Into everything . . .

Evie is into EVERYTHING! I have to watch her every second since I have not baby-proofed yet. She pulls books of the shelves, pulls up on the coffee table and follows me from room to room. It's amazing how quickly she has become mobile.

We went to the DMV this morning to get a new license. I put it off as long as possible but it was time. We were there for an hour and Evie did great until it was time for me to take my picture. She was a little concerned about why they did not want her in the picture!

We came home for Evie's nap. I straightened more cabinets and looked for houses in Nashville. After nap, we went for a walk and to the park. Evie made a new friend, Chandler. He is in the fourth grade and he sat next to us on the swings. He said,"Wow, she is really cute." So of course, Chandler and I hit it off right away. He pushed Evie on the swing and wanted to take her down the slide. It was really sweet. I told Carl we need a neighborhood park with our next house. It's such a great way to meet people. I met another little girl, Gracie, who had on the same outfit as Evie. Gracie is getting a little sister soon so her mom wanted her to see Evie.

We ran into Alicia on the way home. They were having the walk-through on their house. Tonight is their last night in the neighborhood and Alicia is coming to spend the night with us. Mike is staying on the air-mattress with the dogs. They leave in the morning to move to Atlanta. Carl and I are excited that they are at least moving somewhere that we go since we have family in Atlanta.

Fall is Fun!

It has been the most beautiful day! WOW - I love fall except it means winter is on it's way! Evie took a super long nap this morning and I had to wake her to leave the house. We had a showing so that takes priority over naps. Evie and I headed to Target. We found some of her favorite pacifiers.

Funny Story: I have thought Evie took the Nuk for several months even bought her the Nuk bottle. I bought her some Nuk pacifiers before we went to Kiawah and she refused them. It popped right out every time that I put it in her mouth. We are flying back to Nashville and our pacifer stash is getting low. We only had three so I finally got smart and decided to look on my registry. It was not the Nuk. Evie has been using the Ortho- Pro the whole time. Maybe I should try an Ortho-Pro bottle. Although, we have tried so many bottles and she is getting good with her sippy. This is the perfect example of what lack of sleep does to a new mommy!

After our pacifer run, we went to Birkdale. It was so nice to walk around and enjoy the day. Then we went to Gymboree to see Evie's friends and Ms. Beth. I used to be a teacher but now as a mom I can really see that a great teacher makes all the difference! Gymboree is a chain and the curriculum is written at corporate so they should all be similar. We had a great time and I learned some new things to do with Evie. It was good to see everyone and how much the babies have grown. I was a little sad to see all the new mommies coming in for Level 1.

Evie was ready for her nap and then my friend Jessica from Lake Norman Elementary came over for a playdate with her daughter, Khloe. I remember holding Khloe when she was just a few days old and now she is 14 months. Time goes way too fast! It was good to see them both. Khloe is walking all over the place. I made some pumpkin dip and it was so yummy.

Pumpkin Dip:

1 can of pumpkin

1 box of Jello Pudding Cheesecake flavor

1 smaller container of Cool-whip

Serve on Anna's Ginger-thins!

After our friends left, we went to the park with Paisley and Allison. It was such a beautiful evening even a little chilly. The girls had fun together and we just chatted. A kitty even decided to come check out our sweet girls. Evie and Paisley loved the kitty and the kitty loved the stroller. We headed home for some carrots and bathtime. Bedtime is in progress. We can't decide if we are on central time or Eastern time.

On the move . . .

I cannot keep up with Evie. She is moving so fast. In Nashville, she does not have as much space and I stay in one spot a little more. Today, I was cleaning out closets and drawers in preparation for our packers; Evie was following me all over the place. I kept finding pictures of Evie from her newborn days. She has changed so much and we have too. It seems like she has been here with us forever.

Evie and I went to get my hair done this afternoon. She had so much fun crawling and playing at Jenn's house. I was so proud of her. She came home and took a long nap so I could get some things done. Evie was sad that we did not make our playgroup but we did not get finished at Jenn's in time to make it to Mooresville. Maybe next time.

Carl got back from Duncan and we did a few projects. All kinds of things happen to your house when you are not around to keep up with it. It's time for dinner and Carl cooked! So sweet - thanks, honey - you are the greatest!

