Month 11

Dear Evan,

This month, you're getting so close to walking. You started out the month with just learning to stand and now you're standing and walking along things (while holding on) and walking with the walker. With the way you develop, I'd say you might just be walking tomorrow-- the first day of your 12th month.

You've been less mean to your daycare friends this month and you've gotten some new daycare friends. You're currently the second oldest kid in your class. It's just you and whiney boy left from the old crew. In a month or so, you'll be joining them again and you'll be the youngest again. I hope they don't beat up on you like you beat up on the little babies... but then again, maybe you deserve it, you big bully.

We've spent a lot of time outside again this month. You've gotten a lot of pool time. You enjoy watering the garden with me. You love putting your hand over the hose and spraying us both with water. I'm not usually very excited about getting my clothes soaked, but you're chuckling makes it okay.

You're doing a lot of babbling, raspberrying, kissing, waving, laughing, dancing, and shaking your head 'no'. Luckily, you don't understand what the head nodding means... yet. Really, you're becoming your own person. I love it. You're funny, laid back, friendly, and freakin' adorable.

I'm lazy this month and I've pretty much already posted the good pictures I've taken. So, here's a small collection of cell phone pictures I've taken this month.  

 I LOVE U, EVAN!  

Love,
Mom

I Never Thought I'd Hear Myself Say...

"Please don't brush your wang with your toothbrush." 

Not It!

The nightly battle: who gets to carry this kid from the high chair to the bathtub.

Meatball Dinner = YUM! 

"Daddy makes the BEST meatballs! And, my belly is a great
place to store this cheese for a minute!" 

Evan, I think you have a little something on you. 

"Oh, really? Where??" 

West Virginia - June 2012

Evan and I spent last weekend in West Virginia. It was our last chance to see Aunt Annie before she deploys in a little over a month. It was a great weekend. Evan got to visit with all 6 of his grandparents, one aunt, one uncle, cousin Michaela, a couple great aunts and uncles and some other cousins (Second? Once removed? Who knows! Too close to marry, that's for sure.)

Spending time with Mom and Annie while the kids splashed in the pool brought back memories of summers at my grandma's house, playing with the cousins. It really made me wish Evan, Michaela and Annabelle could grow up together like we did with our cousins and grandma.

A buncha summertime thugs circa 1985

Summertime thugs 2012

This one of Evan and Grandma:

Reminds me of this one of Chase and Grandma:

Okay, no more old timey pictures. 

Grandma and her thugs. Not sure why Grandma is so...
excited? frightened?..but her expression made me LOL. 

Evan checks out Grandpa Mike's beard. 

Chillaxin' with Grandpa Herschel

Grandma Connie and the kids play with the farm. Evan loves farm toys.
We'll have to visit Aunt Suzy's farm one day. 

We lunched with Grandma Barbi, Grandpa Ed and
Uncle Randy but somehow this is the only picture
I managed to snap. At least it's a good one of Evan
with Uncle Randy. 

Mom and I decided it would be a good idea to get pictures of me and Annie and the kids. We took these while we waited on Annie and Michaela. 

Thanks, Mom, for this great one of us! 

I never realized how much my mom is like my grandma until Evan
came along. Such a goofball! Don't worry Mom, it'll be okay. 

After posing for this picture, she dangled him
over the side and pretended that she was
Michael Jackson and he was Blanket. 

And this little montage is brought to you by the letter 'C'... for chaotic and craziness and confusion! 

This is my favorite though-- both of the kids ignoring us, me and Annie with our fake smiles and Cosby sniffing Annie's butt. It's so us. 

Things are Different

Some changes in life and lifestyle were expected when we had Evan. Others, not so much.

Example 1

This is our living room these days.

A. The Great Wall of Schwartz perfectly placed so that we nearly break our necks on a daily basis.
B. Beautiful new front storm door covered in baby finger paint artwork made with baby, dog and cat slobber and boogers.
C. Adorable wire milk crate basket that I decided would be a great *hidden* way to keep some of Evan's toys in the living room. It's almost always out of place and upside down.
D. Toy Explosion.
E. New glass panel on our funky IKEA entertainment center. Right slider door is slid over the glass door about an inch and a wad of paper towel is placed between the two to prevent them from clanging against each other when Evan violently bangs on the glass. Oh yeah, also covered with "artwork".
F. Big plastic baby toy photo bombing my pic.

Example 2

There is a person in my life who I routinely refer to as Boogs. It's his nickname's nickname. Boogers McGee is his nickname. Therefore, Boogs is his nickname's nickname. I call him this because, well, he has a crusty booger nose... a lot. Some battles are worth fighting and some are not. A booger-crusted nose when we're not leaving the house is not a fighting battle. If we're going in public, then I try my best to make him look a little more presentable.

Isn't that the expression you'd expect from someone named Boogs? 

Example 3

My bathtub has never been so clean. I may call him Boogs, but I'm not willing to put his butt into a soap scummy bathtub. I'd welcome anyone at anytime to take a shower at my house. I might blindfold them while they walk through the living room (see Example 1), but I'm never embarrassed of my bathtub anymore.

Example 4

I can accomplish more on a Sunday before noon than I used to accomplish all week long. I've been known to clean the kitchen, vacuum, mow the grass, weed eat, and get showered for the day all while managing Boogs. Motherhood has made me into one hell of a multi-tasker. And, I do weird things too. Things that I never thought I'd do, like using Scrubbing Bubbles on an inflatable plastic pool at 8 in the morning so I could fill it to be warm by 5 when the shade hits that spot in the yard. But if I didn't do things like that, I wouldn't see things like this:

Splish!

Splash!

"Mom,  I got something in my eye.
I don't know how it happened." 

"I'm schwimmin'!!"

All Done! 

So You Think You Can Dance

Evan's starting to dance... a little... sorta. Here:



Isn't it so cute?

Even more impressive is that he knows
a.) The last page of the Pooh book is the only one that plays music
b.) Turn the music note to start music
c.) Turn the music note to stop current song and start a different one

I'm pretty impressed with his cause and effect skillz.

Next: Algebra!

"Evan, I believe you have busted out of your Snugglesaurus pajamas."