First Chicken Nugget!

We celebrated a big milestone yesterday when Evan had his first Chick-fil-a chicken nugget.  Brian and I have loved Chick-fil-a forever (mine is a genetic trait from Evan's Grandpa Max!), so it is only fitting that Evan would love it too.  He didn't eat too much of the chicken but did eat most of the breading. He also might have had a waffle fry or two.  I'm sure a #5 at Chcik-fil-a is definitely on the list of things to make sure your toddler eats before they are 15 months!

14 Months!

Sweet little Evan turned 14 months this week!  So what's Evan like at 14 months?  He's started to give hugs...he gives me a big one every night before I lay him in his crib.  He's also started to give high 5's!  He doesn't say any many words, but this kid is a talker.  He blabs and blabs and blabs...hopefully soon we'll understand what he's saying.  He LOVES to eat.  There are some nights where he seriously eats a pound of food and that is after a 4 pm snack at Ms. Irene's.  He's really starting to like textures and is a definite fan of spaghetti and sauce.  He would rather have something salty than sweet...like his daddy.  He's got 5 teeth now.  Not quite walking yet, but he's getting closer and closer with every day.  He still loves to read (Thanks for the new books Grandma Candi and Grandpa Max...new reading material keeps Mommies and Daddies sane!).  His favorite toys right now are probably his dump trucks and train.  He also loves to be outside...especially swinging!  We're having a blast with our sweet little man! 

He's looking in the mirror on his toy here and playing peek-a-boo with himself.  He's so stinking cute!

Funny Evan (& Daddy)

One day last week, Daddy put my shoes on the wrong feet and didn't realize it until about 15 minutes later. 

I love to stand and watch the water go into my bathtub.  I'm usually dancing to the rhythm of the water at the same time!

One last drink and hug with Daddy before bed.  This was one of the first pictures after my first haircut.  What do you think?



Ear Infection Take 2

I had my second ear infection, and  I did it right.  I made sure it was a double ear infection.  If it wasn't for my cough, Mommy and Daddy probably wouldn't have taken me to the doctor.  Luckily they did and I got some good medicine to take care of my ears.  I wasn't in the best spirits for a couple of days, but ones that medicine kicked in, I was back to my normal, super sweet Evan self.

My daddy also got diagnosed with an ear infection the week after me.  He's doing much better now too!

Grief

Grief is the most terrible emotion to feel.

I wish I could erase the events of today.  Unfortunately, it was all God's plan, even though that is REALLY hard to understand right now.

Two little baby boys are now angels in heaven.

One of my operators Billy called me today to let me know that at his wife Linda's ultrasound yesterday they couldn't find a heartbeat of their baby boy due this spring.  She'll deliver the baby tomorrow.

Our dear dear friends Micah and Erin lost their sweet baby Beaux.  Their twins Beaux and Charlotte were born last Friday. 

Incredible sadness fills my heart.

Here is a prayer that my sweet father and mother in law sent me today for Micah and Erin:

Dear Lord -
The devastating shock and deep sadness from little, precious Beaux's death is too much to bear without You. We pray for Erin and Micah. Show Your love for them and stay with them in their grief through the prayers, words and actions of those around them. Care for them, comfort them and cry with them. Be with their families and friends, who love them and identify with them so much that they are hurting, and weeping and wondering why, too. We pray for baby sister Charlotte's happiness, health and well-being at a dark time when her new life provides light and hope for Erin and Micah. Turn our thoughts into cares for this hurting couple. Find ways that their joy, now overwhelmed by grief, will return through the short life of Beaux and the parenting of Charlotte. Amen

Be praying for the Cancholas and Hatleys.

Evan's First Haircut

Today before church, Evan got his first haircut from Daddy and Mommy took no pictures to commemorate the occasion :(  Evan's feathers as we adoringly call them have been getting a bit out of control especially behind his ears.  We bought some clippers yesterday at Target.  I never thought that we'd be able to get him to sit still but sure enough, we played with some toys while Daddy clipped away.  Evan actually was giggling most of the time...I guess it must have tickled a bit.  Daddy did a great job.  Both Grandmas tonight on Skype said that he looks more like a little boy now.  I guess he is becoming a little man.

OREO!!!

I'm not a fan of my big winter coat...

Who is Santa???

Evan and I have been playing a game called "Who is Santa?"  I'll put the Santa hat on him and he can't get it off and laughs hysterically.  Here are some pictures from one of our games.  The third one is one of my all time favorites. 

Books Video

Playing with my toys!

