Sunday 29 March 2015

5 months

Baby AJ is 5 months today!

What's new this month:

  • Grabbing her toes. The first day she did it, I was at my parents' place and it was so freaking adorable; I don't know how many dozens of photos we took.
  • Related: pulling her socks off. I didn't see her the first time she did it, because I'd left her a few minutes on her playmat by herself while I fixed something to eat in the kitchen. I put two and two together when I found a sock near her mouth and suspiciously wet. I don't put socks on her now unless supervised! Luckily the weather is warming up so she doesn't need them much.
  • Starting to sit with support. The first time she did it I had her propped up on the baby buddy pillow, and she started lifting her head and shoulders into a sitting position. I bought her a mamas and papas chair, and she can sit in it for a few minutes at least. She also likes to sit in our laps with us supporting her bottom.
  • Chewing on fabrics.  I don't really like dresses on babies, so I almost never put AJ in one. (I find them awkward, always bunching up, and they cover too much of her sweet body). I tried one the other day because people have made them as gifts and I felt guilty about never dressing her in them. AJ promptly pulled up the skirt and stuffed it in her mouth.  Which just gave me another reason not to put my baby in a dress!
  • Any bows or embellishments on her clothes, she will also stuff in her mouth. Any cute knitted or crocheted garment, she must sample the yarn.
  • Grasping with both hands, and using feet to move objects. Loves her rainforest play mat.
  • Laughing often. Still breathy, but more and more like a laugh. Smiles at anyone who wants a smile.
  • Mr. Turtle reports that she laughed at Monty Python the other evening, which is partly how he entertained her when I was having a girls' night out. He thinks it was the silly faces and voices.
  • Follows people with her eyes as they move about a room or leave the room
  • Still doesn't like tummy time, but is less passive. She does lift her head and push up on her arms for brief periods of time, but gets quickly frustrated. She will snarl and grunt with anger, which is pretty funny. My intuition is that her somewhat bigger than average head and torso make this maneuver more challenging for her than other babies of a similar age.
  • Rolling onto her side with great energy, still hasn't quite made it all the way over.
Other parenting minutiae:
  • AJ still sleeps though the night, usually. And even naps during the day (in her crib) have been fairly consistent lately. She can put herself to sleep maybe 50% of the time. Bouncing, cuddling or feeding usually works the rest of the time, though she is quite capable of fighting naps all day if she puts her mind to it. Still sleeping nights in the Halo Bassinest, though its days are certainly limited. I want to keep her there till 6 months; we'll see if she will still fit through the next month.
  • We finally added to our collection of BumGenius all-in-ones so are cloth diapering consistently; it's going well and the diapers are adorable.
  • Going for regular walks. I always use the mei tai when I'm on my own now: it's much easier than the stroller.  I use the stroller when with grandparents, because they love to push her, and with Mr Turtle, though I want him to try the carrier one of these days.
  • Exclusively breastfeeding. AJ has been consistent about taking a bottle of expressed breast milk the past two months (yay!) which has allowed for some variety of adult life.
  • I am thinking about solids. I'm mostly sure that I want to give baby-led feeding a try. It makes sense to me because AJ likes to put things in her own mouth, but doesn't care for us putting things in her mouth. It took weeks and weeks to even convince her to take a bottle. Anyone out there who has tried baby led feeding, I would love to hear of your experience! Of course if we could just find some edible clothing for her, she would be feeding herself in no time.
Me, post-partum:
  • My body feels pretty much back to normal. I am still between 5 and 10 pounds over pre-pregnancy weight (I'm not even sure what I was before getting pregnant). As far as looks and how I feel overall, I have no body issues at all, but I still don't fit a substantial part of my wardrobe. I'm not sure if it is the extra weight/increased cup size or if I've altered permanently post-birth. I figure I'll wait until a month after starting work again, or until back to pre-pregnancy weight, and if things don't fit, I'll be researching consignment stores.
  • I've added quite a few activities back into my life. I go to a step dance class weekly, and lately started going to band again while the  grandparents take care of AJ. Percussionists are always welcome! Although it's going to be more work than I anticipated (I really should be practicing right now) so not sure how good an idea that was. Whatever, it's a reason to be out of the house and the grandparents have been loving the arrangement.
  • Still no period, though I get cramps occasionally. I did have a lot of EWCM last week, which made me wonder if I could be fertile again.
  • Mr. Turtle and I are trying to make time to be a couple and engage in some adult activities. 
  • Maternity/parental leave is half over! Yikes. We decided that I will return to work in September, and Mr. Turtle will take the final 5 weeks or so of parental leave. We'll use that time to transition AJ to daycare (hopefully she has a spot in September, but we won't know for sure till August.) Part of me is confident that this is the best possible plan, and happy that Mr. Turtle will have the opportunity to be a stay at home dad, and the other part is saying, noooooo, I don't want this time to end! But at the same time I don't feel ready to give up work, or my current job, which has the big advantage of being very close to home and across the street from the daycare we hope to use. I haven't seriously considered not going back to work, for a variety of reasons. I feel like I at least need to try it, keeping in mind I'm not married to my job if any of the three of use hate the arrangement or can't deal with it. But still, what a ache it gives me! I'm sure it will just get worse as the time approaches, but I'm trying to enjoy every minute of the present. 
  • I have a physical next month, at which time I will bring up the F-word: fertility. Although I don't expect my doctor, or any doctor, to have anything particularly useful to say about it. I'll post more about that as time goes on. For now, we are not trying but not preventing. I took a pregnancy test the other day, and was 9 parts relieved, 1 part disappointed that it was negative. The disappointment came not so much from wanting to be or believing that I was pregnant, but from wondering if I would ever see another positive test. But for now at least I am easily consoled by AJ's presence in our lives. While I don't want to actively prevent a pregnancy, I would prefer her to be the centre of our lives for a least a year, and not start worrying about vaginal secretions, symptoms, ultrasound results and all the other drama.
In pictures:



