Adding the railing and back stairs!

This is the progress made on Wednesday, April 30, 2008.

Update on Deck

Deck Day 1

Each post is in a 4 foot deep hole.

Andy and Dennis did a great job for Day 1. Andy is thinking that they may even get to some decking on Day 2. Hope all goes well and that no injuries occur! :)

Yay Rowan!

Here is an update on Rowan's potty success. This past Wednesday we drove to Green Bay and visited the Weisensel grandparents. The three days we were there, Rowan wore panties and didn't have any accidents. She used a potty the whole time. When we got home on Friday, she got out of our car and p layed in the back yard (and had an accident). Since then, she has only had one accident up in her room and has been using the potty. She has been wearing panties or shorts. Last night, we were at a restaurant with the Allord grandparents and Rowan mentioned the potty. I dropped my fork and quickly took her to the bathroom. She sat in the tiny stall, on the big potty and actually went. I was so proud of her. When she got back to the table, her ice cream had arrived. I bet that helped her feel special.
So to recap, she has gone 4 nights without a diaper and no accidents in bed and during the past 5 days she has had only 2 small pee accidents....and no diapers. (Time to knock on wood)
Good for you Rowan!

Google Ron Paul

New Shorties

When looking through my image folder on my camera, I came across several photos that Rowan had taken without my knowledge. This is one that wasn't the floor or the curtain.

Harvey's new orange stripe shorties. They are sooo cute!
I really want to learn how to knit shorties and longies (pants) myself. They are great as a diaper cover and clothes all-in-one.

Here he's showing a little leg. We probably shouldn't encourage the practice of hitchhiking skills just yet.

Wisconsin Chainsaw Stump Massacre

Upon digging in the earth mound, Andy discovered that the creator of the previous patio used bricks, metal bars, and other junk as filler. In his terms, these are "evil, evil people". In order to drill holes for posts he may have to rummage through the entire mound to locate and remove items that will not cooperate with an auger for hole-drilling.

Easter Photos

Rowan and Aunt Carolyn (Donna's sister)

The exciting egg hunt!

Harvey doesn't need Easter eggs to make him happy.

Sorry it's been so long since Easter, but we didn't get any photos on our camera and had to wait for other cameras to be developed. Thanks for the shared photos Grandma A.!

Bye Bye Lilac Bushes

We started pulling out the rocks alongside the patio. Our friends that took the pavers came today to take the rocks. I think it will take two more days to get all the rest of the rocks on the other sides out of here. We cut down the lilacs. Janea snipped them into smaller logs and branches and burned them in the firepit. You might be able to see the smoke in the background. Taking out the stump will be interesting. The kids were fairly well behaved when they were outside with us. Rowan inspected the yard and Harvey sat in a stroller with some rattles.

Andy was one hard working man.

Pavers are Gone

Back Patio Remodel

We have just taken the beginning steps in redoing our back patio. It was a raised earth patio with pavers on top and large rocks in a retaining wall. Over time, the earth underneath has eroded and animals have burrowed under the stones. This has left the surface of the patio very dented and "wobbly". As the kids get older we feel that using this patio poses safety issues. Not only can they fall/ride off the side, the ground bees and other bugs bother us all.
So we have decided to pull up everything and build a wooden deck with a railing. Fortunately, we have found a family through the Jefferson Co. freecycle program that is willing to pull up all of our pavers and rocks. In return they get to keep them all free. This family runs a daycare and has a lot of dirt and muddy areas that need better structure supposedly. In any case, we are very happy that we do not have to pull up and transport all of the pavers and rocks.
We got all of our lumber delivered to us this past Saturday and Andy spent the entire day shuttling it from the curb to our garage using a wheelbarrow....3 boards at a time. They are very long and very heavy. I couldn't help him much since I had to watch the kids and also help out at the funeral home.
So, here are photos from the first step of our project. Pavers are being pulled up.