Wonderful Day!

Evie was up all night! I shared a room with her and everytime I looked she was sitting up in her crib peering at me. HA! I think we might need to stop sharing a room but since she is still up at night it's easier. I put Evie down early for her nap before church and woke her at 10. She was up with a smile. I was getting nervous on the way to church about leaving her in the nursery. My mom suggested that I keep her with us. That made me more nervous but we tried it and she did GREAT! No tears or screaming and it was a LONG service. We were so proud of her!

My Godparents came to see Evie and she had fun seeing them. Evie was sad to leave her doggies. She has really taken to them and listens for their collars. It's so cute to watch her crawl towards them. One day, she might catch them.

Evie and I had so much with my parents. Evie loved all the extra attention. She had four people playing on the floor with her and two dogs. We headed back to Huntersville this afternoon in my moms car. Thanks Mom! Carl fun on his mountain weekend but was happy to be home! Evie and I were happy to see him too.

It felt weird to come in our house since we have not been here in over a month. We went to the grocery store and it felt normal. Harris Teeter has been a second home to us because it's so close by to our house. We met our sweet neighbors, Alicia and Mike, for dinner. We all walked to Arnie's. It was so yummy and great to catch up with them. I am so glad we are both moving because I think it would be harder if they were still going to be here. We cannot wait to meet Baby Boy Haber. Mike and Alicia will be wonderful parents. Evie loves them especially Alicia! Evie can teach Mike all kinds of new things. HA! He was trying to figure out her stroller tonight. The packers are coming for them tomorrow. Our street is going to be so different with new neighbors and new babies but that's life.

Evie was wiped out from her day. She has been a busy bee and such a good girl! All of our traveling has made her more go with the flow and that's important in life. It feels great to be in our house with our stuff! I never would have imagined us moving and it still makes me sad. I even got a little teary rocking Evie tonight because I just love her nursery so much but now that I am a more experienced mom - I know that those things do not really matter but it's nice to have a pretty space to call home. We love our house, friends and of course being close to our families. It's the right choice for our family to move and we have already made some great friends in Nashville. We just wish it was not so far away!

Rainy Day!

We made it to North Carolina yesterday. Our trip went well though Evie sleeps less each time. She slept for two hours yesterday but did not cry until we left Black Mountain. I think she missed her Daddy because she kept saying DaDa over and over. Concidence, maybe but it makes a sweet story! Thank you Nana for picking us up.

Evie slept pretty well last night and is having so much fun. We went to a consignment sale this morning and got lots of cool stuff. I got Evie five toys and 3 outfits for $21. You can't beat that. It was half-price day. Usually, I do not go to half-price day but since the sale was only from 6-9 last night there were still lots of items this morning. Evie took a long nap once we got back.

When she woke up, we all went to Black's Barbecue. YUMMY! I used to babysit for the Black children and now the oldest is in college. Time sure goes fast! Evie had so much fun at lunch eating puffs and playing with straws. She is doing so much better with others holding her. Maybe she knows she can get away if neccesary since she can crawl. HA!

Evie is sleeping and then we will go visit her Great-Grandmother. Daddy is having fun with his friends in the mountains but it's rainy there too. Does the sun ever shine anymore?

Birthday Parties and Best Friends!

We had the busiest day ever! Evie took a morning nap and had a snack at the house. Then we headed to Murfreesboro about 11:00 for Abigail's birthday party. It was so much fun. The first year of life is full of changes and Abby looks like a little girl now. Maura made a delicious lunch for everyone. She served tortilla soup, salad, sandwiches, and fruit salad. YUMMY! It was the best soup that I have ever had and I cannot wait to make it soon. We love soup at our house and this will become one of our favorites. Abby got lots of fun presents. It was so fun to see all the children playing together. Evie did great and played with the kids without me for a good while. Abby and Evie are so cute together now that they can really interact with each other. We hope to get together soon for a trip to the zoo.

