The Backyard:
You may recall that we've had some drainage issues with the backyard since last spring. The township agreed to fix the problem, which they did last fall, but they didn't fix the entire problem, just the part that affected their domain - the sidewalk. Plus, when the patio was put in last fall, the equipment used did quite a bit of additional damage to the lawn. The backyard looked lovely under a blanket of winter snow, but needless to say, yard carnage returned in the spring. :( Pete has been diligently plugging away at the multitude of issues, but we're afraid the time has come to bring in the professionals. This goes against our DIY grain, but we are looking into having the entire backyard regraded with top soil and having new grass seed put down. Our DIY projects include painting the fence (it is ugly!!) and the shed (didn't get to that before winter). I'm also hoping we can get a clothesline and garden in this spring. Then I can have two of my favorite things this summer - line-dried sheets and garden-fresh tomatoes!!
The Basement:
We started working on the basement this winter and hope to be done(ish) in the next couple of months. My dad and Pete framed the walls, Pete's dad is currently working on the electrical, and drywall will be starting soon. We will have a large storage area, a half bath, Ben's play area, Daddy's play area (home theater) and Mommy's play area (craft room!!!!! :D ) when we're finished. I can't wait!
The Bubba Roo:
Ben is now three months old and getting cuter (and more fun!) by the day! His favorite things include eating, NOT napping, smiling, going for walks, playdates with friends (well, they play and Ben tries to not get stepped on or sat on :), and consignment sale shopping with Mom. Well, maybe that's not his favorite thing, but Mom sure enjoys it!! And it's a good thing, too, with the rate this kid grows! He's in 9 months size clothes now, and unfortunately, I'd stocked up on winter clothes in this size. With the sudden onset of warm weather, I've been hustling to find summer options instead. We're looking forward to the start of garage sale season soon!
Up next for the Bubba Roo is solid food (which is good because making baby food has become my new obsession and the freezer is stocked with baby delights :), laughing, rolling over and sitting up. We're also trying to wean him off the Nap Nanny he sleeps in. This is proving difficult...he loves to snuggle in that silly thing and has gotten pretty good at going off to sleep by himself and going back to sleep if he wakes up. The crib alone is not so cozy. Ben misses the Nanny and so does mommy. : ( But he can't sleep in that thing forever (he'd look a little goofy dragging it along to his dorm room), so we're trying to live life without it. : (
For those interested in a more detailed look at the life and times of Mr. Benjamin, you can visit our YouTube channel, www.youtube.com/user/bubbarootv. I've tried to upload videos to this blog with no success, so I put them on YouTube instead. This link should work for viewing all the videos. If it doesn't, let me know! I'm new at this... : /
