Evie Darling

I haven't forgotten about this blog. I have been incredibly busy and watching you grow up before my eyes is so amazing, but also traumatizing, to say the least. You're so big now. On Saturday you will be 2 and I just may lose it. But I will write a full post then. For now, just know that I love you to death and you absolutely must slow down with all of this development!!!

Closing out the Summer, Welcoming Fall

My Sweet Evelyn,
The last couple months have been a blur of growth, development and excitement. You have truly blossomed into a little kid now. You're opinionated, have desires and know how to make requests. You have taken to many new activities with such ease that I can't help but swoon. I fall more in love with you every day!
Here are some highlights, not in order because I didn't keep it all tracked anywhere:
You got your own pool, which you laid in a few times and kicked your feet and splashed around and squealed with delight. We had spent enough time at the lake to know you loved water and we figured having a bit to play in at home outside the bathtub would be nice. :)
You've begun to hold your hand out and say, "hand" and then once I take it you lead me around to whatever you want to do. Sometimes you don't take me anywhere, sometimes you lead Daddy to pretzels.
Speaking of food, you've become increasingly picky. Some days I can't get you to eat anything, but then after a few of those in a row, you relent and eat a whole solid meal. You're really working my mom worry when you do that! Your favorite foods right now are chicken, blueberry breakfast bars, fries, pretzels, broccoli, carrots, fruit leather, cheese sticks, popcorn, watermelon. You sometimes will completely snub those too.
You've taken a liking to drawing. The tub walls have become a popular place to doodle with soap crayons, but upon request of Uncle Justin, we have supplied you with a couple canvases to draw on with all of the writing utensils you can handle. Daddy also found you a chalkboard and dry erase board easel to draw on when you're feeling less focused. Your masterpieces are beautiful.
We tie dyed a few shirts and onesies one night and you managed to dump the whole bucket of dye all over the floor when we were done. Some quick thinking saved the wood, but our towels are straight out of Woodstock now. No matter! We had a good time.
You were also in the second accident of your life. Mommy had a blowout tire on a back road and spun out, half flipping into a tree. You were unharmed, thank goodness but that was scary! You had your first ambulance ride and impressed the paramedics with your ability to completely calm down once Mommy put your favorite show on on her phone.
Since our car was totaled we ended up getting a new one, which you promptly vomited in and have since made every effort to leave your mark whether it be squished strawberries, spilled milk or whatever. I don't mind, we got the leather seats for a reason! Your new car seat also got a spill of chocolate milk in it before leaving the parking lot of the store we bought it from. :P
Your physical therapist prescribed the use of Kinesio tape for your ankle/foot but it's not turning out very well. You're a little too active for it to stay on as many days as they want you to wear it. You think it's a sticker though, so you're pretty okay with having it on.
With H in tow, we've been exploring more and more playgrounds. We found one right by H's house to visit when the sun doesn't beat down so hard. The splash pad near Julia's house was fun, but you're not a big fan of spraying water or being sprayed by water. You loved the sheep at the bottom of the hill, though!
You've been spending a lot of time with Granny and Papa during the times when Mommy has work at night. They are over the moon for you and take you to feed goats and cows and walk the doggies. You love the swing at their house and you play with the kitties there too.
We've really started the process of potty training now, asking you pretty frequently if you'd like to sit on the potty. Sometimes you will be compliant and go, other times not so much, but you ARE making progress. This morning you TOLD me you had to poop! You still didn't actually poop, but I'm hoping that means you've recognized what the idea is.
The stage of development where you get indecisive has apparently come about because you wanted to switch swings several times at the park last week. A butterfly landed on you that day too.
You really enjoy dancing with Daddy to records. You stand on his feet, hold his hands and dance away, giggling and screeching mirthful sounds.
Last night at Old Navy you found a pair of kitten shoes (which we had in a smaller size once upon a time, but you refused to wear them) and promptly sat down, pulled your shoes and socks off and put them on. They were way too big, but you refused to take them off! It was quite cute, really.
We have gotten you to sleep in your bed for at least a couple hours each night but some nights we forego the crib completely and let you sleep with us because, lets be real, it's wonderful having you so close. You don't seem to mind.
Here are some photos from the last couple months:

