Ah, to have a yard...

For the most part, I have to say I love our little home. It's a 2 br, 1 bath condo on a ground floor. We have a car port out back. For an apartment, it's got quite a lot of storage space, which we improved upon further when we moved in two years ago. The bedrooms are roomy. There's plenty of space for two small boys to run around and make a mess. All-in-all, it's just about perfect for our little family, and we could probaby even fit one more comfortably.

I really like the idea of living in a smaller space. It helps to keep our family close. It's easier-- and cheaper-- to keep warm in the winter. There's less to keep clean. A smaller home typically means a smaller mortgage, and as far as mortgages go ours is pretty decent-- cheaper than anything we could have rented up here.

I count my blessings. I really do.

But the one thing Nick and I both regret is the lack of a big, fenced-in yard. A place where our boys could run around and explore and get dirty. A place where we could plant a few summer crops. A place for a dog to run around (because I won't let Nick get a dog until we have a yard). A place where I can send my boys out to play to get them out of my hair for an hour or two! We have a little courtyard area out front where they can play, but it's not fenced in, so if Gabe wants to play out there I have to be out there with him; which means I can't just send him out there to play while I do my housework, which is the whole point in sending the kids out to play *lol*.

The other part of it is, Nick and I both have fond memories of spending hours and hours playing outside as children; and we wish we could provide the same opportunity for our kids. I can't help thinking that Gabe is missing out on an essential part of childhood: digging holes in the ground, climbing trees (which, granted, he's too young for right now anyway), riding bikes, running in the sprinklers, playing naked in the mud... When he's a few years older, he'll be able to do a lot of those things unsupervised; but his little brother won't; and once Zac's old enough to play outside on his own, there will likely be another little one too young to do so.

Am I being unreasonable? Maybe. I could just spend the whole day outside with my kids. But then I'd feel guilty about all the housework not getting done-- and I'd be getting all stressed about all the work piling up. I could spend the day taking my kids to the library, and the park, and the (thrift) store...But I admit, I'm a homebody, and I'd rather just stay home...

I know, there are other ways to keep my kids entertained indoors. At this moment, Gabe is in the kitchen playing with play dough...sort of. He spent the first 5-10 minutes cutting the playdough; then he spent another few minutes banging on a bowl; and now he's sitting on the floor playing with the plastic eating utensils...And all the while Zac is watching his little brother and fussing because he's not allowed to play, too. I know Gabe would LOVE playing with legos-- and I have some in storage just waiting-- but I'm too nervous to get them out yet, becuse of the potential for Zac to get into them and choke on a piece.

For Isaac's first birthday in August Nick and I plan on buying a sand and water table to have in the kitchen. But that's a few months away still, and I am so tempted to jump the gun and buy it NOW. Because I am desperate for a way to keep my kids entertained for a big enough chunk of time to actually do something productive for once! And the one thing that I KNOW Gabe would happily spend hours doing-- aside from watching TV or playing on the computer-- is not an option.