Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden

Some of you may recall my postings about this garden for the Christmas lights display in November of last year or the spring garden displays for Easter this year... we have year-round passes that expire in a few short months so I haven't a clue why we haven't attended more often, but we did attend this past weekend.
The have a Children's Garden featuring garden plants kid's can touch or even take classes on how to nurture. They have ramps and secret passageways. They have a large tree castle that looks out over the manmade lake. And, they have a continuously running water area that kids flock to.
Evie was SO EXCITED to see water that she actually grinned and CLAPPED HER HANDS as we strolled on up. She pointed to the water, "Dush! Dush!" We changed her into her suit and led her on out. The initial wetness was a giggle-fest that gave way to crawling into puddles and trying to pick up rubber granules off the bouncey flooring.
Mom and dad ended up pretty soaked in the shorts since Evie hasn't quite taken to a bioped lifestyle quite yet.
We only stayed for about an hour but it definitely resulted in a well rested night's sleep Saturday night.

Fountain

We took Evie to Stony Point Mall today. They have one of those sidewalk fountains that are open to the public & kids' flock there. Its fun, located in a very nice mall and FREE!
At first, Evie was a little reluctant. This fountain will sprinkle small dribbles and sometimes shoot up water bursts with no warning. She didn't know what to think. Her uncertainty coupled with her reluctancy to walk resulted in a modified crab dance on her hands and toes around the outer perimeter.
Eventually, Evie meandered toward the center. She then pushed a 3 year old boy off the center fountain. I was both horrified... and damn proud.
That's my girl. ;-)

Richmond Magazine Awards Night

Evie attended her first "gala" on Monday August 11th. Richmond Magazine had their "Best and Worst" celebration night (the publication highlights the best and worst things around Richmond, annually) featuring a DJ, tasty treats from all the 'best' venues around town, and some door prizes. We got there in the beginning (about 6:30PM) and stayed until 8PM. Evie enjoyed fancy cheeses & crackers from Ellwood Thompson, bread and butter pickles from Comfort, and oreo cheesecake from the Cheesecake Factory. All this after she threw up her entire dinner after having spent her very first full day... at a new daycare. More about that later.
All in all, a long and very eventful day for Miss Evie-Pie.
I am wearing my glasses all this week due to a "bacteria" on my eye later defined as an "ulcer". All I know is some people are finding my glasses hot and I am just plain sick of them. It stinks not having any choice but to wear them. Hopefully soon my eye drops will work and I can go back to contacts!
Evie is learning the fine art of the high-five.

Inside

Maybe it's due to the book "Inside, Outside, Upside Down" that A & A bought for Evie for Christmas... but Evie's latest development milestone (as of August 7th) is that she puts things IN. She mastered taking toys out of the baskets under the coffee table, removing all the legos from their storage container, and stripping the books from the bookshelf.
For the very first time, she realized she could put stuff IN.
She likes to push the train trolley, from her animal train set, around the house... on her knees. She always does this with an empty cart but recently realized she could put her milk sippy cup in the basket thereby carting it around with her to her next destination. She spent the afternoon gathering all sorts of trinkets and toys, filling her cart as she went.
Puck found this equally fascinating if only for his own personal enjoyment - he took a lick when she wasn't looking. *sigh*, gross.

Look-a-like

OK, we have the same eye color. And, our hair is very close in color (although mine was much more "orange" and her age. And, I think she clearly has my nose... which is to say my father's nose. Besides that, I think she looks nothing like me. See any resemblance? In any case, I find this kid to be cute as a button.

Grandma/Grandpa in town

My parents drove up from North Cakalaka the first weekend in August. My dad wanted to attend a coinshow in Baltimore (yes, he's a nerd... er, numismatist).
Still not quite a walker - it was rather "shocking" to see Evie stand up long enough to paw at the dead Lamb's Ear flowers out back. We fired off about 23 photos before she finally lowered herself into a squat and then crawled off set.
My dad brought back a great Tshirt... great particularly because Evie was teething 4 molars at the time and a little cranky as a result. Here she is enjoying an orange juice popsicle for the first time, too. Needless to say the entre kitchen flor is now sticky since she ate slowly and enjoyed using the popsicle as a mallet half the time.

She walks!

