My Little Flower and My Thanks!

So, this was our first halloween! It was such a fun relaxing day. Grant went hunting on Friday afternoon and got back Saturday afternoon. It is bow season right now so he always likes to try to shoot his bow. As of yet, I have not seen him bring a deer back. Anyway, Eva and I had a fun day at home and got to play together. I don't get to do that a lot since I only pick her up from daycare by 4 and she goes to bed by 7:30! I love these times. She is such a wonderful baby! She is constantly smiling and talking and just busy. She can entertain herself forever. She is still napping four times a day, but you can tell when she doesn't get a good one in because she will start to whine for about two minutes and then conk out! It is funny to watch.

This year for her costume we borrowed the most adorable flower suit from Grant's cousin Shannon. Her little girl Molly is almost exactly one year older, so it workedo out perfectly.

I swear she knows when to put on a show. At daycare they had picture day last week and we had our picture taken for our church pictorial directory on the same day. Both photographers said they had never had a baby they didn't have to try to make look at the camera or smile. Eva just grins really big and laughs. It is so funny. (maybe it if from having flashes in her face as the center of attention from the moment she left the womb!)

Back to my flower girl. Here she is! I know next year she probably won't like head pieces, but this year, she loved it! These are her and us, and then her with her Aunt Hannah (aka Micheal Jackson) The cow is our friend Brooks.

As for my thanks, I was encouraged by Michael's blog, so I have to say I am humbled almost everyday by all of the things I find to be bothered by, upset about or even wanting for. I always seem to realize after the fact that I have absolutely everything I could possibly want or need and that goes for my job and filthy house, beautiful baby, fabulously hard working, giving husband and hairy, shedding dog. Parents who would do anything for me and in-laws who do anything to help us and make us happy. And a God who thinks I am worth it all! What more could I want!?

Tootle loo!

5 Months (yesterday)

Eva's Baptism Brunch

Our family

Mom and Eva at the brunch

Okay, I really am terrible at this. Now that I am back at work, I kept telling myself, get Eva's five month blog done. but it is sooooo hard. Anyway, enough excuses. I want to have this so that I can remember and at least tell her all of her milestones and funny stories.

Eva was baptized this month on September 13th. The ceremony was wonderful and she even smiled before Dr. Wolfe got her. She then slept through the rest of the service. My mom made her gown from one of my old dresses when I was 10. It was white with off white lace. She is so talented to make this gown so gorgeous and do it with pieces of another dress. I am so thankful for her! After the ceremony we had our entire family and a couple of friends over for brunch. My mom, Grant's mom and Aunt Pam all made food to bring. They are lifesavers. There is absolutely no way I could have fed 50+ people myself. Just having that many people at my house in the midst of our monstrous floods of September was hard enough. Luckily the rain held off just long enough for us to have some tables set up outside for people as well. It was so wonderful having so many loving people to celebrate Eva's dedication to Christ. We feel so blessed.

The girls are wiped out after the brunch

Other than that, life is normal, work is normal and Eva is growing.

This month in review:

1. Really started "talking" lots!

2. Found your feet- you love to put them in your mouth even with socks on

3. Rolling like crazy- both ways belly to back and back to belly

4. Loving school- you are so content when I leave you and all smiles, or sleeping when I pick you up.

5. Loving baths- you get so relaxed in your ducky and you love it when I sing "Splish Splash", oh the newest thing is sucking on your rubber ducky's beak

6. You are mesmerized by football. It is not just Alabama football, any football. You even talk to the players (just like mommy)

In her game day dress I made

Family picture before the game

7. The exersaucer is your favorite toy- and you are almost ready to be put up to the next level (your in the 85-90% in height)

8. You are beginning to not like nursing in the evenings, I am not sure if it is because my milk doesn't come fast enough for you, or if your reflux is beginning to flair up again. (I'm calling the doc tomorrow to check)

9. You love your daddy, and boys in general. Any man you see, you get all flirty (we're scared already!)

10. Lucy is your friend- you pet her and let her lick your hand and watch everything she does because it makes you laugh.

We love you so much and wish we could freeze time because you are growing and changing too fast. I know one day you won't like me to hold you to fall asleep, and one day your daddy will embarrass you instead of make you laugh, but for now you are our sweet angel.

Love you!

4 months today!

My favorite time of day, doing my favorite thing, sucking my fingers!

Sittin on the couch, watchin tv.

My friend, Molly, giving me a kiss! I love kisses!

just chillin!

I'm a big girl now!

Today is Eva's 4 month birthday. I am amazed at how life is completely different and completely wonderful with her here. I started back to work this month, after turning 29! That has been the hardest adjustment for me. Eva adjusted just fine and loves, loves, loves her nursery. She is all smiles when I drop her off, and all smiles when I pick her up. She sleeps like a champ while she is there and is perfectly on her schedule. I, on the other hand, am miserable while I am away and still trying to pump at work so that I can atleast be giving her nurition since I can't be with her myself. While I do not have enough milk to leave three mommy bottles, I can still nurse her in the mornings, afternoons and evenings before bed and just leave two formula bottles for the day time.

At four months Eva is the most fun. She is happy nearly all the time. She has huge grins and has started to giggle occassionally. We got it on video, but unfortunately I have not figured out how to get the video to my computer yet. She has started to roll from her belly to her back easily and even wiggle a little bit to mimick a worm trying to crawl! I will post these funny picutres later.

Eva's day typically begins about 6 am, when I wake her up to eat. She will eat for about 45 minutes and then we change her for school. I truly do not know what I would do without Grant every morning. He makes sure her diaper bag is filled, gets out the premade bottles and even brings me something to eat while I am feeding. I get up at 5 to shower and be ready before I have to feed her. We leave for school about 7:10 or 7:15 and I got to drop her off. I get to school just before 8, which is fine this year because I have first period off, which is actually a horrible time to have off when my lunch is at 10 am! It is so tiring. I just pray I make it through the year. I pump after school right at 3 and then leave to pick her up. I get her by four and head home. She is usually very tired and will take about an hour nap or so by 4:30, then I feed her at 5:30. We then play, take a bath, which she loves!! Then we eat again. After this we are ready for bed. She is usually in the bed by 8:oo or 8:30 and sleeps all night. She has been doing this since mid July, but our bedtime is earlier now. We love it, except for the fact that I only get to spend a few hours a day with her. I love weekends!

We are at my parents' house this weekend for Labor Day and I know I will not want to go back to school on Tuesday. I am sure we will have fun pics to post next week.

n

o