Once More into the Fray

Here's the thing about blogging: you do it every day, you're faithful to the people who read your blog, and you're faithful to recording your feelings every day (before you forget them, mainly). Then you don't have wifi for a few days, you resolve to blog when you return home, you get home and you're way too busy catching up to blog, then you feel guilty and resolve to "catch up" the next time you see your granddaughter, and, well, you get my drift. I've missed some chances to record my feelings, and I've forgotten some things, but I have greater resolve to blog whenever and wherever possible! So here I am, composing on a French keyboard, so much slower because the a, m, q, w and all the punctuation are in different places. Or, to put it another way, the q; anz qnd qll the punctuqtion qre in different plqces: It's hard to break those old habits of the qwerty keyboard!

Juliet has changed so much since May, the way every child changes between 16 and 20 months. She's an entirely different person. She's fearless. She runs at full tilt and we're constantly dreading a fall. She has an infectious laugh and she has learned how to tease. She wants to do everything herself, and she gets frustrated with you if you try to help her, and she gets frustrated with herself if she needs your help. When she succeeds at something she raises her arms with clenched fists as if to say, "Watch out, world! I am here and I am invincible!" And sometimes she will just come up to you and lay her cheek against your neck or your knee, so sweetly and gently that you feel faint with how much you love her. Then again, if you ask for a hug, you may get a resounding "no" and she may go tearing out of the room.

Tom and I had Juliet all day today. I slept the entire two hours that she slept; Tom wasn't able to sleep during that time, but he regrets it now! A trip to a new favorite park was fun except for a fall from some playground equipment, resulting in a few bumps and bruises. All in all a very good day except for the occasional fall, and some teething pains. We will have her all day tomorrow as well. The weather has been absolutely beautiful and we hope it will continue. Tomorrow we leave for Belle Ile! That will mean a long car trip, an overnight in a hotel and a ferry boat on Wednesday, but the island is worth the trouble. We will join Jeanne's parents there, for some shrimping, some hiking, lots of eating and laughing and reminiscing and playing with Juliet. Can't wait!