life...

Some birds have decided to start their family in our window boxes located off our kitchen balcony on the second floor of our townhouse. (Makes me giggle as there is a huge rooftop deck off the fourth floor of our townhouse and if she just would have flown up two more stories she would have found many more planters to make a nest in) You know you are in quite an urban area when a bird decides a window box off a kitchen is a great place to make a nest and lay eggs. It appears it is a morning dove and it has not moved from the nest for the past week. It has been rained on, blown around, put up with kids tapping on the glass, I even watered the flowers around her and she didn't move. I wonder what will happen the next time we grill.... the heat may scare it off for a bit. We'll see. Not that we are doing much grilling. You can't see her in the picture, as she is pretty buried in the marigolds.

The kids are having a ball watching the bird. Every morning it's a "new discovery" for Katie. She walks in the kitchen, looks out the window, sees the bird and says "look mommy! a bird!" and I say "where?" and she says "right there, in the flowers!" It's hilarious. And loud, as she literally uses her high "c" voice to say it. Today the daddy bird showed up for the first time (I'll let you insert your own absentee dad joke here) and stood guard for a few minutes while the kids and I were eating dinner. James said, "You better take a picture mom, we don't know when the dad will come back again." (Again, insert your own joke here). So, we did. Here is a picture of the dad above, and below is a picture of Katie, on her chair, watching the bird.

I'm hoping that this does not provoke many questions about babies from James, but if you know James, you kow this probably will.  He hasn't asked any questions yet, but I feel, or rather fear, it's only a matter of time until I hear some questions that I might not want to answer.  Maybe I'll distract him with some candy when he asks... that usually works!

On a personal note, I had a nice time last night at the Party for a Purpose.  I was touched by all that showed up and ordered online.  I am paying for a night out last night today though, as I am just exhausted.  Luckily, a friend of James had him over for a playdate today, and that allowed me to rest somewhat.  Today Katie decided she was not napping and there was nothing I could do about it.  I think she figured out that since I can't pick her up, if I ask her to come with me, and she doesn't want to, she just doesn't.  And what am I going to do about it?!?!?  I know, bribe her with candy right?  Well, I already used that to get her in the house after we played outside, and then after lunch, and there is only so much candy I'm willing to give her.  Nice parenting moment huh? Won't win me mom of the year but I have a feeling I am going to have to be pretty creative this year. 

I am looking forward to tomorrow, as we are traveling downstate to attend my cousin's wedding.  I will get to see all my family and see my cousin be the most beautiful bride!  My sister in law Tracy is coming with us to the church to help with the kids and then she is taking the kids back to her house to spend the night.  It will be a wonderful event! 

I need to get some pictures posted soon!  There are pictures from father's day, lake geneva and probably a few other events on Jay's camera, so sorry for a delay in the pictures of recent events.  I'll get them posted soon.