Fun times!

This past week was a big week for us.  I decided to take Evelyn to visit KY by myself.  I was so nervous about driving there without Pat, but I really wanted to the chance to catch up with some friends before I go back to work in a few weeks.  I didn't need to worry because Evelyn was good as gold on the drive there and slept the whole time.  On Wednesday, Evelyn got to see T&W Printing for the first time.  I know that she was very impressed by it all... and she loved getting to see her Pops too!  We visited GiGi Mitchell and Great-Aunt Carolyn and had lots of fun playing with them.  Later that day, Evelyn and I went on a walk with Kiki and stopped to get ice cream.  Yum!  Evie is looking forward to the day that she can actually eat ice cream.  Pops can't wait until she can try some...I think he'd give her a taste now if I let him!  On Thursday, Evie and I went to Sawyer Point to meet Mommy's friend Julie.  We had such a wonderful day!  We walked around the parks enjoying the views and the breeze.  We made our way past stadiums and downtown to Fountain Square.  We had lunch and cooled off in the air conditioning.  We stopped for some quick shopping and a yummy treat from Starbucks.  Then we met up with Mommy's friend Bridget on the way back.  Through it all, Evelyn was such a good girl!  She napped most of the time, but when she was awake she was very happy and smiley.  After our walk, we went to Aunt Holly's apartment for a visit.  Kiki, Pops and Uncle Adam met us there and we all went to dinner.  I'm still not completely comfortable taking Evelyn out to restaurants, but she was a perfect little lady...mostly.  We did have a messy little incident with her diaper (ew!).  This was quickly rectified and then she just sat in her seat looking around, cooing and smiling until she fell asleep.  On Friday, Evelyn and I met up with Kate and baby Meg.  We had fun hanging out at the park with them, but it was too hot to stay very long unfortunately.  We can't wait until the next time we can get together with them and play! After the park, we went to visit Great-Aunt Linda and Maria.  We loved hanging out and getting to see them (and Luci, Kevin and Great-Uncle Jerry too!).  Evelyn and I headed home on Saturday afternoon after a busy couple of days.  I wish we could have stayed even longer, but I know that Daddy was very happy to have his baby girl back!   

We enjoyed just spending time together as a family this weekend.  We got some yard work done and had a pizza party on Saturday.  We woke up to sweet smiles and cooing from Evelyn on Sunday.  She is such a happy girl in the morning!  Aunt Shannon came to see Evelyn on Sunday.  Evie enjoyed playing with her auntie! 

May 28th was an extra special day for us because it Memorial Day this year and it was also Pat's birthday!  We decided to go out to breakfast and then just spend the day relaxing and hanging out together per Pat's request.  

Here are a few pics of Evelyn over the past week or so....

visiting Daddy's favorite garden shop and greenhouse

making faces :)

loving her bath!

modeling a new summer outfit

relaxing with Daddy

playing with her toys

hanging out with Mama outside

happy baby!

  

Picture update

Not much to say in this post.  I just wanted to share some pictures.  Evelyn changes so much everyday and I can't stop snapping photos.  I know that it's impossible to capture every moment of her life, but I can try!  When I'm not taking her picture, I'm busy kissing Evie's chubby little cheeks and giving her as many snuggles as I can.  I love my baby girl!

Perfect cheeks for kissing

Help Mama!  My cheeks are about to pop!

So sleepy :)

Modeling an outfit from Aunt Shannon.  She was a in a serious mood.

Evelyn has discovered her hands and she LOVES to chew on them!

I'm getting big!

Pretty girl.  I love dressing her up in sundresses now that the weather is getting hot.

Believe it or not, she was so happy here.  She was cooing and chewing on her hands while she watched the lights on the swing.  I couldn't resist getting a picture before I sat her back up.

WIDE awake at 12:30am.

