Let the Construction begin...

Yesterday the construction crew started the repairs.   I can't believe it's finally starting nearly 5 months following the fire.   I am just so glad that there is an end in sight.   Of course there have been a few (to say the least) glitches along the way.   From the tile being discontinued to our hotel room issues, it feels like we've been under construction for a month.   Luckily we have had the support of our parents opening their home to Evan, Dex and I while we have been booted out of our home for the next week to week and a half.   We are hopeful that by the beginning of November all the mehem will be non existence...lol

Pumpkin Pickin' Then and Now

October 2009- Evan 7 months old

October 2010- Evan 19 months old

Last weekend Dave, Evan, Nana, Papa, Aunt Callie, Uncle Matt, Grace and I went to Goebbert's.   We had a great time despite the overwhelming crowd of people.  The weather was great, although it did seem quite odd going to the pumpkin farm in 80 degree weather and shorts...he had fun!  We went to the animal land, giraffe house, and the pumpkin patch, of course, and Dave and Grace picked out the perfect pumpkins (so perfect we didn't even take a picture of them. ;0)  Evan had such a fun time feeding the animals.   He also got a kick out of the shovels used to feed the animals.   It was funny to watch.

Glad we visited again this year...it's always a good time and a perfect way to spend a Sunday morning!

Chillin at Nana and Papa's in my cool new Elmo shirt

Apple Picking

Dave, Evan and I headed up to Wisconsin on Sunday morning after breakfast. We all embarked on our first apple picking experience together! Apple Holler was a lot of fun! Despite the large mass of people, we found some delicious apples while enjoying the sunny afternoon as a family. Evan really liked the hay ride. We sat right behind the tractor so Evan was consumed by it's functions and could care less about the beautiful scenery that surrounded us.  So...when the ride was finished...yep...without fail... E asked for more. I took a video clip...

I have to say that we got plenty of apples to last us at least a month.  I wish I'd make the time to bake or cook something with them. If only there were more time, yeah...right!  Here are some more pictures from our apple picking day...

First "Official" Hair Cut

Before




After






Today was a very eventful day for Evan! He had his 18 month wellness check up. He weighed in at 28 lbs and 33 inches tall. He was in the 90th percentile for weight and 75th percentile for height. He got 3 shots all of which he absolutely hated! But soon forgot after we gave him a veggie chip...surprise.surprise. the food always does the trick :)

After E's check up we went to Starbucks and then to Snippets for E's first official hair cut by a professional. No more mommy cuts for Evan. E had much fun playing with the toys while we were waiting for an available stylist. He also really really liked playing in the seats that were cars and trains. He probably could have sat there all day pretending to drive them. A lot to watch there and a video of Thomas the Tank was playing so he was in his element with all the action. Once the hair stylist put a cape on him E started to clam up. He started to fuss then fake cry. Dave and I were able to manage distracting him with the spray water bottle and his Elmo books. He ended up sitting relatively still until the electric razor came out to finish off his cut. E screamed! Oh boy was that tramatic for him as you can see in the pictures I posted.

Playing With Cars

Our Little Ball of Energy

Quite a few new changes with Evan. Not only is he getting taller he's thinning out! He's using less sign language and using more words to communicate. He's quite the little chatter box. Jeez...he's already got me beat! He has 2 more teeth, a total of 14 and there are two more ready to erupt shortly. He still loves music and is singing (well really la la la la-ing) to the music in the car or from his 2 favorite tv shows, Wiggles and Sesame Street. He really enjoys playing with anything he can put things inside, like a box or bag, walking Dexter, and reading his books. His most latest accomplishment is him feeding himself using a fork. He has become so independent in using it that he doesn't want us to come close to helping him if he is taking a long time to get the food onto the fork. As soon as we attempt to help him he makes a whiney noise telling us to back off. E's parallel play is becoming more interactive. Lots of fun to watch! E's gotten very in tune with others feelings and his. Anytime he hears or sees someone crying he signs and sad. As of late he's been signing happy. He hasn't quite grasped the angry feeling...he just screams or clenches his fists.

