I Am A Honeybee

Click here to play music to go with this post

(you'll have to have 2 pages open to keep the music playing)

 As many of you know, Surya and I bought an amazing house out here in Temecula with a HUGE lot.  Since it was a short sale, the yard was/is atrocious!  Surya has been very hard at work and the front yard is starting to take shape.  We just put in grass and Surya planted me a bunch of flowers and ordered me some patio furniture for our porch.  We still have a long way to go, but we are surely on our way! 

Before

After

So why the honeybee title and music, you ask?  Well, when we first moved in, we had bees flying around the columns, so the bank paid someone to come out and spray.  We have noticed that the bees are back, but we really didn't want to kill them, but there are so many of them we are not able to enjoy our new front yard.  So Surya called a place that relocates the hive and they suggested that we open up the columns to remove the old hive and discard of the carcasses left behind from the first time they sprayed.  That should make the bees go away.  So Surya opened up the column this morning and this is what he found:

YIKES!!

They ate through the paper.

Hundreds,

and hundreds,

and hundreds of bees!

Some are alive and some are the remains from the first time we sprayed.  Fortunately, Surya had a moment of clarity in his shock and confusion this morning as he walked outside with a plastic bag telling me we was going to grab the Queen, and decided to call in professionals.  We REALLY wanted to just relocate them, but they said when they live in a column like this, they are very aggressive.  

Awww...the joys of home ownership!

9 Months In, 9 Months Out

Our Dearest Jack, you turned 9 months old today and your dad and I can't believe it!  I know we say that every month, but you have done so many new "little boy" things this month, you are reminding us that you are, in fact, turning more into our little boy instead of our little baby.  This month everyone described you as very "busy" and when you see the pictures and watch the videos, you'll know exactly why.  Just a few quick notes on some of your milestones this month and then I will let the photos and videos say the rest.

• You have slept through the night more this month than any other.
• You started pulling yourself up and cruising and now have even taken your first steps!
• You have doubled your food intake...and yes, you even started eating some of my homemade food!
• You look at Daddy and say, Da-da and it melts your Daddy's heart every time.
• You have weaned yourself off the swing for naps and now nap soundly in your crib.
• You started signing back "all done" and "more" and respond to the words and signs for "water", "swim", "eat", "hungry", and "bath".
• You wave "bye-bye".
• You love to throw your arms up over your head when we say Sooo big!
• You give us kisses when we ask and hug back.
• You can crawl up the stairs (with us behind you, of course!).
• You can pick up your sippy cup with a straw and drink from it by yourself.

Okay, enough bragging...here's the entertainment!

Your First Steps!

You spent the day playing with Anayah, your best bud.

Weeeeeee!!  Anayah, are you having fun?

Oh yeah!!  9 months is awesome!

Pals playing at the park

Getting ready for all the beach time this summer...can't wait!!

Climbing the Stairs

Jack and Mommy

We always eat breakfast together

We laugh, smile, and play a lot together!

We both LOVE being outside

Daddy's Helper

Helping Daddy change the batteries in his toy.

I cannot tell you enough how much we love you.  I took care of you for 9 months in my belly and now 9 months outside.  It has been so fulfilling to teach you what I know about this world, but your Daddy and I are both finding that you, my love, are teaching us.  Happy 9 months our big boy!  We LOVE you!

Happy Easter!

Jack's first Easter was a huge success!  He dyed Easter eggs with his cousins, the Easter Bunny came and hid his basket, and he got to hang out with his family.  We hope everyone's Easter was happy and memorable!

The line-up

Jack's Easter basket!

Egg-splosion!  Surprise "crack me" eggs left by the Easter Bunny.

Edible carrot patches

Jack found his basket! (sorry, I forgot to turn the camera off at the end!)

My handsome boy in his Easter threads. By the end of the day, his pants were covered in grass stains and his shirt was covered with food and drool.  Good thing I captured this picture early in the morning!

Happy Easter everyone!

Daddy's Boy

Some of you may remember some of these photos of Jack and Surya from way back, almost 9 months ago.  Well, not much has changed around here.  These two are two peas in a pod and as a mother it is so precious to watch them pal around.  Jack follows Surya around and is usually attached to his hip (literally).  I hope their bond stays strong throughout the years to come.

Where's my Daddy?

   

Surya went outside for a minute and Jack crawled over to the door so he could see him.

Daddy teaching Jack how to cheat play UNO.

Don't look at my cards, Daddy!

Let's deal them out!

I can't go, I have to pick a card.

UNO!

Maybe we should invite Dixie to play!

Or not!

 

King Henry VIII

Mommy Jack LOVES when his cousins come over to play because he gets to really PLAY with the big kids.  And I get so much done!  But of course, playing with the many toys he owns is not as fun as cardboard boxes!

Not only do they all love playing with him, he gets dinner and a show!  I love to call him King Henry VIII because of the treatment he always receives.  Here his Nana happily spoons the food into his mouth (on command, of course) while his aunt entertains him with bubbles and his cousins play with him.  Being the only boy in an all-girl family definitely has its perks!

Baby Proofing 101

 

 So I am one of those people who have decided to baby proof as needed, as we go along, if you will.  Maybe not the best idea, but the thought of latching every cupboard and drawer, covering every outlet, making every door pinch-free, locking the toilet seats down,  and padding every sharp edge in our house is a daunting task!  Besides, how will Jack ever learn NOT to get into things if I prevent him from doing every single one?!  So as a new mom and being from a family of ALL girls, I thought, how much stuff can he really get into?

The answer:

A LOT and EVERYTHING!

It all started with the outlets.  I swear, the child was not even interested in the dang things until I put one of those plastic covers in it.  There he went, crawling over and what did he do?  He figured out how to pull that sucker right out!  Okay fine, I need better outlet covers.  No problem.  Next...we have a stone fireplace with sharp edges.  "Why would he want to play there when he has a 3500 square foot house to play in?",
 I think to myself.  Why?  Because he senses the danger and likes living on the edge (oh, and he loves to drive me crazy).  Day in and day out that child will not stop climbing (and thus falling) off the sharp fireplace edge.  Okay, fine.  A foam bumper.  I can do that.  I tell Surya we'll pad the coffee table, too, buy a gate for the top of the stairs and we should be good!  

Nope.

Since this day that I thought everything was fine, Jack has decided to try his hand at everything.  He opens cabinets and drawers, tries to climb in the toilet, unrolls the toilet paper, gets into the trashcan, opens the fireplace doors, opens and shuts doors, tries to climb up the stairs, and don't even get me started with what he does to poor Dixie (sorry Dixie, no baby-proofing exists for dogs)!

Here's the breakdown today:

New indestructible outlet covers:  $4.99/pack

Foam bumpers:  $7.99 - 12.99

2 gates: $50.00 each

cabinet and door latches:  $6.99/pack

Mommy running around chasing after him EVERYWHERE:  -5 lbs (bonus!)

Delaying the inevitable trip to the emergency room one more day:  PRICELESS