Traveling Toddler!

We left Gastonia today to head back home. It's always sad to leave but we had a nice long visit and had so much fun. Evie and I packed a lot into our week and got to see a lot of people. We even had a chance to go on a date. Thanks Mom and Dad for babysitting. Carl and I went to Lotus. We were not hungry because we already had dinner but the menu looked so good we decided to try a few appetizers. It was all delicious and it was so nice to be with Carl without worrying about taking care of our sweet girl.

We left around 9 this morning and got home home about 4. That includes a long lunch at Cracker Barrel. Evie did fabulous the entire trip. She talked to herself, played with her new cd player, napped, ate Cheerios and enjoyed the scenery. We are so lucky that she is such a happy traveler. It could be really bad if she did not enjoy the ride. Evie was excited to be back at her house and ran around the yard a little. She even met a new dog that lives behind us named Bentley. Then, she went jogging with Carl at Crockett and I went to Kroger. Grocery shopping on a Sunday afternoon is never fun but we needed the essentials.

Sneak Peek of Evie's 12 month pictures!

Well, I guess they are really 13 month pictures but you get the point. We finally made it here from Nashville for the pictures. It was worth the wait! Go check them out at Lindsey's blog.

Pictures!

Here are a few pictures of our trip! Evie loved the airport and had so much fun playing around the terminal. I think the highlight of her trip was seeing Baby James. They were so cute together. Evie loves him and he made sure to keep a close watch on her. We have had a great trip to the Carolinas.

Evie and Daddy together again!

We had a low-key day at the house. Evie and I went to Harris Teeter to get her some more milk since she drank the gallon Nana got for her. It was so fun taking Evie grocery shopping where I went shopping when I was little. My parents live in a pretty small town so I am sure that I ran into a few people that I know.

My dad and I took Evie to Shelby to get some barbecue for Carl from Bridges. If you are ever in Shelby make a bee-line for Red Bridges for the best barbecue you have ever had in your life. YUMMY! Evie liked seeing all of the little pigs figurines in the case. I had to distract her to prevent her from landing in the case with the pigs. She slept all the way back to Gastonia but that nap wore off quickly. I took her on a little jaunt around town to help her catch a few winks.

Carl arrived about 6:30 and Evie was thrilled to see her Daddy. She squealed and smiled. He went to the bathroom and she went crazy. Maybe she thought he was gone for a few more days.

We ate dinner - Red beans and rice - I thought of you SD. Evie entertained us all after dinner and now is sound asleep. She kept using a tiny footstool to hoist herself into a baby rocking chair. That will tire a girl out. Let's hope she sleeps late in the morning. She's on Central Time and I am on Eastern Time so it has been a little tricky.

Greenville!

Evie and I drove to Greenville for the day to meet Lindsay and Baby James for lunch. We had so much fun catching up at Red Robin. Oh how things have changed, it's harder to chat much less eat now that we have two little ones. James is the sweetest boy and is so beautiful. He looks just like Mac but that always changes. He slept through most of lunch and was so snuggly to hold. Evie thought he was really interesting. She liked pointing at him and patting him. We went to Barnes and Noble after lunch so Evie could run around some. She cleared a few shelves and played with the train table. I would love to live in Greenville one day to be closer to our families and all of our friends. It's such a cool place. They have done so much to make it a great place to live and work.

Evie and I met Poppy and She She for a super early dinner at California Dreaming. It was great to see them but it made us miss Carl more. He will meet us at my parents tomorrow. I think Evie is starting to remember people because she screamed with glee when she saw her grandparents and had so much entertaining them with all of her new tricks. I am pretty sure they were just as thrilled to see her sweet little face. It was much easier to meet in Greenville than Nashville. I'll post pictures later.

Evie has had so much junk today but it all balances out since she usually eats quite healthy. Restaurants could do a much better job with their children's menu. Usually, the choices are chicken tenders, hot dogs, mac& cheese and peanut butter sandwiches. It is improving from what I have heard because at least milk and fruit comes with most of the meals. We took a little cooler with us with some cheese, grapes, banana and crackers. I gave her some honeydew, yogurt and milk when we got home to round out all the fries, graham crackers and hot dog she consumed earlier.

