Matt and Rachel's Baby Blog: Running with the Pack

Spring has hit Madison, and it's wonderful. In a matter of days, we went from winter weather (25 and cold) to summer weather (80 degrees and sunny). It has been warm long enough for all the spring plants to be coming up. My daffodils have blossomed, the lilacs are budding and the grass is green again. It is just amazing to see all the new life outside. The boys seem to sense this in an almost primal way.

Daniel has wanted to be outside since the moment it warmed up. I can see the difference in him.The joy and excitement of just being outside in the warm weather, seeing things grow must be soexciting for him. The kids in the neighborhood have been outside playing, too, and Daniel has been noticing them. On Sunday, we were working on the brakes on his bike when a pack of girls on Razor scooters came by the house on a mission. Being beckoned by the sound of their wheels, Daniel looked up at me, and as if he were taken over by some sort of trance said, "Mom, I have to go scooter. Goodbye." And just like that he was on his 3-wheeled Lightning McQueen scooter and off to join the neighborhood pack. It was quite the Mom moment for me, but I let him go. I'm sure he will figure out soon enough that his scooter will never go at fast as theirs or he will figure out that they are all 3 years older than him and have older siblings, but right now he is thirlled to be hanging out with the other kids.

Last week the boys and I had quite a few adventures while Matt was out of town for several days. We planted our garden and went to the Union to enjoy the weather on Friday night. Then on Saturday we marched in Madison's St. Patrick's Day Parade. Christopher was only slightly resentful that I disrupted his nap two days in a row. The routine is back in place more or less and Christopher seems happy with that.

I can't believe how much difference a season can make!