sunshine, flowers, and a neat new bink

I keep forgetting it's only March because we're having such summery weather this week! Here I am putting away winter things and taking out summer clothes already. Every day the plants are growing and budding more. Yesterday I noticed these pretty little critters had come out.

After much waffling the last few days about whether to sleep train Henry and whether to take away his swaddle, and even one night of beginning Ferber, I stumbled on a possible solution to our sleep issues yesterday. Turns out Henry will now take a new kind of binky that has an orthodontic shape and doesn't fall out of his mouth while he's sleeping! I'm well aware that this just creates a new crutch for him, so to speak, but if it buys us some time and lets me wait to sleep train when he's a little older and really ready to give up the swaddle, I think that's the best thing to do. The swaddle still really helps him, as his arms flail all over the place without it and keep him awake. The binky even may help him settle down and sleep better when it is time to unswaddle. Anyway, he had good naps with the new binky yesterday and last night he slept for 8 hours!!! He slept from about 8:30 to 4:30, had a small feeding, woke again at 6:30, and then slept for another hour. I hope this will continue! Of course I was still awake all night, since I'm so used to being up...

Such a handsome little fellow.

It's a beautiful day today. Celia is at daycare, probably playing outside and getting covered in dirt and sand. She gets disgustingly dirty playing outside and has such a good time. Since Henry now has a consistent morning nap, I know that I always have two hours to get things done on mornings Celia's at daycare. This morning I started some spring cleaning- let in fresh air, dusted the walls, ceilings, baseboards, vacuumed everywhere, and washed and put away some winter coats. Then I did a workout dvd, showered, did some more things around the house, and woke Henry. I really pack a lot into those two hours! Then Henry ate, we played, I had lunch, and now it's nap time again. I've been doing more laundry, putting clean sheets on the beds, making dinner and getting the pack n play and baby swing out of our bedroom. That was exciting! I also have some garden-related planning and journaling I want to get to, but not sure if there will be time.

Last night Chris wasn't home until after the kids were in bed. Celia and Henry were both really good, but it still exhausts me to be in charge from morning 'till bedtime. I was probably crankier than Celia by bedtime, and unfortunately I had a bit of a short fuse. I don't know how single parents can do it, and do it well. I did get an adorable picture of Pita and Henry Boy together :)

Time for me to get going. When Henry wakes up, he will eat and we'll play, and then we'll pick up Celia and have more play, dinner, baths, and bedtime. Things are busy, but I'm glad we're starting to get in a nice routine! Spring weather and sunshine always help too.