A new year begins, and one is half over: 6 mo's old

Happy half birthday! Time is snowballing. It just goes by faster and faster... and I am happy to say, that it keeps getting more fun.

This past month you joined me at the kitchen table courtesy of Maya's outgrown hanging canvas baby seat. You also expanded your taste buds to include oatmeal, yams (Ok, maybe not so much yams), green peas, squash, pears, very little banana and water. I think it is hilarious that you truly explored water for the first time this past month. Water is such a basic standard in all animal (and plant!) lives... its hard to think this is a new experience for you. It won't be long before you begin feeding yourself and, hopefully, trying to hold your own bottle (you simply won't do it yet!).

You aren't one for mobility. Still. You did roll from your back to your front recently but only once. You HATE being on your belly and show your disgust with whining and waterfalls of endless drool. I'm not too worried. You do roll from one extreme side to the other, roll your head back to look behind you and you're recognizing your name & will turn when we call you, "Evie!" You are stronger than ever with sitting up. You began this month with suddenly flinging yourself backwards but now that is no longer the case. You will fall over to your side or overreach for toys resulting in a tumble. You do have continued need for a spotter, but this is nothing compared to where you were just one month ago.

You are getting stronger legs. You now "stand up" on our laps and have very recently beginning hopping a bit (thanks to your new johnny jump-up swing we attached to the doorway). Its nice to feel how sturdy you are becoming - a lot less floobie.

You are reaching for more things and with a lot more confidence. You sit at the table and are starting to pat your palms on the table top (I'm trying to teach you to simultaneously yell, "bartender! bartender!" but I think that lesson may still be a little too advanced). You grab pads of paper from my hands, pens, telephones, remote controls... and anything else with your arm's reach. You are getting quicker with your grasp, STRONGER clenched hands from which I must pry things and more determined to find the one thing you probably shouldn't be reaching for (like my hot cup of coffee).

Speaking of reaching for things - you are noticing more dainty/detail things like my bangs that fall from my ponytail, an earring, and buttons. You've discovered the dogs more and you like to pet them. You are learning "gentle" and how to softly pat Puck. You do well for awhile and then there's the sudden squeeze & yank toward your mouth. Puck, wide-eyed and panicked, watches you but lets you learn with him standing in as the guinea pig. I'm so surprised by this and proud at the same time. Its nice to see everyone getting along so well.

You sleep through the night now. Who-hoo! Its funny to think how DIFFICULT the first month was getting up every 2-3 hours but, after getting used to it, it was tolerable. Then, when you shrank to 2 midnight feedings, I couldn't imagine the insanity of the scattered first month with you. After your 1 midnight feeding nights, I couldn't imagine getting up twice in a night and hadn't a clue how it didn't bother me before. Now, I think a bomb could go off at 3AM and I'd sleep right through it. I'm now realizing how people say its so hard to consider having a second kid after you get through all the crap with the first. No offense Evie, but midnight feedings are crap. ;-)

You began eating your toes this month. I had no idea that baby foot COULD stink, but yours sure do. I've begome more diligent about scrubbing your toes (I always did brush them before but now I make it a point to fish in between your toes with a washcloth. You like to suck all the water out of the other end of the washcloth while I go to town.


You still love baths–kicking the water, splashing and bobbing like a cork. You love it when you throw you in the air, let go and catch you. You love being fake dropped. You squeal when we blow rasberries on your neck or belly. You LOVE being scared - we will jump out and yell BOO!... you jerk, blink and laugh hysterically. You love being sarcastically mocked. If you cry or whine for no real reason I mimic your cries while groaning, "Its so hard being a baby! I poop in my pants! I don't know how to cook! I don't have a job. I take naps!" You always stop and laugh at me. Its good to know you don't take yourself too seriously... or maybe its me you don't take seriously, uh-oh.

You traveled to Ohio for the first time. You have now officially been to DC, North Carolina, and Ohio. You are becoming quite the little traveler. The realization that mom & dad will have help once we get to our destination is fuel for us to keep traveling with you. You also do great with strangers and EVERYONE referred to you as a "happy baby" this past week. You fuss a lot these days (and at a rather constant level. Teething? Cold?) but you never really bust out a cry so we never seem to mind much and we know how to get you happy again. You adapt well to new surroundings and adjust your routine to one that works when we are on a holiday with you. Again, more motivation to keep going out and about with you.

You got your first real cold this past month. After returning from Ohio, you awoke during the night with a 101.4 fever. We never took you to the doctor since you returned to normal the next day and you see the doctor for a check-up within the week. Besides the incredibly snotty nose (it looks like raw egg whites!) and periodic wha-wah's, you seem OK. Phew!