Evie slept until we got to Kings Mountain. She made it pretty clear that Kings Mountain was not her favorite place. It's a good thing that I went to camp and have a wide range of songs to sing to my baby. I sang her a few songs and stopped to give her a cuddle which settled her down. She hopped right out of the car and started pointing at the moon. Evie is not out much at night so the moon was pretty exciting stuff.

Evie played with her grandparents and Uncle Ben! She has so much energy but she sure crashes at bedtime. I am so thankful for her daily 16 hours of sleep. Keep sleeping Evie, it makes your Mommy and Daddy so happy!

Play me a song, I am the Piano Girl!

Evie has found the piano and thinks it is really fun! Don't tell her Daddy he already wants a piano. Now, he will really want one.

We did not do much today. Evie is still on Central time so she slept most of the day. We went to see Terry at her office and Evie pretended to be shy.

My grandmother and aunt came over for dinner along with our family friends, Paul and Darlyn. We had a great time catching up. Evie hung in there pretty well but decided she was ready to go to bed a little earlier than usual. Traveling will wear a girl out. She is doing great being out of her element.

Tomorrow, we are heading to Greenville to see our Lindsay and her sweet baby James. We are also meeting Carl's parents so Evie can see her She She and Poppy. It will be a big day for Miss Evie! I will try to post some pictures tomorrow but I am too tired to fool with it tonight.

Hope the rain goes away and that the Carolina blue skies come out while we are here!

Leaving on a Jet Plane!

Today was our big day flying to see Nana, Ipop and Uncle Ben! I had to wake Evie up at 10:45 to get to the airport. We made it through security. Although, they ran Evie's milk through a scanner even though it was an unopened bottle. Evie thought all of this was so much fun. We had lunch at Wendy's without a highchair. That was a bit of an experience. Note to self, ordering a salad while holding a 13 month old is not the best choice. Evie had nuggets and mandarin oranges of course. They even gave her a coke! Don't worry she did not have any - milk is always best for Evie!

We went to the playarea after lunch for Evie to wear off some energy. She saw a service dog and started following it. I had to scoop her up since we were getting too far from our stroller and diaper bag. We did a quick bathroom trip and it was time to board. The plane had multiple empty seats so we were not squished in like sardines. We had an empty seat between us and the lady in our row who just happened to be a Grammy. She told Evie that she was a doll and I said let's hope she acts like a doll. Grammy said not to worry which made me feel so much better! Evie did fabulous. Not one scream, tear or problem the whole trip. She must like traveling because she seemed quite entertained with her goldfish, new book and of course her Raffi. We were in bulkhead so that gave us a little extra room which is always nice. Our flight from take-off to landing was only 50 minutes long so much easier than driving from Nashville. Evie got all kinds of compliments once we landed about her excellent traveling skills. I was relieved because it can be tricky traveling without Carl.

Uncle Ben picked us up at the airport. Evie was happy to see him! Of course, Evie seemed the happiest to see the dogs, Murphy and Gracie. She loved seeing her Ipop and Nana too. We played in the yard and climbed stairs. Evie was all over the place but there is a gate now to help contain her downstairs. Nana made breakfast for dinner. Evie loves pancakes, sausage and fruit. YUMMY! After dinner, Evie was the main attraction. She was exhausted from her day of traveling with only one nap so it was right to sleep for her. Traveling is hard work! Check out this sweet picture of Evie from last year this time. A year sure can change things.

Old Man Winter is back!

What a cold, yucky day it has been! I enjoyed the tease over the weekend but am ready for the real deal. Spring cannot get here soon enough.

Evie and I hosted a playdate for our Williamson County Housewife group. It was fun and Evie loved having the littles at her house. She cried when everyone left. Poor thing loves to socialize.

She was so funny during lunch. I made her a hotdog, strawberries and some leftover homemade mac and cheese. It seemed a little hot so I was trying to cool it off by blowing on it. Guess, who started blowing on her food once it was on her tray. Every bite had to be blown before she would put it in her mouth. Lunch was a process but so cute! Monkey see, monkey do.

After nap, we headed to get Carl's truck smogged. It was a sight to see little me lugging Evie in and out of a big old diesel truck. I am sure the attendant at the emissions site was concerned about me in that big truck. Believe me, everyone on the roads should be concerned if they see me coming in his truck. It's so big.

