First full-tfeature movie in the theater! Yeah!

The Princess and the Frog.
A friend on Facebook talked of her 4year old loving this movie in the theater this past week. After commenting that we aren't ready for theaters yet, this same friend persuaded me to try. Apparently her kid had gone to her first theater movie when she was younger than Evie. She reminded me that all the kids wiggle & writhe during the film... so we wouldn't be standing out in the crowd.
So, I told Rob we were going to go see the latest acclaimed Disney flik.
Rob was torn between wanting to share the experience and wanting to pull out his eyeballs at the sheer thought of attending this film.
Rob and I hate Disney. OK, maybe not all Disney ... just the ultra-conservative bullsh*t parts (which is most of it in recent decades). I also never liked princesses and do not even know the entire story of some hits like "Sleeping Beauty"... I hated Little Mermaid (lame) and I think Beauty and the Beast is contrived. Yet, my daughter, freaking LOVES Princesses lately.
I personally enjoyed Alladin (funny! I know there's a princess element but I liked the Genie), The Fox and the Hound (best friends! Sad ending.... sniff) and Mary Poppins (she's Disney, right? Who knows...)... but never the princess movies.
But if Evie is going to experience her first movie it might as well be a stereo-typical start (cartoon full-feature) and one about princesses to boot.
We raced to make the matinee and asked a mom/daughter to scoot over to make room for us. It was packed. We plopped Evie in between us only to quickly realize... the seat folded-in on her. This heavy kid is too light for theater seats. So, plop, on my lap she goes... and there she sat nearly the whole movie.
We shared a medium popcorn (more like Evie let us have some bites throughout her feeding frenzy) and we shared a coke (I snuck in a sippy-cup of juice for her but she snuck sips of coke where she could).
The last 20 minutes was a struggle. It was that part of any movie where things are starting to get resolved but they also momentarily drag on with bouts of quiet and sad longing... then blam! The movie picks up... Evie has finally relaxed & stopped squirming and is holding my hand (I think she was actually starting to konk out)... and then its over.
Evie's reviews: "I lika da movie. Yeah! Hoffcorn (popcorn)! Frogs. Princess. Hoffcorn."

Tacky Lights Tour

We took my parents to one of the more ridiculously decorated houses in the greater Richmond area this past weekend...

Christmas with the family (Lucy)

OK, so the timing of my posts is off...
but here's Evie with her princess dress on and loving up baby Lucy as we get ready to sit and eat our Christmas bacon-wrapped turkey (yes, that's right. I said "bacon-wrapped." 3lbs of woven pork blanketted atop a nice 13lb turkey so he doesn't get cold while he simmers in the oven). Yes, it was good.

Shut up, shut up, S-H-U-T UP!

I know, I know... Every old person (and yes, you are OLD when you have kids over 18 and you tell people with kids under 5 years of age phrases that begin with, "You think its bad now, just wait until...[fill in blank]"
1. ...they start crawling
2. ...they start walking
3. ...they start talking
4. ...they can get on the internet
5. ...they want video games
6. ...they drive
7. ...they're a teenager
8. ...they join their first gang
OK, whatever.

Point is, yes, yes, yes.... we couldn't wait for her to speak. What an anomaly, parents who want to hear their mute child speak.
It was SO CUTE how she said "mommy" in this helium-induced, nasal-clogged, squeaky voice. It was freaking ADORABLE when she learned how to sing her ABCs. It was AWESOME when she said "Wow!" over everything exciting (and many not-so-exciting things).
But enough is enough now.

The constant repetition of a phrase, question or single lyric to a song while she watches with SHEER GLEE at the slow downfall of my faculties is obnoxious (not to mention borderline sick. I mean, c'mon. This kid is like a Chinese water torture and she EVELS in the joy of it all!). I feel like the The Cask of Amontillado,... in my own head!

I can now see why people my age prefer to dine alone. With no one to talk to. And they are completely content with that.

out! out! damned spot!

So my period has taken f-o-r-e-v-e-r to make landfall this month. What am I.. like... day 36. Erg. I really did try to not consult a calendar for TTC #2. I did *know* when we should have been trying. I remember it very well. We were at my parents and after having gotten caught on the first attempt, forget about it. Plus its my parents... not exactly sexy, unstressful or inspiring.
But that's not really my frustration with this late delivery date...
No idea why its taken so long to arrive but its here and if I now count the days ahead - F*CK IT if it shouldn't come again right smack, dab in the middle of our trip to Maui. GOD HATES ME (as my incredibly pessimistic and irratating father would yell with clenched fists at the heavens).
I did find a fresh pill pack in the very back of the medicine cabinet. Thank you, thank you, self, for having the foresight to stop taking your BC pills after having purchased one last pack. I feel like a nicotene addict who discovered one last drag in old coat pocket...
I am now counting the days on the calendar and working my way backward to figure out when to start pill-popping to achieve my desired effect. Can I get this period to hurry-up now that its so late... rush it along and get in one more cycle before we leave? We shall see, we shall see...

How quickly my inner-Martha fades...

