my 32nd birthday

Well, it was going to be a hard birthday to beat. My 31st was epic...a picnic lunch at Lake Harriet. Perhaps my favorite birthday ever. So this year had quite the disadvantage from the start.

Knowing this, and also knowing that my birthday bar is crazy high to begin with, I was proactive and planned my day accordingly. So this morning we set out to go to the zoo. I thought a walk on the tropics trail with Rory, Ivar and Elsie would be perfect. But as we started driving it became quite obvious that today was not a good day to drive places you didn't have to go. We probably could have made it, but we didn't have to.

So instead we went to K-Mart to look at the sit and stand stroller I've had my eye on. And then we went to Menards to make a return. Then we went to the local hoagie shop for my free birthday sub, came home and put the kids to bed, I cancelled my plans for dinner with girlfriends due to the weather and Rory made pioneer woman's lasagna for supper.

Instead of cupcakes I decided to make caramel rolls, which perhaps sum up the day the best: for something that was supposed to be so awesome, something went terribly wrong.

ivar quotes

We had a sick little boy at the beginning of this week. Lots of clifford, carpet cleaner, crackers and cuddles. It's so hard to watch your little one feel so miserable. He didn't like it and neither did we.

(Side note: Rory saw the picture of him and the kids above and he said, "don't put that on your blog. people are going to think all I do is lay on the couch with broken legs.")

And now for a few favorite Ivar quotes:

Ivar is into dramatic moments lately. They're not actual tantrums, because I can tell he is sort of amused at his drama. For example, I was demonstrating how to put his dirty clothes into the new laundry basket I got for his room. I had just done the laundry, so there was only a pair of pants and a shirt to put in the basket. This disappointed Ivar. He started crying, "I need dirty clothes! I need more dirty clothes!"

Later, while buckling him into his car seat, I pointed out the belly button on the monkey he was holding. In the mess of his jacket and buckled car seat he was freaking out, trying to pull his clothes up, "I want my belly button, Mama! I want my belly button!!!"

And yesterday we were talking about the days of the week. I told him, "Today is Saturday, tomorrow is Sunday and then it is Monday." And he looked very concerned, "What's sad, mama?"

He thought it was Sad-urday.

in case you needed a little springtime too

I got this bulb garden a few weeks ago and each week it has looked completely different. It's fun to watch and makes me hopeful that springtime might be on its way.

And here's a crazy thought that everyone in Minnesota is talking about today: One year ago it was eighty degrees in Minnesota. You might remember, Rory and I took Ivar to Murphy's Landing to learn all about tapping trees for Maple Syrup last St. Patty's day. It was a bad year for syrup because it was so warm, but a great year for spring fever!

And what's even crazier?!! In the pictures linked to above, I was just starting to show my pregnant belly and Ivar still wasn't walking on his own. That was just one year ago. A lot of life has happened in the last 365 days. We now have a baby girl, and our boy is walking. :)

this just made my night...

Alison's favorite

We got to visit our former neighbor Alison. Last time we saw her, Elsie was still wearing her newborn outfits. 

We were scheduled to see her on a Monday afternoon, but something came up for Rory. I called to let her know that I could bring the kids or we could reschedule for another time when Rory could come. She said, "I love you Becca, but I really would like to have Rory come too." And then when we were together she mentioned again that she was so glad Rory could come. 

Rory was her neighbor first. Before we were married and before I moved in. And the two of them are good friends. He helped her with her garden beds or changed light bulbs that required a ladder. 

And wouldn't you know, while we were there, Rory was able to fix her dvd player...something that has been bothering her for five months. Rory figured it out, sat with her as she memorized how to switch the tv and dvd back and forth and she laughed with joy that she will finally be able to watch her learning dvd's again.

I sat back and took it all in. Neighborly love.