Sunday, January 22, 2012

Baby's Got Skills

I got a bump update for my 25 week old last Thursday, and apparently being able to pass objects from one hand to the other is a big deal for a kid her age.

I have no idea when she started performing this magic trick, because I didn't know it was something to watch for but she's been doing that as far back as I can remember. We were talking to Evey's Nana about this and she said that it is a big deal. She also said that picking up an object on her right with the left hand (and vice versa) is a big feat as well.

So we started paying attention and Evey's got that skill mastered as well. She's so smart and growing up so fast. As proud I am to say that my daughter is advanced according to "standards," it also makes me sad because it means she is growing up faster than she should be.



This video cracks me up. She was picking up her foo and we'd cheer when she crossed midline. She LOVED the reaction she got, so she kept doing it over and over. It was hilarious to watch her pick up the pacifier, put it in her mouth, smile, drop it and start all over!

Sunday, January 15, 2012

My "Why?"

I have been so blessed this year. As most of everyone knows - my little girl is the center of my world! After my six weeks of maternity leave was up, I was desperate to find a way to spend more time with her. My full time job, wasn't the best way to do that.

My friend Meghan invited me to a Thirty-One party. I didn't know anything about the company or what it was, but I wanted Evey to see her "Aunt Meg" so I planned on going. That day, Evey was in a horrible mood. She cried uncontrollably and I considered staying home, but I figured the drive might do her good. So I loaded her into her carrier and we made our way to the other side of town.
I'm not a big "purse" girl, and when I realized that Thirty-One was a "purse" company, I thought that there wouldn't be anything for me... but I was so wrong! At the party, I learned that Thirty-One was a Christian company based on Proverbs 31 and their products were designed to empower women! Their motto is to celebrate, encourage and reward women everywhere!

I had so much fun and ended up buying a purse and wallet for me, and a lunchbox for Evey! My friend Lindsey had decided that she was going to become a Thirty-One Consultant, and I agreed to have a party with her when it happened.

In November, I hosted my first Thirty-One party! It was small, and only a few people came, but I reached the $200.00 requirement to get $25.00 of free stuff, a half-price item and one hostess exclusive item! I ended up spending only $15.00 and got five new bags that I could use for toys, groceries, a diaper bag and so much more!! I was so excited!

The night I had my party, I decided I wanted to be a part of the Thirty-One world! I knew that with the extra income, I may be able to go down to part-time work, which would help make my dream of being at home with my daughter come true!

Evey and I are so happy to be a part of Thirty-One!!

Since becoming a consultant, I've gotten tons of free amenities, I've made new friends by attending Consultant meetings and holding parties, and I was able to quit my job! Now I work part-time and am happy to be a full-time mom!!


I've heard a lot of people say that Thirty-One is just too expensive, or that it's not useful, and I used to be a doubter, but not anymore! I am in love with the products and can't get enough! By hosting parties, and evenutally becoming a consultant, it has become very, very affordable and I am so much more organized!


I'm so grateful that there is a company who was created, just for women like me! They truly do celebrate, encourage and reward women for all we do and I'm so glad to be a part of it!

Friday, January 13, 2012

Finch Christmas

Our Christmas Day in the past has been so busy, so we decided that once we had kids we would spend one day with Christopher's family and one day with mine.

Since we wouldn't be able to make it to the Finch family Christmas in Louisville on the 25th, we let everyone know that we wouldn't see them and that we were going to visit Christopher's Meemaw & Pepaw a couple of weekends before.

We spent the morning with them and Christopher's cousin's family from Connecticuit - Jameson, Wendy and their kids Kenzli and Quentin. It was so great to see them and they were so excited to meet Evey! The last time we saw them was about 10 days before she was born.

Kenzli is two and so adorable!!

Quentin will be one in March and he was such a sweet guy!

Evey loved playing with her... cousins?
I'm not sure how all that extended stuff works, but cousin works for me!

This is Evey giving Kenzli a kiss... She understands how kisses work, she just can't get the motions down-pat yet! When she gets kissed on the cheek, she opens wide and turns to put her mouth on yours! They can be quite slobbery, but I love them!

Saying hi to Quentin! Evey stood on her own against his carrier! It was so cute!


Such a proud girl! "Look Mom! No hands!!"

We so enjoyed spending the day with Christopher's grandparents. Evey loved being there too!





It was so great to see Christopher's Aunt Linda & Uncle Tommy, too! It had been a little over a month since they'd seen Evey, so it was exciting for us to all be together!



Snow Baby

I have been wishing and hoping and thinking and praying for snow for months! I couldn't wait to stick my girl in her staypuft marshmallow suit and toss her highness in it!!

So when LEX 18 started forcasting snow earlier this week, I was totally prepared! Last night, we didn't play because the wind was so harsh and it was too dark for pictures, but as soon as we got home today, I went straight to her closet and got her dressed for the cold. I didn't even wait for her Papa to get home from work - which I feel bad about now, but at the time didn't even realize he may have wanted to play too!