A letter to Evie about sleeping

Sweet Evie,
Right now you are in your bedroom with Daddy, crying your eyes out because you do not want to sleep in the crib. My heart breaks so much hearing you cry out for me, but I can't go soothe you because you do not really want to be soothed, you want to get out of the crib and sleep in our bed. And to be perfectly honest I can't think of a really good reason I shouldn't just let you, but I know that we just moved the whole house around just for you to have your own room, so I'd prefer if you did use it. It's just naptime. At bedtime we'll put you in the crib too, but if you should wake at 4:30am like you did last night I will happily bring you to our room, into our bed, where you can snuggle up warm between me and Daddy and finish off the night. And we will do that every night as long as you let us get some sleep first. Hopefully, eventually you will start to prefer your room and instead of the crib you can have a toddler bed or even a regular bed.
I was definitely lonely for those few hours before you woke up and came to our bed last night, I will admit. I wasn't sure what to do with the 60% of the bed that you left behind. I kind of felt around a little bit every few minutes, hoping to feel your soft little fingers or hair. And this morning Daddy even admitted to being cold and lost in the abundance of space on his side of the bed. We didn't even snuggle last night. I think we hadn't accepted that you weren't there yet. He likened it to when we kicked the dogs out of the bed for good. It took him weeks to start utilizing the foot room. We'll get there.
You are finally quiet in there with Daddy, I hope that means you are asleep. Sweet dreams, little one. I am sorry for being the mean Mommy and making you sleep in your room.
<3
Mama

Summer Update

In the last 4 months we have had so many big new things happen! We moved to Durham, Evie perfected walking and has begun talking with fervor! She has too many words to even quantify right now, but safe to say she can have a pretty good conversation and even uses some sentences. She loves to talk on the phone, but you might not understand what she's saying. She copies Plate Girl from her favorite show when she asks "Hello Sarah, what are you doing?" It's quite adorable, though a little hard to understand. We're still working on annunciation, but she's getting there. 

She recognizes and points out animals and can tell me what noises they make. Our new bathtime activity involves me drawing animals in soap crayon on the tub walls while she guesses what they are tells me how they sound. Sometimes she gets it wrong, but we are working on it and switching out the animals every few baths. When she gets them all right I'll switch to letters and numbers and eventually words! I saw the idea online and I love it! 

She likes to color, watch Sarah & Duck and hang out with her friends. We have made so many new friends in our new neighborhood! They come knocking on our door at all hours, but if Evie hears them she runs to the door and screams "hello!" until we open the door. And heaven forbid we don't let her at least say hi, because she will melt down. Most of the time we let her to go out and swing with them or have them come in and play with her in the playroom. They are all ages, too. From 4 to 12! They don't mind that she's just a little kid, though. She does pretty well at holding her own with them. She especially loves to show off all of her toys and share our food. 

We've been doing a lot of outings lately with H, including all of the museums in the area. There's one called Notasium where there is a big slide. Evie didn't really enjoy going down it but she was more than happy to stand at the bottom and cheer on the other kids, clapping her hands and yelling "YOU DID IT!" when they'd get to the bottom. She makes my heart full. 

We took a trip with Julia in April to Myrtle Beach. Evie was excited to go out to the sand, played in the pool, and had a blast at the kids museum. The aquarium was kind of a bust because it was expensive and not very good, but we had fun regardless. 

We also went to visit Allison in Wilmington and found an amazing kids museum there, too. Four stories of kid-focused fun. Salem and Evie found a bucket of water to play in and got super muddy and we didn't even stop them because it looked like they were having so much fun. You don't get to have fun like that often as you get older and it gave me an excuse to buy her a tshirt from the gift shop to wear on the drive home. 

