Everly Joy - Newborn Hospital Photos

Now that Evie is almost 4 months old I figured I'd get around to posting her newborn hospital pics and birth announcement.  When we were at the hospital we swore we wouldn't buy the whole CD of pictures they took - just too expensive for what they were.  We settled on a couple, and I tried to push down the feeling of needing all those silly pictures.

Then the jerks emailed me when she was almost 3 months old and told me my picture library was about to expire and I had one last chance to buy.  Looking at the pictures of that tiny girl, just barely a day old, and comparing her to the roly poly girl in my arms, I was sold.  Yes, I am a sucker.

- K

Dan Patch Days

The last week has been a little crazy with no dad or nanny around, off and on.  There were some rough patches, but mostly us girls had a lot of fun together.  The weather's been nice and warm so we took advantage and played outside a lot.

Over the weekend we kept busy with a little fountain splash pad thingy, a trip to Home Goods, which was aborted about 5 minutes in (damn them and their tiny shopping carts), and of course a few obligatory Target stops.

Saturday afternoon our city had a little festival called Dan Patch Days.  The girls and I headed over to check out the petting zoo and kiddie rides.  The funny thing about kids, they're so busy being amazed by EVERYTHING that they don't even realize when something really is extraordinary - and this petting zoo was.  There were the typical goats, but then there was an alligator, kangaroos, ring tailed lemurs and a handful of other animals I've never seen before.  Lyla was equally impressed by the ring tailed lemurs as she was by the goat nibbling the marshmallow out of her hand.  Which was really, really jumping and screaming impressed.

After the zoo we headed over to the big inflatable bouncy things and Lyla straight up owned them.  We ended the night with fresh squeezed lemonade and mini donuts.  Lyla had so much fun she had a mini exhaustion meltdown, and Evie sis mostly just sweat a lot.

Ryan got back home Sunday afternoon, and we all breathed a sigh of relief that I managed to not have any toddler meltdowns of my own.  ;)

- K

Backstreet Boys

On Tuesday night we got to go on our first real date (dinner AND a show) since having Evie.  Ryan had gotten Backstreet Boys tickets from his company and we were both a little too excited.  We hit up a patio for dinner just across from the venue and I have to say that I am liking this Minnesotan spring.  It was the perfect night to sit out on a patio, and let me just say that I am very much a light weight these days.

By the time we got into the concert the Backstreet Boys had already come on stage, and my inner teenage girl totally screamed.  They were very seriously freakin' amazing.  I don't know if Ryan would cop to it, but I'm pretty sure we both said it was the best concert we'd ever been to.  I mean, not the most epic or bragworthy or anything, but for pure fun entertainment - pretty much the best ever.

They talked about being together for 21 years.  (Yes, you heard that right.)  They also talked about their babies, which made me think about MY babies, and the fact that I pretty much was a baby when all these songs came out.  Also, I think you know you're old super mature when the Backstreet Boy that seems the most happily married and talks about how inspiring his kids are (Kevin) automatically becomes the most attractive to you, and the one you used to think was the most attractive (Nick) just kind of seems like a...well, like he's trying too hard.  That's the nice way to put it anyways. ;)

And now I'll leave you with the video for the song they wrote, inspired by their children.  Because who doesn't want to watch a little Backstreet Boys on a Thursday night??

- K

Hello, June

Well, another May has come and gone.  It's always the craziest month for me because it's the end of my company's fiscal year, and was particularly crazy this year being my first month back from maternity leave.  But, somehow we all survived.  My mom and dad came into town to help for the last few days, and then we got to actually have a little fun the last couple days of their trip.

We went back to Lake Harriet for another one of those delicious lobster rolls, and because it's pretty much our favorite place ever in Minnesota.  And Ryan and I actually had our first outing without any babes since E was born.  We went to Neighbors, and it was perfectly, inappropriately hilarious.

Here's some pics from their trip.  And can you just take a look at Miss Everly in that picture with my mom?!  Those rolls are just to die for.  She's obviously in a bulking phase.  ;)

- K

Lyla Rose: My Favorite Little Two Year Old

It's been a long time since I've done an update on my little Lyla Rose.  I can hardly believe we're almost 4 months past her second birthday.  She's changing like crazy, growing and learning daily.  Each time I get a list down of all the cute things she's doing or saying the next week's come and gone and there's a whole different list to write down.

She's right in the middle of those dang terrible twos so some days are harder than others, but there's not a single night where she goes to bed and I don't look at Ryan, sigh, and say "but seriously, she's SO FUN right now".  And I'm not even being sarcastic.  She really is so fun right now.

The girl has personality for days.  I'm pretty sure she throws her hands up in the air and yells "FUN!" at the top of her lungs like 15 times a day.  Or her latest favorites, "Lyla citin!" (Lyla's exciting!...(I'm excited!)) and "That's amazin!"  :)  Her enthusiasm for every little thing is contagious.  She's obsessed with birds, the park, singing, dancing, but mostly she still loves tags.  Anything remotely silky gets an automatic thumb-in-mouth, and she even rates items' cozy factor based on tags.  "Cozy like tag" or "No cozy like tag".  Some of her favorite "tags" recently include Evie's hair, and Kevvy's and Carlos' ears.

Every day her vocabulary grows by a mile, and the conversations we're able to have now are my favorite.  She's still doing gymnastics and loving it, and getting so strong!  She's a great eater, but would live on just don-dons (donuts), choc choc (chocolate) and orange juice if we'd let her.  And while most of her peers seem to be going through a pushing/hitting/kicking phase, this girl mostly likes to hug.  Randomly and suddenly.  Which often has about the same reaction as a slap to the face.  Kill 'em with kindness is what I say.  ;)

Oh yeah, and she's still refusing to be potty trained.

Her hair's getting longer and still has those super cute curls at the end.  She's even got a killer ombre look going from last summer, which I know will fade into all blonde again this summer.  And she's getting taller and leaner by the day.  Really the only baby parts that seem to remain are her squishy cheeks and dimpled knuckles.  I might die the day those dimples go away.

She's getting to be more and more independent, which simultaneously breaks my heart and makes me so proud.  She's getting so good about playing by herself and not needing me quite so much, which is good because A) I have another baby girl to care for now too, and B) I suppose she can't always need me forever.  But then all I can think about is that song, "I want you to want me, I need you to need me...", and that's pretty much exactly how I feel.  There was a whole 2 years where I was that girl's world and to have her be letting go already...even just a little...I'd be lying if I said it didn't hurt sometimes.  But it also makes those moments when she does come running, yelling "mama!!!!" and jumps into my arms even that much sweeter.

Above all else she's turned into the very best big sister.  She's so sensitive to Evie, getting upset when she cries and running to give her a pacifier.  She's always curious about where Evie Sis is, and wants to hold her or read to her or just altogether smother her with love.  Which sometimes Evie Sis likes...and sometimes not so much.

I'm just so, so proud of her and the sweet girl she is.  Every one of my days is a million times better because she's in it.

- K

Here's some funny pictures of L and her "tags", and a really fun one from a couple weeks after Evie was born.  I had to nurse Evie and Lyla was busy throwing fits.  She got into the vaseline in the next room, and I was just happy she wasn't crying...until she walked up to me like that.  The good thing is she hasn't had to moisturize since.  ;)