Redecorating

Not sure how many of you have used (or thought about using) baby-proofing as an excuse to buy new furniture. I have - several times! Most recently I decided that I was tired of our coffee table. It is a great coffee table and I "inherited" it 10 years ago when I started law school (wow - I am getting old!). The table was just too big for the new rug that I bought (Connor needed somewhere soft to play and we have all hardwoods in the living areas upstairs - see the trend). In addition, Connor was putting his hands on the table and his feet on the couch (pike position) -um . . . DANGER?!? I don't have any photos because I was afraid he was going to fall and break his face! Last weekend, I spent nearly all weekend trying to make sure he didn't fall into the metal/glass coffee table at the beach - he didn't - and then Sunday night when we got home - we were about 2 minutes from bathtime and he fell and bit his lip - blood gushing everywhere (because lips really bleed) and that was the end of the coffee table upstairs. Connor was fine - only got upset for about 10 seconds. 15 minutes later I finally got it to stop bleeding - mainly because he didn't want me to put a papertowel in his mouth to clot it. Anyway, Colin finally got back from Baltimore later than night and I insisted that we move the table. It is currently the coffee table downstairs - and will probably stay there for awhile - MEANWHILE - back upstairs we needed a new coffee table - more kid friendly and smaller. Lucky for all of us- I had already purchased a new one! Most of our furniture is traditional - so I have been trying to add in some modern pieces for a more eclectic feel. (Colin thinks I am crazy) - but I got a Lucite table. It is small, kid friendly (curved edges - no corners) and inexpensive. I got it from Overstock so I didn't have to worry about paying a hefty shipping charge (~only $2.95)! Oh and since it is clear it makes the room seem SO MUCH BIGGER. I just need to find a good Lucite cleaner. I love it - I think it will take Colin a few weeks to Love it - but he will - eventually. Here is a picture of Connor exploring the table Tuesday morning - He is so funny!

Sand = Summer

Ok, so I know it is technically just now Spring, but for me - I can already smell Summer. Last weekend, Connor and I skipped town with my parents (while Colin made a quick visit to Baltimore) and headed to the beach. I LOVE the beach. I especially LOVE "our" beach. Sure, in Baltimore we were closer to the ocean - and I have certainly enjoyed Ocean City - it is just so crowded at any time other than winter. "Our" Beach is quite the opposite - quiet - no hotels. I can't wait to go back in a month!

I touched the sand - so it is officially SUMMER! 80 degrees tomorrow!

Anyway, the last time we were at the beach was my birthday and Connor had just turned 1 and taken his first steps. This time it was a little chilly - well, windy. So we only got an hour on the beach but it was SO worth it! Connor LOVES the beach! I am so thrilled! He was fearless on the sand. He saw a bird and chased after it. I am pretty sure he would have chased the bird all the way down the beach if it hadn't flown away.

Exploring the Beach . . . (check out his cute beach shoes! from his Mom Mom) - Connor and I took the same number of shoes to the beach (3 pairs each)





Saturday -

Question: Is it too windy to hang out on the beach? - check out Connor's hair blowing in the wind
Answer: YES - too windy


Connor's new Sunglasses


Connor with his JoJo and Big Daddy

Connor has finally managed to say "JoJo" - so of course my mom is ecstatic! He usually says it with such angst - well, it sounds like there is such angst - but it is just the way he has to form his mouth to make the sounds - anyway, at the beach we were trying to teach Connor to say "Big Daddy" - he can say "Dada" and "Big" but doesn't want to put those words together for some reason. Every time we tried to work on it - he would just dwell on the fact that his Dada wasn't there - Dada was "at work" for 3 days - Connor was so happy on Monday morning to see his Dad.

Connor's newest accomplishment . . . Ya'll he knows his numbers 1-9 and all his ABC's!!! He can tell you ANY letter you point out. He has always loved letters but recently he has been on a roll. My mom got him a number puzzle and ABC puzzle and he has mastered them within a few days. He is just learning SO much SO fast! Just trying to keep challenging him.



Showing off his new beach hat -

More posts and pictures coming this week. . .

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 . . .