Thanks Uncle Dan!

A couple of weeks ago your uncle Dan left a message on our home answering maching (Yes, I understand I'll probably have to explain what this was...). He offered help with any gardening/yard/landscaping work ("I need a project").
Mama's not one to let that one pass by. So he came over one afternoon to do a walk thru of the yard. Your dad is the main gardener and has a good eye for plants. So does your uncle Dan. Your dad showed him some pictures of trees we admired on one of our walks in Chicago and Dan identified the tree (Eastern Redbud).

Not one week later he showed up with 3 of them! He found them on clearance at Lowe's and stopped by to put them in the ground. Wow!



For the first time this year the kids spend a good 5 minutes in the yard NOT touching the dirt. They have a warm up period of shyness. Brief. Temporary. Zoe's giving the gardener and the dirt some space.
See?



Of course then they meandered to another area of the yard. They like to pick these flowers. Zoe was pulling petals a la "he loves me, he loves me not..." (good practice for an upcoming flowergirl ;)




But as soon as that hose came out, Uncle Dan had two new helpers. Oh good. Water and dirt make mud.



It's funny how it was so cute the first time around. Now there isn't a time that goes by that one (usually both) aren't digging in the dirt.



And mama must remember that YES it is fun (and only take them out if they're going in the pool, thru the sprinkler or straight into the bath).

A hose, two toddlers and newly upturned soil

Aka setting oneself up for an audition on Nanny 911.



We've been moving some plants around, taking out dead and dying ones. Your dad moved these flowers about a week ago. We hadn't gotten around to putting mulch down yet. And since I had my helpers with me, one of them (Ms Zoe) thought she'd help stir the soil a bit.



And this is where I wonder if I'm being way too much of a laid back mom. I suppose I can choose to pick my battles. Getting messy and dirty just doesn't seem like one I feel like fighting now. I mean I'm sure it's a lot of fun to do that. And I always remember one of the nurses at the special care unit telling us to send pictures as you two got older. "All messy and dirty and playing in the mud - we love that" or something to that effect. Kids being kids. I guess that struck me at the time and I think of it when I see you two having fun in the yard. It's just dirt.

Sure, I SUPPOSE I should be chasing you away from the dirt and the mud and the buggies and the worms and all that fun stuff. But why? It's FUN.

(note to self: Sometimes you have to acknowledge the voices in your head that tell you that you're doing something the WRONG way and explain to them that it's not the wrong way for you. Someday kids, maybe this will mean something. Or maybe, hopefully, you won't have the voice in your head that makes you wonder if everything you're doing is wrong... Okay, too much sharing ;)



I do draw the line when the buffet line starts. No sampling the dirt, kids. The funny thing about this is that the finger goes in the first time, then the hand goes in to wipe away the dirt. Doesn't work as expected.




Meanwhile Roman helps clean up (and the house is actually fully sided now - hurrah! minus the 1% cleanup/fix/something or other your dad wants to/ needs to (?) do.

Get the picture?

Not only is the backyard fun, just because it's outside, but it comes complete with critters.

Like worms.I'm not sure how we got on this. Oh yes, I was weeding, trying to be productive with my time outside. Then I thought I'd show them what a worm looked like. And now that spot of the yard is our worm farm.
Joy.



Time to move on. Water, and a "fountain" to drink from.



Now that's fun.


See?



And Zoe found a nice nest of ants. Buggies indeed. Birds. Bunnies. Worms. Ants, er "buggies", what else do we need?



Melmo.



Best 25 cents I've ever spent (why bother???!)



Ah, back to worm digging.



Which means...Water and dirt...



Why the heck not?



Being up to date with photos just means we need more adventure. Almost up to date- which means I better start planning for the long weekend.

Busy Busy Busy Busy Busy

We've been out trekking a little bit less this year, and with the re-siding of the house a priority these last two weeks (yes, still in progress), we've been staying close to home. I find the only shopping I can really do with the two of you is at Costco because they have a double wide two seater cart. Perfect! So that's where we went this morning to stock up on some essentials. And then a non essential... a new phone for mommy. Woo hoo. Internet enabled. We'll see. It was a good deal - the rebate is bigger than the cost of upgrading and getting a new phone, but of course there's an extra fee for the Internet...

Meanwhile, photos from the last few weeks.



Enjoying a garage sale teeter totter. Woo hoo.



And a slide grandma Jane found at a sale as well.


You both enjoy it but it's Roman who'll go up the ladder, down the slide....Up the ladder and down the slide...Up the ladder and OOPS tumble down the slide. Even then he gets right back up (unless he hears a "pane" or a bus or a bird or...), speaking of birds...

More lessons of "if you just paid attention you'd see the world is right there in front of you"... Our backyard has become a mini nature center. A robin made a nest on a wreath hanging on the wall of our garage. Back on Mothers Day there were some eggs, and shortly thereafter some little baby birdies. The other day, when it was in the 90's, we noticed the birds all sitting in the nest with their beaks open. Waiting for food? A method of somehow cooling off?



I don't know, but those birds got big fast!