Wishing everyone happiness and a good week, as always.


Thursday 26 March 2015

Sisterhood of the World

Adi and Lauren nominated me for Sisterhood of the World, so several weeks later, I'm giving 'er a shot.

 


The Rules:

  1. Link to the person who nominated you.
  2. Add the award logo.
  3. Answer the questions your nominator asked.
  4. Nominate 7 other blogs.
  5. Ask your nominees 10 questions.

I couldn't decide which set of questions so I'll just answer them all.

Adi's questions:
  1. What’s one thing you love about yourself?  I love that I'm almost never bored. Even when I am not necessarily enjoying life, I find it interesting. If nothing else I just like to think. Any experience I have, I think about how I'd write about  it to make it interesting and then it is interesting to me.
  2. What makes you and your partner suited to one another? I think right from the start we both appreciated what the other was bringing to the relationship. We still look at each other and think "I won the lottery with you."
  3. What’s a perfect day you’ve had? Yesterday was pretty awesome. I took AJ to my parents and they just enjoyed her so much.  It was just great to have 3 generations together like that.
  4. What’s “your spot” in your home? my glider in AJ's room. If she doesn't need me or is napping, or I have no chores to do (or am avoiding them) I'll sit here with the computer and write or read things (like right now). Also the couch in the living room; I eat breakfast there and enjoy my cup of instant coffee and read a book or magazine. Sometimes with AJ, sometimes without. When Mr. Turtle gets home we usually move into the basement.
  5. What would you love to do this weekend? Go for a walk as a family if it's nice weather.
  6. Tell me a story of you as a kid. Any age! We spent summers as a family in a rural area out west and it had a huge impact on who I am, even though I grew up as a city girl and self-identify as one. One of my favourite memories is swimming in the river with my older brother. We would get in the river below our cabin, swim about half a kilometer, get out, buy popsicles at the gas station, eat them while walking back in the hot sun, and then get back in the river and repeat. We did that over and over again one afternoon!
  7. What’s on your nightstand? AJ's turtle lamp, Vaseline (for my lips), alarm clock, flourescent reading lamp that I haven't used since giving birth.
  8. Name something off your “bucket list” or just something you hope to someday do.  Visit Ireland. I know I would just love it but with all the other life stuff I've been attending to, the trip has never made it to the top of the priority list.
  9. What’s your favorite outfit? (Bonus for pics, wedding dress counts!) Lately, jeans and a t-shirt or a long sleeve button down (Western style), and a cardigan if it is colder. My style is pretty basic these days although I'm trying to be a little more adventurous as the weather warms up (i.e. a skirt or a dress occasionally). I didn't make a big deal out of my wedding dress, but I liked that it was short and didn't cost much. My overall look was memorable though. Here I am getting ready to walk down the aisle with my air cast and crutches (fell down the stairs and brook a metatarsal 2 weeks before the wedding. lol.) I used one crutch and hopped with bouquet in other hand.
  10. Say something nice about a fellow blogger! It has been a privilege to follow Adi and Lauren's journeys and now to be new moms "together".  They are both so open about the emotions and challenges of this journey.  I have learned so much from their blogs and continue to.

