Great Minds Think Alike

Apparently when the weather forecast all week calls for 70 degrees and sunny on Friday, the entire world plays hookie from work and goes to Longwood Gardens. Along with every single stay-at-home-mom within a 30 mile radius. Not because there's a lot of flowers to see outside or anything. It's more like, it's nice out, here's a safe and fun place to let your children run around, OMG getmeoutsideRIGHTNOW.

So we were in good company.

Feeding the fish. One for Dexter...

One for the ugly catfish. Who were out and feeding today. But MUCH slower than in the summer.

We fed some geese, too. Don't tell Dex. He thinks they're "duts"

oooh duts

It was entertaining watching the guys go "up down" to trim the trees

Look at the big man, climbing stairs without a railing

More ducks

Hurry up, Mama!

Pretty out here. We've actually never walked out in the field before today.

There were some pockets of cute little flowers - crocus and other things that I didn't read the names of.

I was really hoping for a photo of Dex playing in the flowers. This was the best I could do. After that shot I asked Dex if he wanted to go sniff the flowers. He answered with a definitive "nooooooo."

See? Cute flowers

Check out the big man, going down the stairs without a railing... Don't tell Daddy.

Yeeeaaahhh - probably shouldn't tell Daddy about this, either.

He was right proud of himself walking on this wall

Oh! Did you notice the cute hair cut that makes his swirly hair in the back stand straight up on end every second of every day? Pretty decent hair cut, really. Went to a new place after the allergist yesterday. It was our most successful hair cut ever - made so by the eating of an entire bag of M&M's. Followed by utter meltdown when M&M's ran out before hair cut was complete.

Testing out the bench. Soon followed by emphatic pointing at the bench for "Mama, it neh oooh eeee." Mama, sit next to me. Wicked cute.

Another Playboy pose for Aunt Jeanne

If you look really close you'll see the ripped up lip and blood blister on his lower lip - his police car bit him this morning.

Chjeeeeeee!

ONE!

TWO!

THREE!

JUMP!

(Yeah, I KNOW he's not really jumping. But do you think I'm going to tell him that when he gallops around giggling in glee after he "jumps" off the wall? Ummm. No.)

The view from our deck? Still doesn't suck. John teaching Dex how to throw a stick. For Buddy. Or something.

Finally, today's edition of Mr. Potato Head. Moved briefly outside for better lighting. My watched beeped for bed before Dex had a chance to put his teeth on the top of his head. Or, as he says "up dere!" Dex, where are you gonna put those eyes? "Ight dere!" Right there, kiddo. Perfect.

Clara

Our friend Clara is a gifted musician. She writes her own music, teaches kids to play guitar and drums and piano, and has a fantastically awesome children's CD, which we own. And which I finally dug out of a box in the office a few months ago, and put in to Dexter's CD player.

I used to just play the radio when Dex played in his room. The local country music station from Havre de Grace. Which John hates, and he wonders why we can't find another radio station to listen to.

But then I put in Clara. And I didn't think Dex was really paying very much attention to the CD. It's not like he was singing along or anything. But after a few days of Clara I turned on just the radio. And Dex vehemently shook his head NO. NO radio. Clara? I asked him. YES. OK, then. Clara it is.

Now green light (play time in his room) and Clara go hand in hand. He calls it "go ight, air-ah."

And he still doesn't sing along, or dance or anything. But I know he's listening. I know when Clara is playing the "Slow, Fast, Stop" song because Dex will randomly shout out "GO ight!" and "dae-dow ight!" I know when Clara is singing "Apples and Bananas" because Dex will start saying "MMMMMMMMMM." I know when she is singing "There was a teacher had a dog, and Samson was his name-ooo" because Dex will randomly start saying "N" and "O." I know when "Ring Around a Rosie" is on as Dex will shout out "DOWN!" and "UP!" And I know when I am dancing to the "Clippity Cloppity" song because Dexter and John both look at me like I have completely and totally lost my freaking mind.

So, yeah. Clara. We dig her. You can hear a few of her songs here.

And speaking of Clara, she's married to one of my very favorite people of all time - Cristin, my college room mate. Cristin is filled with awesome in her own right, and was recently nominated for an award in Marin County, CA. You can see the write-up here.

Miss these two. Wish they didn't live so far away. I so want Dex to meet "air-ah" in person. It may just blow his little mind.

Clara (left) and Cristin (right)

Dex listening to Clara. With his new fave pillow.

Gratuitous cute shot

Nap Time Notes

Let's see what I can fit in here before Dex wakes up from his nap... I have no idea what time he went to sleep, but I know his clock will turn yellow in exactly three minutes and if he's awake then, it shall be time to get up. Man, I love his clock. This morning, after we got up far too early to load up the truck for John, Dex slept til about 6:30, but stayed quiet until I went to get him. Why? His clock malfunctioned and didn't turn yellow at 6:30. So there he lay, quiet as a mouse. Thanks, clock. I got a little Ann Curry tsunami in Japan update because of you...

