Gift Opening

It took all day to open presents, but the fun she had was so worth it.

It's The Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

We started our Christmas season with milk and cookies.

Then we moved on to large shipping boxes.

We watched Daddy clear the driveway.

And blew kisses.

Santa went a bit overboard. And the pile doubled when Grandpa and Grandma arrived.

Evelyn got all sorts of new wonderful things, including a new shopping cart to push her Baby Chloe in.

Lots of new books to read with Grandma.

A pink monkey car, that Grandpa picked out.

Some new books from Daddy too.

Evelyn loved opening presents by tearing the paper into postage stamp size pieces and handing them to whoever was closest.

Once everything was opened the tutu came off so Evelyn could play easier.

Blocks and Puzzles and Batcaves, Oh My.

It took a bit of time, but the tunnel has definitely become an exciting adventure.

Even Grandma got in on the fun.

And she made it out too.

We started out Grandma's birthday playing in the snow.

Grandma got Evelyn this sled over a year ago and it was nice they finally got to play together.

Even Aunt Abby braved the cold and ran a few laps with the sled.

Evie is becoming quite the little snow bunny.

One of these days she'll actually move when she's wearing her snow suit.

After a busy day playing with all her new toys and going out to a nice dinner, Evelyn settled in with Aunt Abby and Uncle Max to read some stories.

We had a wonderful Christmas! Evelyn was so excited she wouldn't nap at all on Christmas Day. The best gift of all, two days before Christmas, Evelyn started walking and hasn't stopped since!(Hopefully I'll get a video posted soon.) Now we're looking forward to seeing the other side of the family on the weekend.

Birthday Part 2

We had a second birthday celebration for Evelyn with more family. She got more presents and had more cake.

Evelyn was definitely getting the hang of opening presents by this point.

But she does not like having to wear a hat as she waits for cake.

She then got to celebrate Grandpa's birthday with him.

Evelyn loves opening presents!

Baby No More

She's cute and sweet

And so much fun.

Our little monkey

Is turning One!

We actually started Evelyn's birthday celebration a couple of weeks ago at Grandpa and Grandma's house with a multi-birthday party, but more about that when I get the pictures.

When Grandpa and Grandma came for Thanksgiving, Evelyn got to start enjoying her birthday gifts.

She got a new big pink chair!

Look at the big girl sitting along side Grandpa!

Even if the picture doesn't look like it, she enjoyed playing with the giant ornaments before I hung them "up." Now she keeps pointing and saying "up."

Reindeer make great teethers.

Little Monkey!

Cherri and Erin came to visit during "The Game."

Evie wasn't shy at all this time and enjoyed seeing them again.

Erin, Brandon, and Oakley got her a pink giraffe.

Oakley was very interested.

Grandpa took some great one year pictures for us!

So Big!

Birthday Cake #1.

She started by tasting the frosting very daintily.

Then she tried to shove the whole piece in her mouth.

Most of that piece did get jammed into her mouth. No throwing cake on the floor in this house.

Had to wash all that cake down with some milk.

Aunt Abby and Uncle Max sent a new fire truck.

Trucks are serious business you know.

*None of these pictures were taken on her actual birthday, but the day isn't over yet.

Update, I know it's been a long time

It's been so long since I've updated that this is mostly going to be pictures with a few captions thrown in now and again. Enjoy!

We put up Evie's swing and she has loved it!

Eating can be hard work, especially now that she wants to feed herself.

Evelyn is not walking on her own yet, but she stands up against everything and cruises around when she has something to lean on.

I made Evie a tutu just for the fun of it and she doesn't even seem to notice when I put it on her. Isn't she the cutest!!

We took a long weekend in October and went to Maumee Bay State Park in Ohio and to the Toledo Zoo with Grandpa, Grandma, Aunt Abby, and Uncle Max. We had a lot of fun even though it was hot.

Evie just loved looking at the alligator with Aunt Abby. Somehow Aunt Abby seemed to know that I wasn't going to be that excited about the reptile house, so she took over Evie for that part of the zoo.

My favorite part was the baby elephant. And Evie liked that too, mostly because the baby elephant was chasing a squirrel.

Evie got to see Uncle Josh again and meet Aunt Laura for the first time in October. And then she watched as Uncle Josh and Daddy put together our new fireplace.

We didn't go all out for Halloween this year. Evie isn't eating all that candy yet and Momma and Daddy don't need it, so we didn't worry about trick-or-treating. Daddy had to work, so Evie as in her highchair in the front window and watched the kids come down the driveway as I passed out candy.

We had our family pictures taken at church for the new photo directory and we got a cute one of just Evelyn as well.

And last by not least Evie (and Ripley) got to help Momma eat some cupcake for my "big" birthday last week.