Munchkin Land

Where does the time go?

2012-02-06T16:55:00.002-06:00

Seriously?! Where does the time go!? It seems like yesterday we were bringing home our sweet little boy. I blinked (you know I didn't sleep) and suddenly he's 4 months old already and Evie is closer to 3 than 2! I know I'm way behind on my blogging. I just haven't been up to it or thought it couldn't wait until tomorrow... and tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow...

So here we are. Owen turned 4 months on Saturday. He is 26.75" tall (95%) and 15lb 1oz (56%). He is the SWEETEST baby. He only cries when he's hungry and you haven't fed him after he's been telling you for about 20 minutes. He is full of smiles, even when he got a vaccine today. He loves watching his big sister and interacting with all of us. He still loves to be held but is seeking a little independence. He's so tall that he's able to comfortably stand in the exersaucer and really enjoys playing with those toys. Evie was excited to see them come back out too and likes to "teach" her brother how to use them. "Teach" is in quotes because she's more likely to push his hand away so she can play with it herself but when asked she says she's teaching him.

Owen has rather exceptional long curly hair. I should probably have it trimmed just to keep it out of his eyes but I'm not gonna. :)

The weather has been so nice that he's gotten to try the outside swing out and he thought that was okay. I think he was more enamored with the silly faces I made while I pushed him. He's also very ticklish, a fact I exploit at every opportunity. Love those baby giggles.

I thought having 2 kids would be difficult. And it's certainly challenging but not as hard as I thought it would be. I think Evie needs more one on one time than I am able to give her but her Daddy has really stepped up and done a lot with her lately. As for Owen, we have a weekly date with Glee on Wednesday afternoons while Evie naps. I cherish that time to spend just with him doing nothing else in particular.

Evie is growing and looks so much like a little girl.

She has a mind of her own and speaks it. She is smarter than I am and I'm not sure what to do about that. Example: I told her she'd be in trouble if she pee peed in her diaper while she was awake a knew better. In the morning she'd taken her diaper off and peed all over her bed. But her diaper was dry as a bone. Note to self: be more specific. She has gotten into Disney princesses much to my chagrin. I told her I didn't like the princesses because they didn't have any girl friends, their only friends were animals. She said she'd be their friend so I would be happy. See, smarter than me. She wants her hair fixed like a princess most days and loves to run around in her tutu and fairy wings. But she also loves Fancy Nancy and we are happy to encourage that.

We think a Fancy Nancy birthday party may be in order this year. Evie is scared of Wolves. Don't know why. But we've been checking out library books where the wolf is the good guy to try to combat the fear.

Winter is the hardest. Short days, cold weather (though not so bad this year). We do great in the mornings where we have a pretty set routine and schedule of events and playdates. But the afternoons are sort of long unstructured time. So we're striking back with arts and crafts. I use her nap time to come up with an activity (Thanks Pinterest!) and we work on it in the afternoon until dinner time. It really helps. So far we've done things as simple as glue cotton balls to print outs of snowmen to painting with TP tubes. Here are a few other activities we have done recently:

Marshmallow Shooter- This one results in shoes filled with mini marshmallows such that a few days later Evie was eating found marshmallows that came from the shoes...ewww.
Valentine Bee- cut out hearts. Let Evie glue them down and decorate. EASY

TP Tube Hortons- Evie loved using her scissors to make the hair.

Bow Valentines- We made 3 different bows for Evie's girl friends and then put them on paint chips for her to give her friends.

Finger puppet monsters- We got the idea off etsy but were able to easily make them ourselves. I just used some fleece I had left over from making hats (the same fleece I used for the stockings we made at Christmas). We cut out the finger shape and then Evie helped glue on the pieces of the faces. Later I embroidered the mouths and stitched them up. We are using paint chips for those cards too. I just cut a little finger type shape to slide the puppets on and then made a little tag on photoshop. Evie helped cut them out and glue them on the cards. Free valentines! Can't beat that.

Cat Masks- we did these before the Cotton Bowl to show we were equal opportunity party hostesses.

Razorback hats- I made this one up myself and was really pleased with out how it turned out. The hats were perfect for the Cotton Bowl party. And we made noses out of cut up TP tubes too!

Family Tree- I didn't even use Pinterest for this idea! Evie is having a hard time grasping the concept of families. She doesn't understand that her Grammy is also my Mommy so I thought this would help her. I made a worksheet on photoshop and put our names on it.

Then I made another file with 1"x1" square photos of each person. I cut them out and she and her Daddy sat down together and glued the faces on the appropriate squares while I cooked dinner. It was so cute listening to them talk. "You have a mommy?!" Evie asked Mike.

Santa's Mailbox Ornament DIY

2011-12-05T17:08:00.000-06:00

Evie is just starting to understand who Santa is so we haven't quite reached the Letters to Santa phase yet. But I'm looking forward to it. This year I had her "write" a letter and I'm going to print up a list of what she got for Christmas and another list of what Owen got on his first Christmas. Then it's all going into these cute little ornaments I put together during the miraculous few minutes that both children napped at the same time.

I love Christmas ornaments. LOVE THEM. My favorite day is Black Friday because I spend all day getting the tree up. I pull out each ornament and I can tell you who gave it to me, where and why. We collect ornaments when we go on vacations, we each get a Hallmark ornament each year plus more on special occasions. I love the hand made ones I've received from loved ones. I plan to make one of these each year and then I'll most likely go and re-read their Christmas lists each Black Friday.

To make your own you'll need: 1 toilet paper tube, a 12" piece of ribbon or string, glue or Mod Podge, Scrapbook paper, hole punch, scissors, computer and printer (optional).

I started by creating this template. Please feel free to print and use it. Make sure it is 4 1/4" Wide x 6" Long when you print it.

I added a name to the flag and printed it directly on scrapbook paper.

If you choose not to use my template just cut your scrapbook paper to 4.25"wide x 6" long.

Coat the back of your paper with glue or Mod Podge and (if you're using the image above) starting at the bottom where the line is glue it around the TP tube.

It should overlap a little. Allow glue to dry slightly so the paper doesn't slide around. But you don't want it hard yet.

Punch 2 holes in the top of your ornament about 1 1/4 inches in on each side, as shown.

Tie a knot at one end of your ribbon so it doesn't pull through the hole. Thread the un-knotted end through the hole from the inside out. Then down through the other hole and tie another knot in the end.

Gently push the ends together along the half circle lines.

Glue one end closed.

Wrap a rubber band around your ornament to hold the bends in place while the glue dries.

In the meantime, make your letter. Of course a child can just write a letter and decorate it however they like. I made Evie a little letter sheet since she can't write yet. Feel free to print it out if you like.

Evie's letter is on a plain sheet of letter sized computer paper. I trimmed it to 6" wide and I glued a 6" x 2.25" piece of coordinating scrapbook paper to the bottom.

To fit it in the ornament, first fold the scrapbook paper back right along the edge.

Then, with the "Dear Santa" facing up, fold the whole sheet in half short ways.

Next fold it in half short ways again.

The scrapbook paper should now be on top. Gently roll your letter with the scrapbook page out so you have a 2.25" tube.

And there you go! Easy, Fast and FREE! Love that!

DIY Dot Stockings

2011-11-27T00:56:00.000-06:00

We broke out the Christmas decorations yesterday and discovered that sometime during the hot, hot summer a red Yankee candle melted and stained my white velvet stockings. Bummer on two counts. So we need new stockings.

Land of Nod sells these adorable stockings for around $30.

I made these four tonight for $23, and that includes a giant bottle of Modge Podge AND the eggnog to sip while I sit back and admire my handywork. AND I have enough material leftover to make 4 more.

Here's another shot.... Pretty close, right?!

For each (7"w X 18" l) stocking you will need 1 old stocking, some newspaper or tissue to make a pattern, 1 yard of fabric- I used muslin (1 yard will easily make 2 stockings), Craft felt or fleece (I had fleece on hand from lining hats but you just need something that doesn't fray or roll) in a variety of colors, card board or chip board, approximately 2 yards of rick rack, glue, glitter, 6" 3/8ths in grosgrain ribbon, 8" satin mini ribbon.

Step 1: Make your patterns.

Lay your old Yankee candle stained stocking on top of the newspaper and trace around it. Trace a little large to allow seam allowances. Cut it out. Mine is approximately 18" long x 7" wide at the top. Create 3 different size circles on a piece of cardboard or chip board. I pulled the back off an old notepad. My circles are 1 1/2" from a circle punch, the mouth of a shot glass and the bottom of a pilsner glass. I promise I wasn't drinking when I made these, but they're easy enough, you could be.

Step 2: Cut out your fabric.

(Keep in mind, I was making 4 stockings. If you're only making one or two you won't need the other 2 layers of fabric folded behind as shown here.)

With fabric doubled pin your pattern down and cut around it. Put your husband to work cutting out 20 felt or fleece circles using your handy patterns.

Don't let him get sharpie on the kitchen table.

I didn't, but should have, finished the top edge of the stockings at this point. Just fold the top down a 1/4", then another 1/4" and sew it down. I didn't do this and would have ended up with a seam across my dots so I just glued the top edge down later.

Step 3: Design your stocking.

Lay your circles in lines on the front side of your stocking. Pin them down before your 2 year old runs off with them. Cut rick rack to lay across the center of the circles overhanging the edges just a tad and pin down.

Set your sewing machine on a medium width zigzag stitch and sew straight down the rick rack.

Step 4: Assemble.

Pin stocking together with right sides facing and stitch.

Clip curves. Turn stocking right side out. The circles near the bottom seam tend to flip over so I glued them in place. This is where I realized I'd get a seam across my circles if I sewed the top hem down so I just glued it too.

Step 5: Hanger.

Fold a 6" piece of ribbon in half. I glued the ends together to make it easier to position. Sew to heel side seam as shown below.

Go over it a few times so it holds when Santa stuffs the stocking full of heavy things.

Step 6: Initial. You can use those fancy chip board letters to make it easier or you can DIY. I harvested the cardboard from another notepad. On the computer find a font you like. I used 250 pt Curlz and printed off the letters. Then I used modge podge to stick them to the cardboard.

I'm pretty sure plain old Elmers would work just fine. Use a scalpel to cut out the letter. Cover each letter in glue and cover with glitter. Let it dry and repeat on the other side. It'd be cute with fun scrapbook paper too. Punch a small hole in the letter and thread the piece of 8" mini ribbon through it. Tie the mini ribbon into the hanger.

Step 7: Sip Eggnog and marvel at your awesomeness. Think of what to buy with the $100 you just saved yourself.

Turning "Meh" into "More!": An Upcycled Meal

2011-11-15T20:15:00.002-06:00

So, here's what happened. For dinner last night I made this Chicken Marsala and this Panzanella Salad and we were terribly underwhelmed by both. (In the interest of full disclosure and fairness to the authors of both recipes I must admit that the only wine in the house was a box (don't judge) of Cabernet and the only bread we had was whole wheat sandwich bread and all my basil died so I had to use dried. The recipes might be great but my version was lack luster to say the least.)

Anyway, I had all this left over Panzanella salad. And the bread was all soggy and gross and I knew I'd never eat it. And Mike took the leftover chicken for lunch. All this resulted in my coming up with a new recipe using the left overs and it turned out to be much better than the original. It was really easy, although now that I've got it typed up it sounds more complicated than it was. You can make the veggie mixture ahead of time if you want. It took about 30 minutes start to finish and I spent a good amount of time picking soggy bread out of the leftover salad. It made a ton. Now I have a fridge full of leftover upcycled leftovers and really, that's not such a bad thing.

Ingredients:

Chicken:
2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into strips
1/3 cup flour
1/3 cup plain bread crumbs
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 tsp Kosher salt
1 tbs Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp garlic powder
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbs olive oil

Pasta:
1 lb spaghetti

Sauce:
1 can artichoke hearts, drained and rough chopped
2 large tomatoes, cut into chunks
1 can black olives, drained
3/4 cup fresh basil (or in desperation, a TBS or 2 of dried)
2/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper
1 can chicken broth or stock
1 tsp corn starch

Directions:
Spray a large skillet with cooking spray and add 2 Tbs Olive Oil. Heat over medium high and add garlic. Combine Flour, Bread crumbs, Parmesan, 1 tsp salt, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning. Dredge chicken strips in flour mixture, coating well. Add to skillet and cook until golden brown and cooked through. Remove to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.

While chicken cooks, in a large bowl combine artichokes, tomatoes, basil (if using fresh) and olives. In a small dish whisk together olive oil, white wine vinegar, basil (if using dried), salt and pepper. Pour dressing over veggies and toss to coat. (If you're using left over Panzanella use this time to pick all the soggy bread out of your leftovers... yuck.) Add veggies mixture to hot pan. Pour in chicken stock and bring to a simmer, scraping the bottom of the pan. Stir frequently until veggies are heated through and the sauce is starting to reduce. Sprinkle in corn starch and stir to combine. Allow sauce to thicken slightly.

While sauce simmers cook spaghetti according to package directions. Stir cooked and drained spaghetti into thickened sauce and coat. Serve hot with chicken strips on top.

Owen is 1 Month Old

2011-11-04T19:24:00.002-05:00

It's hard to believe it's already been 1 month since our sweet little boy joined our family. He is such a sweet little snuggly guy. We've all been enjoying his warm little cuddles and the funny little sounds he makes when he sleeps.

I very unscientifically weighed and measured Owen this morning and he weighed in at approximately 10.5 pounds and about 22 inches long. I'm glad to see that he's growing. At his 2 week check up he was only 9 pounds, hadn't regained his birth weight. But then he really hit a 3 week growth spurt and seems have caught up.

We took him to meet with a surgeon this week to get a little more information on his congenital hydrocele. Basically we waited for 2 hours past our scheduled appointment time to be told that he's not in any pain, may or may not have a hernia, and that he may or may not need surgery...all things we already knew. We are to bring him in every 3 months until it seals up on its own or it is determined he needs surgery to repair it when he's between 12 and 18 months old. Here's hoping the doctor's office can keep to their schedule a little better in February.

Owen seems to have his days and nights a bit mixed up but it's getting better. He's up around 10, Midnight, 3, 5, and 7 and then sleeps well during the day. I wake him up every 2 hours to eat in an attempt to get him switched to a more convenient schedule.

This has been a month of firsts for Owen, as I expect the rest of his first year to be of course.

He watched his first Razorback Game.

Had his first bath.

Took a trip to the Tulsa Aquarium.

Had his first photo shoot. Photo Credit: Victoria Knaup Photography

Took a nap in Daddy's chair.

Snuggled with his Great-Grandpa

Visited the pumpkin patch.

Had his second photo shoot (thanks to an uncooperative big sister). Photo Credit: Victoria Knaup Photography

Celebrated his first Halloween. (Photo Credit: fx studio)

Evie has been a very good big sister. She loves watching me give Owen a bath and change his diapers. She helps pick out his clothes and demands that he wear matching shoes. She is kind to him, giving him cuddles when he cries and sharing her special Pink Blankie- the one thing we would never ask her to share. She's also started playing Mommy to her baby dolls. When Owen isn't in the bouncy seat there is almost always a doll in his place, lovingly covered in a blanket. Of course it's a naked baby that's been dropped on it's head more than once but that's not important. Evie likes to hold Owen when you bring it up but she doesn't ask to hold him. And she's quick to point out the differences between them: Owen doesn't get Halloween candy and has to sleep in a little tiny bed but Evie can trick or treat and sleeps in a big bed. So, all in all, I think she's pretty happy with her Big Sister status. The first few weeks were rough, with lots of tantrums, but things seem to be calming down as we get used to our new addition and routines.

(Photo Credit: fx studio)

Evie turns 2 1/2 this month but I think that warrants it's own post.

Now back to snuggling my little guy and maybe a shower, if I'm lucky. :) The joys of motherhood.

Lil' Ghosts

2011-10-17T14:07:00.001-05:00

Let me preface this by saying, it's SUPPOSED to be raining today. So I'd planned a day of laying around in our jammies doing rainy day things like baking Oatmeal Raisin Cookies and making crafts. It turns out, it's a beautiful sunny day, not too hot and not too cold. But I'm already committed to jammies, so jammies and crafts it shall be.

We started our day baking these Chewy Oatmeal Raisin cookies. YUM. Evie had a great time helping make and eat the dough. Poor Owen just had to watch from afar.

Then it was craft time. I saw these footprint ghosts on Pintrest a couple weeks ago and thought it would be really fun to do with the kids, especially since Owen's little ghost is so tiny. But I didn't want to spend any money on it and, like I said, I'm committed to jammies today anyway, so there was no going to the store for supplies.

I started with an 8x8 piece of black scrapbooking cardstock. I didn't have any acrylic paint so I used white puffy paint instead. It sort of worked. I took both kids out on the front porch (since it's not raining and all) and I used a small foam brush to paint the bottom of each kid's foot. Then we pressed their feet onto the cardstock. Evie wiggled a little so it looks like she has 7 toes. But it's supposed to be spooky, right? :) After I cleaned the paint off their feet I used the puffy paint to outline their foot prints. When it had dried a bit I used some black puffy paint to make the eyes and mouths. On Evie's I made a small bow with some orange ribbon and just pushed it into the tacky puffy paint. I used a white paint pin to put their names by their ghost. Then I printed "Halloween 2011" on a piece of white scrapbook cardstock (the Font is Blackadder). I glued that to Purple and then orange and finally glued the whole thing on a piece of purple 12x12 cardstock. When it's fully dry I'll either put it in a 12x12 frame and hang it up for all to admire, or more likely, I'll stick it in a scrapbook. Either way, it was a fun little craft and I think everyone will enjoy looking at it when their feet get bigger.

Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Raisin Pancakes

2011-10-15T11:12:00.000-05:00

The other day Mike came home from Sam's with a GIANT box of raisins. Ever since I've been craving Oatmeal Raisin cookies but don't want to have treats in the house. Today I decided I NEEDED some flavors of Fall and am justifying the recipe I made up by saying, it's got lots of fiber. And the doctor said I should eat more fiber after the baby was born. Yeah, that's it. :)

These were a big hit. So much so, there are no photos- Didn't get there with the camera in time. Suffice it to say they had great flavor and texture with just enough sweetness for breakfast, and the oatmeal made them filling enough not to go crazy.

