Sweet Home Alabama

 Nelly and Kenny: A Series of Unfortunate Events

 This is the position they agreed on:

 This week I went home to Alabama to babysit for the kids I used to nanny when I lived at home. Their mom and dad went to NYC for fashion week and left me with their three little ones. Here is my dad and Zola showing off their Mercedes Marathon awards. Zola wore hers to church and all day in hopes of someone thinking she was famous because she had an award. Just because no one approached her for an autograph, doesn't mean they weren't thinking about it.

 Believe it or not, I frequented Starbucks every day while in Birmingham. When you are waking up with a baby before the sun rises, well like that redneck comedian says, HERE'S YOUR SIGN!...coffee is a must.   Cool note- our photographer hung some pictures up from our wedding in the Crestline Village Starbucks. Funny story- One morning was really rough and immediately after I got the big two off to school I packed Lowe up in the car, PJs and all and drove us to Starbucks. Disheveled MM +1 were standing in line with about 10 business men and women all suited up and ready for the day. One of our pictures is right when you walk in and I turned Lowe around so she couldn't see it (you see, being the extremely smart two year old that she is, she loves to go through my phone and identify every person in every picture. She will spend hours going through pictures saying, "Kenny, Kenny, Kenny, Nelly, May Mahget and Kenny.".. you get the picture.) Sneaky little Lowe did a total back bend in my arms and as I was just letting her hang there, she froze. She shot up from her backbend and in the highest pitched voice you have ever heard she shrieked, "DATS YEWWWWWW" Now that we  had commanded the full attention of everyone in Starbucks she starts rambling about it being me, and people are starting to look at the picture and look at me. Seeing the bags under my eyes, the unwashed hair, the make up-less face, etc. they just looked at me like "you poor, pitiful soul, carrying around a confused child, looks like you need a venti." Needless to say, I went with the venti. 

 While the big two were at school it was just Baby Lowe and Mary Margaret (and usually my mom).  I loved dressing her up, taking her to parks, and hearing her sing Baby by Justin Bieber (or Dustin Beeba in Lowe talk.)

 My sweet husband and I spent our first Valentines Day AND our 1 year anniversary apart. (No, its not already December, its been one year since we started dating. Dating, engaged and married in one year, I guess that is why we were so stressed last year, lots of changes. but hey, when you know it's right you just gotta go for it.) White hydrangeas are my favorite flower besides peonies and look at what is in that stunning arrangement. Props to the husband for being romantic even though we were 700 miles apart. 

My mom will probably kill me for putting this picture up here, but she has been asking me to blog, so really I blame her. :) One morning my mom and I got in the attic and dusted off a big brown box that hadn't been opened in almost 26 years. That's right, it was her wedding dress. We have heard lots of horror stories recently about your preserved wedding gown being switched and not realizing it until many years later. SO, just out of curiosity, we opened the creepy coffin-like box. Sure enough, it was her dress AND I say it still fits pretty darn well 26 years and 5 babies later. Note- my mom swears those sleeves were stylish 26 years ago.  

                      My smokin hot mom- my dad's grandmother made the dress, cool huh?

I got to spend Friday with my delightful friend Tori, you might know her better as Tordog. We had a great time catching up and then Friday night the 6 Dorrs+1 Dorr gone Byrd spent the night hanging out and watching Big Momma's House. Honey was on strike about me leaving and laid down in protest and refused to move until my flight is changed; I guess she is still laying there! 

I came home to a clean house, a pantry full of groceries, a bathed puppy, and a basket of treats on the table for me. My husband must have some kind of 'how to be an awesome husband' guidebook that he isn't telling me about because everything he does is so selfless and full of love. Real Simple is my favorite magazine, girl scout cookies- enough said, tennis balls- we plan on being an unstoppable force on the tennis court come Spring time, new tweezers- because mine are the worst, and two Dustin Beeba sparkly nail polishes. Success. 

This week taught me a lot being away from Kenny for a whole week and being the full time caregiver of three children. I know you are wondering- what deep thought is Mary Margaret about to throw at me? 

Well, brace yourselves, here it is- I don't want kids for the longest of times. I am more than content with being childless for now and taking care of little sassypants Nelly is more than enough child like caregiving I want to experience for a while... and I so enjoy having Kenny all to myself. Amen. Another deep thought- Taking care of children is the most exhausting and selfless thing in this world. MAJOR props to all you moms and dads out there for being so consistently loving and faithful to your cheerun.