Spring fever

It's rained once in the past eight days. We've not seen weather like this since 1999, I believe.



Claire has shed one half of her winter coat. Tulips are pushing out of the ground. The roses need pruning. Moppet begs to be let outside. Even the baby seems ready to pop out of mom's tummy.

For those keeping score...

...Sarah and baby are between week No. 32 & 33. Some evidence and perspective:



Sarah said she looked at herself in the mirror today and admired her accomplishment.

7.5 weeks to D-day, of course, means dad had best re-read our labor and delivery literature, re-learn how to swaddle a baby and finish ourtaxes.

Clare anticipates the birth as much as any of us, as evidenced by this look:

Rumblings

We watch child No. 2 roll across the maternal landscape...

Claire continued

Yes, it's been a while, but the changes keep happening around here. We don't do them justice.



Claire routinely reads to herself now. On Tuesday, when we both had the day off, she asked to read eight books, and that was just in the morning. Later that night, she pulled out one of her favorites, Biscuit, and read one of the stories out loud.



We got another dose of wintery weather this weekend and Claire took full advantage of it. She was the first to spot snow falling outside the window and the first to get out the door to play in it. Even before I could get my coat on, Claire had donned hers, grabbed the nearest hat she could find -- mom's -- and opened the door.


The snowflakes were big but soon turned to rain. That didn't bother Claire. She had her boots on.



No snowstorm is too small if there's some puddle jumping to be had.