Ingredients:
2 Cups Bisquick
1 TBS Sugar
1 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 Cup Old Fashioned Oats
1 TBS Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Nutmeg
1/2 Cup Raisins
1 Apple, peeled and very finely chopped
1 Cup Milk
2 Eggs
1 TBS Lemon Juice
1/2 Cup Apple Juice
Vegetable Oil or Butter for cooking

Directions:
Combine all ingredients (except butter/oil) in a large bowl. Batter will be runny. Heat Oil/Butter in a large skillet. Ladle batter in small batches. Flip when edges brown and bubbles start to pop. Serve hot with maple syrup.

Baby Owen's Baby Story

2011-10-06T14:18:00.002-05:00

We welcomed our newest little Cozy Baby on Tuesday at 2:15 AM. Owen Graeme weighed 9lbs 5oz and was 20" long. Here is his birth story.

Since I suffered a miscarriage immediately before conceiving Owen, the start date of my pregnancy was a little vague. According to an early sonogram the due date was set for October 3rd. But no one really expected it to be that day. In September the doctor predicted little Owen would arrive on September 23rd. I chose the 27th. My mother chose her birthday, September 30th. Owen kept us waiting.

I was against induction from the start because of several risk factors. However, when we saw the doctor on the 30th and there will stll no signs of labor we decided an induction was the right thing to do. He scheduled us for an office visit on Monday, October 3rd. I was dilated to 1.5 cm that morning. The doctor explained the procedure.

We were to arrive at the hospital that evening at 7PM. They would administer something called Cervadil to make the cervix thin out. Then they'd let me rest all night. It wasn't supposed to cause contractions just mild discomfort. The doctor would come break my water at 7:15 AM and then they would give me my epidural and start administering pitocin to bring on contractions. Once I had a timeline I was good. Now I could plan. We called my family. My mom drove up from Tulsa and my dad came up from Little Rock Monday afternoon. They were going to stay with Evie for the night and come up to the hospital in time for the baby's birth. The doctor said it would be around 11AM-2PM on the 4th.

But like all plans it didn't quite work out that way and we were very lucky to have both Mom and Dad here Monday night!

We arrived at the hospital a little later than expected. They hooked me up to a monitor where we discovered that I was experiencing very mild, pain free contractions about every 10 minutes. They weren't concerned about that, and I was still only dilated to 1.5cm, so they administered the Cervadil at around 8PM. After that my contractions became painful and sped up rapidly. Going from every 10 minutes to every 5 minutes in less than an hour. I was in so much pain they checked me again, and although the Cervadil was not supposed to cause me to dilate, I was now at 3cm. The nurse removed the cervadil, explaining that the contractions should slow down and I should be able to rest. She gave me an Ambien. No sooner had she done that, my contractions sped up to around 2 minutes apart and were lasting 60 - 90 seconds each! She turned around and offered me some pain medication to take the edge off so I could sleep. That didn't work either. But it did make me feel exceptionally drunk peaked with painful moments of lucidity that just kept getting closer together and lasting longer. And I was uncontrollably shivering with chattering teeth during the brief breaks in between contractions. In tears, I begged the nurse for an epidural. She took pity on me, checked again and when she found I was rapidly dilating further and feared my water was about to burst called the on call anesthesiologist (who barely made it in time) and my doctor. By 1AM we were at 8cm and got my mom out of bed too. The epidural was taking forever to kick in and the anesthesiologist explained that he was going to speed things up but that it would wear off faster. He laughed that at the speed I was moving it wouldn't matter. And it didn't. It barely kicked in before I was being told to push. The delivery room was a much calmer place after the drugs kicked in but the real excitement was quickly coming. Now that I was feeling no pain I could focus my energy on pushing.

I pushed with only 4 contractions and at 2:15AM delivered a bluer than expected Owen Graeme, who had managed to tie his umbilical cord in a knot. The doctor was very calm, suctioned him vigorously and allowed Mike to cut the cord before handing Owen off to a nurse with some Oxygen, which happily pinked him right up. He scored 8 and 9 on his Apgars. Later the doctor explained that about 1 in 100 babies have their cords tied in knots. In his calm way it didn't seem all that scary, but I know just how lucky we were and am even more grateful we decided to proceed with the induction (If you can really call it that. We prefer to think of it as a kick start.) when we did.

Owen is a very laid back baby. He rarely really cries, although he does let us know he is hungry or uncomfortable. He took right to breastfeeding with no problems at all and eats well. I only hope my wonky thyroid allows me to hold up my end of the bargain. Owen is a little snuggly cuddle bug. He loves to sleep in your arms and will curl up right next to you, sleeping better there than in his bed. He hates to be undressed or cold and diaper changes have been a LOT easier since we got home to our wipe warmer vs the cold ones at the hospital.

Owen's first name is Irish and means "Born of Nobility" which is fitting because, as you all know, I am a princess. ;) His middle name, Graeme, is after his daddy. Naming him was exhausting and involved an NCAA tournament of names written on little cards all over our bed one night. The final showdown was between Owen and Andrew. Owen had the added benefit of Evie being able to say it perfectly, but it was not formally declared the winner until a day or so before he was born.

Everyone seems very taken with his mop of dark hair. I haven't washed it yet, but I think it's going to curl like Evie's did at this age. Up close he appears to have highlights. He weighed in at a hefty 9 lbs 5oz but he's not a rolly polly little chunk. His little legs and arms seem darn right skinny. He does have big feet though. They barely fit the newborn booties I made for him.

Evie is a caring and gentle big sister, but has a short attention span for her brother. She kindly gave him a blue blankie and taught him to rub the satin on his cheek the way she does with her pink blankie. She likes to give him is binky (which he wants nothing to do with) and she wants to help buckle him in his car seat.

It's only been 2 days but we are very taken with our sweet little guy. Welcome to the family little Owen.

Baby 'Back Hat Pattern

2011-09-27T12:44:00.003-05:00

Woooooo Pig Souieeeee!!

Finally a soft version of the iconic Hog Hat is available for you and your littlest Razorback Fans.

Only $5. Pattern features detailed written instructions for basic hat in sizes 0-3 months, 3-12 months, 12-24 months, 2-5 years, and 5-Adult, spikes, ears, snout, eyes and tusks. Includes numerous photos.

Knit Techniques and stitches used: K, P, K2tog, P2tog, SSK, Slip 2 tog, Pass Slipped stitches over, Short rows, BO.

Crochet stitches used: Chain, SC, SL.

Requires approximately 85 yards of red worsted weight yarn, plus a small amount of white and black yarns for details.

Go Hogs Go!!

Custom Finished projects are available by request through my Etsy site: http://www.etsy.com/shop/evellynnsmommy

Kansas Bird Hat Pattern

2011-09-04T10:49:00.001-05:00

Kansas Bird Hat Pattern is now available sale for only $5.

Pattern includes written instructions for basic hat, earflaps/wings, beak, eyes, eyebrows and assembly. Lots of photos included and step by step photo tutorial for earflap joining. There are many components to this pattern but it's worth it! Stitches and Techniques used: Knit, Purl, Single Crochet, Double Crochet, Duplicate Stitch, and a variation of 3 needle bind off.

Custom Finished projects are available by request through my Etsy site: http://www.etsy.com/shop/evellynnsmommy

FASTEST Fish Tacos

2011-08-12T20:21:00.000-05:00

This recipe has become our go-to "Oh crud I forgot to set something out to thaw and it's 4:00" and "OMG. I can't believe it's so late; we need dinner NOW" meal. We buy individually frozen flounder fillets at Sam's and always have them on hand. They thaw in no time in a sink full of water and the meal is literally cooked in 6 minutes. SIX MINUTES! Add that it's extremely low fat, healthy and even Evie eats it and we have a big winner. This recipe has 4 Weight Watchers Points plus per serving. Recipe makes 4 servings.

Ingredients:

4 Flounder Fillets, thawed
1 tsp Kosher salt
1 tsp Pepper
1 tsp Cumin
1 tsp Chili Powder
1/4 tsp Oregano
1/4 tsp Chipotle Powder (Optional if you like it spicy)
Juice of 1 lime
4 fat free soft taco sized flour tortillas
4 TBS Fat Free Shredded Cheddar cheese
4 TBS Fat Free Sour Cream
1 Tomato, Diced
1 Green Onion, Chopped
4 Tbs Fresh Cilantro, Chopped

Directions:
Preheat Broiler to 500 Degrees. Place fish fillets on broiling pan and sprinkle with 1/2 the spices. Wrap Tortillas in aluminum foil. Broil Fish for 3 minutes on top rack directly below broiler. Put Tortillas on lower rack to warm. After 3 minutes remove fish, turn over and sprinkle with remaining 1/2 of the spices. Return to broiler for 3 more minutes. Remove fish and squeeze lime juice on top.

Assemble tacos with 1 fish fillet, 1 TBS Cheese, 1 TBS Sour Cream, Tomatoes, Green onions and 1 Tbs Cilantro each.

Slang

2011-08-02T09:44:00.002-05:00

For the record, that is not my belly.

I am 31 weeks pregnant. I am not Prego. That is a pasta sauce.

There is a baby boy happily growing and turning somersaults in my tummy. A male fetus gestating in my extended uterus if you want to be clinical, but I do NOT have a bump, or a lump, or a hump. I am not a three humped gump.

In approximately 9 weeks I will deliver the baby, have the baby, experience the miracle of childbirth. I will NOT "Pop". I am not a cooked turkey, or a burst balloon, or a character in an Alien movie.

Maybe it's the heat. Maybe it's the hormones. Maybe it's both. Regardless, I already feel like a hot beached whale. There's no reason to be so crass when discussing my shape, nor any reason to discuss it at all. Whatever happened to, "You look pretty." or "She's glowing."?

Chocolate Cherry Sauce

2011-07-16T10:40:00.001-05:00

Baby Boy is a fruit lover. I've been craving any and all fruits I can get my hands on, making the produce section a test of will power. On Monday I gave in and purchased a BIG bag of delicious sweet cherries. Never mind the pits or the staining juice or that there was no way we could possibly eat them all. "MMMMM CHERRIES!!" my belly kept telling me. So this morning I was faced with a still large bag of cherries that weren't going to last forever.

Evie and I decided to make homemade waffles while Mike slept in. I searched for a cherry sauce online and in my cookbooks but was unable to find a suitable one. And thus, Chocolate Cherry Sauce was born. The small amount of chocolate is just enough to flavor the sauce but not over power the sweet cherries. Mike took one bite and said, "OMG. YUM!" We enjoyed it on waffles this morning but it would be heaven on ice cream. MMMM... Ice cream.

It made for a clothing optional breakfast for the toddler set, but was certainly Evie approved.

Yield approximately 4 servings.

Ingredients:

Approx. 30 large sweet cherries, pitted and halved
3 TBS Sugar
1 TBS Flour
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
1 TBS Lemon Juice
2 TBS Butter
1/4 cup Dark Chocolate (60% Cacao), chopped or pieces

In a sauce pan combine Cherries, Sugar and Flour. Toss to coat all cherries. Heat over medium heat and add Vanilla and Lemon Juice. Stir frequently until thickened and cherries start to break down. Add Butter and stir until melted and smooth. Reduce heat to low or off and add chocolate. Stir until melted and smooth. Serve hot.

Mikey approved too!

S is for so So SMART!

2011-06-22T21:29:00.001-05:00

Any parent well tell you, there are days when your child will surprise and amaze you. Today was one of those days. We went to the library for story time and checked out a few new books. One was an alphabet book. She has a few we read but I wouldn't say we have actively been trying to teach her the letters. When I opened the book she immediately said, "A!" I was impressed alright. But I was even more impressed when she correctly identified almost EVERY letter!! She had trouble with "V". She called it "Y". But when I got to Y she said, "Y. Yak." A Yak was, indeed, pictured on that page.

Since her birthday, Evie's favorite toy is a little Leapfrog Laptop. She takes in the car everywhere we go. I think that is where she learned that Y is for Yak. If you have a toddler, BUY THIS TOY. It's not expensive, is educational and is a God Send on road trips.

But I digress. After nap time we headed off to the pool. Even enjoying herself, splashing in the water she continued to impress. Evie identified all but the V in "No Diving". And that was partially to do with the fact that she was sitting on the V. She also identified ALL the numbers and letters in "1 ft 0 in", "2 ft 0 in" and "3 ft 0 in". All without being prompted.

At bedtime she wanted to read the new alphabet book again for her bedtime story. She again was able to identify all the letters (except that darned V). But then she started showing her understanding even more. On D she said, "Da". On E she said, "You!" (Evie calls herself "You" remember.) And on M she said, "Ma!". At the end of the book all the letters are pictured together. I asked if she wanted to sing the ABCs. Evie typically doesn't care for my singing...can't really blame her for that one. So I fully expected a big NO. But she did want me to sing them. I sang it through once and when I got to the part about, "next time won't you sing with me" she said, "YA!". We started over and sang together twice! Then as she drank her milk and I rocked her quietly she periodically stopped, looked up at me and started singing herself.

I certainly am one proud Mama tonight!

What an odd world it must be

2011-06-21T22:02:00.000-05:00

Tonight was the annual picnic for Pittsburg Mother to Mother Ministry. I'm on the board and was excited to take Evie. We had beautiful weather and a nice turn out. Some of our board members brought games for the kids and made an obstacle course out of hoola hoops and pool noodles. Evie had never seen either of those things before. She picked up a bright purple noodle and someone asked her something like, "Do you like that noodle?" The look on her face was pretty funny. She was very clearly thinking Miss Kit had lost it, as there was obviously not spaghetti in her hand.

And that got me thinking, as Evie learns more and more language skills, how funny must the world seem to her. English is such a screwy language anyway, for someone just learning to communicate it must seem insane. For instance, we cheer when Evie says, "I love YOU!" but does she think she's saying, "Eye love ME!" (Evie calls herself "you". She occasionally refers to Mike or I as "Me". Pronouns are hard.) And in response does she think I'm saying, "Eye Love Evie Two"?

If I ask her to carry a grocery bag and tell her it's "light" does she think she's carrying a lamp? If I give her a whole apple does she think it is hollow? When I say we need to put away her clothes does she think they need to be shut?

Kids must be brilliant to decipher all this at such a young age.

The Potty Manipulation Must STOP!

2011-06-16T21:13:00.001-05:00

Barely 2 years old and my daughter already has the manipulative skills of a 16 year old. It's driving me insane.

Evie is potty trained. She's been potty trained for months. But every so often she decides to push her boundaries and we go through an incredibly stressful couple weeks of near constant "accidents". She knows better. She knows when she has to go. She will sit on the potty when you make her and then pee her pants when she stands up. I know kids regress occasionally at this stage, but around here it's more than that.

Evie has learned that saying she has to potty will illicit an immediate response from her Daddy or I regardless of what's going on. So.... should I be trying to fix dinner, for example, she will suddenly have to pee 10 times. That is, assuming I'm the only one here with her. If her Daddy is home from work, playing and reading to her she might, MIGHT, have to go once. Heaven forbid I take 5 minutes to answer an e-mail and ask her to be patient. Immediate having to pee. Now, most weeks she does at least go when you take her.

But then there are weeks like this... She's just saying she has to go for 1. Attention or 2. To prolong the time before nap/bed time. or 3. To get out of her highchair before the meal is finished. When you take her she just sits there and plays or looks at you. Then gets very grumpy when you give up on her and either walk away or make her come too. I've started leaving her on the potty and walking out of the room... sure fire fit there. She does this a lot in specific places too. For a while she would tell me the minute we walked into the grocery store EVERY time. She always wants to go at the Mall Deli and usually several times. In fact, I think I've become intimately acquainted with the bathroom in virtually every restaurant we frequent. It's some sort of game... how cold can we let Mommy's food get?

Then of course there's the alternative (and sometimes they run concurrently). The Accident weeks. I felt one of those coming on late last week when she suddenly had 5 accidents in one day. She thought it was pretty funny. That is, until I told her that if she had an "accident" she couldn't play in her kiddie pool that afternoon. That threat worked for a couple days. Then we were out running errands and she had a real accident. It was probably my fault for not running through the grocery store with a full cart trying to get way to restroom in the back like a crazy person (she's too young to understand the boy who cried wolf but it's the same scenario). Nonetheless, she knew she wasn't going to get in the pool because of it. And that afternoon EVERY time she went was in her pants. And it's been like that ever since. No accidents= pool time and happy days. 1 accident= ALL "accidents" and a very frustrated mama.

How do we stop all this? Ideas? Suggestions? PLEASE!

We discovered long ago that negative reinforcement just doesn't work on this kid. And the positive reinforcement isn't working so great these days. When she goes on the potty we sing a song, we do a dance, she gets either a sticker or an M&M, we clap and cheer. Hurray! When she has a real accident I remind her where the pee pees go and ask her why she didn't speak up but I don't come down too hard on her, it was, after all, an accident. But the on purpose "accidents" now that's another story. I make her show me where the pee pees go and where she went. I ask her if that's okay.. It's not. I make her take her soiled clothes to the laundry basket. I don't let her put her clean clothes on by herself. Putting on her own clothes is fun. It's independent. I tell her she behaved like a baby by pee peeing in her pants and babies don't get to dress themselves. I've tried putting her in a diaper like a baby too but all that does is make her think it's okay and she tries to hide it. At least in big girl under pants when she goes it's obvious and cold.

Today we tried a new tactic. She had an accident at the park this morning and knew she wasn't going to get in the pool. Before nap time she started playing the sit and not pee game trying to stay up later. She threw a massive fit when I got her down and that carried over into the rest of our routine. She got sent to nap time with no story. After nap time, as I put her big girl under pants back on I warned her, "If you pee pee in your pants you will go to time out." Yeah, she didn't believe me. Not sure why, I'm pretty stellar on the follow through. Sure enough, not too much time went by and she was wet and in time out. When she calmed down I asked her why she had to go to time out. She told me. And she said she was sorry. And I asked her where the pee pees go and she told me. We didn't have any more accidents today but we spent A LOT of time sitting in the bathroom while she continued to try to stay up late at bed time.

