Daddy's home!

Today things got back to normal around here because Ian got home. He left after church on Sunday to go with our youth group to CCC. This was the first year since 1998 that I haven't gone as a camper (before that I was on staff) and I really missed being there, but "no way Jose" was I going to be away from our little pumpkin for that long. (In fact, the only way Ian agreed to go was if we came to visit him one night). We got along okay without him, but things are just a bit "off" when he isn't home. It was so good to go back to being a family of four ~ Maya counts! After Kylie forgave him ~ we both think she was a bit mad that he was gone for so long ~ she was all hugs and kisses for him.

Anyway, after naps all around this afternoon (Kylie's regular afternoon nap, Ian was exhausted from camp, and I was exhausted from him not being here) we packed up the diaper bag, Maya's food and water, some drinks for us, some watermelon, ran by Panera for sandwiches and went to the park as a family. It was the stuff summer Saturdays are made of! We enjoyed a relaxed meal together, took a long walk, and then went to the swings so Ian could push his little girl. I didn't have the camera with me (and even if I had, it would have been hard to use it ~ take a very friendly, very cute, dog to the park and see how many kids you have swarmed around you to pet her) but etched into my mind for all time will be the sight of Kylie throwing her head back laughing while her daddy pushed her on the swing with the sun just beginning to turn that brilliant orange behind her shoulder. The park may have been free entertainment, but it was worth millions to me!

And for those of you that want pictures, here are a few from last night...

Kylie's new favorite toy ~ the former social studies teacher in me is thrilled!!!

Her hint to me that she was getting sleepy, she got Good Morning, Good Night (one of the ones we ALWAYS read before bed) off the shelf and took it to the glider.

Reading I Love You Through and Through to herself while I tidied up her room before bottle and books. By the way, if you don't have this book, you should! Kylie has loved it from the first time I read it to her! We can't nap or go to bed without it.