walking home after dark in the snow. [63.365]

Apparently my new thing is posting blurry, out of focus Instagram shots now? Sorry about that! It was so pretty as we were walking home tonight, but trying to capture the snow in the streetlamp while walking, holding a 32.5lb toddler in one arm and wrangling your phone, with gloves on, in the other is…well, not exactly a recipe for great photography, it turns out!

Today was a crazy day. Teaching days are always pretty tiring for me, and then after work, we stayed for a Parent Organization meeting at M’s school (which ended up being frustrating for me, because I wanted to talk to the grown-ups, but once M sees me, it’s all over – so I spent most of it reading to her in the corner). Then we went straight from there to the Swillburg Neighborhood Dinner at India House (which is less than a block from Our House). (Yes, our neighborhood is called “Swillburg”.)

Both of these things were good – we’re planning a fundraiser at Barnes and Noble for M’s school and are going to be reading Spring-themed books (I’m doing Eric Carle’s “The Tiny Seed” and a book about the Spring Equinox) and showing Montessori materials and helping kids sprout a lima bean (you know, the whole bean wrapped in a wet paper towel in a plastic baggie thing). And we got to meet some of our neighbors at the dinner, including some new parents (who have one of those magical babies who just sleep when you set them down, OMG THESE ACTUALLY EXIST??) who were super nice. So that was great.

But OMG, with the “must be held by mama at all times” mood that M is currently in, I am just completely and utterly battered now. She was in my arms literally the whole time at the restaurant (1.5hrs!), and we didn’t even get to eat because we had to leave for her bedtime. Socializing with a toddler in tow is just kinda crazypants. But we tried!