Where is summer going???

I guess it's already half over... no way! We haven't been backpacking yet, nor have we tubed the creek or done any of the fun fun things I was dreaming about during those last days of school. We have, however, spent many hours in our apartment, playing with a baby, watching movies and playing on the internet. I really feel like I ought to have accomplished more, but I've enjoyed taking a nap almost everyday (when the baby naps, and those are only taken when Peter's awake, I'm not THAT bad a babysitter!), doing puzzles, and catching up on movies. Plus, the baby is fricking cute (when he's not screaming) and he's fun to play with.

This morning, ashamed at my lack of doing-nothingness, I convinced Peter (who runs at least three times a week) to come with me on a hike up to Chautauqua. We did the same hike up to the arch that I did with Aous and Jena a few weeks ago, but it was much less crowded because it was a weekday morning. Peter's in much better shape than me (see the previous comment on running), so he was strolling up the mountain while I was laboring--huffing and puffing up the inclines.

The view was so worth it, and we eve had the arch to ourselves for a few moments! A family came in after us with two very small kids (a 4-year-old and a 1-year-old in a carrier). We overheard them saying, "We should have brought the camera," as they were looking at the incredible views and I just felt so bad for them! To have walked well over a mile, maybe 2, up a mountain with two young children and not have any record of it (says the woman who took 140 pictures on that same hike). So I offered to email them a picture if they gave me an address. A scramble for a pen and paper ensued, when the dad remembered a business card. Problem solved! A few pictures later and we headed back down. I love the downhill part :-)

Will was over as well and had a perfectly lovely day to make up for the days of screaming he's been having with the teeth coming in. He slept for an hour or two (and I joined him for part of it), then when he was awake, he cooed and babbled and smiled and worked very hard on his crawling and sitting. He managed to sit up by himself for the longest time I've seen him (granted, half the time he was leaning forward, propped up by his hands, but the balance was still there!), and the biggest miracle of all--he went to sleep for his nap without a single gut-wrenching scream. It was heaven!

Here's to making the most of the time we have!