Summer is Here (Alternately Titled: Zoë's Pulling Out Her Tricks)

I'm not sure why, but today feels like it's marking the first day of summer for me. It's not because of the weather.

Trust me.

Houston has been seeing plenty of 85º+ weather for several weeks now. There was even a day I noticed the thermometer in my car was registering 99º.

Excuse me?!

People told me it gets hot here. I, however, was not prepared to greet high humidity and ridiculously hot temps this early. The pool and I will become best friends this Summer. I'm sure of it.

Anyway, I'm guessing the reason I feel like Summer starts today is because today will be the first of several weeks where Monday through Wednesday I will be keeping my neighbors daughter. I'm sure we will have a lot of fun as Zoë loves playing with B.

Honestly, I think B even pulls out the dangerous side of Zoë.

You see, this past week, B came over to play with Zoë when she woke up from her nap. I thoroughly enjoyed it as it meant Zoë didn't need me quite as much because she had a comrade. This meant I was able to cook, work on bills (Oh, goody!), fiddle with our budget and an assortment of other household chores without having Zoë pulling on my leg, vying for my attention.

I could hear the girls "talking" and playing. I wasn't too worried about them so for the most part they played while I worked. Every now and again, I would pop my head in to check on them.

Well, one time I go in and I see B sitting next to Zoë's bookshelf. She's focused on getting the books back on the shelf. (She's yet to learn Zoë will just pull them off in a heart beat.) I'm chuckling inside at how tidy she's trying to be and at the same time realizing that Zoë isn't enjoying her books too. (Please note: this realization only took about .005 seconds.)

It's then I see that my child is straddling the recliner in her room.

Wait..she's doing WHAT?!

She isn't just straddling the arm rest, she's boldly reaching for the lamp up on the shelf all the while she's toddering back and forth on said armrest. In the two giant steps it took me to reach her, I'm seeing ambulance sirens and cracked skulls with a screaming, tears streaming baby before my eyes.

Oh, Lord! Please, please let me reach her before she falls! I had NO IDEA she could climb in the chair!!!!!

I swoop her into my arms and immediately start laughing about the situation. B kind of freaked out a little. I'm pretty sure I asked her a million times if she put Zoë up in the chair, to which the response was always the same freaked out "No. I didn't even know she had climbed up there."

I just couldn't believe Zoë had done that. She's never been that much of a go-getter for what she wants. She normally tries "See how cute I am when I whine?" tactics. I guess in that moment, she really wanted that lamp and saw her only means. The child is tall enough to climb onto our couches. I'm sure of it.

I guess I need to keep a closer eye on her. And here I was thinking that I am keeping a close enough eye. Ha!

Lesson learned: your children will find ways to prove you wrong. Always. Oh and make liars out of you. It's true. Don't underestimate it.