Benjamin Closer to 3!

On Monday we forgot to celebrate Benjamin's half-birthday :( The cool thing is that he is now closer to 3 than he is to 2. He sure seems more like 3 with all of the amazing things he has been saying lately. I have really noticed this week how much he has changed since just this past summer when he was only saying 1-2 words at a time. We are able to have conversations with him and it is like having a little friend with me all day (of course most friends don't ask you the same question hundreds of times in a row). Benjamin has been loving the Spring, and getting to spend so much time outside. Just this morning he helped me water the plants and managed to get only a little bit wet in the process ;) He has also been asking so many questions about the natural world, like where birds live and what flowers are made of. He's just not a baby anymore. Thankfully, we have another little baby in our lives now, and we really need to treasure this time!

The Fountain

Today was a great, long day of work in the yard and we are getting closer to nirvana. Lance has really poured so much of himself into this project and I am very proud of him. I know it was special, also, that he was able to work with his father today. Larry was instrumental in helping with stonework and setting up our electrical routing. I was able to do some climbing rose training, planting, and transplanting while granmom watched the boys.


The true highlight of the day was when the fountain was set up and we got to see it run for the first time. Carly, Phil, and Juliana came over to watch and Phil helped move the fountain into position. It really makes a huge difference in the overall ambiance of the backyard. Lance commented that he felt like he was at a resort and it really did. Benjamin was so excited and later discovered how much fun it is to play with the water from the fountain. Yikes!


I just can't believe how wonderful it all looks and how blessed I am to live in such a beautiful environment. Again, so proud of my husband for designing and implementing the overall plan. While I have been responsible for the flora in our landscape, Lance is responsible for the grand design and all of the work on the pergola. I really think he could make it big in the landscaping field. But, really, we both owe it all to God for blessing us with this home and the incredible beauty of the land where it sits. Also we have been given the gift of our special talents that, through the work of our hands, have made this place uniquely and wonderfully ours.


Thank you, Lord!

Evan's Cool Outfit and A Day in the Life...

Ok, so I don't really have anything momentous to share but I wanted to post a new pick of E and thought I should write something too. I want to capture what our lives are like now so we can look back and reflect one day. I think it really helps with perspective. Today I asked Lance what year it was that we met, so I could complete a nasty insurance application. I could have remembered had I tried really hard, but who has time for that?! Anyways, he had to do a search on his e-mail to figure it out ;) During the process, he read some old e-mails and got to thinking about the passage of time and all that deep, philosophical stuff. I felt bad that night when he wanted to talk about it and I just wanted to finish cleaning the kitchen and watch my last 5 minutes of Lost before heading to bed. (by the way, the reason I am able to write this right now is that E is still sleeping! Yay! B is trying to poop, which seems to be taking quite some time! Also Yay!) Again, I could try to write something philosophical about the passage of time and reflection, but who has time for that??


As you read this, keep in mind that there really is no typical day for more than a few days. What I mean is that as soon as I think we have a routine, something changes. It usually has to do with E's schedule. He was waking up at 7:15 and taking consistent 2 hour naps in the morning. Then last week he started waking up in the middle of the night (gasp) and going back to sleep until like 6:30 (another gasp). He was also taking 30 min naps only! Yikes! So it was probably a growth spurt and it seems that he is back to sleeping through the night and taking longer naps in the morning. This long nap is really critical to my day, since it allows for some Q time with B and some time for me (that rhymed). Anyway, we usually get B a bath when we have time and that tends to be our fun, bonding experience for the day. That is very important to me, since its why I stayed home in the first place.


So I had to save this and come back, here I am. After E woke up from his long nap, Benjamin drew pictures and Evan and I watched. Benjamin then chose eating lunch over going outside (he isn't feeling well). E was able to play in his kick-n-play while Benjamin ate and then it was time for Benjamin's nap. It was nice to be able to calmly and slowly read B's book (oh my, oh my oh dinosaurs) while E was able to lie on the floor and stare at the fan. After B went to sleep, E and I snuck outside to enjoy the garden for a little bit. Just a few minutes later, E was ready for his nap and the boys are both asleep. I expected E to wake up a few minutes ago, so what gives? A nice Tuesday afternoon surprise! Of course, when I get this "extra" time that I don't expect, I always feel that I should be doing something. Inevitably, I end up on facebook or browsing the web. Today I am doing better than that as you can see by this post :)


I hope to run 2 errands today with the boys. That would be a record for sure! I want to get groceries to make tenderloin sandwiches, but would also really love to get some spray to kill the bugs that are eating my herbs. Unfortunately, those things are not at the same store. I think I will play it by ear and just get the groceries first (priority) and if things are going well I will be bold and hit Lowe's. Yes, my mind is really starting to function like a SAHM. It is crazy what you can adapt to if you just give it time. Things that you never thought you could do become doable at some point. Who knows what is next, but I'm looking forward to it!

