Spring time...

Aaand, relax. Spring is coming, can you feel it? I was amazed to see that in less than a month we'll have gone from minus twelve degrees to sixteen degrees! That's some serious defrosting! I need this, though. I need that warmth on my skin more than I need air right now. Well, perhaps I'm exaggerating just a smidgen.

Tulips are my absolute most favourite thing about Spring, well, aside from Daffodils, obviously. But I really, really do love Tulips. They remind me of My Nanna, she always had fresh tulips on the table in Spring time.

There is, however, something about Spring that I'm never quite prepared for: the sudden influx of energy! My babes have grown an extra supply from nowhere, it seems. The BBP was the first to start to show signs of increasing activity, and decided to show it through a series of new developments in climbing. I can't leave the room without finding her stood on the windowsill waving at passers by. I'm lucky if she's clothed, but usually she isn't.

Everything must happen, right now. She must smell the pretty flowers right now. She must read The Gruffalo right now. She must stand on the window sill right now. She must have booby right now and at the same time, she'd quite like to have juice and biscuits, and of course sees no reason why I should object to that whatsoever. That's okay, Mama is robust, Mama can adjust, right? Right. Us Mamas have to adjust to our babes' long lists of requirements, it's just what we do.

I actually don't have any issues with reading Julia Donaldson's books five-hundred and fifty-five times daily because she's such a fantastic writer. We're amassing quite a collection of her literary works just now, and not one of them show evidence of scribbles or tears.

I don't think I'll ever forget sitting together before bed, reading our night time story. As we all say in chorus:

""Don't get your knickers in a twist", said Jack.
"Let's have a look in the patchwork sack.""

Oh yes, there's something so special about bed time stories. No matter how tired I am, I try my very hardest to read to them every night, because one day I'll wish I had "just one more story" with them, like they ask me every night. Just one more, please?

Snow!

Yes. Along with every other blogger from England, I too am reporting snow! It seemed to take an eternity to reach us, but it finally came!

 Moomin was, obviously, very pleased by this (for the first ten minutes). After that, she was too cold and wanted to come into the warmth again. Not before making snow angels, of course!

 The BBP was a little surprised by the snow, as she was too little to remember it from last year. When she hasn't been out playing in it, she's been stood by the window anticipating more to fall, or simply shouting "Snow!" Minus the 'S'.

 Smells good, Mama!

I'd like to say that this particular spraying of snow didn't land in my face, and on my camera, but it did. Never mind, snow comes but once a year, right?

I've been spending all of my time making something very special for a friend, but I can't put any evidence up online in case my friend finds it. Sneaky, sneaky! So for now, I shall say this: It's very, very pretty and I'm jealous that I can't keep it!

Oh, some photos from Moomin's birthday!

She was lucky enough to get a 'Wiggle car' for her birthday present. The idea is that you swish the steering wheel from side to side as though you're turning a corner, and it drives you forward really fast! If you want to turn a corner you just pull really hard on the side you want to turn to. I'm explaining it badly, but it works so well! And it's great for those littlies that are just that bit too little to get their head around pedals on trikes/bikes. Moomin loves her wiggle car.

As you can see!

She was a little overwhelmed when she got her birthday cake. Her favourite colour is blue, so she was very happy with her Mama's efforts. Because "Blue stars are the bestest kind of stars, Mummy" apparently.
My baby, another year older already. I might just squeeze her a little tighter tonight, as we read "Jack and the Flumflum Tree" by Julia Donaldson, one more time.

One little girl with a song in her heart...

Oh yes, my little Flower has a song in her heart. Some days that song beats so loudly that she cannot control it, others it is a little melody that quietly continues on in the background, but it is most definitely ever present. She's a patient, quiet soul who is only too happy to take a back seat and watch everyone around her, breathing them in. I try to bring her to the front, whenever I can, to prevent my middle-born baby from feeling lost in the crowd.

We had a Flower and Mama day. For one day, her Mama's world revolved around her and no one else. 

We talked and cuddled; we sang very loudly, and very quietly. We ate well; we baked coffee cake, cinnamon soda bread and even made our own butter.

Everyone shared the produce of our day, but we kept those moments just for us. So that when she's feeling just a little lost amidst the chaos, she can reminisce about the day when someone's world stopped moving, just to hear her speak.