I began this blog with enthusiasm. The thought of capturing all the major (and many, many of the not-so-major) milestones in Evie's life absolutely inspired me. I was going to be the mom of the 21st century... logging countless pregnancy moments & thoughts, multiple baby firsts and keeping all those precious little tidbits for all of posterity (and for the whole world!) to enjoy..
Meh. Your kid turns 2 and then... fahget-about it.
I am now the mom of a 2.5 year old (well, TECHNICALLY she isn't 2.5years until 4 days from now) and I can seriously say I am an older, wiser mom. I can now reflect on those *eager* days of doing everything (of being the bast damned supermom this world has ever known!) with a giggle as I watch my other, more recent mom friends attempt similar feats with their young'uns. Oh how funny we must all look as our own mothers look on at us. Our mothers who set-out to keep detailed baby books, keep organized photograph albums, video tape every recital and keep all those A+ school papers. They, too, eventually fizzled out... and we later lamented about it when we then got married and talked about how "we aren't going to fizzle out on our kids!"
I know my mother would be biting her lip till it bled if she actually got on the internet and read this. I could see her enthusiastic nod in my mind...
Some of my mom friends never set the bar as high as I did and we all eventually even out with them realizing maybe they should keep this or that cause the memories will fade... while I learn to not be compelled to take a photo of Evie each and every time she is on a swing (I mean, 3 days in a row can really prove to be captured moment enough). We all eventually settle into a comfortable groove of what is important (ok, so organic milk might stay on the menu for some but organic Oreo's is ridiculous.... washing clothes in baby soap can be skipped and so can washing out the tub before each and every bath.... and the food on the floor probably is OK cause she's FINALLY EATING SOMETHING, right?).
I did put down the baby book when Evie hit 1 year old. enough was enough. Evie's baby book is not nearly as detailed as mine was (only child here) but I thought it was more important to have a fairly complete book as the standard so if we have another kid... I don't make myself crazy with trying to keep up with 2 kids while maintaining baby book #2. I hear too many stories from the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th kid from larger families who all got the shaft on a baby book since mom had zero time to maintain when when he/she came into this world...
I also never did a photo album. Who looks at those anymore? This is the digital age, kid. I don't remember my mom making me relive her childhood memories with the old brownie camera days so why make my kid live my childhood of limited 24 pics to a roll kodak film? Its all on disc, baby.
I'm also now finally cutting myself some slack on this blog. I mean, I'm not a terrible mother for not writing it all down, right? The way Evie says "Muhrie Crimas!" instead of "Merry Christmas!" or how she says,"Aw, man!" perfectly when something doesn't go quite right. Its OK that I am not cataloging everything anymore, right? It just means I'm enjoying them more... I think. there's something to be said about living in the moment, too. and maybe that's something else the mothers of older kids are eagerly nodding their heads and biting their tongues over, too, as I evolve and get to realize this now after 2.5 years...

Christmas-time with neighbors

Our next-door neighbors really are great. A married later-in-life couple that have no kids... he's in his 60's and her in her 50's. They both work, work HARD on up-keeping their house and work hard taking care of their elderly parents who live nearby. They are the kind of neighbors you can be catty with, stop over completely uninvited to ask for a favor and the kin our have every single tool imaginable that we've borrowed at least twice.
They asked us to stop over this week because the husband had "bought something for Evie this past summer and it was impossible to wrap."
My interests are peaked.
We swung over at 7PM, already a potentially disastrous hour given the very nature of Evie having uncontrollable energy at/around 7:30PM until she collapsed at 8PM.
Tonight was no different.

After Evie began spinning on her back on the kitchen floor, it was time to give her her present.
A life-sized (well, life sized to a toddler!) stuffed pony that made clipclop noises on the chip in its ear.
OK, yes, I teared up. I mean, my God... who the hell does such a nice thing for a freaking neighbor. Talk about your generosity during the seasons. That was way too nice.
My watery eyes came to a quick halt as Evie (instead of saying "WOW!" like we had prepped her to say) vehemently defied touching it. She marched through the house and wouldn't even look at it. Dear God how being the parent of a 2-year-old is both a humbling & mortifying experience.
Rob and I explained away her rude behavior as her being tired, her being too hyper, her just being 2... all of the above being true. The neighbors understood and laughed.
Evie would eventually sit on the horse, grasp his neck and pretend to ride him (phew!) but the moment was later truncated by her then spinning on the kitchen floor, on her back, legs spread eagle announcing "I fart" as she patted her butt.

Caught!

We are currently at my parents' house (in NC) and will be here through the weekend. We typically drive in at night thinking Evie would sleep, the traffic would be light and the time I'd have to request off from work would be minimal.
We rolled in last night around 9PM.
Evie did sleep on the trip but posed a bit of a problem when we got here. Once up, and in a foreign place, it can be scary to fall asleep again... alone... in a wierd room. After many frustrated tears and crying, she was out by 10PM and she flailed around till 10:30PM. Finally - we could go to bed now, too. And, although it wasn't that late... a full day at work and a road trip with a dog & a toddler can wear the most energized of parents OUT.
So into bed we rolled. And, to be blunt, randiness was to be had.
Hey, we are old, tired parents but we aren't dead.
And, I know this is Evie's baby blog but since this act typically leads to babies ...it seems fitting that I profess my utter horror and humiliation that my father... caught us. I know, I know. Mortified.
The door was closed (which is more fore-thought than I can say from some of my more stupid dating days) and we heard a soft *knock* *knock* on the door. I thought he'd take the hint and go away when the light rapping was met with our profound SILENCE. *knock* *knock* louder.
We must have not heard him, right?
Still silence on our end as we decided to start looking for articles to save our modesty.
*knock* *knock* *knock* Yes, surely they will hear knocks in threes.
Ok, he isn't going away and he WILL be coming in if we don't respond. "Yes?"
Door opens. Our eyes peek over the covers.
"I need my nasal spray [hand pokes in from the door crack, grabs a bottle off the nearest dresser and disappears. Door closes. End scene.]"
*sigh*
How should one feel when caught, while married, in the parental homestead?

