Best Friends!

Evie's Ballerina Debut

 

 

Evie's first day of ballet was yesterday and it was a hit! She loved every second of it except the first second. I had so much fun getting her dressed in her tights, leotard and shoes. Evie looked adorable and was radiating with excitement. She was a bit concerned that her tights covered her feet. Her toenails are painted pink right now and clearly showing off her toes was at the top of her agenda. Evie lamented that "Nobody  will see my feets."

She recovered quickly from the injustice of wearing tights to ballet by chanting "I'm a ballerina girl" while practicing all of her moves. Those dance moves that Angelina Ballerina has so kindly taught over the last few months. That's what started this whole dance idea for Evie.

I have been a bit anxious about starting this whole extra-curricular activity spin cycle so early in life. Evie has asked me for months to take ballet so we decided to let her try it. Of course, I have spent more time than necessary trying to find the perfect studio with times that fit my perceived perfect time frame. Not to mention the studio that allows tights instead of socks. Because clearly tights are part of the ballerina experience.

I found the perfect place and Evie was just thrilled to be there except for the first few minutes. The dance studio was packed to the brim with tiny ballerinas, excited parents and crying siblings. It was a bit overwhelming. Evie figured it would be just fine after spotting the pink studio complete with mirrors to admire every inch of her pink clad body.

She just waltzed right in the studio ready for her leading role in The Nutcracker this fall.

Henry and I ran a few errands and then came back in time to see Evie on the closed circuit TV. It was easy to spot her with that huge pink bow. Evie was prancing around as if this was her job.

She came bounding out of the studio after class announcing to the entire waiting room, "I loved it, Mama. Dancing is so much fun." It was so cute and another one of those memories that will last a lifetime.

She was dying to go somewhere  after class to show off her ballet attire. It took us some time to agree on a destination. Evie thought the park or Monkey Joe's would be just the place while I was thinking Puffy Muffin or the library. We decided on cookies at Puffy Muffin and Evie got all the attention that she wanted from all the lunching ladies.

Evie told me that ballet class was as much fun as the beach. That's high praise coming from Evie! I'd say our first day of ballet was a success.

Weekend Wrap-up!

We had a fun weekend and not too busy which is always nice. It's been a little cool in the mornings which has reminded to get busy buying Henry some clothes.

Saturday: Henry woke up super early so Carl took over baby duty at 5:30 and I slept until 8. That Carl is a keeper. Then, Carl and Evie went to pick up some biscuits for breakfast while Henry napped. Henry woke up right as they were bringing in the Chick fil A. Henry knows better than to miss a biscuit. We went out on a few errands after breakfast. Henry's lack of clothes was our big weekend project. Carl and I checked out two stores without any luck. It was eye opening for Carl to see that the stores really cater to girls with clothing choices. Evie and I went to see Goldilocks while Carl took Henry with him next door to get new pair of running shoes. Evie and I enjoyed meeting Goldilocks. We ran into a friend so it worked out well for photography purposes plus it gave us a chance to catch up. There were only a few kids there which surprised me but that was nice not to fight the crowds. Our next stop was to pick up Evie's dance skirt. I was just going to run in the store to get it but Evie wanted all of us to go in so she could try it on. Then, we picked up our groceries and Evie wanted to go in the grocery store to show off her dance clothes since she wore the skirt after we bought it. We told her to save that idea for another day.  Carl put both kids down for a nap while I went out for some alone time which was just heavenly!  I took Evie to a spiderman birthday party and it was pretty fun. Evie entertained herself and I was able to finish a few conversations which is always nice. There were only three girls there including Evie. Stephen, the birthday boy, only permitted his three favorite girls according to his Dad.  Henry stayed home with Carl while we went to the party. They went running and played outside. Of course, they snuck a little football in too while bookmarking possible clothes for Henry. You know things like camo overalls and Patagonia warm up suits. Not really what I had in mind for sweet Hen.  We put the kids to bed and enjoyed a yummy dinner and a movie - The Five Year Engagement. It was not that great but there were some funny parts.

Sunday: Henry woke up early again. He's growing his left molar and it seems to be giving him a fit.  I woke up with him and he was not happy at all. He felt a lot better after his medicine kicked in after a few minutes. Carl left after breakfast to head to Destin for work. Lucky Duck! We have both been dreading this trip a bit because it's never fun to leave your family on a Sunday. Even for a beach trip. Anticipation of these things is always worse than the actual event. We had a great day with just a few hairy moments. We played outside, ate lunch and hung out around the house a bit. It was really fun to meet up with Maura and her girls for a trip to the Adventure Science Center. Evie and Abby had a ball together. It's amazing how much easier it is to snap their picture now than it was a few years ago. Their favorite part was the ambulance. Evie was driving quite erratically and Abby was sticking her head out the window. It seemed almost like foreshadowing of the years to come. Yikes! Victoria, Sydney and Henry kept busy there too eating lots of crackers and running off some energy. We had a little picnic and playtime when we came home. Everyone went to bed early including Mama!

