On Sunday we enjoyed the Spring flowers at the Duke Gardens, and we got some good pictures of Colin and Eva Joy.  It occurred to me that it’s been a long time since I posted any on our blog.   Enjoy!

It’s been a busy month, so I apologize to any faithful readers (Suzanne especially!) for the lack of news and more importantly, pictures!  We’ve celebrated Eva Joy’s and Cora and Megan’s first birthdays!  It was so much fun, and the whole family was there to witness the girls dressed in frilly hats and experiencing frosting for the first time.

Here’s some pictures from the momentous event:

Birthday Girls October 23, 2008

Eva Joy in her party hat- thanks Aunt Joyce!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cora and Megan diggin in!

Eva is just not sure how she feels about cake

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Eva says

The whole family

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Colin had a 3 week vacation from school, and we enjoyed a week in Iowa and Minnesota with family.  We got to see all of Kirk’s siblings and his parents, and they all got to meet Eva for the first time.  It was beautiful weather, and the highlight in Iowa was raking leaves and jumping in them.  We also got to go to the Field of Dreams and the Farm Toy Museum.  After Iowa, we spent a few days with our O’Neills in Minnesota.  We got to see some old friends at a party they hosted, and then we spent a few beautiful, relaxing days on the Northshore of Lake Superior.

Eva with Aunt Kristin and Uncle Les

Grandma and Grandpa

Duluth watching the boat come in

Eva enjoying a hike

Hi friends! 

Where did September go?  Time seems to be flying.  We’ve had a terrific month.  Colin has been enjoying school, and I’m back into the work groove.  I work everyday up until Colin comes home from school, then we walk up to the school to get him.  It’s fun having that afternoon time together, and we can usually find friends outside playing.  It’s especially nice since the weather has gotten a little cooler. 

Sweet little Eva Joy is doing very well, and we’re having a lot of fun with her.  She’s so curious, and she loves to just wander around exploring.  She has now given up crawling completely.  It’s fun watching her toddle around, and she’s getting more sure of herself.   This weekend, we went to the park for a picnic and playtime.  Eva loved the swings!

Colin has now tracked out for the next 3 weeks, and we are planning a weeklong trip to the Midwest in early October.  Kirk’s parents and brothers and sisters have not met Eva joy yet, so we’ll start in Iowa, then onto the Northshore of Lake Superior with Amy and Tim and family.   Dad and Beth are also planning a visit for late October.  It’s almost time for the girls’ first birthdays, so we’ll be planning something fun.  Oh, and speaking of a terrific month – a shout out to Dad’s teams for their undefeated seasons—Go Maryville!  Go Vanderbilt!!  Go Tennesee Titans!

Kirk and I snuck out for a date on Saturday.  Eva’s babysitter during the week, LaLa, came over with her kids.  While they had a playdate, Kirk and I got to have dinner out with Josh and Liana- thanks so much Josh and Liana!!  It was a really nice night.  We got to spend some time playing with our cousins Cora and Megan yesterday.  They are adorable.  As Colin says, “I love these girls – all 3 of them!”   We are so fortunate to live so close to them.

What is this you've done to me?

Now this is more like it!

Megan and Cora's homecoming

Now everybody be still and smile...yeah right!!!

Okay - a little more luck in Moms' arms

Just a few new pictures to share from this week.  We had a great family weekend.  We took Eva Joy swimming for the first time.  She really enjoyed it after (contrary to the picture).  Colin had a great time too, and he’s decided he wants to join the swim team next year.  We have a long way to go, but I’m glad he had so much fun in the pool this summer.  Okay – here’s the cuteness…

Christopher and Colleen have arrived in Vietnam.  If you want to check in on them, here’s a link to their blog…http://ccwhite.blogspot.com/

We just can’t wait to see pictures and especially to have them home.

More later!

We’re settling into life as a family of four.  Somehow, doubling the number of children does more than double the work – it can be chaos!  But, it is so much fun having a baby in the house again.  Eva Joy has brought even more joy into our home.  You should see Colin light up in the morning when he first sees her. 

Eva Joy is changing everyday, and she’s showing us that she is on the move, has determination, and she is no petite fragile gal!  Since I last posted, she has started walking.  It started last week with 2 steps, then 3.  Now – it’s her preferred mode of transportation, even though she looks drunk while doing it.  She has also climbed the stairs to the playroom, climbed the stairs on the slide in the playroom,  climbed the slide in the playroom, bounced on the trampoline…oh my.  Don’t worry and don’t call Social Services - we’re watching her!  She loves the bath, and she beelines to the bathroom anytime she gets a chance and tries to hop into the tub!  

She loves to eat, and she’s has yet to turn anything down.  Her preference is to feed herself, her favorites being avacado and turkey.  She has now slept the night through for a number of nights which has brought great excitement, especially since it conincided with my return to work.  But – it may have been shortlived, because now, with the arrival of tooth #4, she’s up again. 

She’s fast approaching her first birthday, and I can’t imagine what other milestones we’ll hit.  We haven’t had a definitive first word, yet she mutters and babbles things we recognize.  I still think she is saying “I’m mad!!!” when she cries, and we think she says “bye bye” when she waves, but that could just be what proud parents want to hear.