Happy Day, Duncan!

3 years old!

Gobble, Gobble Project

Project for both grandmas, one great-grandma and one Nana (our elderly nextdoor neighbor who recently moved to Texas after living next door for 60+ years!).
They are all, of course, Evie's hand print coupled with "feathers" that Evie scribble/colored herself.
*gobble* *gobble*

Dreams

Evie's been really into the word "dreams," lately. I don't think she quite understands the difference between telling stories and reciting what she thought about while sleeping... she always ends up telling us about an event from the day before or what she plans to do next with her baby (Lucy). But, sometimes, she talks about the "punkin' patch" and the "hay ride" and I think... how cool it is that a 1.5 hour event has lasted this long. I'm excited to think about how long she'll hold on to Christmas-themed dreams this holiday season. I'm planning a variety of experiences as I write this....

To have or not to have....

I have been trying (ok, WE have been trying) to make a baby #2 since last March.
Part of me was thinking "We should get started 'cause it took 2 years to make Evie" and... deep, deep, down... part of me was thinking, "Hell, everyone gets prego with their 2nd kid in like 2 months, this won't take long at all. I actually wasn't really worried as March came and went.. then April... then May... cause what I really wanted was a July pregnancy that would result in an April baby.
But hell.
Then went June, July, August, September... ah, sh*t... you can read the date of this post and finish that rant.
Yes, yes, to those of you who say "Relax. Don't worry. It'll happen. You did it once before..." Blah, blah. It still doesn't keep any sane women from going a wee bit wacko when those 2 weeks of questioning, "Am I? Am I NOT?" seem to drag by as I debate if I should have one more drink, suddenly take up running, or just eat candy bars for dinner. My mind plays games with me and suddenly every gas pain, midnight pee, and mid-afternoon yawn becomes a friggin' symptom. And just when I try NOT to look at the date on my computer, my watch, my calendar... to not check when my period is due... I find myself rationalizing why I should pee on a stick on the due date of my period. The same date I will inevitably GET my period by late afternoon. Ah yes, the $11 pee stick ...wasted.
When the results from my tests come back negative, I get so damned pissed at MYSELF for being so stupid as to have wasted 2 weeks playing mind games with myself that I will actually boycott anything healthy & responsible as if to be a defiant, teenager raging against the concept of pregnancy.
*sigh*
Yes, its all totally stupid and, completely embarrassing to admit. So, just listen and say nothing cause... read above again... I don't want to hear any consoling words of wisdom. Sometimes we women are just absurd for absurd's sake and all I am doing by even posting it is trying to make myself realize how silly I have been. Maybe this will keep the next 2 week ahead... a little more relaxed.

I'm also wondering if I really want another. I mean, yes, a lot of this is as a result of not getting pregnant after half a year of trying again, but all this time has really given me time to think. I don't know if I really care to go through pregnancy again. It does... kinda suck. Its amazing and fascinating but when you get down to brass tacks... it sucks.
And midnight feedings are NOT midnight feedings. They are every 3 hour feedings all day, all night.
Breast-feeding just downright sucks. Yes, yes, its a magical bonding gift between you and your baby - blah, blah. But it hurts like hell those first few exhausting, sore, tired weeks when you like like shit, feel like hell, have a big flooby belly, and now you are soaking wet from your t*ts leaking. I mean, c'mon!?. And trying to go shopping or getting ANYTHING done, forget about it. I never did master whipping out a boob in public & all my shirts where blown-out from stretching up over my chest to try and feed a baby. I just so desperately wanted my dignity, privacy and body back it wasn't even funny.
Babies poop WAY too much. 12 diapers a day? Erg.
Bottles are an annoying pain in the arse to clean, make and transport. Thank Gawd Evie can now share a straw with me, sip from a cup and will accept less expensive alternatives to formula.
Baby food is a pain to transport, too. We split our meals with Evie, its perfect.
Demanding & bored 6-month-olds are NOT easy. Sure, they can now sit up and entertain themselves in an action center, but they don't want to! They want to be held-up and carted EVERYTWHERE! You can't put them down on the ground... anywhere!.... and they cannot move themselves to reach that one item they really want 3 feet away. And 2 naps a day? So much for getting anything done! If you actually do try and leave the house, you just got to race back for that second nap... oh yeah, and don't forget the bottle, the food, the pacifier and multiple seat covers you need to bring with you!

*sigh*

All I know is, I'm going to throw away the calendar and throw caution to the wind up until Evie hits 3. After that, its anyone's guess but I am losing my enthusiasm for wanting a second kid. That, and I am anticipating a trip to Maui in February. Right now, that sounds way more exciting that midnight pees, sciatica and extreme exhaustion.

