Sandboxing

We have a new sandbox! Well, new to us anyway. (thank you craigslist!) It is in our also new play area off the deck. The giant shade making laurel has been removed, and the whole area is now nicely fenced, with a retaining wall in progress. Once we have the ferris wheel and the water slide I will post more photos. Joke. A wading pool is planned though, and eventually maybe some kind of climby swingy thing, but not until next year. I have high hopes that some day I may be able to sit in my lounge chair on the deck, perhaps with an iced beverage and a novel, while Benjamin happily plays by himself in his little play area. Please do not dispell my dreams with your harsh realities, mothers of bigger kids. Let me live with my delusions a little longer. Anyway, Benjamin looooves the sandbox. It is not uncommon for him to wake up in the morning, grab his coat, and stand by the deck door in his pajamas, demanding to go out to the sand box. Funny little guy.

Ladies Love Cool Jam

Chicks dig Benjamin, what can I say? I love this photo because not only is he holding his cell phone while she kissed him, like "yeah, I'm cool, all the girls are calling me", but also she has no pants on. Its like a high school parents nightmare. Very Abercrombie & Fitch-esque.

Hill & Eco come to town

I was lucky enough to have Hillary in town for my birthday this year, for the second year in a row! It was very exciting. It was difficult to top last year's surprise extravaganza, but she made a valiant effort, by bringing a baby with her this time. Maija and Eamon came over one night, and we put all 3 boys in their matching Grandma Anne sweaters. It was very hilarious. Thanks Grandma! It is also astounding to me that we have produced all these boys. I still feel like we are way to young and under qualified for this, and maybe instead of putting babies in their pj's we should maybe be getting dressed up for a high school football game, and arguing about who is going to wear what. The events of my actual birthday are escaping me, but other highlights of the trip included a party at Richard's, and a venture to TJ Maxx where I purchased a rockin' flat iron under Hillary's supervision. Also, how mischevious does Jam look in the photo of him and Emmett in their green pajamas? I will tell you, he looks like the definition of mischevious.

Littlest Yard Worker

Don't call the child labor law people, but we have been putting Benjamin to work doing all kinds of manual labor in the back yard. He is hammering things, shoveling, building retaining walls, weeding and doing all kinds of other important work. You can barely restrain him from going outside when work is going on. He is inherantly driven to go outside by what I can only presume are genes that he inherited from his father. These photos show one stage of the yard improvement work that has been underway at 146. I have high hopes of one day posting before and after photos, in which the yard will be literally unrecognizable. It is undergoing an unbelievable transformation. Please feel free to come and see for yourself, Saturday and Sunday from 8 - 5 on any weekend. Bring work gloves.

Boy after my own heart

Benjamin found the mini Boden catalog one night, and had to read it cover to cover and point out all the interesting things. He actually wanted to use the red sharpie (perhaps to circle his favorite things?), but I wouldn't let him. Anyway, Mama was so proud. And a little embarassed. How much do I actually read the Boden catalog that he has learned this? I like to think that it is infrequently, and he is just a very quick study. Among the other tricks we documented that night were demanding the camera, raiding the pantry, and giving the dog treats. And he is wearing his very adorable corduroy bear overalls, which are too small for him now. Sigh.

Bake me a cake as fast as you can!

Benjamin and I did some baking, for who knows what occasion, as this was at least 6 weeks ago. He was a very enthusiastic (bossy) helper. I think he has watched and learned from expert cookie maker Madelyn and the other Fernies. A good and choclatey time was had by all.

Hair Cute

Well, I have been sadly remiss in my contributions to the bloggisphere. But I am vowing to return to blogging with viggor! Dedication! And snacks! Photos of Jam's first hair cut below. I can't even remember when this was, sometime in March. We went to Kid's Club at the Willage, and they were fantastic. He started wailing the instant his little tush touched the yellow cab, and kept it up steadfastly until he was removed, at which point he started looking around and pointing at things and chatting with people, not a care in the world. Little turkey. The haircutter lady was not even phased by his tantrum though, just kept cutting away. He scored majorly with tv watching, a balloon and post hair cut pizza. Sadly his surfer boy goldie locks, and his startled Einstein wings are no longer. On the plus side, neither is the Joe Biden/mullet. And he is still darn cute with the big boy hair cut.