Evie and I are flying to North Carolina tomorrow so wish me luck. I have cookies, goldfish, new books and a ball. Hopefully, that will keep her attention for the 1.5 hour flight.

Shopping!

We were expecting, hoping that Evie would sleep late this morning since she went to bed so late last night. It did not happen! She was still up at 7:15 ready to seize the day! Everything is so new and exciting to her right now. I'd love to get a glimpse inside her head to see how she is putting everything together. She's soaking it all in each day.

It was Carl's turn to sleep late this morning so we played downstairs. Evie is really enjoying the magnetic letters these days. She figured out that they even stick to the side of the washing machine.

Amazingly, the dresser made it up the stairs. It was quite the ordeal because it was so heavy. Carl pushed it up the stairs and I lifted it up each step. We were so surprised to see that it came assembled. Evie finally has a place to store all of her stuff. She enjoyed watching us organize her room. Her crib kept her confined and some books kept her entertained.

Carl took Evie for a jog while I prepared lunch. We had turkey, green beans and macaroni and cheese. It was such a nice day that we contemplated eating outside but decided it was maybe a touch too chilly.

Carl needed some new pants for work so we decided to go to Opry Mills. He found some pants and we got Evie some spring clothes. It's so funny to me how the temperature hits 60 and the malls are swamped with people anxious for a change in weather. I LOVE having a little girl because there are so many fun things for them to wear. We got a few dresses with leggings and some shorts along with a few t-shirts. I'm one of those people anxious for a change in weather but I have not pulled out my shorts or tanktops quite yet. It's back to the cold tomorrow but we have really enjoyed a respite from the cold. Evie had fun at the mall. We bought her some new shoes and she was so proud! She pranced around admiring her feet. Evie had her first Cinnabon cinnamon roll. All three of us shared one and it was such a sweet moment. Evie sat on my lap and inhaled the gooey delight. I think it's fair to say that she was impressed and wondered why we have been holding out on her.

We got home in time for dinner and bathtime. Of course, there is always time for a few more books. Evie makes our weekends so special. Hope you had a chance to enjoy the weather, spend time with those you love and recharge your batteries for the week ahead.

Weekend Fun!

Evie and Carl gave me a break this morning and let me sleep in an extra hour. It was so nice! Then, I went to check out the Encores and More consignment sale. There were about 200 people in line in front of me waiting for the doors to open at 9:00. Once, we were in, it seemed so empty because it was so huge. I found a few cute things but once I checked them out more closely the items were stained. It got really crowded really fast so I went to check out a few things that we have been looking for. I found a portable highchair and a wooden bead set. It's not worth the chaos to me but some people are really good at finding good deals. I signed up to help at an area consignment sale in March which means that I might have a better shot at getting some good stuff. My taste in clothes has changed a lot now that I have a baby. Smocked clothes are always precious but are not comfortable for everyday wear. My favorite brands are Zutano and Gymboree. Evie wears a lot of patterned pants and then I get her two tops to match each pair of pants which provides more outfits and shirts get dirty faster than pants. Sometimes we just do a quick shirt change instead of the whole outfit. I also love one piece outfits -they are so sweet. Gap is having a great sale so Evie has a few new pieces on the way as we welcome spring. Evie was still sleeping when I got home. We went outside to play after her nap. Carl was washing his truck and Evie was having so much walking around. She found a little hill that was wet and got really dirty. I noticed that she fell as few times but it did not seem to bother her at all. She walked down the driveway to get the mail with me. Evie barked at the dogs and went over to pet them. I picked her up for this part and they jumped all over us. Evie thought this was really great. We went on a walk and enjoyed the beautiful weather. Evie was worn out from her outdoor adventures and passed out.

The new highchair is a big hit! Evie thinks it is really fun to get in and out of it when it's on the floor. She climbed right into as if she was announcing snack time to everyone. I think we will really enjoy having an extra highchair when friends come to visit or if I need to entertain her outside. It's super light and easy to move unlike the wooden highchair that we use for meals at home. My advice is to never buy a wooden highchair. It's really hard to keep it clean. They look pretty but it's so much easier to throw a plastic highchair in the shower or squirt it with the garden hose.

