a day at the Fort Worth zoo

Yesterday, Lance and I decided to take Maddox to the zoo.
The weather was absolutely perfect and it was 1/2 price day, so how can you beat that?!
We invited my little sister to come along, and we all had a great day together.
Typically Wednesdays are their busiest day of the week, and with the 78 degree weather-- we thought we would be fighting a crowd, but there was hardly anyone there.
It was amazing.
A perfect day.
(the boys are outside, being boys right now-- so I thought I would post a few pics from our day!)

We saw a ton of animals, and didn't have to wait to see any of them.  The weather was great and a lot of them were playing.  Maddox got a good kick out of the elephant playing with the log and we thought the wresting white tigers were pretty cool!

My flash bounced back off of the glass, (the unbelievably filthy glass) of the white tiger cage, but I think it made for a neat picture!

The new Mola reptile center is great.  I love looking at snakes.  (Caged snakes, that is!) And the HUGE crocodile they have on exhibit is quite impressive.  I hate that I didn't get a pic of him.

I sent my sister into the bird cage with Maddox since I am deathly afraid of birds, but I could not get a good picture of them from the outside.
Pictures trumped fear, when I decided-- I was going in!
Though my heart rate was probably around 200bpm, I'm glad I conquered my fear.
I wish I had gotten a better picture of Maddox when a bird would land on his stick-- but he would panic (as would I) so those shots are all a straight blur!

This morning we talked about some of the animals we saw...

I videoed Maddox's response:

 

bla bla blaaaaa.... :)

Maddox wanted tomato soup for breakfast this morning. 
He had to settle with waffles and milk.
Mornings are our absolute favorite time of the day with him.
He's hilarious.

I love him to pieces!
 
Our next few weeks are going to be jammed pack and full of fun!

• This Friday, November 12, one of Lance's oldest and best friends, Luke Williams is getting married.  Stephanie (his fiance) has poured her blood, sweat, and tears to this night-- and I am so excited to go.  It will be amazing!
• Crazy thing about Luke, his mom (Janna) and my mom are best friends and I also grew up with him since I was tiny.  We laugh, because Lance and I had to have been around each other as kids, but apparently weren't impressed!  Janna told my mom from the start, though it was weird to her-- she knew Lance would be good to me.  And she was right!

• Next Wednesday, the 17th, we find out the sex of our tiny peanut!  I still go back and forth with what I think it is.  And no matter which side of the margin I am on, I am absolutely sure I'm right in that moment!  (9 days we will know for sure!!)
• The following Thursday is Thanksgiving, and Lord I love me some Thanksgiving grub!! 
• And then Black Friday shopping!!!!  (Although, we **hope** Lance will be on days by then-- meaning, I will lose my best BF shopping partner)  :(
• The week after, December 2nd, is mine and Lance's 4 year wedding anniversary. 
• It also marks 9 years of us together as a pair.  (I always feel like I should get some credit for the 5 years prior to marriage.  I guess it is my fault, since I refused to get married forever, but nonetheless 9 years it is!)
• That weekend, December 4th, another of Lance's old friends, Joey Dennis, is graduating from University of Texas.  This guy had a fall from a balcony about 10 years ago and was comatose for a long while.  The way I understand it, he wasn't expected to wake up, then never talk, nor walk, etc... but through the grace of God and tons of rehabilitation he has defied all the odds and will graduate with a degree from one of the most difficult colleges in Texas!  (How awesome is that?!) Anyway, he invited us to be a part of his special day-- so we are going to try and make an entire "anniversary get-away" weekend out of it!  And another of Lance's best friends, Zack Smith, and his wife Katie are going to make the trip with us.  I can only expect this weekend to be a blast!
• I have nothing on my calendar the following week... but that doesn't mean there's nothing there!
• December 18th is our tacky Christmas sweater party.  Last year's was historic, and will be tough to out-do, but we are excited to try!!
• And then.... its... CHRISTMAS!!!!  (which just gets more and more exciting as Maddox gets older)
• Yesterday, while laying in bed, Lance asked Maddox, "What would like Santa Clause to bring you?"  Maddox replied, "nothing Daddy."  Lance said, "well, what do you think Santa should bring mommy?" and without hesitation, he said, "a drums, a b-tar, a monica, and Buzz Whiteyear!"  He's so thoughtful.
• And finally New Years.  No wine for me this year, but hopefully we still hang with good company! :)

I have had hell finding a dress for the wedding.  
I am somewhere between skinny and pregnant.
In the morning I look like this:  (this morning)

By by evening I look pregnant. (last night)

 

Which made dress shopping incredibly difficult!  3 days (all at different times of the day), tons of dresses...

