Silent is Deadly

You know something is not right when it's quiet. Merrick is never quiet. If such an event happens, it hits you all of a sudden. *WHY is it QUIET?!* Usually I can just let Merrick play in his room...it's always very loud, I can hear what he's crashing/beating/throwing. I can see him from my room, and part of his room from the kitchen. But earlier tonight, while I was sitting at the desk paying some bills...it was quiet. :) I realized it all of a sudden, and jumped out of my chair to see what was wrong. He was sitting behind his dinosaur pool with a bottle of lotion. There was a suspicious ring *of lotion* around his mouth. Gross! At dinner tonight he used his banana for hand cream, and now he's eating lotion. Huh? Earlier in the afternoon he had managed to do this:He had tried to scale his crib to get to his blankie. He was stuck hanging off the side of it, and couldn't get back down. I would say "that will teach him not to do that", but I know it won't. :) It'll be way too quiet again before I know it.

Ali's Ball Game

We went to one of Ali's softball games tonight after work. I didn't watch much, because I was chasing this little guy around:
But I did get a few pictures of "Aunt Ali" playing ball. Maybe one day soon it will be Merrick out there playing. :)

The Scream Heard Round the World Take 2

I thought that going to my mom's house would help me to escape my bug trauma. I am aware that there are bugs everywhere, but I just needed a break from MY bugs. So, we drive over to Mom's house...and are hanging out with the aunties and Cam. I had run by Food Lion before going to mom's to pick up stuff for dinner, and bought myself a Diet Dr. Pepper, which I LOVE. I pour a big glass and go out on the porch with Merrick and everyone else. Abby is tanning, Luke is mowing, Cam is irritating, ;)...nothing out of the ordinary. I was walking down the porch when it got me. Minding my OWN business I tell you, and a wasp with very bad directions runs into MY shoulder and stings me. Like I had anything to do with it? :) I scream, spill my soda all over the porch*sniff, sniff*, and run inside like a big baby. *I thought the wasp was IN my shirt, and actually had the precense of mind, for once when it comes to bugs, NOT to fling off my clothes in front of everyone.* Ugh...today is not my day. Then Cameron found this... I wouldn't ordinarily photograph bugs, but he insisted. I was too creeped out to take anything good. *I SO want a macro lens! :)* Billy has been getting updates about my trauma today, and I am sure he thinks I've officially lost it. *I might have. After all I did threaten hysterically to move out this morning when I found my little friend on my pillow ;)* He sent me a picture of what he called "wife bait", to try to keep me from changing addresses. It JUST might work...

The Scream Heard Round the World

So I have diagnosed myself with this:

Entomophobia:: (also known as insectophobia) is a common fear of or aversion to insects and similar arthropods, and even other "bugs", such as worms. Commonly, this condition might be referred to as the "fear of insects or bugs". This condition causes a slight to severe emotional reaction, a form of anxiety or a panic attack.

Not really, but it's pretty close. :) We have been noticing an increasing bug *shivers just thinking the word* problem around our house. I clean, I scrub, I stomp, I cry, I yell, I threaten, all to no avail. We are renting a rather, um, "seasoned" house, which we really like, out in the woods. :) As the weather has gotten warmer the bugs have decided to take up residence in my house. Anyone who knows me well knows my general reaction to a bug: screaming and acting a fool, calling Billy to kill it, all without conscious thought about embarrassing myself, which I'm sure I do. I really couldn't care less how ridiculous I look at the time; I'm really not thinking about it. Haha. So last night when we arrived home from church, our back porch light had attracted an entire nation of assorted creepy crawlies, and they had snuck into my kitchen. OH, THE NERVE! :) I cried, and hid in our bedroom where it seemed safest, while Billy proceeded to rid our kitchen of the little nasties. This morning was the last straw. I awoke to find I had company, ON MY PILLOW! I don't know what kind of bug it was, how it got there, what it did to me in my sleep, or where it crawled. *gagging and twitching* I don't want to know, either. I just know my scream probably woke the dead...or at least Cam, who was staying on our couch. I cried for, well, I'm not telling. :) I think I've embarrassed myself enough for one day. I'm calling Orkin, or maybe moving to the North Pole. They don't have bugs, right?

My Trip to the Doctor/Merrick's Disappearing Act

Today was, yet another, trip to the Doctor's office. I am far enough along *29 weeks!* that I am going to be seeing the Dr every 2 weeks now. Things are going well with baby Tirzah and I. They told me at my last appointment that I have anemia *not a huge surprise, I've been anemic several times before this as well* and I need to start taking an iron supplement. Gross...cheeseburgers sound like a much better remedy to me. :) My Dr also told me that everything is still looking good for a VBAC, however, she does not induce in my situation *attempted VBAC* and at 41 weeks will do a section if I have not gone into labor myself. --> T Minus 41 Weeks YIKES. I about cried, even though I already knew most of this information, seeing as induction is generally frowned upon for VBAC candidates. Please keep us in your prayers, that little lady comes on her own, and follows her brother's example and arrives pre-due date. :) There could be worse news, but c-sections are no fun, and I'd rather leave that as a 1 time experience.

