Backyard pics!

When we bought our house, the backyard was almost a deal breaker.  To say that it needed a lot of work was an understatement.  The fence needed to be replaced, the pool needed to be re-tiled and resurfaced.  There were huge gaps of earth missing from around the pool causing cracking and shifting of the pool and patio.  And the people who owned the house before it was flipped must have loved texture, because there were three different types of gravel, bark, shrubs, trees, brick, concrete edging - well, you get the idea.  We weren't sure we wanted to invest that kind of money into a backyard, and we even considered filling the pool up.  But seeing how much Eric and Liam enjoyed spending time in it after we moved in caused us to rethink things.

The backyard when we first moved in.  The first thing we did was install a pool safety fence.  Then we had to replace deteriorating fence. 

Prior to the pool renovation in January. Lots of half dead shrubs and weeds.

Notice the missing tiles which looked like they were from the 80s.  Water was seeping up in the cracks causing even more damage to the infrastructure.

The sellers thought that they could fix the shifting by shoring up the edges with bricks.

Common issue of cracks and missing decoseal around the coping

Huge portions of dirt were missing from under the pool.  One time Chloe actually made it underneath the deck and we thought that she had run away.  We had to bring in 8 yards of topsoil and do extensive drainage work to fix the issue.

Perfect example of how it always looks worse before it looks better.  The replastering process was actually really fun to watch.

The dogs missed having grass.

Another view of the many textures.

The renovation started in January when we were able to get off season deals on a lot of the work. Eric spent many weekends working in the yard moving gravel, pulling out shrubs and prepping for a lot of the work that needed to happen in order to make the yard structurally "sound." After the pool work was done, and the drainage was complete, we were given the number for a good affordable landscaper who was able to complete the landscaping with his crew over the course of an afternoon for a fraction of what others had quoted us.  We just put the finishing touches this past weekend.  While there are still other things that we hope to do when our budget allows, we are thrilled with the final product and look forward to hosting friends and family this summer! 

The final product!

This is the view from my bathroom.  One of my favorite parts of the backyard is these large pots filled which we filled with crotons for color.

Our oleander is in full bloom and soon our crepe myrtles will be too.

Creeping vinca was planted on the down slope.  After it fully takes, it will provide a carpet with small, purple blooms in the spring.

Another view of the pool.

For years we have wanted a Japanese Maple but they require a good deal of shade.  We put dark brown rubber bark around the tree and Mexican River Rock around the perimeter of the house for drainage.  Previously we had mulch which draws termites.  Since our house had already previously been treated for termites, we didn't want to take any chances.

Looking forward to our summer entertaining.  All we need is a ceiling fan to keep the monster Texas mosquitoes away!

Happy Birthday Liam!

On Friday we celebrated Liam's 3rd birthday.  We treated most of the day pretty normal except that I took cookies to his school that he attends two days a week (they won't let the kids bring cupcakes).  That evening we had Chinese food (one of his faves), an ice cream cake (one of Eric's faves), and opened presents.  He knew that he was having a separate birthday party today so he had spent the past two days asking for "more presents."  It is hard to explain to a kid that all good things must come to an end.  This afternoon we had a small children's party at a bounce place and ended the evening with sugary cake.  By the time he went to bed we were all ready.  I tend to forget how sugar and presents make a kid all batty. 

It is amazing to me how much Liam has grown in the past few years.  On Thursday I took him to see his pediatrician for his well-child visit.  He has grown another 2 inches since January and is in the 50th percentile for height and between the 50-75th for weight (truthfully we all ate a little too well during my pregnancy, and we didn't reign it in after Ansley was born).  If I could use one word to describe Liam it would be "spirited."  He has so much energy and is very willful.  I kind of get the impression that he is very similar to how his Daddy was at the same age.  But although we struggle with this age and everything that comes with it, Liam is also very sweet and funny.  I love that he tries to take care of his baby sister and tries to "help" us around the house.  Every once in awhile he will say things that surprise me, make me laugh, or amaze me. 

He had been looking forward to blowing out the candles on his cake for a loooong time.  This past week we got several birthday books from the library to prepare.

Eric showed Liam the pure joy of licking the candles afterwards.

Much like Mommy and Daddy, the boy loves his sweets.

Among the gifts were toy trucks and LOTS of Cars toys.  Ansley, sweet baby that she is, got her brother a cool Cars scooter.

He had been asking for a kite for weeks on end ever since his obsession with Curious George began.  Total time spent playing with said kite: 6 minutes.  Fickle children.

Hanging with his friends at his birthday party. The parents were all happy to tire their children out before bedtime!

The Cars obsession continues. 

This is Liam "smiling" for the camera.  He appears to be in physical pain at my very request.  As a side note, I know that I tend to have more pictures of Ansley than Liam these days, but he has forbid me from taking his picture.  When I start to whip out the camera or my i phone, he runs and I get blurs for pictures.

King for a day.

Playing air hockey with his besties, Tristan and Gracie.