After the party, we headed to the Opry Land hotel to meet my dear friend Krystal. She is in town for the MOPS convention and it was good to see her! Krystal was my roommate at the Theta house at the College of Charleston and we have remained really good friends. We even had the same due dates with our girls and then they were both born on January 16. I cannot wait to meet her daughter, Peyton. Evie really enjoyed meeting Krystal and let her hold her a lot. She showed off her crawling skills and ate some puffs. It was a quick visit but it was wonderful to see Krystal. We always get together whenever we can because life gets in the way. Richmond is really far from Nashville but everything is far from us. Krystal is the kind of friend that everyone needs. She is patient, friendly and logical. Krystal has helped me so much as I transitioned into being a mom. Not sure what I would do without her!

Evie slept all the way home and was ready to play. She was absolutely fabulous today! One of her best days yet. She was so happy to be with the other kids and loved meeting Krystal. I am so proud of her and we had such a fun day together. She gets sweeter and cuter every day! I am so lucky to be her mommy! Tomorrow we head to North Carolina to see Ipop, Nana and Uncle Ben - let's hope for another great day! I LOVE Evie's smocked turtle outfit. My sweet friend, Susan, brought it to the hospital when she came to meet Evie. She gets tons of compliments every time she wears it. Someone even asked me if I made it today. HA! My mom and I were talking about how when I first got it that it seemed so BIG. Now it fits her perfectly. She's getting so big! My advice is if you have a friend who is getting a baby. Do not buy them clothes unless you know them REALLY well or you get it in a 6 month or older size. Everyone thinks they will pick out the cutest outfit ever but the reality is that babies have bigger wardrobes than most adults. Evie was lucky enough to get LOTS of beautiful clothes and some practical clothes when she was born. I have friends who have Tupperwares full of clothes that their babies never even wore. Just something to think about!

Friends are fun!

Evie and I went to playgroup this morning at Amanda and Logan's house. It was so fun to see all the babies. One little boy, William, was walking around and his mom was running around after him. My life is going to get harder instead of easier for awhile. Evie loves to be around other people her size. She was very interested in Cassidy today. Evie also tried to take someones sippy cup. She must not remember that she has lots of her very own sippy cups! It was a rainy drive home.

Evie is fascinated with bags. She likes to play with the handles and take things in and out. You can see that she thinks her diaper bag is really cool. Evie had lunch and then took her nap. She was worn out from playing so hard so I got lots of things done. After her nap, we went to Open Gym at Gymboree. It was fun to play. There were two other children there so it was nice to chat with their parents. Then a whole bunch of preschoolers came in and it got kinda crazy so we left. Evie did not like the tunnel today. She kept crawling back to me every time I would try to get her to crawl into the tunnel. Maybe she will like it again the next time.

Carl had a conference call at 5 so we went to the grocery store and to get some gas. It's easier for him to concentrate when Evie is not in the area. We are so excited tomorrow is going to be an exciting day for us!

Cousins!

Evie loves her cousins, Mary and Lucy! She lets them hold her and play with her. She thinks they are really sweet. These pictures are of Evie with Mary in Atlanta. Lucy was there too but somehow I did not capture her in any pictures. Can't wait to see my two favorite nieces again soon.

Falling into Fall!

Evie and I ran a few errands this morning. She went with me to get my eyebrows done and she did so great. Margo does my brows and she is pretty out there but she noticed Evie's Lilly dress. My mom bought it for her last year before she was even born and now it fits her! Margo does not look like a Lilly lover but maybe she appreciates them. We went to Whole Foods to get a few things and in honor of the new season I bought some cookies. They are fabulous! Imagine a soft sugar cookie coated in frosting with sugar sprinkles in the shape of pumpkins and leaves. We were happy to learn that they are all natural and do not have chemicals in them. That's a good thing because I have had at least 6 today.

Evie had her Gymboree class today. She had so much fun crawling around. Evie crawled through her first tunnel. She loved it and spent most of the class hanging out in the tunnel. Evie did not like the parachute today - maybe next time. There was only one other baby there so I am a little worried that they will shut down like Little Gym. Evie's teacher, Ms. Michelle, told me that there are a lot of kids signed up but they do not come. That seems like a waste of money! After class, Evie wanted to go to the park so we went to swing and play on the jumpy bug. It was such a beautiful day! Evie loves the outdoors.