So come on now experienced parents. Surely my kid is not the only one to have tried these tactics. How did you solve it?

My Little Big Girl

2011-05-23T21:42:00.001-05:00

(Photo Credit FX Studios)

Evie turned 2 last week and thinks she's such a big girl. She spent her actual birthday going to the Doctor with me to hear her baby BROTHER's heart beat. She thought that was pretty funny. Then, after nap time, we went out to FX Studios to have her picture taken. She was a little nervous at first but warmed up pretty quickly and had fun. And they got some fun shots.

Evie saw the doctor today and weighed 30 lbs and was 35.5" tall. That's 90th percentile on height and 85th percentile on weight. She was a VERY good girl and smiled and even talked to the doctor. I was shocked. She was just a little angel. She even let the doctor look in her ears, something she won't even let me do! Everything was good and he said she was doing great.

We had her birthday party on the 14th and it was so fun! She had a lot of little friends come celebrate and family and friends from out of town came in for the event. It was chilly and windy but I don't think the kids noticed. The theme was "Monkey's on the Bed" and was a big hit.

Cake by Sweet Designs Cakery

Heather, at Sweet Designs did an amazing job on Evie's cake. It was the biggest hit at the party and tasted YUMMY. White cake with cookies and cream filling.

Obviously Evie approved.

We decorated with Evie's monkey stuffed animals and quilts used as table cloths. Cheap decorations!!

Trampoline Attendant

The present table

The Buffet Table

I made the birthday banner using scrapbooking paper I already had, the computer and some rick rack and ribbon. I really thought it would take forever to make but was pleasantly surprised at how quickly it came together.

Evie treated her guests with goody bags filled with Monkey Lollypops, Bubbles, Finger Puppets and Beach Balls.

Two hours was the perfect time for a 2 year old's birthday. We spent the first hour letting the kids play on the swing set and the trampoline Evie received for her birthday while the adults chatted and snacked. Then it was time to open presents. Evie is loved by so many people and we are extremely grateful for their generosity. Evie had an amazing time and has been really great about playing with ALL her new toys pretty equally. Her biggest surprise was a hot pink Mustang Power Wheels from her great Nana and Great-Grandpa. She LOVED it!

After opening presents it was time to blow out the candles and cut the cake.

Gradually, our party guests left but Evie was not at all done. As the decorations were being taken down she continued to jump in her trampoline and her Daddy started tossing balloons in on top of her.

What a fun day! And she looks so much more like a little girl than my little baby. She is really growing up. Her language has just taken off lately. She'll try to say any word you ask now and is using more and more sentences. She knows all her colors and can count to 5. She is very independent about most things and gets angry if you forget and do it for her. (Example: SHE must be the one to screw the lid on the sippy cup. Heaven forbid you forget and put it on.) But at the same time she is very dependent about other things you know she can do. She asks us to take her lego towers apart, for example.

Before I wrap things up, I need to pass on some information regarding the deadly tornado that touched down in Joplin, MO. We live only 30 miles from Joplin and had planned on going shopping over there on Sunday. Had I not lost track of time weeding the vegetable garden we would have been right in the middle of some of the hardest hit areas. It breaks my heart to see the devastation. I look around my house at all the toys and photos. So many people have lost everything including their homes and loved ones. At the same time, it is heart warming to see communities are pulling together to offer donations and help with search and rescues. If you can, please consider donating to the Red Cross, giving blood or sending supplies. They are badly in need of bottled water, toiletries and non-perishable foods. Click Here for a spreadsheet showing donation collection locations in the Four-State Region and as far away as Kansas City, Springfield, Lawrence, Tulsa and Northwest Arkansas.

A few days before the big T-W-O in which we take a look at photos

2011-05-16T21:33:00.001-05:00

12 Months
(Photo credit Bishops Studio)

13 Months with wet hair

14 Months

15 Months

16 Months

17 Months
(Photo Credit FX Studio)

18 Months

19 Months

20 Months

21 Months

22 Months

23 Months

4 days shy of 24 months at her birthday party

One More Month of One

2011-04-19T16:14:00.000-05:00

Yesterday Evie turned 23 months old. This is my last month of having a 1 year old :( And she already seems so grown up.

In the past month her verbal language has grown enormously! We went from only knowing 3 words to 3 word sentences! It's crazy how fast that little mind of her's works. The other day I told my husband I should stop taking my DHA supplements because I don't think I can handle having two kiddos smarter than me. He'll come home from work and find them eating Cadbury Eggs for dinner and I'll be tied up in the closet... I just know they're going to gang up on me. :)

But I digress. Evie's favorite sentence is, "No, Ma." or "Ma, No!" Either way. Usually both. We never hear, "No, Da." Although sometimes she does get on to the cat, "No, NAh!"

As I mentioned in a previous post, she knows most of her colors: Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Purple, Pink and Brown. She also thinks Black is Brown. She will argue this point with you should you try to correct her.

We have a little girl who is ready for some nice weather. We play outside every single day we can, and one particularly warm weekend, we even broke out the kiddie pool...

...obviously she loved it. But it hasn't been warm enough since that weekend so the pool has gone back into the garage. It HAS been warm enough for sidewalk chalk and bubbles and swinging and gardening though. She is a good little helper and helped me dig holes for the flowers we bought last weekend. She also enjoys covering the flowers back up...completely. She'll learn.

She continues to amaze me with her brilliance. Yes, I'm a biased proud mama. But I searched all through that What to Expect the Toddler Years book and could find nothing about this:

That's an Evie drawing. A masterpiece in my mind. She told me she was drawing a picture of "Da-da" and drew and arc. Then she told me it needed ears, eyes, hair, nose, and mouth and drew each squiggle respectively. Obviously, her Dad is not a unicorn, but she did know to put the hair on top, the ears on the sides and the eyes in roughly the correct locations. The mouth and nose are the correct shapes, if not the correct placement. All I could find in the book was that by 24 months they might be able to draw a line in imitation. You may now be impressed. :)

We had to go to the doctor this month. Evie contracted Pink Eye... Yuck. I do NOT recommend attempting to put drops in your toddler's eyes alone. Not. Fun. However, she did not attack the doctor and even let the nurse take her temperature and she let me put her on the scale. She weighed in at a wobbly, not standing still, 29 lbs. That's the 85th percentile on weight. I'm not 100% confident in that measurement, however, and I haven't measured her height.

Last weekend we took Evie to the city Easter Egg hunt. She'd walked past the Easter Bunny at the mall the day before and thought that was the best thing ever. That bunny even played peek-a-boo with her. I know, how amazing. She still talks about it. So, we went to the egg hunt thinking she was going to LURVE it. We got there early to get a good spot. It was windy and cold. We had to stand there and look at all the eggs she wasn't allowed to go pick up yet. We practiced how she would pick them up and put them in her basket. All was going well. She seemed excited. Then they said "Go!" and 100 other kids ran for eggs.

Mine didn't. Mine stood there and cried until all the eggs were picked up and the other kids were leaving the field. Fortunately, her Daddy is awesome and scored her a few eggs on the sly. He casually dropped them at her feet and she slowly came around to putting them in her basket. Once home she realized there was candy in the eggs and all the drama was forgotten. Hopefully our little family, Evie only, hunt will go much better this weekend.

I'm busy planning Evie's birthday party. The theme is Monkey's on the Bed. I'm hoping to come up with something the kids can bounce in. My bounce house (aka, The Colosseum) has a hole or two that we have yet to find. I would rather rent a big one but that may be cost prohibitive. I've ordered a cake that looks like a bed with a monkey jumping on it. And am thinking "Pin the Monkey on the Bed" wouldn't be a hard game to create. A few decorations and some party favors and we have a party.

Yes, You've seen this photo before, it's on her invitation. I'm sharing it again because it's my favorite.

As for me and Gummi Bear (the new baby). We're doing well. See the doc tomorrow for the monthly weigh in. 2nd trimester rocks and I'm feeling much more like myself. Not showing much yet, and still wearing my regular clothes, although not the small ones. I lost 40lbs on Weight Watchers before this pregnancy and have gained about 5 lbs back. My skinny jeans won't button (Love that Bella Band!) But the next size up is too big and the size up from that still falls off! How I can be 4 months pregnant and still smaller than I was this time last year baffles me. It's especially astounding to note that I started wearing maternity clothes when I was 8 weeks pregnant with Evie and still haven't touched them this time (I'm 16 weeks now). I thought you were supposed to get bigger faster with Number 2.

There's that number again. 2. I probably shouldn't have set my screen saver to the album of pictures titled "Evie 0 months". Remember to hug your kiddos and give them a big kiss. Remind them that Mommy kisses don't come off, they just stick forever.

The Rainbow According to Evie

2011-04-16T16:56:00.000-05:00

Red= Heh

Orange= Nah

Yellow= Yey-yey-yo

Green= Dee

Blue= Boo

Pink= Pik-a-pik-a-pik-a

Brown= Bow (as in take a, not what's in her hair)

According to "What to Expect" by the time she's 3 she might possibly be able to identify 4 colors... I'm sufficiently impressed... she's not even 2 yet.

Frog Prince/Princess Hat Pattern

2011-04-13T15:18:00.000-05:00

You will want to cover your little prince or princess in kisses when they wear this adorable little froggy hat. Pattern is now available for sale for $5 and includes written instructions for the knit hat, crown and detachable lips as well as crochet googly eyes. Numerous photos included. It's a fun and quick project that is sure to get a lot of attention!

2nd party invite

2011-04-13T14:39:00.002-05:00

I just created Evie's second birthday party invitations on Shutterfly. I do love their stuff.Of course, the best part was that it was almost completely free! I used my Pampers points to buy the cards and only had to pay shipping! AND it gets even better! By giving you this link, they'll give me a $10 credit on my next order, which you know I'll be using. You can do it too! Just make a card on shutterfly and when you're finished with your order, embed it on your blog. Shutterfly rocks. :) Also, Shutterfly did NOT ask me to write anything about this post, all that was required was the blow link/graphic.

Sweet Cupcake Birthday Invitation

Click here to browse Shutterfly birthday card designs.

View the entire collection of cards.

Cleaning out the Fridge

2011-04-12T19:08:00.000-05:00

One of the perils of being pregnant... I make my menu early in the week, do the grocery shopping and then develop an inexplicable aversion to at least one meal on my list about once a week. The result is a fridge full of a hodge podge of fresh and frozen veggies that I have to figure out how to use and not gross myself out. Tonight's dinner was pretty successful. Evie and Mike both ate a bunch. I am feeling rather meat averse today, so I picked out the chicken but I'm still calling it a win. I think it would have been better with fresh herbs, but I just planted my seeds this weekend, so we had to go with dried. But if you have fresh basil, oregano and flat leaf Italian parsley use them instead. The parsley would really make a fresh tasting addition.

Cleaning out the Fridge Pasta: 8 Servings, 8 Weight Watchers Points Plus per serving

Ingredients:

1 lb Pasta (we had Penne in the pantry)
1 tbs olive oil + cooking spray
2 8oz boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups mushrooms, sliced
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1 10oz pkg frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 Tbs dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
Salt and Pepper to taste
2 oz fat free cream cheese (or more if you have it)
1/4 cup Parmesan, shredded + more for garnish

Directions:
Boil pasta according to package instructions

Spray a large skillet with cooking spray and add olive oil. Heat pan and add cubed chicken. Season with salt and pepper. Add onions and garlic and cook until chicken is no longer pink and onions are translucent. Add mushrooms, tomatoes and spinach. Add Basil, Oregano, Salt and Pepper. Cook until mushrooms break down, tomatoes pop and spinach is heated through. Stir in cheeses until melted and well combined.

Add drained pasta to skillet and toss to combine. Serve hot topped with a little extra Parmesan.

Penne with Chicken, Artichokes and Spinach

2011-03-24T20:46:00.001-05:00

On the menu for dinner tonight was this recipe that I adapted and, okay, sort of made up loosely based on one I found on the Weight Watchers website. It took almost exactly 30 minutes from start to finish. When I put it in the recipe builder it came out to 8 points plus a serving. And it made 8 large servings.

Ingredients:
1 lb penne pasta
16 oz boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1 inch chunks
2 tsp olive oil divided
1 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
10 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
2 cups mushrooms, sliced
15 oz can artichoke hearts packed in water, drained and chopped
1 cup low sodium chicken broth
Salt and pepper to taste
1 Tbs dry Basil
1 Tsp dry Oregano
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Prepare pasta according to package instructions.
Heat 1 tsp olive oil in large skillet. Add chicken and season with salt and pepper.
When chicken is cooked remove to a plate
Heat remaining tsp olive oil in same skillet.
Saute onions and garlic until onions become translucent.
Add Spinach, mushrooms, artichoke hearts, and spices to taste.
Heat through.
Pour in chicken broth and simmer until reduced by half.
Add chicken and pasta to skillet and combine.
Add Parmesan cheese and toss to combine.

22 Months- and Almost on time too!

2011-03-21T14:31:00.004-05:00

Evie turned 22 months on Friday. Almost 2!! Time just goes by so quickly. We've been fortunate enough to have some semi decent weather lately so she's been enjoying playing outside as much as possible. She's always very happy when she gets to be outside...coming in can be a problem!

Evie celebrated her 22nd month birthday with our annual trip out to my former employer to volunteer answering phones for their radiothon for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

Evie was extremely well behaved and played with her toys and the other volunteers the entire time. I was very proud of her. And I'm happy to say we helped them raise nearly $26,000 for St. Jude. It truly is an amazing place not only for the patients but the parents too. And the research they do there is incredible. It's the front lines. They are finding cures and saving lives. I'd really encourage you to become a partner in hope.

Wouldn't you know, a big rain storm came in on Saturday and we had to spend most of the day inside. But when it quit raining for a bit we got out and tried on Evie's new rain boots and "brellalya".

She really enjoyed splashing in the puddles.

I get the feeling she's as excited about spring as we are!

And with that, it was time to go get some dry pants. Plus it started raining again. Alas.

But Sunday was glorious and we worked/played in the yard all day long. And today has been brilliant too. We met some friends for a picnic at the park. Evie got to ride on the merry go round.

Then she showed off her new found "hanging" ability.

But feeding the ducks was most certainly the highlight of the day.

As for the stats... Well, she's growing. I don't know how much. I haven't measured her and she's so healthy, she hasn't been back to the doc. She's still wearing size 18 month clothes and size 6 shoes though. Potty training is going okay. She gets caught up in playing and doesn't want to come inside to go so we're having to deal with that. She's also very manipulative and figured out that her babysitter would let her wash her hands every time they went in the bathroom whether she used the potty or not. Mommy doesn't play that. She only gets to play in the sink if she actually goes. Little smarty pants used that to her advantage and anytime the babysitter was around, even if she wasn't watching Evie, she demanded that the sitter take her potty. We finally figured out what was going on Friday and put a stop to it.

I am so happy to say that Evie's verbal language is growing by leaps and bounds! I knew it would just start pouring out eventually. And while you still can't really understand what she's saying most of the time, they are definitely words and once decoded very effective. She has versions of: No, Water, More, Tigger, Pooh Bear, Elmo, Emmy, Ernie, Bert, Mommy and Daddy (of course), Nana, Grammy, Papa, Pink, Brown, Blue, Yellow, Green, Slide, Umbrella, Down and others I'm sure I'm forgetting. She also does animal noises all the time and can do: Cat, Dog, Bird, Duck, Owl, Cow, Sheep/Lamb, Lion, Tiger and others. She also does the signs for all the animals as she makes the sounds. Her signing is still helpful and I'm very glad we taught her. For someone with limited speech, she is really a very effective communicator. There is very little doubt what the child wants.

Evie got the giggles while brushing her teeth the other night. You can also clearly hear her tell us, "No, no no."

And one more thing before I go... Evie has an announcement to make.

In case you're interested- I designed Evie's special t-shirt and they are available for sale here: http://www.cafepress.com/cozybabydesigns

21 Months and Then Some

2011-02-25T14:11:00.001-06:00

My little girl is growing up faster than I can keep up! I know it's been ages since I updated her little digital baby book here and she seems to be growing and learning so many new things each day.

I haven't weighed and measured her in a while but she is wearing size 18-24 months or 2T tops and size 12-18 or 18-24 months pants, right about average, I'd say.

The terrible twos seem to be starting a little early as she's pushing every limit she can. We've had daily fights about getting dressed and brushing teeth and sitting still for nap time and wearing bibs and putting on shoes and getting in the car and every little thing you can possibly imagine and it's driving me cRAZY! The good days are good but on the bad days it's all you can do to just get through it until her daddy gets home from work. Yesterday was one of those days. She was in time out 3 times before she got dressed. And it didn't get much better from there. I was peed on, hit, kicked, scratched, swatted and had my glasses ripped from my face. Some while she was already in time out for a previous offense. The odd thing is, she is SO smart! She knows better. She knows she's not allowed to hit or kick or pull the picture frames off the walls. You can tell her something one time and she'll remember it forever. She brings up that lotion doesn't go on her blankie every night at pajama time- something I mentioned off hand ONCE. And yet every day she goes to time out for hitting or kicking, something she's been told a hundred times is unacceptable. Asserting independence without self control is all I can figure out and I hope she grows out of it soon. She's so much more fun when she's being good.

When she's happy her little laugh is infectious. She'll giggle and squeal and chase you and kitties around the house. She's loved bouncing in what we call "The Colosseum" since the weather has been to crumby to go outside.

Her favorite activities are still reading books- she gets very excited about going to the library each week. Her favorite books are anything with Sesame Street, Winnie-the-Pooh, although she's terrified of Tigger, and the Llama Llama books by Anna Dewdney. She has the Christmas one and we read it all the time plus we check one of the others out at the library almost every week.

She also enjoys puzzles, coloring books, anything with buttons and has recently started really pretending. While cooking dinner one evening I came in the living room to check on her and found her very diligently arranging her Cookies on the tray and putting on her little oven mit to take them out of her pretend oven (aka the ottoman).

