April 20

Today was a completely unscheduled Saturday.

Everyone was healthy.

The sun was shining.

We had no commitments.

Days like this are few and far between, so we seized our opportunity and spent the morning at the Botanical Garden.

It was a little bit chilly, but we didn't mind. Caleb's baseball cap + hoodie combo was all his idea; the hat is a new fixation and the hoodie is an old favorite.

Daisy spent almost the whole visit walking on her own, which was great for everyone. Chris and I didn't have to carry her, and she got to explore on her own terms. Exhibit A: the flower petal she's holding in her hand. She found that on the ground, and was as excited as if she'd found a sparkling gem.

We got as far as the sheep before the kids decided to turn back; specifically, Caleb decided to turn back because he wanted to visit the Children's Garden. I love, love, love that the kids have a sense of ownership in the Garden. They know what there is to see, and they look forward to specific parts, and that is so much fun for me. 

Caleb's choice to visit the Children's Garden was actually really great, because they had a pot-your-own-plant station. 

Caleb got to choose whether to pot cabbage or lettuce. He immediately chose cabbage for himself - I have no idea why! - and lettuce for Daisy. Here, the lady is helping him fill his pot with dirt.

Then he added his little plant,

and watered it with a little pink watering can.  Then he dropped each plant in a brown paper bag, and we were on our way!

Daisy may not have participated in the potting, but she was absolutely determined that she was going to carry around her brown paper bag. What a funny girl!

Also funny? I thought Daisy looked adorable today, but now that I look at the pictures I see that she looks like a little old lady, wandering the streets of some metropolis. 

Floral dress? check

Cable-knit cardigan? check

Oversized sunglasses? check

Tennis shoes? check

Brown paper bag? check

Look of steely determination? double check

Love it!

But gosh, she's cute!

While Caleb played elsewhere, Daisy spent a good thirty minutes digging in the sand.  She refused to actually get in the giant sandbox, but she was a happy girl sitting on the side with a shovel and a pail full of sand.

I love that her bucket has a 2 on it. Can you believe she'll be two years old in just two weeks?

On our way out, Caleb insisted that we stop and sit in the wagon. In this picture, he's waving to some random passersby. There were lots of random people wearing historical garb wandering the garden today, and Caleb really enjoyed them. As we were leaving, he waved to one and had a little conversation with her about his Superman shirt. After we walked away, he told me, "I think she liked my Superman cape the best." The funny boy really likes when people pretend to think he's really Superman!

When we got home, Caleb was so excited about his little cabbage plant! He was itching to plant it in the ground, but I convinced him that naps should happen first. After naps, though, he got his Caleb-sized shovel and we planted the cabbage and lettuce in our raised bed in the backyard, and the child was bursting with excitement. I love it! (Hopefully we keep them alive...)