Could Spring Finally Be Here?

Today the temperature reached high 40s and felt like high 50s when in the sun and out of the wind.  AMAZING!  

We went out to the playground this morning and Helena said, "Look, Mommy - sand!"  It has been forever since we saw something other than snow and ice out there.

 

Benjamin was in his element of 9-month exploration.  He's only ever crawled outside on snow, so everything was so new.  Plus there was the wonder of sand.

Then his mommy let her kids take their shoes and socks and hats off, and it really felt like a new season.

The afternoon was perfect for Grandma's egg hunt in Queen's Park.

It's supposed to be in the 30s and 40s all week.  If this actually happens, I feel like my life will have been made - a bit of hyperbole, but really, that's how long this winter has been.

Sick Baby

A baby with a cold is just miserable.  It's so hard, too, as all you can do is hold, walk, rock, sing, and try to comfort the poor lad, but sometimes none of it works and he just cries.

 

Then he falls asleep in your arms and it's wonderful.  You may have to remind yourself that it's wonderful when it's at 4:30 a.m. for the fourth day in a row - but you know that as soon as he's feeling better, he'll start moving again, so you take the reminder and enjoy it.

This past week we weren't seeing too many of B's smiles but we're glad to say they're back and he's back on track for walking very very soon...

Smiling Faces

Usually when I take a picture these days, Helena makes a face.  But then there are the rare times in the midst of our daily chaos that Helena says "Take a picture of us!"  I then run, grab the camera, and hope I can press the trigger before her mood changes.

This is one moment I managed to catch before it ended.

A Perfect Day of Weather Amongst All the Other Days

"Mom, I'm not going to spray him..."

Last Friday was gorgeous.  Gorgeous.  I actually cannot remember another day this entire winter that was even close to as nice as last Friday.

"...I'm just teaching him how to use the spray bottle."

So we headed out to the best place around us to play in lots of snow - the lot where they dump all the snow from the park's roads!  It's a diamond in the rough.

 

Spray bottles of colored water kept both kids busy - Helena spraying and designing her unicorn horn and Benjamin chasing after them, wherever they rolled.

We even ate our lunch outside!  That's how beautiful the day was.  First picnic of 2014 - March 7!

 In the words of Helena, "I loved this beautiful day!"

Caught with a hand in the cookie jar!

Or in Benjamin's case, the margarine container!

His reach is longer than I had imagined. 

And yes, after I saw him, I got the camera and took some photos while he continued to dig in and eat.  He was just too cute!

Almost look-alikes

Helena's been asking to go to church with us matching too :)