I’ve got some catching up to do. Months 19 + 20 flew by. We’re in the thick of it now. Theo’s speech therapy is going well. He’s adding new sounds and sort-of words. I love hearing his sweet sing song voice. Arty is getting pretty chatty too! We drop Arty off to play with my parents while Theo and I go to speech. Arty has said papa (for my dad, Poppy) and glasses - also with my dad. I remember reading on my favorite blog that once her children started talking, the world cracked open. I feel that. Children are so mysterious and the newborn phase felt like an alien world to me. What are they thinking, feeling!? Do they understand this? I love that, soon, they will be able to tell us.

I don’t know if I say this each month, but it’s been rough. Things are intense at work right now. Lots of design projects in progress and it’s a struggle to keep up with it all. Not a lot of room or mental space for drawing and creating. Graphic design feels very much like organizing for me. A great feeling, to be sure, but after the main assets are created, there’s not a lot of room for free flow.

I have been feeling pent up and have resolved to start getting out for a run in the evenings when Dusty gets home. I feel a new flush of pandemic bitterness - the sting of dashed expectations. But after a couple days in my new afternoon run ritual, I’m already feeling better.

Highlights of these months include:

• wagon rides in the sunshine

• lots of coloring and drawing outside with chalk

• watching the inauguration together (!)

• bi weekly ish trips to the library have resumed thanks to Auntie JoJo, she comes along so the boys can roam while I grab some new reading material for us, hats off to our fabulous librarians at the Woodstock Public Library, you always seem happy to see our rather loud and exuberant group approach

• playground meet up with my mom friends, so fun, so needed, a bit complicated with two, but we made it work

• so much playing outside with our surprisingly wonderful weather

• first haircut for Arty (I cried, but also it’s so cute)

xoxo,
Mads

P.S. New stickers in the shop, an awesome recipe shared to me by Tante Willie, and the cutest lil plant pins you ever did see!