Bugged Out

I grew up out in the country. I grew up watching my Dad kill "big daddy" snakes all the time. I had a roach go down my shirt when I was a junior in high school... we won't go into details, but I have never fully recovered from that experience. Needless to say, I. DO. NOT. DO. BUGS. Bugs/snakes/critters/ whatever. And the older I get the worse it gets!

This week I have experienced:
1. I killed a humongous spider in my kitchen... only to find out it was a VERY pregnant momma spider and about 20 little babies went running wild. Seriously. I couldn't make this stuff up.

2. I've already mentioned the caterpillar infestation on my porches in my ferns. Luckily they don't put up much of a fight. But I literally twitched and itched for an entire day. Any time a hair on my head moved - I jumped.

3. Then the big one. Really. I've never come so close to a major heart attack. I bent down to pick up Mattox out of his chair and I see... hold it ... a SNAKE in my kitchen!!! About 2 feet away from my baby. Probably within inches from where Mati Claire had been drawing and running. I thought to myself - 'that can't be what I think it is' - 'nope, that doesn't look like any of MC's toys' - I froze. Literally. I think I stared at it for at least 2 minutes. Do I trap it? With what? Do I kill it? With what? Do I move? Do I move Mattox first? How do I move? Will it move? Where will it move? Why is it raising its head at me? Do I get the shovel? Where is the shovel? Ok, let me get a knife. Not just any knife - I need a machete. Ok, found the biggest knife in my kitchen.

Matt was on his way home but I didn't know exactly how soon he would be there. Called his cell phone 3 times with no answer. Tried calling the neighbor with no answer. My hands were shaking because I have a snake and a machete 2 feet away from a 5 month old baby and 3 year old running around...and a half-crazed mommy. Then I hear choir bells - I mean - Matt's car pulling in the garage. I run outside and start yelling at him to come inside and help me! He chased it outside but then lost it. Dear Lord.

Yes, my glass of pinot noir is really good right now. Good night everyone.

Yes Randomness

Does anyone else watch Keeping up with the Kardashians? I love that show. Those girls crack me up and actually inspire to me to have a gigantic family... hopefully not as disfunctional as theirs though. Believe it or not, Khloe is my fave...but I would hate to be on her bad list.

And if Matt and I were to renew our wedding vows ever again - I would totally get a replica of Chelsea Clinton's dress! Wow. It was to die for. I know that's old news but seriously, I just stare at it:

Anyway, back in reality, we've just been hanging out here. I have been giving Mattox cereal at night for the last 2 weeks and then I gave him a slither of carrots the other night. Here was his response:

Yeah, we may wait awhile before trying any more foods. We'll stick with the cereal. He LOVES it. Doesn't spill a drop. Mati Claire seems to be more interested in Mattox lately... she asks to hold him all the time and she helps me more. I was starting to get worried that she was going to ignore him her entire life. She is really beginning to say the darndest things! I can't wait to see how her first week at preschool goes. It will be such an adjustment for us - we don't get up early and she is still sleeping til around 8:30 right now. We met our teacher, Mrs. Courtney, last week. I basically told her as nice as I could that I expect to pick MC up the same way I dropped her off unless you need to change her clothes = no hair cutting, no nail clipping, no makeup, no nothing. And IF there is a reason for a change, just to CALL me first! I consider myself pretty laid back but I draw the line at hair cutting unless its an accident. History does not need to repeat itself.

I heart chunky monkey...and chunky legs.

I am waging war on caterpillars too. At first, I felt bad for them thinking it was just a few on my ferns. And thought it would even be cool to have some butterflies spin out soon. Then I found about 100 and they were actually eating/killing my ferns (my brand new ones that I bought at the beginning of summer). So I reluctantly got some gardening gloves to pull them off by hand. Ugh! I still have the creepy crawlies. I even dreamed about them that night. A few days went by and I'm still pulling them off. After researching online, I found out they were Florida Fern Caterpillars and they actually aren't butterflies - they are moths! The little heifers lay hundreds of eggs in the dirt and it is impossible to get rid of infestation by hand. Matt got me some spray so hopefully I can save my other 2. RIP ferns. I have the unluckiest green thumb ever.

In Love

Ok...I am actually going to talk about the weather. Not because there is nothing else to talk about except how busy we are...but I am LUUUVING all this rain! Its cooling the temps down and it makes great nap weather!!! MC is afraid of the "dunder" though. Erica, I am working on getting you a pic of MC in her ballet leotard...her first lesson is next week! I am SOOO excited! And you would be shocked over her first pair of jazz shoes - yes, jazz shoes. Not tap. Jazz. Hm. I need to think about that some more.

Both MC and Mattox make me laugh. Our microwave is on the fritz again, but there is a trick to make it work...so MC was watching me "rig" it...and she said "Mom, it just needs batteries." Yes, if only everything that was broken could use batteries. Mattox on the other hand is a total dude. He passed gas yesterday and laughed "hehe"...oh my.