Our current nicknames for you: Boo-boo, Faker, Piglet, Evie-Peevey, Drooly-Julie.

Ohio for the Holidays: Its a Wrap

We ventured to Stow, Ohio for this Christmas holiday. The trip lasted from the Friday, Dec 21st departure at 5:30PM until the arrival home at 12:30AM on Friday, Dec 28.
All-in-all, not a bad trip. Was I worried it would be otherwise? You bet your sweet bippy.
We left at night per many friend's advice - kids in cars during the day is a fate worse then hell. So, off we left at night. The drive turned out to be rather perfect (we did decide to take the slightly out-of-our-way, round-a-bout Washington DC side roads. We saved ourselves about an hour of stop & go traffic that our friend G ended up sitting in when he decided to go through DC).
Evie slept the whole way. Around 1AM, just shy of our final destination by a half hour, she cried... in her sleep... and we held our breath. When we carried her into the house, I told Grandma and Grandpa Ullman to NOT WAKE her but they did anyways (I'm a little annoyed at this point but also understanding - Grandpa han't even met her yet so, of course, he is excited). Evie ends up staying up till 2:30AM and wailing until 3:30AM when we try to get her back down for a near hour. By 7AM, she is up and wide awake. We hand her off to grandma with feeding instructions... and back to bed we go.

Rob and I enjoyed a lunch out, just the two of us, our first day in Ohio. Franklin's Deli for subs and conversation. We then head to none other than Gabriel Brothers for cheap fineries before heading home just in time for Evie to be up from a nap. We eat a light supper before heading over to K & K's for a Holiday Poker Party. Evie stays home with the grandparents - its a parent's-night-out event!
At the party, Sloane gives Evie the cutest darned onesie from the Gap, diape(RED), and red sweats, treasu(RED). Ivy gives Evie a fantastic Deathcab for Cutie onesie (How did she know Eve's mom's love for Deathcab?). Damned, Evie only prepared cookies - we have a lot to learn for next time.
Rob plays poker in the garage while I sling back drinks with the non-players in the basement bar. By midnight we decide to call it a night. I drive home (Rob's had multiple shots afterall) and I am unhappy to report... that I shouldn't have been driving either. I didn't think this was the case until the next morning when I see photos posted of us... that I don't recall taking. Its been a long time since we've had a night out that I think I forgot personal responsibility.

On Sunday, Dec 23rd (my father's 61st birthday back in NC), Evie discovered what will be her new staple face throughout the entire trip - the sad clown (what IS this?). Later that afternoon, we attend the Ullman family holiday gathering. A fine mixture of non-drinkers and light conversation. This... can get boring. The baby really helped. Its great to now have a built-in exuse to leave, *ahem*, less than exciting family events.
We took a new family portrait that afternoon and asked Claire what she thought of her new baby cousin, "I don't care," she mumbled while walking away. How awesome. Such honesty, I wish we didn't lose this kind of rawness as we get older. We should all just tell it like it is. Then again, after a night of drinking Christmas Ale a few nights later - my telling it like it is leads to trouble, but I digress...

Christmas Eve (no puns intended), we go to Panara Bread to upload pics for my parents to see. I could honestly send them a flip-book of Evie's entire day and they still wouldn't be sick of seeing pictures. This is rather sweet. They are truly enjoy seeing how cute she is on a daily basis. Proud grandparents, I guess.
We then hit Swenson's on the way home. Rob could eat Swenson's 5 days in a row and still not be fully satisfied. Eh*, they are OK (*ducking Galley Boy's being thrown at my head for writing this).
Christmas Eve night is spent in - traditionally, Rob's mother's family comes over to enjoy lasagna, meatballs, ham and cookies. Evie misses EVERYTHING! We take a picture of her by the tree in a new dress, etc, etc. Before the extended family shows, however, she fusses and falls asleep mid-bottle at 5:30PM. The family bumped up the festivities just to meet her and here she crashes out an hour and a half earlier than she EVER has. *sigh*. I put her to bed, with tights & dress still on thinking it will be a quick nap, but she doesn't wake until 7AM Christmas morning. Oh well.
The mass gift exchange then transpires (being an only child, I had to open 1 gift at a time to thoroughly enjoy the gift opening process over an hour's long duration. Rob's bigger family tears open, flings, sets aside and tosses around gifts in a flurry lasting only 10 minutes... its crazy!)