Milestones

Rowan continues to learn something new everyday! Now she is 2 1/2 years old. She can dress and undress herself, feed herself (including self-serve from the fridge), count to 3, and is making leaps and bounds in her speech development. She is still not attempting to say k, c and g consonants but I'm sure they will come soon enough.
Rowan is becoming quite the independent little girl. Every day she proclaims, "I do own" or "I do by myself!" a dozen or so times.
She has a strong desire to take care of Harvey at times and wants to feed him, dress him, undress him, and change his diaper. But most often you can find her yanking toys out of his hands and scolding him, "No Owbie! That's mine!" even if it's really not her toy.
I took this picture of her in her boots because it reminded me of a photo of myself when I was younger - standing in jammies and winter boots.





Rowan still loves to play in the water and really loves to play in the sink. She tries to help wash dishes every now and then.











Harvey is now 7 months old. Time is passing quickly. It seems that wherever I go, many women describe him as a flirt. A lady at Wal-Mart called him a "lady killer" yesterday. It doesn't seem to matter what age the female is, Harvey charms them all.

Harvey is now doing very well at sitting on his own. He tips over about 30% of the time. He is rolling over quite a bit and is starting to do the "army" crawl. He is quite capable of moving about the room now and reaching Rowan's things (much to her dismay).

Harvey is now eating oatmeal, peas, pear sauce, sweet potato, carrots, squash, blueberries and bananas. His only disliking is for broccoli and green beans at present. He gums up teething biscuits with glee and boy does that ever make a mess in the high chair.
Harvey's growth is amazing us still. He is about 21 pounds and has a long torso. Today I broke open the 24 mo size onesies for him. Maybe the 18 mo size shrunk in the wash, but it's not so easy to snap over his diaper - whether its a disposable or a cloth diaper. So here's my baby boy - 7 mos old...wearing a 18-24 mo size onesie and 6 mo size pants.
I'm also pretty sure his shoe size is a 3/4.
Oh and he outgrew his bucket carseat. So now I have to carry him to and from the car, or transfer him to a stroller.

Harvey is also babbling a lot. He can say da da da and lba lba lba. And he can blow raspberries.

We look forward to watching the kids grow and learn. Their relationship with each other will be interesting to watch too!

New Year Same Adorable Kids

Harvey has become quite the "grabby" little boy. He wants to touch and explore everything!

Rowan loves to play with her doll house (Janea's old doll house) and fancy furniture she got for Christmas.

Harvey is so sweet we are tempted to eat him.

Here is Harvey playing the online game Everquest II.

Harvey seems to enjoy time at the computer....just like his dad.

Rowan is playing with Harvey up in her room.

And, of course, she still wants to play in all the old baby toys as well.

Harvey's Baptism

Harvey was baptized on Sunday, December 30th at First Congregational United Church of Christ in our hometown. Pastor Deb Howland officiated and did a nice job. Both Harvey and Rowan were well behaved during the service. Harvey's godparents were Julie and Jerry Jolly, who were unable to attend due to illness in the family. Other family in attendance were Grandma and Grandpa Allord, and Grandma and Grandpa Weisensel. After the service we had food and cake back at our house.
This is the little hat that came with the baptism suit we purchased at Burlington Coat Factory. Andy didn't want Harvey to wear the hat because it "made him look like a baby". So he only wore the hat for this one photo.

Pastor Deb is asking us how we intend to raise Harvey.

Harvey looked very dapper in his little white suit.

Here we are with the Allord Grandparents.

Harvey did not mind being held by Pastor Deb for his baptism.

I still have a few photos to scan - I will post them as soon as I can.

Happy Holidays and Prosperous 2008!

Snow is yummy!

Playing with Dad....

Rowan 1 Dad 0

The joys of "girlyhood"!

Rowan is ready to audition for America's Next Top Model.

Santa is coming!

Santa left both kids speechless.

We finally had a lot of "packy" snow to make a decent snow man this year and still have snow cover in the yard. Rowan and Dad made this nice looking gent. The next morning we had more snow and his face and hat were covered.