Here’s are some pictures from the past few weeks:

I haven’t posted for awhile.  I went back to work, and we’ve all been sick.  But there’s lots to share, so I will try and catch you up.  First – Papa and Bibi came to town.  They loved meeting Eva Joy.  Eva Joy was a little skeptical of Papa’s beard, but you can see her checking him out.  It was great to see them and swap stories of our trips.  They have just returned from a cruise from Boston through Canada then to Greenland, Iceland, ending up in Oslo, then Dublin.  They had an amazing time, and they have fabulous pictures to prove it.  Here’s their travel blog…http://www.photoblog.com/JoeBeth/

Joyous news this morning from Christopher and Colleen!  Finally – they have received their approval to travel to Vietnam and bring their twin girls home.  We are thrilled for them (and us!), and we cannot wait to have them home.

Eva enjoying playtime

Yesterday, Eva turned 10 months old!  We even sang Happy 10 month Birthday to her – this was Colin’s idea.  Colin is still coming off his 4 week long birthday extravaganza.  This boy has had 4 cakes, including one this week with Uncle Christopher and Aunt Colleen.  They treated him to a night on his own with a remote control jeep, Burger King and playground time.  Lucky Colin!  And, as if the month long celebration was not enough, Papa and Bibi come to town tomorrow, and the partying will continue.

Colin looking quite pleased with Cake #4

It’s hard to believe that we have had Eva for almost a month now.  She continues to thrive, and she seems to like being part of our family.  Thankfully, we’ve gotten over our jetlag and adjusted our internal clocks.  I am still sleep deprived, but that’s not Eva’s fault – that would the Olympics fever I have.  We DVR it, and then stay up watching until at least midnight.  I’m still behind, so I am figuring closing ceremonies will really be on about Wednesday, then back to normal.

Colin started back to school last week.  He’s still adjusting, and it’s been a pretty tough week.  It has really just dawned on him that he will go 5 days in a row, then only 2 off.  It’s a far cry from the cushy one day on one day off schedule we used to have.   He still always manages a smile for Eva, and he loves to pick her up and play with her.  He has the classic case of wanting to revert back to his babyhood.  We have been watching old video and talking a lot about when he was a baby.  His most recent request has been to sleep in her crib.  One night this week, she cried because she didn’t want to be in her crib, and he cried because he wanted to be in it.  We ended up piling both kids into the car, wailing, for a evening drive.  Thankfully they were alseep within minutes, and thankfully gas prices are down just in time.

I start back to work the day after Labor Day so I only have one full week left to really enjoy my time off with Eva.  I will work from home only part time though, so I will get to see her.  We have hired a babysitter to come here during my work hours.  She is terrific, and we think she and Eva will get along famously.  (Hi Lala if you are reading!)

So – here’s what’s new in Eva’s world:

• A new tooth!  Yes – a top one has just popped through, to join the bottom two.  I can’t see it, but I feel it.  This is great news for Eva.  This girl loves to eat finger food.  She’s already quite sick of the mush.  We’re really impressed with her dexterity already and the variety of things she likes.  She didn’t complain about the tooth coming in either!
• One step – in my opinion, not really walking, but Colin believes she is.  He wants to celebrate (perhaps with cake?)  She anxious to get around, so she may be walking before her 1st birthday.  For now, she’s lost the hitch in her crawl, and she’s more into the turbo crawl.  She is intent on catching our dog Penny, who wants nothing to do with her.
• Loves the bath – Keisha was right!  First one at home..hated it!  Second..liked it.  Third…loved it, and squealed all the way through.
• On Tour – making the rounds to meet friends – she is very social.  So far we’ve had lunch at the school with Colin so he could introduce her, and we’ve seen some of our local buddies at a cookout last weekend and a birthday party.  She went to work with Uncle Brandy, and she came to bookclub to meet the gals with me this morning.  She’s getting around!
• Haircut – we’d had too many – “Is it a boy or girl” – can you believe that?  We had to do something. 

Bath try #2 - this is not so bad...

Eva after Penny -see her determination?

 

Eva explores her room

Eva with Anna

Eva Joy and Colin in their party hats

For anyone still checking…

We’ve been home for a week now, and we’re finally catching up.  We’ve had a to switch our clocks back to Eastern time.  Eva Joy had the hardest time with that, and she was up in the wee hours of the morning playing for quite a few nights.  Thankfully, she is starting to adapt, and we’ve all been the better for it. 

Yesterday was Colin’s birthday.  He turned 5 years old.  He went bowling with his buddy Austin, and now he’s at Austin’s birthday party.  Colin has been terrific.  He really loves having Eva Joy as part of our family, and he’s anxious to help.  He’s had a few sad moments as he’s realizing the attention she’s getting.  One day he said, ” you never look at me cute like that!”  The strangest request we’ve had is to turn his carseat facing backwards.  “It’s not fair that Eva gets to ride like that.” 

We had checkups for both kids this week.  Colin sailed through his, and said the shots didn’t even hurt.  He continues to top the charts at 97% height, and he told the doctor he wants to be a fireman, maybe.  He starts back to school on Monday.

Eva did well also, although she was under the weather with a virus whe we went.  She’s long and lean for an average US baby, at 70% height and 10% weight.  She still babbling, crawling and pulling up.  She’s gotten used to the carseat, and that’s where she takes her best naps.  She’s not a fan of the crib, and she cries whenever she realizes she’s in it.  So far, she’s been bunking with us.  I got her a soother toy that attaches to her crib rails.  It’s music and sounds from the rainforest.  I am hoping it helps- at least she could remember the humidity from back home in Vietnam!

This is how you watch TV, Eva Joy