an ordinary day

Besides all the toys that get drug out during Ari's free play, he likes to use the couch for entertainment. We are not big tv people so sitting down to watch cartoons is a privilege and usually has to be earned. There are a few exceptions, such as Saturday morning where he can watch something while I make pancakes or on occasion in the morning if one child got up too early and mama needs a little extra time to wake up in the morning. But generally the tv is off and he is content playing with his toys. I also have chores for him to do so he stays pretty busy.

By lunchtime my living rooms looks like this. While Evangeline takes her morning nap, Ari and I will either do some preschool activity such as working on his numbers, spelling, or painting. This is not very structured at all and I am working on getting it more organized so I can start doing stuff with him daily.

In between the diaper changes, feedings, book readings, building blocks or whatever, I try to multitask in the kitchen. Sometimes I will have Ari help me and he really enjoys learning where food comes from and what ingredients make our meals. This particular day I was making short ribs in one crock pot and homemade yogurt in the one under the towel. I used this tutorial here. I try to make our dinner in pieces throughout the day so I am not scrambling to get it all together in the last hour before AJ gets home. That is usually the most hectic part of the day when neither kid is napping, they are both getting hungry and just in general more needy.

This little miss hangs out with me while Ari naps. Sometimes their naps overlap and I either nap, do dishes or laundry, blog, or cook. She gets bored of me spoon feeding her so I have started giving the rest of her food to her on her tray. Then she will gobble the rest up.

By the time AJ gets home Ari can't wait to recruit him for some special time with daddy.

my valentine week

It's no secret that my all time favorite place to eat is Patachou. It brings back fun memories from college where we use to frequent and then visit the little flower shop next door.  We went the Saturday before Valentine's and decided to go downtown because the one near Butler is a little bit farther. (further? farther?) Whatever. Now we have made it our annual "Valentine" tradition...and oh how I wish it was time to go back again. Sigh.

I think it's fun to bring along the kids. We don't eat out very often so it is also a special occasion for them. Well, for Ari. Evangeline could care less.

Although she did have a blast sitting there sucking on some paper while we devoured our crescent french toast, omelet, fresh fruit, and cinnamon toast. They have the best coffee and I'm pretty sure my eye was twitching by the time we left because I had downed more than I normally drink in an entire month. But that's another story.

Ari thinks he can get away with doing certain things, such as eating paper, because his sister does.

Valentine's Day was full of watching kids. My friend had her fifth child so we had the rest of them for 24 hours. Even though it was a busy 24 hours, it was a lot of fun. Have I ever mentioned I love kids? I could have a zillion. Ok, maybe not a zillion. But I guess that's also another story for another day.

 It snowed some that morning but the rest of the week warmed up enough that we were able to take several walks around the block. My baby is getting so big that he doesn't ask to be carried or to ride in the stroller anymore. Instead he wants to run the whole way around the block. He is usually 10 feet ahead of us yelling "Run with me! Run with me!"

This next picture was not from this week, but it just warms my heart. Aren't they a pair!

there's evidence

They love each other.

Ari is growing into such a wonderful brother. She loves to play with his hair so he will plop down in her lap and she will just squeal with delight. He will also bring her toys and if she sounds unhappy he will say "it's ok baby". One time he came up to me and said "Evangeline is crying, she needs you." I just thought it was sweet he was looking out for her.

These next few pictures were taken when he was trying to show her how to crawl.

I think the pep talk was a little overwhelming for her.

But big brother was there to comfort her and to let her know that she will eventually get the hang of it.

Ari will go around saying that he is going to protect us and that he will fight the enemy. (He doesn't actually know of any enemies, just that is a phrase he has heard during a Bible lesson.)

He knows what will get her to laugh, and being the ham that he is, that becomes enjoyable for them both. He loves attention and she is willing to give it!

Yes, there is evidence of his love for her. But that doesn't mean he has completely pure motives. Can't you see the big halo around his head? He is completely oblivious as to how those sunglasses made it on to her, while she is still trying to figure out how they got on her as well.

