Blither Blather Blogger

I should know better than to wait for inspiration when writing a blog. My muse doesn't visit me often these days. I'm too busy cleaning up potty training accidents, cleaning up toys, cleaning bottoms, cleaning up something.... Even when she does pop in for a fleeting moment, a more mundane activity quickly shoos her on her way. The following will be mostly blather. You've been forewarned. :)

Today was a beautiful day. Spring has finally decided to come to nest, pushing Winter out, I hope. I think May is my favorite month of the year, with October coming in a close second. In May, everything is so alive. After such a long hibernation, it's so refreshing to feel the sun, to see and smell the green of everything.

Catching bubbles

These bubbles were cool, weird, and super sticky. They had a thick "skin" and lingered around even after landing. Anika loved them!

I've been planning for the kids' birthdays for the past few weeks. I'm excited about Anika's in particular this year. She knows definitively that her birthday is coming up and it will be day all about her. I'll ask her old she is going to be and almost without fail, she'll answer "Three! But I'm two now...", while holding up the appropriate number of fingers. For Anika's party, I've got a simple theme of polka dots planned. I thought about an Angelina Ballerina theme, but decided against going the route of a character. I've got big plans for her day. I've been dying to try my hand at the ever-popular cake balls, so I'll definitely have some of those. I'm picturing simple white powdered sugar frosting on the balls with rainbow sprinkles, a small smash cake with fondant or fruit roll up polka dots, barrettes with pom poms for Anika and cousin Lauren, melon balls, etc... etc.... I've made her a felt flag banner to put up, which was fun and simple.

I just glued on the letters with Fabri-Tac - I figure it doesn't need to be heirloom quality, but hopefully it will last through a few birthdays. I really want to make Anika a cape too, as she's taken to running around the house either her shirt or napkins or any other piece of fabric behind her yelling "Super Why to the rescue!", mimicking the main caped character of one of her favorite PBS shows. I love the polka dotted fabric included in the banner, so maybe I'll incorporate that into a cape somehow.

As for Kaden, I think I'll do pinwheels. Nothing elaborate, as he won't remember. Probably stick a pinwheel into a cake and call it a day. :)

Kaden, Anika and I continue to find our groove, or at least continue our search for it. I spend most of my time at home most days. One or both kids are napping at most times during the day. My schedule consists mostly of breastfeeding Kaden, feeding Kaden, feeding Anika, running to the bathroom to help Anika with the potty, or putting one of them down for a nap.

 I'm trying my best not to go crazy being at home so much by attempting to get out for the brief periods between naps. At the very least to go outside our house with Kaden to play with Anika for a while.

We don't have much of a front yard yet. It's all cement and mud, but there is one pile of compost mix that we trailered in that Anika has made into her own dirtbox. She loves to take her miniature shovel, rake, and gloves to go garden and fill up her John Deere dump truck.

Notice the little piles all over the driveway...

We had a nice low-key Easter this year. We spend the morning with the Johansons (I forgot my camera! :( ), came back for Anika's nap, and then Mom, Gretch, Dylan and Jak came over in the afternoon. The older I get, the more I enjoy having my family live close to me... I'd say there almost isn't a day that goes by that I don't talk to my sister or mom now. The kids know their grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins and so love to spend time with them!

Coloring with Jak, who was forced against his will to wear a tutu...

Earlier in the week, I colored eggs with Anika during one of Kaden's naps, and Anika loved it. She couldn't quite master the wire egg dipper though. Most of the time the egg ended up falling off into the dye water, splashing color everywhere. We just gave up and used our hands, which was only slightly less splashful.

Note the inside-out backward shirt. Hey, at least it's on. That's a battle in and of itself most days.

In the next few days, I'm going to try and write an "I want to remember all these tiny details" post about my kids. Kaden is growing leaps and bounds, and Anika says and does the most adorable things, I've got to try and memorialize some of them here, for my own sake. Simple things like Anika singing lullabies to Kaden or the fact that she has to eat applesauce or yogurt with two spoons, always. Time speeds by and I wish I could slow it down a little sometimes. I can't believe my baby girl will be three, and my little man will be one in just a few weeks!

We just keep on truckin'!