Outdoor Livin'

This was another good weekend spent mostly outdoors. We did have our fair share of rain and that kept us inside for a bit too. We had Amma and Papa over for dinner on Friday night and I served chicken breast stuffed with herbed (from our garden) goat cheese topped with the leftover Blueberry Chipotle sauce. Yum! It was the first dinner with Amma and Papa in quite a while, as we have spent most of our time together during the day when they come to help with the boys. It was nice to have some good adult conversation over some really great Pinot Noir, just like old times.


Over the past several days, Benjamin's personality seems to have developed a new dimension. He has been a bit sassy. I'm not sure how else to describe it. He just has this attitude that I do not recognize, a sense that he is wise beyond his 2 years. I have a feeling he is just trying it on and seeing how it feels, and it will probably become less pronounced, blending in nicely with his already awesome nature. However, I will say that it has been strange at times and I did feel a little taken back by it. Overall, he has been very entertaining and put on a show for our friends Russ and Mary last night. That was the first time that I have seen him be very talkative and playful with people who he does not know very well. It was a very nice evening.


Evan continues to grow and take on his own personality. Over the last few days he has also been going through some sort of phase. I have to say that it is not my favorite because he has been waking up during the night and only taking very short naps. I wonder if this is the "4 month wakeful period" that I have heard about and he is going through it early (because he is so advanced of course). Maybe there is just too much to learn and be interested in that he has felt less of a need for sleep. Either way, its okay with me. I love him!


We took another step forward on the yard this weekend. I helped Lance with the rock retaining wall and he made progress on the stone pathway leading from our door to the gate. I was fortunate enough to make another trip to the Natural Gardener for herbs to fill in my garden. Without planning it seems I got just the right amount to fill it in completely. It is now a happier herb garden with the addition of several kinds of peppers, several kinds of basil, some type of celery plant (not the vegetable), and a thing called "anise hissop". I just can't wait to see how they all grow, especially the peppers. They are my first attempt into the vegetable world. Hopefully they will help make our lives just a little more spicy :)

Evan Update!

Evan is a little more than 3 months old now. In the past week he has really made some changes. He is definitely more alert, active, and social. You can always count on some good smiles for at least part of his awake time. He has learned to grab objects and really seems to excel at this grabbing skill. For instance, he loves to grab my hair while I am feeding him. Boy, can he really hold on! Ouch! He has also taken to grabbing the animals on his mobile. According to daddy, he grabbed the giraffe and stared it down for several minutes, even pulling it off of the mobile! Wow, already destroying things at 3 months! We have started to put him in the Baby Einstein and he is able to enjoy this for a few minutes. My guess is that he will really start exploring it in a few weeks. 


Evan is still sleeping well throughout the night and for that we praise God :) He usually takes a long nap in the morning and takes a series of 3-4, 30-45 min naps per day. It would be nice if he could consolidate those afternoon naps into 2 really good naps, but I will count my blessings. I know that it will change in time so I will take a deep breath and wait for it to come.

Today Was a Good Day

Yes, today was a good day. It was officially the best day that I have had as a mother of two while taking care of both boys for the whole day. Benjamin was a good boy, I was well rested, and Evan was relatively low maintenance. Evan even sat in the Baby Einstein while Benjamin entertained him. The day was going so well and I was feeling so good, that I decided to take them both to the grocery store by myself for the first time. Now this seems like no big deal to the average reader, however, I left the store with a strong feeling of accomplishment and a new surge of self-confidence. What did I buy, you ask? I purchased duck breast, wine, and milk. Yes, this day was so good that it was capped off with a nice seared duck breast served with a blueberry chipotle sauce, and a glass of pinot noir. 


 But between the triumphant trip to the store and the lovely duck, there was a luxurious hour spent underneath our pergola on an absolutely gorgeous spring day. Benjamin ran in the sparkling sunlight as I gazed out at the field filled with wildflowers, and our own backyard filled with expectant rose bushes and other emerging blossoms. Benjamin looked for butterflies and we commented on the variety of birds off in the distance and flying over our heads. Evan awoke, but not to be concerned or stressed, I brought him out to the pergola and nursed him as Benjamin played independently. Yes, today WAS a good day!

Easter Weekend

It was a fabulous weekend! Benjamin had 3 Easter egg hunts!! I don't remember ever having that many on one day. What a blessed little boy!! By the third hunt he had shown much improvement in his hunting abilities and had developed a keen eye for those little plastic eggs. He enjoyed Easter so much that the next day he said sadly, "Mommy, Easter is over". But the good news is that he still had plenty of candy so that the joy of Easter can last for a couple more weeks :) Evan got some presents too, but I don't think he was very excited about them. I'm sure he will be ready to go next year.