Saturday, February 11, 2012

Seven Months

*This post is very, very late - but my theme week on scheduling got in the way of its posting. Ironic, eh? It's been in the drafts though since February 11th, so I'm posting it as that date. Also, I included TONS of photos to make up for lateness. That equates, right?*









Evelyn,

Today you are seven months old. That seems so.grown to me for some reason. You have had a big month! Your first solid foods, settling into a great sleeping routine, and your first ODU v. VCU game today.



(We lost.) But, we still had a great time. You are wearing your game day outfit in your photos - it was a white out game, so that's why you are rocking your white onesie instead of your ODU one. Daddy's friends and fraternity brothers from college reserved a party box for the game so you had quite the VIP experience. Along with all the other little babies there...times sure have changed for those boys since college. 

You did so well, and only got scared when the place went wild after the first shot. You were in the Ergo with your dad and looked out the side right at me and your face crumpled into tears after the look of shock wore away. it was...adorable actually. I grabbed you and cuddled you and you calmed down really fast. You were so happy the rest of the game and even napped int he Ergo with your dad a little bit later. I wish your first big rivalry game could have been a win, but alas, it was not. A really close game though, down to the last few seconds. So that's cool too.

Onto your bigger month long things. Let's see...food! You like food. What a surprise, considering your gene pool - ha! So far you have eaten all sorts of veggies, fruit, bread and meat. Fruits and Veggies - cauliflower, broccoli, spinach, greens, sweet potato, rutabaga, squash, zucchini, green beans, avocado, tomato, pears, peaches, bananas, potatoes, nectarines, cucumbers, celery, oranges, carrots...all sorts of stuff. But, I think that covers most of it. You have also had bread, pasta, eggs, chicken, pork and steak. Look at you. You are a pretty adventurous eater, and Baby Led Weaning (letting you feed yourself with bigger pieces of food instead of purees) has been going really, really well for you! 




You have been sleeping so well and trying to crawl all over the place, which is so crazy. You sit up on your own like a champ and stand when leaning against things still. You haven't quite mastered pulling yourself into either position from straight off the floor, but you are getting there. Your teeth are so close to coming through (post edit: both bottom ones poked out mere days later!) and I think that's why you have been such a serious little baby lately.

All this food certainly had you getting bigger. You are not only growing in length, but you are also getting a little heavier - how much, we don't know until your 9 month appointment - but you are still a pretty skinny baby! You have started drinking some water with your food, but you don't really like it so far. (Neither do I, baby girl, but water is a must, so we deal.) You are still nursing on demand during the day, and loving it, so we are still on the full swing of all of that. I was sort of worried when you liked solid food so much that you would start weaning yourself a bit, but no way jose. 




We have had some really nice weather here and there this month, and you love being outside, so I absolutely cannot wait for summer to play outside with you. I am thinking of signing us up for a Mommy and Me swimming class at the Y, so we shall see if that happens. You like singing along with, well, anyone singing really and have really found your voice even more this month - and you LOVE being loud. Despite all my attempts to say Mama to you eight million times a day, you haven't said that - or anything really - yet. You also dance along to inning, by beating your feet on the floor and grooving around, and you are also sometimes even on beat! Look at you.

You do make this funny little hooting noise when you see your puppy though, and you only make it for him. I like to think it is your impression of his pitiful little noises when he is waiting for you to feed him off your high chair (of which you do plenty). You have definitely realized that when you hold food down to him, he comes to lick your little hands - and you love it. So, we are dealing with that right now, but you think it is hilarious, so I don't know how much headway we will make.

It's really pretty cute.

You are getting so big, and loud. You are becoming such a little person, our little Evelyn. I cannot wait to hear all of what is going on inside of your head. Soon enough. Soon enough.

All my love,

Momma.




 Oh hey Mom, just chilling here, eating my hands.



Oh, haaaaaai paper!



Get over here!



But, Mooooom! You are the meanest.



Look, I promise, Ill be nice over here.



Look, chewing on my fingers again...



HA! You fell for that crap. Can't believe it.


Evelyn Rae is seven months old

...and I call that last one "Baby in Motion"


Friday, February 10, 2012

You know I love a theme...

Mayhap it is rooted in my abundance of spirit in high school for spirit weeks, or college theme parties, or being a sorority recruitment professional...or mayhap it always existed, and those things just nurtured my love.

The love of which I speak is for themes. I like 'em all ways- subtle, not so subtle and over the top crazy...depending on the event of course.

In any case, I am announcing my first ever theme week on the blog. Yaaaaay.

I have had a few posts batting around in my head and in the draft section for a while, and they all seem to revolve around the idea of "Schedules". Now, schedules may seem all dry and boring and lame. And I won't lie, sometimes they are.

But, everyone I know always seems to be striving for more of a schedule, more organization, more...something.

Combine this with the conversation I had with my own dear husband last week that went something like this:

Me: "Hey babe, would you mind cleaning out the leftovers that you won't eat for lunch from the fridge so I know what to buy when I go grocery shopping tomorrow?" 


::As I pick up the baby to head upstairs to change her diaper and get her in a clean diaper, mentally noting that I also need to bring down the dirty diapers to get them soaking so I can run the washer, and that I need to check on the state of my basil for my planned dinner recipe to succeed...::


Husband: ::Sigh:: "I guess, I mean...What do you DO all day?"