Zoe is a helper. This morning I was getting Roman dressed and he saw Zoe was carrying her "juice" (juice = anything that's not milk, 90% of the time it's water). He wanted his. I asked Zoe to go get it. She paused momentarily and then ran off to the kitchen. Sure enough she comes back with it and hands it to RaRa (her pet name for Roman). Then she went back to her juice. I was half listening, but as soon as she pointed at herself I realized she was saying "Zoe". I'd never really seen her point to herself in self recognition before, so that was kind of cool.




Ah, good times, even though your Mom gets overwhelmed and tired and cranky and "AAARGH!" sometimes.

H_O_T!

From this weekend...and today it's a hot one. I took a half (or really 2/3) day to help your dad with the siding. Ah, the siding, the siding. I came in for a brief respite when he ran into an "issue". 15 minutes later it seems to be solved, so I have to go back out in it!

Not today

But what fun we had on Wednesday.


Probably my favorite part was the time I spent listening to Zoe and Roman say "are you?" while they lie on their bellies looking for buggies. I'm not sure how "bug" became "buggies", but it has. And I think Zoe said something about a buggie and I said "Buggies, where are you?". That got them going on the "are you?"...

They are both very observant of their world. The other morning they were eating breakfast in the kitchen, the windows were open and all of a sudden Roman announces "Bus" with a look that was asking for confirmation. I had to pause, and sure enough in the recall of my 5 second memory I did realize that it was a bus that went by. But I wouldn't have registered it if he hadn't said something.




It's funny how you learn to tune out noises.(or don't - I'm sure you'll learn soon enough to daddy's aversion to chewing sounds...weirdo...:) ) Since we have transportation announcements I am more cognizant of the activity going on all around us. Maybe that's part of what's interesting (and increasingly exhausting) about raising kids. You get to see it from a fresh perspective. I'm sure the buses come by every 20 minutes (in and out), but I don't notice anymore. Same with the planes. Planes are announced as well, even in the middle of bathtime! "Pane" (with finger pointing to the sky).

Progress!

A few days ago - siding off. We were actually kind of liking this look. Rustic.
(why does Grizzly Adams pop in my head when I hear that word?)



...And an hour or so ago.... Kitty helped your dad all day today and they started getting some of the siding up. Woo hoo!




Thanks Kitty!

See? We DID have sunny days (previous post)
It makes us so happy. Zoe and Roman like to climb up to the big people chairs (as well as the little ones - Zoe sits down and pulls the table way up close to her chest. Kind of funny).
Actually I think it makes mama happy. Weather definitely has an impact on my mood. I've had my week + of dragging around. We're ready for sun...

And by the way I really want to sit down with a video camera and get some talking on camera. You both have a fairly large vocabulary. Roman says Zoe, Zoe won't say Zoe. Oh well. That's all going to happen soon enough!

The other night your dad and I were out past your bed time. I didn't think I was going to have a chance to see you that day. I'm out the door before you get up and went to my evening destination from work. Well your dad went in to check on you and you woke up. So out you came to visit. It was pretty funny because you weren't quite awake. Continuously smiling, but staring, and not quite there. So cute. So cuddly.

Oh the weather outside is frightful.

(We've been teased with nice weather, but it's GONE!)



But Roman mowing outside is delightful




Roman is protective of his mower. He won't even let Zoe touch it with out major protest.

Sun, please come back!

What's that I see?

Roman with a faux hawk again?
Yes, among other things...
Saturday was dreary and mommy, for one, had no energy. Sunday brought nicer weather (no rain!), so after a visit from Kitty (I can't believe I didn't take pictures..badd mama) we went for a walk. By the way Kitty made you two laugh hysterically. She's so good with kids! We love you Kitty :)



Daddy's begun to make friends with the tree rodent, er...squirrel.

How does he make them draw near? Walnuts and almonds. Oy!

the patio play-yard

Who gravitates to the abandoned reminant of a "water feature" your dad made a few years ago?


Zoe! It's fun to pick up rocks. Rocks are fun.
Boy, we're lucky aren't we?



This just may turn into a sandbox. Of course it needs to be emptied of the mysterious substances fermenting in it (rainwater and god knows what).



Piles of sand are fun too.



So is swinging in our half cushioned swing.



You are also very entertained by getting yourself up in the patio chairs. Often this is followed by a drumming of the table. BANG BANG BANG.

Pleased as punch.
(you or me? A: Both)

:)

Coloring is an outside activity (when it's warm in MN in April)

It's better to color with Elton John Sunglasses.




You know he may just want to merchandise a kids line of eye ware fashions. I don't doubt he's been approached by someone to do something like that.


For goodness sake, Elton John is going to be an historical figure for you two. Like...Charlie Chaplin.. My, that's a stretch.



Roman likes to read his coloring book before putting wax to paper.

Again, I'm not sure who you remind me of, but I'm leaning toward an elderly gentleman of some sort. You have been doing this funny walk once and awhile when you play. Grandma Candy picked up on it last week. You lean over and walk like an old man. Who are you channelling little boy? :)

Looks like reading the book paid off. Elmo is red and perfectly colored inside the lines. Wow, Roman (maybe daddy helped a wee bit).

Maybe.