You have no idea how much I miss my little hobbies!  Maybe it would be different if my hobbies didn’t require sharp objects or expensive cameras, things that aren’t really compatible with small sticky people?  (In fact, right this second I am being shouted at because she wants the laptop.)  The truth is that she’s not a great napper, and when she does nap I am either job hunting, attacking the Laundry Monster, or – more likely than not – sitting on the couch and stare blankly into space for 45 minutes, because I am THAT drained.  I have been able to knit, albeit in furtive spurts, but enough to finish one sweater since January with another one just waiting a second sleeve.  (That sleeve would be knit already if someone hadn’t decided to help and yank a chunk of stitches out.  Toddlers are grabby and fast, y’all.)

Particularly during the winter months, often the fine line between sanity and completely losing my mind while being cooped up at home with a small person, was taking pictures from an open window.  We had a flock of what I believe were cedar waxwings that stopped by every afternoon for lunch at the tree in our front yard, and then a woodpecker (maybe even a yellow bellied sapsucker) visited our backyard.  This spring, the cedar waxwings were replaced by chickadees and goldfinches, which are all over our neighborhood.  We also appear to have a number of pairs of cardinals around, which I haven’t managed to get a good shot of yet.  Miss O’s highchair sits next to a very large window overlooking our birdfeeders, and while I doubt she has yet mastered the difference between the birds, when I ask “are there any birdies out there today” she looks out the window and, if there is one there, she points and hoots.

Also?  you know you live near the coast of Maine when you have to chase seagulls away from your trash on trash day.