Chickadees and Lovebugs

First, my Lovebugs!


Aria.

She's an ambidextrous thumb sucker.  She usually only sucks her thumb when she's ready to go to sleep; otherwise, Nic and Kristiina discourage it.  Right after these shots I got her attention, "Hey, Aria..." She glances at me, "No thumb."  She pops it out without protest. Hehe... sweetheart!

When she goes to sleep, she's not a stay-in-your-arms-until-she-falls-asleep kind of babe.  She likes to snuggle for a bit, but when it's serious sleep-time, she wants to lay on her tummy.  Be sure to lean on the crib rail and keep singing, though!



Kingston.

Kingston was being sweet to his doggy, Kaelyn.  She's not supposed to be on the couch, but gramma (who was babysitting) allowed it just long enough for her to get this sweet affection from her little boy.

I babysat for the kids a couple of times this weekend and had the pleasure of the bedtime routine.  {happy sigh}  Aria, as described above, is a quick and easy go-to-bed babe; a clean diaper, PJs, teeth brushed, kisses, hugs, lay-me-down, sing a few songs and night-night.  Absolutely no arguments.

You seldom get a protest out of Kingston, either, but his routine is a bit longer... add story time and bedtime prayers, with lots of I love yous and hold-your-face-in-his-hands caresses interspersed.  Then sing, sing, sing.  He loves to be sung to sleep.  Sometimes he likes to have his music playing and you're allowed to slip downstairs.  Last night, he preferred me to sing till sleep came.  My pleasure!

- - - - - - -

Spring is in the air!  We're less than two weeks from the official date!  Whoot!!

This is the back of the garage... the snow and ice is slipping off in [practically] one huge sheet!



And the birds... they're back!

I can spend ridiculously long periods of time watching them.  They're soothing.

A little black-capped chickadee.

And another one (and the lilac tree budding!).

Sweet thing with a seed in its beak.

Here's a chickadee on the left with a white-breasted nuthatch on the right.  (How do I know my bird species... there's an app for that!)


Ah, I can't tell you how delighted I am that Spring is almost here!  I don't mind Winter, but it lasts just long enough to make one REALLY grateful for Spring!

 

"Spring is when you feel like whistling even with a shoe full of slush."
- Doug Larson

"Spring is nature's way of saying, "Let's party!"
- Robin Williams

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