On Christmas Day we wake up and go over to Rob's sister's house for breakfast & more gift exchanging. It amazing the AMOUNT OF TOYS the nieces got... had... have... whatever! I'll simply post a picture of me with Evie in the 'Land of Plastic' for you all to enjoy.
Christmas evening we went over to J & M's to see Ivy (and enjoy delish snackies while watching babies play). Sloane came over and the play room was open for business.
We then went over to the Harsch's for Christmas night with more babies, adults with cocktails & Christmas cheer. Frances got Evie a slick screen-printed onesie featuring Mr T's head atop R2-D2's body. Damned, again with the cool gifts... we gotta step this up next year.
Frances wanted to kiss Evie (the baby) good-bye. Too. darned. cute.
After dropping Eve off at home to go to bed - we head back out to the infamous Zephyr for Christmas Ale (remember I talked about this earlier in this post?). Well, Rob now refers to this as my "liquid truth" because after just 2, I get sh*tty and start blabbing for all to hear. I find the sound of my voiced opinions hilarious which, fuels my fire even more. Rob suggests we leave after I begin a near fight between G and K... I remember nothing the next day until Rob begins recounting the night's events. I raise my hand, "Tell me no more." How embarrassing. Thank God they only make this beer once a year and you can only get it in Ohio. I apparently can't handle it. Of course, that won't stop me from thoroughly enjoying the 6-pack we brought back with us, heh heh. I'll be sure to not have you over when I decide to have a drink. That way, we can maintain our friendship.

December 26th. Off to Toodly-Doo (Toledo, OH) to visit my grandma in the hospital. This is Evie's only remaining great-grandmother so this was a memorable (well, for us) pilgrimage. Great-Grandma had a spell while out of the nursing home for Christmas Eve and now she is in the hospital with a cold. She doesn't look too well, but my aunt fixed her up for photos. Evie found touching her face fascinating.
My aunt and 3 uncles showed up to meet Evie. This visit was a little impromptu & quick but nice since we get in town so rarely.
A few hours in the hospital is plenty and we head back to Stow (a 2 hour drive back) while Evie catches some Z's.
Rob decided to head out this night to catch up with friends. I stayed in - the emotional day takes its toll on me. I'm drained. I opted to stay in and chit-chat for hours with Rob's mom. I think I made a wise choice.

December 27th, Thursday. The night we head back home.
We spend the day packing up and picking up the pieces. We head over to Rob's aunt's workplace to introduce Evie (since she decided to sack out so early Christmas Eve, some of Rob's family never got the chance to meet her). We then head over to another Aunt's house to spend time with a few more family members that we didn't really get the chance to talk to at the Ullman family gathering.
Later, Evie seeks solace in the arms of her grandma while we pack up the car. By the end of the week, she really took a liking to being carried around like this.
After the car was loaded and we stood in the living room... coats on... a few moments of quiet... Rob's mom looks at me with Evie in her arms, "Well, ...I suppose you want me to put her in there," glancing at the car seat.
Yup.
So we bundled her up (PJs on and pacifier in place) and off we drove. Another night of driving for us, sleeping for the baby.
We got in at 12:30AM and crashed out by 2AM.

A good time was had by all.
I can't believe Evie's first Christmas is over.

I roll for T-Bone

Grandma Ullman cleans hotels & as a result, finds all sorts of things useful and not-so-useful. All of which she brings home with her to use, share or pass on. T-Bone is one of these things.
Evie took a liking to T-Bone... a friend of Clifford the Big Red Dog. The toy is a small hard plastic dog with a big bone in his mouth. When you pull the bone, its attached to an elastic cord that reels the bone back. This both amazes and amuses Evie to no end.
After playing with Evie on her mat, I sat back and watched her roll side to side in this spastic rocking motion she likes to do. She eyed T-Bone off to the side and actually rolled onto her belly for him. Granted her arm was folded up under her and I had to help set it free... but it counts!
2 days later update: She has yet to replicate this maneuver and doesn't seem too interested in even trying. Oh well, it will happen. ;-)

Out To Lunch

Since returning from our long trip to Ohio for the holidays (more on that post, later) we have enjoyed 3 days off before I return to work.
We drove home from 5:30PM - 12:40AM Thursday night (don't ask me HOW we made the drive that quickly, even we were amazed albeit tired). We woke up with Evie at 7:30AM the next day. Well, I did, anyway. I spent the day doing laundry, scrubbing the kitchen floor on my hands & knees (we had a dog sitter stop by to let the dogs out and I don't think they wiped their paws nearly as thoroughly as I would so the house was horribly muddy... it was truly rather gross), etc etc.
On Saturday, I decided to take a break and suggested a lunch out with the family.
We went to "Zuppa," a great soup/sandwich place in Shockoe Bottom. This was the first time we decided to carry Evie and put her in the high chair without her car seat. We were excited! Finally, no more lugging around that heavy carseat with a heavy kid in it. Those things are so unyielding its like carrying a bundle of logs away from your body.
The first 10 minutes were great. The next 5 were fleeting and then the last 15 were spent on my lap or dad's lap while we took turns eating. I'm realizing at this point, the car seat provided a good napping location for a fussy baby. Oh, well.

