Toes and Fluff

The other morning we woke up, I flicked on the light, Cailen said "Hey Mommy you turned off the dark!!" I said "No, I turned on the light." She said "Tssst! Mommy...." I could hear her rolling her eyes at my silly statement.

The day before she tripped on a wire and the fan fell over, she said "Uh oh Mommy! I fell down on the windies!!"

The other day Cailen cut her finger on a piece of glass that was in our driveway due to partying (beer bottle throwing) neighbors. I've also noticed that local cats use our grass for a litter box. The potting soil we've been using, I just realized says "gardening gloves are recommended during use/keep away from children" and I've been letting Cailen play in it. Woops.

So, I just wasn't sure how/with what/where she could safely play in my back yard anymore so we went out bought two kiddie pools. I we will keep one for water. The other we filled with 200 pounds of play sand. (Don't worry I keep it covered!) So Cailen loves it. The only set back we've had with this safer playing area is that the first time she played in the sand she got some in her eye and proceeded to try to wipe it out of her eye with her sandy hands :( She'll soon learn.

While we wait for the damp weather to pass so that Kris can mow the lawn the dandelions are taking over. I don't mind, I like the happy little things...They are slowly changing and Cailen is learning to send them off in the wind!...So cute.

I'm noticing this week there has been a huge burst of independent thinking in Cailen. It seems every thing I do she says "I want to help!" so we've been baking a lot, she helped feed the cat, helped clean, bring in the groceries and helped make her sandwiches...It's great. I just need to remind myself to slow down and let her give it a try, even if it's messier and takes longer. It's exciting. She is very proud of her accomplishments.

My backyard photography

Riley is 11 months old today!!!

I am a month away from my youngest being ONE!! Where does the time go? She certainly FEELS that age, but she's still my baby...This mommy can't believe it feels like just yesterday I was bringing this sweet girl home for the first time. Since my last blog she has started saying NEW WORDS...look out daddy we have ourselves some talkative girls! Riley can now say her name "Riree," "mommy" (she stopped saying "mama" a while ago too babyish for her I suppose), she says "flower" and "toes" and it seems she says "shoe." The other day she was going near the cat food and she kept repeating "Don't touch." Like I said before, it's pretty crazy. This past week I turned around to see that she had gotten herself up on the couch, now it seems every couch and chair is an adventure she can't wait to enjoy. UGH!! The problem with this is I'm not sure she's perfected getting back down yet, and she does not always stop climbing at the chair or couch, if there's something taller next to it, she continues on!

Gardening....

Having kids has given me a great excuse to play in the dirt and check my plants daily. Historically I do not keep plants very long because I forget to tend to them. So far so good with my projects this year! We have planted at least a dozen different things- I think. From wild flowers to vegetables to herbs. Most of them have already sprouted which is exciting. My ornamental pear tree and my lilacs have already or started to bloom. They are really the only beauty in my yard at this point (besides my kids, birds and bumble bees.) So I have taken to photographing some of my yard flowers just to enjoy my yard that much more...I have also been trying to save money and be "earth friendly" by just recycling some containers because really, who needs fancy containers for dirt anyway? Ultimately the plants will be transplanted somewhere else. I'm enjoying being thrifty. Cailen has been very helpful with planting and watering our little project. It's really exciting to have such a nice activity for her to nurture and watch grow.

Spring things.

The spring is here and that gives me such relief in my mind that being stuck here alone in this town isn't quite so bad. I can leave the cabin fever behind and get out in the sunshine. This summer is more exciting for me I think because I don't have an "infant" per se and I am not pregnant. Walking while pushing a stroller isn't as much of a chore as it is just more exercise. Finally I can squeeze in and out of the wooden play ground without the excuse of a large bulbous belly. I have already been several times to the play ground with my girls. It's very exciting that this year Riley is also able to enjoy it. It's very amazing to see year after year, the way Cailen interacts with her surroundings when there. She is still very aware of keeping close to me (which I love) but she is far more adventurous of going down the slide by herself, climbing to get to the slide by herself and swinging on the big kids swing. All good things.

I am so enjoying watching these little ones grow up. Cailen is so creative and imaginative and blows my mind with the things she says and does and the songs she makes up. She is able to sing the alphabet in full now and she also knows most of the sounds that letters make and can give you example words. :)

Riley has been walking for a month and a half. Which is right on schedule with Cailen's growth and development. What I wasn't prepared for is Riley is talking. Not just "mama" and "dada." She's actually starting to say "no" when she's doing something she KNOWS she's not supposed to do. She repeats it when someone else says it. (This Cailen never did with NO.) Cailen has always called Play Doh "Doh Doh" and now Riley identifies the dough or the yellow can as "doh doh." Yesterday Riley brought a ball over to me and said "BAH!" and every time she plays with a ball since she says "BAH." It's almost scary. I really never expected her to talk so soon. Oh, yeah and she also mimics "Daddy-o" it sounds more like "day-yo." One night Cailen imitated the train and said "ducka dah choo choo." I can't remember what Riley did but it was clear to me and Kris that she was trying to copy the sound. Crazy right? I almost feel like I won't need to teach Riley the sign language that I did with Cailen. I may still, but....man!

Today I planted some wild flowers, mini sun flowers, lavendar, thyme, and oregano seeds in pots with Cailen. Riley ate a little bit of soil but I think she'll survive? :) We swept the broken glass (well most of it) from the driveway (thank you beer bottle throwing neighbors) and we are thinking about taking out the back part of the driveway to make more grassy play area for the girls. I am thinking of trying to get rid of the weeds that have flanked the back right side of my yard and perhaps put in at least a garden for home grown flowers. I am just so tired of my backyard being primarily asphalt. The lilac bush we planted on our anniversary a couple years ago has grown 4x and already has raspberry size buds on it. I'm SO excited. I think harvesting flowers with my Cailen who loves to say "WOOW! It's so pretty!" will be really fun.

Tomorrow is earth day and the town is going to be celebrating in some form. I seem to remember they had a little "plant a seed" thing for kids last year. I am hoping Cailen will be able to participate this year. So, tomorrow I intend on seeing what the town is doing for it's festivities.

Anyway, HAPPY SPRING. I hope you are all enjoying it as much as I am!