I have a revolutionary idea for seed packets. You know those little tongue-depressor thingies they put in sometimes to mark what you planted? Well, first off, include more than one because some people might be wanting to plant some of those seeds in more than one place. Then, put a little life-size drawing of the seedling expected on the dang marker. Because people like me - the want-to-like-gardening-but-don't-yet-and-have-no-clue-what-they're-doing people - plant some seeds and are really proud of themselves and then things start to sprout and they're really excited and then the little sprouts start to grow and they're like, Woah! That little sprout has roundish-yet-pointy leaves and that little sprout has long thin grass-like leaves... The long thin ones are probably the carrots, right? Are the roundish ones weeds? Or some flowers I misplaced? And then we let them grow a while to make sure and by the time we're really convinced that the roundish ones are weeds, they've grown to the size of trees and the seedlings we actually wanted have been suffocated. (At least, that's what I've always done in the past. I tell myself I'm keeping a closer eye on them this time.)
Lucky I used pure fresh potting soil in the strawberry planters because I probably would never have even seen the strawberry seedlings if anything else was sprouting in there. Who knew they were so extremely tiny? The seeds were the size of, well, that comma there, so I guess it's not so surprising, but, you know, the carrot seeds were pretty tiny, too, and their first leaves popped out not too small.
Speaking of which, the zucchini is only getting bigger (gratuitous baby foot provided for scale). Like all the other seedlings, the first two leaves were totally different looking than the later ones. I don't know how I missed that little detail all my life, but it's true - the first two leaves don't look like the rest. Not on anything I've planted so far.
Hats. I also wanted to talk about hats. I don't love hats. But I'd much rather wear a hat than smear sunscreen on myself. I cannot be the only person who doesn't like sunscreen. So, why is no one else wearing a hat anymore??? Every time I put on a hat I feel silly and I'm really starting to think it's because no one else is wearing them, not because my particular hats look silly, although they might.
Do you wear a hat for the sun? Is it stylish? How?
DH got Mr. Wakefulsnottypants to take a nap this weekend and he's feeling very smug about it. Just sit with him for 30 minutes and then leave when he falls asleep. Oh, yeah. And baby does what during that time if she isn't sleepy yet? Tried leaving her in the crib, that failed ("I think Shmoogie is having a hard time," said her sweet brother, "You have to go get her.") but killed enough time that I then left Mr. Wakefulsnottypants while I put baby to sleep, then recaptured Mr. Wakefulsnottypants (upstairs and with a poopy diaper) and dragged him back to bed, then suffered through increasing agitation as Mr. W talked to me, climbed out of bed and onto me, climbed off of me, talked to me, whispered to me, etc. etc. etc. Finally set timer for 15 minutes and relaxed. Mr. W climbed in my lap, let out a gigantic yawn... then wiggled his feet and squirmed around until the buzzer went off.
Really, I think just attempting naps has become much more stressful than the average payoff warrants.
Thankfully, I kept telling myself, evening bedtime is always a piece of cake. But, then, it wasn't. Sat with him until he'd fallen asleep (ascertained from arm holding toy going limp and breathing reaching slow and steady for several minutes on end); left quietly; heard crying. Crying turned quickly to silence, which turned quickly to footsteps and the clattering of toys. Which then turned to silence. Which then turned to footsteps up the stairs. Repeat three times (without the sitting quietly). Sleep.