And now for the rest of the story... Evie woke up CRYING (not really wailing, but clearly NOT HAPPY) at 9:30PM with a fever of 101.4.
She had acted odd all day with low attention spans, non-existant naps and very little appetite. I wasn't sure if it was a cold coming on (either from baby F trying to kiss the baby with two steady streams of snot cascading onto her pouty lips or visiting my sick grandmother in the hospital where the pacifier made multiple spills onto the germ ridden surfaces, who knows. We were surrounded by colds the last few days while in Ohio) or maybe a tooth coming in.
We gave her a 4 oz bottle since she hadn't eaten dinner, some tylenol, many hugs & belly rubs while rocking her and a change before going down again. I felt like shit. I now truly understand what my mom always meant when she told me as a little girl, "I wish I could take the pain away for you."
*sigh*
Sunday, December 30: I am happy to report she is bouncing back after a decent night's sleep and has been fever free.

Bouncey Bouncey

I bought this bouncey swing off Craigslist.com for $10. Its one of those swings that "hooks" onto the door frame.
I've had it hiding under the crib waiting for the day when I felt she had good head control before I brought it out. I may have waited too long. This thing is as tight as it will go and she's bow-legged on the ground. She seems to just spin more so than bounce.
Eh, oh well.

Christmas Lights - Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens

We attended the lights a few weeks back but I am just now getting around to posting (Sat, Dec 8th, in fact).
We are fortunate to live in very close proximity to the Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens. I haven't been yet, so this was a beautiful way to be introduced. I purchased a 1-year family pass late November. I anticipate attending the Mother's Day picnic and perhaps a few "Groovin' in the Garden" shows next summer. It will be fun to watch a baby roll around repeating "whoa!" (after I teach her this phrase, of course).
Enjoy!





Evie fussed throughout 85% of the evening - it was bedtime and I don't think she enjoyed being stuffed into a fleece teddy bear snowsuit. Maybe next year we will have more "oh! and ah's!" and less "wah's!"

Yam-tastic

I followed Jessica's recipe and tried yams on Evie.
She, although initially ate them, hates them.
I mean, made-herself-gag-to-the-point-of-vomiting-all-over-herself, hates them.
We ceased with the yams after about 5 different tries.
We switched to pears.
Evie loves pears.

G'morning Sunshine

I generally wake up and grab Evie when we hear her "yoo-WHO!" suddenly pipe down the halls.
I pick her up and kiss her on the cheek before walking back to the bedroom.
We plop down on the bed with dad and coax him from his slumber (if the dogs haven't already started by this time).
I then go make coffee and get things ready while Rob preps breakfast-time.


The two of them go through their routine.
Rob gets close to Evie's face saying, "Ahhh!"
*silence*
"AHHH!"
Eventually, this will lead to her opening her birdy-mouth and the dance plays out again.
"Ahhhh!"
I find this both irritating and incredibly wonderful.


After breakfast is complete, I sometimes have time on my hands for Rob to work in a shower before I leave for my job.
The two of them then enjoy watching a bit of Today Show before continuing on with however they continue on their mornings. I'm generally heading out-the-door at this time.
I wonder if Evie will look back on her early childhood with fond memories of her + daddy time.

Just 'cause

So Rob sends me this series while at work last week Friday. I about wet my pants. I then pulled people into my cube to take a look before printing them out and hanging them up near my window.
Evie's hilarious.
Her dad is awesome.

Monumentous

Last night...
...you slept for 12.5 hours...
straight
You were a little fussy and wierd during dinner (you passed out in my arms and then rebounded with twice the energy less then 10 minutes later). I then put you down wide awake at 7PM only to find you, again, passed out cold less than 5 minutes later.
I told dad I would do midnight feeding last night and awoke to my alarm at 6:30AM.
I laid there, in a panic (were you dead?!.) for half an hour before checking on you.
At 7:30AM, we heard you gurgling to yourself.
Wow-wee!
A full night's sleep with no interruptions?
I haven't had this in over a year...

Carrots

Evie with her 2nd or 3rd bite of carrots for the first time last week (Friday).
Turns out, she loves 'em.
The best face so far is the grimmace after homemade applesauce made from Macintosh apples. I have yet to capture this on film.