It is hard to believe that Liam came into the world so tiny and silent.  I love my boy and I am trying to cherish my time with him, because I realize that one day he will be his own person and Eric and I will have to work hard to get his attention.  But for now, he is still my little man and I couldn't be more lucky to be his mom. 

Last [Single] Man Standing

This past weekend the last one of our single friends, Wally, got married to a wonderful woman, Monica, who we have gotten to know and love over the past year. Wally went to Texas Tech with us and was one of Eric's roommates.  These guys, "The Underground", managed to get in lots of trouble.  But fun loving trouble, like "Oh guys!  Did you use the potato launcher to do damage to the side of the water tower again?!"  Not the "Oh crud, you need me to bail you out?" kind of trouble. 3 of Eric's 4 college roommates have moved to the Metroplex since we graduated, which means that we get to see them all the time.  And the 4th is moving here this summer to start med school in the fall!

Any how, Wally's wedding was held at our friend Craig's house (another college roomie).  Craig and his wife, Jennifer, have a beautiful home between Allen and Lucas with lots of land.  The boys spent months preparing the wedding site, and it couldn't have been more perfect.  We all anxiously watched the weather the whole week and had the group over to dinner at our house for some last minute planning.  There was talk of tornadoes and rain, but we only had a few sprinkles, some spirited wind, and overcast skies (better for the pics anyway).  The day of the wedding, the boys set up tables under the tent, and the girls worked on flower arrangements. 

The wedding was so special, and even more so because it was at Craig and Jen's home - a true labor of love.  We are so excited to see our last buddy get married.  And to watch them grow in their relationship.  It was a great night (completely with a baby sitter for the Pate's - yay!). 

The happy couple!

Every time Eric and I pose for a picture, I can't help but feel as though we are going to a high school dance.

Blayne (another college roommate) and Jessica's adorable little man, Barrett.  He is only about 6 weeks older than Ansley. 

Craig and Jen hung a swing among the trees for people to take pictures.

Making a getaway...

Not so fast!  We filled the car with...."marriage" balloons.... shoe polished the windows, and saran wrapped the entire car so that they couldn't get in. 

A great time was had by all!

Beer and Diapers

I realize that I am catching up on several weeks of blogging in one night.  But thanks to crock pot chicken I have the luxury of having a few moments to myself.  When we moved into our first house, we quickly befriended our neighbors, Derek and Joannie.  We all became fast friends and even vacationed in Mexico together.  We shared good times and hard times.  We started our families at the same time and could often sympathize with each other on our experiences.  It was not uncommon to have drinks on the patio after a long day, or to poke our heads over the fence to extend an invitation for an impromptu play date.

Moving to our new home was bittersweet in that we had made such great friends in the Gragerts.  They are expecting their third child (after twins), and we recently hosted a Beer and Diapers party for them.  For those of you have never been to such a party, the guests are asked to bring a package of diapers or wipes for the baby and a bottle of wine or a pack of beer to share.  Whatever alcohol is left over goes to the parents...who will soon be able to enjoy it!  We had a similar party thrown for us when we were expecting Liam and it was so great not to have to buy diapers for the first six months.  I thought I would show a few of the pictures from our evening together!

My attempts at a diaper cake.  We also made labels for bottles of beer to use as decor.  Our invitations looked like giant beer labels!  Eric created the invitations and did a great job on the design.

It is hard to see the labels but it says, "Peyton Gragert: Est. 2012"

Derek and Joannie. She is the cutest pregnant woman and all baby.

A great evening with great friends!

4 Months Old!

I can't believe my little cricket is four months old!  She is such a sweet baby and I am so thankful that she is so calm and happy.  At her four month well check she measured in the 50th percentile for height, weight and head circumference. She is still pretty sensitive to dairy, but it is not an allergy like it was with Liam so we are grateful. 

She is still not sleeping through the night.  She wakes up about every three hours for a feeding.  But on the plus side she wakes happy and falls immediately back to sleep.  She takes three naps a day, which are often times thrown off because of Liam's schedule outside of the house.  But she remains in fairly good spirits about it.  We recently introduced her to rice cereal and had high hopes that it would help her sleep longer stretches at night.  While she is now sleeping one 4 or 5 hour stretch (in the early evening), we still long for the time where she makes it a full night! Liam was sleeping a full night by the time he was two months old.  But I guess it just goes to show that every child is different even if you do things exactly the same way!

She does well with tummy time and I think she will be on track with crawling.  She is alert and grabs at the handles for her different toys. She loves to watch her brother and squeals with excitement when he is around.  He mostly ignores her, but occasionally tries to comfort her if she is upset.  Liam has also recently started trying to do some of the same things she does.  For example, he now asks for rice cereal when she is eating it.  I have also caught him on more than one occasion trying to get into her baby bath or Baby Einstein activity center. 

It is a ton of fun dressing her up in all of her little girl outfits and accessories!  I never thought I would be one for the big bows and frilly dresses, but I am having a blast.  Ironically, you can usually find me in shorts and a t-shirt these days.  And I was such a tomboy when I was a little girl.  We love our little Ansley Claire and can't wait to see her grow!

