monday mish mash

Usually I have a post up on Monday mornings, but this morning I had other things to do. Phone calls to make, small people to get dressed and feed and give naps to, laundry to do, the week's meal plan to make...

1) We had a half good, half bad weekend. Saturday started off with Celia acting up, and she was a little difficult all day. It was a rainy day and I was cranky too. After a failed nap time, we went out to an indoor playground and it was closed! On a rainy Saturday afternoon! So then we went to try a new bowling place that actually turned out to be really good. It will be fun when the kids are older because the place also has a lot of other games, and a restaurant/bar. It's funny that Celia loves bowling so much, because she really can't do it at all. But she's thrilled just to take turns playing a game, and when it was her turn I would go up with her and she would "help" me roll the ball. Then we went home and got takeout for dinner because I was tired and didn't want to cook.

Some mornings, Celia and I are up before Chris and Henry and we go downstairs and just hang out or have breakfast together. It's nice. On Sunday we were up early. I was having breakfast and reading, and Celia was playing around me at the table. She made a "fish" out of a tiny piece of toilet paper. The kid's got imagination. Anyway, she really did shape it like a fish and then she was blowing across the table to make it swim. She has the best imagination.

The focus is off on this one (I'll blame it on not having had finished my coffee yet) but I love her little smile. My tiny girl has the sweetest little face.

2) We're looking at preschools so Celia can start in the fall, and touring two this week. It's both exciting and terrifying. I don't want her to get any older. At the same time, I think she will really enjoy school and she asks me all the time when she'll be old enough to go. I have to remember that she is ready. I'm the one who's not.

3) My peony bushes are mostly bloomed out already, I think. So sad. I do have one more that's just starting to bloom now.

4) Celia and I went to Trader Joe's on Sunday afternoon, just the two of us. I love taking her out and leaving the boys at home. We had the best time. Celia is enjoying bringing her own lunch and snack to daycare now, so we picked out some things for her to take. They also had a sample there made with TJ's products, and Pita always wants to try the samples so she did. It was two kinds of rice and black barley (I think) with tomatoes, cucumbers, and a tiny bit of kalamata olive oil as a dressing. There were a few other little kids trying it and they all hated it and wouldn't have more than one bite. Meanwhile, Celia ate the whole thing by herself and loved it. Ha! I get so proud sometimes of what a good, healthy eater she is. I got the ingredients to make it for her at home.

5) This guy...

is changing so fast! He's really getting good at manipulating things with his hands, is so much more alert and aware when we're playing, and wants to touch and figure out everything. He also would really like to crawl.

He tries so hard, but doesn't quite have the coordination yet. I keep expecting him to just start doing it one day. He will soon, I think.

6) We got new tires and an alignment for my car over the weekend. (Yes, we got a lot done this weekend!) What a big difference in how it drives now!

7) I finally put out the new pillows I got for the living room. They're a good start at adding some color.

Bad phone picture, but here they are:

8) Also, do not attempt to shop in store for home decorating things when you have a baby, a young child, or a combination of the two along with you. Stay home and browse Amazon.

9) Henry is playing on the floor right now, and he has gone from sitting up to lying on his back, rolled over on his belly, and is now pushing himself in a circle and backwards a little with his arms while trying to crawl. It's so cute to watch him try! And he keeps looking at me and just smiling. It's funny too because sometimes he gets in the most awkward positions and is kind of stuck, but he doesn't complain. He just quietly keeps trying to get where he wants to be. He is really able to entertain himself for longer periods now. It's really neat.

10) I keep adding things to my to-read list, and the list just keeps growing. I try to read a little each night, and once and a while during naps. Okay, just kidding. I never have time during naps. Anyway, right now I'm reading this and this.

Time to change Henry and go get Celia from daycare!