First salad...springtime is here!

A p.s. to Jason's post from yesterday: he had wanted to add that, on the first day of spring, we enjoyed our first spinach/lettuce salad from greens that Jason had over-wintered. TASTY!!!!

There are so many signs of spring all around us, and we are soaking them up (just like the soil likely is soaking up the rain we just got). We slow up on our way to town to take in the baby goats, cows and sheep along the way. Our walks are extended by moments of gazing at new flowers bursting into full bloom. And we look at all of this new life and eagerly anticipate the new little life about to join our family.

While we wait, we also soak up moments together. Kali seems so grown up and so eager for big sisterhood! She's been practicing on her dolls, but is clearly eager for the "real thing." In the meantime, we are enjoying time together - we've played countless games of Uno, Skipbo and Yahtzee in the last number of weeks, gotten through our Pippi books and Mary Poppins and have enjoyed some outdoor explores including tire swing rides.

It is a good feeling to be beyond our "must do before the baby" list and on to the "wish list." That included a date for Jason and I, which we thoroughly enjoyed Saturday evening while Kali had fun with our neighbors S&M, not to mention playing with their dog Bubba. We were almost shooed away by them when we returned "too early" - they were clearly enjoying each other's company.

And today Jason even got to carve out time to work on a lullaby for Tadpole, which is now stuck in my mind (not a bad thing!). My last main "wish" at this point is that my body can fight off the nasty cough I currently seem to be having a hard time saying goodbye to.

The excitement is building to meet this little girl. And some days the emotions have built up too and run over. I have had a hard time fully comprehending how fast this pregnancy has gone; all the changes that will soon happen in our family; that we really are about to welcome a third daughter into our family; that this baby will not be Kali or Nora but her own little unique, wonderful person; that our "due" date is less than a week away; that my body is preparing for the amazing job of birthing (noted in part by being 3cm dilated at our last midwife appointment); and that we will hold her soon and bring her home to Keezletown. Will it seem real when it actually happens?? My cup 'of emotions' is full and running over!