"Dye-dye, tree."

A couple weeks ago we had a sad day at the Martin house. Our lovely sprawling maple tree that enriched the view out our kitchen window, its roots had transgressed into the neighboring parking spots and the HOA had had enough. I felt I owed it to the tree to watch.

When it's first branch fell, Peter was shocked and then troubled--"tree??" 

When it was nap time soon thereafter, I told him that the tree would be gone when he got up. As we went upstairs he said, "Dye-dye [bye bye], tree."  I won't lie--I teared up, and then did my work in the kitchen so to watched as the execution unfolded over the next hour. 

Last branch.

So long, tree. You were a good friend. Heralding each changing season, filling my daily view with green and spectacular orange, swaying in thunderstorms and beautifully bearing snow. You are sorely missed. 

Breaking the Dam of Pics

So apparently it's been over a month since I posted. Oops. It's been a busy month. And not without photos that have been building up in my camera. But now, less than 3 weeks from our due date, I probably need to open the flood gates and post a bunch of pent-up daily snapshots for posterity before this girl comes along and they are never seen again. So the next few posts hail back to the long lost month of April. 

Finally finding some Spring at Kelley Park. 

The bottle needed a hat. And then each farm animal needed a sip. 

We built a version of Peter's very favorite room. A "DU-RAAAHGE!"

Toward the end of a shopping trip I sometimes get careless about what is left in Peter's reach from his seat the front of the cart. 

"Joseph to the frozen food aisle for cleanup...with a mop."

Sorry, Joseph.

We got new bathroom stepping stools from Amazon. Peter carried around his new "dools" and tried them out in several locations. The other is just another cute happy boy shot that found its way in.

Our new Big Lots reading chair that Peter helped pick out for his room. 

My artiste.  

How I love this growing boy. This last month of his growth has been one of my favorites, full of conversations (of sorts), affectionate snuggles, shared jokes, hand-in-hand walks, and the continual amazement of watching him discover his world.