Spring Chickens

Spring is most definitely in full swing now, and we have been loving the warm weather! Warmer weather is always welcome after a long winter full of fleece pajamas, dreary days, and showers spent debating whether or not to shave your legs. Warm weather means sunshine, playing outside, and flirty clothing. 

And leg shaving. 

Can't win 'em all.

 

 We've been spending tons of our time outside lately. My mom has the world's worst allergies, but nobody in my little tribe inherited that, so the pollen hasn't stopped us even a little bit! There are tons of playgrounds in our area, and we love joining friends for lunch at parks or even doing a late afternoon play date. Bob has the best time climbing on the playground equipment and is finally beginning to understand that it's not cool to crawl back up the slide after you've gone down. That's just simple playground etiquette. 

Speaking of playground etiquette, I've also been picking up on a few unspoken rules. Did you know that there's a secret code? With rules? Well there is. It seems like the biggest rule is to not bring any toy that your child isn't willing to share with other children. So, with a toddler, that means don't bring any freaking toys to the playground. Because toddlers aren't too big on the whole sharing thing. I have noticed two extremes of playground moms. One type is the helicopter mom--she is her child's shadow, following him around everywhere he goes and enforcing good behavior (which really seems to only be for show anyway). The other type of playground mom I've noticed is the AWOL mom--she may be there in the flesh, but she's completely out to lunch behind her sunglasses. She is too wrapped up in talking/texting/daydreaming/sleeping with her eyes open to notice that her kid has run off/is pushing other kids down/keeps climbing up the slide backward. Oopsie.

I do my best to stay somewhere in the middle. I typically go the the playground with a friend, so we usually sit on the benches of a playground and chat while the kids play. We are at a close distance if they need us, and we do frequent visual scans, but we try to only intervene in child's play if there is something worth intervening over. I think it's good to let kids figure things out for themselves sometimes. I'll admit that it is easy to get wrapped up in a conversation or to get distracted while dividing your energies between kids. Bobby loves to play, but Vivi can't do too much at the playground because she can't walk just yet. I thought about how to remedy this, since it seems unfair to keep her strapped in a stroller when she's dying to get out and play, but I don't want to chase her little crawling self all over the grounds. It finally dawned on me to bring her walker with us and let her cruise around in it. This method works really well for her; it lets her get close to the big kids and allows her to feel like she's in on the action, but it ensures that she won't get lost or trampled. So far she loves it. Plus, I don't think it'll be too much longer before she's walking anyway!

We typically go outside to play in the front yard twice a day--once in the morning between breakfast and lunch, and once in the afternoon after naps. I'm relishing the Spring weather while it lasts, because Spring and Fall are the only times I enjoy being outside. Summer is so miserable in the South; it's only worth it if you're by the pool with a cocktail. But the high seventies-low eighties weather we have been having lately is perfect. I put some music on through our mini jambox speaker and sit on our big porch swing, while Bobby rides on of his many riding toys in the front yard and Vivi cruises around in her walker. We've recently brought out the sidewalk chalk, which Bobby enjoys breaking and Viv enjoys eating.

Another activity we've all been enjoying lately is taking walks in our wagon. The kiddos love it, and it's actually a little more exercise to pull it than it is to push a stroller, so I'm able to convince myself that I've simultaneously worked out and scared the neighbors.

 Our front porch swing really is my favorite part of our front yard. My parents got it for us, and my sweet daddy installed it a couple of months ago. I haven't gotten around to painting it yet, but it's already such an awesome place to relax. The kiddos especially love it.

With this warmer Spring weather comes flirty new Spring clothing and a reminder that I should probably lose this last 10 15 pounds of baby weight I still am hanging on to. Viv's feet have finally grown out of her newborn shoes all the way to a big ol' size 2, so it was time to purchase her a pair of sandals for the warmer weather. I found these, which are so, so adorable and really inexpensive. Unfortunately, they don't come in many other colors, or else I'd buy her a pair in every color. But that's okay; yellow is basically a neutral anyway, right? These shoes are so sweet on Vivi's tiny little feet. I'm obsessed.

Here are a few things that I've either purchased or have my eye on right now.

 dress & bloomer set // terry romper // hat // denim dress // jelly flats // embroidered dress // bubble romper

green tee // easy livin' tee // distressed jeans // denim shirt // green shorts // striped tiny toms // burlap tiny toms

v-neck linen tee // denim jacket // panama hat // necklace // pull-on shorts // striped skirt // citron tote // wedges (sold out, but similar here and here)

I have the shirt, jacket, shorts, and hat; I am needing that striped skirt in the worst way. I have the biggest crush on that fabulous necklace, but I don't think I can justify spending that money on myself right now. Maybe it would make a nice Mother's Day or birthday present. Ahem. 

I've been on the hunt for a new pair of wedges now that the weather is warmer. I have a few pairs, but the problem is that the last time I bought a pair, it was before I had kids. So they are about 5" tall and impossible to wear while chasing beasties. I need a pair with a more modest height, maybe 3-3.5". I could maybe even swing 4" if they had a large enough platform on them. I've also been eyeing these, these, and these, but I haven't taken the plunge yet on any of them. I should probably hurry up, as people are evidently in summer-wedge-buying mode, and every pair I start to like gets sold out in my size. 

On an unrelated note, I am currently en route to have the first phase of my Interstim procedure. Today they will dig around my spinal column and implant a temporary device, which will hopefully relieve some pain. I'm trying to be realistic and remind myself that there's a good shot of it not working, so that I don't get too disappointed. But I'm also hopeful. Realistic and nervous, but hopeful. I've said my prayers, crossed my fingers and toes, and done my rain dance. 

I like to cover all my bases. 

Happy Wednesday!

Keep on keepin' on!

-Annette