It hath sprung...

Can it possibly be...spring??? Oh, ladies and gentlemen, I think it has finally arrived! Yay! Today, I have seen hoards of geese - flying in by the dozens. Sometimes by the 2 dozens! So they are definitely back, and in greater numbers than they were last year. I can remember being outside when I was little and hearing their melodious honks echoing in the crisp, fall air. It would be a treat to see that unmistakable 'V' in the sky, heading south to warmer weather. Now...they are everywhere! They are beautiful and fun to watch, don't get me wrong, but they can be a nuisance if their population is not controlled. We get more and more every year on our pond. As I type, they are out there on the beaver dam, beaver hut, pond banks, red brush, you name it, fighting each other for exclusive nesting rights. They are quite a sight - they stretch out their necks so that they are parallel to the ground. Then they lift their wings up (like they're going to take off) and run at each other, hissing and squawking. Sometimes it does turn into a full-out brawl; there's beating and biting and name-calling, I would imagine. But most of it is for show and intimidation. It's good stuff!

I also saw 3 great blues (herons) setting up shop in the nests from last year. Well, actually, the nests have been there in the trees since we moved in, and who knows how long before that. Herons usually come back to the same breeding spot every year and reuse their nests. Last year, some of them got pretty well destroyed from a bad wind storm that we had. Some nests got repaired and others weren't worth the effort, so a few new ones popped up here and there. You know good weather is on the way when you see the GBHs. They don't care much for cold and ice.

We always get an oddball species of bird on the pond every year, too. The first spring/summer we were here, we had a bald eagle. He/She found a mate and had eaglets, and even now they come and go. The second year, we had a tundra swan (no joke), and last year, we had an egret. The swan stayed about a month; the egret was here all summer. It was so cool and interesting. Who would have ever thought that pond would welcome so many different birds and animals? We really do see the neatest things. We've been watching a mink who has made an old woodchuck den into its home. Everynight she (we think, anyway) makes trip after trip to the neighbors' pond for frogs and mudpuppies (salamanders) and runs them back to her den. She's a good little hunter. She better not kill off too many of them - we love the sound of the frogs at night in the summer. It can be almost deafening on those still nights.

We are actually going to cut back a lot of the red brush this spring so that we have better access to the pond for fishing, bird watching, and hunting. We'd even talked about putting in a small dock. That would be a great spot for a couple of Adirondack chairs, a little table with a radio, and a cooler of beverages. Mmmmm....I cannot wait!!! Summer, here I come!!!

Gabriella certainly loves watching the wildlife in our backyard. She is always looking for the geese ("Geese on pond!") and is learning bird distinction. She knows the difference between blue jays, cardinals, and doves now. I can't wait until the ducks start coming back. We get at least 5 different species, so that will be fun to teach her. Her little mind absorbs everything like a sponge. She amazes me. Every day is something new, whether she learns a new game, says a new word, "performs" a new song and dance, or "says" a new animal sound. She is at least calling Aiden "Dee-den" or "brother" now, instead of "baby," so we are making progress there. Still lapsing on the potty training. She does so good some days, and then there are days like today where she wants absolutely nothing to do with it. That's ok. She 19 months old - she is doing phenomenal for her age! I got her some "big girl panties" and they are sitting on top of her dresser next to her changing table (which she is almost too long for). She sees them all the time and I've told her what they are. She doesn't want to wear them yet, but one of these days, I know she will. Hopefully by summer she'll be in them.

Aiden is growing fast! 5 months old and still smiling and laughing - I swear he is the happiest baby I've ever known! He is down to 4 feedings per day now, which is easier for me. We don't buy formula as much, and he doesn't act like he is ravenously hungry every 2-1/2 or 3 hours. He eats 9oz in the a.m., followed by 5oz and cereal at lunch, 5oz and a veggie or fruit at dinner, and then 9oz at bedtime (usually between 7:30-8:30pm). He sleeps until 5:30-7:00am. Making good progress there! He is skipping his morning catnap, and opting to stay up until after lunch. Then he takes a 2-3 hour nap; same as Gabby. He is doing good at sitting up on his own - still a little wobbly, but he does good. He reaches out and grabs everything - loves toys! He found his feet last month, so he is still doing the "I'm gonna grab my feet and hang on for dear life while Mom tries to put my pants on." He loves his jumper (we call it the bouncy swing) and happily goes in it while I get dinner ready. Usually, Gabby comes over and spins him in it ("Wheeee!"); but he loves it and she's so gentle with him, so I just quietly supervise. We think he said "Hi!" a couple of times, but I think most babies spit that word out now and then while they are babbling. His hair has turned from reddish to strawberry blonde - it is hard to say what color he'll end up with. I hope red! I think redheads are adorable!!

Charlie is doing great. Just got done building a prototype for GE Transportation. It is a new cab for a train engine that is going to Egypt. No word yet on how many more GE will order, but they will be very busy soon. That hasn't stopped Charlie from looking elsewhere for another job. The company he works for has basically told him that he has come to a dead end as far as promotions and raises go. Doesn't surprise me after they dropped our Blue Cross insurance and gave us a crappy alternative, cut out holiday bonuses, and jipped Charlie out of 2 weeks vacation for '07. And it's not just him that the company is doing this to. There are a lot of hardworking guys there with families who deserve much better then what that place is offering. Yup, it's time to start looking elsewhere. Other than that, he is doing great and makes me so proud to be his wife. He truly is my best friend, my heart and soul (next to the kids, of course!).

I'm doing better after my last post. I've had a lot of time to think about it, and I realized that the butthead insurance guy's comments are not the only thing that set me off. The past couple of years have been a personal struggle for me. I've had a lot of emotional battles to overcome, and it's not easy to do it practically on your own. I have a great support system, but I'm missing something spiritually. That's where I'm on my own. Thanks to a new friend and inspiration, Les (our pastor), I think I might be getting the guidance that I've been seeking all along. We'll see. As far as the physical aspect goes, I did continue to lose another 4 inches overall (legs, arms, waist, bust, ribcage, hips combined) after my last spout-off, so that is good. I haven't done much this week because I've been told to take it easy. I went to the chiropractor last week to get my lower back and hips adjusted. They were pretty well out of whack. I went right back to doing my routines over the course of the week - nothing healed up. I went back again this past Monday and he did another adjustment. I feel better today, but I'm going to wait it out and start over again with my exercises next week. He did say I could walk, so maybe I'll head out tonight since it is too damp yet for the kids to be out there.

Whew...this is a long post!!! I guess I had a lot more to say than I thought I did. Take care, all you fellow readers.