The Grass Most Definitely IS Greener

I used to avoid looking outside our dining room window because...well...because, frankly, it gave me a headache.  All I saw was chaos, and though I liked the natural light the window offered, I sort of hated that it also reminded me of the seemingly endless work to be done.  Ugh!  One. Thing. At. A. Time.  We started in the back left "quadrant" (note: I call everything a "quadrant", which drives Brett nuts.  He questions if I know the meaning of the word.  I do.  But I still use the word very liberally, and kinda sorta just to get Brett's goat), and began trying to tame the beast.  We started small, and have slowly expanded outward.  Slowly, but surely, as if by magical powers, our yard has begun to take shape! Presto!  Cue the green lawn! And the wild blonde dog enjoying said lawn.  Poof!

Having a spot in our yard to go and SIT has been so wonderful.  Who knew the simple act of sitting in our lawn would bring me such joy?!  And add in my now-walking-daughter to the equation: pure delight. 

Along with the growth of our lawn, our vegetables have also joined the party.  We are going to have veggies coming out of our ears (or, out the "wing wong", as my sweet sister, Hanna, says.  I recently informed my 23-year old sister that it's actually "yin-yang").  It has been incredibly fun seeing all the color bursting forth in our yard, other than brown.  There's a promise of life.  Sigh.  I'm starting to get exceptionally excited about the abundance of tomatoes soon to come.  Bring it.

Being that Scout's name is Scout, it makes perfect sense in my brain that she would love being outside.  Whether or not her name has anything to do with it, there's truth in her utter enjoyment of the outdoors.  If she starts to show signs of stir-craziness, we just take her outside, and suddenly all seems okay in her world.  Having our little grassy spot to play in has been heavenly because now we can actually set her down and let her explore. 

Brett was on "Daddy Daycare" the other morning while I was working, and this is what the two of them were up to.  It melted my heart seeing Brett pulling Scouty around in her little red wagon (her "schooner" as B has recently been calling it), and erecting the crazy red play set (note B's red trunks.  I didn't get the memo) with the slide that doubles as a climbing gym.  Scout loves her daddy, and it is very apparent how much Brett loves his girl.  He loved her as a baby, of course, but now that she's actually "doing things" he's even more excited.  They're little buddies, which I absolutely love.  Scout's existence makes B's voice travel to octaves I never knew were in his range, as he repeatedly says, "Scouty DOODY" followed by an "ooooh-Hooo-HOOOO-HOOOOOOOOOOOO!) in an attempt to make her laugh, at which he always succeeds.

 I can't get enough of this sweet girl.  Obviously.  I delight in her.  Simply put. 

**Note: Brett just read my post and still questions my understanding of the word "quadrant."

ONE!

Brett and I no longer have a 3 month old, or a 7 month old, or an 11 month old, for that matter.  We have a ONE year old!  A freaking ONE YEAR OLD.  How absurd!!  I didn't think I'd be one of those moms...you know, the ones who weep at each passing phase, in a completely melodramatic fashion.  Pssshhhh.  No way.  But, alas...I most definitely am one of those moms.  I'm totally owning it.  Okay, so I haven't wept, but let's just say my tear ducts work well.  Too well.

Brett Jr.

Scout Von Trapp

One year ago Scout and Hadley came into our world, on the exact.same.day.  I still find myself shaking my head in amazement at this wild and crazy fact.  What are the chances?!  This being the case, it seems only fitting to celebrate both girls, together.  So long as Kacey and I have a say, this will be the first of many joint parties! We celebrated on Saturday, the day before their actual birthday, at a park here in town.  It was special celebrating our girls together.  

I am reminded time and time again how wonderful it is living near family.  I especially love that Scout and Hadley are getting a sister-like experience straight away.  What a special relationship they are destined to have.

Alan, Kacey & Hadley

Grammy T & Scouty

Busha and her girls

Nana & Papa and their girls

As with any good first birthday party, the cake was definitely the highlight.  Hadley and Scout went about their cake consumption in entirely different ways, which is very appropriate for these two.   As the pictures show, Hadley was still in her sweet little outfit that her mama made her (her lederhosen awesomeness), whereas I stripped Scout down to her diaper, not wanting to soil the cute little dress that her Nana & Mama made.  As it turns out Mama knows best in both of these scenarios.  Hadley was very ginger with her cake approach.  She gently and slowly scooped icing into her mouth, leaving her cake completely intact.  To my knowledge she didn't get any cake on her cute outfit, or her highchair tray, for that matter. 

Scout, on the other hand, made quick work of that cake.  Once she tasted the forbidden fruit, it was game time.  She was up to her elbows in frosting lickity-split, and the whole side of her face managed to make full contact with the cake.  Her cake was pretty well smashed and smeared.

