And um, when did it become spring? I'm still surprised when I go outside and realize the trees are all budding. I'll catch myself feeling sorry for the sweet little purple flowers blooming in the backyard, worried that winter is going to plan a sneak attack and kill them. It never got cold enough for me to wear my winter coat, so part of me is still waiting to feel the coming chill. But no, it looks like warmer weather is here to stay and we are taking full advantage of it this long weekend.
Of course, being at home for an extra day with no plans has me noticing the little details that have fallen by the wayside. Usually I can ignore the crumbs on the floor and hand prints smeared on the door until the cleaners arrive, but today I'm seeing things with new eyes. I innocently took a clorox wipe to the pantry door yesterday to clear up a spot and six wipes and ten minutes later, I was still scrubbing. The more I rubbed and swiped, the dirtier I realized it was! So we're due for a spring cleaning and sorting and putting away and donating.
But not today. Today is a day for doing nothing. After enduring the stresses of school observations, end of quarter grading, report cards and spring conferences, it's nice to loll.
Yesterday was a perfect day. I am starting to learn how to appreciate them, be present and savor them, now that I've experienced the hard days.* It was so warm outside that Violet and I were both in shorts and tanks, exposing our pasty white legs to the world. I took a new book outside and for what seemed like hours, we sat in the sunshine. Violet played happily on her own or with our neighbor, splashing in the water table. I'm seeing glimpses of how this summer will be different from the last. Now she's old enough for some of the toys I tried to get her to use last season, to disappointing results. This year she seems content to splash away, or take endless loops on her tricycle, while I can sit merely observing, called on only when desperate times call for desperate measures, like the fetching of a snack. I'm already looking forward to how we'll spend our summer days (when I'm not terrified of the thought of being a mom-on-call 24/7).
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| Anyone up for a tea party? There's enough to share! |
Some other random tidbits I haven't shared yet... After Violet's success on the potty, we've taken a step back. She has straight-up refused to have anything to do with potty again. No amount of potty books or m&m bribes will budge her. So I'm dropping the matter for now. Honestly the thought of potty training seems a little exhausting anyway. I'd rather wait until she's ready to do it, like we did with the pacifier.
Also, Violet refuses to wear dresses. This makes me sad. I was the opposite as a kid - I refused to wear pants. To the point of tears. I can get Violet into skirts without too much fuss, but she has so many cute dresses just going to waste in the dresser. I did manage to sneak one onto her the other day by calling it a shirt (a really long shirt) and allowing her to wear shorts underneath. We'll see how it goes. I'm just hoping she lets me put her in an Easter dress.
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| Staying cool in the shades. |
*And by hard days, I mean difficult by my standards. You know, Violet takes 45 minutes to get dressed or I forget a much-needed ingredient at the grocery store. I know in the grand scheme of things, this is nothing. I know people whose children are suffering from brain tumors or getting arrested for drug possession - obviously our suffering is not on the same scale. I get it. I thank God for it. Once Violet stops yelling at me, at least. Then I can count my blessings.
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