Halloween, extended...

For YEARS I have been complaining to Rob that I am "no prepared" or "never got into" any particular festive holiday time.
This applies to mostly Halloween & Christmas... two of the biggest marketing-filled, decoration-laden, blow-out holidays in America. They are also the two holidays that conjure up the most fond childhood memories for me.

I looked forward to having kids so that I could relive these "magical times" vicariously through my kids. I looked forward to the return of the magic that came with the monthly celebrations throughout the year: Easter, Valentine's Day, the Fourth of July fireworks... I looked forward to the l-o-n-g anticipation of a holiday... the "forever wait" that applied to anything I so desperately anticipated.

I wanted to feel the daily excitement.

Evie was born near the Fourth of July.
That holiday zinged by and so did the other major holidays that followed closely behind: Fall? We had a fall?
What, Halloween? This baby can't eat candy and she fusses when put into any restrictive let alone a costume.
Thanksgiving... I don't have time or patience to help cook anything.... and clean my house, forget it!
Christmas... what? Evie doesn't know how to open gifts and how am I going to get all these new toys to fit in the house?

Needless to say that first year with Evie both flew by and dragged on (dragged on during midnight feedings, ear infections, mulitple naps that rendered your day useless and poopy diapers 5 times a day...)

The second year with Evie was better. She didn't cry and scream at the Christmas light shows but rather said, "Wow!" and pointed to every. single. lit-up house.... every. single. evening. (it was great!). Her cute "oh's!" and "ah's!" were the reward I had been waiting for.
Evie exclaimed "Wow!" at her Easter basket and proceeded to "Wow!" every single piece of candy she pulled out (one, by, one!).
Evie watched fireworks on TV that summer, "Wow! Lights! Cool...."
Last year's Halloween wasn't quite as magical... with a HORRENDOUS ear infection, we stayed inside and never ventured out. She never even wore her costume aside from the one photo I took... we went home to Ohio for Halloween during a friend's party so we had no where to wear a costume, *sigh*. I was deflated.

But this year,... this year is so different. I had to hold back my decorating arsenal in the attic until October 1st (September was deemed way too early by the husband). I slowly eeked out a few "fall-themed" items but added the ghosts, ghouls, and jack-o-lanterns while Rob was away attending a comic convention that first weekend of October. Evie helped stuff baggies ghosts for the trees.... she helped select (and carry) pumpkins... she learned what a ghost & monster was... she would point to anything Halloween inspired and yell out, "Halloween!".... she pointed to the live-action skeleton at Target and would prod us to clap our hands so he would dance and sing.... she learned the words "costume" and "trick-or-treat"....

This month has been one of the longest month's I have had in a l-o-n-g time.
and I am glad to say, the magic has returned.

First Punkin' Patch and Hayride!

This place was FANTASTIC! Thanks to A & B for the amazing recommendation.
This is a family run place. No entry fee (which is rare for something to offer all this with no charge!). It was small & just perfect for us! They had ample parking next to the corn maze. There's a piled of hay for kids to romp in. The farmer's market set-up offered a variety of fancy pumpkins ($.39 a pound!) and other local produce. The tractor pulls up, hop on and take a tour around the pumpkin patch. A temporary stop in a metal shelter/barn provides spooky music, lights and a little "haunted fun" before continuing on the path past where the raise honeybees and turkeys.
We had a great time. Too bad it suddenly down poured.... but we would love to go back one more time this year and will definitely go back next year!

Halloween Dry-Run Pictures

You seriously cannot beat Old Navy for a costume. This thing is warm, easy to put on, fits great and is super cute to boot. We bought it online a little late (2 weeks before Halloween) so it was one of only a few selections left/not sold out. $15!

Halloween Dry-Run

Putting on Evie's 3rd Halloween costume - a tiger.
Last year was a bust due to ear infections (never left the house. She was a cute ladybug/princess in tights).
Two years ago she was snug-as-a-bug in a penguin sack costume (she HATED it!).

I hope Halloween 2009 delivers more fun-filled adventures & fond trick-or-treat memories...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTzSMfWafDE

Click on the link above to watch video.....

Cheers!

Two stories:

We've recently taught Evie how to smack her sippy-cup against our glasses while shouting "Cheers!" and then you must take at least 1 sip for good-luck. Evie will do this a few times in a row before we try to slunk away and/or change the subject... but it is cute.

Evie really likes to imitate me lately. Recently: vacuuming. (backstory: my grandmother-who has very little money-had my uncle-who dumpster dives- find something for Evie when we went to visit her in her nursing home last October. He found a Barbie vacuum that had the plastic battery flap missing. He resolved this by actually taping in a set of batteries. A few spins around my grandmother's room was enough for us... it says, "Hi! I'm Barbie! Let's vacuum!" after every time you hit the button to listen to it whirrrrr & spin around a cyclone of little plastic foam balls. We put it in the attic after returning home from our trip.)
Last week Evie was imitating me vacuuming the floor but only had her grocery cart to pretend with. Realizing we had a new kid interest on our hands, Rob grabbed the vacuum from the attic. Five minutes i,n we remembered why we not only left it to die in the attic but someone else had thrown away the battery pack flap in the hopes of leaving it to die in the alley. "Hi! I'm Barbie! Let's vacuum! Hi! I'm Barbie! Let's vacuum! Hi! I'm........"
Tonight I decided to spot vacuum a few rooms before Evie went to bed. She immediately went to grab her vacuum. She came over to the rug and did this awkard lean into my handle. I had no idea what she was doing so I stopped moving the vacuum for fear I'd knock her over. Her handle finally hit mine. "Cheers!" She then proceeded to vacuum alongside me.