 I narrowed it down to these 3.  (my favorites left to right; my mom's favorite right to left!)

I went with the dress in the center, it was dressier.  And I will just wear my winter-white pea coat there, if it is freezing.
But now I think I am regretting not going with my favorite.  The wedding is a formal affair, and none of these fall into the 'formal' category, but the center dress is more formal than the navy one.

Just envision:

the navy one. 

with a black cuff boots or high ankle pumps.

black tights.

and a black blazer.

I dig.

My husband does most of our house work.
I appreciate all that he does.
I equally was as bad of a house wife during Maddox's pregnancy.
I am lucky to have married a man who helps so much.

We see critters every single day!

I took this picture of a friendly coyote from my kitchen window a few mornings ago.

We see deer every night.

A few nights ago, a 10 point buck hopped in front of my car.  Luckily I was literally going 5 mph, but it just stopped in front of my car and was in no hurry to get off of the road.  

I yelled, "WOW!  LOOK MADDOX!!!" He looked, but out his window to the right, rather than out the front window and wouldn't you know, that was right where a skunk was sitting!

He excited replies back, "Ohhh, how cute... a baby caccoon!"

I got a good kick out of it and made him call my mom and repeat it!

I got the grandma gifts in the mail!

I think they are perfect!

I am so excited to give them, and wish I could post a picture...

but that would totally ruin the surprise!

I had the worst indigestion last night.

I felt like I was being stabbed from the inside out, from under my ribs.

There was a short time I thought I was going to need to go to the ER.
(which is big... since I have not been to an ER as a patient since I was probably 10)

I have had indigestion every day now for almost 2 weeks... I never had it with Maddox.

But never in my life had I experienced gas pain like that.

If the wife's tale serves true;

this baby better come out looking like a native American-- braids down to it's bottom.

I refuse to go through that kind of pain with no reward. ;)

Maddox's imagination is endless...

Last night he and I went spotlighting in the field in front of our house.

We were searching for caccoons and moose.  We didn't see either of them. :(

A year ago, this would have stressed me out:

 

Making castles, all of one color.

But I never worry about autism anymore.  [look at that momma-growth, would you?!]
Especially when I also have this to work with!

(Buzz wearing my shoes)

 And my marching soldier!

Maddox hates for Lance to go to work.
He stands on the porch crying, but says, "I love you daddy!  Be careful"  "Don't forget ye phone, and you glasses!"
It breaks my heart.
This morning they drove around and threw rocks into the tank before Lance had to leave.
Last week, Lance let him do this before work:
I'm not sure that I am a fan!  (But the blade was NOT on and Lance was within 2 steps of him the entire time-- and I am pretty sure those little power wheels things go faster!) 

I miss coffee.
I crave it daily.
I had a glass once this pregnancy, and felt like I was on skitz.
Horrible!
Maybe I should invest in a Starbucks decaf... but that just feels like an empty purchase.
Someone please bring me some to the hospital!  ;)

He's a funny one

I wish I had a camera on Maddox at all times because he is so hilarious!

A few days ago, I got out of the bathtub and put only a gown on... Maddox grabbed my robe and it popped open.  He gasped, and said, "Mommy, I see you weenie!!  You need you panties on!"
--Lance too gasped, after 9 years together, this is the first he heard of my weenie!!  ;)

I decided this week that I need to get back to recording him, rather than just still shots-- but it is hard to capture his complete personality because when he does something worth recording, I have to make him re-record it, and prompt him for whatever cracked me up the first time....
But you'll get the idea... He's still funny!

You should live with this boy, whatever he hits us with is always completely out of the blue.
And 9 times out of 10, we can't even tell you where he came up with it!

Like this robot, (see video below) electronic-voice and all... where does he come up with this stuff?!

And last night, he was talking about his instruments... (see video below)
He loves to play the "b-tar" the piano and the drums... and he carries around a blue booger sucker to use as his "mic-a-phone".
But the "monica" and the banjo were new to the instrument discussion!

(for whatever reason, Blogger video upload was not working for this video, I had to upload it through youtube)

Maddox's one man band