The pond is brimming with life. ALmost 2 years ago we installed a small landscape pond in the front flower bed. The first year we managed to keep some fish in the pond, but the fish didn't survive the early freeze. Last year there was nothing in the pond, the filter quit working and we pretty much gave up. That was until we took a trip to a local park the last week in May and the kids spied some tadpoles in the pond. They asked to bring a few home and I agreed. They dumped them in the pond when we got home and the tadpoles immediately went to the bottom, I figured never to be seen again. A few weeks later at a baseball game, the found more tadpoles in a puddle of standing water and again asked to bring some home, I figured "what the heck" since the puddle they were in would probably dry up before they had legs. Of course all the other mothers at the ballfield thought I was nuts for even letting them dig in the mud puddle, but what do I care? So into the pond more tadpoles go. Then this past weekend our friends offered us some fish, we took two home with us and dropped them into the pond as well.....now it seems that the kids are really drawn to looking in the pond, they even took some lawn chairs out next to the pond and spend time sitting out there, just looking at what is going on, I am sure our neighbors LOVE seeing the lawnchairs in the yard, but again, I really don't care what they think....amazingly, the tadpoles have sprouted legs and now spend time sunning themselves on a log floating in the pond...the fish come swimming to the surface anytime the see people, as they think they are going to be fed. It is neat to see the kids take such interest in what is going on in the pond and to listen to them describe what it is they see. We are pretty sure we have 2 different types of tadpoles/frogs and possibly a third. It should be interesting to watch the evolution of our little pond.

Baby Shower.....

Things went really well at the shower. I was feeling pretty lousy (I have a stupid UTI that seems to be getting worse instead of better) but the great company and joy that the girls took in orchastrating everything made it a wonderful day. We brought home a decent haul....baby einstein crib mobile, a tummy time mirror (can stand on the floor or hang from crib), baby bath gift set (towel, washcloth, handpuppet, tub toy), a couple neutral outfits, an adorable baby security blanket (it is silky on one side, flannel on the other and has a silky trim), ABC links (by Sassy), tons of rattles/toys/stuffed animals (Sassy and Baby Einstein mostly),board books, bibs, baby lotion/baby bath, picture frames, plus $55 in Target Gift Cards. We also got a fisher price baby papasan, fisher price jumparoo that were shipped to the house last week by people who couldn't make the shower. The shower hostess (Kas) has ordered a gift and it hasn't arrived yet, so we still have some surprises in store (along with gifts coming from a couple people who told us they couldn't attend but would be dropping by gifts this week). I was a bit disappointed that 2 of my friends I talked with yesterday who said they were coming didn't show up, but I can't let it overshadow the great time we had!

By far my favorite item is the Baby Einstein Crib mobile...it is a mobile from birth to 5 months and then the "animals" detach and are finger puppets (representing the rabbit, bear, alligator and turtle from the videos) and the music unit becomes a small crib activity center. It also has a cool remote so you can turn it on without having to walk over to the crib. The hardest thing has been keeping Sophie from taking the "finger puppets". I was also pretty thrilled with the baby papasan and the jumparoo...nice to have some "new" gadgets for our new bundle of joy!

The funniest thing at the party was watching the girls play "pin the baby in the belly"...it was absolutely hilarious....the girls made the game themselves, drawing a pregnant silhouette (I hope I wasn't the model, the silhouette had the FATTEST BUTT) and also a bunch of fetus (complete with umbilical cord)...I hope the picture that Kas took of them playing the game turned out good!

Great food, great friends and great fun...what more could I ask for?

We didn't take any pics of me at the party, so Hannah snapped a picture of me once we got home....I look HUGE (plus FLUSHED from the darn Procardia to keep these contractions at bay).....We snapped 1 picture at the shower with my regular camera (of all of the "girls") .

It is late...I think I will head to bed!

OK...by now you may have all figured out that my family is a bit different.....included in the things that make us different would be our choices in television viewing. What many might consider to mature for a young audience, I have no problem with while there are many a cartoon or show on Nick or Cartoon Network that I won't allow my children to watch. A good example might be that all of the children have seen the entire "Silence of the Lambs" triology and most can quote lines from any of the 3 movies. The first names thrown out for their newest sibling included Hannibal and Clareese. So our current tv passion is probably quite tame in comparison.

For the last 2 days we have been watching the national spelling bee on ESPN2. It is so embarassing, I graudated in the top 5% of my high school class, always got A's without trying and I haven't even HEARD of most of the words they ask these kids to spell and these kids are between 10 and 14. Even when the announcer pronounces the word numerous times I can barely say most of them,let alone spell them and I have never I ever used them in a conversation.

The older 4 kids are cracking me up...they keep trying to use the words in "conversation"....if anyone was easedropping today they might actually think we are "educated" people well that or we are totally ignorant if they actually know what the words mean!

During the lunch break for the spelling bee today they switched to coverage of the Math Challenge. I have always loved math and considered myself quite good at it, but I could barely finish reading the question when one of those twerpy kids were chiming in with the answer.

Maybe I should just go turn Nick back on!