how i know it’s summer:

i accidently knocked off my alarm clock roughly four weeks ago and it’s still lying under my nightstand

i get to “sleep in” until 7:30 when ella wakes up

i share a nap schedule with ella

i live in my chaco’s

i actually have lost my flourescent glow

i’ve read and enjoyed a book without annotating it

i’m house painting and decorating again

tony stops doing the dishes

fargo stares at me and hovers until i take him on a walk

i go to bed later than tony

going out on the weekends is an actual possibility

i have to remind tony that all the shopping i do is to make up for what i don’t do during the school year

i had to take ella to the doctor today because i thought she might have an ear infection. usually the doctor’s office is not a place ella is interested in visiting. we got into the waiting room and read some books–no big deal.

once our names were called, we moseyed back to the exam room.

“i want a cookie. i want a cookie,” ella whined as we moseyed.

the one thing she usually remembers is getting stripped down for a bunch of strangers that poke with cold metal stethoscope and suffering the sting of immunization shots. i guess her food memory was stronger today, thankfully.

our visit was short and sweet. there was only minimal crying and the doctor managed to use a bit more finesse than our regular guy. as we were saying our goodbyes, ella asked, “where’s my cookie?”

we made a bee-line for an assisstant opening a fresh sleeve of cookies. they still had that new cookie smell.

“this one’s got your name all over it,” assured the lady, also throwing in a care bear sticker as a good will offering. it worked like a charm.

she clutched her cookie and sticker as i put her in her car seat.

“that’s my name!” she squealled as she looked at the words on her cookie.

ahh, the simple joys of life : )