Cheep entertainment.

While we have no snow like my friend Alicia is enjoying at the moment, we have been finding ways to keep ourselves busy over the last few days.

Seth finally acquiesqued to my request that we put lights on the outside of the house this year. I have always felt that when it gets dark so early, we should do something to lighten up the great outdoors. Is this or is this not the season of light reborn? Here he is putting up icicle lights on the outside of the house and colored lights on our little fir tree. He's standing on our shed throwing the lights around the tree. My heart did a little pitter-patter when I saw that, and I almost thought that lights weren't worth it, but Seth is thoroughly converted and wants to make turning on the outside lights a little ceremony when our kids get old enough.

Plus we have plenty to do getting ready for baby. We got a stroller and a high chair from Seth's boat friends, with the promise of clothing later on. I have been reading up on natural childbirth and the inherent risks in various birthing procedures. Boy am I going to have a lot of questions for my doctor next time.

Seth has taken upon himself the task of painting the crib. He's not going at it with as much dedication as I would like (I would have liked it done a week ago just because then it would be done), but I have bit my tongue and not said anything. After all we still have time. He's not lazy; he's just not as anxious as I am. The crib is going to be pale yellow, the same color as our living room walls. Yes, we are using the same paint. Yes, we are that cheap. But the yellow looks very nice with the light blue of the baby's room and will go very well with the Beatrix Potter + other animals theme that we are trying to establish.

But the best entertainment has been all the winter critters. We had some bird seed left over from last year. Last year completely ruined our bird feeder, and so we've had to find other ways to distribute the bird seed. I've been sprinkling it on the railing of our porch. (Yes, I know that what isn't eaten will sprout. Most of it is getting eaten.) Then these little guys come along, accompanied by tiny little birds of every description and the odd crow or blue jay. Most of the creatures are very good at avoiding cameras, but I did manage to capture these two.

Max likes the squirrels too. Every time I open the door, he goes flying out and tries to catch a squirrel before it can get back over the fence. No luck yet, but he's always been close. (What I'll do if he actually catches, I'm not sure.) In fact, two days ago, he treed his first squirrel on the top of the shed. The poor squirrel was running back and forth trying to get away, and Max was running round and round making sure he didn't. He kept the squirrel up there for half an hour before I realized what was going on and called him off. It isn't easy to call off a hound who has actually treed his prey. So now the birds and squirrels have developed a commando attack scheme in which they hide out in the hedge, leap quickly for the porch, grab a seed, and leap back. It's really quite fun to watch.