I've started a Monday night babysitting job near my mom's house so Evie has been staying with her while I work. I always felt terrible that she didn't spend more time with them but they lived so far away before that it was difficult for me to get out there, especially when I wasn't working at all. I bring her to my mom as soon as I get off from nannying H and I hang out a little while before leaving for my second shift. Evie always looks so happy when I come get her and I'm just so enthralled that they're getting the time together. 

Here are some recent pictures:

New vans and her sweet shirt from Cheap Bastards! clothing!

All snuggled up and ready for bed.

Evie's neighborhood friends stopped by in the middle of cleaning day. Needless to say, that cleaning got horribly derailed. :)

Even though it's going to be a hot summer, I think we're going to have a blast. Lots of pool time and splash pad visits in store for us as well as some exploring outside. I can't wait to post again!

some photos

A Letter For You

My sweetest Evelyn,

I don't know what I thought parenthood would be like after the baby stage, I guess I never really thought about the day-to-day of it. Toddlerhood has taken me by storm. I'm following you around picking up books, folding the clothes that have sat folded on the ottoman for a week now, and pulling insane amounts of bits of paper from your fingers and mouth. You can walk now. You took your first steps sometime after the new year. Your uncle Johnny got it on film. You still prefer to crawl, but currently you're covered in chicken pox and I guess it hurts to crawl, so you've been walking a little more the last couple days. 

You haven't had the best luck lately. You have been sick, for one, with RSV, a double ear infection, then strep and now Chicken Pox. You'd think nursing would have built up your immune system, but I suppose not everyone gets so lucky. At least you are getting it over with now and you'll be able to fight it off when you face it all at school.
I have deemed you the Queen of Getting Pinched because by golly, if there's a way to get your finger pinched in something you'll find it! Your finger has fallen victim to a couple chip clips, the grips in the diaper boxes, several drawers (after repeatedly warning you it would happen), the lid to a puffs container, the mill part of a ballapalooza, and finally the plastic book that accompanied your stand toy piano. I'm sure there are others from which you have escaped without alerting me. 

I don't get nearly as many photos of you now. You're a whirlwind of action, and oftentimes the cutest moments are best enjoyed live. But to give you an idea of just how cute you are:

You're awfully adorable.

You're starting to do things that your dad and I agree are more appropriate from a kid than a baby. I guess its just another part of toddlerhood, but as I said earlier, I didn't really prepare myself so I am not really sure what to expect! You've been doing a lot of play conversing on anything remotely resembling a telephone, including the remote and a small board book which is oddly reminiscent of a flip phone, which I don't think you'll ever see in person. Huh. 

I love that you now can sit down with a book and turn the pages, examining each one for things to feel and enjoy. You point at things you want, and even when I say no, your pointing becomes more demanding. Your eyes open wider as if you are earnestly in need of the thermometer or the straw from my cup. You don't seem to need as much comfort cuddling as you once did, but you occasionally reward me with unprovoked kisses and hugs. Just tonight you toddled over to me to give me not one, not two, but four kisses right on the lips. With your chicken pox-y lips. I think you're aware of that, too. 

Last week I took you to Marbles kid's museum with H. We sat outside in the Sun Garden and ate a picnic snack. H was beside me and you were, of course, all over the place. Eventually you crawled back up to us and stood up, reaching a hand out to H as if to say, "come walk with me". Sadly, she declined and you eventually withdrew your hand and dropped back down to your knees. I am still upset over it. But you two do hold hands and walk sometimes. You love to hold one of my hands and one of hers and walk all over the playroom.

There are a couple things I'm working with you on; one being that you seem to find hitting an appropriate way of expressing emotions (happiness, sadness, anger, it doesn't seem to matter). I'm really not sure where you picked it up from, but I hope it's short-lived. Another thing is your absolute refusal to eat until we are pretty much finished with dinner. I don't get it. Maybe it's an instinct thing? Whatever it is, you throw your food on the floor for the first 85% of the meal and the last 15% you seem to remember that food is for eating. This too shall pass! This too shall pass!