Now, Lauren's questions:

  1. What is something you are really good at? I'm a good organizer. When I'm stuck in one spot (e.g. nursing) I'll look around and think about whether things could be better organized. I'm always picking up baskets and other containers and sorting and shuffling.
  2. What do you wish you were better at? Seeing friends regularly. I often procrastinate making that phone call or plans to meet up and then weeks or months go by. It's embarrassing even though I have some great long term friendships and they are very forgiving and understanding.
  3. What has your loss / infertility journey taught you about life? Life really, really isn't fair. But reaching out to each other with empathy and compassion makes it a little better. Also, infertility and loss, or any major life crisis, is a great equalizer. I follow people with some very different beliefs and worldviews from each other and yet there is common ground in all of them.  I wouldn't wish infertility or any other hardship on anyone but it can be a catalyst for people to drop the superficial and focus on what connects us as humans and women.
  4. Paper diary or digital calendar? Right now neither - I'm writing appointments etc. on a whiteboard. I totally forgot to buy wall calendars this year. I had a paper agenda but I lost it.
  5. Where did you meet your other half? Online - e-Harmony
  6. What are you wearing right now? Red t-shirt and jeans and a real bra. Glass earrings and necklace. Which is pretty dressed up for me considering it's a day at home, but I have visitors coming - yay!.
  7. When did you discover you could write? I started writing rhymes at about age four.
  8. What is your favourite time of day, and why? I really like all times of the day, as long as I'm enjoying the day overall.
  9. What piece of wisdom would you give your ten-year-old self? It's OK to try new things; you don't always have to be in your comfort zone.
  10. What’s the farthest from home you’ve travelled? I lived in Athens, Greece for 8 months when I was 26.
Nominate 7 blogs. Here goes if you feel up for it. Questions-I can't think of any better than the above ones; also I have this weird anxiety that I'll ask something offensive by mistake. So, you can pick any 10 or more of the above.


  1. It only takes one
  2. Tiggy's Den
  3. When Why How Baby
  4. Our Magic Moment
  5. Infertile Girl in a Fertile World
  6. Mine to Command
  7. You, if you want to and aren't one of the above named.

Monday 23 March 2015

#Microblog Mondays: Somewhere i have never travelled

somewhere i have never travelled

by e.e. cummings

(rediscovered March 2015. It reminded me right away of life with AJ.)

somewhere i have never travelled,gladly beyond
any experience,your eyes have their silence
in your most frail gesture are things which enclose,
or which i cannot touch because they are too near

your slightest look will unclose me
though i have closed myself as fingers
you open always petal by petal myself as Spring opens
(touching skilfully,mysteriously) her first rose

or if your wish be to close me,i and
my life will shut very beautifully,suddenly,
as when the heart of this flower imagines
the snow carefully everywhere descending;

nothing which we are to perceive in this world equals
the power of your intense fragility:whose texture
compels me with the color of its countries,
rendering death and forever with each breathing

(i do not know what it is about you that closes
and opens;only something in me understands
the voice of your eyes is deeper than all roses)
nobody,not even the rain,has such small hands






Microblog Mondays

Friday 13 March 2015

New mom style and sanity savers

Pregnancy after infertility was by far the most intimidating experience of my life.

A rather distant second was choosing and buying baby gear. Distant yes, but still pretty darn intimidating.

In the final weeks of pregnancy, I started a page with a listing of baby-related gear that we were investing in. Most of the stuff has worked out well, and a few quality products have served us well. I've updated the page with some brief comments on the items.

Interestingly I haven't worried much about parenthood itself, or felt particularly intimidated by it. Of course I get anxious over specific things, like driving after a long period of avoidance, babysitters, baby safety, going back to work etc. But those are individual issues I deal with as they come up. The everyday experience of being a mom with a baby is mostly an enjoyable one.  On the topic of small pleasures, there are a few other things that really help me get through my days with less stress and flailing about, that I didn't anticipate pre-baby. I thought it might be interesting to share what they are.