Once Scout was cut off from the cake, I worried that I had sugar-poisoned my daughter, as she had a temporary case of the crazies.  She was instantly slap-happy.  The good news is there was no stomach-pumping required, just a good rinse-down, which her daddy happily took care of. 

All in all, the first birthday party was a success!!


On Sunday, Scout and Hadley's actual birthday, Brett and I kicked off the celebration in the totally normal way: we watched Scout's birth video!!  Umm...yeah...it was not Brett's idea.  In fact, he was incredibly reluctant to participate in the viewing, but he succumbed.  I know, I know, we totally know how to have an epic time.  Let the record reflect that both Brett and I had a good cry.  What a way to start the day! In all honesty, it was so touching reliving the sweetness of the moment that Scout came into our world.

As our final celebratory event, we had dinner at Alan & Kacey's, with Nana & Papa.  We sang to the girls again, with a candle in a leftover cream puff.  Hadley thoroughly hammed it up, while Scout was a little bashful about the whole thing.   These two girls crack us up on a constant basis.  To say they bring us joy is an extreme understatement.

Finally, perhaps to no surprise after such ardent celebrating, our evening concluded with Scouty Doody and a case of Too Much Birthday.

Mother's Day

Laurie captured this sweet picture, and sent it to me as a gift.  I love it so.

My first Mother's Day!  It was certainly a foreign experience being the celebrated, as opposed to exclusively the celebrator.  I found myself delighting in the mere fact that I AM a mom.  I love this new role, as it is the most fitting and natural role I've ever known. 

How grateful I am for all the wonderful moms that I am blessed to claim as mine.  I have such beautiful examples of motherhood, at which I truly marvel.

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We had Chip & Laura, Busha, Kacey, Al & Hadley over for dinner.  We set the girls up on a blanket, and plopped a bowl of watermelon slices in front of them.  They LOVED it.

My favorite moment was when Scout decided that sitting up was requiring too much energy, and figured that she may as well get comfortable...while still eating her melon slices, mind you! (Please note that she is wearing only her diaper...and shoes.  It's such a rock solid look.)

 Brett couldn't be any prouder of his watermelon-loving girl.

 Papa sure loves his girls.  The feeling is mutual.

Busha was kind enough to share some of her apple pie, though Old Eagle Eye Dad was really raining on the parade by reprimanding Busha for the bites that included ice cream.

Scouty was loving her Nana time, as she always does.

The Taming of the Beast

Though all but gutting a home and remodeling it shouts "home ownership" pretty loud and clear, for some reason putting in an irrigation system shouts even louder in my books.  We have been in the throes of home ownership for the past week--trench digging, shoveling, and rototilling galore!  Brett and I felt like regular old ranch hands, working as soon as Scout went to sleep until dark.  This weekend the ever-faithful Chippy came over to lend a hand.  The two dudes busted out the irrigation system, and...dun, dun, dun...it WORKS!!!  Confession: I held my breath when Brett turned on the water.  When I saw the water spewing forth, I somehow refrained from doing a happy dance and running repeats through the sprinklers like a 4 year old.  I did an internal happy dance instead.  It was much more appropriate.

Do  you know what this means?

We will grow a lawn.  A lawn.  A FREAKING LAWN!!!   Sayonara weed patch.  Brett and I have tilled the soil, and flattened it as much as possible, readying the upper terrace for grass seed.  I am getting so excited to have a place in our yard to set Scout down, and let her crawl around.  Oh, it will be glorious. 

Our veggie beds will be on a DRIP SYSTEM.  No more hours upon hours of hand watering.  Halle-freaking-lujah!!!!!  Seriously, nerd alert up in here.  Our yard will soon sustain LIFE!!!  This is the barest our yard will ever be from this point forward.  Can I get an "Amen"?!

Here's evidence of life: strawberries!

Nana was a huge help, as always, by watching Scouty while I worked in the yard.  Thank you, LoLo for always being willing to spend time with the Scouty-Doody.

 

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When there wasn't a whole lot for me to do in the back, while Brett was doing his "figuring", I kept myself busy by carving out a path in the front.  Since we have the narrowest driveway ever created, it seems only right to have a designated path upon which to walk that doesn't involve shimmying between cars, or trudging through the dirt/mud to find our front door.  I was really one with the shovel, rake, rototiller and weed wacker.  It makes me feel pretty B.A. getting all western with my yard machinery.  I showed the front yard who's boss.  My path will kick your path's you know what.  Just sayin'.  Sometime in the not too distant future the path will be complete, and we will be awarded Garden of the Year.  I can just feel it.

