Sweet Woods Relief

Ah, this was the day I have been needing. Being 46 degrees helped the situation, because it was less work getting us all out the door and there, but had it been 20 it still would have had to happen. We've spent plenty of time lately outside, in the snow, at our house, building a lean-to against the swing set, sledding, building snow men, sliding and swinging in the snow, gathering sticks for kindling... Somehow it just hasn't been enough, though. My soul has been needing a good, long romp in the woods, and our in-town life doesn't lead to that unless we go there. Some of our best friends moved to New York this last autumn, and with them went our easy weekday hiking trips, because I just can't be taking the kids out in the woods by myself at the end of a pregnancy. So it comes down to weekends, and we've been spending those other ways. Not today. The kids played in the yard for a good while earlier today, but after Max's nap we headed off to Broughton Nature Preserve to go "mudding." Our idea of mudding???

Running in the mud:

Tromping in the mud:

Throwing things in the mud:

Digging in the mud:

The high creek volume sent us off of our usual hiking trail and up over the hill to explore part of another trail. We had a blast climbimg on and digging in a fallen tree,



then went off of the trail at the suggestion of Kane and ended up spending the rest of the time climbing, as Adam's quick climb up a favorable pine

sent us into a full-blown "how to climb trees the proper way" seminar by my awesome husband.

After the initial run-through, it was hard to keep Kane down long enough to give anyone else a turn.

And he wasn't the only one to take right to it. Max got his lesson, then spent the rest of the time climbing up and down a set of limbs he found easy enough to navigate himself.

Bella got as far as Papa's hands could take here then said she just couldn't do it anymore. She is a world of difference from those brothers of hers.

But in the end, when we headed for a fallen tree to climb and balance on, she found her long arms and legs worked pretty well to get her where she needed to be, and when she was done we had her changing from "I can't do this!" to "I think I can," which went right along with the lessons we've been working with her on optimism and having a positive attitude.

We had a wonderful day, everyone was much happier as it all ended (yes, including me, perhaps even especially me), and I just had to share it on here. The smell of detritus, fungus and good old dirt was invigorating, and I've caught myself several times this evening breathing big sighs of relief and relaxation. Tomorrow I believe it is supposed to rain, which will smell good, too. And we'll be working on finding the baby's cradle a spot in our room. I can't wait to strap the new baby to me, all warm and cozy next to me in a wrap, and take nice long hikes this spring. A new baby to play in the dirt with this summer.... Heaven.

Quick Update

I have been way too focused on getting ready for this baby to get on here and post. I think I started nesting at about 6 months this time :-), and have been going through every room of this house with the idea that it will be awhile before the detailed things get done again, like cleaning the top of the kitchen cupboards and thoroughly cleaning under our bed. Last weekend we got all of the baby clothes unpacked, washed and put away, which also included moving Max's clothes to Bella's dressers in the bedroom, so that was a big project. Tomorrow we will be finding a place for the baby's cradle in our room and I will feel a little less unprepared. I have focused a lot of time on knitting for the baby also. I have some fun knee socks done that I will post a picture of soon because I want to get the pattern on here for some friends. Right now they are on Addy, our Lee Middleton doll, who has been the main plaything around here right now. Max just loves taking care of her - she even went to the store with us today and pooped in her diaper 10 times in a row yesterday.

In honesty, I feel really disconnected right now, and don't even feel like I have words to put in this post. I just wanted to spend an evening doing something that wasn't a required task because I'm pretty burned out. I've been moody as can be and am really trying to just stay centered. A lot of focus has come lately on getting the baby in the right position, also. For awhile she/he was fully posterior (baby's back against my spine, arms and legs out to my stomach), but with some work has been turning some.

I think I'll leave some snow pictures and pics from Max's 2nd birthday for anyone still checking this blog. Hopefully once the baby gets here I'll get my creative spark back and feel like keeping up with this more often. I'm sure sharing pictures of our new little one will be the push I need.

Max chose a farm birthday this year, which is no surprise seeing that Mu-Lambs are one of his favorite things. Thus the mu-lamb in his pocket:

And the joy at receiving a tractor:

His birthday cake had chocolate peanut butter for icing, which was the muddy pig sty.

It was a lot of fun. Max made sure he said "Thanks, everybody!!" I can't believe he's two...

We've had a decent amount of snow here, so the kids have had their share of sledding this year. Max loves flying down the big hill across the street from us, and has a blast going all by himself.

He especially likes falling off the sled at the bottom, which sends him into histerics. Bella does some sledding then moves on to better things, like gathering sticks and building forts. Kane could sled all day, and is now very skilled at steering (and bailing off of) our Flexible Fliers.

It's a big difference from last year, when Max definitely did NOT like sledding, and Kane was a little too leary to go by himself. Now we're having a bit of a warm spell here, and today the high will be in the high-40s. We're going to go on a nice muddy hike, burn off some energy, and hopefully get some sunshine before the next week of rain sets in. I'm loving winter, but have been planning the garden and looking at lots of pictures from last summer, so I'm starting to long for getting my hands in the dirt again... I'm sure once the baby is here that will give me something to focus on while waiting for spring :-)...