March 2013

She's a mover and a shaker -- and when bored at the golf store waiting for Poppa while he researches some new clubs, it's a full on dance routine on the putting green, complete with break dancing on the turf.  Not sure if the clientele appreciated what they were witnessing -- this is a future stage performer and they got an exclusive preview!

Driving along one afternoon, Evelyn and I discussed what our life goals might be. She shared her aspiration with me in glowing detail: "Make the world beautiful. And Warm. And healthy."  I think that's pretty darn cool.

We had a fun adult outing with all the parents of the "favorites" (the Heartsong group). The kids had a pajama party while the parents went to dinner and then decided to go bowling.  I happened to be in a dress and boots, not prepped for bowling, but I bowled anyway, in a dress and striped rainbow socks, nearly 3 months pregnant (still a secret of course). The kids had a blast and partied until they crashed at about 10:30 at night.  We picked up Evelyn, drunk with sleep, and safely nestled her into bed at home...

Is that not one gorgeous girl?

A successful egg hunter this year.  She has declared Easter her favorite holiday.

Think she's having fun?

Decorating eggs at the Feinstones

"Mamma - Don't take my picture!"

super fun birthday party for Sammy at Memphis gymnastics

Loves her Poppa - I can't get enough of these two.

February 2013

Haidyn came for a play visit

 

LOVE the sounds of a play date -- the conversations between two happy 3 year old girls are hilarious.  And I get to sit back and just enjoy.  It rocks.

January 2013

Dress up with best friend Lilly in her spectacular playroom.

In the princess tent...

Miss Super Pink is Super Fabulous

Expert make-up application, with the Cinderella vanity from neighbor Cathy.

 

January was tough.  I had my longest work trip ever -- traveled Europe for 2 weeks (UK, Greece, Belgium).  I've never been away from Evey (or Tag for that matter!) for that long, and it was extremely tough on all of us.  Tag did a tremendous job on the home front and sent me loving messages and videos to keep me connected. Staying busy and seeing the awesome sights on my travels kept my mind off of what I was missing back home, and I traveled in good company, but I hope not to travel away from my family that long again.  When I finally arrived home, Tag and Evelyn met me at the airport -- she came running across the floor toward me, a bouquet of flowers in her hand, huge happy smile on her face yelling "Mamma!" and I hugged her so hard I think I suprised her.  She was curious about the tears running down my face but I couldn't speak, so I just hugged her some more.  Missed her so so so so much.

Very First French Braid !!

Microphone gift from Nanny Ruthie and Poppa Graham -- a rock star is born

Christmas 2012

This Christmas was truly magical.  Evelyn was excited about the concept of Santa Claus, and starting to understand what his visit means in terms of Christmas morning excitement.  It was totally fun.  She got a bunch of gifts from Santa - including a doll house with all the cool furniture to fill the rooms up with.  I'm going to enjoy playing with her toys too!

Her favorite toy is the doctor kit - we all got check ups and (the best part) SHOTS. Super cute.

Opa enjoyed her gifts too -- the Dora guitar (thanks Uncle Paul) got a fun test drive from Opa.

December 2012 - The Big Three

Ev planned her entire birthday party: she invited her "heartsong friends"(Sammy, Abigail, Conner, Addison, Haidyn, Marshall and Adrian, and also her buds Lilly and Chloe. And bonus: Her old teachers from Heartsong, Nessa and Erin, also came. She wanted to do a "project" so I asked an art teacher friend for ideas and she came up with a great construction paper "stained glass window" craft.  Evelyn also wanted flower cupcakes, cheetos, pizza, and freeze dancing (how perfect is that?). Oh, and of course balloons. I have to say, it was a fantastic party. The weather was so nice, everyone headed into the backyard afterward for some spontaneous fun in the warm Memphis-in-December air. She has great friends.

Dearst, loving Erin

Awesome teacher (and play buddy), Nessa

 

Three is pretty amazing.  Evelyn can do so many things for herself now, and she's smart as a whip, so figuring things out doesn't take long, though she is pretty impatient with herself.

