Thanksgiving and More...

It's been awhile everyone. Our life is so busy!!! I knew it would be when I returned to work, but I sure love seeing my boys at the end of the day.

Evan is getting very big! I took him to the doctor this week to see about a rash on his face, and he weighs 16 lbs, 7 oz! (I guess he's the reason my back hurts occasionally. The little Pillsbury Boy...) The rash was eczema and was gone after only two days because I got a prescription for a steroid cream to put on it. He was one itchy little guy for awhile. He also turned over from stomach to back for the first time on Sunday the 18th. I think he's already practicing for the grand moment that he sits up for the first time. He looks like he's doing crunches when he does this...maybe he can work off a little of that fat belly. :)

Our Thanksgiving festivities were great. We all met at Chuck and Jackie's house (JR's oldest brother and SIL) and my parents came, also. We ate great food and played "pass the babies" for a good amount of time. It was really fun! Photos to follow!

Halloween Bash

Pumpkin Patch Photos

Lil Punkin at the Pumpkin Patch

We had a great day. We started out at Two Rivers Park on the 3 mile walking trail. Evan slept in his stroller and we walked and walked. We saw some deer and two snakes (Yikes!) and just enjoyed the blue sky, the great breeze, and of course, each other. After leaving Two Rivers, we headed to the Hidden Valley Pumpkin Patch to pick out a pumpkin for our porch and to see what all the fuss is about. We loved it! The property was beautiful and it was fun watching all the families like ours picking pumpkins and enjoying the season. Alot of the kids were dressed in their Halloween costumes. I chose not to put Evan through that premature torture! (He will, however, be wearing it at our Life Group Halloween Bash.)

Next, we stopped in the Fresh Market. We've been meaning to check it out for awhile and decided today was the day because we were already on Hwy 10. I loved the atmosphere of that store! JR bought me some roses there; I chose the color yellow because it's such a fall color. Evan said he wanted us to buy him a steak kabob, but we told him he's going to have to stick to milk for now. He cried a little, but finally decided his ole Mom and Dad know best.

Fall is my absolute favorite season. Everything is so vibrant and the air is so crisp. Plus, there is all this anticipation for Thanksgiving and Christmas! The holidays will be better than ever this year with little Evaneezer's presence.

First Week Back to Work

Tuesday was my first day back to work...my maternity leave is officially over. *sigh* It really feels like I never left; my co-workers have made me feel very welcome again and it has been great talking, catching up, and laughing together. I needed the grown-up time. It is sad, however, to think that I'll never have those days with Evan back again. I suppose it's the same principle as watching your children grow up. (Or so I've heard.) It's bittersweet. Your child will only go to school for the first time once. He or she will only start driving once, or graduate from high school once. You know, all the milestones. I do miss the little honey pie, that's for sure. I think being a working mother has made me "live for the weekend" more than ever before.

Something very heart-warming happened when I picked Evaneezer up on Wednesday that eased the sting a little for me. I walked in and leaned over his bed, he made eye contact with me, and then grinned this grin that to me was bigger than the sunrise, and giggled. He knew his Mommy and was so happy to see her and I was elated! I think I'll be able to live off that for weeks. What a special moment. I don't love him much, do I? I'm wrapped around his little finger. I hope I'll be able to discipline him someday, but I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. He does, after all, have a Daddy. (Who adores him also, he just doesn't gush like I do. I'm entitled...I carried the little booger around for nine months, shared my food with him, got fat, and all the other fun stuff.) I can't resist posting another photo (or two) of my little guy. I'm so sappy.

Evan's First Smiley Photos

Smilin' at Mommy
Smilin' at Daddy
Look at those fat rolls!
Bath Time!

Evan finally smiled for the camera!! It was short-lived, but at least I managed to catch him in the act. I had to share these with everyone; he gets cuter everyday. He's my little man and I love him dearly.

Divino Party at Chuck -E- Cheese

Daddy, Uncle Jo, Lolo, and Evan
Lolo and Evan
Daddy, Lola, and Evan
Evan's Divino Cousins

Evan went to his first birthday party at Chuck -E- Cheese on Saturday. The party was for his cousin Kimberly, who turned one that day. Out of all the Divinos that were there, our family was the "dirty family". By that I mean that Kimberly kicked JR's pizza in his lap when he picked her up, Evan spit up half a bottle on my shoulder, and then he spit up on himself. So Evan and I smelled like sour milk and JR's pants were bright red. We just pretend like spit-up is a new accessory at our house. We wear it around all the time! Anyway, we are very glad that Evan has a cousin so close to his age; Kimberly and Evan are ten months apart. And a bonus...Kimberly and her parents, Jennifer and Jo, only live a few blocks away! Happy Birthday Kim-B!

Getting Bigger Every Day

Playing with his dragonfly
What a cute belly!
Need tickets to this gun show?
Evan's first "footsie pajamas"
He'd rather be eating

Evan had his two month appointment last Tuesday and he weighs 12 pounds!!! The doctor said that he is in the 90th percentile for weight. He's a big boy! She had us start him on rice cereal because it's lower in calories but is more dense and should fill him up a little more. We're now calling him our little "oinker". He has this voracious appetite...it's really funny. The doctor also said that he's very strong for his age because he's holding himself up with his arms already. He is smiling at us now, but he is still quite stingy about it. It's like he knows how much we want to see it and he holds out on us! He is also playing with toys now. Mama Cheri said it best when she said "he's so sweet I could eat him with a spoon!"