Parsnips, Carrots, Apples and Insanity; A Baby Food Make

I decided to try my hand at making baby food today. Two reasons compelled me to do this: my mother did it (and she claims it was "So easy! I had a food mill and I made you all sorts of stuff!") and store bought baby food is expensive.
Off to the store, with baby in tow, I went to buy a parsnip (I have never had one before but I read about how to turn one into baby food online so I figured why not), baby carrots and 2 large Red Delicious apples (I read you are supposed to use Macintosh but there were none to be found). I also bought 4 Bartlett pears but I never got around to preparing those tonight. I managed to fill all my new plastic "1 oz baby food storage canisters" and I reached EXTREME INSANITY after the peeling, cutting, boiling and puree'ing just the 3 kinds of foods.
*Sigh*, I thought this was easy? Oh, I forgot, my mother was a full-time stay-at-home mom who's downtime was always been spent DOING SOMETHING!
The process: I began by cleaning and peeling the parsnips. I tried a raw bite - not bad! Tastes like a real tough carrot. After boiling it like a potato, I had Rob try it. Positive feedback! Maybe we discovered a new side dish. Excellent! I then hand ground it in the little mill my mom bought me for Christmas and... viola! I fill 5 of the 24 canisters.
I then moved on to steaming half the bag of baby carrots which yielded 8 more canisters. Evie decided to wake up from her piss-poor nap at this time (just half an hour?!. What happened to the 2 hour job you performed at Grandma Bob's last week, Eve?). I pull a fussy baby into the kitchen and plop her into the Einstein activity center while I clean, peel, cut and steam the 2 apples. This finished off the 11 canisters plus a recycled Gerber canister.
Dry, cracked hands... a little exhaustion from both the grocery shopping trip and all this food preparation... a messy kitchen and 1 fussy baby (from being ignored) later... here's the final $$$ tally: $3.495 for 28 ozs.
Organic Gerber baby food at 92¢ a pop would run about $10.40-$12 to equate what I now have stored in the freezer.
So, a net savings of $6.90+ ain't too bad (I mean, added up over the course of time).
Then again, isn't sanity worth it? And enjoying some downtime? Especially time I could spend playing with baby, or cleaning, or just taking a load off from working all week long?!. Was this worth it?
I dunno. I think I'll keep up with this and see if I don't begin to fall into a better routine/pattern that grows increasingly more manageable over time.
My mother has already called to tell me that she never did all this. She just bought CANS of unsalted veggies that she then pureed for me. What? A short cut?!. Man, I have a lot to learn...
In the meanwhile, here's the chub in all her glory, enjoy!:

5 months old

Wow, wait - what? Almost half a year? Already?!. I don't know what scares me more ... that you are growing up so fast or that I'm quickly approaching the window of time where I said I'd like to start having another baby.
Obviously, in light of how fast time travels, you're future li'l sis or brother is on hold for another half a year.

So this past month is the month of first solids! Who-pee! You took to rice cereal like no big deal and then did the same with apples last week. Tonight, it was carrots. I think you really love carrots since this was the first time you actually opened your mouth for each bite and didn't pump your arms continuously while grunting (ungh! ungh! ungh!). No, you were quiet and patiently watched each spoonful. In fact, for dinner tonight you must have had 2T of rice cereal and 2T of carrots followed by 1T of apples and then washed it all down with 4 oz of formula. We don't measure anything. Should we be arrested for over feeding you? Or maybe we can finally get our 15 minutes of fame by putting you on the Maury Povich Show for fat babies.
I'm sick, I know. I hope you grow to not only understand but love my twisted, dry sense of humor.
Shortly after hitting month four, you began having more control over yourself when we hold you. No longer slamming forward into our chins (clunkers), you started either holding onto our shirt sleeve or pushing off with your hand for balance. I thought the moment you did this was a sign of brilliance. I think I will be an easily impressed mother. You have it much better than I did, Evie.
In fact, speaking of Grandma Bob, we went to Greensboro for your first Thanksgiving! The drive down was OK... a few fits and spurts from you as you wrestled with the notion of sleeping before finally succumbing. We had hit the ground running at 6PM on Wednesday, after I came home from work (thanks AGAIN to Kelly and Kelly for entertaining you long enough so we could pack and load up the car to even make such a timely departure possible). Our drive back from GSO, the following Sunday, proved a little more trying as you slept the first half but fussed the second half of the trip. We stopped 3X's for the 3.5hr drive.
While at Grandma's house, she desperately wanted you to eat applesauce ('cause, apparently, rice cereal just wasn't enough for her). I managed to talk her into putting the adult applesauce down, much to her sadness, and your dad later went out to buy you the baby food variety. So, to her delight, Grandma Bob does get to claim that she is the first one to feed you apples. Not to be outdone by Grandma Ullman later this year during Christmas, she was later seen shoving you over a few times on your activity mat hoping to get you to roll over for the first time while at her house. Alas, you didn't fall for it and you waited until coming home before doing this for.... Puck. Yes, Puck witnessed your first roll over at our house just today... but I digress.
You met Santa Claus for the first time. I knew you wouldn't cry - you really aren't like that (well, not yet, at least). But, I didn't expect the blase calmness you had while Santa shifted you around on his lap 5 or 6 times trying to help us snap a photo of you smiling. I simply love that you just sat there looking blankly into the camera. I also love how you grinned a huge grin when I walked over to pick you up off his lap when all was said and done. My glee was heightened by the fact that you frustrated my mother by smiling AFTER the photos were done. Good girl.

