We Have New Neighbors

As mentioned a few posts earlier, we have new neighbors. It has been so fun to have a family from our church and a whole family of friends so close by. There is always a playmate when we need one (or someone to wrangle dead squirrels should that need arise, but I don't know why you'd need someone with those skills . . . oh wait). They have a little boy, Wilkes, that's Wilson's age and Wilkes has an older sister, Brook. Wilson is always asking to go over to Wilkes's house. You be the judge of who he actually wants to see. . .

This was taken the first time Wilson found out Wilkes had a sister. We were at their house to swim in Wilkes's new inflatable pool. All the other boys were shooting each other with water guns. "But where's Wilson?" Ah, laying out with Brook.

And this was taken today at the pool. I had taken the camera to get some pictures of Miller in the pool because I had forgotten it when she went for the first time. Wilson asked if he could take some pictures and I said sure and handed him the camera. So, I pose with Miller and smile while also talking with Wilkes's and Brook's mamma. I notice after a few seconds Wilson has never said, "cheese". I look over and realize that I'd have a better shot of being in a picture on the red carpet at the Oscars than I would to be in anything taken by my son.

The other day we were walking to their house to retrieve a forgotten toy and on the way Wilson asked if he could play at Wilkes's house. I told him that we could not invite ourselves but that we could ask Wilkes to come play at our house. He responded with a shrug of the shoulders and, "or we could ask Brook, too . . . whatever."

Don't get me wrong. Wilkes is great for a sword fight or a car race. But if Brook's around, well, it's definitely a tough call for poor little Wilson.

And then there were THREE

I left Wilson, Miller, and Phil at home by themselves for the first time a few weeks ago to go to Bible study. I guess in an attempt to prove to me that they could take care of the baby, Wilson and Phil took a few pictures.

Wilson can feed Miller- and take his job quite seriously too, I might add

Daddy can feed Miller, too- although not so seriously

I love Wilson's photography compositions

My First 29th Birthday

You know, you get to an age where you have to continue with life as usual whether it's your birthday or not. Diapers have to be changed, birthday or not. Spilled milk has to be wiped, tears have to be dried, screams have to be screamed (your's and your children's) whether it's your birthday or not. And while you wouldn't trade it for the world, it's real easy to get up, fold a hundred loads of laundry and then realize, wait a minute, this is my birthday. Shouldn't I be Queen for the day today? In a wonderful attempt at heading off the depression that can ensue on such a birthday, my sweet friend Jamie took me and the kids to lunch- it would have been more successful had she not asked if I was actually turning 30 . . . but whatever. Just kidding, James! thanks so much for getting us out of the house and then hanging out for the afternoon with us while you waited for your AC repairman to come (another highlight of mommydom- wrangling 2 kids, pregnant with the 3rd while you wait for someone to show up "between 1:00 and 5:00" with no air conditioning in June in MS!) We went to a new deli and then the kids played in the outdoor fountain before coming back to our house for a change of clothes and some yummy b'day cake leftover from my mamma's family celebration earlier in the week.

I also got a very special gift. Wilson and Phil went to a bead store and Wilson picked out some beads and made me a "millipede bracelet". It's really pretty bright blue, oblong beads. When it lays flat the beads fall to either side of the wire they're strung on, and it looks like the legs of a millipede to Wilson. They also had some pink beads made into earrings from Miller.

Thanks, everyone for a great first 29th birthday- I feel very loved!

Memorial Day '08

As promised . . . Memorial Day pictures:

Aunt Ashley and "Baby" Adam meeting Miller for the first time
Wilson getting a little lovey in Chick fil A
Anything You Can Do I Can Do Better
Adam and Wilson playing Legos
Wilson hanging out with Pat Pat & Paw's dog, Dixie.

A few minutes after this was taken Wilson looked at me and said, "Dixie licked me . . . I'm gonna lick her back." And he did.
Miller and Matthew having a Hawaiian fashion show

Better Late Than Never

I've gotten a little behind in posting lately. Oh sure, you knew about squirrel #2 hours after it happened, but how can I keep that kind of fun to myself. What I'm behind on are all of our day to day things- hopefully I'll get Memorial Day pictures posted before the Forth!

New to me

This came in the mail today. We'll take one of everything. Of special interest is this- I can't think of a better way to spend $109 on a 5 month old! Baby clothes that need to be dry cleaned- as Phil would say, "it's the answer to a question nobody asked"! But still, how cute is that!?

