Garden, Chickens, Beer, and Babies

Guess who got to eat the season's first strawberry? I think this is quite possibly the goofiest picture we have of Jack. Note the owie on his nose from running full speed into the chicken coop. Ouch.

Here's Brent with a few of his favorite things...

Building a chicken coop is hard work...

And Sawyer, the ever fussy baby. It's a good thing he is so cute.

Weighing In

Here's Sawyer with his little friend Paul, who is one day older (their due date was one day before ours and both boys came two weeks early- I find that funny).  As this picture emphasizes Sawyer is.. shall we say... Heavyset? Big-cheeked? Large and in charge? I could go on... the kid is fat.

We call our kids by a lot of different names and rarely by their actual given ones. Jack has been Tootie since birth and Sawyer has several nicknames as well. But I think we might need to rethink this habit as I overheard Jack yesterday saying to Sawyer, "Stop fussing, Fatso!" 

PS:

Dear Jack,

Please stop ramming me in the ankles with your bike. It hurts. But I am glad you figured out how to pedal. Now go play outside.

Dear Sawyer,

Thank you for sleeping through the night (!!). You rock.

Love,

Mama

Happy Mother's Day

Dear Jack and Sawyer,

You might not believe this, I have not always been your mother. Long, long ago I was someone else who went by the name of Cassadie. Even thought I thought I was happy back in those days, you two have taught me what happiness really is all about...

Jack, for you happiness is blueberry pancakes on Saturday morning, mowing the lawn with your various mowing toys, "helping" Daddy outside, reading the same books over and over again, narrating the day's events to whoever will listen, and watching out the window for the garbage truck on Monday mornings. Thank you for showing me the world through your eyes. You're right, the garbage truck is actually pretty cool.

Sawyer, you are a different sort of baby. We try not to compare you to your brother, but I am afraid it is inevitable. You are already your own person and you let us know that from day one. For you, happiness is simple: you just want to be held. A particular way. And bounced a certain way. And whatever you do, just don't sit down! You have the goofiest smile that really lights up the room. You are well on your way to finding  your own thumb to suck. I hope it brings you years of joy, as it did for me. Thank you for teaching me that it's okay to ditch the drudgery of housework for awhile and just hold you. That's more fun than folding laundry anyway.

You boys are the best. I am lucky to have you.

Love, 

Mama

Cramming for Finals

Look at this great parenting right here, folks! We have Jack and Lily making butterflies on "craft day". MaryAnne and I organized all of this crafty fun-ness and the kids were entertained for all of about 2 minutes. Sigh.

But see what great moms we are? Now we have photos as proof. And just in time for Mother's Day, too. What a coincidence. 

Ruby and Hazel

Here are "the girls" as they are affectionately referred to around here. Brent has been building them a chicken chalet (it's sooo much more than just a coop) and so in the meantime they have been living in a box in our garage. We decided to take them out in the yard and give them their first taste of freedom, but all they did was fight over the same piece of cardboard. You can see Hazel's triumphant moment of victory in the second photo. Strange, strange creatures.

Gee Dub Phase

Remember Jack's Hitchcock Phase?

A slight resemblance here, no?