We’re getting into a rythym here – things are (dare I say) getting easier. Of course I was spoiled having my dear mom here for the past week, making life much less difficult and stressful all the way around. I had a nerve-racking time after dropping her off at the airport yesterday, getting home in time for Holden’s school bus arrival. I made it here and was parked 1 minute before he got here – and I drove like a banshee the whole way home. Luckily it was meant to be that I was here, safe and sound. A surprise traffic jam and a closed gas station added a good 20-30 minutes to my trip that I had not planned on.

This past week has also been hot – in an oppressing all-time-record temperature kind of way. I have never experienced heat like this in my whole entire life, even while living in Sacramento. I think I briefly endured something in this realm when we were passing through Phoenix (via motorhome) one summer – as well as during our hike to the bottom of the Grand Canyon (that is all of less than 3 days in my lifetime total). On Saturday the mercury reached 114 degrees by our thermometer and the news reported 112 in Fallbrook….dropped to 106 on Sunday. Brrr (ha ha)! To add to it all, the humidity is high – a rarity when it’s hot here. I think I have an idea what summer is like in most of the U.S. with that horrible moisture. We are so spoiled here in general with our mild, temperate, dry climate. This has seriously rocked our world. T.J. has missed the whole thing, spending time in Seattle where it’s been hot too but not quite to this magnitude. He got some golf games in around work which I am pleased about since he won’t have much time for that at all in the upcoming weeks.

In other news – Avery has an ear infection in both her ears! I had no idea since she was sleeping so well and not extremely fussy. The ped diagnosed this at her 2 month well child check up where it was determined she weighs 11 lbs., 1 oz (60th %tile). Her height is in the 50th %tile and head 65th %tile although those exact figures escape me. She is pretty averagely proportional right now. She is also a championship sleeper at night. She gives me 5-7 hour stretches (but day naps are somewhat more unpredictable and elusive)! This was unheard of with my other kids and may change tomorrow or next week but I’ll take it now! Anyway, she is taking her antibiotics (but it's challenge to get the stuff down) and hope she's back to normal and this isn't a sign of what's to come. Some kids just keep getting ear infections over and over, particularly when they start this early - my other kids have not had anything like this. Holden got his first case of Swimmer's Ear last week and Quinn got his first ear infection in May. We have been quite lucky in this regard. The best way to prevent Avery's ear issues in the future is to prevent any cold infections so I'm going to be even more vigilant now.

Our vacation to Northern CA is coming up – our next adventure for this family of 5. We’ll have the RV again, making life somewhat more comfortable and simple. Let’s hope the temperatures drop to something a bit more manageable.