walk

Hair for reigns.  Love that smile.  And her awesome leggings (thanks aimee!  white onesie and these ARE the perfect outfit!)

I try to be very conscious about 'parenting' Everly.

It can be so easy to put her in a holding pattern of sorts while I deal with Owen or dishes or laundry or emails or the phone or, or, or. I'm sure parents of two or more children can relate. Heck, parents of one child can probably relate. You get so used to the infant stage when they really just need to sleep, eat, and cuddle a little.

But she's not an infant any more. She's picking up more and more about the world around her. She's engaging in things and interacting with people and developing a personality. Cue the sponge stage, right?

And, even though she's an 'easy' baby I can't abuse her personality. I've been sensing the need to invest more in her. To take the time to look her in the eyes and connect with her. To read the books to her and play in the mirror with her and sing the songs to her and pray with her.

It's another delicate balance with Owen around but one that is easy to find the edge of when I let God do the directing.

It's such a privilege to steward this little life and help it unfold.

While we were in Trinidad Owen attended a summer camp led by one of the women in church. It was a great experience for everyone but especially nice for Everly and me. We had hours of one-on-one time every day! I was deep in my master's program when Owen was 8 months old so really, I've never had mama-baby time like that. This age is just intense fun and those couple days were like a little summer vacation gift for us.

A little extra bonus - as if being on a tropical island for two weeks wasn't enough. ;)

Y

Or rather - why not?

She even looks cute in iPhone photos.

Eight Month Photo Shoot - Outakes

We brought a bug back from Trinidad. Everly, Owen and I all were pretty miserable last week. Owen had the worst of it with super high fevers and an ear infection. Everly had a little fever too so I've been monitoring both of them since - just to keep an eye on things. Owen caught this scene on my camera after Everly's eight month photo shoot. Ever wasn't too happy but thankfully those ear thermometers are fast.

Not a bad photo for a 2.5 year old.

Eight Happy Months!

Sweet Ever is eight months old. We were traveling home from Trinidad on the 2nd - and she started off her ninth month by being extremely patient and flexible and adorable 35,000 feet above the ground. Of course - that's our Everly.

At eight months Everly:

- has two teeth! Thankfully she's not prone to biting because those babies are sharp.

- has her first passport stamp! And she'll be getting her second in just a few days.

- still loves her three naps and early bedtime.

- is showing more and more interest in eating 'our' food. She'll give anything a few nibbles but prefers to smoosh it around her tray after a bit.

- is getting faster at her belly scooting. But overall she's a content child and will happily stay in one place for awhile.

- babbles and laughs most of her awake time.

- is just about the perfect size and weight to carry around on my hip. There is something so solid and smooshable about an 8 month old. I love carrying them around (once they're not too wiggly).

Happiest Eight Months sweetie pie!

Seven Happy Months

Just a little late in getting these pictures posted. There were so many sweet shots from our blanket session that it was hard to pick!

Ever is now:

• scooting across the floor - and fast. She pushes herself around with her toes. She loves crawling around the floor 'combing' the carpet with her hands. It looks like she's searching the fibers for any hidden snacks. :)

• eating some solids. Her first official solid food was on the seven month mark...some frozen mango. She's had some banana, some scrambled eggs with zucchini and onion, sweet potato, a bit of a peach, a little of my oatmeal, and some frozen fruit/yogurt popsicle. She still tends to make a disgusted face when she gets something in her mouth...but she keeps at it. It's fun to include her in our mealtimes but definitely more work cleaning up all the bits of things she's wiped off the tray onto the floor.

• teething! She got her first tooth two days after she turned 7 months and the second one cut through yesterday. So far she hasn't bitten me, and it still amazingly calm...but her slightly elevated levels of noise indicate that it does, in fact, hurt. Poor dear. My chin is her favorite teething toy. Poor me. :)

• Figured out how to scream at a level that might cause ear damage. Happy, angry, impatient...she's pulled it out for every occasion.

She's such an incredible light. The gift that having a daughter is has only begun to dawn on me recently. But trust me...lots of thankfulness around her because of this little one.

Happy 7 months Ever bug!

Take a hike

This little happy bug loves being outside, walking, hiking, swinging, sitting. Whatever. and she's finally big enough to really take it all in...even in the big kid backpack carrier.

Ever

again with the cuteness.

Food Practice

I've been waiting to start Ever on solids for a bit but that doesn't mean she can't get in some practice!

What to choose, what to choose?

Carrot hunk.

Mushrooms. Of the fuzzy variety.

Future gourmand - finished!

Six Happy Months

(I continue to be obsessed with wanting to eat Ever up. I call her sweet cheeks, honey bun, sugar pie, honey pie, sweetie baby, dumpling...and I could go on.)

She reached the half-year mark with style last week and partied it up by starting back on three naps a day. Probably a growth spurt but I like to think she's doing it for me.

At six months Ever:

• Is starting to sit up on her own. Meaning, she will stay in a seated position when placed there. For about 15 seconds. Then she slumps over into this adorable heap of melty baby fat and drool.
• Loves to cuddle. Right up on your chest is preferred, but she's happy being held any which way. Jon likes the one handed, up over his head hold.
• Loves to be outside. Stroller rides will keep her quiet and occupied for over an hour.
• Still laughs hard at everything Owen does. The rest of us get an occasional pity chuckle.
• I'm waiting on the solid foods for a few more weeks - but this little chunker knows how to eat...no worries there. No teeth yet either - and not too much drool - but EVERYTHING goes in Ever's mouth. And gets bitten. So the teeth must be close.
• Discovered fake coughing last week and high pitched screaming this week. And singing. All the time with the singing. It's awesome.

