Backyard Camping!

I am sitting outside our house. Yeah, I'm a vidiot. Laptop, on my lap, great connection through the house wall behind me. So what's the big deal? We are camping and I'm supposed to be techno free. Yeah Im cheating. I couldn't help it.

Little Ollie is at my feet in his Moses basket. Bradley is pouting. (someone always has to pout, for one reason or another-today it's Bradley). Jacob and Ryan and trying to figure out how to pitch three tents which connect together via tunnels (they don't realize I have the directions). There is a slight breeze and the temp has dropped to 88 degrees. Sure is better than the 100s we have been in. My doggies are sleeping ...not on the ground but on our camp chairs. My husband (God help us all) is building a camp fire.

The perks of backyard camping? 1. Me and the baby get a Cal King bed all to ourselves. 2. Hot showers. 3. Music you like all night long without the car battery going dead. 4. Inside cooked food...outside. 5. Smores-with cold milk. 6. It's FREE. 7. You can be lazy about putting away your gear or "checking out."

We are enjoying this backyard camping idea so much, this weekend the boys and I are going to camp in my moms backyard. The perks of the mammy's backyard? All of the above, plus...a pool!

Other projects I have decided to work on, now that I can see my feet and am not suffering from pregnancy exhaustion...a garden. Any vegetable we can think of. If anyone reading is local and has baby plants they are wanting to donate-let me know! The kids and parents are enjoying outside so much, we may actually get to know eachother again. Imagine that.

I just looked up...Ryan found the door to the tent and is happily playing inside the largest one. um...it's still flat on the ground though. Dad to the rescue. Should I give up the directions? Naw, this is too much fun.

Little Ollie has found the bumper pad that is stitched to the sides of his basket so the weave doesn't scratch up his skin. He has managed to grasp ahold of it and pull it down to snuggle his little face into it. He is grinning ear to ear with adorable dimples on both sides. He kicks his little leggies one then the other and flares his little toes. He just works all of his body like a normal little baby.

I'll end this post with a little story. Last night I laid in the dimness of our bedroom. I was facing Ollie side to side while he had some mama milk in his sleep. The bedroom has a dimmer switch and I keep it just low enough to change diapers in the night or aim some food in the gaping mouth that screams for milk while Im half awake. I was staring at the amber glow. I was having a moment of gratitude, for so many things it will take a whole post to list them all. I could hear the trains outside as always, and the breeze blowing through the neighbors trees....
SLAP!!!!! I got nailed on the cheek by the tiniest of hands. I tilt my head and refocus in the dark to find these giant wide blue eyes intently staring at my face. Little feet start kicking in excitement. His hand slides down and he's holding his mama milk with both hands while he eats. He quits eating for just a minute and grins at me so big in the dark a whole mouth full of milk spills down onto the sheets. I couldn't help but giggle. If that wasn't an "I love you" I don't know what is. I told him I loved him too...and we nursed and cooed and drifted off to sleep together. At least for a couple hours. :) Those are moments to live for. Baby I love yous.