Drool, drool, drool. I really do not think you are teething yet. You just drool a lot. In fact, I held you as you konked out for a short milk coma last night before bedtime. I watched silvery streams of drool spill out the side of your mouth as you dreamt quietly. Ah, you did inherit something from me - my salivary glands.
You took a brief liking to screeching recently. You really screeched while at Grandma's house. Dad woke up on his birthday morning to you kicking and screaming (with delight) at the sight of his face. He said it was a pretty awesome birthday greeting. I think that's spectacular. You've been less enthusiastic ever since, but you do still belt out some loud sounds.
You still have a very horsy, dry laugh. Just today I flung you up in the air and then pretended to drop you again and again while dad got your dinner ready. You LOVED it. I remember testing you at 3 months and you'd steady your arms afraid if I was going to drop you or not. Now you seem to love the brief weightless flight right before I catch you again. You had a huge grin and you chuckled a few times before I realized... you are very heavy and I am very out-of-shape.
You simply LOVE baths. We still keep up with our every-other-night routine. You could be half-asleep and cranky before I walk into the bathroom and you just light up in anticipation. You love the freedom of nudity on the bathroom mat before I plunk you down in the warm lavendar bath. I scrub key areas before letting you just sit to kick, kick, kick! Your frog-like belly does wonders for your buoyancy. You float to the top and begin to roll to either side before I need to station your butt down again. You never seem to mind when you begin to slip into the water either... I think you like the weightlessness of the water this much. I can't wait till next summer when we can take you to a pool. You're going to be a fish.

You truly have reached that stage where everything goes into your mouth. Last month was just the beginning. You get this feverish look of determination right before your mouth forms a perfect "O" shape sucking in anything it can like a big, wet black hole. Things do come back out—soaked. Last week you sucked all of my fingers on the way home from Greensboro and the saliva just ran down my hand. You enjoy sucking on your fingers and then touching my face to pull open my mouth... where you will then stick your wet fingers. Its funny to think how GROTESQUELY AWFUL I would have found all this to be just one year ago. Your spit tastes like water and it really doesn't bother me in the slightest that I know this.
You are getting big. We've already begun retiring 3-6 month wear and we really do need to start dipping into the 6-9 month clothes. Again, it amazes me to think you will never wear some of these things ever again. This makes me both sad and jealous. Why the hell do I have to keep the same clothes year after year? I'd love a new wardrobe every 2-3 months.

You've developed new frustrations at sleeping. You are increasingly more difficult to get down for naps (although you slept for hours at Grandma Bob's. She thinks its because her house is so relaxing... I think its because she wears you out). You rub your eyes and fuss endlessly signaling you are tired but you keep POPPING alive trying to stay awake. This makes for long days for dad. I have also noticed this weird left leg "stomp, stomp, stomp" you do when you are overly tired. You pick up your leg and throw it down (hard!) against the mattress almost like a temper tantrum. You bury your face in your hands (everyone who knows you has seen you do this - you have always covered your face when eating a bottle or trying to sleep) and then stomp your leg multiple times before finally wearing out. I'm not quite concerned, hell, I had to sleep on my stomach with my butt in the air when I was a kid. But I do hope this isn't a sign that we let you get too frustrated. I'd hate to think we are causing you to get this upset.
Finally notes of interest: We bought a Flip camera and a new digital camera to capture more moments in better quality.
Dad's latest nickname for you: Piglet. It was Munchie around 3 months and Birdie at 1 month.

Apples

Evie Gets One-on-One Time with Ole St. Nick

I want two front teeth, Santa
We went to visit Santa the day after T'Giving while visiting my parents here in NC*. Turns out, nobody cares about Santa on Black Friday. So, we were the first in line! Added bonus, Santa wasn't jaded from a month long adventure of screaming brats demanding outrageous toys. He was sweet as can be and willing to let us take 6 photos before settling on this one.

*This photo was scanned at my parents house hence the fantastic color quality. In the interest of timely blog entries, I went ahead and posted this. I plan to redo this scan when at home but who knows when that may be...

Mmm, mmm, good!