Week in Review

Tuesday: Evie went to school and Henry went with me to workout and then home for a nap. We picked Evie up and came home to play a bit with our boys. Suddenly, Courtney and I noticed that it was 5:30. It's so nice to have fun neighbors to spend our afternoons with because we all know those afternoons without naps can seem long. Henry was up a million times on Tuesday night. . .

Wednesday: Which meant that Wednesday was off to a rocky start with a cranky baby and a tired Mama. Henry had a fever on his 14 month birthday so we just stayed home except for a quick trip to the grocery store. Evie was being super needy so it did not surprise me when she woke up from her nap with a fever. I put Henry to bed while Evie packed Henry's bag for school which just melted my heart. She worked so hard on putting his lunch together and making sure that he had everything on his list for school. Evie has a strong maternal instinct early in life. She stayed up with us for a bit since she had a late nap. It was a stormy night so Carl cooked our burgers inside. Surprisingly, they were delicious, which was a shock since they were cooked in a frying pan. Evie was not interested in taking her medicine again because "it was not her flavor."

Thursday: I ended up sleeping with Evie because her fever was so high. She was saying all kinds of crazy stuff in her sleep. About 1:30, I told her that she needed more medicine since her fever was getting worse. She gagged on the cherry fever reducer so then we tried grape pills. That did not work out so well either so I suggested a bath. Evie thought that was the most absurd suggestion ever made since it was the middle of the night. I was relieved when she chose to take a grape pill in exchange for a visit to Krispy Kreme the next morning. Motherhood at it's finest! Evie woke up fine but not able to go to school due to the late night fever. We took Henry to his first day of school and then went off on our girl's trip. I had been looking forward to September 6 for months since it was my first day without both kids in my house ever! Oh well, it ended up being just fine and Evie made the day fun for me. Although, I did forget to feed her breakfast before we left the house. Krispy Kreme is a supplement not the main course but it worked just fine as a treat. We love doughnuts in our family. After doughnuts, Evie and I went to select her leotard and other dance items. That was really fun, one of the top ten things I have ever done as a Mama. It felt like such a rite of passage selecting her pink leotard, shiny tights and slipping those ballet slippers on her precious little feet. It was one of those times that made me extra thankful for Evie. We ran a few errands before coming home for nap time. I was able to get so much done while she napped. Our bathtub received it's first scrub in more months than I'd like to admit but it sure is shiny now. I mopped, vacuumed, dusted and organized! Evie was still sleeping when it was time to pick up Henry so I cajoled her to the car with the promise of chocolate milk and a snack. I missed Henry and was ready to pick him up. He did just fine at school! Carl arrived home in time for a ballet demonstration by our resident ballerina. Both Evie and Henry were exhausted and went to bed early. Carl and I stayed up watching the DNC.

Friday: Everyone was fever free! Both kids were still pretty whiny and clingy so I made the executive decision to get out of the house. We headed to Shipwrecked for some playtime. Everyone had a good time and it felt good to get out of the house for a bit. All that playing has resulted in some great naps by both kiddos which is as rare as a unicorn around these parts.

Happy Weekend, y'all! See you on Sunday.

Henry's first day of School!

Henry started Mother's Day Out today. I remember being so anxious about sending Evie to school but Henry was just fine. He walked right in his classroom and allowed his teacher to pick him right up. Then, he was off to explore his new surroundings. There were no tears from Henry or me but Evie cried since she went with me to drop him off.

She worried about him all day long! "Mama, do you think Henry is scared? Does he have any friends? Will he go outside? He might not like that crib. Will the teacher leave the light on for him?"

Last night, she even packed his backpack for him and asked Carl to put some graham crackers in there for him. I love seeing her show empathy and concern for her brother. That's not always the case!

Henry's teachers are Denise and Brenda. They think the "Ms" is confusing so they skip that part. They told me that Henry probably would not nap for the first few weeks until he gets used to the routine of school. Guess, who napped the very first day? My sweet boy!

He had such a fun day at school and received an excellent report. Brenda told me that Henry is all boy and not one bit intimidated by the big kids on the playground. Big kids being the two year olds.

I thanked his teachers for taking such good care of Henry and told them how much I appreciated them. Brenda told me that she appreciated me for trusting her with my baby! She does not have children of her own and she said that was okay but not having grandchildren was the pits. Wonderful teachers make me smile and I know that Henry is going to have a blast this year. 

14 Months!

Dear Henry,

  You are 14 months old! It's been a busy month and you are learning so much as you explore your world. You are running and climbing, hoisting one chubby little leg at time up onto the hearth and maneuvering stairs. Every day, it seems like you have more to say but your vocabulary is still just a few words. That's fine, Evie talks enough for our whole family!

You love to eat and exploring the pantry is one of your very favorite activities. It's not unusual for piles of pantry items to be placed strategically throughout the house as you carry them around in your grocery cart.

You are sleeping very well! It's so easy to put you to sleep and I am so thankful for that. You just roll over with a contented little sigh and we see you about 7 the next morning. It took us awhile to get to this point but that's okay.

