New Bikes and Watercolors

Sorry for my lack of posting this week, lovely readers! I busted out two posts for the BVT Moms blog that should be up by the end of the month! I can't wait for you to read about How I Became a Mommy and How to Survive Restaurants (and Outings) with your Baby/Toddler!

Oh, and (looks at my calendar)... Is it Throw-Back Thursday again already? I'm running out of old pics of me to post...! How about one from 2012? This is my beautiful baby in the hospital, getting her first shampoo! She loves this picture of herself and makes me tell her over and over again the story about how they first gave her a bath in the hospital, how the nurse swaddled her then stuck her head under the faucet to wash her hair. She was always so alert and curious about everything going on around her! She still is... my little back-seat driver, kitchen-helper, and miniature care-giver. She helps take care of all of us!

In other news, I got my Mother's Day present early! I told Mark that I wanted to pick up a bike. This always seems easier in my optimistic, little, innocent mind. I did not plan on spending 3 hours at the sporting goods store with a cranky, hungry toddler who filled two diapers and insisted that we "find a snack somewhere."

Still, we got to see planes at the airport and have a snack at Starbucks. And, at the end of it, I got my bike. Mark came up after work to put the bike rack on the car, and before I knew it, we were riding in style!

E and I gave it a quick test run in the parking lot (we'll both be wearing helmets for our "real" ride today), and I ran off to the Mommy Foodie Fair in Burlington. It was a great day and evening, and E woke up this morning excited to go to day care and wait for me to pick her up with the bike.

The seat on this bike is a little awkward, but the balance is better with her seat closer to mine. Unfortunately, it looks a bit like I'm sitting on her lap and that her little legs could snap off under the weight of my big bottom at any moment... but ah well, we're happy, and this will get us through the next few months of summer. We can also rent a cart at the local bike shop if I want to pull her along behind me for longer rides.

In other, other news... I sat down with E at the table the other day, and she asked me to paint. We haven't painted in a few weeks, and it was bath night, so I said, "Sure!" I don't know if it's because she's spending more time painting with the preschoolers or if she's just becoming more particular about her painting technique, but she sat for a long time and made some gorgeous, new paintings! She hardly got any paint on herself and was so happy with her masterpieces.

I'm proud of everything she does, but this painting is a particular favorite of mine. I love the colors and texture.