Hello Spring . . .

So happy Spring is here (even though it is raining today). The house we purchased has been completely (nearly) renovated by the prior owners but the outside (mainly backyard) was struggling. The backyard didn't really exist. There was a little grass and a deck that was rotting. We remedied the problem by getting a new deck (with recessed lights and a ceiling fan too) and an enlarged backyard. Our fence was installed last Friday - so we can actually play outside and not worry about falling off the edge of our new yard.


The Old Yard and Deck

I know these pictures look like there is a yard - but it wasn't much deeper than the patio under the deck.

See how the yard is so narrow in this pic!


Our New Outdoor Living Space

We plan to get a swingset in a year or so and put it back on the mulch area you can see in this photo



So, I don't have pics of the new furniture for our deck but we got 2 swivel gliders and a loveseat. I don't know about you but I am ADDICTED to gliders - really glider recliners but they don't make those for outside (and if they do - PLEASE don't tell me because I have spent all my outdoor furniture budget)

The yard is about 15 to 20 feet deeper than the old yard - it will be great for soccer (I assume - I have no soccer skills - that is one of the many reasons I married my hubby - he knows sports)


Connor enjoying the New Yard . . .







The first day the fence was up Connor was enjoying the yard (walking up and down the 2 stairs from the patio to the yard) - We went to serious extremes to build a yard for this little guy and all he wants to do is walk up and down 2 stairs! Anyway, of course since Connor wasn't a Stairmaster he fell once or twice trying to perfect the art of walking up and down the stairs. He got his first real boo boo. I took him inside to clean it up and kissed the boo boo for him. He then proceeded to ask EVERYONE to kiss his boo boo AND THEN . . . he kissed it himself. Yes, he kissed his own boo boo. Adorable!

Michelle Gets Married

Saturday afternoon was Michelle's wedding. After a nice and much needed after-lunch nap on Saturday, Colin and I left Connor in the care of his Great Aunt Cathy and Uncle Chuck. Connor had a great time playing with them and even went to sleep and stayed asleep without the sound machine (he must have been REALLY worn out from playing!) Colin and I went to see our friend Michelle get married. Her dress was amazing - it was so Michelle and she ROCKED it. I took my camera but left my SD card in the computer -- my mom took a few pics and so did Heather . . .
The Bride and Groom


Colin, Me, Cait and Greg (I need a tan!)

Heather and Matt


Congrats Michelle and Rod!

GAS

This past Friday night we stayed in, "watched" basketball (meaning Colin did and I pretended to) and hung out with Caitlin and Greg (who were in town for a wedding). We went to bed fairly early and woke up between 3:15 and 3:30 to an ear piercing sound we had never heard before. By the time Colin got Connor out of his bed (pack n' play) the noise had stopped completely. We put Connor back to bed and laid in bed discussing what the noise could have been. We were just drifting back to sleep when it happened again at 4 am. This time Colin figured out it was the C02/ Explosive Gas Alarm! Yikes! The display which usually reads 0.00 said GAS! I quickly looked up the manual on the internet (since we didn't smell anything) and didn't feel light headed - just TIRED - the manual said LEAVE THE HOUSE IMMEDIATELY. So we did. I called 311 from my cell phone. I got Tuscaloosa 311 Answering service. Ok, so it is definitely more pressing than an answering service for a town 45 minutes away (apparently Birmingham doesn't have 311 service) - so for those of you who don't know - 311 is like 911 but for non-life threatening emergencies. So I used my phone internet and looked up the number for the local fire department. Answering machine. Then I called the police department. Luckily someone answered because I REALLY didn't want to have to call 911. The fire department came out and checked the house - all clear. Apparently you are supposed to vacuum the detector every 2 weeks. Who knew? (well, someone that read the directions - I purchased another detector on Saturday and read ALL the instructions again). So, unfortunately Connor didn't want to go back to sleep until noon but fortunately our house didn't explode.

4 Eyes

I had hopes of blogging a little tonight but honestly it has taken me an hour to "update" my computer. I suppose I shouldn't dismiss/ sshh the update reminders - then maybe it wouldn't take an HOUR to update. Anyway, I am tired now so I will leave you with hopes for better luck tomorrow and pictures of Connor wearing my glasses - love him!

Uh Oh!

By far the clearest and probably cutest thing Connor says these days "Uh Oh!". The funny part is that Colin and I don't well . . . didn't say Uh Oh very often at all. I guess occasionally if we were clumsy - but we were not trying to teach Connor the words. Then one day about 6 weeks ago he dropped his cup off the table and busted out with "Uh Oh!" clear as day! We were shocked! It was so cute! Now, of course he says it all the time.

