Garage Project: Part 5 - The Garage

IT'S DONE!!!!

The privacy fence down the side of the driveway goes in this week - and then we are DONE!

Garage Project: Part 4 - The Concrete

The last cement mixer left today (much to Harrison's great sadness) and we are left with a beautiful new patio, driveway, retaining wall, and sidewalks. Oh Happy Day! Here are the before and after shots...

The front walkway...

the driveway...

side walkway...

back patio and approach to garage...

Harrison stood on the front porch yelling "bye bye mixer!" over and over when the last truck finally pulled away. After his nap we went outsde and the first thing he said was "Paul and Eric, see 'em" - the two guys that have been here everyday for a week. So cute.

Jordan & I stood out there this evening - and we just can't believe the difference.

Happy? Yes.

Excited? Yes.

Relieved? Yes.

Next up: Garage and privacy fence

Exploring

It is 4am - and I cannot sleep - again. So here I sit - obsessing over the crazy mess that is just outside my door. The driveway is torn to shreds, dirt and mud are making their way into my house at an alarming rate, weeds are multiplying by the second, the grape hyacinth that infects my yard is back with a vengeance, and my mind is racing. So I blog for documentation sake instead of sleeping.

During all of the construction - and because the weather is finally tolerable - we have spent the majority of our days outside. Harrison has found a favorite place in my 'very much a work in progress' yard. Under the giant pine tree with all the stray rocks I pile there. He makes rock 'towers', digs with his shovel, fills and dumps his bucket....

and of course NEVER cracks a smile for the camera...

and because we spend so much of our time there, I have lots and lots of time to think about what to do with this lovely piece of land. Gone is the dead apple tree, stray tree stumps, giant bushes, and about a million rocks. Suggestions? I think we will lay sod on most of it and keep a small bit for a vegetable garden - what do you think? Of course we might just have to leave the rock tower area in tact - and heaven help me with all those weeds.

Gymnastics 101

Today was Harrison's very first day in Mommy-and-me tumbling class. He did manage to do some jumping and running, tunnel crawling, mat climbing, and even a few somersaults - but most of the 40 minute class was spent like this....

Until he found an orange rubber star that he would not put down (he does have a thing for finding something and carrying it around FOREVER)...

a tumbling pro - clutching his star.


At the end of the class all the kids sat in a circle while the two instructors went around and gave each child a stamp on both hands - one of a flower and one of a gymnast. After Harrison got his first stamp - he looked up and shouted "MORE FLOWERS PWEEESE!" And I smiled a great big 'my heart just melted' smile.

Garage Project: Part 3 - The Big Dig

During the last 24 hours....

Skid Steer has become Harrison's NEW favorite word (excavator has been temporarily replaced)...

Three giant dump trucks have rumbled up to the house - and have been filled with this:

The house has been shaking due to massive 1930's concrete slabs being removed like this:

The back patio and driveway went from before to after:



and Harrison made the rounds and supervised the entire thing.

21 Months

At 21 months - my little guy is almost two. I write this not to bore you - but so that I don't forget.

When he sits on the couch, on a bar stool, in a regular chair, drinks out of a normal cup - he is a BEE BOY (big boy). I love that he wants to be grown up.

Every time I ask him "How ya doin'? He replies immediately: "Doin' good." I laugh every time.

He has started to sing. Bits and pieces of songs - but enough to figure out what the song actually is. Sometimes he combines them - for example (to no particular tune): "Happy Birfday little star X Y Z sing wif me."

He wants to count EVERYTHING. Snacks, fingers, shoes, rocks, etc. And almost ALWAYS it goes like this: "One, Two, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Nine, Ten, Eleven, Twelve, Fourteen, Seventeen." Apparently he has no need for three, eight, and most of the teens. It cracks me up.

He is obsessed with the Alphabet - and just this week started to try to sing it. He skips a few letters, puts some where they shouldn't be, but he is on the right track.

He says "AGAIN" about a gajillion times whenever I sing something he likes. At first it is endearing, but after yelling it over and over - it becomes (dare I say) a little less endearing.

When I put him down for naps or to bed at night - he rarely cries - but just says "OKAY!" when I tell him we will play some more when he wakes up.

He loves to climb -anything and everything. When he reaches the top of whatever it is, he declares "I TALL!"

He can't wait for his dad to get home - he runs up to him and yells "WANNA WRESTLE!" Then chaos ensues.

Small sentences are beginning to take form: "Another book, read it." "More milk please!" and perhaps the most popular "Golden Triangle of Destiny!" (a sesame street spoof on Indiana Jones that he loves).

His favorite toy is the "Phone-mote" (his word not mine) - which is the DVD remote that in his world moonlights as a phone.

And he knows that saying PLEASE gets him just about anything. How can you say no to "PWEEEEESE?"

Love my little guy.

Garage Project: Part 2 - Concrete Garage Slab

At 8:30am this morning two trucks pulled up to my house - and unloaded this:

Harrison was in heaven (his favorite word just happens to be excavator) and we spent most of our day like this:




Digging, leveling, footings and forms.....

when the mixers arrived my heart stopped briefly. This is the view from a window inside the house....


pouring...




and then a little boys dream came true (the truck was actually running)...