Evan's been having difficulty pronouncing the 'c', 'ck' sound. We have been practicing with him by placing emphasis on the sound when we say it in 'car' or 'yuck'. Hoping it will come with time.

Evan did a fantastic job these past few weeks with me going to work. He adjusted better than I did. Waking up was not as easy as I thought it would be. I didn't think a half hour earlier would have made that much of a difference...ha, was I wrong. Now that I have gotten into the swing of things (been back for a week and a half) I have gotten a better grasp on balancing out home and work life. At first I felt that I was giving all my attention to E and not giving my full effort to work. Now that I am getting back into the work groove I feel that I am better utilizing my office hours and time during E's nap and/or at night to prepare materials for my students. Hopefully as the year progresses I will have less materials to prepare and then have some time during E's nap to catch up on house chores...yea! After I get back from work, E and I play for a little bit before he goes down for his nap. After his nap we usually head to a park, play place or friend's house to burn off some energy. I have found that the errands I need to run are getting pushed to the weekend now. Oh well.

I can't believe how much F.U.N. Evan is! He is changing every day. He's always up to something and is extremely determined to get what he wants. He loves getting into things that he's not supposed to, like this past Thursday. He took the brush vacuum attachment and flushed it down the toilet. Now we have a clogged toilet... lovely :0) He also fell face first into the bath tub. Yikes! I apparently wasn't moving fast enough for him and he wanted IN like yesterday. Luckily no broken bones...just a nice black and blue goose egg on the side of his head; but that didn't seem to phase him. No matter what he's up to it is such a joy to watch and learn through his eyes. He is been loads and loads of fun that I can't imagine it getting any more fun! I love his energy and how he makes people smile and laugh.

An Angel Amongst Us

Yesterday....My morning run was not like my usual morning run. I remember thinking what a perfect, sunny and cool morning it was. When I run I usually say a prayer. So my prayer this morning was one just for my grandma Anne. For the past year she has been battling cancer. Early Tuesday morning she fell and broke her hip so I went to visit her in the hospital. It was then that I learned of how much she was suffering. It was so heartbreaking. All I could do was say prayers for her. But today in thinking of how long she has been struggling, I asked God to take her into his kingdom. It was this day that she passed away. Despite not having her here on earth with us, she is in a more peaceful place. She no longer has to endure the aches and pains, the daily struggles, the sadness, that once filled her life. Although she lived a long and plentiful life, we have the wonderful memories of her in our hearts. As much as it hurts not having her with us physically, she will forever be a wife, a mom, a friend and a grandmother. You will forever be missed... Love you Grandma!!!

A New Chapter

Well the day is finally here...I am going back to work tomorrow! It's bittersweet. So excited to go back to doing what I love...teaching, yet sad to not be with my little man in the mornings. For the past year and half, I've been all E knows during his days. As I reflect on the year I am so happy and grateful to have had the time I had at home with Evan. We have done so many things together from music to swimming to tumbling classes. We have even explored the museums, parks and local play places. We also met an amazing group of friends. I am so glad to have met them and don't know what I'd do without them. They made being a stay at home mom all the more fun!

As cliche as it sounds, I feel as if it were yesterday that I was holding our newborn baby boy. With the blink of an eye, he's become a little man! As I have said so many times (and as I imagine all parents do) I am so proud of Evan. He's naturally developed and has exceeded my expectations. It's the little moments that we share. When we sit and play, we cuddle, we explore, we sing and dance. It's the look we give one another, the unspoken love between us. These are the moments that I embrace, the moments I want to remember forever and ever. Since I will no longer be with E in all day, I will truly cherish those moments we have had and the moments that we have yet to experience with one another. As the saying goes, absence makes the heart grow fonder. With that said, I sure hope that God gives me the strength to get through the first few weeks of not being with Evan in the mornings. I know E's in good hands and will continue to thrive but I naturally find it hard not to feel guilty for going back to doing something that I love while I leave him. I hope Evan will also appreciate me more when we have our time together!