Here We Go Again. . .

I just got out of the shower. When I first got in I was running my hair under the water thinking this is nice. One kiddo is napping, the other is playing, I'm getting a shower- in the morning. And then I suddenly realized, something is missing. I was pretty anxious about this shower and had a nagging need to hurry up and get in the shower while said kiddos were occupied. Why was I in such a hurry . . . what have I forgotten . . . was there somewhere I was supposed to be? No . . . someone else is supposed to be in here! Jack is supposed to be getting a bath.

Why, you might ask, is it worth ruining the perfect shower scenario with a dog, how dirty could he be?

He could be covered in ashes and squirrel blood- that's how dirty he could be.

I ran out and called him into the shower for his bath.

Earlier this morning I was dressing Miller in her room and heard a bit of a commotion downstairs. This was the distinct commotion of Jack "finding something". Honestly I thought the something was probably in our yard, so I ran downstairs to save our blinds from his excitement. I hit the bottom stair only to see him doing an all too familiar dance in the fireplace. Not 15 minutes later out came a small rodent. It was stunned and so was Jack. Jack quickly recovered and went after it. The last thing I heard as I ran screaming was the crunching of bones. Ahhhhhhh

I tried to call Phil, but he couldn't get to his phone. So, I looked out the window and saw that both cars at our sweet new neighbor's house were both there. Fortunately they are also friends from church, so I didn't mind calling at 7:30 in the morning for help. They also are partners in our quest against the squirrel world. I'm not sure if Will and Phil spend more time shooting squirrels or doing yard work. But I do know that Will was in his driveway sporting a bathrobe and cheering Phil on yesterday morning as Phil picked yet another one off on his way to work! So Will's sweet wife sends him down to save us from the dead vermin in my den. They have now been bumped up to REALLY good friends because Will has seen me in my pajamas with no makeup on. But that's okay, because I've seen him running like a mad man down the street wielding a broom, golf club, and pellet gun. We're even. He came prepared to inflict blunt force trauma, take a clean shot through my living room, and/or takle any wiley dust bunnies under my sofa. I honestly couldn't be more thrilled. I had not even put my contacts in yet, so I wasn't really sure if we had a baby squirrel, rat, or chipmunk, but I did know that there was blood- Wilson had been running back and forth between the den and my bedroom to give me updates. Will scooped up the baby squirrel carcass with his golf club and I held out a Kroger bag with my eyes closed. He left with his arsenal and the bagged corpse after checking the chimney for any siblings still hanging on. So, I was left with the dog still hopping around in the fireplace (I'm pretty sure there's still something else up there) and a small pool of blood on the floor. Anyone know the correct home cleaning products for removing squirrel blood from stained concrete? I chose antibacterial Windex and Clorox Anywhere.

Will, I'm not sure if Hallmark has a "Thank you, neighbor, for saving us from the wildlife that fell out of our chimney and was subsequently killed by our dog" section, but if they do, I'll be sending you a card. Just in case they don't:

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!

Jack, less than thrilled about being hauled into the shower. I told him we take a bath after we murder, it's sort of house rule, but that didn't help his feelings a bit.

Flashback

1980

Maggie

1 year:

2008

Miller

4-1/2 months:

My mom's been cleaning out their attic over the past few days and has found quite a few of our old clothes and toys. Wilson has been over the moon with "new" trucks and cars, my old circus train and airport, my brother's old blocks and countless other toys and games. Every 10 minutes he wants to know what else Granna has in the attic for him. "What else haven't I seen?" We stood at the bottom of the attic as she pulled something out the other day and I had flashbacks of standing in the same spot with my little brother as she pulled down my old cozy coupe for him over 25 years ago. He stood there shaking with anticipation and didn't get out of the car for hours. The only way my mom could get him out for a bath was to promise him that it could be parked right beside him in the bathroom! Wilson stood there with the same quiver saying, "What's it gonna be?" like he was waiting for a prize to be revealed on the Price is Right. It was too fun. While he immersed himself in relics of the late 70's and 80's Miller and I played dress up. She completely filled the dress mom made me for my first birthday! There were so many other sweet things we tried to squeeze into, but apparently the only thing that rivals the growth of the actual weeds in my yard, is little weeds I call my children. Does anyone know if they make "queen size" onesies?