Floor snacks.

Hello Evie, 

We're home sick today, and I am letting you eat snacks off the floor. I'm an awesome mom, don't you forget it! 

xox-mommy 

Last Night in Our Little Townhouse

Hello Evie!

Oh, I don't know how your poor mother is going to keep herself together over the next few days. You are turning ONE YEAR OLD on Sunday!! And if that isn't enough to send me into an emotional tailspin, tomorrow afternoon, we will be closing on a new house! Your daddy and I have wanted to live in the the Appleford community in Hillsboro since we were newlyweds. It is such a lovely, picture-perfect community, just like a Norman Rockwell painting. I remember the first time we rode around the neighborhood on a golf cart with the agent and thinking, "I want to raise a family here." We put our house up for sale, and after several showing and even a couple of offers, we ended up taking the house off the market and going to Ireland instead! Ha! But when I was about 3 1/2 months pregnant with you, I took a Sunday afternoon drive back through there, had a chat and another golf cart ride with the agent, and decided that nothing was going to keep our growing family from living there! 

The house went up for sale a month later, and after almost a year and half, your dad and I had to come to the realization that we simply were not going to be able to sell this home for what it is worth, and then turn around and be able to afford a house in Hillsboro. We decided to rent, and it rented within the week! (Well, technically a little longer, the Clusterflake of 2014 set us back a few days!) Anyway, at the same time the rental was happening, this foreclosure popped up in Hillsboro. Our real estate agent says in the most incredible deal he's ever been a part of. Since I'm a stay at home mom and freelancer, we can only rely on your dad's salary, and the price tag on this huge, gorgeous house was truly a steal. We've had so many frustrations and set-backs to get into the town of Helena, but it has become our town, our community. We love our church and the family we have become a part of there. All we have wanted was to physically live within Helena proper and give you the chance to grow up in an excellent school system and as a part of a community that has loved you since before you were born. 

That was a lot more long-winded than I wanted it to be, and not really the point of this blog post!

While I am over the moon that tomorrow we will own the home of our dreams–the home that you will grow up in, the only home you will ever know!–it is very bittersweet to say goodbye to our little townhouse. After all, this was our first home, and the place we brought you home to. 

It was exactly one year ago this week that I was 38 weeks pregnant and Dr. Campbell told me that you would be here as soon as the next day, February 27, but no later than Monday, March 4. I came home from my appointment that afternoon and put some of the final touches on your nursery. It was a Wednesday, and your dad was at church, but I stayed back and enjoyed what could have been my last night pregnant! I sat in the pink rocker and looked at all of the things that turned our ugly old spare room into your room, and listened to the Led Zeppelin Rock-a-Bye Baby album that your dad so giddily bought for you! I even posted pictures on Facebook because I was just so excited! We have had SO MUCH fun in that room over the last year. Like the first time we brought you in there, and I just say down in the rocker and cried, emotionally and physically exhausted but so excited that you were finally here that I didn't know what else to do! The nights that you wouldn't sleep and we stayed up with you to hold you or give you a bottle. Taking your picture every week on your pink star sheets and every month in the rocker so we can see how much you've grown. The first time you rolled over or sat up. Laying on the daybed reading books. Having tummy time on the floor as a newborn. Putting together your sweet little outfits everyday. Putting away your folded laundry–I love how it smells! Recently, you love to make your way to the stool where I keep your books and wooden toys, and pull out every single thing and play with it, especially your little xylophone! Before it was your nursery, it was just a catch-all spare room, and while it was so fun to design and Pin and create it for you, YOU are the best thing that could have gone in there. YOU completed that room, just like you completed us.

Tonight after bathtime, I put you in your jammies, and we laid on the bed and sat in the rocker, with Led Zeppelin Rock-a-Bye Baby playing, and I enjoyed the last night in their with you. I've put it off as long as I could and packed most of the rest of the house, but tomorrow I have to pack up your sweet room. And while your new room will have all of the same things and even some fun new things, and we will have years of fun and memories, there is something about saying goodbye to this one that is kind of tough. 

I love you so much, kid. Like the blue pillow on the daybed says: gosh, you are so awesome. You really are.

xox-mommy

Peekaboo

Hello Evie! 