Today we attended the Carytown Watermelon Festival. I have wanted to go in years past but either forgot about it, it's too hot or we are out-of-town. This year, we attended. At the festival, you can buy a substantial bowl of cut-up watermelon for only a $1 while perusing the overflowing Cary Avenue complete with street vendors, foods on a stick and kids playing make-shift instruments for hand-outs. In a word - awesome (OK, 2 words: CROWDED and awesome). It was a nice day to be had here in the South (read: lower humidity than its been for the last 4 weeks), so everyone was out.
All-in-all, the whole weekend's been a blast.
Friday night I crashed out at a decent hour after watching the opening of the Olympics (while dining on Chinese take-out & drinking an icy Tsingtao). OMG, the Chinese are going to take over the world - did anyone else watch the opening night with their jaw on the floor the whole time?
Saturday morning I set the alarm (a first-time for everything) to get up & out-the-door by 8AM. Evie and I attended the Forest Hill Farmer's Market. It was... awesome. The weather was so nice, I WORE PANTS! Seriously, that's a fantastic morning to be had in August in the South. I wore white pants and a bright orange Tshirt pushing Evie around in her super-cute purple polka-dot top & lime-green striped pants (thanks for the outfit again, D!). We bought fresh organic tomatoes, rasberries, a mixed bag of leafy green lettuce, 2 kinds of bread loaves (black olive and cracked pepper), some biscotti to share over tea with Rob this fall, hand-made spinach ravioli... and 1 green hairbow for Evie. I love schitt like this, I felt so urban moderna, it was great. People were everywhere with dogs... sipping fancy coffee from this vendor who was grinding beans. It was yuppie-granola. I can't wait to drag along more gal-pals next weekend.
Saturday morning rolled into early afternoon spent at the grocery store with Miss Evie in tow. We both came home to some lunch followed by very long & well deserved naps (both of us!). Saturday evening we had pork tenderloin & fresh green beans.... dad and I then moved ourselves out to the patio to enjoy post-dinner cocktails in the, again, cool outdoor air. I ended up sitting out front for awhile before heading inside and ultimately crashing out around 9:30PM!
Sunday, today, we lingered in the morning before getting Evie roused for the Watermelon Festival. We wondered for 2 hours before deciding to head home (it was rather warm with the sun beating down on us). Evie and dad napped while I got my car cleaned (I think its a first for 2008). I then bought more wine & beer. I made 2lbs of meatballs and rasberry iced tea before everyone was up again. K & E came over to share some late day drinks before dinner...
...and that's when it happened...
Evie WALKED out of my arms toward the coffee table to get her sippy cup of milk. I really thought this moment was going to be more of a moment like there would be a drum roll and an audience holding their breath... Nope. She just ever so casually tottered on over taking about 4 steps in the process. I ran to the porch and rapped on the window for Rob to come inside and see. I pulled her back and let go again. After a few failed attempts (she kept going limp wanting to crawl), she did it again!
WOW!
What a fantastic weekend.

Betrothed.

A. brought up a good point when he stopped through on his way to the beach earlier this month, "Why is it we always joke that our kids will get married someday? Just because they meet and are about the same age this mean they will marry?"
Ok, it is ridiculous. And yet, we do it all the time.
Meet Evie's potential future-hubby someday, Tyler. He's absolutely ADORABLE so I'm ok with their marriage in this regard. But if his daddy continues to work at CC like Evie's mom... then Tyler will be a broke kid and I want her to marry someone with money. Ha ha ha! J/k.
We went to B & A's house for a spectacular cook-out around 4PM and ended up bathing the kids together (blackmail) before putting Eve down in Tyler's pack-n-play. I cannot believe it worked; that she crashed out in their bedroom. But, it did! We stayed and drank until 11PM and had a fabulous time!

Hi!

First word: Hi.
Rob ran out for beers for Evie's 1st birthday party (July 4th). Upon his return, he claims he heard her say,"Hi dada!"
I'm not saying he's a liar... I'm just saying parents have a tendency to hear what they want to hear, *wink*.
I dismissed this until Rob text messaged me at work today, "Guess who said "Hi" to the post office lady?"
Geez - did I miss this again?
All I ever hear is "dish? dish! dish?!." When she points to things.
Maybe I'll hear it one day soon!
:-)

Get up! Stand up!