Carl was here when we got back so then we went on a family walk. Evie picked a leaf off the poplar tree. She did not want to let it go. Guess what she did with it - you are right she put in her mouth. I was so worried because she was choking. All I could remember was that it's good for them to be making noise or crying because you know they can breathe. Evie was turning red and not making any noise. I turned her over and whacked her on the back a few times. She coughed up the leaf and felt much better. It was not fun! Carl said he was too shocked to do anything so he was just standing there. My mommy radar swooped in and Evie is fine. I have taken a few infant and child safety classes over the years but my certification is not current. I need to get some more information on what to do so I will be more prepared next time it happens. My advice is if you are pregnant go take a class. You have more time now than you will for a LONG time.

Biscuit and a Boo Boo

Evie has been catching up on her sleep today! Two naps that were 2.5 hours. YAY! I finally got everything put away. It was so nice to have a washer and dryer at Kiawah. All the clothes came home clean and that is so much easier than a pile of dirty laundry! Next time we will not take so much stuff since we wore the same things over and over!

Evie went to meet Biscuit today at Barnes and Noble. She was not very impressed. There were so many kids there and she was much more interested in them. She did not want Biscuit to hold her which was fine with me since he did not seem to have good balance. Evie had a great time playing. We even saw one of the moms from our visit to My Gym. I spent the whole storytime trying to figure out where I know here from and then it dawned on me. She's the crazy lady that got in a fight with her husband at our trial class. FUNNY!

We headed to the toy store next. Strollers were not allowed in there during the summer so I carried her in but found out that they are allowed now. Franklin is a little touristy in the downtown area and I guess strollers take up too much room. Evie picked out a present for her friend Abigail. We can't tell what it is because Abigail might be reading the blog with her mommy!

I took Evie to the doctor this afternoon because she has scratched her ear so much that it was bleeding. I felt like she was okay but decided to be extra cautious. I do not think the pediatrician was too happy to see us. Carl said why does he care if we are there or not as long as he is getting paid. Evie is fine but she did scream really good for the doctor! She even decided to turn bright red and little dots developed on her face. Evie weighs 18 pounds and the doctor said she looked perfect. We already knew that! He said that he will probably see me again before her 9 month appointment. That annoyed me. Lindsay's mom who works for an ENT doctor said that it was good that I took her in and that her office would have advised me to bring her to be checked. That made me feel better. It looks like Evie might need a new doctor.

Evie was so happy to see her Daddy. We went on a walk and met a nice lady who thought Evie was really cute. Evie went right to sleep without screaming, sitting up in the crib or standing in the crib! Let's hope she makes it past 10. Last night, right when we were going to bed - she woke up but she went back to sleep until 4. She woke up for the day at 7:45. I am looking forward to taking Evie to Gymboree tomorrow since she is crawling so fast now. It should be a lot of fun!

Traveled Out!

We finally made it back to Nashville and we are exhausted! 600 miles is a really long way. Not sure what made us decide to drive from Charleston to Nashville in one day with an 8 month old! YIKES! It was a long day but I know we will be so glad to be here in the morning. Kurt and Lollie offered multiple times for us to stay with them in Atlanta. They were so sweet to do that and we would have loved to see Lucy and Mary.

It was sad to leave the beach. Evie wanted to stay and play but we headed to see cousins! Russell had a soccer game so we met at the game to catch Elissa and Taylor! I am thrilled that Taylor and Evie finally met. Taylor is so cute and Evie loved meeting her. Ellie, Russell's sister, was so sweet with the girls. She likes her mom to hold babies. CUTE! Evie let everyone hold her and was having a great time. I am so glad Aunt Anne got to meet Evie. She introduced me to Carl so without her there would be no Evie. She's a pretty important part of our story! We need to plan another trip to Charleston and wish we lived closer to everyone.

Evie was exhausted and slept for 3 hours straight in the car! She did really good until we got to Chattanooga then she decided that she had enough traveling. We stopped several times and I hopped back there with her. She was not having fun anymore! Finally, she went to sleep for about 30 minutes. She was so excited to get to our house so she could crawl. It was fun to watch her. I tried putting her to bed and she spent about 30 minutes screaming and sitting up in her crib. We brought her out with us for a little bit and then I tried again. She cried some more when I put her back in the crib but finally went to sleep. It's a good thing she is so cute because we are ready for bed. It's been a long day!