Grandma Bob (aka, my mother) has been riding my tail about how awful I am for not feeding you solids yet. I dunno, you don't seem desperate to eat (you aren't grabbing at our food and you aren't taking any more bottles than usual). Besides, I'm just not ready for a whole new world of making , storing, and preparing food after finally getting to a place where I feel comfortable.
But,... I gave in yesterday.
We made you VERY watery rice cereal (like the box said to do) and you took to it no problem. After a few bites you began to get frustrated at how long it was all taking. We all were, frankly. So, you finished off your cereal in a bottle.
At dinner I prepared a much thicker recipe. I don't know how much. I didn't measure. It seemed like such a small amount until I sat in front of you. Comparitive to the size of your body, I guess I did make a lot.
It didn't stop you. You ate it ALL.
You then washed it down with 6 oz of formula.
You still woke up at 3AM, starving.
Man, you are like me. I was a fat baby who, apparently ate everything no problem.
Let's just hope you take to your veggies this well when we try that next week.
Good job, baby! You are on your way to the wild world of solids. Both food AND poops, that it. *sigh*

B'fast with a little Miles...

Not the jazz musician. No, the actual LITTLE Miles.
T and I used to get together for breakfast when we were pregnant (I think we did this 3 X's before it became too close to her due date. She then had Miles in April). We did meet for breakfast about a month before I had Evie with full intention of keeping up this "ritual" (if you'd call it that) after both babies were here.
Finally, after 4.5 months of talk, we met for coffee and breakfast bagels at the coffee shop up the street.
I was prepared for fussiness and melt-downs.
What we got were 3 hours of conversation and evenly tempered babies. You can see how into each other they were.
Who knew?
Now we need to plan our next breakfast....

What a year...

Its been one year since our lives were about to change forever.
I remember thinking how far off, in the very distant future, today would be.
And, here it is.

One year ago... click here to begin

Laughter

Exercising her right to vote

I was preparing a bedtime bath for Evie last night when Rob and I caught this on the news, "Voter turn-out has been 245 people today. The outlook was for low turn-out but the numbers are much lower then originally anticipated..."
We exchanged glances and, without skipping a beat, got in the car. We can't NOT vote.... geez.
The ladies at the church were excited to put the "I voted!" sticker on Evie while dad and mom cast their ballots.
We had only 2 positions to vote for: a democrat verses an independent ... and a democrat running against no one.
The experience was slightly lame since there was only 1 other couple there (not exactly an exciting voting atmosphere) but these types of situations are optimal when dealing with a 4-month-old during the time right before bed.

So, we voted, did you?

4 Months Old Today

Another month conquered. Some days are fast, some are slow. When I reflect on the past month in these blog posts,... I truly see how FAST you are growing up.
Major events this past month?
You are more VOCAL! And, I don't just mean that you talk more. You are developing a wider range of sounds each day. Grunts are rarely heard anymore. You never make the "gggrrsch, ggcrsh" sound when you wake up anymore. No, instead its all loud sing-song sounds. And, I do mean loud. Dad says that one day you YELLED and scared both yourself and him. Yes, you have found your voice and you love to explore it. You make "Ooo's" and gurgly laughs and "Ahh's!" You repeat sounds again and again (and, again) until you either wear yourself out, are distracted by something in the room or you break into a wide open-mouth grin for those forced to listen. We, in turn, love it and laugh when you "talk" to us.
You laughed out loud this past month. This happened about 3 weeks ago. I was so excited to hear it and I have done everything in my power to recreate it. You do laugh outloud more lately. I'm not sure WHAT makes you laugh, though. You certainly laugh when I take off all your clothes at night (to either get in PJs or a bath) and sometimes when I kiss your neck under your ears. Sometimes, you laugh at the wall. You've loved the wall since 1 wk old and you'd blank stare at it for long periods of time. I like to think that the two of you are now exchanging silent jokes. Maybe I'm just in denial that you are borderline crazy... it is a wall afterall.
Bathtime has become more fun. You were getting better at it at the end of 3 months but now you don't cry ever (well, you haven't for the last 2-3 weeks at least). I recently figured out that I should loose the newborn hammock from your plastic tub since you are more than large enough to sit up or lean in the tub. This has certainly helped. It hasn't hurt that you now figured out how to KICK and SPLASH me. Lovely.