Mommy & Daddy Time

What a rejuvenating weekend! Dave and I went to Kohler Water Spa this weekend in Wisconsin. We left Friday afternoon to retreat to the most relaxing and most needed time away sans Evan. We planned it for a last get-away before I return to work part time the end of August. It was hard to leave E without shedding some tears (me that is, not Dave :0) but once we did, I was eager to start to set all worries and cares aside to embrace the time Dave and I had for one another. Once we arrived at the Carriage House (our hotel located above the water spa, we enjoyed some appetizers and drinks before dinner. We ordered room service (too tired to get dressed up and go out to eat) then headed to the relaxation pool at the water spa. How inviting and relaxing!!! We enjoyed a drink while reading and lounging on the cushioned lounge chairs alongside the waterfall. Saturday we worked out, Dave went to the range to hit some balls while I went to a yoga by the lake class and got a mani/pedi. We met up for lunch at Blackwolf lodge and after lunch relaxed in the spa for a few hours before getting ready for dinner. Right before dinner we went to the Winery had excellent wine and listened to a pianist. We had dinner at the Wisconsin Room and again went to relax for the evening at the relaxation pool before calling it a night. Sunday we ate breakfast in bed before leaving for home. As much as I enjoyed the time away with Dave, the relaxation and ease of not caring for anyone but ourselves it was beyond wonderful to see our smiling E when we got home! He had a great time with his Grandpa and Grandma. Dex, of course, had fun too! They went to the beach, Family Grounds, and for walks. E slept and ate really good and brought much joy to his grandparents during their stay!! Thanks Mom and Dad for helping to make our time away stress free!!! We are very grateful!!!

Taking a Moment

I love to stop, cuddle and breathe in Evan. His smells, his touch, his pure innocence is so peaceful. In one single moment of seeing him or thinking of him all my cares and worries disappear. Each day, I stop, I sit, and I take in all of him. I can never get enough of him. I thank God each and every day for being so blessed to have him. I cannot imagine life without him. He is such a breath of fresh air. I love what he has taught me, to be still, take in the moment, and listen to the laughs, the tears and the experiences in life. I love imagining what his future holds and all the endless possibilities it offers. Thank you Evan for being you! I love you with all my heart!

A week of many firsts

Lots of stuff happening with E...my goodness! I feel like I haven't written in months! Well Evan is continuing to amaze us. He is talking up a storm. A few people that I see during the week at our play places even made comments about him being a chatterbox. I think Dave and I may be in for it! E also walked backwards for the first time in our kitchen earlier this week. I think he was motivated to do it because I sort of had him cornered. He was in need of a serious diaper change. For those of you that don't know, E has never been a fan of diaper changes in fact he hates it so much he throws a full out crying fit every time. Tears and all...you would think he was in some serious pain by the look and sound of his outrage. Well anyhow, he so cleverly used his newly acquired skill in an attempt to escape the "diaper changing situation". Putting my proud mommy moment aside...I quickly captured him and successfully changed the diaper. E was not too happy to say the least.

Another first happened at Gymboree. Evan had been practicing walking across this green bridge for the past week or so. It's not a flat bridge rather it is an uneven bridge. Looks like a ripple if that makes sense. Well...he finally did it...without falling might I add. He was very proud, but not as proud as Mommy of course. He even got to show off his latest achievement to Daddy on Friday when Daddy tagged along with us.

This past weekend E and I went to Family Grounds Cafe on Saturday (Dave was in Wisconsin visiting his brother and golfing). For a week now I have been teaching Evan about feelings and using the sign for happy, sad, and mad and how to teach him when to say 'excuse me' and 'sorry'. While E and I were sitting in the cafe, E was munching on his snack and heard a little kid crying. He stopped, looked at the kid, then at me, and signed 'sad'. I was ecstatic!!! Now to work on his awareness of his own feelings :-)

First Family Vacation to....

