Happy Beginnings

1. It is the first day of March. February has my birthday AND Valentines, but even those two fascinating events did not rescue February from the depression of too much winter, slush, colds, stomach bugs, and a baby who isn't sleeping well because of colds and stomach bugs. I am excited to start a new month. Beginnings are so beguiling. This decade, this year, this month, this week, this day. They all will be better and brighter with a more organized and happier me. I love beginnings. And I really needed a beginning right about now!

2. Sugaring season is starting. Justin and Gilbert tapped the very first trees yesterday with the rest of the trees to follow this afternoon. Sugaring means Clover and Evan will be up most weekend, the sugar shack will be sweet and smoky, and there will be a lot of games played in the evenings.

3. Gilbert is potty training. This could also be written on the list of things that is making me pull my hair out, but he is having more successes than failures, so I am happy about that.

4. Elsie is full out crawling now. If there is anything as cute as a chubby baby seeing you, their mummy, across the room and come crawling over with a big smile, I don't know what it could be.

5. Orianna has really taken off with reading. Lily is just beginning to sound out words and figure out sentence structure, but Orianna has settled into reading steadily along and can often be found curled up somewhere with a book, either an old Dick and Jane type reader or... an Archie comic. Lily, never one to be left behind, is always looking at comics too and reads me all the words she can read. Like oh, love, I, and Archie. I am so glad Archie was one of my daughters first read words.....