9 months

Evangeline regularly says ma ma, da da, and ba ba. She usually says ma ma when she is upset and da da when she is happy. Just today she started shaking her head no, but I have a feeling she just finds it hilarious and doesn't actually know what it means. She will shake it so fast until it makes her dizzy. Since she isn't crawling or pulling up yet, Ari has taken it on himself to show her how it's done.

She has finally decided to eat solids and I am now getting more confident that she won't nurse forever. I was starting to wonder if she would since she used to refuse solids AND taking a bottle. She still won't take a bottle so that is on the list of things to accomplish, and soon! Ari hasn't asked to feed her much but I did catch him one time trying to give her small pieces of a tortilla chip. AH! He means well, of course, but I think we will stick to mushy food on a spoon for now. She still doesn't have any teeth, although I think she is in the beginning stage of them starting to move. Ari didn't get any teeth until he was 14 months, so I really have no idea what to expect.

Evangeline has really taken off with the way she interacts with us and things that she finds amusing. She has what we call a "spit trick". She'll let her spit hang out of her mouth, then suck it back in quickly before it falls. Then she will get it going more quickly where you just see it go in and out, in and out.

She also likes to play "Where's the baby?". While sitting on the floor, she will bend herself all the way over to where her nose is touching the ground, then wait for me to say "Where's the baby?" Then she will pop up as fast as she can and just squeal with delight when I say "There she is!"

As you can tell by this next picture, she thoroughly enjoys these photo sessions by herself. Neither of my children are camera shy and just pose away if I get the camera out.

She is 28 1/2 inches long and weighs 18 lbs. 9 oz. I was completely shocked that she was in the 50% for weight. Since she doesn't sleep well at night I have been feeding her at least once just to get us through. I thought that extra feeding was going to put her high on the chart. I was waiting for her Dr. to get on me for feeding her at night but he said it was fine and that some babies don't sleep through the night. It was comforting to hear that she will outgrow it eventually. She has started to sleep better even though we still get up with her 4-5 times a night. I know that might seem crazy but I'll take it! She used to get up that much and just cry inconsolably. But now she doesn't really cry anymore and just seems to be a light sleeper. My perspective has really changed over these last nine months of having a sleepless child. It would be easy for me to sit around and feel sorry for my lack-of-sleep self, but I just look at it like I get to spend extra time with her. We prayed for a child and our prayers were answered. Now I get to spend more time than I ever imagined with this sweet little one.

Elias William

Friday morning we got the call that my nephew was going to be here very soon. He came in to this world at 12:01 weighing 7 lbs 14 oz. He is so perfect and precious. Babies just warm my heart and being an aunt is so special. Not that I want him to grow up fast, but I really can't wait to wait to watch him and his sister Lynlee when my SIL goes back to work. Sorry Molly :)

The whole week prior we kept talking about how Lynlee was going to have a baby brother named Elias. So Ari started telling us that he wanted a baby brother named Elias. I told him that having him for a cousin was the next best thing. Needless to say Ari was excited to get to visit him.

Babies are miracles and he is just proof of an answered prayer.

goal #4

We've been making some progress on our fans. This is the one that was in our guest bedroom. Just lovely.

My brother had some gold fans they took out and gave them to us so we could use them. We could have kept this one and just spray painted it but I wasn't really in to the wicker fan blades and the shape of the base. Oh yeah, and not to mention the non-matching globes.

We primed, then painted it all with a flat black. We ended up keeping the original brown blades that came with it.

Then my husband, and his trusty sidekick, put this beautiful like-new fan up. 

 One down, three to go!

entertained or entertaining

She finds it hilarious when anyone puts things on their head. 

But I find it more amusing when she tries to do the same thing.

This time it happened to be my scarf.

She was working so hard you can see the determined look in her eye.

It doesn't take much effort to get her to smile (at home that is.)

And it doesn't take much for her to melt my heart.