I LOVE to Garden

Yesterday I spent a whole day (or most of it) in the garden!!! It's the first time since I had Jacob. And it's very restorative for me. Last year Jacob was due to be born on 12 June, and on 5 May I went to a big plant sale and bought some lovely perennials to finish our garden. Our plan was that I would slowly plant them over the next month as a way to prepare for childbirth (all the bending, squatting etc). Then we realized we better get off our butts and buy a carseat so I spent a day buying the stroller, carseat, changetable/bassinet etc that we had picked out. Then we had Martin's boss over for dessert one day, and the next day I went shopping for comfy underwear and a few cloths to wear in the last month of pregnancy (read: BIG clothes). That night Martin's colleague and his wife and daughter came over for dinner. I was a hostess, running around doing things (we barbecued!). We had a lovely night and I think I might even have had a 1/2 glass of wine. We went to bed and I woke up at midnight and my water had broken!!! There went the gardening plans.

In the end, Martin & my mom planted the plants. They did a perfectly good job. But somehow I haven't gotten over the heartbreak of my spring plans. Taking care of a baby was more totally consuming than I had thought. I think I did plant a few plants quickly at one point but it wasn't exactly comfortable. So anyways, this year gardening has taken on NEW IMPORTANCE for me. We've brought out our playpen and Jacob actually quite happy in there for about an hour, practicing standing and cruising around the edges. He hung out in there and I got a flower bed ready in the back, and planted a few perennials in there, then Martin brought Jacob in and I spent another 3 hours!!! It was so awesome. I've planted sweet peas for the 3rd year in a row - hoping that this year's a charm as the last 2 years they did really poorly (I think they didn't have enough sun). The first time I can make a little posy of sweet pea flowers, I might cry!