Developmentally she's right on track. I'd been concerned about her lack of speech but she does enough and her main language is still signing. But in the past few weeks she's grown much more verbal. Although very few words are recognizable, in context you can usually tell what she's talking about. And she combines spoken "words" with signs and other sounds to form weird little sentences. For example, the cat pooped on the twin bed in her room a week or so ago. Even just today, long after it'd been cleaned up and the bedding washed, Evie said, "Nnn-nah!" point to bed "pffft!" "Bah Bah!". Which pretty clearly, at least to her mother, meant, "Anna pooped on the bed. Bad Kitty!" Or another example, which her daddy will kill me for making public, on the swing set one nice afternoon. Evie was swinging when her daddy excused himself for a moment. She said, "Da-Da" Grabbed crotch Michael Jackson style- her sign for potty "Pfffft!!" Holds nose. I believe that sweet little princess was saying, "Daddy went inside to go potty. He's stinky."

Speaking of Potty... she's potty trained during waking hours. We are officially a 2 diaper per day family and it's great! She wears pull ups when we leave the house but at home or even playing in the yard it's big girl panties all the way. I'm very proud of her. Of course, now that she's pushing all the limits she's been having accidents on purpose to test us and see if she can get away with it. It's very frustrating to all of us and hard to know how to handle. You don't want to punish her for having an accident, if it truly was accidental. But I don't want her to think it's okay to pee or poo where ever she wants either. I've reminded her that she doesn't get treats if she doesn't use the potty and remind her every 30 minutes or so to go. And we've been doing little reminders in between. "Where to pee pees go? That's right, Pee Pees go in the potty, not your pants. " Etc. Again, I'm hoping she grows out of this little stage sooner rather than later.

Since my last update we celebrated Valentines day

got an insane amount of snow...

... Evie was not a fan.

Got dressed up for Mac's first birthday ball.

and visited the Tulsa Aquarium.

In only a few more months, she'll be 2. But she's still my little baby.

Mac & Cheese with Broccoli and Chicken

2011-02-22T20:55:00.000-06:00

Everyone has been asking for this recipe tonight so here ya go... with my modifications.

Ingredients:

Cooking Spray

12 oz twisted pasta

1/8 tsp salt

10 oz Broccoli florets

16 oz cooked boneless, skinless chicken breast, cubed

1 tsp butter

1/3 cup plain bread crumbs

3 tbs grated Parmesan cheese, divided

2 1/2 cups Skim Milk

1/3 cup flour

1 onion, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 cup low fat shredded sharp cheddar (but not non fat... it won't melt)

1 tsp Dijon Mustard

1 1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

Preheat oven to 375. Coat a 2 quart baking dish with cooking spray.

Cook pasta according to package directions in a large pot with 1/8 tsp salt. Add broccoli when pasta has about 3 minutes to cook. When Al Dente, drain and return to pot. Add cubed chicken.

Meanwhile, in a medium sauce pan melt butter over medium heat. Stir in breadcrumbs until golden. Remove to small bowl. Mix in 1 tbs of Parmesan.

Spray same sauce pan with cooking spray. Add onions and garlic. Saute until onions are translucent and starting to caramelize. Add flour and milk. Bring to a boil whisking constantly until thickened. Stir in mustard, salt, pepper, remaining 2 tbs of Parmesan and Cheddar. Pour mixture over pasta and stir to combine.

Place pasta mixture in baking dish. Sprinkle with bread crumb mixture. Bake for 25 minutes.

Yield 8 Servings. 8 Weight Watchers Points Plus per serving.

Raccoon Hat Pattern

2011-02-21T14:54:00.001-06:00

The latest Cozy Baby original design is complete and the pattern is now available through Ravelry for $5! So, you'll be humming "Rocky Raccoon" every time your little one wears this fun, warm and adorable little hat. Totally worth it, in my book.

Pattern features written instructions and photos for the basic hat, felted eye patches and ears, and simple crochet pupils and nose. Also includes directions for felting and diagrams for assembly.

Made of bulky wool, this project is fast!

Available in multiple sizes- Newborn up to 5 years.

Ya, da, da, da, da, da, da, da, DAH!

The Story of Vino Blah Blah Blah

2011-01-26T23:36:00.004-06:00

I am very excited to be hosting a craft night/ Mommy play date tomorrow night. I'm SO excited, I'm breaking out one of my favorite spirits for the occasion. In my house it is affectionately referred to as Vino Blah Blah Blah and I can't wait to share a bottle with these lovely ladies. But as always happens when I say, "Oh! I got a bottle of Vino Blah Blah Blah!" People give me that look that clearly states they think I'm a bit wacko.

So, here is the story of Vino Blah Blah Blah.

In the Spring of 2007, the amazing man you see pictured here and I got married. We saved our pennies, paid cash for the wedding and made our dream honeymoon to Italy come true. It was perfect.

One night in Florence we were sitting in a crowded restaurant witnessing an exceptionally rude American man snap his fingers and demand bread and olive oil from the very busy waitress. (Side note: Bread and Olive Oil are served as starters in most every American Italian restaurant but we did not encounter this even one time anywhere in Italy.) But I digress. The dude was flat out rude. A bad stereotype. When the waitress came to our table I made a point to apologize for the guy and told her we weren't all like that. We then tried to make friends.

By the end of dinner we had told her we were on our honeymoon and she was kind enough to present us with a little gift- two champaign flutes filled with bubbly pink goodness. OH MY but it was delicious! Sweet, but not in a bad wine sort of way. It had notes of raspberries and peaches and just the right amount of fizz. It was lovely. I wanted to bring home a case of it. We asked our new friend what it was. She told us. Twice. In Italian. My Italian consists of "Aqua Minerale Naturale Par favore" (Still mineral water, please). So, yeah. We didn't understand. We heard, "Vino Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah". And so thought we were doomed never to know the mythical pink libation.

Fast forward one year. Our first wedding anniversary. The hubs, he loves to eat; and let's be honest, so do I. We'd heard of a place in Kansas City called Blue Stem that had a tasting menu with wine pairings and thought it would be perfect for our celebration. And it was. It was lovely. We had a wonderful dinner and then dessert arrived. Deconstructed Carrot Cake for me; something mint chocolate for Mikey. The Sommelier came by with our paired drinks. Mike got a mint julep. Then he started describing mine. Pink, sparkling- our eyes got wide, raspberries- wider still, peaches- Could it be?! He poured. We exclaimed, "Vino Blah Blah Blah!!" How serendipitous that it was our first anniversary AND we spoke the same language! We asked him to write it down for us.

Vino Blah Blah Blah = Brachetto D'Aqui

And this one is available at Sam's Club!

So there you are. The romantic story of Vino Blah Blah Blah. I hope you'll try a bottle and share it with someone you love.

Come Together Baby Blanket Pattern Now Available!

2011-01-25T14:50:00.000-06:00

I'm very happy to announce that the pattern for the Come Together Baby Blanket is now available and Jam Packed with bonuses!

Who says Knitters don’t Crochet and Crocheters don’t knit!? In this blanket knit and crochet blocks Come Together to make a charming and interesting blanket with multiple textures. It also features satin ribbon details, sweet embellishments and convenient 6” ties for attaching to a stroller or infant carrier making it the perfect blanket for baby and Mommy. Finished size 28.5 x 35.5 inches.

As a bonus this pattern includes a miniature size version perfect for dolls or loveys. Make several and keep one in the car and one at Grandma’s house and the child will always have his/her favorite blankie close at hand. Finished size 12x11 inches.

Pattern features: written instructions, photos of each block, graphic layout map, instructions for both hand and Machine Knitting are given for larger blocks, instructions and photos for miniature version, three embellishment options (turtle, owl and cupcake), and additional color ideas.

Although the blanket appears complicated, it is actually quite simple to make. Both Knit and Crochet stitches are kept basic so those who dabble in one or the other can easily complete this project. Perfect for those trying to decide which art they prefer or those just starting out.

Knit Stitches Used: Knit, Purl, K2tog, Yarn Over

Crochet Stitches Used: Single Crochet, Double Crochet, Half Double Crochet, Chain

Yarn Needed: Approximately 340 yards of each of 4 different colors worsted weight yarn.

Turkey Loop Stitch Explanation

2011-01-23T08:35:00.005-06:00

I've had a few people asking me, "What in the world is Turkey Loop Stitch?" I think it goes by several different names including Turkey stitch and Loop stitch. It is an embroidery stitch that creates secured loops. Here is how I do it. You'll need a needle and thread, or a tapestry needle and a length of yarn.

Bring your needle UP at A. Use a Knitting Needle to make your loop size and keep it uniform throughout. Go DOWN at B leaving a loop. Bring your needle back UP at C and go DOWN (without making a loop this time) at D. Now bring your needle back UP at B and begin the process again.

I used Turkey Loop Stitch in my pattern for the Quick and Easy Mohawk Hat available for sale here: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/quick--easy-no-felt-mohawk-hat

Hope that helps!

Anatomy of a Blanket Design: Progress Update 2

2011-01-21T16:35:00.000-06:00

Finished!! I'm so excited to show you the finished project. I'm calling it the "Come Together" Baby Blanket because Knit and Crochet blocks "come together" to create this one of a kind blanket that is both fun and functional. The finished size is 28.5 x 35.5 inches. In addition to all the different textures and colors it has a few special features. The satin ribbon in the top center is sure to be a hit with the baby. And not to worry; although it looks like a long piece of ribbon woven through the holes, it is actually 3 separate pieces. Each piece is only 6" long and between the knit layers the ribbon is sewn and glued together as well as attached to the inside knit portion itself. The blanket also features a fun stuffed turtle friend and 4 sets of 6" long ties for attaching the blanket to a stroller or infant carrier. That bit is for Mom. I hate it when my daughter's blankies drag on the floor or are constantly falling down and need attention. These little ties should mitigate that problem. I really hope my client (and her son!!) enjoy this blanket as much as I enjoyed creating it for them.

For my knitter and crocheter friends, the written pattern is in the works and will be available to purchase through Ravelry very soon. It will include instructions for hand making all the blocks, assembly, trim and ties. It will also include instructions for making some of the larger blocks on a knitting machine, directions for the turtle embellishment, at least one other embellishment for a girl's version, additional color ideas, and a bonus pattern for a 1/3 size "lovey" version.

Anatomy of a Blanket Design: Progress Update 1

2011-01-15T10:16:00.000-06:00

Just a quick update. I'm really enjoying creating this! I decided to try cabling and am so glad I did! I've wanted to learn for a long time but didn't have the right project for it and thought it was going to be hard. But it turns out, it was very simple and I think it will be a great addition to the blanket. Since I want the blanket to be the same on both sides I made two beige cabled strips and will sew them back to back to make one block.

I decided to give basket weave a try for another strip with the variegated green yarn. I'm in the process of making a brown basket weave block too.

Not pictured is the second large brown knit rectangle I finished yesterday as well. This blanket is really coming together quickly!

Here is my little road map showing my progress:

Yet to be finished are two medium sized knit rectangles in variegated green and brown (top left and bottom left), they'll be reverse stockingette or garter stitch; one brown basket weave strip (top right); one variegated green cable strip (vertical left) and two variegated green strips that have yet to be decided. They will be placed center horizontal and top right horizontal.

I welcome your suggestions for the pattern of the undecided blocks. Right now I'm toying with making them crochet since I've designed 4 different styles of knit blocks and only 2 styles of crochet blocks. All the blocks will all be assembled with crochet and it will have a crochet border, so it should be a fairly good mix of both though. I've also considered making it a lacy pattern since the majority of the blocks have been fairly solid. However, the positioning will put them connected to two of the granny squares which are already pretty holey. I tried knit smocking for them, but with the variegated yarn the pattern just doesn't show up much, and it's such a narrow strip that it doesn't have a very dramatic effect.

Anatomy of a Blanket Design

2011-01-13T16:57:00.002-06:00

If you've checked out my little business venture, Cozy Baby, you may have notice that there are no warm and cozy blankets featured. Hats, the occasional bootee, yes. But Blankies, nope. I used to make blankies for all my friends having babies. But then I had my own and there's just no time for that. Blankies take forever. But I recently had a client request two special blankets. One was a duplicate of her son's favorite. It wasn't my pattern and not really my design aesthetic. It's perfectly lovely little blanket, soft, warm and sweet. And I know her son is going to cherish it. But I must admit to being pretty bored making it and anxious to complete it. Of course, knowing that I was going to get to do my most favorite thing, create an brand new design, when it was finished made me even more anxious to get it done.

The finished blankie.

I am so excited to finally get to work on this project. And I invite you to follow along as I create my first baby blanket design.

Here's the tentative layout. It shows the colors and shapes (you can barely tell the textured squares are the variegated yarn) but it doesn't show the texture of the stitches yet. The 3 gradient filled blocks-center top- are satin ribbon woven through the knitted block. It will also have a border of the solid green around the whole thing.

There are many great patterns out there so I want this design to be unique. For the client I want the blanket to be something cozy (of course!), interesting for the baby, sturdy, durable and functional for the mommy. For myself I want the pattern to be simple, have mass appeal and be unique enough for others to want to make. I've settled on a patchwork design so that I'm able to finish a portion every day- short attention span theatre over here. And it will have a modern color pallet of green, brown, beige and a variegated green. I'm using worsted weight acrylic for this project. It should get softer with each washing and hold up to many, MANY of them without losing it's shape.

I'm using a combination of knit and crochet. Here are the blocks I have completed so far:

4 green granny squares, 4 small single crochet rectangles in beige, brown and variegated green, 1 large brown knit rectangle and 1 beige knit rectangle with brown satin ribbon woven through eyelets.

This is the detail of the beige ribbon rectangle. It's knit and folds in half with wrong sides together so the blanket doesn't have a right or wrong side. It curls now but when it's sewn together it will be flat and the ribbon is centered, although with the rolling it doesn't appear that way.

4 Single crochet small rectangles and a close up of them. Still need to weave some ends in. They'll lay flat when they're sewn together too.

4 green crochet granny squares. The border and stitching will also be this solid green.

Some of the pieces laid out in the layout drawn out above.

I still have a long way to go. I haven't decided exactly what stitches to use on all the blocks yet either. I've been wanting to give cables a try and some of the small blocks may be just the right place to work on that. I'm writing the pattern as I work and hope to submit the finished design for a design contest as well as put the pattern up for sale on ravelry. I welcome your comments and suggestions too!

A few quick videos

2011-01-07T21:43:00.000-06:00

No time for a real update right now. I know, I'm behind on the Evie updates. She's very nearly 20 months and I haven't even managed a 19 month update yet. For now here are a few videos of her latest tricks and adventures.

Evie was a pro at Calling the Hogs before the Sugar Bowl. Not that it did us any good.

Her latest silly walk we've titled "Sneak Sneak Sneak". She loves sneaking up on people and cats and the rocking horse. Then she tickles and giggles.

Finally, we've been introducing her to the potty. Today she put her stuffed animals on the potty before deciding they all needed a bath and finally putting them back on the potty. My favorite is her response when asked if her Tiger is going pee pee or poo poo but you have to listen closely.

Thyroiditis

2011-01-05T14:05:00.000-06:00

I saw an endocrinologist last week who told me I'd been taking my pills the wrong way for YEARS. Oops. Then I spoke to several others who've been on thyroid medication for a long time, one of them a medical professional, and they didn't know all the things I learned either! So, I'm posting this in the hopes that maybe I can help someone out there. Of course, you should always talk to your doctor about your unique situation and know that I am not a medical professional just sharing my story and the things I learned from my specialist last week.

Thyroid disease is extremely common. It can either be Hypothyroid (under active thyroid gland) or Hyperthyroid (over active thyroid gland rather unfortunately named Graves Disease which I know little about). I have hypothyroid, Hashimoto's Thyroiditis to be specific. WebMD (linked above) gives symptoms of Hypothyroidism as:

Feeling tired, weak, or depressed;
Dry skin and brittle nails;
Not being able to stand the cold;
Constipation;
Memory problems or having trouble thinking clearly; and
Heavy or irregular menstrual periods.

I have also noticed my hair falls out, I have breakouts in unusual places (like behind my ear), and weight gain or the inability to lose weight even when dieting and exercising when my levels are off.

Additionally, in pregnancy hypothyroid can cause birth defects and mental retardation in the fetus, as well as miscarriage. Although we will never know for sure, I have a feeling my recent miscarriage at 6.5 weeks was due, at least in part, to my thyroid levels being too low.

After pregnancy the symptoms of hypothyroid can be very similar to those experienced by most women postpartum. That was the case with me and my dropping thyroid levels weren't caught until several months after my daughter was born. One clear sign- lack of breast milk. If your hair is falling out and you're tired and your nails are breaking AND you're not able to fully feed your infant get your thyroid checked.

If your doctor wants to test your thyroid levels he/she will draw some blood and test your TSH. It's always been a little confusing for me to understand. A high TSH number means your thyroid is LOW whereas a low TSH means your thyroid is HIGH. I believe the normal range is -5 to 5 with the goal of being 0. When mine was most recently checked my TSH was over 7 so my thyroid function was low.

An under active thyroid is extremely easy to treat. Pop a teeny tiny pill in the morning and you're good. Or so I thought. Here's where my doc set me straight last week. Most everyone I spoke with knew you had to take your thyroid replacement pill (known as Synthroid or generically as levothyroxin) first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. I had been doing that for years. BUT I didn't know that I was supposed to take it alone and that I needed to wait a full hour before consuming anything other than water. I had been taking my daily vitamins at the same time as my synthroid. My endocrinologist told me that was the exact WRONG thing to do. He said the synthroid bonded with the vitamins and prevented me from absorbing the medication. So even though I'm on a relatively high dose of hormone, my body is only receiving a fraction of it. He even went so far as to say that 95% of the time if people start taking their drugs correctly their dose can be lowered over time.

So, here are the guidelines he gave me:

1. Take synthroid or levothyroxin in the morning after fasting all night.

2. Take it with water ONLY. (No coffee for an hour! Bummer.)

3. Do not take any other pills at the same time.

4. Continue taking vitamins but move them to 12 hours after you take the thyroid meds.

5. No eating or drinking anything but water for at least 45 minutes and preferably an hour after taking the thyroid medication.

