Hello to you too, Spring!

Wednesday, I planted our spring garden. We bought red leaf lettuce, Bibb lettuce, arugula, kale and collards as plants from Home Depot. 

I'd hoped for a beautiful, sunny day where I could sit Stella outside so she could play while I gardened. It was cool in the am, but it warmed up nice by mid afternoon. It never did get pretty, however, we were able to enjoy the outdoors. Stella crawled all over half of the yard, dug around with her tiny fingers in the dirt, crunched leaves between her fingers, smooshed strawberries between those same fingers, proved that the Gyro Bowl doesn't really work for little ones and generally had a great time getting absolutely disgusting.  

Here is mommy's little gardener.

Making a huge, but delicious mess with a strawberry. 

Here's the planted garden:

Kale

Strawberries...they've been planted for about two years now. They keep producing and spreading more and more each year. I'm going to try the beer can in the dirt to help control the slugs this season. They are a big problem. I'm hoping it helps.

Lettuces...arugula on the left, red leaf in the center and Bibb on the right. (sorry for the crappy half shade/half sun picture)

Collards

Our three raised beds. 

I received a ton of free organic seeds for things like carrots (purple & orange), kale, radicchio, watercress, peas, beans and basil. I haven't grown much from seed before so I'd like to give it a try, especially since they are such nice seeds. Maybe we can plant some this weekend.

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If she wasn't already into everything, now Stella can reach on top of the side table in her nursery and grab things like the remote, a tube of nice lotion (to gnaw on the cap) and my cup.

I'm a water, ice and lemon fanatic and Stella doesn't seem to mind drinking from my cup. I had her on my hip while I was refilling my drink (that she knocked over) and she snagged a lemon from the bowl. She had a taste of a Meyer lemon before and didn't make a face at all. This was her first taste of a regular lemon. It took a while for the face and head shake to occur, but she went right back to it. Her Grandaddy will be proud.

Her favorite toys.

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Thursday was gorgeous. Thank goodness for the first day of Spring. We didn't wake up until around 9, had breakfast (leftover veggie quiche) and went to swim class. Finally, a day that seemed swim appropriate. The past two Thursdays have been cold, dreary and drizzly. Yuck!

After two other swimsuit changes (those wouldn't fit with her swim diapers), we went with the red, white, blue and stars one. I'm glad this one fit because we didn't have a 4th backup. She could have just swam in the swim diapers, but she probably would have been a little slippery.

 She wasn't a team player this week. Stella was very clingy and weepy. It was the most she's cried during class. After class ended and it was free play time she was very content though.

We came home and opened all the windows in the house. I love airing it out and seeing the curtains flutter in the breeze.

After lunch, I laid the blanket in the backyard, hammered the umbrella into the ground and drug out a basket full of toys. I made a pitcher of fresh strawberry lemonade while Stella and I sat in the backyard catching up with my Grandpa and my Nina on the phone. 

Here she is hanging on to the umbrella pole. She also loves dancing on it.  Her Daddy's not sure what to think of that?!

This antique "Toddle Rock" as it's called is a little rocking chair my mom got for my cousin (her niece), Jennifer, when her first son was born 14 years ago. He was the first grandchild for my Aunt (her sister). She had three other children and they all used this too.  Jennifer gave it back to me a few months ago so Stella could enjoy it. She is definitely enjoying it.

I laid sweet girl down at 3:00 and got to straightening up the house. She awoke at 4:00, kinda fussy and crying. I picked her up and sat down to nurse her, but she had other plans. She nuzzled right in on my chest to go back to sleep. I'm am so ok with that. Even if my left arm was almost asleep and I was near the point of peeing on myself. I'll take cuddly time over anything else.

I'm so happy for longer and warmer days. Stella is definitely an outside girl. She's always happy being outdoors and if she is being a grumpy pants, I can take her outside and she instantly cheers up. 

We went to Daddy's softball game last night. He had two games back-to-back. Stella and Landon got to play for a little while. It got quite chilly after the sun went down, but I had sweet girl in the carrier to keep me warm.  

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This morning we woke up to a beautiful sunrise. We walked with our neighbors down the street, Kate and Alice at 10:30 and after that we headed to a few consignment sales. We had lunch at Australian Bakery Cafe on the Marietta Square. I would have liked to have sat outside to eat, but it would have been a chore to lug the highchair out with the stroller and everything. So instead, we just chilled inside. It was delicious. 

We came home and a few minutes after we walked in the door, Daddy walked in. We all headed out back to play on the blanket. Stella monkey-crawled all over the yard (she doesn't like for her knees to be in the grass) chasing Bandit and dancing on the umbrella pole.  Daddy grilled out and we had dinner on the screen porch. Then we went back outside to play and have dessert. Stella is teething and her gums are swollen. These have really helped this week and are super easy to make.  Stella crashed early tonight.  She's was pretty fussy today, I guess since she didn't get her full 10-11 hours of sleep last night. Hard to argue with that. 

Sweet dreams.