You observe things in an active way. Meaning, you seem to be actually watching things and learning from them. You will sit in a boppy or chair (propped up, of course) and take things in. You are fantastic in restaurants, you'll sit on our laps while we eat. You just watch the people around us while munching on your fists. We went to lunch today, in fact, and I soaked up all the approving/warm faces of adults all around us. I was so proud and kept spinning you around so people could get a full look at your face. You are so damned cute... dad and I still talk about how cute you are. We sometimes hurry up and eat so we can take a turn holding you - this is how cute you are. This is saying alot, Evie. Cause you also weigh alot and do sometimes suddenly bop your head forward or backward. You're nice to hold but it is still a fulltime (arm aching) job. ;-)
You are beginning to "enjoy" our kisses. Dad and I must plant one on you every 10-15 minutes (or an equivalent there of). It took you awhile to stop turning your head trying to catch our kiss in your open mouth. Now, you blink your eyes and smile. You are beginning to know what kisses are and what purpose they serve.
You are nearly predictable now. We know when you'll wake up in the morning (between 6:30-7AM) and we know when you'll crash at night (bedtime 7-7:30PM). You always have a BURST of energy 20 minutes before and then rub your eyes when ready for a nap. You still only have 1 midnight feeding (dad and I switch off every other night) and only take about 5ozs at that feeding. You wake up silently after your naps and in the morning. You can easily be forgotten if we don't check the clock and then check on you. You will lie awake (covers kicked off) quietly watching your mobile. When you see us looking in your room, you smile real big and are eager for us to pick you up. Its a pretty "Hallmark Moment" to tell you the truth.

You have had some lows. You experienced your first constipation this past month. I don't know who it hurt more - you or dad. After an hour of crying and struggling, it all eventually worked out. Dad has now begun giving you 2 ozs of water per 1 teaspoon of Karo syrup. Its been helping and I think you like the sweet taste.
Speaking of taste, the pediatrician said you could start rice cereal this month. I think we are going to hold off on this a wee bit longer. No particular reason except you seem too little to me. Yes, yes, my mother fed me SQUASH from the backyard by 1 month old... but still. You're my little baby! I'm not ready for food yet...
You suffered a bruise when I accidentally clipped the tip of your finger instead of your nail. Oh my.. tears welled up in your eyes and you wailed. I felt... so... terrible. How the hell could I do this? Would you hate me forever? How badly does it hurt? Will you be traumatized by clippers forever now? I put a cold teething ring on it temporarily and rock, rock, rocked you. You, of course, got over it. I'm now more cautious then ever when trimming your nails. I still haven't ever cut your toenails. Why do toenails grow slower? Mine do, too.
Its getting colder outside so we started pulling out the sweaters and cool cord/valour pants you own. I now get why parents go gaa-gaa for kids clothes. Its so funny to see a little person wearing adult clothing shrunk to fit a little human. I put a sweater twin-set on you and about died at the thought that you will outgrow this. Its way too cute to only be worn for such a short period of time. In fact, while packing away your 0-3 month gear this past month, it was strange knowing that you will NEVER WEAR THIS STUFF AGAIN. I pack my seasonal clothes year after year and wear my summer things the following summer.... this thought didn't sadden me as much as it made me realize I would again be wearing the same sweaters I bought 8 years ago (BEFORE I met your father). Dad and I now plan to go shopping before we look like parents who have let themselves go once the kid arrived. Don't worry Evie, you won't suffer the same humiliation of nerd parents like we did as kids.
You like pulling things into your mouth. If you can grab our fingers, you'll pull both our fingers and your hands into your mouth. Its funny and odd. You aren't chewing on them (I know you aren't teething yet) and you don't necessarily do it for taste (cause you don't really suck on them either). You just enjoy getting things to your mouth where you can coat liberally with drool and then fling away from your body. Its really great when slimy hands run down our faces or drool strings gently "plop, plop, plop" drops onto our hands/laps when holding you. *sigh*
You have successfully overcome acid reflux (I say this after you threw up on dad in the middle of the night last night). Honestly, you rarely toss up anything anymore, so I am happy to report that we no longer give you Axid twice a day. Yeah!
Other highlights this past month: you were babysat by A & J in DC while we attended a hockey game. You attended a huge outdoor festival with mom. And you experienced your first Halloween.
Looking back on the past month, you really have come a long way. You are shaping up to be more of a person (and less a baby blob) with each passing day. Your personality really shines more and more... and we love what your personality is turning out to be. You are very sweet, not at all demanding and pretty easy-going. You do get overwhelmed in loud, busy places (especially events mom drags you you to. Dad seems to be more sensitive to your gentle nature than what mom is) and you are beginning to cry when strangers hold you (I didn't expect this until you were at least 7-8 months old). You like what you like and, fortunately, what you like isn't all that crazy a compromise on our part. You take bottles easily and rarely scream to be fed (only if you get ignored repeatedly when wah-wah'ing before a feeding time). You smile, you laugh, you WIGGLE and you bounce. You nuzzle when teased and you fall asleep in our arms. This really is a great time to be with you, little Eve.
I'm looking forward to month 5.
Love,
mom