I found all this waiting around for coffee to be a pain. So, I had to alter my routine. My husband leaves for work at least an hour before I typically get up for the day. So, I started keeping my pills on my nightstand. When he comes in to kiss me goodbye I roll over and take my pills. Then I go back to sleep. When I actually get up I can go straight to the coffee pot and start my day the way I want.

The other bonus is that moving my vitamins back to dinner time has allowed me to better remember my other prescription that must be taken with food. I have traditionally been HORRIBLE about taking it but have found that I have remembered most days so far.

I hope that sharing this has helped someone somewhere. Maybe if I can help keep someone from experiencing the pain of a lost pregnancy my little angel's short 6.5 week existence may not have been in vain.

Nearly Christmas Card time!

2010-11-24T09:34:00.000-06:00

I'm so excited for this year's Christmas card. Last year, Evie was only 5-6 months old when it came time to make our cards. This year I have a full year and a half of photos to choose from!

We always order our Cards (and photo prints and books and calendars and even stationary!) from Shutterfly. I just love 'em. They have great quality products and I've always been really pleased with their services, designs and easy to use drag and drop software.

So I got on line and started going through all the photos and trying to pick the best. The design choices for Christmas cards this year are SO Great! There are really designs for everybody. Now the hard part is choosing the right ones for us!

Here are my top 5 favorites:

I love this one because it has so many photos on the front but doesn't seem smushed. It also has room for photos on the inside. It's a good way to show how much my sweetie has grown since last Christmas and the quote just makes my eyes water when paired with photos of that big grin. It's also the most traditional of my selections.

The sentiment on this one is just PERFECT for our family.

I love the retro graphics on this one and the combinations of fonts. I also really like the non-traditional colors and square shape.

I was looking for something fun and a way to showcase all those great grins I got on her 18 month birthday and this one was perfect for that!

My little sugar plum fairy. I really like all the colors in this one and I think it would stand out on the wall with 100 other Christmas cards our friends and family members are sure to get.

See why it's just so hard to choose?!

I was a bad person today

2010-11-23T15:39:00.000-06:00

I was a bad person today. The kind of person I try really hard not to be. The kind of person who makes airline stewards grab a few beers before heading down the inflato slide.

I chewed out the bank employee that called to try to get me to transfer my mortgage to her bank. She called during Evie's nap. It woke her up. She'd been asleep for 30 minutes. It had taken me over an hour to get her to sleep. She has a cold. Her favorite blankies are in the wash and not in her bed. None of this was anymore okay with Evie than it was with me. I have a to do list a mile long and only Evie's usual 2 hour nap for any real productivity. For the second day in a row a telemarketer stole 3/4 of my work time from me. I let her have it.

Now, an hour or so later, with the scent of apple pie wafting through my house from the oven and feeling somewhat more zen from the rhythmic monotony of mopping the floor, I'm having chew out regret. It was not her fault. She was simply doing her job, and despite my raging she remained calm and wished me a happy Thanksgiving.

So, Ms. Telemarketer, where ever you are. I'm sorry. I should not have taken my frustration out on you. Your company's policy of harassing its customers with constant sales pitches and junk mail is annoying but not your fault. I'm sure you are just like my family, trying to earn enough to get by through whatever means of employment you can find in this economy. I hope you have the happiest of Thanksgivings and have many things in your life to be thankful for.

With Sincere Apologies,
Amy

P.S. While I'm very sorry I was not more polite about it, my request that your company NEVER call here again still stands. Thanks for understanding.

1 and a Half

2010-11-22T22:35:00.001-06:00

Evie is officially One and a Half! I say officially because her Daddy has been saying, "She's about one and half" for a while now. I, however, hold out until the 18th of every month and particularly when I'm thinking it's nearly time to abandon the monthly age all together. This makes me sad. But then I look at that picture up there and can't help but smile too. Parenthood is such a roller coaster of emotions.

Evie saw the doctor on her birthday and was weighing in at 27 lbs fully dressed and diapered and 32 1/2 inches tall. That puts her around the 75th and 80th percentiles respectively. She received her polio and chicken pox vaccines plus 1/2 of her flu shot. She'll go back next month for the other half of her flu shot and her last DTaP vaccine. The doctor and I didn't get to chat much given that Evie recognized him instantly (even in the hallway and he wasn't in scrubs this time!) and screamed in terror every time he entered the room. But he did say that her memory must be excellent and that her lungs worked extraordinarily well. On a positive note, the doctor was uninjured during this visit...unlike the previous shot taking adventure where Evie kicked him in a very sensitive spot.

Unfortunately I think the waiting room chairs got the better of my little monkey. We were the only ones in the waiting room and she enjoyed climbing on all the chairs and testing them out while we waited for our appointment. She is working on one final tooth before we should get a reprieve until those nasty 2 year molars come in. So naturally plastic chairs that previously held sick people + hands + mouth = baby with a cold. Her nose started running on Sunday and I think may get worse before it gets better. And just before Thanksgiving too. Bummer.

I did manage to ask the doctor about her lack of speech and he reaffirmed my belief that this is nothing to be concerned about since she has such an extensive sign language vocabulary that she actively uses and learns quickly. She has figured out and is trying to say several words, "Flower", "Diaper", "Up" are among them but they're still unintelligible to us if she's using them unprompted. However, her signing is growing almost daily. I keep having to look up new signs to teach her since she very much wants to learn. In the past month she has mastered and uses without prompting: Pickle, Apple (which she now uses for Apple Juice too), Cheese, Grapes, Trick or Treat (which she uses when she wants a piece of left over Halloween Candy- just one per day if she's really good), Please, Thank you, Baby, Car, Puppy, Bird, Monkey, Lion, Giraffe, Elephant, Penguin, Bear and Rhinoceros. She really enjoys looking at books that picture these animals. She points at them and then does the sign. She has also started using her books to communicate. For example, if we are reading her alphabet book and we get to "J is for Juice" she'll point to the picture of the juice cup then make the sign for apple and point to the kitchen. The most revolutionary communication has been nodding. I can't remember if I wrote about this last month or not and I really can't remember when she started doing it but it has been life changing. She can now tell me a very clear yes or no. You can phrase a lot of things as yes or no questions so we can almost have a conversation now.

I attempted to teach Evie the sign for "Trick or Treat" with a Pavlovian method. It was messy.

While her spoken vocabulary may lag slightly behind others of her age, her motor skills and problem solving skills do not. The kid can jump. And I'm talking full on both feet off the ground at the same time not holding on to anything jumping. Bed, floor, grass, concrete- doesn't matter. She can jump on it. And she LOVES it. We need to get the kid a trampoline. And problem solving... I was thinking that wouldn't come for a while yet, but no. She knows that she needs to move one object to get to another in her toy box. She knows she needs to move a chair to stand up on it to reach the counter. Bad news for Mommy and Daddy.

Did I tell you she can play the piano? Well, not really, yet but it's coming along much faster than I anticipated. I've been teaching her "Twinkle Twinkle," and she's nearly got it. She knows to just hit one key at a time and that if she hits one, say in the region of Middle C, then she needs to hit it again and then move a certain number of keys to the region somewhere around G. She's come astonishingly close to getting it dead on a few times. Her Daddy was very impressed when he came home from work and found her playing.

The past month has been sugar filled! First there was Evie's first Halloween Party.

We held it in the back yard and invited all her little friends to play on the swingset, color, pin the broom on the witch, read spooky stories and play dress up. I think the kids had fun and not one melt down. WIN! Many thanks to all my fellow Mommies and Daddies who pitched in to help put it together and pull it off on short notice.

Then, of course, there was Halloween itself. A local portrait studio was offering a free Halloween session so we took her over in costume for some photos... that reminds me, I still haven't ordered prints. Must get on that.

FX Studio ROCKS. What a great treat!

Evie wasn't big on Trick or Treating but sure likes the results.

One Saturday she helped her friend Cooper celebrate his first birthday.

Then the next day she celebrated Quorynn's 3rd birthday!

She got her bangs trimmed and discovered the joys of sugar free chocolate pudding.

And she had a wrestling match with Pooh Bear.

I'm not really sure how that fits in but I like the photo.

It's been too cold in the mornings for the park. Alas. But we have managed to get together with her little friends and their Mommies about 3 times a week at Toddler Time and Story Time at the Library. I think the social interaction is very good for her. Too bad we won't be going tomorrow due to that yucky runny nose.

The holidays are coming and time will move even faster I think. I wish it could just slow down a little bit. Sometimes in the evenings when I'm rocking Evie to sleep (something she lets me do less and less these days) I feel like she's my little snuggly baby again, for just a moment. There's that roller coaster thing again.

An open letter to CVS Caremark RE: Forced Mail Order Prescriptions

2010-11-22T09:36:00.003-06:00

To: CVS Caremark

To Whom it may concern:

Your's is the most ridiculous drug plan I have ever heard of. It is inconvenient, selfish, greedy, and dangerous to your subscriber's health.

First the back story. I was diagnosed with Thyroiditis over 10 years ago. Since that time I have been on daily thyroid replacement hormone both generic and under the brand name Synthroid. Over the past 10 years I have had numerous insurance companies and prescription drug plans - 4 in the past year and a half alone. CVS Caremark is, hands down, the worst.

7 days ago I called in a refill to Walgreens like I do every month. A few hours later I received a call saying something was wrong and they were working with the insurance company to resolve the issue. They stated they would call when the issue had been resolved. (Please note Walgreens: A follow up call saying I needed to step in would have been appreciated.) Seven days already with no thyroid medication is enough for the thyroid levels to start dropping and to feel the symptoms. So I drove to the pharmacy and the pharmacist called your company and learned there was no "override". So I called.

I spoke with a nice lady named Vicki who, you'll be happy to learn, kindly defended your ridiculous policies and tried to be sympathetic to my situation. However, all the nice manners in the world cannot change the fact that your selfish and greedy policies have put my health in danger. Through Vicki I learned that since my drug is for a chronic condition I MUST either use a CVS pharmacy OR get my drugs mail ordered from the CVS mail order program. There is no CVS pharmacy within 50 miles or more. There is no prevision or exception made for this. I am simply forced to use mail order.

To set up a mail order prescription it takes approximately 10 days to receive your drugs. But they use the US Postal service, which doesn't run on holidays and Thanksgiving is next week so we're looking at closer to 12 days. Add the 7 days I've already waited. That would put me 19 Days without my medication. 19 DAYS!!

Vicki was very sympathetic. She offered me a One time override. That means that ONE TIME in MY LIFETIME I am able to go to my local pharmacy and pick up my drugs at my usual copay. ONCE IN MY LIFE. It's my one get out of jail free card, as it were. The other options were to pay for my drugs out of pocket, which I'm sure is what CVS Caremark is hoping I would do, that way they get my premium AND get out of paying for the drugs. Meanwhile, I pay twice for the same medication. GREEDY.

I'm sure that CVS Caremark will say, "But Mrs. Gillespie, we sent you a letter." Yes. They did. They sent ONE letter cleverly disguised as an EOB in the mail. Not high on my priority list with the stack of other mail and bills coming in. I sat it aside to think about later unopened. Was there a phone call? No. A Text? Nope. An e-mail? Nada. Not one offer to help me set up a mail order plan before it was too late. Gee. Thanks for the note.

Additionally, Vicki told me that my one time override was for an entire family of drugs. Meaning that even though this prescription was for synthroid and next time my doctor might prescribe Levithroid I've already used my pass for that type of drug. Are all antibiotics the same family of drugs? How about Cancer drugs? Are they all the same too?

Vicki also told me that my doctor would have to write me 90 day scripts to be refilled monthly (by CVS mail order of course). When I explained that my doctor would not likely write for 90 days, especially not this month when I have an appointment with a specialist NEXT month, she said that I could just pay full price out of pocket for my drugs at my local pharmacy until I got my new dosage. She acted like this was no big deal.

To wrap this up, Economic times are tough. I am fortunate enough to receive insurance through my husband's employer. Insurance we pay for out of his pay check. We are NOT getting what we pay for. Your company's policies are Selfish, Greedy and put their customers health at risk. The idea that I can't get medication in my hometown because YOU have elected not to open a store here is ABSURD. I am an extremely dissatisfied customer and would urge anyone considering CVS Caremark as an prescription drug plan to look elsewhere for someone who actually cares about their customers. What irony that "Care" is in your name. Obviously, you do not care about your customers' health.

Sincerely,
Amy Gillespie

New Trick or Treat Bag Designs!

2010-10-25T20:22:00.000-05:00

I've been on a trick or treat bag making kick for the past few days. I've just had so per many ideas and a bunch of candy craving kiddos to outfit. Almost as fast as I get them made I've written down the patterns and gotten them on Ravelry for sale.

The latest designs are the Jolly Roger bag, perfect for your little pirates: Buy Now

The second is the friendly little Ghost bag: Buy Now

Each pattern is $3 and includes instructions for hand knitting as well as machine knitting as well as applicable charts and appliqué instructions.

I am also offering a package of all 4 Trick or Treat bag patterns for $9 (the price of 3)! The set includes all four designs: Jack'o'lantern, Ghost, Candy Corn and Jolly Roger. Buy Now

I hope you enjoy making these as much as I enjoyed designing them. They are SO easy and fast to make, especially on the knitting machine. Finished projects measure 8" tall x 10" wide and will stretch to hold nearly 100 fun size Snickers. :)

Quick and Easy Trick or Treat Bag

2010-10-22T16:12:00.000-05:00

Cast on to finishing this project took less than one hour using my knitting machine. I think it will be perfect as a favor bag for Evie’s Halloween Party this weekend. The finished bag measures about 9” tall by 10” wide. It was easy enough I will be able to let my husband work on making more tonight while I finish up the giraffe hat.

This little project is perfect for beginning knitters both with needles or on a knitting machine.

Pattern Available now on Ravelry: buy now

Quick and Easy Pumpkin Trick or Treat Bag

2010-10-22T10:01:00.003-05:00

This is the easiest trick or treat bag pattern! During my daughter's nap yesterday I got out my folding table and set up my knitting machine, knitted the whole bag, seamed it and made the drawstring! All I had to do later was the embroidery! It measures 8" tall x 10" wide; just the perfect size for toddler trick or treaters or to use as gift bags for a Halloween party. Pattern features instructions for both machine knitting AND hand knitting, plus the chart for the Jack o lantern face.

Buy Now

AND be on the look out for some variations on this design including: Candy Corn, Ghost, Black Cat and Frankenstein as soon as I can get samples made and the patterns written.

17 Months... yeah, I'm a slacker.

2010-10-18T12:25:00.001-05:00

My little sweetie turns 17 months old today. I've been chasing her around the house shouting, "ACK! Crayons are for paper only!" My little baby is in full on toddler mode. She's testing boundaries and expressing her strong will all the time. But she's also the sweetest, cuddliest little love.

Over the past few months she's grown and developed and is so SO smart! Her little memory is working over time. She remembers where she left her juice or blanket or book and can go find them. And you can watch her little wheels turning when she sees a character in a book or on TV and she has a stuffed animal of it too. She'll go get it and point from one to the other. And she can identify animals and characters in books by pointing.

Her latest motor skills are climbing and Oh.my.goodness are the kitchen chairs fun. Up and Down all day. She loves to run and chase Mommy and Daddy through the neighborhood.

Evelynn is weighing in around 24-25 pounds and is 32" tall. She finally outgrew her infant car seat. We got her a new convertible seat that should last her until she's 65 pounds. We still keep her rear facing even though, technically, she's big enough to turn around. But it's safer rear facing and she doesn't seem to mind.

She doesn't speak very many real words yet. "Anna" is about it. But she understands everything we say and responds and she picks up new signs immediately and communicates that way. I didn't start speaking until later either, so we really aren't concerned. Her sign language vocabulary consists of: Hi, Bye-Bye, Please, Thank You, Baby, Swing, Hat, Car, Bubbles, Ball, More, All Done, Help, Book, Cheese, Cat and Drink. She's working on learning signs for: Pickle, Apple and Banana. The rest of her communication is done by pointing and pulling and "Bah-Bah"s.

Asking for a Book at the company picnic.

Her favorite foods are: Dill Pickles, Italian Sausage, Apples, Bananas, Peanut Butter, Graham Crackers, Goldfish crackers, Cheese, Tomatoes, Blueberries and pasta. She likes most meats and fish and anything with lots of onions and garlic. She hasn't had many sweets but ice cream and lolly pops rank pretty high.

Blueberry yogurt is an ever popular breakfast.

Evie's favorite activities are: reading books,

exploring outside,

going to the park or swingset,

playing with sidewalk chalk,

bouncing on the bed, taking a bath and helping Mommy and Daddy. When she spills her milk she is very happy if you give her a towel so she can wipe it up. She helps rub her lotion on after her bath and is very good about putting her books back on the shelf. She even helps me fold laundry by picking the clothes out of the basket for me to fold. And she loves taking things to the trashcan.

Evie is very happy if you give her choices. She likes to pick out her outfits each day. She picks out her jammies and her bed time stories. She picks the toys she takes in the car and her snack. She has very definite ideas about which shoes she wants to wear. Yep, she's her mother's daughter.

Not to worry, she is also very much her father's daughter. She gets very excited when she sees a large truck or road construction equipment pointing and shouting, "Bah-Bah!! Bah-Bah!!!" when she sees them.

Like most parents, we've taught Evie a few tricks to make us smile. She knows how to Call the Hogs.

She will put her arms up high in the air when asked how much someone loves her. If you tell her she has stinky toes she will smell them. It's gross.

A typical day begins with Evie waking up between 7 and 8AM. She drinks her milk while we snuggle under her two favorite blankies on the couch and I sip coffee. Then we read books for about an hour before breakfast. After breakfast it's time to get dressed. On Tuesdays we go to the library for story time. On Wednesdays we play at the park with her little friends. After lunch Evie lays down for a 2 hour nap. In the afternoon we run errands or play outside, frequently going for short walks around the neighborhood to explore and chase the neighbor's kitten.

Evie plays independently while I fix dinner and with her Daddy when he gets home from work. After dinner we almost always take a family walk together before bath time. After her bath and story Evie is in bed by 8:00.

