Cicada Killer Wasp

We have unwanted guests in our flower beds right now. I had no idea what they were until I googled them. Cicada killer wasps!

I first noticed them about 3 weeks ago...they are HUGE. Then I noticed about 2 dozen large piles of dirt (they look like ant hills) in our flower beds....but there are large tunnells that lead in and out of them. It is the home of these waps! They apparently rarely sting unless provoked, and should only be here for a few weeks around July or early August. Here's some additional info I found on the web:

"Cicada Killer wasps feed on pollen and nectar, but larval wasps feed on Cicadas. This female Cicada Killer has paralyzed a Cicada with her sting and is dragging it back to her burrow where she will bury it and lay an egg. The developing wasp larva will then feed on the paralyzed Cicada. Being that the Cicada is paralyzed and still alive, it does not harden and dry out so the larval wasp has living fresh meat."

These creatures are very interesting. We have also found a spot in our yard where the wasps are discarding of the cicada carcasses once they are done with them. To be more exact, Stephen and Allie found the pile of dead cicadas....Allie picked one up and brought it over to me in her hand. UGH!

Gabe 5 weeks

Our little man has only been with us for 5 weeks, but already he is changing and growing. These pictures make him look big to me....not so "newborn" anymore. He is doing great. He is a good baby...more content during his awake times and is willing to sit by himself in his swing or bouncy chair. I feel like everytime I blink it is time to feed him again. He eats 3-4 oz. every 2-3 hours. He is doing pretty good at nights...still getting up a bit. Last night he went down at 9:30, ate at 12:30, then 3:00, woke at 4:20, ate at 6:00, and woke for the day at 7:00 am. Not too bad for a 5 week old (I guess, you forget from one child to the next). My help has left (THANKS again to my mom and my mother-in-law) and I am flying solo with both kids....which is going well. I love these kids, but they definitely keep me busy. People tell me "these are the best times of your life", and "enjoy them while they are small"...and I just bite my tongue. Yes, there are great times...and then there are very trying times when I just want to get away...and have some me time. I want to ask those people if they mind babysitting until they are both 18. All joking aside, I love my family and wouldn't trade them for anything.

Mr. Potato Head

***UPDATE***

I was feeding Gabe and Allie brought the Mr. Potato Head glasses over again and put them on Gabe. This time we got a pic! He is such a trooper!

I wish I had a picture to go with this post...

Yesterday Gabe was calmly sitting in his swing and I noticed he was wearing the Mr. Potato Head ridiculous looking red star glasses. Allie had snuck them on him at some point. Too funny....

Sweet home Alabama

Great grandma Dot meeting Gabe for the first time...she was holding Gabe and he started fussing. So she gave him to me and said, "Here, you take him and see if you can make him hush".
Great Grandma Dot reading a book to Allie.

Gabe and Allie feeding ducks.

My friend Gayla! We used to work together in Nashville. She met us at Cracker Barrel for brunch and then came back to my parents house to visit. I miss her so much....it is hard to meet those people in life that just understand you for you. Gayla is one of those people. I miss you and it was great seeing you today. We need to do it more often.

Maw maw playing checkers with Allie at Cracker Barrel.

My sweet Allie

I cannot believe our sweet little girl is 2 1/2 and now a big sister! She is great with Gabe and constantly hugging him saying "love you Gabe". She is doing better, but definitely still adjusting. I have tried to give her plenty of mommy attention, while also letting her see that I have to care for Gabe too. Susan has offered to watch Gabe for me tomorrow morning while Allie and I go to the zoo with our friends. It is hard to find a happy medium when it comes to balancing my time between the two of them. Hopefully this is something that I will get better at over time.

Free Dog

Tan and white beagle mutt....free to a good home.

I have considered opening the front door and saying sayonara to Izzy. She has been horrible dog lately. We came home the other night to her having eaten a pan of brownies. Susan and Allie had made vanilla wafer/peanut butter/dipped in chocoloate/covered with m&m cookies....and Izzy helped herself to 3 of those as well. AND, she will not stay out of the trash cans....I am constantly picking up shredded up diapers. AND, she has destroyed 3 bottles now. After the brownie incident, we were cleaning up the carpets and rugs where she had got sick....multiple times. Funny how pre-kids, we considered Izzy our child. Now, she is just an annoying dog, that I have to deal with. I have had enough. Free to a good...no, ANY...home! (Okay, I am only kidding...but she is on my nerves!).

Sweet big Sis

"One more time"....

Jumping on the bed with her blankets....

Gabe had just burped and Allie thought it was the funniest thing ever....