We went to Murfreesboro to see the Onello's. Evie was so happy to see Abby. They made a HUGE mess and had fun checking everything out. I took the new highchair and the girls enjoyed looking at each other during dinner. Evie shared her hotdog with Abby. Evie's favorite part was the chocolate cake. We had delicious BBQ so Carl was in heaven! Abby likes being the big girl and helped me change Evie's diaper. She patted her face and they held hands. So sweet! Thanks Maura and Tim for having us over. We had a great time!

Evie slept all the way home. We let her play for a little bit when we got home and now is she is sound asleep. It was a busy day!

Beautiful day!

Evie and I had a fun day enjoying the beautiful, warm weather. It makes such a difference. We headed to Jacobs's house for lunch. His Mommy, Kristin, made the most delicious chicken pot pie that I have ever had. I have been thinking about it all afternoon and will need to try it at our house soon. Jacob and Evie had fun playing together. It sure is cute to see Evie developing friendships. Kristin and I had a great time chatting too. She always keep me updated about mommy things in the area.

Evie fell asleep for about 5 minutes on the way home so she thought naptime was over. She did rest in her crib for awhile but no nap this afternoon. Maybe she was excited that her dresser was on it's way. It only took two months for it to get here. I wonder how long it will sit in our foyer before we put it together and carry the hefty thing upstairs. Of course, they declined my suggestion to carry it up for us. It's not their policy and they must leave it at the first dry entrance of the house.

We took a little walk. Evie has been chatting all afternoon - Mama and bye bye are still her favorites. She was so cute transferring the magnetic letters from the fridge to a koozie and back again. Also, she helped with some filing in the office. She would carry one piece of paper - open the drawer, close the drawer and start all over. We need to remember that she is watching every move that we make these days.

My tired little baby needed a little ride so we drove to The Factory. I finally used my gift certificate - thanks Mom! Of course, I used it on something for Evie. I am not sure that was the idea but you know how that goes if you are a mom. Zutano was 30% off so I got her a little dress to help her transition to spring. I also chose a white bubble suit. It will be perfect for summer gatherings. Tomorrow is the big consignment sale in the area so I am hoping to score some good deals.

Carl has been super busy at work this week so he got home late but just in time to play with Evie for a few minutes before bed. I just ordered a pizza and we are going to watch a movie. Hope your weekend gets off to a great start!

Mission Accomplished!

After a very stressful morning looking for the title and a trip to the bank to get a duplicate title request notarized, I found my title in my bag! It was a South Carolina title and I have not lived there in six years. North Carolina has no record of a title there so I went ahead to the Clerk's office and got my new plate. My North Carolina registration and my South Carolina title got me a tag so it's official that I am a Williamson County resident. Next on my list, is a Tennessee drivers license, that will have to wait a bit -this week has worn me out. On the positive side, I did find all kinds of things that I did not know were missing and a few things that I had lost track of around the house. Moving does a number on your junk. It ends up in the craziest places. I found my sunglass case in the lining of my suitcase! I have learned a good lesson to be more organized because you never know when you might need something.

We missed our playdate this morning but finished at the bank in time to go to Kindermusik. Evie had a ball seeing her friends and exploring everything. There were so many people there since the snow had kept the Monday and Tuesday classes from meeting. It was fun to see so many babies making music together. Although, Evie is losing her baby look. She is getting taller and has lost most of her rolls. What a big girl!

The plumber was waiting for us when we got back! I could not believe it because he was on time. That's a first, he was able to retrieve the shower curtain ring from the comode. I appreciate his help because he marked unknown object on his invoice since my warranty may not cover the ring. He said we are not 100% that the ring caused the problem. Works for me, I just wanted to be able to flush without overflowing.

It was a beautiful day with a high of 50 which felt like springtime. Evie and I played outside. It was so fun to see her walking around. She was really trying to get to her doggies next door and kept barking at them. They were happy to bark back at us and their invisible fence kept them away. Taking pictures outside with Evie looking at the dogs produces some pretty good results since she is so entertained.

We cleaned her room today. It was so cute because I was putting diapers from the big box into the stacker and then was over sorting her books for the hundredth time this week. Evie was in the closet getting diapers and she put them in her stacker all by herself. It makes me wonder what else she can do to help.

