We are officially in terrible two territory. Lucky for us, she’s cute. Her hat says “Little Miss Chatterbox” and I cannot think of a more perfect moniker for Greta right now. She starts out talking in the morning, slowly at first, mumbling to herself in her crib about tickling her toes or picking her way through a song she kind of knows. Then, she begins to call for me, Mama, where are you? I’m ready to get up. Still, she sounds sweet and sleepy, but once I pop my head into the room she’s off at break-neck pace, Good morning, mommy. Did you have a good night’s sleep? Are those your pajamas? Is that my milk? I want to lay down on your bed. Cover me up with a blanket. (breath) Where’s Daddy? Is Daddy at work? Did he ride his bike…and so it goes until around eight that night with a two-hour break in the afternoon when she naps. At her two-year check up they asked if she was saying twenty words. I said, yeah, twenty words a minute.

Alex is having a very low-key summer. We signed him up for a couple of camps, but for the most part he’s been hanging around the house being a very good big brother when he’s not begging to watch TV or have a friend over for a play date. We bought a trailer bike to hook on to Jeremy’s commuter bike and with Greta in the bike seat on my old tank we’ve been heading out for family rides the last couple of weeks. Family fun for all and no $4 gasoline!

We’ve had lots of visitors this summer. Shari, Jalyssa and Tavian, Jesse and Sarin. Kimberly and her crew. Between guests and summer school and taking the GRE I’ve still found time to polish a few stories. I’m also working on all of the required pieces for my grad school applications. We have one more trip to the beach in North Carolina planned and maybe another camping trip, but I think August is going to evaporate pretty fast.