Lake Geneva!!! Dave, Evan and I decided that we needed a little weekend get-away so we packed our things and headed out to Lake Geneva Sunday morning. The weather was perfect! We relaxed and enjoy our family time away together. We really didn't do a whole lot it was just nice to escape the city and our daily routine for something different. We went to lunch, check into our hotel, took a walk along the lake and Main Street with all the cute little shops. Later in the afternoon we went to a pool with water slides, sprinklers, and a zero depth walk in which was perfect for E. His favorite were the water slides. I think he would have keep going down about another hundred times if we hadn't stopped him. He was quite the ball of energy. Can't blame him for being in the car as long as we were. We decided to order dinner to our hotel since E was exhausted, as were we. And watched a movie while sipping a couple glasses of wine before we called it a night. The serenity of the evening was breathtaking. I wanted to stay in the moment and not return back to reality. So little care and worries. Well... that didn't last that long because E woke up at midnight. Not sure why he actually woke but it was challenging to get him back to sleep. We brought him into bed with us (mind you this is something we haven't done since E was 6 weeks old). That didn't work out that easily. E was up for about an hour and a half. Dave finally got him to sleep and we were able to squeeze in about 4 more hours of sleep. After rising from our semi-rested night, we headed to breakfast, the park, Starbucks and the Geneva boat cruise. It was interesting! We never realized how many Chicago dwellers actually own homes along the lake in Geneva. E enjoyed looking at the water, climbing up and down the stairs (we sat on the top of the double decker boat), sitting in the chair, and saying hi and bye to a little boy that must have been about 2 years older than him. It was sad to have to leave but I am glad that we took the time to enjoy some relaxing family time. I, of course, took lots of pictures and videos that captured some of our best and favorite moments of our Geneva get-away.

Elvis Impersonator

More Words...More Tricks...More F.U.N.

In addition to Evan's new dance moves...lol...E has added more words to his vocabulary including park, car, stick, brush, chair, turkey, chicken, sleep, blankie, and beans. There are more that at the moment I cannot think of and I always try to remind myself to write them down as soon as I can, then I forgot. Mommy brain at it's best ;0) Although he continues to repeat almost all words that we use in isolation...it's fascinating how much they learn and absorb!!!

E can climb onto the kitchen chair and as you already know, on top of his toys...OY!!! Not good! He's also walking on the balance beam and jumping off a 3 foot platform at Gymboree. I am astonished at how physically daring Evan is. I hope he can channel it in the right direction.

We watched one of Evan's friends, William, on Tuesday and I captured a sweet moment that I thought I'd post a picture. I LOVE it!!! They are incredibly cute together. I love how they play, both together and parallel. They definitely find ways to entertain!

Oh, the most recent thing that he learned from Dave and his race cars toy is priceless. I will have to take a video of it to show everyone. I still am humored by what he says. It's a line from Toy Story. No, Evan hasn't watched the movie but he has a Toy Story 3 race car speed track that says a line that one of the characters, Buzz Lightyear, says from the movie, "To infinity ...and beyond!". Well Dave often when they are playing recites it with emphasis on "and BEYOND!". He says it with the pizzazz that Buzz does in the movie. So anyhow, E laughs at it and tells Dave to do more of it. Well little E must have liked it sooo much that he decided to join in. So Dave says "To infinity..." and E finishes the saying "...and BEYOND!". It's hysterical!!! I will post as soon as I get a video of it. Stay tuned...

Juggling Act

Leaving my little man

For the past two Thursday's I have left Evan in the care of Sara, our sitter. She is lovely and E just adores her. Today was by far the hardest for me. Reality set in when I realized that I will not see E in the morning before I go to work. Unlike last Thursday, today I went to Bally's in Schaumburg to workout before heading into work. My goal was to run through a day as I would when I go back to work in August (5-11a). Well...I am glad to say the day went super quickly although I did find myself sad and thinking about Evan because I was not able to see E's smile this morning. Fortunately, Evan was happy when I came home and didn't seem phased by me not being with him in the morning...sigh. I am hoping that the transition, come August, when I go to work everyday, will gradually become less difficult (for me). I surely am going to miss my little man more than he knows!

