Around Here (End of Winter)

We're...

...hoping: to revive blogging (ha), the snow somewhat melts, Ivy learns to like more songs besides, "Wheels on the Bus" (let me be more specific--only one verse of "Wheels on the Bus").

...cooking: all the instant pot things, breakfast for days (my food of choice when I'm solo parenting), gnocchi soup.

...looking forward to: Spring (Easter! Baskets! Flowers! The outdoors!), seeing a play this month, going to the temple this weekend, reading new books.

...laughing: about all the things Ivy thinks are "salt," about the nursery children, about the children's Bible songs on Amazon Prime ("Be careful little heart, whom you trust").

...watching: not much--but of course-- the Bachelor.  Arie is the closest they've ever gotten to Scott, so I'm into it.  Haha.  Oh, also--p90x3, week 8 if that counts...

...reading: The Snow Child (eh, just gives me nightmares about homesteading in Alaska), A Wrinkle in Time (meh), Toot Toot Beep Beep (Ivy's favorite book in the world), and Just Jane (review TBD).

...planning: a Hawaiian vacation, attempts to better decorate our house, the backyard updates we're doing.

...thankful for: modern medicine (we had a fun trip to the instant care for Scott last week--he's fine now), the conclusion of business trips, Ivy's good sleep patterns and cheesy grins.

Play Dough > Boredom

Ivy and I have had a bit of extra time together the last few weeks, and it's led me to discover that...we need more stuff.  I'd love to be more of a minimalist and say that my child only needs her imagination to have fun, but that's just not the truth in our house.  So...I did the unthinkable and bought...dun, dun, dun:  play dough.

If you're the parent that is wondering why this is unthinkable, I guess you just don't love a clean house like I do.  Even though we have an entire floor of our house with no carpet, I'm just so afraid!  But alas, as I found out, play dough (messes included) is far better than boredom.  The babe loved it, and she's quite adorable as well, I might add.

Ivy G is Getting Old

Our little Ivy reached the "big" 18-month milestone last month and I didn't really document it or think about it much at all to be honest.   BUT, you guys!  That is the best indicator that life in the Foley home is so awesome right now.  We aren't sitting around waiting for Ivy to get older anymore?!  Haha.  18 months is a pretty great time of life, and we're loving this stage.

Here are some Ivy highlights as of late--

• I sing songs to Ivy every night before I put her to bed and she always signs and says, "more more" after each one.  Stab me in the heart, why don't you.
• She smiles on command with the cheesiest, closed-eye grin and we love it.
• She can say a TON of words and we love to hear her trying them out.
• When she says Scott's and my name, she says them with very different inflection.  For Dad, she YELLS, "Da!!!" and for me it's a very serious/monotone, "Mama."  Every time.
• No one loves the new basement more than Ivy.  She stands by the door and yells, "Baaaaaase" every day.
• She is very interested in coloring.  Nothing stands in the way of her and her colored pencils once she sees them.
• She loves to hold hands and run down a hallway.
• She loves to get busted for things and for the most part only laughs when she's getting ratted out.
• She's very interested in "hot" and "cold" things right now and loves to say those words or blow on her food.
• If she sees someone folding their arms, she'll fold hers and say, "Prayers?"
• She likes to pretend to get poked by a cactus in one of her books.
• She is very vocal about liking her food and will say, "Oooooh" or "Mmmmm."  Unfortunately she's also beginning a pickier stage but still surprises us with things she will or won't try.
• I've been practicing the piano for church lately and she knows the piece well enough that she'll start clapping once I hit the last line.