Evie was crawling around the floor while I lay on my back watching TV this Sunday morning. She came over to me, put her hands on my chest and stood up. I mean stood up, as in, she held onto nothing while chewing on a plastic hammer looking at the TV screen. I looked at her like I was watching a prairie dog right here in my living room (shhh! Or she'll jump back down in her hole!)... and she slowly squatted back down and sat on her butt before scooting over to her legos.
WOW! She can stand up! Its only a matter of time before she begins to take steps...

The great Moo-Cow duplication caper

Moo-cow. Ah, moo-cow.
I don't know who loved him first. I think I did. I kept putting him in her arms when we strolled, drove anywhere or slept over at a grandparents' house . As a result, Evie has taken loving him, too. During her recent sickness early this month, she started to pull Moo-Cow out through the bars of her crib to carry around during the day.
She puts him in her mouth and carries him around the house like a dog.
She puts him in the middle of the floor and pounces on him (face first) while growling & rubbing her face into his satin belly.
She puts his tags in her mouth and sucks away midlessly while watching TV shows.
Evie.
Loves.
Moo-cow.
Not quite a cow, but really a giraffe, moo-cow is here to stay as the personal security blanket. And, like all children's security items, runs the risk of extinction (ie, misplacement). So, I have been searching online for a duplicate, a twin if you will, as back-up should moo-cow ever be detroyed from abundant love or lost while en route to a new location.
People know how kids' are and have learned how to profit from it.
Can you believe that moo-cow was a baby shower gift from Target for $8.99... and now that he is discontinued he runs $24.99-$29.99 on various websites trying to profit from your kids' need for a replacement lovey? What crap. Why didn't I think of this?
I hated to buy a moo-cow for $24.99 if he was not, in fact, her lovey of choice. But, it became apparent he is here-to-stay just this past week.
Looking and searching online was challenging. Many of the $24.99 moo-cow's are all either sold-out, gone or just aren't posted anymore. Two updated moo-cows are everywhere (same cow but with a green head, blue antlers and a white body OR same cow that is still yellow with with additional dangling legs, erg!).
I did finally find one being sold on Ebay for a modest $9.00. I bid up to $22 and won at $10.50 + $3.00 shipping. Whohoo!
Moo-cow 2 arrived last week. He's so soft and new. I didn't realize how original moo-cow was already becoming quite worn. I think I have washed him only a few times bit it sure does take its toll on a guy. He's a little nappy and not as fluffy.
I washed moo-cow 2 and made the switch while she was asleep last night.
She didn't notice and seemed to nuzzle him with open arms.
Phew!
Maybe I will pull of this caper afterall...

BOOKS

An ever-changing, evolving list of favorites:
Reading books to Evie up to the age of 4months didn't matter. It was more entertaining for me and more for the creation & establishing of a routine. Besides, I don't think she had a clue what was going on until after 4months.
Evie seemed "get" that I was reading pages to her after 4months.
Around 8months she squirmed endlessly and tried to close the books on me.
Around 10months I would hold up 3 books and make her point/pick one. She always picked the same ones (she knew what was what).
Around 11months she had favorites that would make her sit still but she wriggled off my lap as soon as I began a book she hated.
Recently, and I mean very recently, she has taken to loving her books. She pulls them down off the shelves and tries to flip through the pages. And, even more shocking, she sits still and will listen to nearly anything I read.
Evie's first set of books I read were things like "Runaway Bunny" or "Guess How Much I Love You." These were books I found cute and she just sat there.
Evie then only truly loved Boynton books. Short. Sing-songy. Funny ryhmes. And, you could flip through the pages quickly. I highly recommend many but the top two: "The Goodnight Book" and "Barnyard Dance" (fun to read quickly!).
Evie just as quickly liked things DIFFERENT. She really loved (and still loves) "10 Little Ladybugs". She knows by my inflection when to turn the pages and she knows which ladybug will 'fly away' with each page turn. I would call this her #1 book.
Stemming from the 3D effect from the ladybug book, grandma found "Five Little Puppies" featuring miniature stuffed animal puppies sewn to the pages. Evie really enjoys this book but not quite as much as the ladybugs.
Knowing Evie was into textures, we dug up a book from the basement (a hand-me-down), washed it and gave it to her at around 9 months old. "Fuzzy Bee." She loved to eat Beetle-Bug's shiny blue wings although I recommend that no one machine wash & dry this book if they own it. It really killed the color. Hand-wash!
"Toes, Ears & Nose." I honestly do not care for the artwork in this book... at all. Because of this, I was reluctant to ever open it. The storyline... is really quite cheesy, too. But Evie LOVES IT! She's now mastered where all the flaps are and in what direction they open. She's not the only kid to love this book.. its a top ten among many. Also recommended, "Where's Baby's Bellybutton?"
A. bought this for me shortly after Eve was born. Its cute and silly and I had never heard of it. Not initially a big draw, "Cornelius P Mud" is a house fav. Its repetitive and simple, Evie flips through the pages faster than I can read them. I highly recommend this fun book.
Lastly, I never owned this book as a kid. In fact, I only heard of it in recent years despite it being around for over 60 years. Revered as classic, "Goodnight Moon" is a bit dated (good night mush? Who the hell eats mush before bed... or, at all?), the drawings are ok (limited colors and half the pages are b/w), and the storyline is odd (goodnight nobody?). But after reading this book again and again... you begin to understand why this book is so great. It just is. And, best of all, Evie likes it, too.

