If Daniel could write this entry...

Lately things have been getting a lot more interesting around here.  I am able to control my giant head a little better and mom has been taking us on outings more and more.  I like getting out and seeing the world.  When we stay home mom just makes me sit with her on the couch while she checks facebook or makes me take these stupid pictures (oh no my four month shoot is coming soon).

 I know resistance is futile.  She'll keep taking the picture until  I make a cute face so I might as well comply.

Andrew has been having fun doing art projects lately.  I guess he is even in a class.  I usually sleep through it so I can't say it is all that interesting.


I can't wait till mom turns the markers over to me!


Back when Dad was on spring break we got to go see the butterflies at the Nature Museum.  I think Andrew was a little scared, but I was very brave.

I have been really happy lately bouncing in my chair.  Mom also thinks I was playing Peek-a-boo. 

 
Do you think this is the face of a boy who peek-a-boos?

To I went to the mall with my homeboy Nicholas.  He is a week older than me and was born in 2012 but he doesn't rub it in my face.

 We like hanging out.  Sometimes the big bro and sis come too.

 I think we've grown a lot since our last adventure together to the Garfield Park Conservatory back in February.


Our adventure out today ended with Andrew and Amalia's gymnastics class.  Nicholas and I usually hang out by the the door or are worn by our mommies.  I'm pretty glad that I was asleep in my carseat and not worn by mommy when she did this!

 Andrew is getting better at gymnastics I guess.  He can do somersaults really well (and he gets a lot of stickers) and now started climbing the walls!

 Check out that headstand!!!  We both have a large head to stand on.

I'm now pretty tired so I'm going to suck my pacifier and peace out.   Just wait until there are more videos of the tricks I will do.  For now I'm having fun just being the baby.

Spring break - man stuff

My spring break is now over - tonight I go to bed with the knowledge that classes resume in the morning.  It has been a well-rounded break.  Lots of sleep, lots of time playing with the kids, date night with Rachel, etc. But this post is devoted to those man topics I am most interested in: sports and tools.

On Saturday, the family went up to Evanston to take in the Spring Game Practice of the NU football team.  Citing lack of depth, Coach Fitz cancelled the scrimmage and held an open practice instead.  The weather was ok, but not quite warm enough.  When the boys are older they can sign up to participate in a free clinic and hang out with the players on a field.  For now, we headed back to the car and went home.  We were just happy that Andrew did not try to run away from Willie (irrational fear of people dressed up in costumes).

 Perhaps the lack of hot drink like his Dad gave Andrew the blues.  

 Daniel did not show much interest in football.  Then again, he is 3 months old and does not show an interest in very much....

The only time we will ever be on the 50 yard line?

Proof - he was not "all done" with Willie this time around.

The other aspect of spring break was home improvement.  We thought a lot about different house projects (hmmm...is there still time to make that master list?) and engaged in a couple of little projects.  The new challenge for me is making furniture.  I have never attempted finished carpentry (wait - there was that bookshelf I made for Rachel in college, but Dad mostly just showed me what to do), but we have a need for more furniture.  I had been bothering Rachel about a new coffee table for the living room, but Craigslist was not producing viable options.  

So she suggested I try to make one, and pointed me to various DIY sites with plans.  I was skeptical, but willing to try.  The problem was, we wanted a nice stained wood and it could be expensive to buy the oak.  So I decided to rummage.

In the garage, I stashed away some solid wood panels from the old basement walls.  I borrowed a sander and went to work.  The wood looked nice, but the panel was not quite sized correctly.  Looking again, I saw that the garage walls were paneled with the same wood.  

  

I pulled a couple of them down, cut them to size, sanded them, and assembled it into a nice little table.  (with a little help from our neighbor, the professional carpenter)

It is clamped together as the glue dries.  Next will be staining.  Fun!

You will notice in the background the other project - the next set of shelving for the basement.  These will be used as part of my workshop, as my workbench was constantly cluttered with junk.  Now at least the junk is out of the way.

Once the coffee table is done, we are looking at paint samples for the living room.  We are not in love with the color so now might be the time for a redesign.

-alan