The Cracked Ceiling

The whole ceiling-cracking-bit was an unexpected, not to mention unwelcome, surprise.  But it wasn't as catastrophic as it could have been.  We had a 4'x4' piece of OSB duct taped to our ceiling for a few days, and a messy kitchen during the repairs, but that's really small beans compared to everything else this little house has undergone.  I'm pleased to say we have a freshly sheet rocked, and textured ceiling, good as new!  It has yet to be painted...but that's neither here nor there.  Maybe that'll get done...maybe, sayith the Master Painter Extraordinaire.

Scout was pretty excited about all the action.  Believe it or not, having a crawling baby makes one ever more aware of filth on the floor.  Especially in the fine powdery sheetrock/drywall form.  Thank goodness that was a quick project.  Otherwise, I probably would have gone a little nuts.

The Fastest 11 Months...EVER

 

It is due time for a little Scout shout out.  She is our joy.  Cliche?  Yes, but ever true.  Watching her grow is so incredibly wild because of how rapidly everything about her changes.  There are things I hope will last forever, like how whenever she hears music of any sort, she throws her arms in the air and sways from side to side, most often with a huge smile on her face.  My favorite is when she looks up to the sky while swaying, as though she REALLY feels the Spirit. 

I also love her call-and-response style of low grunts, and the way she scrunches her nose and repeatedly exhales loudly.  She and Hads spur this on in one another.  They may not be using words, but they are having a conversation. 

 

I love watching Scout crawl around the house with determination, and how she stops to make sure someone is watching, begging the onlooker to chase her.  She squeals, turns around and crawls a few paces, turns back around to make sure she's being chased, then commences.   This game goes on indefinitely.

 

I love how clear her signal is when she is tired.  She begins pulling her hair.  If she happens to get tired while eating dinner, her food inevitably gets rubbed very thoroughly in her hair.  This particular concoction was sweet potatoes and avocado.  We promptly gave her a bath and put her to bed after this pic was snapped.

There are certain things I hope will last forever, but know they won't, while there are also things I hope won't last forever, but am certain they'll never end (i.e. the clingy whiny phase).  I want to do a better job of savoring all the phases--the lovely and the not so lovely.  It is all part of who Scout is becoming. And she's becoming a little girl right before my very eyes.  She hardly seems like a baby any more, which boggles my brain.  I know the evolution is gradual, but I don't recognize the change until it's passed.  For example, where in the world did that wild and crazy sticky-uppy dark hair go?  I now have a toe-headed little girl with pigtails, whose hair may get in her eyes, but certainly doesn't stand up on end.  I kinda sorta (like, really) miss the wildness of her baby hair.  But alas, my baby is becoming less of a baby...right under my nose.  Savor.  I must savor.

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Over the past couple months Scouty has gotten to spend good time with all of her grandparents.  She gets to see her Nana and Papa twice a week, if not more, which is a blessing I can't wholly express.  They are always willing to watch Scout, which affords us the opportunity to get a lot of work done on our house, work our jobs, and...even go on dates!  Win!!!  We love having their involvement in our lives, and specifically, in Scout's little life.  She loves her Nana and Papa.

 

My mom, Grammy, came over Easter, and a couple weeks later, my dad and Laurie, Grampy Hoppy Toad and Grandma, and Aunt Hanna came for a visit.  It is fun to see the special relationships that Scout is forming with each of them.  Scout is very loved.  While we don't get to see them all that often, we truly do cherish each visit.

   

The other day as Scout was crawling around the house, my mother-in-law, Laura, said, "Maybe you should've named her Stay Put."  Ha!  Scout is a very fitting name for her, though I did wonder pre-crawling if she would grow into her name.  She used to be perfectly content sitting still, exhibiting no real desire to venture out.  Gone are those days, people!  She likes to see what there is to see.  She likes to explore our house, and if we let her, she'd crawl all around our disaster of a backyard.  Being that our yard is surely chalk full of roofing nails I don't feel too great about letting her go.  But scout it out is exactly what she'd do.  I particularly love the below picture because it perfectly captures her.  She looks entirely disheveled and unkempt, rockin' her Carhartts, and a single pigtail.  It says, "I play, and I play hard.  And I like it."

 

She is very aware of her surroundings, and likes to really check people out.  She doesn't like anything or anyone obstructing her view, be it a hat, a sun shade, or a human.  She wants to survey the scene. 

One of Scout's favorite pastimes is eating.  She is her daddy's daughter...and mine, for that matter.  Truly, though, she doesn't discriminate against any food.  If it's edible, she wants it.  It makes my job easy.

Our little girl (who sometimes looks like a freaking 6 year old) is our radiant joy.  We are just shy of a year.  ONE YEAR!  Here's to savoring the big and small developments.