Oh, and in case you didn't know...I am in love with these two kiddos:

Boy oh Boy!

I have been catching myself repeating the phrase "just like a man" lately! Mattox can belch, pee, and fart with the best of 'em! His feet, breath, and gas stink! He even laughs like a boy (anyone remember Bevis and Butthead: hehehehe). He's a sweetheart and I'm not really trash-talkin, but boy I'm just not used to this! I never knew there would be a day where I could classify a girlie fart vs. lets clear the room boys!!!

Seriously, he found his feet today. I used to love watching MC put her feet in her mouth. He just stares at them. Actually, he stares at alot of things lately...mainly girls. Just like a man. Yes, he is all boy! He's currently chasing Alyson I think...but she's too old for him. He drools for her ;)

I am SO glad to have Mati Claire home! Boy oh boy was that a long trip to TN. I think I wasn't the only one who missed MC. We are excited to be starting a new preschool and ballet class! Yay! I almost cried when I bought her first pair of ballet shoes. She probably won't like it just because I absolutely loved it growing up. But I sincerely hope she does.

Anyway, I don't think I have any new pics. Sorry.

Mattox and Me

Gigi is keeping Mati Claire for me this week just for fun...which means its just me and Mattox (and Matt when he's home)! Mattox has been fussy lately - screaming and not sleeping well. I think he started teething! Lord help me! Not already! As soon as he started sleeping 8+ hours, oh lets throw some teeth in there!

I am having fun planning his first Halloween costume! Its taking alot of time to put together and alot of ebay watching. Still waiting for MC to tell me what she wants to be...but I'm pretty sure it will be related to Disney. Here's the 4 month pic of Mattox from Jeanelle. He weighs 17 pounds and is wearing 9 month pajamas already! Seriously, I may have to sell all of his clothes that I bought earlier because they aren't going to fit him. I bought age and season appropriate. That boy loooovves to eat. As fussy as he is...I want to hug and kiss him all day long! Can't get enough of him!

Pink M&M's

Allow me to do a little endzone celebration dance here:

1. Mati Claire is now officially potty trained! (In my definition of the word). About a week ago she started waking up dry from her nap...then waking up dry in the mornings. A solid week of waking up dry. I was in shock. If you haven't been reading my blog or don't know me that well, I have exhausted every form of bribe known to man. I started trying to potty train when she turned 2...and she decides to do this the week of her 3rd birthday! 1 year of pure (for lack of better word) #2!!! Don't get me wrong, she still has rare accidents. Out of the blue and I have no idea where she saw these - she asked for pink m&m's as her 'reward'. When you're sitting in front of her and wanting to praise her --she asks for the one thing that I don't have... pink ones. So one phone call to Gigi and wahlah - we have pink m&m's!!! and purple. Maybe pink is her signature color!

2. Mati Claire slept in her 'big girl' bed today! After my family left Friday, I was putting clean sheets on all the beds upstairs. Of course MC likes to "help" me = jump on the bed or climb in the sheets after I've made them up. So once again, out of the blue, she asks "can I nap in that bed?" For those of you who don't know us well...yes, she is 3 and still sleeping in her crib until today! She took a 2 hour nap without screaming or crying or getting out. She asked to sleep there again tonight - so we will see how it goes. I have high hopes.

3. Mattox is sleeping (more nights than not) around 8 hours! I consider that a full nights sleep, right? My and MC's definition is closer to 10-12 hours...but who's counting? hehee

4. Mati Claire is finally feeling better. She ran a fever for 2 days earlier this week and then followed it with a case of pink eye. Carly told me once that MC's eyes looked like M&M's...yep 2 little pink M&M's. Lets cross our fingers that I or Mattox don't get it. But I'm just glad she's feeling better - it was awful to see her eyes swollen the morning of her actual birthday.

5. Happy 3rd Birthday MC and happy 4 months Mattox! I love you more than words... and more than pink M&M's.

3 x the fun

Happy Birthday to our Princess!

3 Pretty princesses!

The only official 3 year olds!

Attempt at a family picture...of course its hard to get everyone to look at the camera

MC's birthday present from us!

His first time to get in the pool! My little shark!

Miss Rachel painted her nails and toes for the first time!!!

My little prince charming! Such a sweetie!

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Mati Claire is turning THREE this week! Happy Birthday! She got so excited that my family was here visiting that she made herself sick... seriously. She's been running a fever since yesterday. No other symptoms though. She LOVES all of her cousins. We have been in the pool, playing outside, watching movies upstairs, or eating ice cream all week. Love these lazy days of summer!

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My other baby is leaving 3 months behind and will be 4 months on Friday! oh my... time is flying by! He is not napping well, but I'm not complaining - he sleeps all night!!!! He went swimming for the first time yesterday and he was adorable kicking his feet in the water.

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I was reminiscing about MC being 3 months old so I decided to look back at the blog when she was around that age. I found this pic and decided to compare it to Mattox now:

Too funny right? Kerigan, Kennedy, MC, and Mattox all wore that onesie!!!