One: Backpack diaper bag.

I started off parenthood with a shoulder bag, but quickly knew I wanted a backpack. This is a must especially when I'm out and about on my own, because it frees up my hands (which are otherwise occupied with baby/carseat/swing/bassinet/yoga mat or whatever other life or baby gear that I need to haul around.) I have the Fisher Price bag. It has many labeled pockets, including the outside one for the wipes which is very convenient. It can clip onto the handle of a stroller or grocery cart. Because it's black it's also unisex.

Two: Little black purse

I've made many compromises for motherhood with no regret, but I refuse to give up my small purse. Personal taste: I like a small handbag with essentials that I can find easily. And I don't really want to keep my wallet etc. in the diaper bag where I have to dig for it. I have a bit of a purse collection from the pre-baby days, but the one above works the best. It's flat so it rests against my body without getting in the way much. The wide strap makes it comfortable to wear across the shoulder and holds it mostly in one place. Several zippered pockets make it easy to reach car keys, phone, wallet, hand cream or whatever without digging. And in the cases where it's dropped or tossed awkwardly, it's less likely to spill things everywhere.


Three: Cart on wheels!

I think the first time I sat down to nurse in my glider, I thought: 1) I need a table then 2) I need a table on wheels! Pictured is the Raskog from IKEA. This is great in so many ways. Because it rolls it's always within reach but never in the way, and I also can roll it over to the change table (which I do when giving AJ sponge bath). The three shelves are an efficient use of space and several items can be kept close to hand. I also see this being very useful as AJ gets bigger (I can also see her trying to ride it, but that's another topic....)

Also pictured are the glider and baby buddy nursing pillow, both of which have been used every day since AJ's birth and were great investments. The glider is the nicest chair I have ever owned.



Four: Maternity bra that fits properly and supports

I bought bras several times during pregnancy and after birth, because the boobies keep changing (read: growing and getting heavier). Finally, after months of wearing not-quite-right underwear, I went to a specialty store (this one, for any readers in my city) and they fitted me.  If you haven't been fitted for a bra, especially if you are bigger busted, YOU NEED TO GET FITTED. If you are pregnant do it after baby is born so that you know your size. For those of us with gigantoboobs, the chain stores do not carry big enough cup sizes. (Pictured are G cups, FYI.) This bra is by Cake Lingerie.


Five: Well fitted, flattering and comfortable jeans

I guess you could call them my mom jeans but I wore French Dressing jeans before baby as well. They are the best jeans I've ever worn. I did buy a couple of new pairs two sizes bigger because my body has not returned to pre-pregnancy size and shape; I'm not sure if it ever will or if I care at this point. Life happens so I wanted to have clothes that fit. FDJ is a Canadian brand, and the jeans come in various fits for different looks and body shapes. They also stretch in many directions so they are comfortable no matter what I'm doing in my day. I bought two pairs in dark blue, so they can work with both casual and more formal looks.




Six: Front closing dress (breastfeeding friendly)

I haven't worn this yet but am looking forward to doing so. There aren't many dresses that fasten in front, so I'm glad I found one. This one is a Joseph Ribkoff with a zipper that goes from neck to hem (sexy!) It doesn't look very impressive on the hanger but it does look very good on.

The following two have to do with the fact I live in a colder climate, with between four and eight months of wintry weather.



Seven: Lightweight jackets

Pre-baby I wore heavier coats and jackets with a lot of accessories (hats, scarves, gloves etc.).

I found that didn't work very well with a baby. Again, there's so much to carry a heavy coat just gets in the way. And accessories become just one more thing to wrangle or lose. Also, SWEATY. Bleah. Light, short jackets and vests work much, much better.  The jacket on the right also compresses into a small packet which is so great when I am going from outside to inside.

Eight: Footwear I can trust

Actually I've been a bit obsessed with footwear for years because I have had a couple of falls, including one when I was pregnant. Shoes and boots are something I don't cheap out on. When I'm out on my own with AJ, I will never wear anything but flat shoes or boots with very good grips and full support. When Mr. Turtle is with me to do some of the heavy lifting, I'll sometimes wear a low heel on a full support shoe or boot.

My favourite shoes and boots EVER? NAOT, of course! They are ridiculously comfortable and come in many fun styles.



What other surprisingly ordinary, extraordinary or out-of-the-ordinary items make your day much easier?