Examples:

1. We met Colin for lunch last week at my new favorite mexican place - Cocina Superior - so delicious! Anyway, Colin was feeding Connor some rice off his plate and one grain of rice dropped onto the black beans on the short trip to Connor's mouth. Uh Oh - Uh Oh - and Connor pointing to show us just where the Uh Oh happened.

2. Connor has a little board book Winnie the Pooh Find and Seek or something similar. No words, just pictures. Anyway, we were "reading" the book last week and Connor kept saying Uh Oh!?? I was confused. I didn't see any Uh Oh!. Then I saw it - in the book, Pooh is sitting amongst a room full of vases and pots. Most of them are not completely upright - leaning slightly or laying on their sides. He points to each one that is not 100% correctly positioned and says Uh Oh!

Are we raising an OCD kid? . . . Maybe??

Well, Connor got his 2nd haircut today. It was necessary. Really. His hair was acceptable when he wasn't wearing a shirt with a collar - but a polo shirt showed his true mullet - sad, but true. So, we - I took an army - me, my mom and dad to our favorite stylist . . . some photos from the event . . .

Waiting with Big Daddy . . .


Still waiting . . . and brushing his long locks . . .


So Sweet (and tied to the chair by my mom's scarf (and no, it isn't THAT cold . . . but Alabamians think it is - high of 58 today)



I think he likes it . . .

19 Months

Connor is talking and counting and pointing out letters. "E" is his current favorite. He sees it everywhere - especially on the ChEEzE-it box, the Costco WarEhousE buggy, magazines, books, menus - literally EVERYWHERE! This pic summarizes Connor these days - never.standing.still
So it is a good thing we are scheduled to have our fence installed this week (thank goodness)! I can't wait to be able to go outside and let Connor run around - oh and FINALLY post some pictures of all our outdoor changes!

Easy as

One . . .

Two . . .

Three . . .


I have been very lazy about blogging lately. Mainly because I have been tired - really tired - not sure why - other than I might possibly be getting TOO much sleep (is that possible?) Last weekend we had Connor's Pop Pop and Grandma Cathy down for a visit (a/k/a GOLF TRIP) - Colin's uncle Russ and aunt Jan came too - as did Greg, Paul and Jay. The boys played an absurd amount of golf. One course was charging the high temp for the day as the greens fee ($49). A little too chilly for golf for me - honestly - I can play 9 holes once a year and be completely satisfied - or 0 holes - either way. Saturday Cait and I met up with some girls from high school and attended a Bachelorette Party(Day) for Miss Michelle who is getting married the end of the month. It was a REALLY, REALLY fun day and evening. We were out pretty late so maybe I am still catching up on that lack of sleep? Cait and Greg's efforts have really paid off - we are eternally grateful for the sleeping angel in his pack n' play. I am sure I will jinx it by posting about the sleeping . . . anyway, Connor is a human alarm clock. He wakes up EVERY.DAY at 6 am. While I would prefer to sleep until 8 or 9. 6 works for us. Our day starts off slowly. Connor wakes up. I go in and get him. We go into the office and sit in the MOST fabulous chair (the swivel glider recliner). We "rocky rocky" until about 7. Sometimes we snooze a little more and sometimes we just relax for that hour. It is one of my favorite times of day. Colin arrives showered at 7 and takes over for breakfast. I shower (usually) and get ready for the day and then take back over Connor duty while Colin gets dressed for work.

The 1,2,3 photos are of Connor on his new slide and swing playset. Due to the weather and our lack of fence we have set it up inside. It is a huge hit - as you can see. Look at this face!


Ok, so on to more exciting information. Connor is obsessed with numbers. When we were up in Baltimore we took the book "Mommy Hugs" to read before bed. It is a cute book that I received at my work baby shower and Connor LOVES. He is obsessed with it really. All because of the number aspect of the book. So we read it night after night in Baltimore. When we landed in Birmingham, Connor was looking out the window of the plane. Noticing EVERYTHING, of course. He starts pointing excitedly and saying "SIISS" (a/k/a SIX). I didn't know what he was saying at first and then I saw it. The number 6 on a small runway marker! Really, I knew he could say a number but never thought he could pick out a number especially out of sequence! I told my mom as soon as she picked us up that day. She doubted! I must admit - I wouldn't have believed it if I had not been there. But since that day, he has been much more vocal about numbers - pointing them out everywhere. On his sippy cup - NINE (9) - I didn't even know that there were numbers on the darn cup! So, Connor found and correctly identified the number all on his own. Then yesterday we went to Walmart Neighborhood Market (a Walmart grocery store only) for those of you that don't know. It is wonderful, nearby, and well, filled with numbers. You know how Walmart has the "Rollback" prices - so ALL the numbers in the store are GIANT SIZED! Connor pointed out all of them! So cute and smart!

Bathtime . . .


Me and My Connor