Friday is already here!

It was a little rainy this morning but the showers faded into a beautiful day! Evie took a 2.5 hour nap so we finally woke her. My Dad and Carl went on a bike ride and my Mom and I hung out at the house. I tried to rest a little because Evie was up for a long time in the night so that was exhausting!

We hit the beach after lunch. Evie had a little photo shoot and we played in the sand with her. My parents left after our beach trip. We went to Freshfield's to shop around a little. Each of us got a souvenir, Carl got a pair of shorts, Evie got a Lilly dress and I got a linen picture frame. Evie's dress was a great deal and will look so cute next summer. I would have bought her more but they only had one in her size that I liked. We rode around a little after our shopping expedition because Evie was exhausted. She slept and we looked around. We are so sad to leave Kiawah. It's so beautiful here and we have had such a wonderful vacation.

We came home and went on a bike ride with Evie. It's so cute to see her riding in the infant seat. She loves it and it's faster than the stroller. We watched a pretty sunset down at the dock.

We are all packed up and ready to go in the morning! We brought way too much. You will see in our pics that we wore the same clothes most of the week. A washer and dryer is great to have on a beach vacation. Evie wore her new outfit from her Sheshe and Poppy a lot. She just got in on Sunday so we have to get a lot of wear out of it in the next week or two. Carl says that fall comes early in Nashville.

We are already looking forward to next year but we might need a beach closer to Nashville.

50% Chance of Rain, 100% Chance of Smiles

We had a great day today. Lunch was at Rosebank Farms Cafe at Bohicket Marina. We all had fried shrimp except my Mom had grilled Mahi-Mahi. YUMMY! It was delicious! After lunch, we went to get Evie a stuffed turtle. She likes it but not as much as she loves ice-cream. That kid was really interested in my ice-cream - I gave her a few licks and she was so thrilled! Can't wait to see her with her own cone. Just so you know she prefers Pralines and Cream.

We came home and walked the LONG way to the beach to get Evie to sleep. I am so happy that we were able to get a shot of Evie sleeping on the beach. She was exhausted! She had so much fun on the beach. Give that girl a hole and she is happy as can be. It's so cute to see her crawling everywhere. She's getting faster every day. We love to watch her! It was a chance of showers today so we were glad that we could hit the beach.

After the beach, we hit the pool. It felt great. Evie loves the water. Evie has been busy playing with all of her toys. She got two new ones from her grandparents this week. She got a cute little snail and some cool nesting blocks. Evie has had so much fun.

Carl and I just got back from our second date! We went to Shrimper's. It was good and so nice to have another date. Thanks Nana and Ipop for babysitting Evie. Our server was from Jamaica so we had fun talking with him. He comes every year for a few months to work at Kiawah. Carl and I really enjoyed chatting with him.

Candice called to tell me that she is having a little boy! We are so excited for her and Carl. What exciting news! Evie will have a new friend to play with early next year. Carl and I were pretty sure that Evie was a girl from the beginning and feel like we will have another girl one day. Girls seem to run in Carl's family! We will be happy with another daughter or a son. We just hope to have another healthy baby! Congratulations to Candice and Carl! We are so happy for you and cannot wait to meet your precious baby boy. Evie and I are looking forward to our trip to Raleigh to see you in a few weeks.

Carl is planning to capture some video of our little beach bum tomorrow. She has so much fun playing in the sand, eating the sand, and checking out the waves. We have so much fun with her this week. I am sure we will always remember our first vacation with Evie as a special time that we shared with her grandparents.

Ipop and Nana made it to Kiawah!

We are relaxing while Evie naps. She is taking the longest nap of the week right now. She has decided that she likes to sleep again. We are so happy!

Nana and Ipop enjoyed watching Evie play on the beach. Carl dug her a large hole to play in on the beach. She is still eating sand and loving the waves.

We grilled some chicken for dinner last night and hung out around the cottage. There is a pretty good chance of rain today so we are trying to decide about the beach. Tough decisions here at the beach!

Carl and I just went on ride in my Dad's convertible. We tried to go to the ocean course but did not make it through the gate. Carl and his Dad were able to make it through the gate.