You're In Our Hearts and Minds Pastor Bill

I am still in shock over the passing of our church's pastor, Pastor Bill. I find it all so surreal how sudden it was. So many questions swarm my mind as they often do when people pass on...why did he have to die and how is his surviving family managing to survive. I can only imagine the pain and sadness they are enduring now. Today as I usually do during Evan's nap, I scrapped, although, today was different. I began taking out Evan's 13 month pictures and decided which pictures I wanted to put into his album and I came across Evan's baptism. Some of the pictures were of Pastor Bill and our family. Wow...I couldn't contain my emotions. Tears filled my eyes. Not tears of sadness but rather of joy in knowing the lives he touched and he is now in our Father's heavenly kingdom, watching over us. I felt a peace at that moment when I stared into his eyes. His eyes were filled with happiness, memories, and life. He lived. He inspired. He loved. Pastor Bill touched our lives in more ways than he probably knew. We are forever grateful to have met and known him. You will forever be missed but forever remain in our hearts and minds Pastor Bill.

Our Little Parrot

Evan is a riot! He's repeating words that he hears Dave or I say. His most recent being Jack (that's what Dave calls me), bird, tree, book, diaper, banana, dog, and papa. He's also in what I call a 'destructive phase'. E's been throwing his toys. I imagine he's doing that just to see what happens or to get a reaction out of us. For example if he throws a toy, I quickly and quietly (without saying anything) remove him from the situation, sit him down in a time out, and model how to play with his toys. After the time out I invite him to play with me and his toys. If he continues to throw his toys after the time out, I repeat the process and say we play with our toys. We don't throw them. So far it has taken one or two times of time outs and modeling. When he finds a new toy and decides to throw it I follow this 'discipline' process that I learned from the Love and Logic book.

Yesterday I found E on top of his Leap Frog play table trying to reach things off the kitchen table. He moved the play table next to the kitchen table and climbed on top. Today I found him on top of 2 storage bins trying to climb onto the daybed in our guest bedroom. He sure is a dare devil and curious little boy. If he's not climbing onto things he's trying to throw things and wrestle with anyone he sees at our play places. Luckily E's friend, Grace, is a tough cookie. E goes up to her, hugs her and then tries to wrestle her to the ground then he tries to hug or kiss her. She just resists him all the while putting up with his playfulness and love. So happy she doesn't mind!

E's been enjoying the parks. We have been trying to visit at least one new park a week. So far it doesn't seem to matter to Evan as long as he can run and climb on things. He also loves the ones with sprinklers. I took a video of E at the park. Check it out...

A perfect looonngggg holiday weekend

What a fun filled weekend Dave, Evan and I had!!! We started out the weekend at Millenium park since Dave had a half day. We took E for his first time to the fountain, the "bean" and the pavilion. E enjoyed the water and of course taking in the people and sounds everywhere he looked. Saturday we met up with some good friends for breakfast and later that afternoon celebrated my grandma's birthday. We had many laughs and shared good memories as Evan ran around the party room looking for things to climb on. Sunday was another fun day. After rising early bc of little Mr. Evan, we worked out, went to the park and enjoyed a quiet late morning/early afternoon at home before heading to our friends annual Fourth of July BBQ. As usual we had a great time! Evan was in his glory with all the kids running around, the slide and pools. Although he couldn't keep up he found himself attempting to talk with and join in on the boys fun. It was really cute to watch. After all E's energy blasting fun, Dave and I thought that he surely would be exhausted and sleep on the way home. Much to our surprise he was still up and not ready to go to sleep until well after 7p. Hmm....maybe it's the 2 molars keeping him awake?!?!?! Who knows. Monday was an excellent day to catch up...Phew! We cleaned, did laundry, and played, of course....and spent time, just the three of us (and Dexter too) close to home. Sad that the weekend had to come to an end.