Monday 9 March 2015

Why I don't say being a mom is my job



The other day this popped up a couple of times on my Facebook feed. I've seen variations of it for years; I'm sure everyone reading has as well. I paid a bit more attention since I am after all a mom now.

Karen had just moved with her family to Alabama , so she had to go renew her driver’s license at the County Clerk’s office. She waited for almost tow [sic] hours and when she got to the front of the line she was asked by the woman recorder to state her occupation. Karen hesitated, uncertain how to classify herself.
“Ma’am what I mean is,” explained the woman recorder, “do you have a job, or are you just a …?”
“Of course I have a job,” snapped Karen. “I’m a Mom!”

...And then it goes on to say how the clerk wouldn't accept that reply, so she called herself a "Research Associate in the field of Child Development and Human Relations." I'm sure you know how the rest goes; if not, read it here.

Now, before I take this apart, I realize the objective of these stories is to show that mothers deserve recognition and respect. And I have no argument with that, at all.  (I personally would use the term parent or stay-at-home parent instead of mom, but the stories never do, so I'll use the same language.) I also don't think it is important whether anyone has ever actually had this experience, because we all understand what the message is supposed to be.

But, having said that, I thought it would be interesting to discuss why I don't, personally, consider motherhood or parenting (two different things?) to be a "job."

There are some similarities to a job. Being a mom is work and it requires skills (which is one of the points the above article is trying to make). Many of these skills could indeed transfer to a job, and depending on a mother's paid work experience, she likely has skills that can transfer to parenting. Parenting, like a rewarding job, is also something you can take pride in.

But there are a lot of differences between being a mom and having a job. Here are some as they occur to me.

  1. No pay*
  2. No time off
  3. No vacation
  4. No sick leave
  5. No regular hours or overtime pay
  6. No promotions
  7. No boss (self-employed, kinda sorta?)
  8. No possibility of quitting, at least not ethically and not without causing trauma to a lot of people.
I wouldn't accept a job with those conditions. If I did, I'd get job dissatisfaction pretty quickly, and with good reason. That's my first reason for not saying parenting is my job. If my expectations of parenthood were remotely like those I have for a job, I'd burn out in a week.

* Some people might say "love" is the pay. I disagree. Love is not payment for services.

The second reason only came into focus for me yesterday after reading one of the BabyCenter.ca forums.  The thread was called "Does anybody feel all alone in this?" The poster, and many women after her, went on to describe how their husbands/significant others (all male) were not interacting or bonding with their babies, and not helping much or at all with household chores.  Husbands complaining if mom asked them to hold the baby so they could have a shower. Too "scared" to give the baby a bath.  Handing baby back to mom immediately when she fusses.

Some women said they talked to their significant others (or in one case "threw a fit like a five year old") and then the situation improved. Others made excuses: men find it hard to interact with babies when they are too little. Their mothers raised them alone so maybe that's how they're supposed to raise children. Husband works full time at a challenging job so he thinks his time at home is to relax, and maybe that's reasonable. He can't be expected to understand because he didn't give birth to the baby. And oh, I'm a stay at home parent so isn't parenting my "job?"

 I don't offend easily, really I don't, but reading that thread made me SO ANGRY.

This is the biggest reason I don't say that being a mom is "my job." Despite all the cute job titles you can create, calling motherhood a job is reinforcing the whole outdated "separate spheres" concept of Dad goes to work, Mom does all the childcare/household work (whether or not she is working outside the home.) If I thought that notion was long abandoned the BabyCentre discussion sure proved me wrong.

 I don't believe there is any one right way to parent. By all means divide up the domestic chores any way that works for you. But communicate effectively so that you know both partners are happy, and that one of them is not constantly crying/anxious/unable to take an uninterrupted shower/unable to leave the baby with partner EVER. Because if anything like that is happening you do not have a happy home or a healthy relationship. Some families will have a stay at home parent, for a long or short time. It might be fair for the stay at home parent to do more or most of the domestic tasks. But becoming a parent is a bigger commitment than any job, and it is a shared commitment between both parents. No excuses.

What do you think? Am I missing anything here?



Monday 2 March 2015

#Microblog Mondays: Do you ask what the birds say?


Microblog Mondays

There being only 28 days in February, March 1st was AJ's 4 month birthday.

