Spring Fever

The weather here the past few weeks has been heavenly. It's the kind of weather that makes you feel like it can't possibly be real - like it can't really be the end of February/beginning of March and be close to seventy degrees outside. This whole winter has been fairly mild, although apparently the weather before the Blizzard of March, 1993 was very similar. So maybe we'll get some snow? I'd be alright with that, but I'm okay with sunny and seventy, too. Oh, it's so nice to be out of the house!

This baby loves to be outside.

Last weekend I took him out and put him on one of his quilts in the middle of the yard. I was going to attempt to do some yard work - i.e. weeding the flowerbeds and raking the last of the fall leaves away. He sat there and happily gazed at his surroundings for a few minutes. Then he tipped over - he has progressed from face plant tip overs, to much more controlled/graceful tip overs - rolled to the edge of the quilt, and grabbed the grass with both hands. Ha! He is going to be an amateur gardener like his parents! But then, in typical baby fashion, he tried to eat the grass - dirt and all.

I raked up exactly 1 wheel barrow load of leaves away.

Monday was a workday for me, but I got off a little early and made attempt number two at taking him outside. This time I took a twin size flat sheet and spread it out, then I got his nursing pillow and a basket of toys to help keep him occupied.


As I was getting everything set up, the Phoebe cat watched and wailed from the back door. She wanted out sooooo bad. Have I mentioned that our indoor only cat is harness trained? Yup, a cat on a leash. She loves it (the neighbors must think we're nuts). I got her harnessed up, 10 foot retractable leash and all, and hooked her to the chiminea frame.

Finally I got Ian and took him outside . . . . Success! He sat in the middle of the sheet and happily played with his toys.

Note Phoebe to the right, she seemed to guard the baby while I raked. I managed to rake about 3 wheel barrow loads worth before Ian figured out how to get to the grass. This time he didn't roll to the edge, he just pulled the sheet towards him until it was all bunched up in his lap.

Tuesday was absolutely amazing outside, almost T shirt weather. I was determined to get at least some time outside as the Wednesday forecast called for severe thunderstorms. This time I went all out. I took the  Baby Vegas out on the back porch. Then, to make it more challenging for Ian to get to the grass I put bricks on the edges of the sheet. For distraction I loaded up his basket with super awesome not-really-toys toys - a plastic cup, spatula, cell phone, storage container lid, a baby shoe, and a book light. Oh, and don't forget about the cat.

First stop was the Baby Vegas, that lasted about 20 minutes.

Then on to the sheet. Another trick was a hand full of Puffs. He LOVES the sweet potato ones.

The toy of choice for the afternoon was my cell phone. He played with it/chewed on it for at least half an hour. He might have called some folks, too.

Oh, and Phoebe was in heaven. She totally forgave me for applying flea preventative earlier in the day. I got to thinking about it on Monday night, and I don't think I had applied it since early December ( I know, I know, bad, bad veterinarian who lectured about flea preventative several months ago - all I can say is it was a combo of mommy brain and sick kitty who finally got better and then got put back on hat status). Anyway, she was one happy cat.

All in all Tuesday afternoon was a big success - I got about an hours worth of raking done, and Ian was a happy little guy on his sheet. However, he did figure out how to get to the grass. He kinda sorta started army crawling Tuesday morning (!!!!!!),. He was very distracted when he was first outside, but then he remembered and he was determined to get to that grass.

I'm not sure what we're going to do with him outside now. I wonder if they make outdoor play pens for babies . . . .I'll have to look that one up. . . .