Friday

It's a beautiful day, here in Chicago! Well, not so much outside. Windy and cloudy to start with. But it will improve! We just have to be patient.

Inside, the little one wakes (oh so early!). I come up in time to spoon up some oatmeal and fruit for her. Since I'm not sure if she is done, we pause and she looks at a book -- the same one Snowdrop studied so assiduously during her mealtimes. Primrose, hair tussled with sleep and food (funny how those sticky hands make their way up up to her head!), is equally pleased with the pics of familiar and sometimes unfamiliar items.






Time to hit the day running! Dressed and wiped down, she sits down to play.

("this is the book I read with my mom! it's really good")






Time-release, little one? (I cannot tell you how much she enjoys this ritual. Even if here, she is choosing to climb over my back for the actual shot.)







(okay, that worked!)






("it's nap time, Primrose...""catch me if you can!")






She is asleep. I eat breakfast.






In the late morning, I deem it fine enough for us to venture out for a walk. I mean, the winds are very strong, but, the girl braved a Chicago winter to get each day to and from school. What's a short trip to the grocery store. Especially since the sun is out!

(what's blooming in Chicago?)






We are not the only ones out and about. Nor are we the only ones bundled up!






I have a short grocery shopping list. We pick up bananas, avocado, blueberries and milk. Am I missing something?






Tulips!






On the walk back, I note an ad for local real estate. Oh, the steps urban folk will take to imitate country living! Tire swing! Kitchen sink! And a picture of cheepers -- not quite as photogenic as ours.






The walk is invigorating. So much so that once inside, sweaters seem unnecessary.

("and look! this book folds out! and you can read it upside down!")






Lunch. If you put fruit down, she wont touch a thing until every last morsel is gone.






("can you wheel me and chicken around again??" "nap time!")






And so the afternoon passes. Eat play rest. Dry the tears after the rare tumble. Hug, cuddle, reassure. Read a book. There isn't much else that a young child needs. It's amazingly easy and difficult -- both at once! -- to be there for a little one.

And the evening? Well, it jumpstarts what is a birthday weekend for me. This is only the second time in my life when my birthday coincides with Easter (the other time was in 1957; I was four then and I'm fairly certain it was a low key day for us all).

 (Primrose with Peter Rabbit)





This means that things need to be shuffled a bit. For instance, because I am in Chicago now, I am happy as can be to celebrate a birthday today. With my daughter and Primrose (dad is out of town).

The three of us meet up for dinner at Etta, a neighborhood place that serves wonderful, modern Italian food.

(yes, mom, I had a fine day! grandma set the fire alarm off by burning toast, but I slept right through it!)






There were negronis to start us off. And a candle at the end of the meal. And three financier cookies. And it was beautiful. And she loved the financier cookies.






Happy day, happy holiday, happy spring indeed!