Author: maggie

Well, for those of you not keeping track, Jack’s YouTube hits are near 1000 and his popularity is only gaining. He is now the only known being that can get a REAL laugh out of Miller. She’ll give me or her Daddy a good “huh” with a smile every now and then, and she’ll laugh a little at Wilson if I chase him with her in my arms, but to get a good rolling laugh, the dog is required. He went in her room this afternoon when she woke up from her nap and she just sat on the floor and laughed at him for existing- he wasn’t even doing anything. So, since I’m assuming all reading this are of the non-canine variety, you probably have never heard a good laugh from her and will probably enjoy video proof that she can be entertained . . .

The Mario Cart tournament, lawn mower tug of war, and fellowship were a blast. Thanks for coming over, guys!!

Here is Miller, enjoying her new jumpy chair. I can’t seem to ever catch her on camera, but her favorite thing to do in it is to lean her back, like in the picture above, and gnaw on the strap behind her head. We have other toys for this express purpose, but apparently THIS is what strikes her fancy. She does have one tooth (I guess that’s what it is!) coming through on the side of her mouth sort of at the bottom of her gum- sort of a little spike. It also looks like the bottom two are about to make an appearance.

This post is much over due, we actually completed the work on this room in mid May. This was probably the least labor intensive makeover a room in this house will receive. The only things we did were remove the old carpet, stain the concrete underneath, and rearrange some furniture. And the latest updated room in the new house is . . . . MY STUDIO! I’m so excited to have a place to work on projects and be able to stop in the middle and not have to clean up so we can use our kitchen table for dinner or our dining room table for guests. It’s really great to have a dedicated space for all my junk, and all my junk to be within my reach (instead of on the top shelf of the laundry room like it was in the old house where painting/crafting involved me jumping on top of the washing machine to pull supplies down on my head!) Wilson has also enjoyed being able to work at the table while I work on the computer and we’ve both enjoyed having a spot that’s big enough for us sit side by side and do things together. (Jack is also enjoying his little corner where his bed and his basket with food/water bowls and toys are). Without further ado . . .

After:

Of special interest in the above pictures is my new easel. It was a gift from my sweet husband for our 6th anniversary this year. Thank you, thank you and happy 6 years, babe!!

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.

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

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!