I do know that if Dex doesn't wake up soon, I shall eat all of the delicious guacamole I made for him. That took exactly 30 seconds to make. 1 avocado, a plop of salsa verde (I use Herdez salsa verde that I get for cheap at Wal-Mart. But I live in the Land of Rice and Beans, so it may not be available at your fine grocery shopping establishment. Trader Joe's has some good stuff, too. But not for cheap.), and a squirt of lemon juice from the plastic lemon. Stir. Eat. Try to save some for small child. Also, apparently if you leave the avocado pit in the bowl while you store your guac, it will not turn brown. I don't see ours lasting long enough outside my belly for that to be an issue.

Clock. Yellow. Child. Letting me know of said yellow-ness. Post. To be continued.

My delicious guacamole was a huge hit with the little man, who called it "meh-can go." Or, Mexican green. To differentiate it from the regular green he eats with his hot dogs. AKA, dill relish. He ate it with a spoon. Which is exactly what he did last week when we went to the Mexican restaurant for lunch and I got him a side of guac, because he likes it a lot better than the salsa they serve. He also ate every single piece of broccoli I had on my plate that day for lunch. And also some ice cream and some cheese cake. Chjeee. Everything with chjeee is automatically awesome.

Speaking of awesome, we have a new mail box. Made entirely of awesomeness. And installed by a husband filled with awesomeness. And assisted by the neighbor's post hole digger. And some Quick-crete, because only like 10 inches of the post was going to end up in the ground, and it didn't seem like that was quite going to hold a mail box post forever and ever and ever. Anyway, awesome. And, look! People can figure out where we live now. Which is, according to Dex, "oooh oh oh Oweee." So if he ever gets lost, no problem. The cops can ask him where he lives, he can tell them. They'll find us. Piece of cake.

Old crappy mail box, cute child in backpack shadow

See? Awesomeness.

Buddy shall soon be SOL with his across the street wandering. As well as his fun game of "run the fence line and chase the rotten instigating Thoroughbred mare in the pasture." I think the little mare is going to be sad. Anyway, John installed some invisible fence this weekend, and hooked it up tonight. The collar beeps, and as John found out, also shocks. Hehe. Funny. You had to be there. So, the flags are up and the training shall begin tomorrow. I think it might not take too long. Buddy is a little bit wary of the flags already from when we had them up last fall. I think the driveway is going to be his nemesis, though.

Little does Buddy know what this innocent-looking trench has in store for him...

But he seems to respect the flags already

It's supposed to be 70 on Friday. 70! We're planning a trip to Longwood. Not because I think there will be any flowers outside. Because mine are not anywhere near ready to bloom. But because it's going to be 70. Where else would you go when it's going to be 70 degrees?

Had to wear far too many clothes to Longwood last time we went...

Look! Almost spring!

I have lots of pictures I never really use. Sometimes barely look at, if I'm just looking for a shot that can go in my 365 album. There's lots of cute shots. I'll pull out a few for ya here:

Fascinating light

Got milk? And cookie dough?

Faster than a speeding snow flake

Apparently I was taking too many pictures because Dex did this and said "Mama light"

And then John peed his pants

I lock them out there when they're bad...

Dex helping me make grilled cheese. Which essentially means he eats everything within reach on the counter. Oh, yeah. And we were just finger painting.

Hella cute

Still

Watching Hokie basketball. Or, as Dex calls it, "ba-hoop."

Measuring

Buddy Mountain. I think both boys will be sad when the mountain disappears this spring.

Who knows. Tiger blood?

Driving the "eh-DAH ca." Or, the red truck.

Running

Daddy come home early from work today, just to swing on the dae-dow swing

And the Nominees Are..

I have far too many cute pictures of Dexter from yesterday to choose JUST ONE for my 365 project. I mean, really. How can you choose between these?

Dex came down to breakfast yesterday morning wearing the striped polo in the background. John was wearing this green one. Then he insisted on switching. OMG cute. Also, no matter how big I think the little man is, he looks tiny when Daddy's shirts go down to the ground.

And then I have to choose from this round of after-nap cuteness while playing with Thomas the Train. Who has TWO "1's" on him. Did you know that?

More cute

Workin it for the camera. Love that I captured his little pout...

As well as his winning smile

A little giggle

And we finish up with a couple serious shots

Which to choose, which to choose... I think, as far as quality of photo, framing, etc the last two are the winners. Even if they don't capture the winning smile.

Hmmm. In other news, one of these days I am going to ditch half the crap in my cupboards and freezer and go full-fledged Primal in this house. Which essentially means no grains and no sugar. No processed crap. Shop the edges of the grocery store. We're not there yet, but I've been trying some Primal-friendly recipes and they are most excellent. Creamy Dijon Pork Chops with cream and dijon mustard. Cauliflower rice sauted in butter. Broiled chicken breast and roasted broccoli. And. AND! How have I never known before how absolutely delish roasted veggies are? And how easy? I'm on a roasted veggie kick here and I don't see it ending any time soon. In the summer it will switch over to a grilled veggie kick, and the grilling basket shall be in frequent rotation.

Speaking of grilling, we're having grilled pork chops with bbq sauce tonight, and I am hoping the wind isn't going to blow out my grill seven thousand times. Winds at 25 to 30 mph. We need a wind block. Can I bring a wind block with me while we go for a walk? Between the 35 pound kid on my back and the dog who doesn't want to heel, walks are already difficult. Adding in the 30 mph headwind is going to SUUUUUCK.