Happy 8 months, Evie!

We cannot believe our baby girl is 8 months old! Where does the time go? She is so sweet and happy! Evie has brought our family so much joy and we are having so much fun with her.

Evie Facts:

She wears a 2/3 diaper and weighs about 18 pounds - not exactly sure about that.

She is still super long and we get lots of comments about her height.

Her clothes are 6-12 months.

She crawls more every day and is really getting fast.

Evie loves to eat puffs in her highchair and will keep her occupied for a good 20 minutes.

Evie eats between 3-6 jars of babyfood per day! She is a BIG eater like her parents.

Her favorite is carrots but she does care for meats in a jar. She gags and gets upset.

Evie also likes apples, pears and bananas mixed in her cereal.

Evie cries to get her Daddy's banana and then will take a little nibble.

Evie tries really hard to drink out of her sippy cup.

She nurses 4-5 times per day.

She is sleeping much better and is usually only up once per night - until vacation.

Evie goes to bed about 6:30 and wakes up about 7:30.

She takes two naps a day. One about 8:30 and one about 12:30. Her morning nap is usually about an hour or so and her afternoon nap is two hours.

Evie loves to swim and play outside.

Evie does not like to be away from her parents.

She plays really well with her toys and loves to play blocks.

Evie likes children and will study them intensely before trying to grab their hair or paci.

Luckily for us, Evie enjoys long car rides. She will sleep for some of the time and then plays with her toys.

We look forward to seeing Evie grow and change but wish we could stop time to enjoy her more right now. She still cuddles and wants to be with us a lot. We could have never imagined what our life would be like today last year this time. It's harder than we ever thought but better than we could have ever hoped for. Evie makes everything better and we are so blessed to be her parents.

Sleep Strike

We were sad for Sheshe and Poppy to leave this morning. We had fun with them. Evie took only one nap all day! She had two little "tantrums" but other than that she has a great day. She got really mad at the beach and we had to leave but she was so tired that she did not want to go to sleep. We had so much fun at the beach with her playing in the sand. She looks so cute playing like a big girl. She finally went to sleep for about an hour. Evie has learned to get up on all fours in her crib so she thinks that is way more fun than sleeping. Carl went running and then I went to the pool during Evie's nap. I LOVE the pool here because it's a salt water pool so no yucky chlorine smell on your skin after swimming. We are going to take Evie in the morning.

Carl's friend Ben came over with his wife, Katherine and their son Hudson. Ben and Carl went to the College of Charleston together and Ben was with Carl the night we met. It was so great to see them. Their son is about a month younger than Evie. He's a chunk but a super cute chunk! Katherine and I had fun visiting and the babies enjoyed each other. Evie was a real trooper staying up way past her bedtime. She went right to sleep so we see what happens. Evie will be so excited to see her Nana and Ipop tomorrow.

Another Great Day!

Evie had so much fun again today! We went to lunch at Charleston Grill and then to the grocery store. Evie did not want to take a nap this afternoon. Carl and I walked her to the beach and she fell asleep on the way. Evie and her Daddy played in the sand. She loves the water and the sand except when the sand gets in her eyes. We went to the pool but Evie got too chilly so we came home. She's doing great considering she did not have a nap! Carl and I are going to put her to bed and then we are having a date night. Can't wait for a delicious dinner with my sweet husband.

Evie LOVES the beach!

Evie is so happy to be at Kiawah. She was a little upset this morning but going out to lunch perked her right up. Sheshe and Poppy brought her a toy and she really likes it. I think she is a little bored with her old toys. We were supposed to see Cousin Taylor but got a fever. Maybe we will see her on Saturday when we leave.

We had a great afternoon at the beach. Evie loves it and spent the afternoon playing in the sand. She was kicking like crazy in the ocean. Evie went under the water and it did not even bother her. She ate more sand than Poppy wanted her to but she seemed to think it was really tasty. We all loved seeing her play at the beach. I got a lot of mosquito bites on the walk back to the house. We took Evie to the pool and she had a grand time. Water does not bother her at all. She's a natural little fish like her Daddy.

Bedtime was super easy when Evie was so tired! We are about to enjoy some dinner now that Evie is sound asleep. Steaks off the grill - yummy!