Evie was happy to see her Daddy but had to go to bed since she had a short nap this afternoon due to our little adventure. I am off to Super Doubles at Harris Teeter.

It's Black and White Wednesday again. I do not love these pictures but I love that it captures Evie. She spends so much time looking out the door trying to catch a glimpse of the doggies next door! I need to work on using the natural light to enhance my picture.

What a day!

I have had one crazy day! Our plumber was supposed to come between 8 and 12. He did not make it but the heating guy did come. He said that our heat was working fine! Nope, it's not fine or I would not have wasted my time calling him- he checked again and found that the duct work needs to be redone. Unfortunately, he does not work on ductwork so he calls the warranty company and they will send someone else back out tomorrow. By this time, it's noon and the plumber is still not here. They "lost" our order number so they will have to come tomorrow too. Thank goodness for a warranty because everything seems to go wrong at once when you move into a new house.

Shh - don't tell but I still do not have a Tennessee license or tag. My title is lost somewhere in a heap of paperwork in the house. Evie and I have turned every file upside down looking for it. Duplicate titles take thirty days to arrive so TN will just have to wait a few more weeks. Evie decided to use this opportunity to unravel the toilet paper in the bathroom. She was having blast and was so sad to be removed from the situation.

I forgot to feed Evie her lunch but she gently reminded me that she was hungry. While, I was feeding her, I was reheating the soup for lunch - our front burner gets a little excited and cooks things way too fast! Maybe this is covered under the warranty too?

It's Wash Day Wednesday which means time to change the sheets! I spent 20 minutes looking for the fitted sheet. Finally, I decided just to take the old sheets off and wash them. Imagine finding the missing fitted sheet under the sheet that is already on the bed! I am losing my mind.

Maura and Abby came for lunch. It was so good to seem them. Evie had a great time playing with Abby. It is so fun to see them play now that Evie is walking. Evie must know they knew each other while in utero because she has a special bond with Abby. It's still amazing to me that both of our familes moved from Huntersville to Nashville within two months of each other.

Evie did not nap this afternoon. She is so gifted that she is able to tell time really well. Meaning that Evie refuses naps after 2:00, this was even an issue when she was a little baby. I decided to go on a little ride to give Evie a chance to catch a few winks so she could make it through dinner. Brentwood has the most ridiculous signs that are blue and have snow covered trees on them along with the word - WINTER! As if anyone needs a reminder that we are currently in the season of winter. Perhaps, not a single day above 40 is not a big enough clue for some people or maybe they have not noticed the 8 snowfalls this year. They feel the need to plaster signs throughout the town to alert all the citizens that it is indeed winter. Thanks so much for the reminder Brentwood, I had not figured that one out!

Have you seen this blog? It's so heart warming and has fabulous photos. I was feeling really bad about my photography skills until I noticed that she is a real live photographer with clients and a studio. That explains a lot! The best part of the day was that I had cooked dinner last night and we did not eat it so I did not have to worry with that tonight! Another, happy event was that Carl ordered Evie a dresser two months ago. It's still not here and I have emailed and called multiple times regarding this order. I sent a lovely e-mail this morning reminding them that the order was shipped on December 17 and that even the USPS could get it here faster than their transit truck! Shortly, after this email, I got a phone call from a real live person letting me know that Evie's dresser will be here on Friday between the hours of 3 and 7. I'll believe it when I see it!

Totally out of my comfort zone!

School was canceled again today so we stuck around the house most of the day. I found out some more information about the schools and making up from the snow. Williamson County adds 30 minutes each day to create 10 extra days throughout the year. That sure beats Saturday school or adding days to the end. North Carolina kids are probably hoping the snow stops so they will still have a spring break. It's been snowing off and on for over 24 hours and there is barely an inch on the ground. Roads were okay by the afternoon so we headed out for our big adventure to the grocery store. Life sure has changed!