Evan Meets His Cousins

Uncle Blake, Aunt Bunny, and Evan
Cousin Jasmine and Evan
Cousin Whisper and Evan
JR and "Little T"
"Little E" and "Little T"
Evan had a big weekend! He got to meet his Aunt Bunny (my SIL Jennifer; he has two Aunt Jennifers so he has to have a different name for one of them!), his cousins Jasmine and Whisper, and his cousin Tiernan. He also got to see his Uncle Blake, Mama Cheri, and Papa Lyle again! Needless to say, he slept very soundly Sunday night!!!

Evan's first Hogs game

Everything is "A-Ok"
Holding my head up and making Mommy proud!
Takin' a little rest
Daddy's little linebacker

It's that time of year again and Evan is ready to watch them Hogs! Here he is, all decked out and ready to listen to the game with Daddy.

More Photos of Evaneezer

Oh so handsome
Ready for naptime
Pete and Re-Pete
Mama Cheri and Evan

New Photos of Little E

Bath time's not so bad after all...Evan's new belly button
Just hangin' out
Who is this?
Lookin' cute for the camera

My Two New Loves...

My two new loves are being a mother and taking pictures of my handsome little man. Becoming a mother for the first time was the most humbling and uncertain experience I've ever been through. But now that Evan is here and he's healthy, I've realized that even when it's 2 a.m. and he's up wanting to eat (again), my deep love for this little man takes over. It's then that I realize that it's my job to make him strong and independent and that God has given him to me to guide and watch over, just as God guides and watches over me. I understand God's love for his children even more than ever now, because my love for our little boy is just a reflection of God's greater love for myself and all of us. That's why little miracles like Evan exist; they're a gift of something pure and beautiful from the Father who loves us all.

Church with Evaneezer...

We went to church this evening and sat midway down in the auditorium; of course, there was a sizeable crowd and plenty of people sitting all around us. They were all commenting on how cute Evan is and how sweet...the usual stuff. (Don't get me wrong, we appreciate all the compliments, but this is not the point to my story.) So, we're sitting there and Evan is being a little angel cuz he knows God is watching extra close when he's in church. He was all wide-eyed and looking around and being so quiet! I was really impressed with him and thinking that maybe JR and I do have some parenting skills after all, when the bomb went off and not figuratively speaking, either. It went off in his pants and I am certain that everyone within a twenty foot radius heard it. As if that wasn't enough, every other part of his body had to chime in. He burped during the prayer, sneezed four times, and then gave himself the hiccups for about fifteen minutes. Then he had projectile spitup that landed all over Mommy! Yay. So, out we went to the nursery so that I could change him and clean myself up. He really did a nice job of getting himself dirty! It was halfway up his back and took about ten wipes to clean him up. And oh yeah, on the last wipe (he just couldn't allow himself to be clean for a second) he tinkled straight into the air, all over Mommy's hands, his onesie, and the changing table. (I think he was just showing out for Nathan and baby Benson, who happened to witness the ugliness.) And I have to mention how happy he was that he emptied himself; he was peaceful as ever as we left the nursery, and Mommy was a mess. It's Daddy's turn next time!

I'm in love with my baby...

We have the cutest baby ever! It's hard to resist holding him every second of the day, but we are trying not to spoil him rotten. I know he has to learn to self-sooth and fall asleep on his own, etc, etc, but I really can't keep my hands off the little booger.

For the first time, someone told us the other day that he looks like me rather than JR. I don't see it. (Except for his complexion; he's fairer than JR.) His looks have already changed since his birthday. He's filled out a little and he has lost some of that sleepy look. He is definitely awake for longer periods of time now. He slept from one a.m. to six a.m. last night! I was elated! That's the longest stretch of sleep I've had since July 30th.

His first appointment with the pediatrician was last Thursday, and he gained a pound in a week. I thought that was alot. He was 7 pounds, 7 ounces. I imagine he's close to 8 pounds now. The doc said he's completely healthy, although he is eating about an ounce or two more than other babies his age. He has his Daddy's appetite. Now we just have to figure out how to liquify a ribeye and he'll be a carbon copy of his dad. :)

I was a little sad at the beginning of this week. JR had to return to work and I really missed him (especially when it became my sole responsibility to get up with Evan). Our two weeks certainly passed by quick. I know that we are lucky that JR had two weeks off; I don't know if all Dads can get by with that. So now it's just me and Evaneezer at home all alone. We're having special Mommy/Baby time before I have to return to work on October 1st. I do miss being around grown-ups and will probably be speaking baby when I return to work, but I don't want my time with Evan to end. It's just too wonderful.

And More Photos...

Mama Cheri and Lola Papa Lyle
Proud Great-Aunt
Proud Uncle Blake
Evan's First Close-Up

More Photos...

Hello World!
Love at first sight
Daddy, Mommy, and Evan
Mommy and Evan