The Netherlands - Flying over the ocean - Arriving in Amsterdam

We arrived at the airport well before our international flight was scheduled to leave at 7:20pm.  My mom delivered us and all of our luggage so we didn't have to bother with parking.  When checking in at the front desk, however, we found out we were required to have an infant ticket...oops.  They didn't tell me that when I bought the tickets and confirmed that a child under 2 didn't need to buy a ticket, and even requested bulk-head seats to be more comfortable with the baby.  So we stood there for an hour while they processed an international "infant in arms" ticket.  Luckily, it was only the cost of the taxes, so it wasn't a big expense. But I was pretty frazzled as the clock ticked and ticked and ticked - that, plus the fact that on the way to the airport I had an argument with Tag about his vehicle choice for driving to the airport (his truck doesn't have a very comfy carseat for Evey, and the front passenger seat is pushed all the way up to fit the uncomfy carseat so it's not comfy to sit up front either, and we had all day to get ready but he selected his vehicle to take us to the airport and didn't have any gas...!).  So anyway, when we finally reached the gateway and sorted out some additional issues with the infant ticket, I was able to relax and the rest of the trip was very smooth.  Evelyn greeted each of the passengers with a smile and a wave as they boarded and found their seats.  The flight attendants were charmed by her and visited us frequently throughout the flight.  Poor Tag had trouble getting comfortable, but all three of us were able to rest on the night-flight to Amsterdam.  They gave us three seats, so we had plenty of room for all of our "baby accessories."

When we arrived 9 short hours later, Henk & Anna were there to greet us and all of our bags (three suitcases, one duffle bag, one backpack, one purse, one diaper bag, one cameral bag, one stroller, one carseat with collapsible booster chair bungee-corded inside). Somehow we made it onto the train, then switched trains, then hauled our goods down the street, up the elevator and, at last, into their apartment.  More on our visit later -- it's Day Three and I'm ready for slaapen !  Slaap Lekker!

Cleared for Take-Off!

Today we leave on our visit to the Netherlands !  We're all packed up, Evey's ears are clear of infection and her bum is fresh and pink again (no more painful rash).  We're so excited to get reacquainted with family overseas and see the sights in beautiful Holland.  Tag (and I) will take in our first official European soccer match, which has got him soooo excited. I have a feeling we'll be geared up in Dutch Orange on our way home...  Bon Voyage !!!!

It Has Arrived !!! Tooth Number One

It's been fairly smooth sailing on the teething front -- nothing more than excessive drool to deal with.  But with the arrival of the tip of her first little tooth, we are now in the midst of drool rash (ouch) and diaper rash (owwwey) and also her first ear infection (oh dear....).  She was pretty clingy and fussy for several days, and there was a tiny little purple blister on her gum that you could occassionaly get a glimpse of (she wouldn't let us near it, especially not to probe with a finger tip - it was very tender of course).  She ran a slight fever at the same time, which is common, so we assumed that the fever was purely teething driven.  I stayed home with her that morning (she can't go to daycare with a fever greater than 100.1 F).  She seemed fine that afternoon and the next morning, but daycare called when her fever cranked back up and hit 102...and climbed to 103 when Tag took her to the doctor.  Sinusitis and a double ear infection.  We apparently caught it early, thank goodness.  She's on (awful nasty terrible) antibiotics twice a day for ten days... will finish up right before we head off to Europe.  I pray that her ears are fully healed by then....I hate to think what a plane flight would feel like with a remnant ear infection.

So now we're dealing with antibiotics and the resulting gastro complications....and her mouth is broken out in a rash that I keep ointment on....and her poor bum is bright and painfully red so that also gets slathered in various ointments (one for the rash and one for what the doctor thinks is a spot of yeast infection).  But overall she seems to be feeling much better.  Her little tooth (lower left front) is just barely peeking out... I wonder how close behind the next one will be....

Busy Bee

Easily bored, Evelyn is staying true to her explorer Sagittarian nature.  A new cabinet door opens?  She sprints over to grab what new and exciting objects she can before the door has a chance to close.  Refridgerator? An opportunity to practice her "climbing and clearing" skills.  It's all heartbreak and tears when she is blocked from entry to these new places.  Toys?  You mean the colorful and musical objects that Momma has so lovingly selected?  Yeah, those are simply a ruse to try and distract her from what she really wants:  the phone, the remote, the brimming coctail glass, hot coffee mug, prescription glasses... 

We agree with everyone who tells us: It's a fabulous age. She's getting more independant, but still LOVES to cuddle and be carried around.  She is starting to communicate with hand signals; loves to play "SOOOO BIG!!" with her arms stretched up over her head.  Loves to wave "Hi!!" and "Bye!" 

Getting tall tall tall -- had to buy a new car seat and position all the straps at the "toddler" setting. Crazy. Speaking of crazy, I didn't realize car seats could be fully loaded with options (infant seat was borrowed from friends so this was the first car seat shopping trip).  Cup holders, mini-coolers, iPod cubbies...was looking for the pop-up DVD screen just out of curiosity but they must not sell those at Target.  Evey didn't get the pimped-out toddler ride; she got the pared-down edition.  Has all the right straps and safety features. She's not old enough to protest the decision.

Double digits

Evey enters her 10th Month today... 
She gets more amazing and lovely every day.

All the little things

An inventory of my favorite little things that I don't ever want to forget.

• the way she breathes in her sleep, with soft little huffs
• how I have to trim her nails so carefully while she's sleeping
• how her head heats up so warm when she's sleepy, and how she torques up so hot that she sweats while she sleeps
• the fascination she has for Jack and how she lights up when he comes near and she can get a hand on his muzzle
• her love of paper and tearing it into tiny little bits
• her collection of lip smacking noises and raspberries
• how she laughs when you cough and then imitates you to make you laugh back
• the way she tracks Tag with her eyes, and when he turns to make eye contact with her, how she breaks the biggest smile across her face with her eyes bright as blue spotlights
• the magical way she can find the pacifier on the bed without even opening her eyes or moving anything but her arm, and then popping it so pertly into her mouth
• how she allows me to clean her ears with a Q-tip, her mouth open as she focuses on the sensation in her ear
• the loud, shameless grunting and growling that accompanies her bowel movements
• how she can charm smiles out of strangers at will, even the scowly faced grumps in line at the post office
• how the daycare teachers play favorites and "steal" her away from class so they can cuddle and play with her
• the methodical way she moves through all the items she can reach in the pantry, carefully examining each item and then tossing it to the side, scrambling over the pile of cartons and bags to reach the next elusive item at the back of the shelf
• and how she always plants one precious little foot on my shoulder when I'm nursing her or cradling her to sleep in my arms

Circles....

To keep myself organized, I have a file folder that I drag around with me to hold my to-do lists, documents, bills, etc.  I've been managing the estate of my late friend Lori, who passed away a year ago.  To close the estate, there were a few final aspects to address, and I've had to keep certain legal papers with me, including her death certificate.  Incidentally, I've also had Evelyn's birth certificate with me so we could order her passport.  I opened my file folder the other day and there was Lori's death certificate on the left, and Evey's birth certificate on the right.  It was so surreal.

Lori was always telling me to "Go have a baby, you need a baby, and I don't mean adoption, you have to go through the whole thing, the pregnancy and all that."  I never got to tell her that I was pregnant.  She included me in her will, and my intention is to put the inheritance into a 529 fund for Evey's future education.  Lori would approve.