Guess who is the cutest 13 month old that I know? Evie is 13 months old today! Evie is getting sweeter if that is even possible. She gets so excited when you get her out of the crib and squeezes you really hard! We had a fun day playing boat with the laundry basket, reading books snuggled in bed and having a picnic of mandarin oranges on the kitchen floor. Everything is so new and exciting to Evie. I wish we could all keep that joyful innocence about the world as we grow older. Last night, I mentioned to Carl how Evie has never worried if she was going to be fed or warm. She does not realize all of the effort that goes into keeping her happy and healthy. That is the way childhood should be for all children but the reality is many children worry about their basic needs being met. I am starting to think about teaching a lot more but am still not ready to leave Evie. I love being home with her everyday and teaching her new things. She's doing new things everyday and I am so thankful to be here to see it. She has learned how to unzip her sleep sack and is so proud of herself. I got the funniest look from her this morning when she popped up from her nap. She is really into her babydoll and loves to put the hat on it. It's cute to watch her hold the baby but watch out if something else grabs her attention because the baby flies across the room. Now, don't get the wrong idea and think Evie is perfect all the time - she still does some crazy stuff. She dropped something down the toliet and I did not see it. Can you tell where this is going? It involves a plumber! Also, Evie loves to turn the dishwasher off and on - this can be very helpful when I need it turned on but I spend a lot of time turning it off. Our last dishwasher had a lock to keep sweet little fingers from turning it on. I might have to investigate this further since my dishwasher has been working overtime.

Carl had a dinner meeting tonight so Evie and I headed to Fat Tuesday at church. We do not know anyone there at all - not one person besides the priest. So this was totally out of my comfort zone but I was counting on Evie to attract people to us. It did not work. I saw a man with his two boys that I recognized so Evie and I joined their table for pancakes. He was nice but super busy trying to keep his kids occupied. Evie was learning all kinds of things from these boys. She LOVED having pancakes for the second time in one day and thought the Mardi Gras beads were simply fabulous. We came home with some fancy new jewels that had to be pried from her hand at bedtime. Anyway, I was shocked that we did not meet anyone. Church has always been a hard place for us to meet people because everyone already seems to know everyone. I picked up a newsletter and noticed that retaining members is something they are working on because they have lost multiple members who have said they do not feel a connection. These are their words not mine but I do feel that way too. Connection is what makes me make an effort to get somewhere - anywhere - small group, Gymboree , mommy groups etc. We will try a few more times and will go to the small group Lenten suppers to see if that helps. You cannot beat the location for this church - it is so close to our house - but there are more important things besides location except in real estate!

Another snowy day in Middle Tennessee

We woke up to more snow on the ground and my first thought was that our floors would not be finished! At 9:00, there was a knock on the door. They were here to finish the floors! The first stage of our project is finally complete - well sorta of - the light is not working yet. Chad brought his little boy who told me that he does not like babies. Funny, because just last week, he loved them! Our floors looks so good! I am so glad that we decided to start with our kitchen since I spend so much time in there.

I had a bunch of cleaning to do after they left this afternoon. Mopping and dusting were my priority but I got a lot accomplished! Thank goodness that Evie is such a good napper. I love having half the day off while she sleeps. Naptime gives me time to clean, organize and of course catch up on my favorite blogs. We did not go anywhere all day since it was so snowy. Evie stayed in her pj's all day. What a lucky girl!

Evie has spent the afternoon fascinated with little "purses" around the house. Anything with a handle, she will use as a purse. Today's favorites were the Satin Hands kit and the bathtoy bag from her birthday. My parents used to know a little girl who was practically born with a bag in her hand so Evie must come by it honestly.

Walking Girl!

Let's hope this comes through. We tried not using the HD feature on the camera to see if that would cut down on the loading time. It's still taking a LONG time. Any tips from Blogging Land? Evie is pretty proud of her new skills!

Valentine Collage

We had a wonderful day celebrating Valentine's together. Evie had fun playing with all of her cards and reading her new book. We went out for lunch to our favorite bagel spot. Evie saw a little person her size. Evie looked really cute wearing her new bib and her new heart jacket. Then we went to Pet Smart! Evie loved all the dogs and birds. She cried when we left. A dog is in her future - just not quite yet. I have a hard enough time taking care of her right now. Then we went to library so Evie could show her Daddy all the fun toys. Evie had so much fun walking around! She loves exploring the world on her own two feet! Hope you had a special Valentine's Day.

Happy Heart Day!

Happy Valentine's Day!!!