Evey made a snow angel!!

(look to her left)

She wasn't quite sure what to think about the cold white stuff I had her laying in. I put some in her mouth and she kept licking and licking. It was too funny!



This next set is my favorite! I wasn't sure if she could sit on her own in the big, frumpy snow suit, but I thought it was worth a shot and i'm glad I tried! She was so stinking cute just sitting in the snow!




Finally, when I started jumping around like an idiot, she decided she didn't mind the cold too much to smile! You can see the snow angel really well in this set!






Loved it! We're planning on playing again tomorrow, so there will be pictures of us with her in her first "dusting," but at least I got these if it melts!

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Babies' First Christmas


Evey hates tummy time, so these pictures are precious to me! They are absolutely adorable!! Her Aunt Renee summed it up when she said it looks like she got caught with her hands in the cookie jar!





Last year, Christopher's sister found out she was pregnant at the beginning of November. I found out we were expecting too on November 27th - which meant Christopher's mom and dad were going to get two grandbabies that summer! We didn't know then that they'd be born 8 1/2 hours apart!!

We spilled the beans to our extended families at Christmas, but it was too early to know the genders. Christopher grandmother, gave Renee and I the same gift: Baby's First Christmas onesies!


So, of course, we had to take pictures of the "grand-twins" in their outfits with the tree in the background! I love the way they stare at each other and play together. I think this series of pictures really shows their relationship and I think they're fantastic!!









At 5 months, Harrison rolls all over the place. Evey can roll, but chooses not to.
She'd rather be vertical! Harrison hates to bend his body, but Evey loves to sit on her own!


Christmas with Mimi & Mipa!

On Christmas Day, after celebrating at our house, we went down to my parent's house for brunch. We had a relaxing day with my family and Evey did amazing again.

Waiting to eat with her Papa.

My cousin's son, Clayton is almost two and he wanted so badly to hold Evey. He looked at her and said "baby?" over and over! He was so shy around her at first, but was so proud once he held her in his lap!


Jordan - this is my favorite!! We so wished you were there. Your son is absolutely adorable and in love with my daughter!!
I can't wait for you to see them together!




Jordan - this next set is for you too! Eric and Christopher are such big kids and Clayton had a blast playing with both of them! It was too cute!




My dad had surgery to repair his torn meniscus on the 20th, so he was drugged and tired!



Clayton had a blast opening presents, and he helped Evey open hers. 




We loved getting the small animal sculptures from Afghanistan! I especially loved the even smaller animapls sculpted inside them... they were pregnant!! Thanks, Jordan!!


Celebrating Evey's first Christmas, made my mom reminisce about my first Christmas. When she was shopping, she looked for things that I got in 1984 so that she could give the same gifts to Evey on her first Christmas. One of those gifts were the classic Fisher Price stacking rings - and Evey LOVED them! She played forever with the same toy! She loved getting them hooked on her limbs and chewing on the different colours.

Once everyone had left and it was just my mom, dad and sister, we flipped through my baby book and there are pictures of me on Christmas Day with rings linked through every limb! It was so much fun looking back!


Clayton wanted to hold Evey again... I can't say that I blame him!







The phone was a Christmas present from Jordan, Kacy & Clayton, and the ipod came from Nana & Flash.
Someone was spoiled this Christmas!


This set is to re-create the pictures of me!



Showing Mimi her gift!


Every year, our family plays a game called Pass the Ace. It's so simple... only one card is dealt and the lowest card pays. One dollar buys you four lives, and once you're out we sing "Na na na na, good bye!" Whoever wins, gets all marbles! We've played it every Christmas as far back as I remember.

This year, we paid a dollar for Evey to play and "she" made it to the last round with our close family firend, Paul Morton. The last hand, E was dealt an 8, so she traded with Paul. He gave her a Queen, and we thought she was set to win. When Paul turned up the card on the top of the deck, I thought I was going to die when I saw the red "K" show up! It may have been the closest last hand of Pass the Ace ever!!

Just FYI: Paul gave the money ($19.00) to Evey!


Evey's four lives!







Evey was able to see her Great-Aunt Ruth when she stopped by to pick up Eric!



Once things had calmed down, we sat down and opened the rest of Evey's presents from her Mimi, Mipa and Auntie Ali!




My mom's nick name for Evey is her little "Sweet Pea," and all of her gifts were themed around that! This is one of the cutest books I've ever seen, but mom kept the copy at her house! We were surprised to find a second copy to take home!



One of her best gifts, she wont' be able to play with - although she enjoyed playing the tin like a drum!
Her Auntie Ali, always the frugal one, gave her a savings account and $20.00 to go in it! Evey's Great-Granddottie also gives her money to put into a savings account, I just hadn't had time to set one up yet, so this was perfect!

She'll be set when she turns 18, whether she wants to spend it on college, a car, or keep saving for a wedding!


I love this face! She was such a happy girl!





Paul had to go back to South Carolina, so Evey had to say bye again!
We'll see him again soon, hopefully!