You are almost weaned! I am so proud of myself for nursing you exclusively for 14 months. You are having some dairy issues again which has caused us to put you on soy milk. It's helping a lot!

All parents think their children are smart and we are no different. Henry, you are a genius! You are able to turn your own sound machine off and one with your little pointer finger. It's a never-ending task to keep the TV off or on. If it's off, then you want it on and if it's on then you want it off. That little pointer finger gets lots of practice! You found a piece of chalk at Courtney's house and walked over to put it in the correct bucket on her patio. You know how to put your own shoes in the shoe bucket when we come home. Perhaps, you could teach your Daddy how to do that too. You are very obedient and listen immediately.  It's interesting to see you putting together the concept of good and bad.

We adore you and still cover you with kisses from head to toe. Evie continues to be infatuated with you but there are some days that she's just not so sure having a brother is all that fabulous. Within moments of her frustration, she's back to being the proudest big sister in town forgetting that moments early she was requesting for me to put you to sleep in your bed or that she wanted a sister instead of a brother.

You are happy to let anyone hold you but when you want your Mama  . . . you want me right that second. It took you awhile to have such a strong preference for me. However, sister feels the same way so it makes for some interesting times around our house since I only have one lap and two hands. One day, you will not want me around at all so I will take all the sticky hugs, wet kisses and grunts that need to be deciphered. I'll try to remember this when you are 16 and have no desire to even sit in the same room with me.

You are our special baby boy and we are so thankful for the privilege of being your parents. You make us happier than you could ever imagine and fill our days with joy. There's nothing like seeing your big grin as you walk over to us with open arms like you have not seen us in two weeks . . . even though it's been more like two minutes.

These are the easy days of being your parents. We know where you are at all times, you are asleep before we hit the sack and you are not being influenced by your peers. Everything is innocent and pure. It's our prayer that you will always know that we love you and will do anything for you. We are proud of you for being Henry Conrad Niemeyer. There is nothing you can do that will make us love you more and nothing that you can that will cause us to love you less. All you have to do is be yourself.

Love,

Mommy and Daddy

Labor Day Weekend Wrap -Up!

Three day weekends are the best!I wish they could all be three day weekends but then I might want four day weekends.

Saturday: It was supposed to rain which limits our weekend activities. We decided to try out the puppet show at the Downtown Nashville Library. Everyone raves about these puppet shows and now we know why! It was amazing, free and perfect for children of all ages. Henry and Evie both really enjoyed it and so did their parents. Can't wait to go back again. Be sure to check out this wonderful resource if you live in the area. After the puppet show, Henry zonked out in the car so we decided to drive over to Nolensville to Martin's Barbecue for lunch. It was not crowded at all and we had the run of the screened porch. Martin's Barbecue has been in both Southern Living and Garden & Gun which is high praise around these parts. It's worth the trip and once of our favorite places to get some BBQ. Evie took the opportunity of lunch at Martin's to play waitress with my notepad. She is really into pretending and switches back and forth easily from fantasy land to real life. It's quite entertaining to observe her constantly evolving roles. She switches from a "mailman girl" to "mermaid" seamlessly with little time for the audience to transition between her roles. After lunch, I ran in Publix to grab a few items for dinner and I kept hearing a little voice that sounds like Evie. Carl had brought the children inside because Evie was crying for me. Our quick trip turned into a fun family outing and quite a few extra items added to our buggy. Evie was so excited that Abby was coming for dinner. We love getting together with the Onello's and it's even more fun now with five kids. I love how so much has changed since Maura and I met teaching school in Charlotte in 2007 and here we are in Nashville with 5 kids between us. Life sure is an adventure! Evie was a bit of a handful without her nap but perked up after dinner and dessert.

Sunday: We had planned breakfast at Loveless Cafe and headed out about 9:30. There were so many people there that we decided that waiting two hours in the rain with two kiddos would not be the best way to spend the morning. Those biscuits are good but not that good! Carl took us the scenic route through Davidson and Williamson county which is always fun. We decided to make a quick Costco run and then headed back to Cheekwood. It's the last weekend for the tree houses exhibit. We will all miss the tree houses. Evie selected the one that she would like relocated to her backyard. We came home for naps and then had an early dinner of popcorn. Evie stayed up late with us since she took a nap. Then, Carl and I watched a movie after everyone was tucked into bed.

Monday: Evie and Carl slept late. Henry and Carl went for a jog and Evie and I had worked on some cards for her boys. She's really into drawing and spends at least an hour a day doodling with markers, crayons and paint. Henry tried out some doodling of his own but kept trying to eat the art supplies. Carl grilled hot dogs while I went to exercise. Henry and Evie were both up from their rest time by 3. I tried snapping a few pictures of Henry but he is so fast that it's hard to catch him. We went to The C's house for drinks and appetizers. Courtney made a yummy corn dip and we all enjoyed a fun evening at their house.

Hope you had a terrific Labor Day weekend!