It's Summer!!

Summertime is the official reason I am giving to explain my longish absence from this space. I'm outside living the dream, folks. (Does that sound better than the reality, which may or may not be that I spent my computer time - some call it a workday - reading recaps of The Bachelorette?)

June flew by. Kieran turned three and we had an excellent party (by three year old standards at least). I prefer my parties to have considerably more beer and less escorting of three year olds to the bathroom. Anyway, he received a trampoline as a birthday gift, which he loves. I quickly realized that the trampoline, since it is completely enclosed by a large safety net, should really be marketed for its other latent purpose...a huge bouncing playpen. I can zip both kids up inside and putter around the yard and neither of them is aware that they are safely caged. (Kieran, who weighs all of 27 pounds doesn't have enough weight on him for his jumps to do more than lightly jiggle his little sister and even that light bouncing is enough to make her giggle uncontrollably.) We now call it the Trapoline (TM) and my garden is practically weed-free! Talk about a gift that keeps on giving.

We also just returned yesterday from a lovely week-long vacation in Massachusetts. The week started off with rain and more rain. Crazy downpours and nonstop drizzle. And just when we thought we had exhausted all rainy-day activities (otherwise known as shopping and eating and a semi-disastrous trip to the Boston Aquarium along with the entire population of the Eastern Seaboard), the rain cleared and we had nothing but heat and sun. Perfect really.

My children, as it turns out, are fantastic road-trippers. Not to sound like a broken record on the Kaya front, but the kid was happy as a sunny little clam during our 11 hour drive (both ways). Kieran is more demanding, but still really good. Just usual requests for juice or snacks and the occasional urgent need to pee, which necessitated one illegal roadside pullover and an Austin Power's comedy-length stream of urine.

I do want to take a moment to comment on my three year old. Maybe this is common and I have just been oblivious to this in other children, but I swear when he turned three he turned into a new kid. For the vast majority of his short life (certainly much longer than the terrible twos), he has been predictably awful around people. Not necessarily just new people or strangers, but pretty much anyone who wasn't Eric or I. He had a tendency to be whiny and difficult and I often felt like I was making excuses for him. (He's tired, he's hungry, etc. etc). But that kid seems to be more or less gone. Sure he has moments (you know, when he's ACTUALLY hungry or tired) but he's a lot happier these days. I am happy with the trajectory and am totally OK with it continuing on this way until he is nothing but charming and joyful all the time.

I do hate returning from vacation though. Our house, small as it is, always seems five times as cramped when we get back and have bags and coolers strewn everywhere waiting to be unpacked. Blech. That more or less what I have too look forward to tonight.

Although, more likely, if you need me, I'll be out on the Trapoline.