March Madness: Baldwin Style

"Don't clean up the kitchen," Will says to me for the umpteenth time. "We'll clean it together when I get home."

That sentence is how I am surviving this month.

Well, that and a lot of raisins:

I'll admit - as much as I loved my in-laws and my mother visiting and helping around the house, I have felt a bigger sense of ownership and pride in Will and I taking the reigns of our little family.

So... the house is in a perpetual state of tornado runneth through it. The downstairs will be clean; the upstairs will have laundry everywhere. Then, we'll do all our laundry, and the downstairs needs a good sweep. No matter how often I clean, I cannot keep up.

And I am finally, finally, finally realizing: that is okay.

Today is the end of third quarter, so I am also in the midst of grading. It's good to be back in the classroom, even though I am more tired than before (how is that possible?!). My AP kids are gearing up for the AP test in a month and change, so I am getting extra pumped for that.

Grace is currently pulling out all the shoes from our closet, and "wearing" one of my running shoes. I am ordering her first pair of Keens this weekend, and am looking forward to the look on her face. (Grace loves shoes!) We're hoping these will motivate her to take more steps on her own more, if she feels more stable.

Laura sleeps extra well during the day, and quite loudly at night. Not really sure what to make of that, but overall, a very sweet baby. We are incurably smitten! Grace loves her sister too, and will sit next to her when she cries, always tries to put her pinky in her mouth, will occasionally sit on her when trying to sit closer, and waves in her face when Laura stoically stares off at the wall.

Will is finishing up night float this week, and even has his first weekend off this month! After, of course, he gets home around noon tomorrow. ((He'll wake up in time for the UK-ND championship game!!))

Second to last Friday of Lent, so I am fixing a super easy Zatarain's red beans and rice (if you're looking - Grace likes!), broccoli and may even have a beer because hey! ho! It's Friday! Other exciting plans include confiscating the baby wipes every time GHB finds another unsuspecting package so she cannot pull them all out (again), going to the grocery store, and taking Will his dinner. Busy night ahead! Grace has pulled off Laura's socks only a dozen times so far.

No wipes left behind.

But enough about me - any plans this weekend, readers? Are you surviving another glorious day too? No shame in surviving; that's half the battle.