Easter preparations and farmer's market follies

baby's first Easter basket: magically not delicious

I've been getting ready for Ben's first Easter by putting together his first Easter basket. It has a "Kermit bunny" toy and plastic eggs which I filled individually with different noise makers--a penny on one, a paper clip in another, etc. Then I taped them up so he can enjoy shaking and rolling them, but not eating what's inside. Edible Easter eggs will have to wait for next year! I can hardly wait till he'll be big enough for a real Easter egg hunt!

I also made a new Easter tree last week. The paper mache one I made years ago accidentally got squished, so this time I went for more-hardy and bought a plastic flowering tree branch and hung eggs I'd colored from it. It was fun to do something creative and even nicer to have something so spring-y inside.

Easter tree

Sadly, I almost destroyed the whole thing when I picked it up by the handles on the jug (which are not securely attached), and the whole thing crashed to the ground. Poor Ben was so scared he started crying, and some of the eggs broke. The cats were the only ones rejoicing as they ran around trying to eat the plastic flowers that tore off. Anyway, I repaired most of the harm.

grumpy face at the Pearl Market

Clay had to go to work today so I took Ben to the Pearl Farmer's Market for the first time since he'd been born. It was a very nice way to spend an otherwise sad weekend morning sans-Clay. They have expanded the vendors and it was full of people and adorable dogs on leashes. Although the high temperature today was supposed to be 89 (now they're saying closer to 80) it was in the 60s when I went to the market this morning. Stupidly both Ben and I were dressed for spring and not for chilly weather. Luckily I had a nice warm jacket in the stroller... which of course I tucked around Ben so he'd be comfortable. As I shivered and shopped I told myself I should enjoy these last few chilly days because they will be gone so soon!

Ben is also very much trying to become mobile. He wants to be standing as much as possible (gripping tightly to our fingers), but he hasn't tried to pull himself up on furniture yet. He is also trying to go from a sitting position to a crawling position (as the video below shows). If he gets the courage to actually go through with it, he face-plants, but I'm sure he'll start getting it soon. He doesn't seem to be getting any better about crawling forward. Although his backward wriggling has improved so much that the other day he ended up half-way under his bookshelf and the TV stand! Vigilant mama is going to have to be my motto from now on.

farmer's market finds: wild boar sausage & jerky, grass-fed beef cutlets, lamb chops, and goat hamburger

little monkey goes for an evening stroll

intently petting his pony

trying to think about starting to crawl