Here is a quick update on our patio project. The crew was here today laying down the flagstone for the patio. They are hoping to have this section done by Friday so that the stone wall and plantings can be done next week. To say that we are excited is an under statement. This is going to really transform the back if our house ! 
I would be remiss in not mentioning Ike's 6 month milestone! We go to the dr next week for a check-up so we will find out his height/weight then but let's just say he is a big boy! I can't believe he is 6 months old- in some ways I feel like I don't remember our life without him but in other ways I feel like it was just yesterday when I was at home on bed rest awaiting his arrival. He is turning into a little person and his smiles & giggles are infectious. We can't wait to see what the next 6 months has in store for him.
He thoroughly enjoys his solid foods and I got this clip the other night when he was in rare form post peas & carrots! I think he is going to be a real blabber mouth real soon.
We had a busy and nice Memorial Day weekend (click for more photos). A few highlights were hanging out with Maggie and her family in Stony Creek, a great picnic at Matt & Lee Sharp's amazing new pad in Chester, the town parade and a couple of rides on the boat. We finished the weekend with a nice cocktail cruise this evening with the Petersons, Lais, Ginzs and Colin. Not looking forward to back to work tomorrow but it was a great kickoff to the summer season.
Enjoying the weekend
Matt & James
The first sign of the work on the terrace- 3 dump drunk loads of sand
The Carrolla's at the picnic
We hit the town Green for the Memorial Day Parade
Captain Ike!
A nice afternoon lunch cruise with familyIke has finally figured out how to sit up on his own! What fun! Now that he can sit up he graduated from the kitchen sink to the big tub and life is good! We are enjoying nice spring summer-like weather and looking forward to a long holiday weekend. Ike had a record great day yesterday with Maggie and evening dinnertime with us and he is loving life more each day.
Unfortuntaley, he still hasn't figured out sleeping well at night but we are doing the best we can... last night at 2:30am I was driving around town with him in the car (at the recommendation of the pediatrician nonetheless!) and I realized that I was definitely the ONLY person in Guilford up at that hour because everyone's houses were dark dark dark! We have hope that soon he will outgrow whatever issues are keeping him from sleeping well :-) Until then we are still Sleepless in Guilford.
Mother's Day weekend turned into quite a busy weekend at Podunk. The first true taste of summer came Saturday morning when Bing, Robert, and I brought the Shelter down the CT River back home to Sachems. Dean came out from the city to enjoy bluebird skies and two warm days. Saturday afternoon he and I finshed getting the patio ready for the Wilbur & King crew to start at the end of the week. We have spent the last couple of weeks removing an old deck, and chipping out the existing patio. Dean I did the final sweep so we should now be ready for the next step. Mothers day brought another nice day where Ike got to have his first lunch outing on the boat. A nice day to be on the water, plus the fact we had the harbor all to ourselves. I think everyone got a little early season sun. As a family we had Kerry's first Mothers Day which I am sure that she will chime in on. Ike made her his first card at daycare which I think she loved.
Ike's card
The Shelter back home again in Sachems Head
Robert making the most of the trip
Dean showing Ike how the feet work
Ready for the flagstone!! So, it is no newsflash that Ike is not a great sleeper. We have really tried it all including Ferber's method of letting him "cry it out" but we found that he will cry for over an hour without giving in and we couldn't handle listening to scream. Our pediatrician said not to pick him up when he wakes up because that would be like giving a cookie to a dog that is peeing on the floor- I love our pediatrican and I am sure he has a point but his theory didn't last long either. I heard from one doctor that babies of working Mom's will often wake in the night to fill their need for time with their Mom- now you tell me you don't just melt with guilt at that idea. I decided not get worked up about it and so we have been tending to him as needed in the night which is sometimes only a few times a night and other times is every 2 hours! We are probably spoiling him but when you are tired and have to get up the next morning to go to work you will do whatever it takes to get back to sleep the quickest.
The funny thing is for the last few nights I have been trying to read this book that seemed perfect for us, The No-Cry Sleep Method. But, we had to laugh because I am so tired that when I finally get in bed I can hardly stay awake to read the darn book to figure out how to sleep longer so that I am not so tired! Ahh! Being a parent is very challenging and sometimes you feel like you are in a scene from a comedy show. We will keep you posted on our progress...
It was a busy and beautiful weekend here in Guilford. It started on Saturday morning with the Sachems Head Yacht Club work party to get the boats outside and boards off the windows. We are officially on the countdown to the club opening on June 16th. Then, it was back to Podunk to get down and dirty. We are in the process of ripping up our old patio/deck (thanks Bing and Robert for your help) to make way for a new flagstone terrace with stonewall and lots of new plants and trees!! It is the first project where we are not going to try to "do it yourself" so we are really excited about the end result- we will keep you posted on the progress. Harcourt is also working on stripping and painting the house this summer- oh the joys of owning This Old House, circa 1850 :-)
SHYC Annual Work Party
Bye bye deck!
Nilla was a good supervisor
Demolition is almost complete
I grew up on my Dad's John Deere so it is only fitting that Ike 
Ike's best friend is his reflection in the mirror!
Ike and Daddy resting after a long weekend.Just wanted to give a quick Ike update... 5 months and counting! At the last dr appt he was 16 lbs 9ozs and 26 inches- growing like a weed. He is more enjoyable each day and I am not just saying that because I am a parent. He is almost sitting up on his own and Freud was not joking about the oral stage- Ike puts EVERYTHING in his mouth. He smiles 90% of the day and it is infectious :-)
Maggie is our nanny extraordinaire and of course Ike loves her! He is also doing great at school with Ms. Terry and all of his friends- he is even already doing art projects! I feel great about leaving him with such wonderful people but I so look forward to the end of the day when we can be reunited. 
Lost and now found! We made signs and put them on a few telephone polls near the scene and my cell phone rang yesterday and I answered and this woman said "you have my bunny!". Come to find out the bunny has been on the loose for over a month!!! Harcourt was greatly disappointed as he thought we would end up with a new addition to our animal collection.