2 Months!

My little sweetpea is 2 months old!  She weighs 12 and a half pounds and is 23.5 inches long.  According the the nurse, she weighs just what she should for her height.  She's perfectly proportioned!  She's really started smiling.  I can just talk to her or smile at her, and she will break out a grin.  I love it!  She is 'talking' and cooing now too.  She's watching and staring at everything, and has started following things with her eyes.  She still loves music and she loves when we sing to her.  She is so busy! When we lay her on a blanket on the floor, she kicks her legs like crazy and waves her arms.  I can't believe how fast she is growing and changing!!

Mother's Day

Mother's Day. Two words that convey so much meaning, especially for me this year.  This was the first year that I got to celebrate the amazing woman that is my mother and also be thankful for the wonderful blessing of being a mother myself.  This year, when I thanked my mom for what she does and has done for me, I did so with new understanding of just what it means to actually BE a mother.  I know that I only have 8 weeks (plus the 9 months before that) of being a mom, but I have learned a few things about what being a mom is...
Being a mom means doing all that you can to ensure that your child makes it safely into this world. It means kisses, hugs and sweet cuddles with your little one.  It means that even if you can't physically be with your child, they are still constantly on your mind and in your heart.  It means being selfless and putting the needs of your child before your own needs.  It means wanting to hold your baby tightly in your arms to protect them, while knowing that you have to step back and allow them to be their own person.  It's being so happy and proud when your child grows and does something new, while also feeling a little sad that it is all happening so fast.  It is accepting that you will make mistakes, while still trying to be the best person, the best role model, the best parent that you can be. 
I am learning new things everyday about what it means to be a mother, but there is one thing that I know for certain - being a mother is not easy.  I'm lucky to have my awesome mom to give me guidance.  Things may not have always been easy and our mother-daughter relationship may have had some rocky moments, but we are very close and she's taught me so many things.  She has supported her kids, even when she's disagreed with the decisions that we've made.  She shown her children that nothing that we could do or say will ever make her stop loving us. She's sacrificed her own happiness so that her children could be happy.  She's been our cook, maid, teacher, nurse and chauffeur.  She's shown us how to be thoughtful and caring, and to think of others before ourselves.  She's shown me what it means to be a mom and I hope to be as good a mother to Evelyn as my mom is to me.

I got to spend this Mother's Day weekend with my family in KY and I'm so grateful for that.  Evie got spoiled rotten as usual - everyone wanted to hold her!  I also got to have night out with my husband - the first time since Evelyn was born. It was such a treat to get to have dinner in a restaurant and to not have to eat my food as fast as possible just in case the baby started screaming.  I was very grateful that Evie's Great-Aunt Carolyn and G.G. Mitchell volunteered to babysit.  I missed Evelyn, but Pat & I really needed a few hours for us.  Mother's Day was wonderful.  My dad, Shannon and Adam cooked brunch and we all sat down to eat together as a family.  I also got to see my grandma and most importantly, I got tons of snuggles from my baby girl.  It was a wonderful weekend - I am blessed!

Derby Baby

We've been having lots of fun lately and Evelyn has gotten the chance to spend time with lots of people that love her.  She's a pretty good traveler and has already been to Kentucky twice.  She does great and I know that she loves to spend time at Pops and Kiki's house.  She gets totally spoiled and every one loves to hold her.  We'll be visiting again soon and we can't wait!!

Nice outfit Aunt Holly!

This past weekend Evie got to celebrate her first Derby Day!  She was Mama's lucky charm - the horse that I bet on won the Derby!

Ready for the Derby!

Pops, Kiki and Uncle Adam came to visit and brought the party with them.  We actually had a Cinco de Mayo / Derby Party!  We had burgoo, Derby pie, taco dip, tortilla chips and margaritas and mint juleps.  My mom also brought so many other yummy snacks.  It was all delicious and we totally stuffed ourselves!  After eating, Adam and Pat went to a concert and Evelyn and I hung out with my parents.  Kiki and Pops took turns holding Evie and giving her lots of hugs and kisses.  It was so fun to hang out with them and we were very sorry to see them go the next day. 

Snoozing with Pops

I love Kiki's singing!

Making faces at Uncle Adam

So sleepy!  Mama loves when I snuggle with her.