What other toddler-esque things are you up to? You like to color when you can get your hands on anything that writes, you love to pull all of my cards out of my wallet (and while we're at it, the wipes box is a favorite as well), and I have caught you trying to put stuff in your diaper a few times too. This isn't Rugrats! You aren't Tommy!

I guess because it's getting late I should wrap this up. I can't tell you how amazing it is to be your mommy. Sometimes you have to remind me that you aren't perfect 100% of the time just for me to be able to let you go for a little while. I love you so much. <3 Mommy

One Year Old Adventure

A Year Old!

My most wonderful Evelyn,
You are currently laying beside me on the bed, holding your feet in the air and shouting "Bah!" over and over, occasionally straightening your whole body in a mad flex. You smile at me when I make eye contact. Your goofy grin lights up my whole world.
This last year has been such a wild ride. You're ONE! Not only did you just live an entire 365 days but I was a large part of keeping you alive! You have been relatively healthy for most of it with the exception of your recent illnesses, which were to be expected once I started watching H. With extra kids comes extra germs.
You've made leaps and bounds over the last 12 months and it makes me giggle to think that the things I was so amazed by in the beginning are so commonplace now. You roll over with ease, sitting up effortlessly and even standing now. You've taken a couple steps, to my delight, towards your Daddy. For all that he has had to miss from working, I think he was glad that he "got" this one. I didn't mind. I got to set you off towards him.
You've realized I'm typing, now and are desperately trying to add your own twist to the blog post. Perhaps I should add a very long string of P's?
52 weeks. I can't remember when I stopped aging you in weeks. It must have been around 16 or so. Then you were months old. I only get about 6 more months before I have to start going with years or face getting eye-rolls at the grocery store.
Do you know what my favorite things about you are? I'm going to tell you, so that we will both never forget.
I love waking up beside you in the mornings. Either I have to work and you lay peacefully in bed while I get ready, waiting til the last minute to put you in the car so you get the most uninterrupted sleep possible, or I have the day off and we both sleep in so late that when you do wake me up, the sun is shining brightly through the shades and you greet me with a smile.
You have this adorable habit of reaching your arms up when you want to be held or taken from the carseat. You reach so high and look so desperate but in the sweetest, most excited way. If for some reason I can't or don't pick you up, you sadly lower your arms, but go about playing. It kind of breaks my heart.
The way you interact and share moments with your daddy is the most heartwarming thing. He likes to sweep you up off the ground and lift you high into the air, giggles escaping wildly from your wide open smile. He dips you backwards swiftly but gently and your eyes roll back in excitement. You prowl around him when he has food, even if you won't eat it. You want to try it, anyway. At night before bed when he reads you stories, you cuddle up against him and poke at his tattoos and pull at his beard while he tries to catch your attention with funny voices and gestures. When he goes to slather you up with the lavender-scented bedtime lotion, you let out a crazy squeal, hinting that no mere lotion can settle your wild heart.
When I ask you questions, now, you have answers for me. For a long time, it was always a head shaking, "no" but now you've mastered "yes" too. I'm not 100% sure you know what you're saying, but you still try. And sometimes those "no"s are accompanied by a sassy smirk. "Can I wipe your nose?" *Smirk, headshake*
Speaking of wiping your nose, you can do that. You put the tissue to your nose and press it so hard while fake sniffing and sometimes you do it so hard that your whole body shakes with the power of it. You shake when you do other things too. That's really adorable.
You clap when you hear applause. On cheesy shows that I watch when its just the two of us, the laugh track plays and you perk up and clap or laugh along. You also mock cough, something you picked up from Granny.

*3 days later*

I couldn't finish the post before we had to go to sleep. I still don't know if I have it in me to relive all the memories I have over the past year. Suffice it to say that you are an incredible little person and you make me so proud. Look in the next post for your first adventures as a one-year-old! <3
Mommy