Last week, Susanna and I decided it was time to take a break from the birds. With a baby at home, me traveling a lot this summer, and the boys not helping as much as they had promised, it was time to take a break.

So Saturday a friend, Mark, picked up the five remaining hens and duck to add to his flock and we will take at least  the next year off of chickens.

Now all that remains is to clean out the coop so it is ready if and when we want more birds. And to remember to limit what we throw in the compost since we won’t have chickens to process cheese and meat anymore.

We have plenty to do this summer around the house and we won’t miss the birds (at least won’t miss them too much). Plus, there is a farm around the corner where we can get fresh eggs until we decide to get our own again. And next time no ducks. They are too messy.

…because, who doesn’t need more baby pictures?

Isabella is doing well. Yesterday she got her first checkup at the pediatrician, and everything was good. She is eating well and sleeping well. She even gives us one or two 4-hour stretches at night (at least for now), so I can’t complain. Susanna is healing well, and we even all took a little bit to enjoy a short walk in the spring-like weather here.

I get to enjoy a few minutes snuggling with Isabella while she sleeps. Not much else to do other than take pictures and post them on the Internet. The other option is to move and disturb her. 

Isabella was a little jaundiced yesterday when they sent her home, so we get a (hopefully) quick trip to the lab to get blood drawn this morning to check up on her. 

She was a champ last night. Sleeping from 11:30 to about 3:30 and then back asleep to almost 7. 

Now comes the wait. Susanna’s due date came and went earlier this week as Isabella pushes towards 42 weeks.

The nursery is ready. The boys are ready. I’m ready. And most of all, Susanna is very ready.

So we wait. And try to keep busy.

When the arctic chill drops down from Canada, we sit inside, watch TV, do crossword puzzles and play on the computers. When the warmth returns we venture for walks in the woods (and still spend a lot of time inside watching TV and doing crossword puzzles). Most days, Susanna hasn’t been able to hike as far as we used to last summer. But yesterday, with the temperatures pushing into the 30s, we ventured way back into the woods, letting the dogs stretch their legs and get a good run in. Something that Targa has sorely missed this winter. And something Tucker sorely needs to get a little less fat.

This weekend we will try to make plans. This morning I will attempt to fix the leaking shower valve. I stopped by Home Depot last night and got the repair parts. I expect to have to swing by this morning and get parts that I probably have forgotten. After chores, we will head out and look for a source for gutters. Something better than the white gutters available at Home Depot. And after that, another trip into the woods. Hopefully plans that will get interrupted by labor. But if not, at least we will try to keep busy.

The boys are stuck at home with another snow day. This morning Will planned out our day so we didn’t just sit around and play video games all day. This morning Will and I went for a walk with the dogs in the early snow. After the walk we cleaned the house and the boys played Minecraft for a while. Now Will and Susanna are cooking lunch while Ben and I take it easy.

This afternoon the boys will get more screen time, though Ben and I will head to the workshop to build shelves.