A normal weekend. What a beautiful thing.

 Ahhh! Another great weekend with the family. I'll save the best for last.

My list of things-to-do is so uncontrolled right now that I don't even have a concise list. At the top of my list since last week was to organize my list. I still haven't tackled it. Give me a long list - now that I can handle. But an incomplete list that is spread over numerous pieces of paper and, gasp, my memory? You have just defined my personal hell!! At this point it's taken on a life of it's own and quite frankly I'm afraid of it. This weekend, some of the projects that have been nagging at me to finish can now be check-marked as done. It's so satisfying!

On Friday, Ada and I went out in the pouring rain to go to IKEA to look for a toy storage solution. After Christmas we needed it. Badly. I didn't want to spend a ton of money because the reality is that it will get colored on and stained and used the way that furniture does in a kids room. So here's what we came up with. It's neutral in case we are lucky enough to have a second baby - and what if that baby is a boy? Besides, when she's older, Ada and I can attack these plastic bins with paint pens and not feel a bit bad about it.

Even though it was still dreadfully cold, rainy, and windy on Friday evening Ada and I ventured out again to see Courtnay and Steven with their new baby, Cole. So sweet and handsome! I had forgotten just how tiny newborns are. It doesn't seem possible to have forgotten Ada at that size when it wasn't even 9 months ago. With those baby noises , deliberately blinking eyes, the tiny feet with the curled toes and curvy legs and little hands waving with fingers spread wide. Newborns babies are delicious! I can't believe it took so long for me to connect with babies.

I didn't get any pictures because I was busy keeping Ada occupied. She was really excited and wanted to just keep screaming! On the walk there random strangers were cracking up at her because there she was all bundled up in her stroller just screaming away. It's what she does when she's excited and happy. Anyway, Cole went home today. Hopefully I'll have some time tomorrow so I can go visit and take them all that food I made for them!

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Saturday morning it was a beautiful day. Beautiful! Clear, brisk and only a bit windy (even in our neighborhood, which is really saying something). Tim was S2 so we couldn't take the car and I couldn't leave him alone with Ada - basically, these call days translate into family time staying close to home. We got Ada loaded up in the stroller and went down to Boulange de Cole for a coffee. Ada was super sweet. She just loves being with us - how cool is that?

With steaming coffee in hand to warm us from the inside out we carried on to the hardware store, the bookstore, the kid's store (fleece Zutano booties are a necessity in our home), and the art supply store. I love it that we can walk to all of the essentials within our neighborhood. Ada got a board book called Clap Your Hands! You know, "if you're happy and you know it..." She loves it! We sang through it three times once we got home and she bounced while doing the mouth-wide-open-silent-laugh that is so familiar from her. She is starting to do things if you tell her - bounce, clap, stomp your foot. So cute!

Another goal of our little neighborhood shopping trip was to get some supplies so I could get a couple little projects buttoned up.  Today I reupholstered the dining room chairs. Yup. I did. There is a store in the Haight that specializes in oilcloth. Who knew there was a need, right? Well, it just made sense given our current stage in family life. The tan fake suede was getting so dirty - especially the one that Ada's high chair sits on. So I just covered it up. I can always pull it off and replace it with something else later. This stuff so reminds me of the table cloths at the picnic family reunions in Michigan. So I decided to go campy all the way. I mean, really dive in.Check her out - lovin' the oilcloth (note Daddy's protective outstretched hand on the left there)!

And to end the night? Some dancing with Daddy. Oh. My. God. Slay me. Can you see the love in those eyes? She just thinks that Tim is The Best.

Now for the news I was saving. Are you ready for this?? Behold:

I'm half kidding. She can't figure out what to do once she gets in this position. It's a matter of days now though and she will be all over the place. Wouldn't it be cool if she started to crawl when Grandma Judy got here but before Daddy left for his trip?