Our Backyard Butterfly

This is our friend, whom we have dubbed "The Backyard Butterfly". He flutters around the whole time we are outside. Apparently Griffin is sweet, because the butterfly really likes to land on him. There is another butterfly that flies over occasionally, but our little butterfly chases him off so that he can have free reign over his domain. It's too bad we don't have any flowers back there!

Backyard Before and After

Just in case you couldn't tell, the first picture is BEFORE the transformation of our backyard into a safe place for the boys to play. We worked very hard on Sunday night to clean it up and get rid of all of the clutter and stuff that was laying around on the patio. It makes for a much nicer place to sit and read or sip a cool drink or munch on an ice-cold popsicle while the boys run and play.

As you can see, we moved the turtle sandbox to a nice shady place under the swingset, and the basketball goal got a new home between two bars on the side of the swingset. It's rather tipsy, so that's a good spot for it.

The bike and the doghouse were banished to the side of the house, and the little pool and the exersaucer will be thrown away. They have both been through way too much, and aren't even worthy of being given away.

We have played outside several times since the "makeover", and we all enjoy being out in the backyard 100% more now.

The Sticker Chart

Griffin has completely filled in his sticker chart! For those who are unaware, Griffin has been potty-training for the last couple of weeks. We went to the store and got him a whole bunch of "Big Boy Underwear" in Thomas the Train and Finding Nemo designs, and also a bunch of plain white ones. Every time he sat on the potty and actually went, he got three M&M's -- I know, I know, food as a reward isn't good for the psychological development of a child, but I don't think a few M&M's (he calls them "L-N-M's") will damage him for life -- and a sticker for his chart. We have Spiderman, Blue's Clues and Tigger stickers, and he got to choose his sticker every time.

He has been doing very well, and Mommy is getting better at remembering to take him potty on a regular basis. You could say that Mommy is almost fully potty-trained! I think he is knows what it feels like when he has to go, he just need to work on telling me. And bowel movements are another thing. I've heard that it takes a while for many kids to feel comfortable going #2 on the big potty, so that one might take a while. But we're not rushing anything. It will come, in its own (not-so-sweet-smelling) time.

As a reward for filling in his first sticker chart (the next one will be even bigger), we presented him with a little Tonka Truck town that we had picked up for eight bucks at Children's Orchard a few months ago. He is utterly thrilled, and we had fun making a big deal of his accomplishment last night.

A Slide Show

This has been a slide show depicting what it is like to try to take "the perfect picture" of two squirmy little boys. I think the last one wins, don't you?

Hat Trick

Sammy tries so hard to put the hat on his head. He usually ends up smashing it onto his forehead and giggling like crazy because we are laughing so hard. And then of course Griffin wants a piece of the action too!

Cookie Monster

Sammy has recently learned how to push a chair over to the kitchen counter and steal things from the countertop. I caught him one day after I had made oatmeal raisin cookies that were left on the counter to cool. He had had a taste, and he wanted some more! When I snuck up on him, he had one in each hand, and one in his mouth. He dropped a couple before I could snap the picture, but he grabbed them again and tried to get down and run away with them.

These pictures are pre-haircut. I love the curls! But he does look so much like a little boy now. His baby days are almost gone; it's hard to believe it has happened so fast!