I am so behind on updating your blog! Christmas was so fun, I have so much to write and so much to post! But for now, just had to post this hilarious series of photos I just took here at home. You love pulling up on my shoulders, it's so cute! 

And you also just threw yourself backwards and gave me a fat lip when your skull and my teeth came in contact. You crazy girl. But I love you so much!! 

xox-mommy 

10. Months. Old.

Hello Evie! 

How is it possible you are this old?! 

Earlier tonight daddy and I were driving home from watching the Sugar Bowl at the Mitchell's. We saw just a few little snow flurries. Motivated us to update our FB statuses! 

Oh I love you so much baby girl! 

(From earlier tonight. We went upstairs at the Mitchell's during the second half of the game. I sang "Soft Evie Warm Evie little Ball of Cheeks" to you, you cuddled up under my chin, and fell asleep. Couldn't ask for a better Sugar Bowl, even though Bama lost!) 

xox-mommy 

Bedtime?

It's an hour past your bedtime! You were sitting up in bed playing with Claire, and we were just in here watching TV. So I went in to get you, you got Claire, and the whole family is just hanging out. You're the only baby who could be so happy so far past your bedtime! 

And how darn cute are your new jammies that Yaya got you for Christmas?! 

Your First Halloweeen! (And First Trip to the ER...)

Hello Evie!

Well, the night never got any better. You never had a wet diaper, and as the night went on and we held you wrapped in a blanket, you were so pitiful and lifeless. Our hearts were breaking, your dad even almost started crying when he got home from church and heard you gagging and heaving! We tried to put you in your jammies and down for the night, but you threw up all of the pedialyte we had given you, so I called the nurse and said "tell them we're coming in!" 

                          

So about 11:30 last Wednesday night we rolled up into the ER at Children's Hospital. Of course you ended up having a wet diaper, but you still threw up all over me in the waiting room, so I'm glad we went in. Eventually the doctor came in and suggested you get some fluids via IV. One of the hardest thing I've had to do as a parent has been to hold my 8 month old baby while someone puts a needle in her hand. It was right up there with when I went to see you in the NICU and you were hooked up to all of those machines. Followed pretty closely by them telling me that I can only give you 1 ounce of formula when you hadn't eaten in 14 hours. After the fluids, you perked up a lot, and after smelling the sandwiches that Dad and I were eating, you starting screaming and crying, you obviously were starving. When we gave you that one ounce, you turned that bottle up like it was the last thing you'd ever be allowed to eat. When you had finished that ounce, it was just pitiful. I was crying, you were crying, Dad was cranky, it was 2:30 Halloween morning after all.

Anyway, finally we got to go home! At 3am!

Evie, your dad wanted me to tell you how much we love Halloween and how crappy you made it for us. Those were his exact words. But then followed up with "you have a cute little button nose and fluffy li'l cheeks and he loves you and me more than anything in the world." Whatever, Dad.

So we all slept late on Halloween. Dad ended up taking off the whole day. By time we were all up for the day, you were back to that sweet baby self. You and Dad went to get some groceries for the party that night, and he sent me this picture. So sweet.

Anyway, we ended up going over to Aunt Ruth and Uncle David for "our" Halloween party. Besides bringing chili we really didn't do a lot this year, which every year until this one, it was the Nichols Halloween party. Maybe next year!

So I dressed you up as your twin (your dad). It was pretty funny. And kind of weird. When I spiked up your hair and put on that shirt, all I could think was "huh, so that's what it'd look like if I had a little boy..."

So, fun night. We were tired, but it was just really special to get to have our first Halloween as a family of 3! Unfortunately, uuuuuggggghhhhh, your dad and I woke up violently ill early the next morning, and we had to send you off to Nan and Grandaddy's because we were way, waaaaaay to sick to take care of you. Even more hilariously, I ran the Warrior Dash on Saturday afternoon. A 5k with 12 muddy obstacles with nothing in my stomach except for yellow Gatorade and some animal crackers. Your mommy is a smart one. But it was worth it to get this picture of you with my helmet on:

I love you sweetie pie. I'm so sad to see you sick, it was terrible, but there is no one else I'd rather catch a debilitating stomach bug from you than you!!

xox-mommy