Stuff and Whatever

A confession (that is always a juicy way to start a post, eh?):

I gave up on my garden. So sad! It just kept getting browner and browner despite anything I did...and aside from a teenie-tiny mini zucchini and watermelon that started to grow and then quickly withered away, no fruit or vegetable ever developed...and I should have been able to harvest everything by now. Everything started out so green and flowery and then just tanked. Plus critters just kept eating all the blooms. So did it get too hot (The garden is west facing)? Not enough fertilizer? And of course, the critters are partially to blame.  I dunno. When we get back from our trip, I'm gonna rip everything out and try to transplant some peppers and chiles and forgo planting from seed in the middle of summer. I'm also going to contact the local community garden experts to see what they recommend. 

Also, there have not been additional sightings of that snake. Phew! I do have flashbacks every time I go into the garage, though, and have visions of snakes coming out of unexpected places to terrorize me--something a la Snakes on a Plane (yes we saw that movie and it was awesome. FYI Tim Riggins is in it and is just as Tim Riggins-y as ever although he has a somewhat naughty role).

Which makes me want to digress to Friday Night Lights. We have Season Four episodes accumulating on our DVR and cannot wait to watch them. Plus, every time I see a Super 8 commercial I just want to freeze it on Coach Taylor and hear him say, "Clear Eyes Full Hearts Can't Loose" and then see him have the perfect marriage with Mrs. Coach. If I could live in a TV show, I would live in Friday Night Lights and wear the coolest aviator sunglasses and look effortlessly beautiful and not care that life revolved around football. 

Back to my post--which, if you haven't gathered, is about nothing. So maybe I should continue talking about FNL? Eh, maybe next time.

Yesterday, when the baby was sleeping and Brandon was away at work, I snuck a few bites of ice cream.  In the middle of the day! With a fork!  Don't tell.  My waistline will, if that keeps up. But it was a Sunday and I was all alone, a little bored, and hungry.  That makes it OK, right?

I fed Russell green beans again and he ate them up. I guess he is broadening his horizons which is more than I can say because I still pick at my veggies. 

Here are two videos I wanted to share.  The first needs no explaining, although I did kind of feel like a mean mom for filming this.  Does that make me meaner for showing ya'll?

This next one demonstrates Russell's superior crawling skills.  He crawled over from the other side of the couches...the whole way with that little ball.  I've noticed him crawling with a toy cradled in his arms several times now and I find it pretty cute.

Oh, here's another confession that is Internet appropriate--that ball is a freebie from the VA hospital. It says, "It takes the courage and strength of a warrior to ask for help" and it shows the silhouette of a soldier with their head in their hands against the back drop of an American flag. Yes, our son's current favorite toy is suicide prevention schwag. But he loves it and Brandon interprets it to mean that Russell will one day become a skilled athlete.  I smile and nod...wait, who am I kidding...I always (and quickly) remind him that all babies love playing with balls, especially ones that are so shiny, smooth, and squishy (ie perfect for licking and trying to suck). That's me, the dream-dasher. At least I use a nice tone of voice...            

Shameless Baby Show-Off Time

Here are just a few pictures...my commentary is kept at a minimum for better or worse.  I'm mostly trying to just get a post in before church and trying to make pictures of our growing boy more available to grandparents. 

We have ventured into feeding baby solids.  For the first few weeks, we was only tolerating it and he downright hated green beans.  I don't know what I was thinking, giving Russell green beans as one of his first flavors.  I mean, seriously.  Of all the wonderful flavors in the whole wide world...and I gave him green beans.   I probably would have made that same face!  So far, zucchini seems to be his favorite.  

One of Russell's favorite things is standing.  He has loved to stand on our laps since he was about three months or so...but lately he seems to be the happiest and most proud of himself when he is standing alongside a piece of furniture or holding onto our legs.  He can't pull himself up yet, but there are some days when the only thing that will satisfy him is when I prop him up on something and then put a desired object (like the remote or my phone) just out of his reach.  He will spend the next long while just reaching reaching reaching for that object, anticipating the awesomeness of being able to put it in his mouth when he finally grabs it.  

(Aren't those letters adorable?!  Caitlin made them for me!) 

Of course, he is just as fat as ever.  Friends complain when I bring him somewhere and have pants on him because they can't see his fat thighs.  And really, they are remarkably fat. At his last pediatrician appointment, about a month ago, he weighed 17 lbs 7 oz.  According to their stats, he is in the 50th percentile for weight...but that doesn't make sense.  Russell seems to have more rolls and dimples on his body that any other baby we know!  We love it, though, and will not be buying him baby spanx.

And finally, this is mostly for Leslie. This is my garden....so pretty and green!

Something is starting to eat my precious harvest.  Jerks.  We put some chicken wire along our fence in hopes of preventing the bunnies from coming in but leaves are still  going missing.  Grrr.  I'm starting to to think it might be birds.  I don't know what to do about that...are we going to have to build a cage?

 

These are our first fruits!  I don't love radishes but it was quite rewarding to pull these from the ground and eat them in a salad that evening.

Happy Spring dear friends!  This has been an especially enjoyable one.  We hope yours has been too.

Also, Katniss Everdeen forever!!  I think I'm going to read Anna Karenina next but I'm worried I'll just quit in the middle and don't want that to happen.  Has anyone read it?  Will I love it?

PS I tried to upload a video but it didn't work.  Anyone know why?  I tried to do it from Picassa.  I'll try to fiddle with it when I have more time.