Trying her rice cereal for the first time.

She absolutely loves it and can't seem to eat it fast enough.  Soon we will be able to give her fruits and veggies.

Cookies

Lately in my new capacity as a stay-at-home mom, I have been refining skills lost somewhere in adulthood:  Sidewalk chalk art, singing children's songs, coloring, etc.  One skill, namely playing with play dough has been completely lost on Liam.  He does not at all appreciate my beautiful creations, instead choosing to pillage my pieces to add to his collection.  A collection he affectionately refers to as his "cookies."

Behold....

In the "mixing bowl"

Finished product

The result: A mother spent trying to un-piece the cookies during Liam's nap time and wondering if it is worth it to throw the whole batch out.

Call of Dooty

"The world is my toilet" - Liam Pate

Have I mentioned that potty training is going super well?  Really?  No, not really.  We have been working on going to the potty since Liam's old school started him last summer.  To date he is still not trained and so we have decided to take a little break.  From what I have read from many different resources, it seems as though Liam was probably not ready to have trained when he did.  We have tried everything.  And I mean everything.  Charts, stickers, candy, bribery, praise, guilt, etc.  In the end, I think that we were all going a little crazy.  So, we are taking a little hiatus from the constant, "Let's go sit on the potty."

A friend of mine suggested that we let Liam go tee tee outside when he is playing.  Maybe it is a boy thing, but she suggested that it helped seal the deal with her son's potty training.  So this past weekend when Liam was playing with his water table I casually mentioned that he could tee tee outside if he needed to use the bathroom.  This resulted in Liam going several places outside on our new lawn.  Great, right?

Well, Liam then decided that he wanted to go "poo-poo" like our dog Chloe.  While I was inside feeding Ansley, and Eric was doing yard work, Liam squatted and did his business old school.  He was so thrilled with his accomplishment that he ran around with poo still attached to his toosh.  Too much information?  Well perhaps you don't know me.  I had an excellent view of the whole show as our bedroom window overlooks the planter where he did his dirty work.  And what to do with the poop?  Does a child's poop deserve a different disposal than the Target bags we use for the dogs?  A burial at sea perhaps?  Does one use a pooper scooper or should you use a baby wipe?  

Eric and I were a little baffled.  Should we praise him?  After all, he did manage to not go in his Pull-Up.  We settled on a nice talk about how great it was that he was able to go poop, but that only the doggies are allowed to make poo outside.  As a side note, we have caught him trying to take off all his clothes outside since Friday in his attempts to go to the bathroom.  It is his belief that one must be completely naked to go to the potty.  Progress?  We'll see.

Happy Easter!

Last year for Easter I was feeling pretty yucky because I was pregnant with Ansley, but couldn't tell anyone quite yet!  A year later it is amazing to watch our little family grow and change.  For starters, last year Liam wanted very little to do with Easter egg hunts.  But this year he had been gearing up and practicing for the big day.  

It has been a challenge with trying to explain to my two year old what the significance of this day means to us as Christians.  We have been reading Bible stories leading up to today and his school has been doing a great job of trying to explain it in a way that toddlers can understand.  Still, it is difficult to put in to words what today means, and at the same time let him experience the fun associated with the Easter bunny, candy, etc. 

This morning we woke up and went to a great service at our church.  Afterwards we came home so that Liam could see what the Easter bunny had left in his basket.  We were supposed to have a little egg hunt in our backyard, but due to the rain and a very cranky toddler, the hunt never happened.  But after afternoon naps we headed over to the McDonalds for dinner and a big hunt for 40 people.  

This time around Liam at least filled his basket but he got a little fixated by some of the favors and toys that were too large to fit in eggs and showed little interest in exploring the contents of his eggs.  But not to worry, Mommy and Daddy performed our due diligence in quality control measures.  By the end of the evening, both kids were exhausted (and slightly cranky).  

It was a beautiful day, even more so because of the welcome rain we received here in North Texas.  As a side note, thanks to my family and friends who checked in on us after the tornadoes this last week.  Here in Richardson we received no major damage.  The sirens went off and I had to wake the kids from their afternoon naps to hide in the closet with our dogs.  But Liam thought it was fun because he got to watch Cars and eat popcorn afterwards!  I was more worried about Eric who works on the 27th floor of a high rise and who had to evacuate during the storms.  Fortunately, we are all fine and grateful.  

This was the best shot that we could get of our family.  Liam is sooo hard to capture these days.

Opening his loot from the Easter Bunny.

Setting off in search of eggs.  I kept yelling like a mad-woman/helicopter mom "Over here! Over here!  Get the eggs!"

This golden egg was filled...with an eraser.  Mama was hoping for a $20.

The hunt was fast and furious and it wasn't long until to was time to have dinner.

Checking out his spoils.  He was more interested in his Frisbee.

They had these massive Easter eggs for the smallest kids that were filled with stuffed animals. 

Blowing bubbles in the backyard.  I am amazed at how grown up he looks here.

We tried to get Liam to pose with us for another family picture but he could not be bothered on this exciting day.