March 14

This week has been exhausting! Luckily, it's been all fun stuff. But still - wow! 

Today we visited the Botanical Gardens with Amber and her darling kiddos. Caleb is pretty much in love with their whole family, so he was really excited to go. We arrived a few minutes before them, though, and the whole time he kept asking, "Can we go 'splore now?" As soon as they arrived, Caleb took off. He had so much fun running and exploring with his friends!

In fact, his saddest moment was when I wouldn't let him walk on a railing-less path out over a pond. It was too narrow and I didn't trust him to fall in, so I made him walk on a paved path instead. He cried and cried, but not because I wouldn't let him walk on the water - because he wanted to be with the other kids. He said, "I want to be with my friends! I want to be with my friends!" How sweet! And, I caught him initiating a conversation with another child for the first time. He walked up to Catherine and said, "Hey Caf'rin! What are you doing?" And she responded, and I died. I love that my two-and-a-half-year-old is finally learning to be social!

While Caleb played with his friends, Daisy played with her feet.

Caleb even got to ride a sheep!

The whole crew (minus Daisy) on sheep. Fun!

And then I saw a giant stone daisy and couldn't resist the photo op. Daisy on a daisy? Amazing! Also, can you believe that my baby is wearing a sundress in March? It was 86 degrees today!

Catherine and Michael, watching what Caleb is up to. (He was throwing sticks into the lake.) I used to think he was well-behaved, but today I realized that he might be kind of naughty. Catherine kept catching him misbehaving and saying, "NO, Caleb!" And she was right! If I'd been paying better attention, I would have stopped him too. That girl will make a good mama one day.

But the best part of the trip to the Garden?

Seeing Grandpa!

My dad works as a security guard at the Garden. Caleb was so excited to see him, and even more excited when he realized that Grandpa had a golf cart!

Caleb rode with him to our car while Daisy and I walked. I know it's small, but can you see his little hand gripping that hand rail soverytightly?

And then? He got to drive the cart. Really. I thought the kid would burst with joy and excitement.

After a picnic and long naps (both kids fell asleep before we had even been in the car five minutes), we had dinner at a Mexican restaurant with my mom, sister, and nephews.

Emily and goofy Max. Maxie just got his cast off this weekend! Hopefully he goes a long while before he breaks another bone!

And now we're all exhausted. Tomorrow is MOPS, and after that we can rest.