Holy molars, batman

Poor Evie.
She had to go to the doctor (again!) on Friday. But, this was her 3 month check-up and not due to sickness.
Her fever had broken by this time but she was developing a red bumpy rash all along her forehead. I later ntoiced spots on her arms and legs (after work) but Rob assured me that the doctor waved it off. It wasn't a concern.
Today, she is covered in red spots all over her trunk (stomach, back and diaper area). It looks like the photos you see for chicken pox but it isn't forming blisters like pox would. Besides, she got a vaccine for chicken pox on Friday, what would be the odds? So is this "rash" due to the vaccine? Is it the effects of hands, foot and mouth disease? Is it the strawberry waffles I fed her recently - an allergy? Is it simply a heat rash and I need to get over it?
*sigh* My constantly calling (alarmed!) mother isn't helping at all, either. I can freak-out all on my own, thank you very much!
In the meanwhile, Evie is getting that molar still. Its 3 bumps are poking out but the middle is still covered in gums. That's GOT to hurt. And, if the never-ending "wah-wah-wah" fussiness from all-day-long today is any indication... it does.

Hand, Foot and Mouth

*sigh*, its now affected Evie.
Click on this blog entry's title to read about it.
Evie ran a fever of 101.6 today and was taken to the doctor. She is in the very initial stages (just starting to get the blisters around her mouth and diaper area) of Hand Foot, and Mouth Disease. The doctor thinks tomorrow her fever will spike at 103 before things get better.
Poor thing - sick babies stink. There's nothing you can do and they just look at you as if to say, "Why do I feel like crap?"

In good news: The exciting discovery at the doctor's office today was that Evie is getting in her first molar on the top, right side of her face. That makes 9 teeth total!

So many things & they all happen simultaneously

Well, Miss Evie-Pie, your birthday has come and gone. It has happened already so long ago... time just marches on whether you want it to or not.
Sometimes we make her scrub the floors with her own hairbrushThere are many things I wanted to say about your 12th and final month of being a baby and now I find myself being forced to move along with time. I don't know when I'll get to say all these things (so much has happened this past week!). Your 12th month is a bit of a blur.
I will say that in the last WEEK, you have taken a fondness for books. Not so much as in "reading" them as you are into pulling them off the shelf one-by-one. You like to open the pages, just once to which ever page the book falls, and then cast it aside for another book. It was cute the first time. It gets a wee bit exhausting when you beeline back into your bedroom from the kitchen to tear the books back off the shelf for the third time that day. Dad and I joke about how your cousin Rachel also really liked books. Rachel is also a bit of a whiny complainer these days (age 5) so we really are not joking at all when we liken you to her... we actually fear the path you may be headed down.
In recent days you have discovered your TONGUE. You have not only gone back to borderline gagging yourself by shoving all 4 fingers in your mouth in order to touch the back of it... you also grab it and run your fingers on it like you simply cannot imagine what this slimy, wet thing is. This is cute until you dry heave or then use your drooly hand to try and grab my tongue in comparison.
Lastly, I have begun this habit of referring to you as the baby. Example: 'Well, I took the baby to the store and then we went out for a bite to eat." This is something I always hated about people and yet here I am. *sigh*. I resolve to do better at calling you Eve or Evie and not "the baby". I feel like that Seinfeld skit and the fiancee.
Oh, and one more thing, the passing of your birthday marks the end of my monthly reports. I hate dooce.com's "month 437" for her daughter and I think a monthly newsletter losses its sentiment after the first year or so. I will mark the passage of time in quarters this next year (or maybe by season) so as not to bore readers (or myself).