4 month milestones:

  • Last Friday, AJ went to her first Celtic music concert! I love traditional music, and of course I've been playing many varieties for AJ on her iPod since she was born. We saw Lunasa from Ireland. AJ did great! She sat in our laps, then fell asleep(!) during the first set. Intermission, had a snack. For the second set, I put her in the mei tai carrier and danced her around. She loved it! I don't like sitting down anyway so she was a great excuse to spend the evening on my feet. We didn't have high expectations going in; I figured if we made it to the intermission I would be happy! but we all had a great evening with a wonderful band.
  • AJ smiles at almost everyone. She hasn't shown any fear of strangers yet. I wonder if she even likes them better sometimes; for example we take her out to a restaurant she gives the waitress a big smile but not me hahahaha. She also seems to enjoy crowded, noisy places. She will look around with interest, or fall asleep without a care in the world. I know she's still very little, but if her personality continues to develop this way I think we might have an extrovert baby.
  • Accomplishments: sucking her thumb (she can soothe herself this way), rolling onto her side from her back, becoming more deliberate in her attempts to get and maintain attention. Putting her hands together, and recently, putting her feet together. Reaching and grabbing with more intent and success. Trying to grab her feet now  too. Supporting and moving her head with more confidence. She's almost laughing: it still sounds a bit breathy but she's adding syllables.
  • Likes: thumb and finger sucking, playing in her rain forest play gym, grabbing and batting at things, being carried over the shoulder, music and movement. She is also liking being in a sitting position more. Experimenting with sounds. Shrieking and gurgling are favourites right now. 
  • Dislikes: having to wait for things. Red lights in the car. Tummy time (still). As her strength increases she occasionally tries harder to move around during tummy time, but often she will just lie there apathetically, like she's not sure WTF is going on. She can sorta lift her head, but she seems to think it's not worth the effort. Waking up from naps. Sometimes she wakes up happy, sometimes grumpy and honestly I have no idea why one or the other.
  • AJ still sleeps through the night, between 4 and 7 hour stretches. Based on what I read about other babies, I keep expecting her to start having trouble sleeping, but so far she's fine. She still goes to bed between 10 and 11 o'clock I guess because we are weird night owl parents. Recently she has been fighting naps however. We never exactly had a schedule, but for a few weeks she was pretty predictable: about 3 naps a day at around 11, 2 and 5, and sometimes in the evening. Now I'm not so sure....it can be a long day when she is tired and doesn't want to sleep! Maybe I need to wake her up earlier....but then I have to wake up earlier too lol. 


March 1st is also the day when I let myself start thinking about spring. I live in a part of the world where winter can stretch out from September till May, though we do get breaks in the form of warm spells called chinooks. (During a chinook the temperature can rise as much as twenty degrees in a few hours, and people flock outdoors, some tramping through the melting snow in their shorts and flip-flops. Less positively, many people get awful headaches and mood swings.) This winter was very mild, so I can't complain much. Still, it's not really spring when you know that tomorrow can be -25C and snowing. So until we're past February, I try to avoid even considering the possibility of spring renewal.

March can be be frostbitten and stormy, but it's also the month where the season starts to turn toward spring. I love spring. Even - perhaps especially - the early, chilly weeks of spring when it's too cold for buds on the trees and the landscape is brown, not green. There's something invigorating in the smell of puddles and mud and melt-off, and there is birdsong everywhere.

This year I feel especially privileged to share spring with AJ. It snowed a few days after her birth, so although we've been outside often during the warmer times, she is a winter baby. How fun it will be to share the sights, sounds and smells of spring with her.

One of my friends gave AJ a book of nursery rhymes, and this one, entitled "Answer to a Child's Question" describes the essence of how I feel about spring. (The birds of course are European birds: I feel like I should do a rewrite mentioning the magpie, crow, chickadee and grey jay as well as the robin!) Is anyone else looking forward to spring, or something else in the next few months?

Do you ask what the birds say? The  robin, the dove
The linnet and thrush say: "I love and I love!"
In winter they are silent - the wind is so strong
What it says I don't know, but it sings a loud song.
But green leaves and blossoms, and sunny warm weather,
And singing and loving - all come back together.
But the lark is so brimful of gladness and love
The green fields below him, the blue sky above,
That he sings and he sings, and forever sings he:
"I love my love, and my love loves me."

Learn more about Microblog Mondays. Much to read there!