 

Tag has trained Evelyn well.  She can spot his preffered beer as we tool down the grocery aisle, stopping me to point it out.   Once, after a quick run through to pick up some essentials, E lectured me loudly as we left the market "but poppa needs more bicycle beer!" (aka Fat Tire). I can't say that she was wrong either - what was I thinking?

 

We like to meet friends up at the club on Thursday evenings for Italian Family Night.  They have a clown lady there, Miss Sally, who makes balloon animals and does face painting.  Ev loves it.

 

We love singing together. Any old song I can pull out of my memory from girl scout camp or sunday school ... one of our favorites is On Top of Spaghetti (sung to ....Old Smokey).  She's really quick to pick up songs, and the more animated the better.

 

Another love -- Costco visits -- especially the pizza and hot dogs from the cafe.  She's not quite brave enough to try out the samples that they offer around the store, but she loves the idea of accepting the little cup and spoon, so I end up eating everything.



November 2012

This one helps herself to hard-to-reach places now...

Auntie Laurie came to visit -- now it's impossible to live with her.  She and Auntie Laurie are like two peas.  And Laurie helps her do her hair and apply make up -- they chatter away upstairs like two sisters.  They are inseparable -- and Laurie has taught her to chant "I want to move to Connect-i-cut!"

Noodles are no match for Evelyn. She wont let me cut them into pieces anymore....She's a pro slurper.

 

Dress Up remains a favorite activity. But now there's makeup.  Not sure why she feels compelled to apply Groucho Marx eyebrows....LOL

The Feinstones took us to a Memphis Tigers basketball game (so fun). Evey's favorite part: the blue tongue snow cone effect.

We enjoyed Thanksgiving with the Sullivan's; had them over for Tag's awesome deep fried bird and got to play outside a bit thanks to mild weather.  Lilly and Jackson are the sweetest kids - we try to give Ev as much time as possible to play with them - they are like her siblings, and Darcy is, as Evey told me once "my mommy when I'm at Lilly's house."

Ev continues to develop her sense of personal preferences.  And she is getting more sophistocated with her opinion sharing. How does Evelyn file a complaint during early childhood class? The note on her lunchbox container read "Evelyn said she doesn't like this part of her lunch."

October Festivities (2012)

I love Memphis in October.  The weather is mild, there are festivals and pumpkin patches and hayrides, and my new favorite holiday - Halloween! Evelyn makes everything fun, and we were busy all month. 

Headed off to a pumpkin patch with Oma and Opa -- day was complete with train ride, hay ride, petting zoo, pony ride, corn bin, bouncy ring, feeding the fish, and of course pumpkin hunting.  Ended the day with a trip to her favorite lunch spot, "old mcdonald" (what she still calls McDonald's).  She has some stamina, that's for sure.

She told me she wanted to be a zebra for Halloween, so we went shopping one day in search of a zebra costume... she spotted a strawberry costume at Old Navy and changed up the whole plan.  "I want to be a strawberry!"  To be sure that was her final choice, I ask her to try it on first -- She was more than happy to, and modeled it sweetly in front of the dressing room mirror.  Sold!  Cutest strawberry on the planet.

She wore it to a dress-up music event, and Zoo Boo, and to a dance party at the club, and just twirling around the house...Loved it. Then Halloween came. Suddenly, she didn't want to be a strawberry anymore.  She decided that very evening to dress up as a "jasmine princess" (??).  Luckily, we just had to offer some minimal assistance with pulling on a shimmery skirt and blouse from her dress-up chest.  I applied some "princess makeup."  Her home-made glitter-glue and puffy sticker deco'd paper crown was the final finishing touch, and she was ready for action.

This was her first year for trick-or-treating.  Wasn't sure how it would go.  Turned out she had some serious marathon skills -- wanted to keep going and going -- "Porch Light!!" she'd yell and we'd pull the wagon up to the next house with a lit-up porch.  She was a bit shy about saying the magic trick-or-treat words, but a soft, shy "thank you" was always given.  She was amazed that she was being given candy.  She doesn't even really eat candy (lollipops are the exception), but loves to open up the packages and lick the chocolate off, or nibble the edges.  And leave the wrappers everywhere.