And so it begins

With the hair comments. Seriously people, I realize my kids are destined to have bad hair. But you don't have to comment. I thought I had heard it all with MC. Seems Mattox has the same bad luck. Walking in church yesterday, someone said (and I know he was joking) "he's got a little premature gray going on already." Wow. I have to laugh now. Got my feelings hurt with MC, but there's nothing I can do about it - and no, I haven't heard of a baby hair gel either. Why would I? I love his birthmark! I think its cute! If he chooses to dye it later in life, so be it. Maybe I could invent "Just For Babies" instead of Just for Men.

The school year has begun great! MC loves Mrs. C! and couldn't wait to go back to ballet. Mrs. P said she did much better this week and had no problems with her! yay! Made my day to hear that! I think the greatest part of my day everyday is picking MC up. I get to sit in line and watch her play (without her knowing I'm there). It's so sweet to see her making new friends and interacting with others when I'm not around. She really likes her little brother lately. Always asking to hold him and finally acknowledges his presence. Here are a few pics I managed to take yesterday and today at ballet.

Saturday's Mati Clairism: "Mom, you don't want to ooze da blue." = we can't lose the glue. So she set it on the shelf...of course, we can't lose it.

Oh in case you missed it, here's a LINK to a picture from way back in time! Thank you Erica!

Sarah, Riley, Cooper, Payton, Caroline, MC. (missing Kaytlin)

Sorry this is the best one I got of about 20 pics.

Pure Sugar

I have waited 3 years for this moment. A tear and a smile floated across my face when I got her dressed. I was so proud, jealous, envious, and living vicariously for 45 minutes. Mati Claire had her first ballet lesson yesterday. Oh if I could be 3 years old again. Unfortunately her teacher told me that she cried through most of it. I almost cried to hear that. She thought she was overwhelmed. MC did have a big "new" day yesterday: new school, new friends, new teachers, new places, new tights, new shoes, you get the idea. Mrs. P was positive that she would do better next week (she did fine as long as she stood next to Mrs. P). Matt and I think that it also had to do with a little attention starvation...she tends to cry and throw these "silent tantrums" when she doesn't get the spotlight...and in the studio she shared it with 10 other little ballerinas. So we are keeping our fingers crossed that next week goes better. I think it will since she will be familiar with what she's doing now. She has asked 100 times to go back to ballet since yesterday. Yay! I only hope that I can be this passionate about whatever Mattox chooses to do. (someone hint to him later that we are big basketball and golf fans - jk ;) Anyway, I got my fill of pure sweetness yesterday afternoon:

Sugar and Spice

Out with the old in with the new! Erica, this one's for you...recognize my old bag?

My attempt at teaching her first position. But she was showing me what she learned.

Preschool

My little girl went to her first day of 3 year old preschool today! We woke up to donuts and I let her wear one of her favorite outfits. She had a great time. I think I accidentally threw away my paper that explained the 'bee color' system...can someone tell me what a green bee means? I know red means bad...so maybe she was good today. The pick up line was insane but they told me that gets better. We topped off the morning with a lunch at ChickFilA! yay! She has her first ballet lesson this afternoon so I will post pics of that tomorrow!

MC, Payton, and Cooper looking over the top

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.