safely cared for. This was a big step for both Eleanora and I, and there were a lot of tears involved (all mine - none from her). I wept over the peanut and butter sandwich I packed for her lunch, wondering how my baby grew up so quickly. Fortunately, Ben was available to come with us for the first drop-off which kept everyone (me) much calmer. Eleanora ran into the classroom and got right to work exploring the toys while I lingered, waiting for the tear-filled goodbye I was certain would be coming. It never did. As we waved goodbye, she glanced over her shoulder and went back to her playing. We waited outside the door for the inevitable crying, and were met with silence. Back home, I had a couple uninterrupted hours to attack cleaning the house with a vengeance. When I picked her up, three long hours later, she was sitting on an armchair in the classroom, slumped over on a giant stuffed bear, looking happy and tired.

Classic first day pictures with "Lambie" who followed her to school...