HAPPY BIRTHDAY baby... er... Evie.

4th 'o' July BBQ/First Birthday Party

We had 26 adults and 10 kids at its peak. I wish we had room for more. Then again, after it rained and we all rain indoors (just as the last hamburger was being removed from the grill), its a god thing we hadn't invited all that we wished we could have.
Enjoy!
Rob's folks drove in from Ohio the night before & that morning (over 9 hr drive). A COMPLETE surprise. They brought Andy, Rob;s brother, who had never even visited our house before! They all left early the next morning.


We had 3 kiddie-pools but all the kids wanted to be in the tallest one. Miles, hated getting his head wet and cried. Evie is looking at him as if to say, "What happened?"


Evie hangng out in the tub with Tyler - they had the same chubby-faced expressions.


"Miles! Can you hear me? We seem to be separated by an invisible wall! Can you hear me? Hello?!."

When playing house is still considered innocent.


The party was primarily designed to be held outdoors. There's actually a brick patio on the side with tables/chairs and where the grill is (more people there, too). We had nearly enough seating and entertainment for all... that is... until the rain came! Everyone indoors!

Thankfully not everyone was still here when we ran inside! We are at max capacity! But it all turned out fine & was fun...

Evie is bewildered as to why all these people are looking at her singing a song about "Happy Birthday"....

Today you are One

Day at the Beach - Day 2

Today we woke up, enjoyed breakfast and then went to the bech looking for seashells. The girls had no discriminating taste and picked up... everything.
We walked out to the pier and looked over the water before heading back in to go to the pool.

We took a morning nap after the pier walk (well, Evie did... and a short one at that) and then enjoyed the pool again today before heading in for lunch. After lunch we took Evie to the beach to enjoy the water.
Evie LOVES the beach. Cold water? No problem. This kid kicked and kicked at the crashing waves. She giggled and writhed as dad pulled her up and out when the big waves came. She crawled right toward the water evrytime I put her down. My water girl - too funny.
She then (rather quickly) began to fall asleep against me looking out over the water & watching dolphins in the distance. This is the THIRD time she has ever fallen asleep on me. This kid doesn't sleep on people. She's never really been a catnapper, a cuddler or one to curl up next to you.
It was one of the sweetest moments. Makes me tear up a bit just thinking how darned sweet she is. More pics to come.

At the Beach-Day1

We are currently in Sand Bridge, Va enjoying a quick weekend at The Sanctuary. More info will follow but with the jam-packed birthday week that we have planned ahead... I figured I'd use some downtime (and the one bar of connection power) to post a quick update.
We are visiting Rob's sister, her husband and their 3 kids. All little girls this weekend. Its proving fun and lots of energy so far! ;-)
They are down from hio for the week long summer vacation and were awesome enough to invite us a few nights on the fold-out sleeper sofa. We didn't hesitate at the offer!
We drove down during Evie's morning nap and arrived in time for lunch. We then enjoyed an hour or so in the pool before Evie's afternoon nap. She's a complete fish (we knew she would be!). She kick, kick, kicked her legs and giggled non-stop when we swam around the pool with her in our arms. I cannot wait until next summer when she can swim with floaties.
Evie's first time in a real pool

Sharing

Dad has taught you had to share recently. It was mostly a lesson on how to feed Puck treats but it has evolved into outstretching your hand to many.
You will now offer cheerios in your hand & will even drop them into my opened mouth. This makes you grin ear to ear and eager to try again. Sometimes, you'll offer a cheerio only to PSYCH! me out and shove it in your own mouth. You then do this breathy giggle through your crinkled nose.
Yesterday you offered D a drink from your sippy cup and she played along. You are getting into this game more and more. You now like to offer things beyond food. Just tonight you offered me the opportunity to join in on sucking on moo-cow's soaked tag. I declined but you seemed a little miffed that I wasn't overjoyed with the gift.
I hope you continue on this path of being a polite and friendly little girl...