Friday, July 17, 2009

Busy Summer so Far

Well I don't have many pictures today, but I will be posting a bunch of photos taken by a friend who is a photographer very soon.... the wait is worth it. Until then just an update.

We were in Texas for three weeks in June/July, saw lots of family and the boys were spoiled-rotten. I painted 2 rent houses which was LOTS of fun, but at least that makes the whole trip a nice big tax write-off.

Now we are back and working on our backyard makeover. We have moved about 7,000 lbs of stone to put in tree rings and a short retaining wall around some soon-to-be flowerbeds in the back end of the lot where the grass won't grow. We have also made a play area that will be the home to a play-gym in the future, but now has the boys "outside toys" including the swimming pool. So after 7,000 lbs of rock and 19 shrubs, painting 2 houses, and traveling 2,600 miles all within 6 weeks, I am a bit tired, and I still have tons of projects to do. I don't think it ever ends.

Pax had his 4 month check-up and he is my little man-giant. He weighed in at a hefty 17lbs and was 26.5 inches long. This put him in the 85% for both height and weight. I had to break down and buy a new car seat because he is about to exceed height/weight restrictions of his carrier, which gives me a hernia every time I pick up anyway. He is a very active baby- he squirms and bucks himself in circles when he is laying on the floor so I have to be careful where I put him now. He rolled over both ways for the first time this Tuesday so we hit that milestone. He is growing so fast, and all I want is for him to stay my baby for a while.

Caden is as rotten as ever. He can open doors now, so there is no peace. I have to keep all of the exterior doors locked, and anything interior is game for fun. It is amazing where I find things now days- especially food because he loves to get into the pantry and relocate everything. I found cereal bars in my bathtub yesterday! So if creativity and ingenuity is a sign of intelligence, Caden must be a genius...but personally I think it might be the work of the devil. Oh well, I will enjoy these years because they go fast as everyone tells me, but I haven't figured out why that is bad!
I have joined a local MomsClub, so we are meeting new people and making new friends, and it gives Caden a chance to try to learn new social behaviors. We have gone to a swim party and to Monkey Joe's which is an inflatable bounce place. Of course Caden watches the older kids and tries to do what they are doing, which gives mommy a heart attack. Good thing we have good medical insurance, because we are going to need it.
Anyway I will end this novel with the few picture I have. Enjoy!

Our backyard is coming together slowly but surely.





Caden can be a good helper when he wants to, which is not often!

Caden LOVES to help daddy mow. Now when he hears any mower he goes to the door and whines, he doesn't get that the neighbors don't want his help too!

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Dear Angela & Brian,

Hi!! Your back yard is soooo pretty!! It's a little bit deceptive at first glance, but I can certainly tell the amount of HARD WORK that you've put into your back yard: a *L*O*T* !! I really like the "wide-open-lawn feel," (broken up by a few shade trees), with the boys' play equipment and your flower beds along the far ends.

It seems that so many people often put their kids' playground equipment smack-dab in the middle of their back yards, which makes it a "Total Kids Space"; but you've made a back yard that is very classy and serene-looking, yet STILL very, very "kid-friendly"!!

In the picture with Caden, Paxton is so cute----(and so big now, too)!! By NEXT Summer, those two little boys will sure be runnin' around............ TOGETHER, (haha)!!

Have a great (rest of the) Summer!!


Love,
Rosanna & Jack