Playing in the dirt

We did a lot of “playing” in the dirt this week. Well, really Jeremy did most of the playing, and we watched.

Our water line broke, and Jeremy discovered the mushy grass on Sunday. So, by Thursday, he shut the water off completely and started digging. It took two days to complete the project, and several days of prep work. But, the total price tag was around $400 rather than $4,000 because Jeremy is so handy and was able to do the work himself. Our front yard is a muddy mess from all the rain, so we haven’t been able to get the hole completely filled in…and we can’t pull up the tarps or replace the sod. So, we may find the sod will freeze this week as it gets covered in snow!

Jeremy said, “I always wanted to drive one of these!” He was super excited about it. Picture Tim the Toolman Taylor, only the only casualty of this project was my landscaping.

Endless entertainment.

I took Abby and Benjamin out as much as possible, because we had no water at home. Benjamin was hungry, and I told him we were going to pick up some food. We were walking into a restaurant, and he said, “Abby is yucky.” He kept saying it until I finally asked, “Why is she yucky?”

He replied, “We can’t eat her.”

I have learned that Benjamin thinks a lot of things taste yucky these days. So, I am glad Abby is one on the yucky list.

Happy girl

I just love my happy Abby girl. She is such a delight. She has been super busy lately, learning to roll over, sit up, play with toys and even eat her first solid food! She holds her own bottle when I need to supplement, and she puts her pacifier into her mouth herself!

Abby loves to be outside, and she was especially excited to sit up in the grass and watch daddy clean up crab apples. They have littered the ground worse than any other year we have lived here!

Here is another shot, so you can see our new siding. I never did get a good photo of the finished house online.

We now set Abby in some very odd places to contain the little wiggle worm. This basket is a favorite when we are folding laundry. This Tuesday, we took Benjamin to his babysitter’s house, and I spent the whole day working on the mountains of laundry that had accumulated with all our recent travels.

She is still drooling away, but no teeth yet. I bet they will pop through any day. This is about the time her brother got his first two teeth.

Here is where this post is going to get very scattered and crazy. I just need to get these pictures on here, and I figured why not put them all in one post, rather than a bunch. So, here you go…

Abby and Mommy had fun watching Daddy and Benjamin play in the leaves.

This past weekend, we spent a day in Findlay with my parents.

And, we went to Cedarville for a 10-year class reunion for Jeremy.

Abby liked playing with the other babies she encountered.

This week Abby got a taste of her first baby cereal and also squash. Yum!

Going backward, here are some photos from two weekends ago. Aunt Keri took time away from setting up her new house as Mrs. McCoy, and came to see Benjamin and Abby.

Daisy also bonded with Abby.

Doesn’t Benjamin look like a teenager here…foreshadowing of things to come?

This seriously melted my heart. I caught him sound asleep with the book, “I can read with my eyes shut” resting on his chest!”

We had some nice cuddle time with Nana.

And Papa…

Here is Abby, hanging out and teething.

She is super into playing with toys right now.

She especially likes to play with Benjamin.

Love this little girl!

Outerbanks Part 2

One of the best parts of our trip was getting to play with my niece and nephew Logan and Brody. Benjamin, while getting into the occasional fight with his cousins, had a great time as well.

Abby, of course, gets along well with everyone!

It was so great to spend time with Mike and Christy as well.

We parted ways one day to take a hike up the sand dune. Brody isn’t a fan of sand. Turns out, neither is Benjamin when it involves a VERY long walk…uphill.

I ended up hauling him most of the way, while Jeremy carried Abby.

It was a nice photo opportunity, even if it was a lot of work.

That night, we went hunting for crabs. My mom suggested the idea, and we were glad she did. The kids LOVED getting out flashlights and combing the beach after dark.

Jeremy stayed home the next day so we could take the older kids to the beach. They LOVED it!

We liked this particular pier the best as far as beaches go.

But Duck remained our favorite hang out.

B

Our last day we drove up to Corolla to see the lighthouse.

 

It was a long drive back, and on the way through Virginia we managed to lose Benjamin’s Binky. It was meant to be. Every now and then he sighs and says, “I want my Binky.” But then he remembers, “it is in ‘ginia"”

There were no tears. There was very little fight. We exchanged the binky for a Thomas pillow. It is almost forgotten. And, just like that, we hit another milestone in Benjamin’s life. He is growing up so fast! Sometimes, I sit and hold him or Abby, and I just wish I could stop time for just a while. They are growing so fast, and I am sad that this time in our lives will be over before we know it. So, on those tough days…like tonight when Abby refused to sleep…I try to remember that each moment is precious. I never know when there will be another “last” moment.