On a less medical, but more embarrassing, note...we went to Best Buy following my appointment just to browse around for camera stuff. We found these awesome carts that are great for keeping hyperactive little boys entertained while you shop. Merrick loved it, and so did we.

UNTIL...we stopped to look at the new iPod's. Merrick managed to escape from the cart without either Billy or I noticing. *Horrible parent moment* We didn't realize he was missing until we both noticed someone's small blond child running loose in the store. Yes, our child. Oops. He had really only been loose for about 30 seconds, thankfully. But we were horrified and humiliated all the same. How did we NOT notice? He can be very quiet, when up to no good. :) They make buckles in carts for a reason: Merrick Wilder.

Where is that kid's mother?!

Standing right beside him I promise. And he was quickly strapped in following this picture since he can't be trusted not to act a fool in a shopping cart. ;)

Wardrobe Malfunction

I got home from work yesterday and Merrick was wearing this. The aunties had let him go outside without his shirt. *He was under an umbrella because he's a little on the pasty side* When he came back in he spotted a pair of snow boots that he wanted to try out. They're a little big, but when your outfit is this ridiculous I don't think that matters anymore. :)

After the Rain...

Just playin' around with my camera...these are some pictures I took outside tonight after the storm.

Loud Mouth

This was on the way home from church tonight. No Merricks were harmed during the making of this video...he was just yelling to hear himself yell. :)

Dirty Car? Clean it up!

The carwash today was a great success! Thanks to everyone who donated, or who brought their car out to keep 180 busy! :) We are all a little sunburned and tired, and smell like soap, but glad that we were able to raise some money towards our trip to camp this summer. Here are some pictures of the students:

Pre-Carwash

We're going to have yet another busy weekend! This weekend is 180's car wash fundraiser. *Bring your car out and help us get to camp! We'll be @ Chubby's!* But today Billy, Merrick and I took advantage of the awesome weather and played outside/washed our cars. Here are some pics from today.

You don't take a photograph. You ask, quietly, to borrow it. ~Author Unknown
I didn't take this gorgeous pic...but I've been spending more time on my photography lately, and it made me feel very inspired so I thought I'd share. Hope everyone is enjoying the awesome spring colors wherever you are. I did take this one though...of my silly boy taking his bath tonight! :)

Half-Dressed Hide & Seek

Not as bad as it sounds...haha. Merrick had a *accident* today while we were at work, and we were caught without extra pants. He was playing in the conference room with the aunties, in his diaper, trying to hide in the cabinet. Goofball. :)

~1 John 2:25~

We hope everyone had a wonderful Easter yesterday...minus missing church *me and Merrick stayed home just to be safe from spreading potential leftover germs* ours was awesome. We spend the afternoon with my family: eating, playing ball, laughing and more eating, and reminiscing about aunt Leigh (yesterday was her birthday as well). It was good to be with family, and we are grateful to be healthy again! Here are some pictures *as always, cuz I can't put down my camera* from yesterday!

Sick Day

Merrick sits still at exactly 2 points in his day-to-day life: 1) When he's sleeping, and 2) When he's sick. Today was #2. :( Our little guy has been under the weather today, with some kind of stomach bug. Yesterday we should have known something wasn't right when he puked on the putt-putt green. Gross. We thought, at the time, it was just heat and being tired. But he threw up once more yesterday, and twice today. The Dr told us not to give him much to eat at once, but I caved and gave him a whole waffle this morning. *Most likely the reason for the first round of vomit...I just felt so bad because he was crying and pointing at the pantry. I didn't make that mistake the rest of the day, and so far so good.* We mostly just hung out around the house today, eating cheerios and Gatorade, and watching Disney movies. Sick or not, he won't sit still to watch TV for long. Here are a few pictures of our "sick day":

Putt-Putt with 180

This week this students from church are on spring break...so we decided to get together and play some miniature golf. The weather was awesome, we were a little worried about being rained out for awhile, and everyone behaved themselves. *Except for Cameron and Billy :)* We stopped at Dairy Queen afterwards, where Zach decided to tell jokes loud enough for everyone in the restaurant to hear. *Even the employees, who were laughing and asking him to tell another one* Here are some pictures from the trip!

Also, since I can't stop taking pictures of him, and think he's just so stinkin' handsome, here are a few of my wild man! :)