Greening

When spring is ready to arrive, it doesn't hesitate. In the past 3 days our front yard daffodils have bloomed, forsythia has burst forth all over the neighborhood, red buds have appeared on trees, and the grass has greened, seemingly instantaneously. I admire the tenacity of grass, hanging on all winter, lying dormant, patient, ready all the while to spring back to life with a verdant fervor.

This evening we walked to the grocery store. This made me so happy. Not that the grocery store is all that exciting of a destination, in the grand scheme of things (though you'd be surprised at how exciting a 3 year old can make it!). But the fact that we walked there, a gentle stroll through our sun-filled neighborhood, stroller laden with bags on the way home-- this is a sea change. I have missed evening walks, the simplicity of going somewhere yet staying close to home. The kids were so excited to go outside. Ivy bounced and squealed as I put her jacket on, and sat in the stroller just gazing and smiling and clapping at the world... Jack rode along, alternately commenting on the grass or the flowers or the birds, and turning around to pat his sister on the head, saying "sweet baby..."

Moments like this...oh!

Thank you, spring.

A quick Ivy update, as the girl is changing as fast as the seasons:

She now has 5 teeth. Number 6 is just visible under the gums. The next two teeth out from the middle, on the top. We have to give her credit for handling the teething process with such remarkable aplomb, keeping her happy demeanor during the day and only subjecting us to relatively slight sleep disturbances.

She can feed herself a piece of toast or a banana, by taking bites off the end. She also, we discovered tonight, really likes deli turkey.

Yesterday she stood by herself a few times. Kind of accidental-- she let go of what she was holding, and just... stood. Only for a few seconds, and she still prefers to use hands-and-knees for any serious locomotion, so I think we are safe from walking for a bit longer.

She can go down the stairs now, as well as up, and (when she's in the mood) can follow our verbal directions to go up, or come down. I still like to stay behind her when she's climbing, but her proficiency is increasing every day. As is her love for stairs. Or anything else she can climb. Lucky us.

She is babbling more and more and can say a recognizable approximation of Jack, Dada, Dog, and this ("dis"), a word which is usually accompanied by an enthusiastic point. She also signs for "all done" and sometimes waves at us.

Most momentous? She knows how to play with hot wheels on the Color-Shifter track, placing the cars in the trough and running them back and forth. You can see she is quickly picking up on the most important skills...:)