Since my last update Evie has had her first haircut,

her first lolly pop,

her first Popsicle.

She has been to her first wedding,

street dance,

and petting zoo.

We love this sweet, smart and independent little girl more each and every day.

Since I haven't been so great at updating the blog, here are her monthly birthday shots for 14, 15 and 16 months:

14 Months- July 18, 2010

15 Months- August 18, 2010

16 Months- September 18, 2010

Mohawk Hat Pattern Published!

2010-10-11T17:29:00.002-05:00

I finally took the time to write out the Mohawk Hat pattern. I swear it took longer to type it up than to make the things; they're just that fast!

But it now on Ravelry

Monkey Hat Pattern now available!!

2010-09-24T13:15:00.000-05:00

Great news for my knitting buddies that have been asking me to provide the Monkey Hat pattern. It is now available for purchase: buy now

Detachable Ear flap Pattern

2010-09-22T17:34:00.003-05:00

I was presented with a challenge: Create a pattern for removable ear flaps for a baby hat. The ear flaps need to be finished on both sides and not roll. They must attach securely so a baby cannot pull them off, but they need to be removable so the child can wear the hat in less chilly conditions. They should be something that can be made and attached to a hat after the hat has been completed, as an after thought even. I think I have figured it out!

For this project I started with the Kiddie Cadet hat published at http://www.kathrynivy.com/.

***Copyright Statement: This pattern is intended for personal and private use only. Do not duplicate, copy or sell any portion of this written pattern. Please respect my livelihood. Projects completed using this pattern should not be sold. Finished projects can be requested through my Etsy site: http://www.etsy.com/shop/evellynnsmommy ***

Materials:
3 DPN in the size used for your hat (for my example I'm using US size 7)
Darning Needle
Extra yarn from your hat project (for my example I'm using Patons Angora Bamboo in Urban Gray)

Gauge Should be the same as your hat.

Pattern Notes:
Since you are making these flaps relative to the hat you have completed, the finished sizes and number of stitches will vary. The final width of each ear flap should be 1/4 the total number of cast on stitches at the edge of the hat. (For my example the Kiddie Cadet hat for a toddler has 80 cast on stitches so my finished ear flaps will be 20 stitches across).

Abbreviations:

K: Knit
KFB: Knit the Front and Back
K2Tog: Knit two stitches together
YO: Yarn Over

On two double pointed needles using long tail cast on, cast on 6 stitches, 3 stitches per needle and join for working in the round. Leave a 10 inch tail to be used when creating ties later.

Row 1 and all Odd Rows: Knit
Row 2 and even rows until desired number of stitches are achieved: On needle 1 *KFB, K to last stitch, KFB *repeat on second needle (if you need an even number of stitches on the last increase row KFB, k remaining stitches *repeat on second needle)

My example shows 20 stitches per needle

Knit 1 inch

Button Holes: Row 1: On first needle K1, YO, K2Tog, K to center stitch, YO, K2tog, K until 3 stitches remain, K2tog, YO, K1 On second needle K1, YO, k2tog, k to center stitch, k2tog, YO, k until 3 stitches remain, k2tog, YO, K1

Row 2: K all stitches

Cut yarn at a length 4x the width of your ear flap. Graft stitches together with Kitchner stitch. Weave in end.

Cut a 20" piece of yarn and thread through the bottom of the ear flap. Braid together with cast on tail. Tie ends so ties measure 6 inches from bottom of ear flap.

Buttons (6): Use store bought buttons or Create buttons with some simple crochet stitches and a crochet hook several sizes smaller than the yarn manufacturer recommends:

Tie a slip knot leaving a 4 inch tail
Chain 2
Single Crochet in the 2nd chain from the hook six times.
Join with a slip stitch. Cut yarn leaving a 4 inch tail.

Slip buttons through the holes in the ear flaps. Pin flaps to the hat and sew buttons in place. There should be 1/8th of the total hat cast on stitches across the back between the ear flaps.

Evie on the Bed

2010-08-29T12:46:00.000-05:00

One of Evie's favorite things to do is jump on Mommy and Daddy's bed. She'd been at it for about 10 minutes before I grabbed the camera!

An open letter to Walmart RE: Great Value Freezer Bags

2010-07-19T14:00:00.000-05:00

Dear Walmart,

Your Great Value Brand Freezer Bags are a joke. 90% of these bags have holes in them.

In this economic climate people are trying to save money where ever they can. In know, in my family, after my husband's lay off we looked for creative solutions for shrinking our grocery bill. One solution was to buy commonly used meats in bulk. When we get home from the store we portion it out into freezer bags to use as needed. Since the object is saving money, we purchased Great Value freezer bags instead of the more expensive Ziplock or Glad bags. I am here to tell you, that when you end up throwing out meat because your bags have holes it is NOT a great value. Also, if you thaw in the refrigerator, your fridge is covered in bacteria filled meat liquid. If you thaw in cold water, your bag is full of water and your meat soaks in water all day.

Tonight's chicken breasts soaking in water. It's pretty obvious there's a hole in the bag.

Seriously, improve your product. I didn't respond when approximately 90% of the bags in the first THREE boxes I purchased had holes in them. But enough is enough!

I know that Walmart does not manufacture this product themselves. You contract it out to a supplier. I get that. But you are very large corporation. When you tell your supplier to improve, they will. If you need a consultant to visit your supplier and walk them through a Six Sigma improvement plan, that is my husband's specialty. I'm sure he would be willing, at a fee, to help your supplier with this obvious quality control problem.

As it is, I would advise any would be freezer bag shoppers to purchase a different bag. Great Value, they are not.

14 Months

2010-07-19T12:23:00.000-05:00

Evelynn turned 14 months old yesterday. We hung out with a friend and her 5 week old baby last week and Evelynn just seemed so much more like a child than a baby to me. There is so much that she can do and is really fun to be around most of the time.

She's a girl who knows what she wants and she finds all kinds of ways to communicate that to us. From pointing to grunting to trying to speak to just going and getting it for herself she's communicating even without a vocabulary. "Bah-Bah" is still her favorite, use for everything, word. Even her Daddy is sometimes "Bah-Bah". But she is getting better. Ask her the cat's name and she will reply "Nnnnnnnnnnnn-nah!"- her version of "Anna". She calls me "Ma-Ma" but mostly only when she's upset. And when prompted she will call her daddy, "DA!" But even without many true words if you listen to the tones of "Bah-Bah Ba-Boo A-Boo" etc she is picking up on the rhythm and tone of language. I have a feeling she has a lot to say and when she learns the words we won't be able to keep her quiet!

She's an Action Baby- Running, Jumping, Climbing Trees... Well, maybe not climbing trees. But climbing the couch, ottoman, high chair, rocking chair, stairs and swing set ladders are no problem for her. We really have to keep a close eye on her to make sure she doesn't fall off those things once she's up. Her favorite thing to climb is the rocking chair in her room and she is FAST. The other day I was getting her undressed for her bath when Mike came in her room to hang a new picture. I put the little naked baby on the floor with the instructions not to pee while I helped her daddy. In the second I turned away to check the placement of the photograph she climbed into the white rocking chair (pictured above). She loves to make it rock and was having a great time, and since I was close enough to catch her, I let her play for a moment (again with the instruction not to pee on the chair). Of course that's exactly what she did. That little stinker just peed all over my white chair!

July has been a busy month! We celebrated Canada Day with her first ever black eye. The cat literally pushed her off the ottoman. She fell into the glider. But, those stem cells must work wonders because it was gone in a couple days.

Evie and Mommy on July 4th

The 4th of July was really fun. Evelynn helped her boyfriend, Shooter, celebrate his first birthday. He got blocks and we discovered that Evelynn really liked them. She's been in a tower building phase ever since, stacking anything she can find as tall as she can get it.

Building with Shooters Blocks and applauding her tower (it had just crashed).

A few days after the 4th we celebrated my birthday and Evelynn showed us all how to properly enjoy the frosting. Through all of this Mike worked on the kitchen (because of our homebuilder's short cuts and negligence the floors in our 6 year-old home were rotted completely through). It was still a wreck the day after my birthday when Evelynn and I went out of town to attend my step sister's wedding. Mike stayed behind to finish the kitchen.

Evie and the beautiful bride.

Unfortunately the wedding was in the evening and didn't start until Evelynn's normal bedtime. She was a very good girl through the ceremony, with only a few "Bah-Bah"s early on. But by the reception she was a grumpy, tired, cranky-pants.

Still, I managed to tickle a few smiles out of her.

The day after the wedding we returned home to a completed kitchen!!

What an amazing husband I have. This project was going to be intense, even for the contractors we spoke with. Mike found so many jaw droppingly AWFUL mistakes and shortcuts in the very small part of the house, we are really scared of what else might be wrong. He replaced subfloor, drywall, exterior plywood, added support floor joists, flashing (where there was none), taped and mudded cracked drywall where the builder's product failed. He laid new hardwood floors and we painted walls, door and trim. I am SO pleased with the result. Of course, I still hate the oak cabinetry and brass hardware, and I would really like to install a backsplash. But that's next year's project. This was a terrific treat to come home to.

With the home improvement project completed we've been finding more time to play outside, despite the oppressive heat.

Evie was not a fan of the sprinkler.

But the swing set is always a hit.

And when it's just too hot to play outside, we can always keep cool in the air conditioning. Evelynn is still in love with her bunny but the pink and brown blankie is really gaining her affections. I leave you this month with a quick video of Evelynn playing with blankie. I thought it was going to be a one time thing, but she repeats the performance pretty regularly, much to our delight.

Evelynn's New Shoes

2010-06-21T16:41:00.000-05:00

A week or so ago I was lucky enough to head over to www.mamabargains.com just as they posted an item I'd been waiting for: Squeakers Shoes. I was so excited and ordered Evie 3 pairs, one to wear to an upcoming wedding, and two more for fall.

A few days went by and I never received a confirmation e-mail or tracking information. So I contacted customer service. I shortly got a reply back from Hannah. She had checked their system several different ways and, although my screen had showed the order processed correctly, it wasn't in their system at all. She also checked to make sure I hadn't been charged.

I sent a reply thanking her for checking and telling her what exactly I had ordered. And since I was really relying on one of those shoes for Evie's wedding attire I asked if just maybe they had any of the sizes I needed left. I fully expected to get a "no" and that would be the end of it. Hannah did reply and very nicely told me that, unfortunately, they were out of all of the shoes I had requested. Alas. Again, I thought that would be the end of it.

But today I came home and found a package on my door. It was from Mamabargains and I thought, maybe, just maybe, they'd found my order afterall. They hadn't, but what I found was just as good, if not better since it helps restore my faith in humanity. :)

Hannah had found a pair of white mary janes, not the exact pair I'd ordered, but close, in Evelynn's size. And she sent them to me along with a handwritten note expressing her hope that these might work for the wedding. Can you believe that?! How NICE of her! Customer service like that is rare and she really deserves to be commended. I have just been raving about Hannah and Mamabargains all day. You frequently hear when someone has bad customer service and often, good service goes un-noted. I want to say publicly, THANK YOU, Hannah and Mamabargains for going way above and beyond. With this gesture you have earned my recommendation and, as the video below illustrates, you made my daughter's day.

Lucky 13

2010-06-18T13:44:00.000-05:00

Miss Evelynn is 13 months old today! She weighs in at 23 lbs (73rd percentile) and 30.5 inches (86th percentile).

This month she really has blossomed as a toddler with all it's joys, heart ache and temper tantrums. She can run and climb and scale stairs and furniture. Mobility is not much of an issue with this one. She speaks all the time but true words are scarce. "Bah-Bah" means just about everything. However, she has mastered vocal inflection. We hear whole "Bah-Bah-Bah" conversations and know what she is saying is VERY important. If only we spoke "Bah-Bah" too. Alas. Occasionally, when prompted, she does say "Da!" or "Ma-ma-ma-ma-ma" or even "GAH!".

Her sign language, on the other hand, is consistent and clear. She can sign, Mommy (yay! She finally got it!), Daddy, More, All Done, Hi, Bye-Bye, High (which is the same as "hi" but done while on the swing), and Wet. Additionally, on command she can: Clap, Dance, Break it down (a little foot stomping maneuver that cracks me up), Walk backwards, look for and/or bring you objects, give kisses, blow kisses, sit, stand, show you her toes, hair and belly, run to her bedroom door if her diaper is wet, jump, and Ta-Da!

Ta-Da!!

Little Smarty Pants. She is very strong willed and prone to throwing fits when she doesn't get her way or the object of her desire. Such a difficult place. As a parent you don't want to give into the tantrum or worse, reward that behavior with a treat of food or toys. But, you want to distract her from the "No" and stop the screaming, particularly in public. We're still working the kinks out on that one. I tend to ask her to think about why she is crying, tell her she has nothing to gain by it, and tell her Mommy only understands talking and showing, but not crying. We'll see how that goes.

Evelynn now has two loveys. Bunny goes everywhere with her:

Evie and Bunny at the Tulsa Zoo

Evie and Bunny in her 1 year portraits

Evie feeding Bunny her Tabouli

Evie and Bunny on the swingset

Evie and Bunny on her 13 month birthday

And just in the past couple weeks she has developed quite an affection for her pink and brown blankie. Here she is with both Bunny and Blankie first thing this morning.

Evie had her first visit to the doctor for other than a routine well check up this month. She had a diaper rash that just wouldn't quit but after some prescription cream it cleared up in about 3 days and all was well. We are very lucky to have such a healthy baby.

Her favorite things to do right now are play on her swingset and in her kiddie pool. She gets so excited and jumps up and down when you mention going outside. She brings us shoes all the time to tell us she wants to go out and play. She also LOVES reading her books. She will drag them all out and sit and flip through the pages by herself. She also loves to bring the books to us to read them for her. She is also very determined to figure out all the shapes in her different shape sorters. She has the round one down pat and the square is almost there. The star is a little more tricky. But she's very diligent about problem solving and trying new ways to fit them in. She is the same way with her puzzles. She seems to have figured out where the pieces go, but not exactly how to turn them just the right way yet.

I know according to the books, toddlers still view others as objects but Evie does seem to have some empathy. When I cut my toe and took her with me to get stitches she cried when I cried (don't judge.) When we went to the vet for the cats to get shots and the kitties were VERY bad and hissed and growled at the doctor, Evie seemed upset for them and when they got shots she positively screamed! I suppose she could have just thought those needles were for her. Or she could just be sensitive to the emotions in the room.

Here are a few more photos from her 1 year portraits by Bishop's Studio.

Lemon Pasta with Shrimp

2010-06-17T13:50:00.001-05:00

The hubs and I have been trying new recipes lately. Tired of the same 'ol same 'ol you know. Last night we tried this recipe from Ina Garten. I usually love Ina's recipes but this one seemed a little lacking. I upped the fiber with whole wheat angel hair and added some bite size asparagus with the shrimp to roast. I also omitted the lemon zest because, well, I just don't like the texture of zest. But I think it needs something. Garlic for one. I think if we make this again I will make some substantial changes adding more veggies and removing the butter. I think it will turn out more like this:

2 pounds (17 to 21 count) shrimp, peeled and deveined
Good olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound whole wheat angel hair pasta
4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1 bunch of Asparagus, cut into bite sized pieces
Cherry tomoatoes
1/4 tsp chipotle powder
Parmesan Cheese for topping
Finely chopped fresh chives for topping
2 lemons, zested and juiced

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Place the shrimp, asparagus, tomatoes and garlic on a sheet pan with 1 tablespoon olive oil, chipotle powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Toss well, spread them in 1 layer, and roast for 6 to 8 minutes, just until shrimp are pink and cooked through and veggies are tender.

Meanwhile, drizzle some olive oil in a large pot of boiling salted water, add the angel hair, and cook al dente, about 3 minutes. Drain the pasta, reserving some of the cooking liquid. Quickly toss the angel hair with 1/4 cup olive oil, the lemon zest, lemon juice, 2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon pepper and about 1/2 cup of the reserved cooking liquid. Add an additional 4 tbs of pasta water one at a time if it seems too dry. Toss with the shrimp and veggies. Top with Parmesan cheese and chives. Serve hot.

If you try it before I do, please leave a comment and let me know how it turns out. :)

Guacamole

2010-06-04T12:37:00.002-05:00

(Photo Not Available)

A Certain One Year-Old devoured the subject before photos could be achieved

I was never a big guacamole fan until a dear friend of mine made some one night. It was the best I'd ever had. Although I watched her make it, I never remember the recipe exactly. This is what I have come up with to approximate it.

Containing very few spices*, the natural flavors of the veggies really shine. The results are a bright and fresh dip that is perfect on a hot summer day, with an ice cold margarita, naturally!

Ingredients:

3 ripe avocados
1 large tomato, chopped
1 small sweet white onion or purple onion, very finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 hand full fresh cilantro, chopped
Approx 6 tbs lime juice (juice from 3 limes)
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 jalapeno**, very finely chopped (optional)

In a large bowl combine tomato, onion, garlic, cilantro, jalapeno, salt and pepper. Scoop avocado halves into bowl one at a time and immediately squirt with lime juice to preserve color. Once all avocados and lime juice are added, mash with a potato masher until desired consistency is reached. You can enjoy right away or cover and refrigerate overnight to let the flavors marry. But if you make it ahead you'll really want to be heavy handed on the lime juice to prevent it from turning brown.

*If you like your guac. a little smokier add about a tsp of cumin.

**I don't like mine spicy so I don't include the jalapeno at all. You can make it really spicy by including the jalapeno seeds or take them out for a milder version.

12 Month Height/Weight update

2010-05-20T21:00:00.000-05:00

I took Evelynn in for her 12 month exam and shots today. She weighed in at 22 lbs and 7 oz (75%) and 30 inches long (86%). No big shockers there, that's right about where she has been for several months now.

She was healthy, apart from a little diaper rash. Doc recommended a little Neosporin in addition to the Desitin, Hydrocortizone cream and Butt Paste we've been using. Everything looked very good and he her favorite Bunny even got a little check up too. Bunny's heart sounded good and it showed no signs of ear infection. PS. I LOVE Evelynn's doctor.

