Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Bunny Day!--Part 1




Our first Easter in our new home, with our baby girl and my parents and the pugs, well it was really, really nice.

As an FYI, I am missing some photos because, Colorado being Colorado, it rained on Easter Sunday and I wasn't able to take Eva's pics in her Easter dress outside. I think this weekend will be nicer so I will do it then and update in "Part 2".


We woke up,  gave Eva her Easter gift from the bunny and then we got started preparing for our brunch.

Daddy and Eva...just waking up, bit are still sleepy!

Easter goodies...Eva can't eat chocolate, but apparently she needed a big ol' duckie!
I tried to dress up the pugs...Mot didn't care, but as you can see...when I tried to put the bunny ears on Peanut, it just wasn't gonna happen. 


This was attempt #1

And attempt #2
Then my parents got here and of course, they spoiled Eva rotten with all sorts of goodies...including a handmade dress and bonnet (of which I do not have a good picture of-of course)!!


We ate and ate and ate and then we went for a nice long walk and then we watched a movie while Eva napped, but we really just fell asleep. 
My Martha Stewart table that didn't look near as cool as Martha's magazine.


Bunny napkins. 

Coconut Macaroons

The buffet

Potatoes au Gratin 

Roasted Tomatoes 

Roasted Asparagus

Brown Sugar Basted Ham 

Huge A$$ cinnamon roll courtesy of my mother! 

DELICIOUS fruit salad...compliments of my father!



Even the pugs were worn out!!!






We hope everyone else had as wonderful and special of a day that we had!!! Happy Easter (belated)! 

She's an actress...


...I love our video monitor! At first, it was so nice to just be able to check on Eva to make sure she was ok and avoid having to go into her room and risk waking her up.  And it was also kind of nice to watch her sleep so peacefully.


Now it is just fun to watch her play in her crib when she wakes up. This past Sunday, she sat in there singing and cooing and playing for a good 30 minutes. Of course it would have been nice to sleep that extra half hour, but I love watching her. 



Monday, April 18, 2011

Mr. Bean??

Which is better?


A jelly bean? 


Or a kidney bean?


Most people would say that they enjoy the sweet sugary and juicy flavors of a jelly bean over the, well, "beany" flavor of a kidney bean. 

But I must disagree and this is why....

Six years ago today...my Dad had a life changing surgery. He was blessed to receive a kidney transplant. At the time it seemed so surreal, and I suppose it still does. Although transplants are becoming more and more common, to say that your father has had a transplant is really quite amazing. And it is even more amazing to say that Mr. Bean (the term we coined for my father's newest body part) is doing just great and has settled into his new home! 

After the surgery,  I remember my Dad telling me that all of the sudden the world seemed so colorful. I guess in illness, the blue in the sky, the green of the grass, the black of my mother's hair began to slowly dull. When his body was working properly -- everything came back into focus. 

Six years ago today, someone died so that my father could live. While I am still sad for the victim's family, I hope in their grief they can see the lives that their love one has saved. We may take for granted all of the good in our lives, dismissing the positive because the trials and tribulations seem so overwhelming. But today, of all days, I am counting my blessings and one of those blessings is that my father is still here, healthy enough to enjoy his wife, children, grandchildren and beautiful home. 

So, while jelly beans my be tasty, I would choose kidney beans any and every day. 

I love you Daddy!






Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Fun Mail

Now that Eva is getting a little bit older, we don't receive gifts in the mail near as much as we used to. We were so spoiled by our friends and families when Eva first made her appearance! 

But yesterday, we received a brown paper-wrapped box! How exciting! We opened the box and inside was a super fun, soft, taggie blanket that my sister asked her friend from college, Sarah, to make for us. 

Thank you so much Sarah for the adorable blanket...perfect for the car seat and for cuddling! And thank you Jen for asking Sarah to make it for us. I know that Sam loved his! 


Look at the embroidery!! So pretty! 

I would have pics of Eva with the blankie, but she has been super grumpy with her 4th tooth coming in. Not very photogenic! 

Thank you girls so, so much! 

Sand...


Last week we went to the park with my friend Lyndsey and her sons Coleton and Cooper. It was warm and sunny, but windy. I put Eva on the small slide a couple of times and supported her on the way down. And I put her in the swing for a little bit. Then I was just holding her while we watched the other kids play. Lyndsey said I should put her on the ground and let her play. Of course, my major OCD kicked in and I kind of freaked out about how dirty Eva was going to get. But...Lyns gave me no choice...she just took Eva and put her in the sand. I am glad she did because she had a grand old time!!

Yardwork





This past weekend we spent time outside...raking, pulling dandelions, laying down seed, weeding and watering. We did most of it while Eva was napping...but when she woke, she decided that she wanted to help!





It was a beautiful day. There is still a lot of work left in the yard, but I guess that will have to wait until the snow that we are getting clears up tomorrow. 

Construction

I have a really, really cute background to this blog...BUT it is only showing up on my screen!!!

I am frustrated. I have spent many hours trying to fix it. It does not want to be fixed. 

So I have enlisted assistance from my friend who has and A-M-A-Z-I-N-G blog! I am awaiting her response! 

Thursday, April 7, 2011

a Daddy moment

So Erin went off to bed early, and I'm screwing around on the computer as usual. I started going through pictures of Eva, and through the smiles I just felt a soul-squeezing grip of love for my little munchkin. It's true what they say - you'll never feel as much love as you will for your child - I literally cannot express how much I love this little girl, and how exciting it is to wake up each day and wonder what she's going to do next, what's going to make me laugh, what's going to make her laugh...whether it's squeezing her "little" hammies (this kid's thighs make her look like a mini Earl Campbell), playing corn on the cob (picking her up on her side and nibbling her up and down her ribs) til she's screaming with infectious laughter, giving each other High-Fives, or throwing pygmy pinecones in the backyard.

So here's some of my favorite Eva and Daddy moments over the past several months


always going for the glasses...the kid LOVES grabbing glasses...and facial hair (OUCH!!)

this kid knows how to rock it - throwin' on the shades while pimpin her future school - Go Bruins!!!!

cool hat, kid!! Chillin' with Daddy - yeah, we're at the Dr's office, but whoooooo's the illest?

Yes, Daddy's in the bathtub with his clothes on - came home late from work and just jumped in for bath time - munchkin LOVES her bathtime!!

what's better for Christmas than "matching" monkey hats.......

Riding in style at the zoo last weekend, with a giant "Sophie" in the background

all smiles after a ride down the slide in the park

ok, so Daddy wasn't present at this one, but I think we all can attest that his influence was (check out the right hand) - a bird and a smile.....THAT'S MY GIRL!!!! And before anyone gets their panties bunched up, she was at the park with her GRAMMA when this was taken!!!

What's better than this? I could stare at that smile for hours.

Daddy loves you little girl!!!!

Monday, April 4, 2011

Noisy Toys


Almost every time our friend Jonathan comes over, he brings Eva a toy. I think he gets a kick out of spoiling her, but I also think he immensely enjoys giving her the loudest, noisiest toys that he can possibly find-because he knows the potential for them driving us CRAZY!!!

Here is her latest gift...


Here are a few of the others that Eva has received in the past...they all have music and they all have lights that blink...some roll, some flip open and close and others spin...
This rabbit is the worst though! It is possessed and starts talking, singing, counting, telling you that it loves you, playing music and saying the alphabet even when we are in a different room!! More than once this thing has woken us up in the middle of the night! But Eva loves it, so what can I say?

Truly, thank you Jonathan for all of the toys! But remember, pay backs are hell!