Cool Dude

Hi everyone. I am sorry for the long absence. The truth is that our camera is not happy lately. I may have worn the poor thing out. So, I have not been able to take pictures to put on here...

What's new?

Well, the grass is growing like crazy in the back garden. Shane is working hard at putting in a sprinkler system in the back and front gardens so we no longer have to go out there and water. It is going to be so nice when it is done. I love our little house. We have everything!...Thanks to Shane's hard work!

Shane had Hayden all last weekend while I worked. He took him swimming down in Redding on Sunday. It was an outside pool, and Shane was concerned about Hayden burning, so I don't think they were in the pool for very long.

I had Thursday off this week and took Hayden to the park. It was so much fun. Although he is not able to walk yet, he can crawl and climb all over the big climbing frames. It was fun.

Hayden has another tooth. Makes six in total now. The new one has been spotted on the bottom. He has a fantastic toothy smile now!

I have been working very hard at the Lodge and Hayden has settled right in. He is fantastic. Very easy going, entertains himself, takes great naps, plays hard and is a hit with all the staff and guests. He is definitely going to be a very social little boy.

And yes, Hayden is going to be ONE in less than two days. Time is just flying. Hayden is a little boy now and not our baby anymore. I cannot believe how much he has changed and developed. The nine months of pregnancy felt like they lasted a lot longer than this year of Hayden!

The above picture was taken at the Lodge today. Hasn't he grown? Isn't he adorable?

Improvements In The Back Garden

All Shane's hard work in the back garden seems to be paying off. You will remember that about a month ago, Shane borrowed a friend's tractor to pull a rototiller through the ground back there. Well, the grass he planted is really starting to take off. Shane has been faithfully watering it every night and I am so impressed with the difference. Now that the metal, wood and weeds are gone, our back space is looking so much bigger.
You might also notice the new door that Shane has just put in. He has removed two of our closets in the house to make a new hallway from the front door to the new back door. It is so nice because now we don't have to go out through the garage to get to the back garden. The new door looks great!
Shane hopes to build another bookcase and storage unit in the new hallway; but, one project at a time!
Shane...you never stop amazing me. I love you.

Time To Go To Work

Hayden has his lunch and we're ready to go.

Walking...

...with the help of the blue hippo...and daddy, of course!

We May Need To Buy A Paddling Pool

Hayden is having way too much fun in the dog water bowl. I had to change the towel under the dog bowl as well as the baby's clothes after this little experiment! Too much fun!

I was on a Skype video call with my mother-in-law when Hayden decided to go for a quick dip in the water bowl. It is hard to say who was having more fun: Hayden playing and giggling in the water, or Shirley and I laughing at him! Oh, the things he can get away with now while he is young and cute!

Efficient Feeding

So, we have decided to stop putting Hayden in his chair to give him his breakfast baby kibble (also known as "Cheerios") and then putting Boone's food down on his mat. Instead, we now just put the dog food down and let the two kids eat their breakfast together. So far, Hayden is managing to out do Boone. Boone chooses to stand back and watch the doggie kibble go into the baby.

No seriously, this morning Shane just fed the dog before I had the chance to get Hayden up and into his chair. But, it provided a wonderful photo opportunity. Poor Boone...he does look a bit disturbed, doesn't he?

Sunday Was Mother's Day

It was my first Mother's Day...and it was great. Shane had flowers sent to my work last Thursday from Hayden and Boone. That was a lovely surprise. The UPS man has never come and delivered flowers to me before...I was speechless - I know, me speechless!

On Sunday, we stayed home and spent the day as a family. It was perfect. We spent most of the afternoon outside in the front garden where Hayden started to walk behind a push-toy he has. Shane made Boone do some of his tricks which delighted Hayden...who "patted" his puppy repeatedly.

But, the most special part of the day was all the help I got from Hayden. He dusted the coffee table, helped Shane fix the vacuum and packed the lunches for the next day. Such a busy boy. Of course, all this work made him so tired. He passed out fast asleep very quickly. He has taken to sleeping on his right cheek cheek, with his knees under his belly and his bum in the air. Goodness knows how he actually sleeps like that...but it seems to be his position of choice right now!

Water Quality Control

Sunday was a busy day for Hayden. In this video he shows the responsibility he has for ensuring that Boone's water is clean and highly oxygenized. It is a job he takes very seriously. Of course, the added advantage is that he also makes sure that the kitchen floor (which had already been swept and mopped) is clean. Hayden is quite the little helper.

Ordering Lunches To Go

Hayden loves playing with the lunchboxes...and ordering his lunch while he does. He can explain the engineering of the lunchbox and demonstrate the mechanics of the lunch box handle. And yes, he does want fries with that.

This video was taken on Sunday, like the one below of him cruising. On a side note, Shane and I noticed another new tooth on Sunday. This one is on the bottom on the right-hand side of his two teeth. The teeth are just erupting all over!

Cruising

Hayden has been cruising along the coffee table for a couple of weeks now. This is just the first time that I have had the camera handy to film it. This is the first time that Hayden has worn shorts and a t-shirt. The weather has finally improved and is warm enough for him to dress for the summer.

Hayden has a blue hippo that his cousins, Jacob and Lilly, learned to walk with. Yesterday, Shane, Hayden, Boone and I were playing in the front yard with the hippo. Hayden started to walk behind the hippo for the first time...rather than push it while crawling. Since then, he has been crawling with his right foot flat against the floor. He continues to get more and more ready to walk. At this point in time, I would not be surprised if he is walking by his first birthday!

Eating With A Fork

Hayden has started eating his bananas with the help of a fork. The bananas are too slippery and he cannot catch them in his fingers...so we tried a fork. Hayden struggles to stab the banana; but, once it is on his fork, he can take the fork and put the fruit in his mouth.

What can I say? He is so clever. Looks and brains...a killer combination.

Eating Cheerios

Hayden has figured out the fine science of eating a cheerio. This video does not show his finger dexterity very well....but it is still cute, especially when the cheerios are stuck to his hand!

Shane and I have bought Hayden a new car seat. He is too big for the car seat he currently has and he will soon be able to ride facing forwards. So we bought a deluxe one that can be rear-facing as well as forward-facing. It reclines and is so padded that I would be surprised if Hayden can stay awake in it! Now we just have to figure out the mechanics of getting it installed in the car!

Top Teeth!

Check out the new arrivals!

Playing At The Shelves

Apparently, I don't put the books on the shelves in a way that Hayden appreciates. He frequently takes them down and hands them, individually, to us...then he crawls away. It seems that complete chaos is the only way to maintain a book shelf - who knew?