She got the MMR shot today along with her second Polio vaccine. I can tell her little legs are sore and I am keeping extra close watch on her for fevers, etc since the MMR is the only vaccine she's received to date that is actual live virus.

She cried with the shots, of course. But then she kept crying and cry that seemed to tell the doctor that he had betrayed her trust. Poor little thing. About half an hour after we left she really rallied though and was a VERY good girl all afternoon, playing with toys, kitties, puppies and making new friends.

We are very fortunate to have such a happy and healthy little girl.

She'll always be a baby to me.

2010-05-18T22:43:00.000-05:00

That's it. She's one. It's so bittersweet. On the one hand, I'm amazed at how far she has come and excited to see what the next 12 months will bring and the 12 after that and the 12 after that... On the other, I still want her to be my little baby! I'm sure every other mother in the world has had similar thoughts around this time. It's not unique but it is honest.

Evelynn goes to the doctor on Thursday for her One Year check up and shots. So here is this month's update minus the height/weight stats.

Oh MY but she has made strides intellectually this month! We've known she was taking it all in since the moment she was born with her eyes wide open. But now those little wheels are just turning and turning. She is able to understand almost everything we say and ask of her, but she doesn't always choose to obey. If I ask her if she needs a dry diaper she will answer me by going to her bedroom door. If she drops an object I can tell her to pick it up and she will go back for it. She follows me when asked. Holds my hand when asked. Lays back on her changing table when asked. She knows the names of objects and will deliver the "Ball" or "book" to us. If we go outside to her swingset I can ask her if she wants to swing or slide and she will run to the one she wants. And that doesn't include the cute little things we've taught her to do, I'll get to those in a minute.

Her signing is going really well. She can sign and understand the meaning of:
Mommy and Daddy- Although she is capable of doing the sign for "Mommy" she gives the sign for "Daddy" and means either one or both of us.
All Done
More
Hello
Bye-Bye
You- Meaning herself. It's not real ASL but she started patting her chest and tummy when we say "You" and it stuck.

She is learning the signs for: Swing, Ball, Wet, Dry, Diaper, Bubbles, and Book

She also gives cuddles and kisses and just Saturday she finally learned to blow kisses. So far it's only been to boys. Are we in for it or what?! She also waves one or both arms in the air to dance when music comes on.

Okay, cutesy stuff. All parents teach their kids silly cutesy routines right? I don't know how it began but months ago we started singing Evie the "Naked Baby" song when we got her undressed for bath time. It goes like this, "Naked Baby, Naked Baby, Woo, Woo, Woo! Naked Baby WHO?! Naked Baby YOU!" We all dance to this. Don't Judge. Anyway, now when we say, "Naked Baby WHO?!" Evie replies by patting her chest and tummy. And Mommy and Daddy dissolve into giggles. Along the same lines, I can ask Evie, "Evie, Who is my sweetheart?" And she'll reply by patting her chest and tummy. I say, "That's Right! You're my sweetheart! Who else is my sweetheart?" And she does the sign for Daddy.

Evelynn loves playing peek a boo. One of her favorite times to play is on her swing set. She climbs the "rock" wall. (Oh yes, she can climb it on her own). Then crawls (she quickly learned she had to duck under the beam) to the slide. She knows she has to go down feet first so she arranges herself and gets all ready to go. When we get in position to catch her she abruptly changes course and crawls to the ladder. Naturally, I run to the ladder to keep her from falling off. When I get there she giggles and crawls into the fort to the "rock" wall. I then have to run all the way around the set to make sure she doesn't fall off that end. This is immensely funny to her. She likes to peek between the slats and around the corners to catch you. This also works peering around corners and through windows.

One of her favorite things this month is shoes. When she's barefoot she'll find a shoe and try to put it on. Another treasure is Bunny. It is quickly becoming her take-everywhere-lovey. She never goes to sleep without it and gives it way more hugs and kisses than the rest of her stuffies.

Her other bed time quirk has to do with satin edged blankies. There's not one that she favors more than another. It just has to be a blanket with satin edges. As she falling asleep she'll pull the corner up from around her toes and then rub the palm of her hand back and forth along the satin edge until she falls asleep.

Her taste in food hasn't changed much lately. She still loves bananas and other sweet fruits. She recently tried watermelon and liked it well enough. Cheese and fish are still favorites too. I cut up a fresh pineapple for her birthday party and that has been a big hit as well. She's down to only a bedtime bottle and it's half organic whole milk with DHA and half formula. I started trying to give her a little milk in the morning too with limited success. She can drink out of a sippy cup sized straw now, but hasn't gotten the hang of take out cups yet. This is probably because she gets such little opportunity to practice, as we rarely eat out anymore.

Evelynn did very well at her first birthday party. It was mostly family and familiar faces but there were a few people she hadn't seen in a very long time (on her scale). It took her a little bit to get used to everyone but once she did she played nicely. She really wasn't interested in opening her presents but enjoyed playing with them once I opened them for her.

I was expecting a big cake smashing but instead she very delicate pulled all the frosting off and left the cake intact and untouched until her Grammy took a fork to it. Then she still left the cake alone and continued with frosting until she reached sugar coma stage.

Her actual birthday was spent having her portrait taken at Bishop's, running errands, playing outside, and inside and going to swimming lessons. Here are a few pictures I took today. Be looking for the amazing shots from Bishop's in about two weeks. They always do a fantastic job and I can't wait to see what they came up with.

Happy Birthday to my silly, sweet, smart and incredible daughter. No matter how old you get, you'll always be that tiny little baby I met one year ago today.

Milestones

2010-05-17T14:29:00.002-05:00

Sometimes I'm just amazed at how much my little girl has learned in under one year's time (her birthday is tomorrow). This year has been so exciting to me, because everyday brings something new. She can do something new or understand something or conquer a new physical obsticle. Here, in pictures, are just a few of the many milestones and "firsts" this year.

First Picture (also the first time seeing her Grammy)

First time in her carseat

First time sleeping in her own bed

First time Daddy got to feed her

First time sun bathing (she had Jaundice)

First Smile

First Friend- Miss Paloma

First Trip to the Pool

First Pigtails

First time sitting unsupported

First solid foods

First time at the park

First Parade

First Christmas

First Snow

First time Crawling

First Teeth

First time standing up in bed

First time Standing Unsupported (and she's clapping but this wasn't the first time)

First Steps

First Easter

First trip to the zoo

First time on her swing set

First Birthday Party

And somewhere in there she learned to sign, wave, clap, understand, reason, babble, point and capture the hearts of all who know her. Happy birthday to my sweet little princess.

A Photo Retrospective

2010-05-13T09:00:00.000-05:00

Little Miss Evelynn will turn 1 year old on Tuesday. She's grown and changed so much this year. Thought we'd take a quick look back. I tried to take pictures every month on her birthday.

Day 2. Still in the hospital

5 Weeks (Photo by Bishop's Studio)

2 Months

3 Months (Photo by Monrella Buchanan)

4 Months

5 Months

6 Months (Photo by Bishop's Studio)

7 Months

8 Months

9 Months (Photo by Bishop's Studio)

10 Months

11 Months (Photo by Monrella Buchanan)

11 Months

2010-04-24T11:16:00.000-05:00

We spent Evelynn's 11 month birthday in Little Rock visiting with friends and family and have been SO busy since we got home I'm only just now getting around to this post.

It seems my little baby is turning more into a little girl every day. She is constantly learning something new or showing me just how much she has been observing for the past 11 months.

We haven't taken her weight and height measurements yet this month but my estimate is about 22lbs and 29.5 inches. She is wearing size 9-12 months in most clothes but can fit size 12-18 month shirts without them swallowing her. Generally her pants have to be smaller. She's in a size 4 shoe for now. Her little feet just seem to grow faster than everything else and they are a little chubby so finding shoes can be a bit of a challenge for us. We've learned to try everything on first.

Evelynn has mastered walking and is moving on to trying to learn to run. One of her favorite activities is chasing the kitties and she's definitely getting faster at it. We've even let her walk a little bit when we go for our evening walks. It's pretty slow going when there are so many exciting things to look at, like dandelions...

You may notice the pacifier in her mouth. It's weird. She was never much of a pacifier kid when she was younger but those top teeth really seem to be bothering her and she likes to chew on the pacifier. It seems to help and it keeps her from grinding her front teeth together, making one of the most annoying sounds in the world right behind fingernails on a blackboard. It also helps when we're out in the yard because if she has the pacifier in her mouth she doesn't put other things in it like seeds and leaves and dirt. So for now, she can keep it. She officially has 7 teeth. 3 on the top and 4 on the bottom. Number 8, on the top, is slowly working its way down. Her poor little gums are so red and swollen. You can also see where her bottom gums are starting to swell with the coming canine teeth. Fortunately, the bottom teeth seem easier on her than the top. We see this face a LOT when her teeth hurt.

Evelynn still hasn't officially said a word that we can distinguish. She says "Ma Ma" all the time and particularly when she's upset. It does seem to be directed at me at those times but then she just babbles it all the time too. She used to say "Da da" all the time but we haven't heard the "D" sound for a few weeks. Right now she's all about "Ba Ba" I'm not sure if the sheep at the zoo just had a profound influence on her or what. When we were visiting my grandparents she was very obviously trying to say "Puppy" but it always came out "Ba Ba" and when we got home she just says that for all kinds of things. Sometimes "Ba ba" means "Ball" or "Book" or "Bottle" and I get really excited. But then it also means "Kitty" or "Phone" or "Remote" and I'm right back to thinking she's just babbling. The other sounds we hear most often are very high pitched "AHHHHHHHH!" and "EEEEEEEEEE" these sounds are typically happy and indicate that a kitty has been sighted and she is in hot pursuit. They can also mean that she sees the bookcase and is intent on pulling all the books off.

As her walking and large motor skills have improved she has begun working on some smaller motor skills. She can now easily feed herself with her fingers. She can put her spoon in her mouth and even pick up a piece of food with her fingers and put it on a spoon, but the spoon rarely makes it to her mouth with anything on it. In the past couple weeks she has become intent on putting things into other things; her sippy cup in the place on her highchair tray, the balls in her little popper toy, the blocks in her shape sorter, even pieces of food that she took out of her bowl, back in the bowl. She has recently started trying to put the shape blocks through the appropriate holes of the sorter too. She does seem to understand that the blue circle goes through the blue circle opening, but sometimes her hands get in the way; she gets frustrated, puts the block in the top and tries to pull it out the circle opening instead. This is, of course, very exciting to her parents and nobody else. It is also exciting because now instead of just pulling things out of drawers as fast as I can put them away, she will help me put things in the drawers, just not always what actually belongs there.

At 11 months we are moving further and further away from baby food. A typical day for Evie includes breastmilk first thing in the morning, followed by water and a couple cheerios sometimes. Breakfast is plain yogurt with organic fruit/grain baby food. After that we have been trying a we eat what the baby eats meal plan. (Not the other way around.) This is because generally Evie has a healthier diet than her Mommy and Daddy and we should try to eat better too. Mike has already lost several pounds. I don't get on the scale but I do feel better about my choices this way. We have a snack around 10:00. It is usually a piece of fruit, some berries or, if we're not home, some cheerios. For lunch we try to eat the leftovers from dinner the night before. If there aren't any then Evie MAY have baby food meat and veggies if there are no other healthy options. Rarely she gets a treat of baked fish sticks (minus the breading) and tater tots. She typically has a bottle of formula for a snack after her nap and depending on how late dinner is going to be she may have an afternoon snack of fruit or berries or cheese as well. For dinner we cook and she eats adult food. This kid LOVES fish of all kinds so we have really incorporated as much as possible into our diet. Salmon with dill and asparagus, Tilapia with lemon and fresh mozzarella/tomato salad (Evie doesn't get the tomatoes yet), and Asian style steamed Cod with brown rice and edamame are all staples at our house these days. Before bed Evie has a bottle of formula.

There are still a few foods that we are holding out on introducing. They include: Chocolate, Tomatoes, Citrus, Strawberries and nuts of all kinds. She has tried milk products like yogurt and cheeses and had no problems with it but will not have whole cows milk until next month. She has had small tastes of chocolate and tomatoes with no ill effects but we're waiting until next month to fully introduce them.

Recently her sleep schedule has changed as she has dropped down to one nap per day. Generally she wakes up between 7:15 and 7:45AM. I try to keep her awake until after 11:30 when we have lunch, although if we go somewhere she may fall asleep in the car around 11:00 and then I'm stuck sitting in the driveway while she takes her nap. If she takes a nap in bed around 11:30 she will wake up around 1:00. Then she has her bath at 7:00 and is almost always asleep for the night by 8:30 at the latest. She sleeps all night and is very good about putting herself back to sleep if she wakes. However, she will NOT go to sleep on her own at bedtime. She wants to be rocked to sleep and put in bed when she is completely out. None of this laying her down drowsy but awake stuff for her!

We've been having a LOT of fun lately. We took her to the Kansas City Zoo for the first time and she LOVED it, particularly the monkeys of all kinds.

It has been warm enough to be outside playing. So we got her a baby pool and she's spent many an afternoon in the shade playing in the water.

Her "boyfriend", Shooter, comes up from down the streets and joins us sometimes too. They seem to have fun together but see each other more as objects than other people. According to the books they won't really know about sharing and for a couple more years. Alas.

We're working on planning Evelynn's first birthday party. It will be a pink and brown polka dot theme. I've ordered her cake and bought her a pretty dress. We're getting her this swing set for her birthday. (But the company is local and we got it at about half price.) We'll be putting that together next weekend. I absolutely can not believe that my little girl is going to be one year old. Last year at this time we were busy planning her arrival.

And now I'm planning her first birthday. How the time does fly.

All professional photos on this page are courtesy of my amazingly talented cousin Monrella Buchanan of Paper Memories Photography.

What a Week!

2010-03-29T10:42:00.000-05:00

10 month old Evelynn with the Easter Bunny

What a difference a week makes! Evelynn had several milestones since my last post. But first a quick height/weight update. We finally got around to measuring her and she came in at 21lbs (76th percentile) and 29 inches (86th percentile).

At 10 months and 3 days old Evelynn took her first steps. Now, only a week later, she's taking as many as 8 or more steps in a row without falling! She has also been standing unassisted. Meaning, she goes from crawling or sitting on the floor to standing without pulling up or pushing off of anything. She can do it with books, balls or other toys in her hands too. And she has taken steps without prompting. Yesterday she stood up with her book took a couple steps to another toy and sat down to play with it.

Walking to Mommy

Also this week she has made tremendous strides with her sign language. She has been clapping and saying "all done" but now she can also wave "Hello" and sign "Mommy" and "Daddy". Aunt Shelley came to visit and taught her to "High 5" too! She has been playing peek-a-boo by pulling a cloth off of her face or your face, but just this week she has started covering her eyes with her hands. When you say, "Where's Evie?!" she takes her hands away and has a huge grin. We are still working on "Bye Bye" but she's almost there.

We took Evelynn on her first Easter Egg hunt on Saturday. She wasn't so concerned with hunting the eggs but loved to rattle them when they were found.

Looking for Eggs

Found one!

YAY!!

With Mommy and Aunt Shelley

Her little cold has finally gotten better, seemingly like magic over night. She woke this morning happy and excited and all traces of stuffy/runny nose were gone. Still working on those two top teeth that have been causing her so much trouble. They are very close now and we can see them, so hopefully they'll be through and we'll get a reprieve shortly. She has tried several new foods this week including: bread, grapes (LOVE!), raisins and lemon spaghetti. And her previous ho-hum attitude to Cheerios seems to be changing.

PS. NEVER leave a baby with a full bowl of Cheerios unguarded, even for a moment!

10 whole months

2010-03-21T21:41:00.000-05:00

Evelynn turned 10 months old on Thursday. I've been busy helping raise nearly $25000 for St. Jude for the past few days though so this is a little late.

10 months! I feel like I just got used to saying she was 8 months old. And now she's 10!? So let's see, what has happened since February...

Evie is just a babbling fool. All day long... "mamamamamama da da ba pfffffftttt!" And she will come to me and say "Ma Ma" but I'm not totally convinced she knows what she's talking about yet so we don't consider it her actual first word.

She now has 6 teeth and two more top ones causing trouble on the way in. Those top teeth really seem to be killer for her. Fortunately I can now see the little white dots so hopefully they'll be in soon and we can have happy baby back.

At the end of February we traveled to Tulsa to visit Grammy and Grandpa Jay. Evie's Great Nana and Great Grandpa joined us as well to celebrate birthdays. We had a fun time and Evie was pretty good during the day, but at night she was such a terror we vowed never to travel with her again until she's 9. But, of course that didn't happen. On March 12th my Grandmother passed away. We drove to Texarkana to be with the family and attend the visitation and funeral. Evie was again, an angel during the day, but a terror at night. In fact, at the hotel in Texarkana she woke up twice in the middle of the night and screamed so loudly we heard doors slamming closed as our neighbors changed rooms to escape the screaming demon child. It was an exhausting and emotional trip and we were all glad to be home. It's taken Evelynn about a week to recuperate and get back on our normal routine. While we were down there Evie played with her cousins a LOT and unfortunately I think she may have picked up a slight cold. I have it too so I'm not surprised and it really is mild so I'm not concerned. But it is Evie's first cold. Little more than a stuffy/runny nose, no fever or cough, maybe an occasional sneeze. Nothing to be worried about. And it really doesn't seem to be bothering her at all except when I try to wipe her nose (and don't even come near her with that suction thingy!). She's a bit clingy to me but I think that has more to do with her teeth than the sniffles.

The big news..... She took her first steps! On March 15th while we were at Nana and Grandpa's she sort of fell forwards to me and moved her feet to catch up with her head as she fell. By today she could actually take a string of 4-6 steps without falling over. Slowly and balanced and she even walked to Daddy too! OMG are we ever in trouble now! 10 months and 3 days old and she's walking. Here I was considering dressing her in dresses every day (to slow down the speed of crawling) and that little stinker out smarted me again! My baby is becoming a toddler much too quickly.

