Ahhh…SUMMER!!!

Well…I (Jess) have been on summer vacation since June 13th, and it has been HEAVEN being back home with my girl.  We have been going to the pool for long swims and picnics, walking to the park, going up north for a long visit with Ella’s “Nanny” (Nana), going to the library, playing in the backyard, coloring on the sidewalk, digging in the sandbox, and slurping on popsicles.  It’s sooo luxiourious to lose track of what day it is, sleep until Ella wakes up, and have the energy to stay up with Geoff past 10pm!  I love this stage that Ella is in (she is almost 21 months).  She’s pretending a ton.  I love to sit back and listen to her little voice act out scenarios with her little people, make connections between her play and books that we’ve read and things that we’ve talked about (“Oh!  Let’s get cozy!  Here is your blanket.  Cover up.  Oh!  Thanks!  That feels better.”).  She also seems to be dreaming a lot lately, because she has been launching into requests and comments as soon as she opens up her eyes after a nap and even in the middle of the night (“I want a cookie” or “let’s go get the Frosty book!”).  She is just so much fun.  Here are some pics from our summer so far:

Ella taking a "leash ride" at her Nanny's house with Delilah

Smelling a wild daisy Up North

Picking flowers with Nanny

Playing dress up with Nanny and Mommy

Ella and Baba in Charlevoix

Pig-tails and playing

At the Corner Brewery thumbing through some Cousins Vinyl

Delicious!

In the backyard

Geoff and Ella in Lake Charlevoix