Thanksgiving and I have an 18 month old!

This year I have been so thankful for many things. First, my family, Grant, Eva and yes Lucy, even though my life would be so much easier (and cleaner) without her! My parents and my brother and my two grandmothers all made it to our Thanksgiving lunch. My mother still cooks EVERYTHING! I know I have to start helping, but what do I say when the dressing or sweet potatoes or everything else, just isn't any good and I ruin Thanksgiving??? So, I just brought bread, lemondae and a granddaughter. Eva loved turkey and sweet potatoes. She had to eat a little early before all of us becuase it was going to be her nap time. We had a relaxing time with my family and then left to go visit Grant's family in Pleasant Grove. Eva played with her cousins, Lily, Waylon and Addison. She LOVES her baby cousin Waylon and hugged and kissed him for a long time. This year was one of the best Thanksgivings we have celebrated, and we are very grateful.

dinner with Ellie. How cute are they?

18 month pics. Oh how serious!

Pictures by Catherine Mayo (aren't they great!)

www.catherinemayo.com

I am also grateful for work (mine and Grant's), health (which I take for granted), my home (even though we would like to move, we are fortunate to have it), fall weather, relatives who keep my child all the time, friends (some whom I talk to all the time, some rarely but still love them), Barney (I swore I'd never let my child watch it!), Mickey Mouse, Dora yogurt (Eva devours it), bath time, giggles, and surprise hugs and kisses (which come very often now). Lastly, I am thankful for the gift of Christmas, and I hope that I am able to teach my daughter what gifts are most important and why we celebrate with a tree and a holiday this time of year. I want her heart to know the love of Jesus and to have the compassion for others that He does. I am realizing how hard that is when all around us it is all about the toys, Santa, the tree and the stuff. It will only get harder.

Eva's recent milestones: (getting harder to pin point now but)

1. Speaking many phrases

2. recognizing and remembering things she only sees/ hears once (rainbow, santa, marshmellow)

3. initiating hugs

4. says "please" and "thank you" always

5. says uh huh when I ask if she understands (no she doesn't all the time, but it is cute)

6. eats with a fork and spoon

7. still can't decide on left or right hand

8. knows after she goes to the bathroom but is still not concerned and always waits for the fresh diaper before going number 2! (maybe potty training soon)

9. loves to color and only uses one crayon at a time

10.knows all motions to Wheels on the Bus, Itsy Bitsy Spider, Mr Knicker Bocker, and more...

11. loves to look at pictures of herself, calls herself "Evie"

12. is obsessed with shoes, still

13. cries uncontrollably when she has to leave Papa or other grandparents

14. adores her dog

15. started liking Mickey Mouse (Disney World here we come)

16. squeals with delight at playing hide-n-seek and ring aroudn the rosie

17. loves all vegetables but broccoli

18. very independent and knows what she wants (aka: pitching fits):)

So, for these eighteen things I am very grateful, because it means I have a growing, healthy, happy daughter. Eva, I love you!

Fall

Last week we got to take Eva to Boo at the Zoo and the Grand Ole Pumpkin Patch. She had a GREAT time. We went to Boo with our cousins Molly and Shelby. We borrowed Molly's flower costume last year, but I think next year we may try to coordinate. Molly is exactly one year older than Eva and Shelby is two years older than Molly. They were coordinating in their pink and black.

This is after the carousel. She did not like it! We did not even move, but she was terrified!

Eva found another little ladybug to dance with while waiting for the hayride!

Petting the goats. She wasn't scared of all the animals.

Hold Shelby's hand. Too cute!

On Saturday, we went to the pumpkin patch in Clanton. It was soooo much fun. We got to see more animals, ride a wagon, take cute pictures, go inside teepees and smells sunflowers! Eva had a ball! And... picked out her pumpkins!

who can resist the cheesy, sniff the flower pic?

just being precious.

picking out my pumpkins!

my little indian!


All my pumpkins! Which one?

Because I never post and I just loaded all my pictures!

What have we been up to? Everything. Eva is into everything, saying everything, laughing about everything, grabbing everything, eating everything and kissing everything.
Since we got past our first month of being back in school, Eva has been so much fun. That first month, she had a hard time adjusting and was fussing a lot. Now, we are settled in and she is sooooo sweet and funny and cute. I will wait until next month, since I missed the 17 month mark, to post her favorite things. It is going too fast; I do know that. Almost 18 months is just impossible.

This past month, we have gotten to go back to the beach, to an Alabama football game, our church fall festival, and OUTSIDE. (I will say that favorite) I know it hasn't rained in Alabama in forever, but I do not know what this little girl would think. Would she still run outside in the rain? She is obsessed. She also loves to swing. We cannot go on a walk anymore with her seeing the many child swings hanging in our neighborhood. She sees it and whines,"swinnnn." She doesn't quite get the g in there yet.

On the talking note, I am amazed daily at what she knows. Everyday she sees something I don't even know she recognizes and she calls it by name. She anticipates places and people all the time. Is this good you ask? Well, it is getting more difficult for Mommy to leave the room for anything, but I secretly love it. Is that bad?
I have tons of pictures to share. Some are of things we have done, others are of some photo shoots. Enjoy, as I rarely post, so I save up tons of pics and load them all at once!

eating with a fork!

fall photo shoot

Hey Y'all, from the beach

My obsession, really it is all hers. She sees a bow and wants it in her hair. I have to hide them from her or she will look like this all the time? What have I done?

See? A different day entirely!


my favorite spot, with my bestest friend!

she loves it, really!

most recent photo shoot! Church today. This is what I get.