Primping mom

I went out today with K on a "girls' night out". A fancy seafood dinner complete with wine, endless catching up and hazelnut cake for dessert.
When rush-rushing to "spot clean" myself after work (washing off some make up, changing my shirt and re-curling a few key strands of hair) I stood at the end of my bed face-to-face to a pajama clad Evie.
"Hair?" She pointed to my mane. I ran my fingers through it quickly, adding, "Better?"
She replied approvingly, "Yeah."
She then took a step forward and reached for the hem of the sweater I just threw on... my hands reached down and met hers. We both pulled it straight. She leaned back on the footboard of the bed, one leg cocked up like a James Dean sort of stance.
"Do I look pretty?" asking her as I finished straightening my sweater.
Nodding approvingly with a slight childish grin, "Yeah."

Pacifier Free*

We started Evie on pacifiers after 1 week of age. I purchased a few "Soothies," hearing they were the best. At first they fell out (as N called them, "Grenade Pins") and we'd wake-up through-out the night sticking them back in. We started throwing a few in her crib at/around 6 months of age hoping she'd find one at night and replace it herself. Eventually the whole operation smoothed out and it was a well oiled machine. We'd give her a "Pap" at bedtime and naptime & then see her when she woke up.
We should have ended the pacifier at one year of age along with the bottle.
Shortly after Evie was a year and a half old, the pacifier became more than a night-time friend. It became a comfort when hurt, lonely, scared, in new surroundings, without her parents and an all-around side-kick. It was like watching a smoker become addicted to nicotine. We knew she looked ridiculously over-age as we pushed her around in a stroller at a summertime event (She was 22 months old) and I have to admit, I was slightly embarrassed.
On Evie's 2nd year visit to the Pediatrician, I was told to "ditch the binky." The Dr. immediately laughed having caught a glimpse of Evie's evil glare to her words. "She just sneered at me! See! She knows what I said!"
And, the doctor was right. Evie knew. I knew.
Shortly after leaving the doctor's office, I returned a set of recently purchased pacifiers and buckled down for the slow ween.
Evie had been chewing her pacifiers to shreds the last few months and had also managed to loose a few along the way. We must have had about 4 when the doctor said it was time to cut her off.
The numbers diminished and we held onto a pacifier... until 2 nights ago. It was down to just this one.
Evie kept pulling her pacifer out through clenched teeth last weekend resulting in my throwing away the second-to-last shredded friend. I warned her, at the top of this week, to not do that to her last one because after it, that.. was.. IT.
Rob put Evie down for bedtime Monday night. He came out of the room with her wailing in his wake, "She chewed a hole in it," as he held up the final Pap. I told him it was the last one and I cut off the tip with scissors. I had read somewhere about cutting pacifiers down little by little until there was nothing left for the kid to hold onto... figured now was a good a time as any to try this.
We gave Evie the cut pacifier.
"Broken?!." she responded.
"Yes, you chewed it and we told you not to... that was your last Pap!"
"No! Pap.... mumble... PAP!"
The cries and lamenting for a pap continue for quite awhile but she eventually settled in. She rejected the broken Pap and settled on the comfort of her favorite blankie.
I am happy to say that first night was worse for us than her... its hard to take away something that, to a child, seems completely harmless. It sucks having to take away a piece of plastic because it could cause long-term dental problems should she not ween herself after a reasonable amount of time. What a shit-task having to discipline a behavior that might have exhausted itself had we not intervened.
But, Evie awoke this morning at 6AM (only an hour earlier than normal... a very hard task for mom & dad to have to deal with but pretty good given she slept all night long with no problems) asking for her pap. I reminded her it was broken and she flailed a bit until we got up at 6:45AM.
Rob put Evie down for a nap telling her how she was a big girl now and how proud her was of her not needing a pap. I'm not sure how much she believed him but she did eventually drift off for a 2 hour nap. A nap that, Rob tells me, was full of smiles after it ended.
Tonight I put Evie down for her 2nd pap-free night and she did seem really scared/nervous. She cried a little, seriously less fussing than most nights where she plays games to stay up just a wee bit longer. I checked on her after a few terrified, "Mom-my's!" and I kissed her all over telling her how proud I was that she was such a big girl. I am always here if she needs me and she is so brave. I left the room.
Silence.



*Evie lovingly calls them her "Pap."

Baby + Stroller = New Mommy on the Block

I couldn't resist buying Evie an $8.99 stroller I saw at Toys R Us today (this was on my list along with checking out bikes for Christmas). The stroller was so cheap I also got one of those "magically disappearing!" juice bottles that "empties" when you feed your baby. Evie spent the better part of the afternoon locking and unlocking her baby in the stroller, feeding her, and reading her stories while she napped (while she sat perched in the stroller looking down at baby asleep on the floor at her feet, of course).

