Charlotte has made two major advances since the last post. She has discovered "standing" (bearing her weight on her straight legs while we hold her steady) and she is in love with her new discovery. She shows her joy by squawking with a sound that reminds us of the sounds pterodactyls make in B movies. We remember that Audrey went through the same phase for a few weeks at about this age. It's very endearing. We can have entire conversations with our pet pterodactyl.
Charlotte has presented us with one more surprise: she has a neck! Along with standing she has started holding her head up higher and has revealed a cute little neck.
Audrey continues to enjoy her role as big sister. She is very sweet to Charlotte. She kisses her regularly and hugs her and loves playing with her. The new banquette arrived for the kitchen, and Audrey thinks it is her personal trampoline. She's slowly being trained that it is for sitting. She fell while jumping one of the first days we had it, which resulted in Audrey's first black eye.
The arrival of the banquette inspired us to finish that room. It now has a coat of lemony yellow paint; recessed lighting both over the table and over Carol's adjacent "baking center"; and new dining room chairs that we'll re-upholster with the same seat fabric as the banquette. Our friend Matt has made us a table top out of quarter-sawn white oak that has been "fumed" and stained dark. We are just waiting for table bases we ordered from a restaurant supply store and the room will be pretty much together. I'll put up before and after photos when it is complete.
Audrey is also becoming friends with two neighbor boys Justin (4) and Austin (6). They live in the house I was born in. They love hanging out with Audrey. When I got home from work this evening they were all having a great time in our sandbox. Their parents, Lynn and Cary, gave us a warm welcome to the neighborhood with a delicious dinner one of our first nights here and are becoming new friends, too.
Finally, writing the last post got me unstuck on the garage project. I took the following Monday off and had appointments with three plumbers, two electricians and a couple of concrete contractors to get bids. No big surprises in the cost, so we’re ready to start very soon. Our timing was a little off, because my brother-in-law Frank is going to excavate the old slab but he and Tricia just bought a house (down the street from their current house) that they are renovating in a month before they move in May 1. Our garage construction should start shortly thereafter. I’m excited to get started!
