A spring flower

We found the first signs of
spring today. After raking up big piles of leaves we found a
few little purple flowers poking through. Crocus, right? I
should know this, but always doubt myself.

In an area of no doubt… Eve is a thriving baby girl! We
took her in for her 2 year check-up today and the doctors (we
saw our regular pedi and a med student) we both impressed with
her physical and verbal abilities, and even more impressed with
her cooperative nature during the exam! :) She was a champ! She
even took the lead test finger prick without even a grimace.
She weighs 28lbs and is 35″, both about 70th percentile on the
grow charts. She’s an active, happy, thriving little person.
We’re blessed to have her!

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Practice pictures

We are taking the kids for professional
pictures this weekend and I’ve been talking with Lex a lot
about how nice it would be if he cooperated. We have even
offered to take him to Chuck E. Cheese (right across the
street) for lunch if he acts nice for the photographer. Bribery
is ok, right?? :) Today I thought they looked really cute in
their almost coordinating outfits so I asked Lex if we could
practice for Saturday. This is what we got (with a bunch of
sillier ones in between). I’ll be happy if he does this will on
Saturday :)

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Happy 2nd Birthday Eve!

Our day
started with a few presents from mommy. Lex saw the presents
when I bought them and was very excited for her to open them.
Two books and a set of counting rods. Mommy buys the
educational toys :)
Cake time. We were all excited for this :) Carrot
cake with cream cheese frosting. Yum!!!

Eve and her friends. So cute!!
Her friends are confused because the birthday card says 2 and
Eve is insisting it’s a 4!
She really wants to be
4. :)
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My little girl

I was just sitting here thinking about
this night two years ago. Mema was here and we were patiently
waiting for our little bundle to make her appearance. Some were
waiting more patiently than others. :) About this time we were
watching tv (Monk, perhaps?) and I was quietly watching the
clock on my phone (the wall clock is fancy and a bit
unpredictable) and counting minutes between mild contractions.
Mom is very observant and commented on my quiet clock
watching.

The next morning we were up at
5am with stronger and more regular contractions. Lex decided to
sleep late so we ended up getting him up and feeding him
breakfast (Zone bars, breakfast of champions!) in the car. He
wasn’t even 2yrs old!! Such a baby. Sigh.

Anyway, tomorrow my little girl will be 2yrs old. Such a
big little girl! She is loving the birthday celebrations.
Saturday’s family party, a tea party at the neighbor’s house on
Sunday which wasn’t at all for her, but she got tons of
attention anyway, and today’s bustling activities preparing for
tomorrow’s party with her friends. I planned for a small
playdate party and so far we’re up to 12 kids!!! With parents,
thankfully! :)

Anyway, gotta get some
shut eye. It’s been a long few days! I gave Eve extra snuggles
tonight and will probably hug her to pieces tomorrow!

Happy Birthday – Part 1

We
celebrated Eve’s birthday today with a family party. A good
time was had by all.

Grammy Lynn and Grampy Don bought Eve a tricycle.
Now she can keep up with the boys this summer! She loves it
:)
Raspberry
angel food cake, layered with strawberry jam and strawberry ice
cream, covered in cool whip and decorated with raspberries and
a picture of Eve (that always makes her happy). Sooooo
tasty….
Our favorite book worm. Every time Eve opened a
book, Lex was there to read it.
Isn’t she beautiful!?!? We love the hat. Thanks
Mema!!
Some birthday love.
Silly little almost 2yr old :)

A love affair with my son

I’m not sure what’s come over Lex lately,
but I’m not complaining! He is overcome with pure love lately!
He pretty much put himself to bed tonight. We did an early bath
today (playing out in the mud this afternoon) and then had
dinner. I was going to let them play until 7:00pm then start
stories, but at 6:30 he cleaned up his toys and asked me to
read him stories. After the usual two stories he said it was
time for teeth. We brushed and read one more story and then he
said it was time for bed. Just barely 7:00pm! So he and I went
up and he asked me to lay with him for two songs (he still
falls asleep to Barenaked Ladies). I laid down and he grabbed
me and hugged me and grabbed my face (note to self: time to
clip his nails!) and kissed me over and over and over. I
couldn’t stop laughing. Sooo adorable :) Then he asked if I’d
hold his hand, so I did. Who can resist that! Back in the days
of bedtime battles, we went through a phase where he always
wanted me to lay down with him. I did, for a long time, but
usually hated it because after the battle I just wanted to go
downstairs and have “me” time. Now that he goes to bed so
sweetly, on the occaisions that he asks Alan or I to lay down
with him we’re both happy to oblige! It’s nice to spend a few
more minutes with the super sweet boy before he falls asleep.
I’m sure this too is just a phase, but I am loving
it!!!

They melt my heart

Kids can drive you insane, but
at the same time they can be the most amazing little creatures.
Both kids seemed to have entered a new phase in life. Lex has
quite suddenly become a very friendly, polite, lovey, and
helpful little kid. He’s always been that, I guess, but now
it’s so much more consistent. He is full of hugs and kisses and
“I love yous” to everyone. He hugs and kisses Eve all the time,
tells me he loves me, gives Alan great big hugs, and frequently
checks in to make sure I’m happy. Yesterday I hurt my toe (it’s
all swollen and lovely shades of purple, black and blue!) and
Lex ran right over to see if he could kiss it and make it
better :) Later in the day I commented that my toe really hurts
and Lex looked all confused and said “but I kissed it to make
it better. Do you want me to kiss it again?” I love the love!!
He goes to bed easily, both at night and at quiet time. Most
nights he asks to say good night to Eve and so I put her in his
bed. He wraps his arms around her and hugs her and kisses her
and sings her a song. That melts my heart. They lay in his bed,
arms around each other, singing the alphabet together. Sooooo
sweet!!!

Eve, on the other hand, has
entered a feisty phase. She’s still adorable and silly and
sweet, of course, but now we can add stubborn, feisty, and
temperamental to the list as well. It all seemed to start after
the stomach virus thing and I have a feeling she’s not quite
right still. I thought maybe she had a UTI, but I spoke with
the doc and he said the symptoms don’t necessarily agree (it
was a Sunday so we didn’t bring her in). He didn’t have any
other theories though, so we’ll just wait and talk to her
regular doc at her 2yr check up. But she’s been very fussy
lately, crying often for little or no reason, she cries a few
times each night (doesn’t really wake up, but cries for a few
minutes in her sleep), and it takes her forever to fall asleep
and she wakes up much earlier than usual — earlier than Lex
most mornings! She used to be my prize sleeper and now she’s
not! She also lost all interest in potty training. She likes to
tell me when she’s peeing and pooping (though I think she is
now confused about which is which, perhaps because of the
diarrhea a few weeks ago or just toddler senile?), but when I
ask if she wants to move to the potty she says “No, just pee in
diaper.” On the bright side, she loves Lex’s hugs and often
hugs him back. And she’s almost 2!!! Just one more week of my
baby and then she’s officially a toddler and I’ll have no more
babies in the house. Sigh.