I'm having too much fun to smile.

Like Brandon, Harper strikes a balance I'm still trying to achieve - she's intense and mellow at the same time.

I think this may be why, after all this time, I still like Brandon, not just love him.

Each day, I see more and more of our personalities in Harper. I see more and more I like about her. Somewhere along the way, she turned into my friend - not just someone I love out of motherly instinct or duty or because she's 1/2 of me.

So today, we went to the mall to return some stuff, scope out a kitchen gadget, ride the glass elevator to the top floor three times. . . you know. The usual.

I found myself oddly unencumbered, save the umbrella stroller, and Harper is really, really into trains right now, so when we glimpsed the kiddie train running through the mall from our perch atop the 4th floor, it had to be.

Words do not describe the child's excitement. . . She chose the green cart and in we went. I tried not to snap too many pictures. I kinda just wanted to soak her in. Besides, she was moving around so much, half of the ones I took were a blur of arms and legs.

When I showed Brandon the pictures of her great adventure, I started with, "Well, I didn't catch a smile. . . . ," and looking at it, you'd have to wonder, but she was too busy having fun to smile. No perpetual grin for my girl. She feels and she loves and she's serious about it.

Not pictured: The jig she danced between Ann Taylor Loft and Williams Sonoma when the conductor played a rousing train whistle version of Yankee Doodle.