Friday, July 27, 2012

Feeling Reminiscent

It's hard to believe that one year ago today, my husband and I were sitting down to enjoy our last night of single-hood. A tradition that I have fallen in love with over the years is one that Christopher's mom started. Every year on his birthday, she tells him the story of his birth - from the time her water broke until he was born! It was something that I couldn't wait to do with my children, and it seems strange that it's actually time.

As I put Evey to sleep tonight, I started telling her about her birth. This time last year, we had BIG plans! We had dinner with Nana and Flash and planned on hitting the Kentucky Theater with Uncle Joel and Aunt Renee for retro-movie night. "The Princess Bride" was playing and it had been ages. We were going to get popcorn and root beer and enjoy our last night of relaxation!

It didn't happen... We got so carried away imagining how the table would look with two high chairs and two squirming, sweet babies. Not only was it our last night of being single, it was also the family's last night as a foursome. We'd soon be six! By the time we realized how late it had gotten, the theater was sold out and our plans had gone out the window.

We suggested going through with the plan at our house. We owned the movie and could pick up the necessary items, but Renee and Joel passed. They had to be at the hospital by 11pm and decided it was probably wise to get some rest before their lives changed for ever.

Christopher and I went the opposite direction. We were excited about our plans! We stopped at Kroger on the way home and bought some IBC's and Orville Redenbacher's and headed home to spend our last night of freedom just "as we wished!"

The excitement was quickly trumped by my ever-so-pregnant body, and I fell asleep before Princess Buttercup was even captured by the Dread Pirate Roberts. And, I slept SO great! Surprisingly great!


It was an amazing way to send off our couple-dom, and it makes for a fun story to tell my baby every year as she goes from infant to toddler, and so on. It's also amazing to think that I've been a Mommy for one year. I couldn't be happier that Christopher and I get to share our lives with such an awesome little girl. If she has changed my life this much in one year, I can't wait to see the years to come!

Monday, July 9, 2012

Rough-Housing

Evey is now, officially, a "Daddy's Girl." She loves rolling around with him on the floor. She loves the silly faces he makes at her and the silly voices he uses when he talks to her.

She lights up when he walks in the room and it makes my heart melt every time.

I love knowing that she sees in her Papa what I see in him. He is the most amazing and loving man I've ever seen and his daughter loves him for it.

The other day, they were rough-housing. I think sometimes Papa forget's Evey his little girl and they wrassle just like father-and-son. It's super adorable to see... even when Papa got hit "where the sun don't shine!" I love this progression of photos. It all started with a simple hug...  





She doesn't know what they are yet, but she's become obsessed with belly buttons! It's so cute when she grabs her tummy skin and squeezes it to see her own!

Notice Christopher's change of position? I did get in trouble later for taking pictures while he was cringing in pain, but how could I pass up the opportunity to see Evey fawn over her Papa so much?!?






Of course, all was forgiven! How could anyone say "no" to this sweet face?

Brave


Evey went to her first big screen movie: BRAVE!

We thought the drive-in would be more suitable. You don't necessarily have to be quiet during the movie, and you don't have to sit still, which is ideal for a 10 month old!

The last time I'd been to the drive-in was when the Flinstones came out and we went to celebrate my best friend's birthday party. We'd taken an RV and we all had Flinstones glasses and mugs from McDonald's. I think we were 10? It had been a while!


We packed a Penn Station picnic, stocked with Ale-8-1 and Evey got her first "taste..." (Don't worry! The bottle was empty!) She was so funny drinking out of the bottle. On one sip, she lost her balance and fell over. She was drunk on Ale-8!!



As the sun set and the skies got dark, we got ready to watch the movies. We swaddled Evey up and she nursed during the previews and she fell asleep during the Pixar short.

Minutes after I got her down, one of the Sky Vue employees came and told us to move over because we were in the fire lane. Let's just say that they had one upset Momma on their hands. We'd been sitting in the same spot for an hour and a half, and they decided to tell us to move once the movie started? Um... I don't think so. Apparently, they didn't see the sleeping baby next to me.

I decided that we weren't moving. It wasn't worth it. If there was a fire, we could get up as the fire engines navigated the sea of cars and people and we'd be just fine.

So, we laid back in our fire lane and enjoyed our unobstructed view.




My sweet girl slept so well on the ground. She's such a trooper when we mess up her schedule and do crazy things - like keeping her out until 1:30am just to see a movie!

I can't wait until she's old enough to enjoy the drive-in with us!
It definitely won't be 18 years before I go back again!!

Saturday, July 7, 2012

Silly Girl

Evey has two new faces. She loves squinting her eyes tightly and showing off those six pearly whites, especially when she's not ready for bed! These were too cute to not show off!


Friday, July 6, 2012

Miss Independent


Evey loves walking. It's so cute! She pushes furniture around, she pushes her stroller rather than riding. She pushes her toys all over the house.

We were playing in our neighbor's sprinkler's last night and she walked all the way across the driveway, through our yard and back up to the front porch.

She loves the feeling of being so independent.

Thursday, July 5, 2012

These Legs Are Made For...

When my mom and dad left for Kenya, I was hoping and praying that Evey would start walking before they returned.

A month was an awfully long time to leave their quickly growing girl!

Days turned into weeks, and their return was getting closer and closer, but Evey hadn't even decided she was ready to stand yet! I was very excited to see my parents, but I was a little sad that eve wouldn't be walking to greet them at the airport.


Finally, the countdown was on! Weeks turned into days, and days turned into hours! With just over 24 hours to go, she stood up. We didn't place her on the ground, she went from sitting to standing all on her own! I was elated! We grabbed the video camera and started filming, ASAP! We didn't want to miss her moment!

Unfortunately, these videos can't caputre the moment completely... she doesn't actually stand in the first two (that's what was going on around this time!), but they're super cute anyway!




Evey has been so good at cruising and her legs are so strong. I had been saying that once she stood, she'd be running... and I was right! Only 20 minutes after she discovered the confidence to stand alone, she was wakling back and forth from her Papa to her Auntie Ali and to me! She didn't waste any time.

It was amazing to watch her. She knew exactly what to do, and she was so proud of herself! We cheered and clapped and she clapped right along with us! At 11 months, 4 days, my daughter is completely mobile and independent. I was one proud momma!

Also, this first video doesn't show her walking so well, and the second one might make you a little sick at times when we're trying to get the best angle. Lol. None of us ever claimed to be professionals!




 

The next afternoon, we ate lunch with Nana and Flash, but Little Miss Mind-Of-Her-Own did not feel like showing off her new trick. We went home and napped, hoping that she'd feel more up to it by the time we reached the airport, but no such luck.

My little girl can definitely think for herself, and I just can't figure out where she gets her stubborness from! It definitely doesn't come from me, <wink, wink>! 


It was still exciting to have my parents come home to the news of our girl's big achievement!