Evie, get that out of your mouth!

I'm watching her shove an entire wooden sucker in her mouth and beginning to question if she still realizes its fake... I thought she was pretending but it looks like pretend is giving way to complete "space-out" and she is now beginning to try and eat it. *sigh*, genius.

Lay back!

A common Evie phrase, "Lay back!" as in, I'm going to sit on your lap and I anticipate you reclining to make my lap stay more comfortable. No idea where she adapted the phrase "lay back!" (probably from Rob one morning) but its commonly heard as she pushes you toward a chair with a remote in her hand. Evie.... is a lap-hound.
So, after Evie gave me good-night hugs and told me about how she brushed her teeth with dad (brush teeth!) and how she washed down a cup of water (um, water!), she then grabbed the pile of books next to the living room chair and made a slow march toward the bedroom. She stopped halfway and commanded me (I was leaning forward watching her 'round the corner) to, "lay back!" I threw myself against the chair quickly in an exaggerated follow-through. She then nodded positively, "There ya go!" and continued marching off to her room.
Hilarious. A kid that tells me when to recline & relax. I love it.

Punkin'

I just love how Evie calls pumpkins, "punkins."

Evie Pee-Pee'd on the potty!

Her pediatrician told me at her 2-yr check-up to start plinking her down after waking up, before naps, after naps, before bathtime and before bedtime. Up till now I have hinted about using the potty but have waited for her to decide when was "best". For some reason last night I was a bit more persistent and plunked her down on the potty while I drew her bath (figured the running water would help). Before both her and I knew it, she peed. She didn't even know what had just happened. So weird! I looked and said, "Evie! You pee-pee'd in the potty!" and she answers, "No."
Funny, no wonder this will take a long time if she herself can't even tell what it feels like & when its happening!

Evie Pee-Pee'd on the potty!

Her pediatrician told me at her 2-yr check-up to start plinking her down after waking up, before naps, after naps, before bathtime and before bedtime. Up till now I have hinted about using the potty but have waited for her to decide when was "best". For some reason last night I was a bit more persistent and plunked her down on the potty while I drew her bath (figured the running water would help). Before both her and I knew it, she peed. She didn't even know what had just happened. So weird! I looked and said, "Evie! You pee-pee'd in the potty!" and she answers, "No."
Funny, no wonder this will take a long time if she herself can't even tell what it feels like & when its happening!

Steeeek-ehrs!

Evie got into the promo stickers Highlights Magazine sent me... and she couldn't stop at just 1 on her shirt.

I asked her to she me her belly-full of "steeek-ehrs!" and then I got an awesome cheezy grin! She's so big!

No pictures

Ah, the life of fame and fortune, *wink*

Photo taken last weekend, Sunday.

We are en route to b'fast at Aunt Sarah's pancake house with the Kelly's & Eric.

Gibberty-Gabberty

Evie's been babbling a lot lately.
Sentences are generally," Shah shicka meeka boo.... right der, k? K."
Translation: indescribable gibberish followed up by words we know, "Right there, ok?"

Evie's big things lately:

1. Telling us where SPECIFICALLY things should go. She will point to an exact spot and boy your item, her dinner plate, your butt better be... right... THERE! Right there! K?

2. She is really into her baby. She has a few already (none that I have purchased after never have been a girlie-girl when I was her age). One "baby" is my old Cabbage Patch doll that she named Charlie... after the only current boy baby she knows. Another is a green Ugly Dollz that seems to have taken the back burner to her recent favorite: Baby Chou Chou (thanks again Kendra, not sure if I am serious in saying that or rolling my eyes at how much love my child has for a creepie doll that has a recorded cry and awkward giggle). We haven't assign this baby a name yet but I keep trying out "Barb." There's something completely hilarious to me to have a baby named Barb.
Evie is so into her babies that I will find all the pillows off the couch and on the floor... each one delicately cradling a baby. We seem to be running a nursery lately since even Plex, a stuffed animal robot, has been added to the mix amoungst other odd "babies." Every baby will be routinely hugged and receive the occasional, "No cwhy baby, no cwhy," as she craddles them in her arms (correctly!) and gives them kisses. I'm beginning to wonder if I am bothered by this 'cause I can't relate having been a tomboy myself... or because she is already proving to being a more loving & understanding mother than me.

3. Evie is getting more daring. Not in a James Bond, risk-taking sort of way but in a bold, brazen, testing her mother's rules sort of way. She'll smile at me while continually reaching for the things she knows she cannot have. She'll bring on this doe-eyed, ham-face grin while coaxing me, "No touch? Right? No touch.... [ poking object with the very edge of her finger nail]."
Its hard to discipline someone so cunning and so darned cute all at the same time.
I'm also realizing more and more that sometimes you just have to let 'em go and learn from falling, dropping something or just making messes. We'll see if my approach worked 16 years from now when she is in therapy.

Babysitting

Miles' mama had to work the night of First Friday (First Fridays Art Walk in Richmond) on September 4th so Miles ate dinner, attended the playground, took a bath and zoned out on Sesame Street with us for the night.

Playground - great lighting

September 4th.

Playground at the elementary school 2 houses down.