I love to push cars, buses, trucks, etc.  Anything with wheels.  I'm such a boy!

 I'm pretty awesome at my train now.  My tongue is always hanging out because I'm working so hard. 

 Oops...I crashed.  Check out my Crocs on the floor.  My Auntie Jo got those for me for Christmas.  I'm such a lucky little dude!

 Hi Momma!

 I love tub time and have started playing more and more with my fountain!

 I'm also super strong and can lift this boat out of the water when it is full of water!

 Playing "gotcha" with Daddy!  I love to play this game when it is on my terms!

 Ha...I got away!

 Ahh...break time.  Yes, this is my owl ornament from the Christmas tree.  I love it so much that Mommy can't bear to put it away!

13 Months!!!

Evan turned 13 months the day after Christmas.  It was such a great Christmas break.  Both sets of Grandparents visited for extended periods of time and I was off of work for 2 weeks straight.  It was super hard to go back to work - probably just as hard as it was last March after maternity leave.  We are back in the routine now though...just in time for the weekend!

So what's Evan like at 13 months?  He's developing quite the personality and is just such a joy.  He loves to point at things that he wants.  It is actually his first way of communicating that we halfway understand.  He has thrown a couple of mini tantrums and is quickly distracted by something else and forgets what he was mad about.  He says ma-ma, da-da and hi.  He loves to babble but most of it makes no sense.  He LOVES to read.  Just ask his Grandma Candi.  He would rather read than do just about anything else.  He's somewhat picky about his books now and will just push it away if it isn't one that he wants to read.  He still loves to take his books off the shelves.  Again, this is genetic I'm sure since I did it as a little girl.  He's still crawling all over the place and started pulling up just before Christmas.  Of course, he was late at doing this according to all of the milestone trackers but once he started, he was a pro in about 4 days.  He pulls up on everything now and is quite graceful at getting down.  He is cruising along the couch, tables and the TV stand now too. He got a train to push while walking for Christmas from his Grandma and Grandpap Hrach and has pretty much mastered that sucker.  My dad said he gives him 3 weeks before he walks a few steps on his own.  Craziness.  I'm not sure I'm ready.  He still loves daycare at Ms. Irene's and loves playing with the other older kiddos.  He is really good at pushing around his trucks and cars. He still loves to eat and tried Oreos this week.  He's not a fan yet, but geesh, with as many of those as I ate during pregnancy, I'm sure he'll love them shortly.  He has 4 teeth now.  2 on bottom and 2 on top although the two on top are not the middle two.  they are the middle one on the left side and then the one just to the left of that.  Pretty funny.  He really hasn't struggled too much with teething yet.  We're keeping our fingers crossed.  He still loves to boogie!  And he still loves to hold something soft in his right hand and suck his pointer and middle finger on his left hand.  He has pretty much ditched the bottle.  He still has one every morning, but after that it is all cup for our little guy.  Honestly we could probably ditch the morning bottle too but because he's so tiny, our pediatrician recommended keeping him on some toddler formula for a while (and I'll tell you that stuff smells nasty - way different than infant formula!). 

We continue to know that God has blessed us and trusted us with such a sweet and neat little man!

 The shape of things to come in 12 or 13 years???

 He finally faces forward in the car seat.  We held off an extra month because he is so little but we finally think he's close to 20 lbs and he was running out of leg room sitting the other direction, so we made a 180 degree turn.  He loves it and thinks he's hot stuff now!

 Evan love to start crawling away in his diaper just before bath.  He just giggle giggle giggle and we just chase him around for a bit.  It is so neat that he knows when things are funny now and purposely does funny things!

Grandpa Max and Grandma Candi Visit

My Grandpa Max and Grandma Candi came to visit right after Christmas.  I  was very happy there were here to play with me.  After 2 days with just Mom and me, I needed some other people in my audience. 

 Showing Grandpa Max what Santa brought.

 Grandma Candi would sit with me by the tree for long periods of time and play all of the musical ornaments as I  pointed to them. 

 And I read every book I own with my Grandma Candi about 5 or 6 times while they were here.  I certainly know how to win her over!

Dylan Visits!

Mom and Dad's friend Dylan stopped by to visit a few days after Christmas.  Dylan is in the Army and is currently stationed in Colorado Springs.  He went to Law School with my daddy...he had a really good time at Mom and Dad's wedding from the stories I've heard.  This was the second time I've gotten to play with Dylan...and I really liked it.  He got me the "Happy Hamster" which I hated...but maybe in a year I'll give it another shot.