Collin turned 3 today and we just cannot believe it. It feels like it was yesterday that he was born. When he was born, he brought so much happiness to our lives. He made us parents for the first time, our parents grandparents for the first time and all of our siblings aunts and uncles. He is such a sweet and cute little boy. He loves everything boys love, cars, planes, trucks, airplanes, balls and the list goes on. He talks all the time and is becoming a book junky like his mama. His favorite books are Dr. Seuss books, Bernstein Bears series and any book with trucks and planes in it.
One of my most favorite memories of him is, when was just born, all the nurses called him the eyelash baby. He had the longest and thickest eyelashes that they kind of looked fake. He still has them pretty long. His face has grown into them now. But I guess he was always a pretty boy. The other day, I asked him to wipe his mouth after eating and he said, " Here mommy, I cleaned my pretty face." I was laughing because, that's what I always tell him, "Go wipe your pretty face".
I have attached a small slide show of some of his pictures we took during the last three years.
Happy Birthday Collin and we love you very much.
On the right are three types of squash each in front of two rows of okra, two rows of green beans and two rows of peas. There are also radishes around the Fuji apple tree which is center in the photo. The apple tree has a bandage on it from when Collin busted its main branch nearly off. The leaves have survived so hopefully it will be ok. The next door neighbor and I planted another Fuji apple in the front yard in case things don’t work out.
In the back row of the picture are three of the four different tomato plants, another planting of squash and the big green spot by the fence is my pea patch planted in February followed by two different types of cucumber. In the corner is the blood orange tree. Around it are planted carrots and to the left of it, you can’t see very well are the beets and climbing green beans (the hope is they will climb on the fence-I’ve never grown climbing plants).
Out of sight to the left of this picture are the grape vine, cherry tree and an herb garden where the hope is to pick fresh parsley, chives, cilantro, thyme, mint, dill and two different types of lettuce right off the patio. Out of sight to the right of this picture are the Persian cucumbers, a fourth kind of tomato, strawberries and a row of climbing peas that will climb on the back fence.
And this is only pretty much one corner of the back yard. I’m planning on putting in a small well. The water table is very high here and many of our neighbors have them for watering their yards. It is basically an 8 inch pipe 20-30 ft down with a pump on top so no drowning kids (The well is a low priority for now because there are a million other things to do. I’m waiting for the first water bill to see if my accountant thinks it should move up in the priority list. I love my accountant!) 
