Yard Work: 2014 Edition

It's not summer if the Nelson's aren't doing some kind of yard project. This year we have the unfortunate task of finishing our backyard. I say 'unfortunate' only because we have a solid acre back there! Lucky for us, we got smart and decided this year because of wee-man, we were just going to contract out the work. 

I can honestly say I had very little to do with the design - this is all my brainiac construction worker of a husband. I give little input here and there, but this has been his project. I'll be honing down on Ryker's play area, my garden, and the flower gardens :)

This is our progress thus far...

April 25th, we broke ground!

Here the concrete forms were back filled with sand in preparation for the mud

April 29th

Scott, doing what Scott does best. Checking all the measurements.

April 30th. We have an upper deck!!

Sidewalk

Lower patio

Fire pit area

Above, the backyard has been x'd out and more concrete forms have been placed for the fire pit area, lower patio, and the sidewalk conjoining the two things.

May 6th

May 8th - the concrete has been poured!

It looks better than I had envisioned it!

Next up for this week is curbing (where my flower beds will be), sprinklers, and... GRASS!! 

9 Months

274 days. 

6,574 hours. 

394,462 minutes. 

Ryker Kay Nelson, at nine months you:

• can throw a royal fit. The arched back, deadweight, holding your breath kind of fit - even more incredible than the stunts you pulled last month. I'd be lying if I said it wasn't hilarious and ridiculous all at the same time
• are a crawler!! The evening of May 8th you just picked yourself up off the floor and away you went
• finally have teeth! May 7th at Grandma's your top left front tooth broke through. The top right one is visible now too
• also have a third and possible fourth trying to break this week too, both on top
• are pulling yourself up on to things. This seriously happened over night 
• had your first head bonk yesterday (5/18) when you were trying to climb into your carseat, you slipped and hit your head on the tile. Mom cried a little too
• like to explore everything - the cabinet knobs, pictures and nick nacks on mommy's buffet table, the vacuum cord, shoes, the door stopper, etc
• had your first mohawk on Mother's Day :) It was a very tiny one, but a mohawk none the less
• are still such a good eater - we've started giving you bigger quantities at each meal - breakfast, lunch and dinner
• are quick. Those little hands reach out and before you know it, there is broken Pyrex all over the kitchen floor (5/10)
• love to be outside in the grass, you even tried eating a little bit
• have been struggling with sleeping at night. I really think it's your teeth and a Wonder Week. Hopefully we are on the downhill side of things
• start out in your crib and move into our bed because of the terrible sleeping. You just want held and mom is too exhausted to sit up all night
• are still EBF. YAY for us!!
• still fit in size 3 diapers
• wear very little 6 month clothing anymore, most is 9 months now, Ironically one of your 12mo stuff fits too
• got to wear your very first pair of shorts! Who would have thought a baby's first time in shorts would be so fantastic?!
• call everyone "mama, mom, or ma" occasionally we'll get a "dad" but it's usually a fluke
• sound like you're saying "hey!" every once in a while
• are an extreme pooper. My goodness... the force is unreal. This typically leads to a bath
• love your puppies! You want to climb all over them, and lucky for you Diesel is so patient and lets you
• notice so much more than you did even just a few weeks ago; small things on the floor, a new 'thing' or something out of place or where it shouldn't be
• can be easily distracted by everything in a room - toys are good, oh nope, there is something shiny over there, oh look a dog toy!
• play really well by yourself and it sounds like you even babble to yourself
• love to play with my hair. Sometimes it's the only way you'll fall asleep 
• are back to your noisy self. You'll just start hollering because you can
• think it's funny when I make animal noises at you, especially mooing like a cow
• wave at people 
• really like books. You are always pulling out new ones from your wagon and looking very closely at the pictures
• love when mommy sings the Itsy Bitsy Spider to you and The Wheels on The Bus - but I must make exaggerated hand motions and noises with this one
• are a little unsure about The Hokey Pokey
• love green beans, the actual beans
• are working on clapping your hands together
• do give out 'high-fives' though
• know if you make noises with your mouth and put your hand over it and pat it makes funny noises; daddy taught you that trick
• love watermelon! Oh my.. it was everywhere!
• are stingy with kisses
• gave me my very first Mother's Day this year - and for a present you peed the bed and then had a major blow out! haha :)
• are the light of my life! I honestly never thought I could love anything as much as I love you! Your dad and I were talking yesterday about how crazy it is that parenthood changed us the way it has - never were we the kind of leave housework undone, leave the laundry on the floor, or clothes in the washer/dryer.. but now all of that goes untouched so we can spend every second with you. Having you has changed our entire perspective on life. We love you so much little boy! 

We are so glad you are ours.