Onward! This new month is bringing with it some warmer weather, flowers blooming in the yard (daffodils and camellias, and they are so, so welcome!), and the promise of renewal that spring seems to bring with it.
My husband has gotten his first Covid vaccine shot, and I am so grateful for that, too. There seems to be great progress towards returning to a life that is lived more outside of a bubble, and the promise of being able to reconnect with friends and extended family is providing some much needed hope and enthusiasm.
The Easter bunny has been working diligently behind the scenes, and purchasing treats and toys to fill three little people's baskets at my house. The other day, I sent my husband to pick up a pair of target orders. The next morning, I had an email from Target saying that my items were being put back on the shelf since I hadn't picked them up in time....except the items were already in my house, some in use. I called the store to let them know that I didn't think they had charged me for the merchandise. After they passed me around to a few different people, I was told, "Thank you for letting us know. We hope you enjoy your purchases as a gift from us. We'll remind our team members to be more diligent about closing out orders." Dear Target, I love you. Thank you for the gifts. I'll enjoy my new bike helmet.
My 3.5 year old son, "the baby," is officially riding a bike. Not a balance bike, not a bike with training wheels, a bike. Several years ago, before Santa brought bikes to both girls for their big Christmas gift, I remember reading an article about "Never buy a 12" bike." Santa brought those bikes anyway, that year, even though the article talked about how the bike would be too heavy and wouldn't be used for long enough to justify and other things I can't remember anymore. And believe it or not, my girls used those same bikes for about 3 years. Sometimes they had the pedals off and used them as balance bikes, sometimes they pedaled with training wheels, and both of them learned to ride for real on those bikes....and "the baby" watched them and copied them and was determined to learn. Over the summer, I did buy him a separate balance bike, since he was not tall enough for the 12" bike (the balance bike had 10" wheels). He practiced and practiced, and grew a little, and eventually started pedaling a 12" bike with training wheels. Going back and forth between the balance bike and a pedal bike, his strength and coordination continued to grow, and about 1.5 weeks ago, we took the training wheels off the pedal bike...and now "the baby" won't stop riding. He rides on the pump track, he rides on the big dirt hill, he rides to the park, he rides and rides and rides. It blows my mind.
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| that's him in the red -- pedaling away on the pump track |
My dad is getting me back into shape for bike riding -- I'm borrowing one of his bikes when we take the kids to the pump track, and my thighs are getting more of a workout than jogging has been providing. It is a thrill, for sure, to be on a bike after about 15 years of not riding one.
And I signed my family up for spring pictures....which means it is time to make some new dresses for myself and my girls, and maybe a new shirt for "the baby." I have a self-imposed "rule" that we wear clothes I've sewn for pictures -- I know it might seem weird, but to me it increases the value of those pictures and of the clothes, hoping that the clothes will become treasured hand-me-downs to the next generation of little ones to come through our family. And before I give myself permission to sew new things that weren't already on my "to-make" list, I am trying to clear a few projects from the list. So I've been working diligently during quiet times/naptimes to get next steps on the pink/purple "flight behavior" quilt completed -- I nearly have the columns created (three seams each to go!), then will need to assemble the columns together into a whole flimsy. And then I'll need to decide whether to piece a backing or use an old sheet (one option would use up more odds and ends that I'd like to use up; the other option would be faster) and whether I'll quilt it myself or send it out (one option is faster than the other, but costs me money out of pocket, which isn't the point for this type of scrap quilt for me)...And I've also gotten about halfway through construction of a new Made-by-Rae Isla dress. And a handful of face masks, hopefully in a size small enough for Peanut to wear at summer camp, if masks are even still a thing this summer at summer camp -- Oh, how wonderful it would be if she could have a full three week vacation from thinking about Covid-19! At the least, she'll have a three week vacation from family life while she enjoys all the outdoor activities summer camp can offer.
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| the dress and the quilt, pinned and waiting for a non-quiet time to go through the machine |
Is spring helping you to feel hopeful? Is March looking up, compared to February, so far?
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