I keep forgetting to weigh her and measure her so I don't have a report on that but she's wearing size 4 shoes and 6-12 month size clothes. She can even still fit in some of her 3-6 month dresses! Weird, huh? We are looking forward to spring and playing outside. Evelynn loves spending time at the park.

Sliding is particularly fun. Toddler time is over for the month but will start back up again in April so we are excited about that too. Easter is right around the corner and there is a city Easter Egg hunt this coming weekend. We plan to take Evelynn. I didn't think she'd be walking, but by the end of the week she may be running! I still haven't found her an Easter dress. I've been holding off, not wanting to spend the money.

Evelynn's Daddy still hasn't found work. But he has had LOTS of interviews. He's had 4 interviews already with a close to local (IE it's a long commute but we wouldn't have to move, at least not right away) company. Only one more interview in the process so....fingers crossed! I'm hoping we hear something this week and if it's good news I'll buy her the little dress from Gymboree to celebrate.

Evelynn is trying all kinds of new foods. In general she seems to like what Mommy and Daddy are having better than what she is having so we're trying to make recipes that are baby friendly. She tried Tilapia this week and really liked it. She's also enjoying plain yogurt and cottage cheese on a fairly regular basis.

Her sleep schedule has been thrown off by all the traveling and the teeth but she usually gets ready for bed at 7:00 and falls asleep by 8:15. She still will not go to sleep on her own and must be rocked. She sleeps through the night most nights. But occasionally she wakes up and stands up in bed. At those times one of us has to get up and get her back to sleep either by rocking her or laying her back down in her bed and rubbing her tummy until she falls back to sleep. Just ignoring it, appearing at the door, patting her head, or all those other things the Baby Whisperer suggests just result in full on rage screaming and prolonged sleeplessness for the whole family.

Favorite toys this month are BOOKS! YES!! Her favorites are her Baby Einstein musical book (Thanks Melanie!) and her "Little Hands Love" book (Thanks Kristin!) "Little Hands Love" is almost always one of her bedtime stories and she has her favorite pages that she turns to over and over again and kisses. She also likes books with photographs of babies in them. She kisses the babies too. And the Kitties... not kitties in books, the actual cats. She's constantly trying to give them big, wet, drool covered, open mouthed kisses. They do not like this. Neither do I as pulling cat hair out of my infant's mouth is not one of the most enjoyable experiences for either of us.

She gives "Eskimo" kisses (rubs her nose with yours) and has invented a little bit of her own sign language. In addition to clapping when she's proud of herself she now tells us she's "All Done" by brushing her hands together in a vertical way. She will also shake her head "no". She thinks that is pretty fun. If you nod your head "yes" in response she thinks that is HILARIOUS and will giggle loudly. It seems I also make some pretty funny faces too, even when I'm not trying, as she often just looks at me and explodes with laughter. I have a very happy baby most of the time.

Better Out Than In...

2010-02-24T21:07:00.000-06:00

9 whole months! Evelynn has now been outside longer than she was in and just keeps on growing even though we keep telling her to stop or at least slow down a little. She doesn't have to go to the doctor for a well exam until her first birthday so all our measurements are purely unscientific. But according to our scale she weighs in at 20 pounds and is 28.5 inches tall. That's the 75th and 87th percentiles respectively. She now has 5 teeth, two on the top and 3 on the bottom. She can crawl with the best of them; she cruises around holding on to the furniture with ease and can even stand unsupported for as long as she wants. She can walk holding on to your fingers. She can even do it one handed, although she usually fusses and prefers two hands. She can clap, usually discriminately and she can understand a few things we say.

She knows "No" and the different tones of voice it comes in. If you use the very serious tone she usually stops immediately and looks at you. Then she does it again. And, while everyone tells me she's too young for time out, I believe she's not too young to start learning boundaries. We've had an issue lately when she decided that my mohogany end tables were chew toys. Despite being told no, moved away and prevented from biting them she repeatedly did it anyway. So, I decided she needed a baby sized time out. I told her "No", moved her away from the table and then held her in the corner facing the wall and counted to 10. Then I hugged her, explained that she had to go to time out because she chewed the table when I told her not to, told her I still loved her and took her to her toys to play. We had to do it several times and occasionally she was enjoying herself after 10 seconds so we stayed 20. And, you know what? She hasn't done it for the past few days! Is it because of the time outs? Is it because the 5th tooth came in? We don't know, but I still contend 10-20 seconds of time out won't hurt her and maybe, just maybe, she's catching on. She's a smart cookie after all.

Speaking of cookies, Evie loves them. We try really hard not to give her anything with added sugar, high fructose corn syrup or salt but on rare occasions she's had a taste or two. Her diet currently is: Fruit, Cereal and plain yogurt mixed together for breakfast, Meat and veggies for lunch with fruit if she is still hungry, Meat and veggies for dinner with fruit if she's still hungry and if she finishes all that she can have one organic cinnamon graham cookie to chew on. Evelynn enjoys snacks of rice puffies, Cheerios and because I was hoping to get her to feed herself a little more baby Cheetos. The rice puffies are so small that she can pick them up but then doesn't realize she has to let go when she puts them in her mouth. The Cheetos are big enough that she can hold on to them and still chew on them. She still refuses most things I cook for her, preferring jars of yuck. But she will eat rice, roasted veggies, edamame, spinach/potato soup, yogurt and cottage cheese. I've heard so many people with babies that can't have dairy I was a bit scared to give it to her. But all my reading said at 9 months she could start to have some cheese and yogurt, so we started small. She loved the yogurt and I think the probiotics in it really helped her. Since she started eating it most days we've had a significant reduction in spit up. Score! In addition to her solid (ish) meals, Evelynn also has breastmilk and formula about 4 times per day.

Evelynn is generally a very happy baby but she does get separation anxiety, although that is getting better. It usually flares up when she's tired. She also has a little bit of stranger anxiety, so visitors shouldn't take it personally. It usually takes her about 30 minutes to an hour to really warm up to someone new or that she hasn't seen in a while.

She's very independent and we can sit her in the floor with her toys and she will play with them for a long time by herself whether you are sitting there or not. Of course she LOVES to play with Mommy and Daddy. Physical games like "riding the horsey" (bouncing on your foot or knee), jumping on the bed, "flying", peek-a-boo and tickles are her favorites. She's very curious and loves to explore the house. The kitchen and laundry rooms are now gated off and the doors to the bedrooms and guest bathroom stay closed almost all the time now. She is particularly enchanted with the fireplace. It's a good thing it doesn't open because she loves to stand by it and bang on the glass with her hand or a toy. Her favorite toys right now are her ball popper, silly town and her laugh and learn house. But she still plays with her Exersaucer (we've converted it into a play table) and stuffed animals of all kinds, though Christmas Dolly remains a favorite. While she's never been big on pacifiers she does enjoy chewing on them so they are scattered around the house. Since she is the only child in the family we've started taking her to Toddler Time at least once a week. There she gets to play with other children around her age and older. She has a couple little friends and they share toys nicely. But it usually takes some time for Evelynn to get accustomed to her surroundings and interact with others. She is still pretty independent and is fine playing by herself if none of the other kids come up to her. She seems to look at them with the same curiosity she shows the cats. She even tried to pet one little boy's hair.

Speaking of the cats, She LOVES them. When she catches sight of one of the kitties she lets out a squeal of delight (to the kitties I think it evokes terror). Trevi usually just runs away but Anna seems to enjoy the attention to a point. Evelynn will start out patting Anna but invariably starts to hit and pull out fistfuls of fur. Anna meows and turns but rarely runs away, not that she could get very far with Evie holding her tail. She has nipped at Evelynn once or twice and scared her but didn't break the skin and Evelynn didn't learn her lesson and went right back to pulling fur so we figure, she wasn't hurt and she'll learn eventually.

In addition to the teething challenges, lately the kid who HATED to be on her tummy for her first 5 months of life, now HATES to be on her back. Changing a diaper on a kid who's only goal is to roll over and stand up is not easy and has taken both of us on more than on occasion. We were having trouble getting her to bed at night but we seem to have mitigated that by changing our routine. I dropped her evening nap and started keeping her up 3-4 hours between naps a few weeks ago. That helped considerably. Then we started watching the clock and making sure dinner and bedtime were at the same time every night. Dinner at 5:30 then at 7:00 Bath, Jammies, Story, Milk and she's been in bed asleep by 8:00 almost every night - even when my mom came to visit and put her to bed while we went to the movies. She seems to have gotten over the waking up and standing up in bed in the middle of the night thing and is back to sleeping through the night almost every night. Asleep by 8:00PM usually means awake around 7:00AM and that's fine by me.

We still don't have any real words. She babbles a lot but usually the same sounds over and over. We hear a lot of "Nah-Nah-Nah-Nah-Nah" and "EEEEEEEEE!!". We are still working on sign language but Evelynn has yet to do a sign beyond clapping.

The next milestones we are on the lookout for are: Waving Bye-bye, Walking, and her first word.

We had Evelynn's 9 month portraits taken last week and they are WONDERFUL as usual. Hopefully the studio will have a slideshow up some time in the next week so I can share those pictures too.

Recipies I love: Turkey Meatloaf

2010-02-01T12:32:00.000-06:00

It all started with Giada De Laurentiis. Let me be clear. I HATE meatloaf. Ick. That yucky brown sugar/ketchup topping makes me gag. But one day, a few months ago, I was watching Giada make a turkey meatloaf that actually looked appetizing. Find it here. I made it and Low and Behold- Yummy! But, sun dried tomatoes are expensive, it contained too many ingredients that I always forget to buy and I felt it was missing something, so I tweaked and tweaked and finally came up with something we think is pretty darn good. And it's all things I almost always have on hand.

Amy's Turkey Meatloaf (Copywrite 2010. Please don't duplicate, copy or publish without my consent.)

Olive Oil cooking spray
1 cup plain bread crumbs
1/3 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 package Frozen Spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 large sweet white onion, diced
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
3 eggs, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons milk
1 package crumbled feta cheese or substitute 1 cup shredded mozzarella
1/2 cup shredded parmesean
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Dash poultry seasoning
1 pound ground turkey

Place an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Spray a 9 by 5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray. I use this one. Place on an old cookie sheet to catch any overflow.

In a large bowl, stir together the bread crumbs, parsley, garlic, onion, spinach, eggs, milk, cheese, salt, and spices. Add the turkey and gently stir to combine, being careful not to overwork the meat.

Carefully pack the meat mixture into the prepared pan and bake until the internal temperature registers 165 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer. It is supposed to take about 45 minutes but mine almost always takes an hour or more. Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes.

We like it served with roasted veggies and rice pilaf in the winter. Caprese Salad (Tomato, Fresh Mozz. and Fresh Basil with olive oil, salt and pepper) in the summer.

8 Months Old

2010-01-18T17:09:00.000-06:00

Evelynn is 8 months old today. What a silly little girl she is. When she's not hungry or sleepy she is constantly smiling and exploring. Which, of course, is keeping us on our toes now that she has this crawling thing figured out. We took her to Toddler Time, a free gathering at the community center for kids birth-4 years put on by the city Parks and Recreation. We went on Thursday and, although she didn't seem to notice the other kids much, she certainly mastered crawling after watching a 9 month old there pretty much do laps around the room. When she realized she could crawl out of the living room and down the hall Hubs and I exchanged worried looks and I frantically ran around putting plugs in all our wall outlets. I'm sensing baby gates in our future as I'm sure the cat food is getting more and more interesting.

We took Little Miss to the doctor today for shots and check up. She got her polio vaccine and that was the only time she cried. She weighed in at 19lbs 4 oz. That's less than last month if you're keeping track but she was weighed fully clothed last month and nekkid this month so nothing to worry about. According to the doc, this is the only one that counts anyway, last month was unofficial. That's the 76th percentile. She was 28 inches long which is the 90th percentile.

The doctor was pleased with her crawling and pulling up and impressed by her walking holding my hands-a milestone she's not due to reach until she's 1 year old. He said she looked very healthy and well adjusted and he even complimented us on how clean her ears were. I know you were wondering. No sign of any ear infections at all.

She is about to cut her first top tooth. I say it could be any day now. Mike thinks it will be on Friday because that's when Grammy is coming to visit.

We talked about the foods Evelynn eats and the doctor commended us on the good nutrition she is receiving. We didn't tell him how much she likes ice cream... :) He did say she should start eating meats and veggies twice a day and cereal and fruit once a day. That's just an extra serving of veggies and meat each day from what she gets now. And she is still getting both breast milk and formula for most of her nutrients. She'll continue having breast milk as long as I can provide at least a little bit and formula until she's 1 year.

She's not due to see the doctor again until May unless she gets sick. It kind of makes me sad. I love the piece of mind of seeing the Doc each month and getting her weighed on a scale her size (and one that I don't have to get on with her! There's a scary thought.)

As I type she's waking up from her nap. "Ooo Ooooo! Ooooo! Ooooo! Ahhh! " is coming from her bedroom. If I open the door I'm pretty sure I will find her standing up in bed and bouncing with a grin.

Evie's Christmas/New Years Adventures and Milestones

2010-01-13T10:57:00.000-06:00

Evie is nearly 8 months old now and time is going by way too fast for her Mommy and Daddy. The past month has just been a whirlwind of travel, events and milestones.

On her 7 month birthday we took her to visit Santa Claus. As you can see, she wasn't all that thrilled with him. But she didn't cry and I think she may have whispered her Christmas wishes to him while she tried to remove his beard. She was much happier a little while later after a snack and much adoration down at the Mall Deli.

On Christmas Eve we traveled to Tulsa to visit Grammy. We made it there just as the rain was starting to freeze. And a giant snow storm followed. Not only did we have a white Christmas, but Evie got to see her first snow as well.

Christmas Eve with Mommy and Daddy and her favorite Dolly.

Christmas Morning, playing with Dolly and showing off my two front teeth... it's all I wanted for Christmas. :)

Checking out this snow stuff with Mommy... Meh. Not sure what all the fuss is about.

Playing with my new toys.

After Christmas we came home for a few days. Evie got her second tooth just a few days before Christmas so we had a blissfully, teething free holiday. It was grand. She's growing like crazy and I spent much of the time we were home cleaning out her closet and sorting through the too small clothes. The rest of my time was spent making hats.

My camera broke on Christmas day so I have been using our camcorder for stills... As you can see, the quality is not great. But Cozy Baby is going really well. I have yet to have a lull in orders so I can't complain. I really enjoy making the hats and it helps me feel like I'm doing something about our current situation.

Anyway, we spent New Years Eve at home with Evie. She must have known it was a special night because we couldn't get her to fall asleep until 11:55PM. Then we cracked open a bottle of wine and watched the ball drop. New Years Day we had our annual blackeyed peas and boardgames tradition with the Fosters. This year it was Scattergories and it fortunately it was uneventful. No one passed out or did any risque charades this year! :) But as always we had a great time with our dear friends. Evie even behaved herself and joined in the fun, helping her God Father, Rick, as much as she could.

A few days after New Years it was time to pack up the whole house again and hit the road. We went to Little Rock this time for 2 more Christmases and a visit with some wonderful friends.

By her 3rd Christmas she'd finally gotten the hang of this tearing paper thing.

Modeling yet another hat for me.

Hanging out with Aunt Shelley and her friend Jon

We were busy bees in Little Rock. We spent Thursday shopping with my Nana, Aunt and cousins. We shopped 'till we dropped and had to spend Friday getting back on Schedule. But Mike and I were able to meet up with friends for dinner that night. I think that makes 5 date nights in nearly 8 months. Saturday we met up with my dad and had Christmas, lunch and then went to the car show. Our friends from Kansas City built an awesome car that was being shown.

'69 Dodge Charger built by Jason Rock of Rock's Rod and Customs

We were really excited to see the Charger in person after hearing about it for so many months. It's won awards all over the country and is one of the top 5 cars this year. Mike spent Thursday helping set up the display. While the boys enjoyed the car show the girls went up to the hotel room to hang out for a little while and eventually do some shopping. Later that night we said good-bye to our friends and went over to Dad's to relax and watch movies. And on Sunday we were on the go again.

Dad picked us up around Noon Sunday and we went to visit my Grandmother in Texarkana. Then we stopped to visit with my Aunt and Uncle and Dad's cousins. It was really great to see them all again and introduce Evie to Dad's cousins. We had dinner with Aunt Jean and Uncle Buddy but then had to head back. Evie was just wonderful the whole time even though she spent over 4 hours in the car that day.

Sadly on Monday it was time to pack up and drive home. We called the Rock's and even though they'd left much earlier than we had, we managed to catch up with them in Fayetteville, and we all stopped for lunch together. Evie slept almost the whole way home but when we got here she was so glad to be back.

Over our trip we had a rollercoaster of a time with Mike's job situation. We found out he did not get the job we were really holding out hope for. But the very next day two different recruiters called and one of them had set up an interview. Fingers crossed! This one would mean we wouldn't have to move! So after we got home he had much preparing to do and I had much to do around the house.

We got the tree down yesterday out of pure necessity. See, Evie had been perfecting this whole crawling thing over our trip and when we got home she really started to boogie.

Are we in for it, or WHAT?!

She must have just been itching to get home so she could concentrate on growing up too fast. This child has always liked to be on her feet and has been able to pull up for months now IF you put her in a seated position near something she could get her hands around. We preemptively lowered her crib mattress a few weeks ago just to be safe. And it's a good thing we did! The day before we left she discovered that by getting up on all 4s she could sort of fall on to her bottom and sit up by herself. We knew this would not be good for us. If she could get herself in a seated position she can pull herself up. So the day I knew was coming finally came yesterday. When I went in after her morning nap I found her like this:

She was so proud of herself.

Of course she would start pulling up on the end of the bed, not where I placed the rail cover. Wiley little thing! We got home Monday evening. It's now Wednesday morning. Since we've been home she has perfected crawling, sitting, pulling up on her own and has started cruising! Can she please just slow down a little bit?! Now you know why we had to get the tree down ASAP. And we're frantically trying to remember where we put those cabinet locks we pulled off when we moved in to our house 2.5 years ago. And where, oh WHERE did I put those outlet covers? And if anyone needs an idea for a Valentine's present, baby gates would be fantastic.

Can you believe this was less than 8 months ago?