How does your garden grow?

I told Will the other day that Patricia is like a Pokémon. She started saying her own name and now it’s how she reacts to something she wants to participate in, remind you she is there, contrasts something Julius is doing etc. It’s pretty cute. The last couple weeks though she’s started using her name as a possessive, “Patricia cup”, “Patricia wawa” (water), “Patricia malk” (milk), “Patricia broco” (brocolli) etc. Then this week, she’s upped the game to two word sentences. “Patricia poop”, “Patricia eat”. She’s doing great with her words now. It’s funny how different the two kids are though. Julius used to be eager to please, Patricia likes praise but really wants to do everything herself. The the point of a potential meltdown. I remember Julius wanting to do that a bit when he was a toddler, but it came much later. I’m not sure if it’s the cause or effect of giving her more independence (side effect of having more than 1 child). Sometimes Julius calls us on it. Like in this instance.

Julius: “Patricia is taking a big handful of [plastic] forks”

Me: “That’s okay bud, she’s trying to help set the table”

Julius: “And now she’s putting them on the floor”

Me: “Oh, that’s not so great”

Julius: “And now she’s putting them all in her mouth”

Good news? Julius watches Patricia like a hawk so we probably don’t always end up with toddler slobbered utensils. (Also, I’ve started sneaking anything she touches back into the dishwasher.) Julius and I planted our garden last weekend, finally. Only a few weeks behind schedule. My raised bed has been disintegrating for the last couple years so I’ve been procrastinating erecting a new one. I just had 1.5 tons of stone delivered though, so you better believe that’s going to be a new post.

One garden I did successfully build though is a tiny garden in an Altoid mint tin, that I made as the other play set for Julius’ Christmas present.

Tiny Bunny garden playset

First I needle felted a tiny bunny

Then I made a shovel for the bunny’s garden out of oven bake clay (I used a toothpick wrapped in clay as the handle of the shovel.)

Then I created, radishes, lettuce and carrots by hot-gluing felt together.

Next I cut out small rectangles the width of the mint tin and glued them in a line, stuffing each with a tiny amount of stuffing to form a mound.

I continued adding little mounds until I had several rows of mounds. I was careful to only secure the felt between the mounds to the bottom of the tin.

Next I added a little grass are next to the garden rows.