First night in big-girl bed

September 13th night - here's Evie on the 'morn of Monday September 14th:

Schtuff

Its amazing the amount of schitt we have accumulated and how much of it screams "we have a kid"!" on display.
It never occurred to me how much CRAP we have until after coming home from K & E's house (two people who will not & do not have kids) can decorate without having to consider toy bins, primary colors and "ongoing disasters in progress."
I'm torn between wanting my life back and he one I lead today.
God my house looks like a piece of crap tonight.

OBX - Family vacation Aug 23-30

Maybe more photos will follow (if I get to it) but in the meanwhile, a new favorite pic....

Sure, why not?

Evie in her Little Mermaid nightgown (from grandma... she's never seen a princess movie yet, I wonder if she'll even like them?), a beach hate and her purse. Evie loves a bag... and shoes.... maybe she will be a princess-lovin' girl afterall....

These boots were made for walking...

Evie tries on mom's schitt-kickers

Chicago Passers-by

We got some drop-in visitors en route to the Outer Banks last week.
Next time we need to coordinate our vacations so that we go to OBX on the same week... then we can do brunch out by the waves instead of inside our stifling house.

Best Friends

One of our recent treks to the park in the Fan.
Evie and Miles.

*moan*

Evie has started this new morning routine which involves her waking up and instantly, repetitively, rhythmically... moaning.

She lays there in her crib, we'll hear a slight rustle and then, "....hmmmm.... [pause] ... hmmmm... [pause] .... hmmmmm...."
I have begun to master tuning it out. Rob, not so much. He gives in before too long.
And we've lasted about 20 minutes.

This "phase" effing ROCKS.

no, no, no, NO!

Well, this past week marks the beginning of the "No, no, NO!'s"
It sucks.
Somewhere around Wednesday (so let's see, Evie is 2 years, one month and 2 weeks old) she began making demands.
And the demands, were effing ridiculous.
It always begins innocently enough, "Milk! Mah milk!" eventually gives way to "No, Puck! Mah cha-cho's (you may remember cha-cho's are cheerios)." Pretty soon its, "Da-da, sit!" as Evie points to a very specific and non-discript piece of floor. Then she'll pull on my hand, "No, mommy! No sit!" I am supposed to then stand there as she goes about the room demanding, "No news! Shows! Evie shows!"
Its crap, I tells ya. Crap.
I sat down, Rob stood up and we hid the remote control in order to watch Brian Williams.
Evie pitched an all out, star-spangled, full glory, ranting rampage of a tantrum.
Its been rather non-stop since.
Asserting her independence is one thing.
Its another thing when sserting stupid demands like: we must listen to one album and one album only (They Might Be Giants, Here Come the One-Two-Threes) over and over again everyday in a row, ...Evie can stand on the kitchen chair while eating dinner, ...Evie can shove Puck away from the front glass door and then slam the wood door shut so he can't look out, ...No hugs! No Teeth (brushing teeth)! No bath! No kiss! No books! No! No! No!

AH!
NO MORE!

;-)

The mind's a magical place

I thought I was pregnant for about 3 hours today. It was great.

Plant Advice for Newish Moms...

The summer Evie was born was my "purple-theme year" in celebration of having a girl (I'm not much of a pink person). I had hanging baskets with purple pansies and new cascading pots containing a variety of strange purple florals on the front stoop. Shortly after Evie was born (July) my watering of said plants became spotty at best and many withered away. Who has time to brush their own teeth let alone water a plant when a newborn is in the house (also note: never buy a new mom a houseplant. never. ever.).

As a result of the baby drought put on my outdoor plants that summer, I bought less flowers last summer. Those, too, quickly faded as exploring the ground world with a crawler became my new full-time gig in between keeping house and working.

So, this year, I chose to buy nothing. The house looked barren and cold till I finally painted the front door a poppy red thus adding some color to our otherwise bland tan home. It turns out this was the prime year to have tried plants since Evie is absolutely THRILLED to "hope" (this is how it sounds when she says "help" since her L's aren't the best. She also likes to enthusiastically declare, "I hoping!" while in the process of helping). She loves to water plants, smell flowers, pick flowers, and point out "a bee! a bee!" (which is always anything but a bee).

So newish moms out there, take note. A great activity for your kids the sprint they are 1.5 going on 2... is prime-time for yard care.

Random recenty pics

I used to balk at those who abandoned their kids' blogs when they reached the age of 2... now I get it.
Here's some recent pics.
We can get Evie's hair in pigtails now (not so much that her hair is long enuff but rather that she has ALLOWED US to do this to her... and dear Lawd is it ever freakin' cute. I mean, c'mon now...

BWO-bee

Conversation with Evie this morning as I walked around in a built-in bra/tank top to go under my shirt:

Evie: "Bowbie! [she points at what I think is me]"

Me: "Yes. Boobies."

Evie: "No! No boobies."

She lifts up her stuffed Brobee doll.

Evie: "BWO-bee!"

I guess it serves me right to think the topics at hand was my boobs. Aren't I red-faced.

magic word

Evie's running through the house asking for cookies or some such having just seen something on TV. She goes to the pantry and points to the box on the nearly reachable shelf.

"Crackers?" I ask.

"yea."

"What do you say? I ask.

