"The Bubba Brothers": Springtime Sightings

Spring is definitely here! We have been outside every chance we get and the boys are soaking up every ray of sun they positively can. It's amazing how much of a difference good weather can have on your entire outlook. I find myself much more eager to start the day when the sun is blazing through our windows. I'm very, very glad spring is here and even more excited that the boys can finally do what all children are born to do...be outdoors! :)

I'm so happy the boys have seen so much wildlife in the past few days. Last week we visited my mom at her house and just walked around the sides of the house digging around. I was so excited to see, just about 5 feet high in Grandma and Grandpa's juniper tree, the nest of a Mourning Dove family!! Since we've found this nest it has become the first thing we check when we get to Grandma and Grandpa's house. We've checked on it probably 3 or 4 times now and that mother dove has yet to leave from her nest. There's good reason, though...she's sitting on 2 of her baby doves! At first, my mom and I thought there was just one baby in her nest. But once I lifted the camera a little bit higher from where I could see to take a picture, it actually looks like there are two babies in there. And those maternal instincts are in no shortage even for birds! This mother watches us get extremely close to her nest, yet refuses to fly off and leave her babies. I think she's just trusting that we won't do any harm to her or her babies and hopes that we take a quick peek and then leave her alone! We've been very nice, I must say. The boys have only looked, never touched, so I think we're on good terms with mama bird! :) It will be fun to continue our check-ups with this nest and see what happens next time...

Bunny season is also here!! We spotted a toddler-aged bunny in my parent's backyard and the boys were able to get good, long looks at the cutie-pie because he was hanging out under their deck. Nolan really wanted to pet the little guy, and I did my best to grab him, but he was just too darn fast. My parents always have bunny nests around their place, so I'm sure catching one for their petting pleasure won't be too tall an order later on this spring.

This morning we drove over to Antelope Park and played there for probably 20 minutes before the boys were just wanting to chase after birds in the grass. I had to chase after the boys in order to get them back!! We then took a wagon walk across the street to check out the zoo, but the long sidewalk where all of the animals are lined up against is under major construction and the whole thing was closed off. Worked out, though, because they just as much enjoyed chasing squirrels from pine tree to pine tree and even found a duck hanging out under a pine tree! They thoroughly enjoyed tormenting that duck and chasing him through the trees as well. The thing would get pretty ticked off, start quacking at them, flap it's wings, and then take off, but never too far because the boys went after it again once it landed! It was quite entertaining and many passing bicyclists thought so as well! :)

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A few cute Nolan quotes:
1) At dinner the other night, Carson began his usual screaming-at-the-top-of-his-lungs bit. He did so several times when Noah gave him a stern look. Nolan must have saw this because he said, "Daddy, don't worry. He's just playing."
2) It seems I can no longer get away with calling Nolan things like, "honey" or "sweetheart." The other morning I was saying something to him and ended it with, "honey." He said to me, "I'm not honey, Mommy. I'm a boy actually. I'm not honey."
3) Last night I was exhausted and ready for bed when Nolan woke up. I tried to get him back in his bed to sleep, but he didn't seem like he was going to fall back asleep for awhile. I told him it was time to go to bed probably 3 times before I just said, "Let's go to Mommy and Daddy's bed and go to sleep." He responded with, "I think that's a great idea, Mommy." I had to laugh! :)

The Mourning Dove's Nest. One baby's head is sticking out right under mom's and I think another baby's tail is sticking out right next to it. Guessing it's head is burrowed under mom.

Nolan playing in the leaves on the side of my parent's house. Also where my mom and I found big money! I found a $5 bill under the leaves and a concert ticket from 1999! Later that day my Mom found a $10 bill!

Climbing on a bike sculpture by the Lincoln Zoo.

Nolan explaining that he was in the "Captain's Chair," meaning Captain Jack Sparrow. He then breaks into song with...you guessed it! "Yo Ho, Yo Ho, A Pirate's Life For Me!"