smarty-pants

Finn has learned to stall for time. I always offer him something to drink before he goes to bed. He now has started drinking as slow as he can. He'll take a sip and then stop drinking but keep the cup to his mouth and then look out of the corner of his eye and smile at me. When I try to take his drink away, he acts like he's dying of thirst. I fall for it usually 1 time and then after that, it's bedtime!

Finley likes to play with the dishwasher for some reason. I'll give him a couple pieces of silverware and he will put them in there and then take them out repeatedly. The other day I had it open and he was playing with the silverware. He put the silverware in the basket and walked to the front of the dishwasher. He then pointed to the detergent dispenser and made a noise like he was putting something in there, closed the detergent door and then closed the dishwasher. I was already amazed at how much he knew but then he turned the nob to turn it on! I don't give him enough credit. He really knows what's going on....so why does he act like he can't put his toys away???

We had a calf born at the farm last week and ever since then it's been having trouble eating. It's a very stubborn calf and has had to be bottle fed a few times. Finn and I went out on Tuesday to hang out a little and Matthew again had to try to bottle feed it. Finley really likes the calf and is very comfortable around it.

So, you probably don't need any explanation for this video, but I'll explain anyways to set it up. Finley started fussing so I came to see what was wrong. He had pushed his car under Zodie while she was sleeping and when he tried to take it back, she hissed and tried to bite him. That's why he is already fussing in the video. He is too scared to just grab it because he doesn't want to get bit and Zodie isn't giving up the car. When I tell him to ask her nicely he can barely get out a "Deese" through the wining. Then we say "Bad Zodie" for biting him and when that doesn't work, he tries to tell her "Bye-bye". She still doesn't leave. He usually will push her off of the couch to get to what he wants, but he was just too scared to this time. I finally push her off of it and he gets up the nerve (notice the nervous laughter) to reach over and grab it. And then come the victory laugh!

tractors, tractors and more tractors!

Here is Finn playing with one of his tractors. He can spend upwards an hour every day playing with tractors and trucks. He mostly likes to just stare at the wheels as they turn and go over the couch cushions.






Finn and Grandpa on the tractor...Finn's favorite place to be.

Finn waving while they back away.

Matthew and Finn watching Grandpa load the truck with hay.

Finn watching Matthew catch a cow and her baby calf.

Sitting comfortably on the tractor. He looks right at home.

Watching Grandpa load the tractor. He's in awe whenever a tractor is nearby.

2009 flood cont. (last one)

Heading North out of town. On Sunday I saw people crossing the river in a canoe.


Matthew going to work. All week he worked in GF and had to walk this bridge twice a day to get to and from his car.




This is on the curve out at the farm. You can't see the street sign.


Heading West out of town. On Monday morning (4/6) this bridge opened back up. What a relief to be able to get out of town again!

Neighbors next to the farm. The water got high, but not to their house.

This is the other side of their house (looking toward the farm).

Going out to the farm. Again, the farm is on the right after the grove of trees and then the curve under water.

I'm so thankful that, for the most part, the flood is behind us. Fargo/Moorhead is still supposed to get another crest, but they are predicting 38 to 40 feet now - not the 45 feet they were predicting last week. Their dikes should be fine and we're supposed to have nice weather so hopefully we won't have a problem here. As it is, there isn't very much snow here and our ditches and fields are almost empty of the water. Now, I'm just looking forward to the warmer weather heading our way, getting rid of all of the snow and going outside to play with Finn.