"Cwack-uhs."

"No [laughing to myself], what do you say when someone gives you something?"

"Mine!" and off she runs...

Ah schitt, there goes the neighborhood...

Yes, yes, yes! Evie climbed OUT OF HER CRIB at naptime today.
*sigh*
It was meant to happen... right? I mean, you can't keep them caged forever, right?
And yet, somehow, I pictured myself with child #2 and buying Evie a jungle gym of a loft bed for her next bed... something that involved a smaller bed below for the sibling. I wasn't at all considering when kid #2 would happen nor the fact that maybe Evie may not want to be "floating" in a bed above kid #2....

So, here we are.
Evie jumped parole and we gotta suddenly accomodate.

This kid's a color and number GENIUS!

OK, maybe not quite genius but after nearly 2-3 months of counting staircase steps, numbers of arms being pulled through tshirt sleeves, and toys that get put away in the bathtub... Evie has suddenly "got it!"
Evie can now successfully count 1-13 unprompted. She technically mastered the numbers 1 through 10 about two weeks ago but as been slowly adding one more number to the list with each passing week. So, we are now up to 13. I personally think she is a freaking Einstein.

To add to my kid amazement, Evie now "gets it!" when it comes to her colors, too. After nearly 3 months of saying everything from grass to Puck's fur to her milk was BLUE... she know successfully will tell you what is red, orange, yellow, green, blue, white, brown and white. Pink and purple still get used interchangeably. Also worth nothing, she likes BLUE but actually correctly identified the color BROWN first. Hmmm, too much brown in this house I think...

Evie's everyday vocab still continues to grow exponentially as well.
Adding to her list: tilting her head and furrowing her brow while asking, "Better?" after you hurt yourself.
"Record!" when she wants to hear They Might Be Giants, ... again!
"Sand box."
"Remote,"as she opens my hand and shoves in the TV remote, "Show." this means she wants to watch one of her shows, of course.
"Boobies." which she also correctly identifies.

...and it comes around again...

Trying to find a few minutes to *sneak* away with the hubby while Evie is distracted reminds me of my teenaged years trying to find 5 minutes without the parentals eyeballs on me. As much as it sucks... its kinda hot, too, all this sneaking around....

You're cute...

Me: "You're cute Evie. You know that?"

Evie: "Yeah."

Me: "Do you know what that means?"

Evie: "No."

Me: "That means you can get away with a lot."

Evie: "Yeah..."

Confessions of a mother

I am embarrassed to say I cannot recall the channels I used to like to watch but I can easily "dial" Noggin without having to thinking about it.

I have worn the same pants to work (with said toothpaste spot from Evie's hands) 3X's now... I need to go to the dry cleaner.

I have been known to share Evie's sippy-cup of water when in the car or shopping. I get thirsty!

I let Evie play with my make-up this morning as a distraction while I poured coffee/got ready. I was impressed at her putting on blusher and her attempt at using the eye lash curler. I also suddenly got very nervous that maybe she'll be one of those girls...

I read "Snow White" to Evie last night. Apparently I owned an abridged version when I was a kid and my mom passed it down to me. God what a horrible story. I could barely trudge through it and by the end.. Evie seemed to enjoy pointing out the characters. I hid the book in the back of the book case.

I have turned into one of those people who picks up a toy to entertain Evie in the store... and then sticks in back on a random shelf when she seems to have lost interest. I can't believe I have done this - I hate those people!

I have let Evie eat grapes at the grocery store before weighing and buying them. Again, I cannot believe I have done this but she WAILS for grapes if I pick them up... and I only did it once. OK, twice... I sneak them in the cart every chance I get...

Two: Stats

Just went in for our 2-year-old check-up this morning.

Height: 35 & 3/4" tall (altho mom and dad's kitchen wall measuring wall disputes this and says she is a wee bit smaller).
Weight: 29 lbs and 14 oz
Teeth: 2 year old molars are on their way in in the bottom.
Anything new?: • Turns out she has allergies... we can give her Zyrtec or Clariton!
• She can start fluoride toothpaste
• We need to start putting her on the potty after waking, before bed and before baths
(Evie already enjoys sitting, wiping and throwing paper in the trash! lol)
• We need to ditch the pacifiers! (no more Paps! Arg!)

The doctor gave me a questionaire to fill-out while she waited... some of the many things a 2-year-old is anticipated to do at this time include:
• Hold a spoon to eat (see photos of yogurt)
• Speak 2 word phrases (she says 3 or more fairly often)
• Play with friends (does taking things count?)
• Draw in circles (ok, even the doctor admitted this was a 3-year-old activity. Evie scribbles)
• Eat well-balanced meals?
• How much TV a day does she watch? (She asks this a day after a rainy Sunday afternoon)
• Run? Crawl up/down laders?
• Go up and down stairs with no help?
• Obey 2-part directions?
• Obey when mom says "no"? (I mean, really? She's two.)

I think its funny we never discussed what makes a good bedtime or when we should switch to a bed. The doctor also tells me to let Ecie decide when she's ready to potty-train and yet I am supposed to start pushing it. Lastly, get rid of the PAPS? Are you kidding me? I finally found a way to calm her down and now I hafta thro away the cheat-cheat? ;-)




birthday morning cupcake