The Food Saga and Mattie's crush

If you know Riley, you know his diet and how picky he is. Well, you might know he is picky but not quite all in entails. For instance, his main food staples are pizza (the cheese has to be taken off- he used to like it but a few months ago stopped), chicken nuggets but only certain kinds, quesadillas (but he picks them apart), and once in awhile a "jelly" sandwich. He does eat some other stuff like fruit, yogurt, apple sauce, chips, pretzels, some bread, crackers etc.. He doesn't like the way melted cheese looks so it either has to be hidden or removed. He won't eat any meat (other than chicken nuggets), vegetables or pasta.

Several months ago, Vern and I forced him to eat macaroni and cheese, meaning we held him down and made him eat some. Needless to say he threw up every where it was not just a little bit but tons and tons and it was awful. So, I'm gun shy about forcing food down him. Yet I know he needs more variety and needs to try stuff. So Vern came up with a food chart. Each time he eats something other than- chicken nuggets, pizza, or quesadilla he will get a line. At the top is a picture of the Disneyland castle. We are hoping that by being motivated to try and eat some different foods he will learn to like some other things.

So far, he's made it to the 10% line

It's been interesting. The other night he took a bite of lasagna. Which is huge for him because it had stringy melted cheese, meat and pasta. He got half a line because it was only one bite but still it was progress. Other times he will not try things. Tonight he ate a cheese burger! Including the meat! I was so excited!

Mattie has her first crush. It's kind of funny and kind of scary because she's so little! She is crazy about our friend Joe. Whenever she sees him she is trying to get his attention, smiling little flirty smiles, trying to get by him. One time she even felt his muscles. We were all in hysterics laughing when she did that! Joe is so nice too, he will carry her around and even chase her when it is needed like the other day in Cosco when she took off running. It's really funny to see. We will ask her if she wants to go see Joe and she nods her head yes and smiles. I can only imagine what she's going to be like as a teenager...

Mattie and Joe

In Charge

We've had kind of an unusual weekend for us. We've stayed at home and worked on things that needed to be done! Gasp. Vern has lots of school stuff he has been working on and I worked on a picture book for Mattie and organizing our pictures.

Since I was going through pictures I found some cute ones of Mattie and Riley. Its too bad I wasn't blogging awhile ago. I have tons of cute pictures of them when they were littler.

I took Mattie to Sam's Club with me to pick up the pictures and some groceries. It was the best behaved she's ever been in Sam's Club. She wouldn't sit in the cart for very long but she was still good. She and I went around and ate samples.

When we got home she seemed to switch from good Mattie to bad Mattie. She kept going up to Riley and scratching him and pulling his hair. Repeatedly after we told her not to. Vern kind smacked her hand (not hard) and told her to go sit in time out. She walked over to the chair and stood there for a minute. Then went up behind Vern while he was getting something out of the fridge and kind spanked his bottom but not hard. She thought it was hilarious. Then, she ran over and pulled the cord to the t.v. out of the wall. She knows she is not supposed to do this (she's been to timeout several times for this reason). After she pulled it out, she kind of spanked/tapped her own bottom. I guess she thinks she's old enough to discipline herself and that she is completely in charge of herself.

Riley's Shadow

Mattie is Riley's shadow. Now, since I'm an only child, I don't quite understand how the whole brother/sister relationship really works. I am only beginning to understand how it might have been to have a sibling. Mattie tries to do everything Riley does. Also, I know I've mentioned this before, but she wants everything he has. The other day I had both their clothes laid out. I told Riley to put on his clothes (I usually have to tell him several times before he actually gets dressed). While he was coming up with excuses as to why he couldn't get dressed, Mattie put on his clothes including his underwear and would not let me take them off. She had her own pile of clothes but she wanted his. Today she was helping me do laundry and every time she came to a paid of Riley's underwear she put them on. She ended up with 5 pairs of his underwear on. You have to hand it to Riley for being patient with her. He is a really good brother to her.

Mattie in the underwear

We found Riley's Halloween costume- Batman! The challenge is going to be keeping it clean and intact until Halloween. I put it away up in my closet, hopefully he doesn't find it. I still need to find Mattie something. I waited until the last minute last year and she ended up with a lamb costume from Savers. Not happening this year.

Mountains

We went up to Vern's parents cabin on Thursday for Labor Day weekend. We didn't actually get up there until late Thursday night after stopping at my parents house, Vern's parents, Degen's house, R and R Pizza and Wal Mart. But finally we made it just it time for bed!

The next day which was Friday, Grandpa had one of his famous lists for the boys (and Mattie) to get done. This list was full of fun stuff though! The boys had to go to slide rock, Treasure Island, pick an apple and I can't remember what else... maybe roast marsh mellows or something like that.

The boys sliding down slide rock

Riley on slide rock

Mattie on slide rock

Riley at Treasure Island

Mattie with her sucker she got for a prize from Grandpa

The boys were so excited to be with each other and be in the mountains. We were on our way to Cluff Dairy to pick apples. You have to walk down into the dairy and Riley and I were bringing up the rear. We had gotten to the point where we could see the apple trees and some of the boys were starting to pick apples. I heard Caeson screaming and I couldn't tell if he was hurt or playing or what. Then Maddux was screaming and then Parker started screaming. All of the sudden everyone was running towards us and those three boys were running around screaming hysterically and I knew it was serious. The first one I got close to was Parker. He was hysterical and grabbing his legs. Then I saw bites and heard that it was bees. Meat bees to be exact. Maddux ended up having eight bees just in his hair and he had them in his pants and his shoes. I am glad Riley and I were slow getting to the dairy. Those poor boys. I don't think they will ever want to go back to Cluff's Dairy and neither do I!

The boys in the back of Grandpa's truck on the way to Cluff Dairy to pick apples before the attack

Other fun stuff we did at the mountains included playing on the tire horse swing Grandpa made, riding four wheelers, making forts, riding in Grandpa's truck, playing cards (my favorite) and of course Riley's favorite playing heroes with his cousins. He was always Batman. We took our camp trailer and stayed in it. It was nice to have the extra space and I am sure everyone in the cabin was glad we were in the trailer too when Mattie screamed to the top of her lungs every night before she fell asleep.

Perry cabin on the Grahams

Riley with his sock gloves and Mattie on the 4-wheeler

Connor and Mattie

Sunday night we had tortilla soup, dutch oven tater tot casserole, and dutch oven sweet and sour chicken for dinner. It was very yummy! However, all the boys had cereal. Notice I say boys- Mattie had sweet and sour chicken and the casserole.

So, the blog wouldn't be complete if I didn't mention something funny that Riley said. I was changing Mattie's diaper and she was running around with just her shirt on (sometimes its impossible to get the diaper back on her). Riley was watching her and said, "Mom Mattie has a little weenie, it just hasn't come out yet!" Vern's like, um no she doesn't, she's a girl. Good times here at the Perry's.