Oh, husband.

Now the sentiments behind this conversation will be discussed more next week...but ultimately it got me inspired for this upcoming event, which will include a post I have been wanting to do for a while now...a "Day in the Life" post. YAY! Because, sometimes people really don't realize what you do all day.


So, here it comes, a theme. GET.EXCITED.

I know I am.


Evelyn Rae is six months old

...and as I have written this post she has been napping on her belly. And I haven't even freaked out once. ::Pats self on back::

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Baby G Pool - Part II

Remember way back before Evelyn was born, when I created a birth pool?

{Like a betting pool, not a reservoir of water where you give birth...}

Welp, I never posted the results and distributed the promised Starbucks gift card to the winner.

Why, you may be wondering.


See...the thing is...


I won my own birth pool.


...




I know, I KNOW.

Here is the rundown of results. Sorted, of course.


Should I have actually entered my own birth pool? Probably not. But, I did. People encouraged me to...so I did. And I won. And the second and third place folks are A's mom and his grandmother.

The thing that killed most people was the time of day/date as those were the largest swings of numbers.

Fun observations -

  • Only 6 of 29 folks thought we would have a girl. 
  • The latest due date guessed was 7/7/11 by Linds. (Ev was born on the 11th. 4 days after the latest date. Bless all your hearts for being optimistic with me <3)
  • Earliest date guess - 6/23/11 by Kari and Brandi.
  • Biggest baby guess - Andria at 8 lb. 14 oz.
  • Smallest baby guess - Wilson at 6 lb. 13 oz. (You are such a nice man.)
  • Most people were within an inch or half an inch of length guess.
  • Whitney had the closest size guess at 21", 8 lb. 12 oz. She was only off by half an inch and one ounce!

Since I should probably disqualify myself - though I already gift myself Starbucks all the time, and this is a rationalization! Whee! - I will declare Nana the winner of this one.

Good job Nana! I will buy you a coffee next time we see you. Which I am pretty sure is this afternoon, maybe?


Evelyn Rae is six months old

...and I did this math a really long time ago.
But then I was embarrassed.
So I didn't share.
My bad.

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Early Release

Today my husband got to come home early from work. YAY! those days are few and far between so we are taking advantage and going to see a friend who happens to be in Richmond.

Cause, why not?

Oh, you were hoping for a baby photo or something worthwhile in content? Hm.

I'm blogging this from the road, so the requisite photo will be at the end of the post. Probably sideways. But hopefully not.


Evelyn Rae is six months old

...and I love this crazy baby to pieces.




Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Trendy

We're so trendy around here. Definitely on the forefront of the fashion industry.



Of cloth diapers that is.



Evelyn is modeling her new BumGenius Freetime All-in-one One-size cloth diaper in Lovelace. I just couldn't resist picking up this pattern when I saw it in person at Diaper Junction. They got so few of these in in Hook and Loop, that they didn't even put them on the website for order. Score one for shopping locally. Woot!


These are still on a "test drive" so we kept our receipt just in case, but so far...I like 'em. We picked up three of the new stye and have been incorporating them into our regular rotation. I'm not yet in love, but only time will tell on these babies.


Evelyn Rae is six months old

...and I will definitely review these further in the future. But, I couldn't resist sharing a photo of a cute, cloth diapered butt.

Friday, February 3, 2012

Lazy

We've been sort of lazy homebodies around here this week. We've taken advantage of the nice weather by going fro walks and such, but mostly we've just been cleaning up the house and enjoying each other's company.

Much to this puppy's contentment.



Back on Monday.

Happy Friday everyone!


Evelyn Rae is six months old

...and Bings has actually been snuggling with Miss Evelyn this week. Much to her (and her momma's) delight.

Thursday, February 2, 2012

Simple pleasures

The last few days have brought me some simple pleasures that have been lifting my heart.

I have had so many sweet messages of support and sympathy. Each little message helps, so thanks <3

Tuesday afternoon, I got a bright happy moment in the form of a photograph. My friend Jessica took some six month photos of Evelyn - who was not a happy child for some reason. We tried everything we could to get her to smile instead of being so serious, but nothing was working. Toward the end of the day we were being ridiculous and we finally managed to get her to crack a few smiles. She sent me this preview.


Were we cheesing in the photo? Yup. We were laughing so hard at ourselves. A reminder of that laughter and moment went a long way on Tuesday. So, thanks Jess for the previews! It was perfect timing. Check out more of Jessica's photos here.

Evelyn was an angel child yesterday. I don't know what it was, but all day we had barely a whimper. She was so cuddly and smiley. Nothing quite helps heal your heart like a snuggly baby.

It also helped that yesterday it was 75* here in good old Hampton Roads, and as I was driving around with the sunroof open, good music on the radio and a baby cooing and gurgling and babbling and giggling to herself in the backseat, I thought to myself - "This is one of those days, one of those moments, when all seems right with the world."

I think I know who to thank for the sunshine.


Evelyn Rae is six months old

...and thank goodness for baby smiles and giggles and open mouth gummy kisses on your neck.