Aaaaand...writing this post has made me miss her. Silly me. So smitten. I'm going to go to bed so that I can be closer to her.

Happy Half Year! (sweetie pie - as Owen says. Guess he got that one from me too. I blame it on my sweet tooth.)

Owerly

If at first you don't succeed, right?

These two are still figuring out how to deal with each other. (ok...you put your left arm there and I'll...no...wait...falling...ok, try getting your right arm higher. Let's switch sides, ok, kinda better like that...nope...still falling.)

I probably helps that Everly is getting older and bigger (sturdier). It probably doesn't help that one week I'm like "DON'T wrestle with your sister, she's too delicate" and the next week she's trying to take him down.

Trying to figure out what you can and can't do with a growing baby is tough for a toddler.

He usually does great. Calls her 'sweetie pie' and pets her head. Says 'nap, nap Ever!' when she heads down for a nap.

Which reminds me.

I am really loving that they are on separate nap schedules. She sleeps in the morning and late afternoon and Owen naps right smack in the middle.

I know some parents want the synchronized naps and I totally get that.

But right now it means that I get a good chunk of one-on-one time with each child everyday. That's worth being tired and have a kitchen full of dirty dishes at night.

Especially to have leisurely time to nurse and cuddle Ever. Without simultaneously having to sing the ABC song. Again.

So hooray for quiet time where I can nibble baby toes.

Wednesday Shot

Sweet baby

Footsies

It makes me so happy when I carry Ever and she hugs me tightly with her little feet. It's one of the little things that make this age so special. I was looking forward to when she'd be able to hold on to me with her hands - but the feet hug is just so precious.

Sigh. Those babies. They know how to get you.

Speaking of precious and feet...

(Notice how Owen dumped half the sandbox on the steps?)

I love how Ever rubs her feet together. And when she's happy she kickskickskickskicks them. I think she's foot-sensory. Pretty sure that's a real thing, too.

The rubbing her feet together part she got from me.

The pinching me with her toes deal, though, is totally inherited from her father. Thanks a lot, Jon.

Five Happy Months!

Warning. Ever-fest ahead.

Really though, how could I pick just one?

Everly is five months old. (What? Why??)

She:

• is finally on a schedule. I wasn't rushing her but she seems to have settled into a three nap routine. Works for all of us - although some of her naps end up in a wrap - walking around the lake, playing on the playground, or at Giant. 2nd children...

• is working really hard on sitting up. She does great spending time on her stomach now that she has something resembling back muscles. She sits up straighter when we hold her and does that sllloooww baby fall to the side (instead of slumping into a puddle) when we let her sit on her own.

• pulls everything to her mouth. Bowls, hair, toys, cats, Owen, etc. Pre-teething? I'm guessing a tooth with show up this or next month.

• still loves to be sung to. And to 'sing'. Her happiest smile still includes a wrinkled up nose - it's adorable.

• laughs at everything Owen does. Even when he's 'yelling' at her.

• makes me so, so, so, so happy.

Link to Love

Need more family pictures? Or specifically, more pictures of Everly?

I know! Me too!

It's kind of like an addiction. A cute baby addiction.

Check out more of Gbenga's awesome work on his site.

(click below)

DescribePhotography.com

Snapshot

Grin

Either this girl thinks my phone is funny or she already knows how to smile for the camera.

Mesmerizing

She's got me. Completely.

Jon and I were talking the other day about how we love our children. I mentioned that you hear all the time that people worry about loving their second child as much as their first - but are relieved when their 'heart expands' to accomodate a new life.

Yes, but no.

I was ready for that heart-doubling feeling. And it is true that my heart was captured the moment I held Ever to my chest for the first time, seconds after she was born. To be fair though - it was captured before I ever laid eyes on her. A bond was forged during those months of carrying her wiggly little body in mine. Little by little as I got to know her, felt her gentle stretches, prayed for her, discerned her spirit, I developed a deep love for my daughter.

That love continues to expand rapidly. She has her father's crooked smile that melts my heart. She lights up the room when she's happy, which is often. She giggles when I tickle her and crinkles up her eyes when she sees me. All the little moments that make up our day together add to my love for her.

So it's not exactly like my heart doubled in size- there wasn't an instantaneous, sudden change. It's more like I've been given the chance to grow a new love - starting the moment I saw that extra line on the pregnancy test. Maybe even before.

4 Happy Months!

If Ever isn't her usual sunbeam self in these pictures it's because I was trying to get a shot of her without her legs all scrunched up...and she got tired of me trying. (It's about continuity, baby, sheesh.)

Look at the fuzz growing on top of her head! It's hair!! Owen was a glowing, shiny bald at four months so this is quite unexpected.

At four months, Ever is:

• the light of my life. It's not all just mama blabber either - this girl is seriously sugary sweet.
• still sleeping 75% of the day away.
• in love with her fingers (looking at, eating, grabbing things with) and has a newfound awe of her toes.
• all smiles for her brother and actually laughs at him (even when he's growling at her).
• easy to take for granted. She's so happy in her swing that I've been feeling a little guilty about the lack of attention she sometimes misses. I definitely have been implementing more purposeful engagement times with her.
• Loves singing - being sung too and singing to us. It's a little hard on the ears right now - usually high pitched (the higher the better) squeals - but she's so proud of herself when she gets out a few notes.
• Is starting to be able to sit up with a little support and roll over! (not always at the same time either.)

My favorite daily ritual is snuggling at bedtime. She is serious about cuddling and it always ends my day on a happy note.

Thanks for indulging my gushy side.

80% Eyes

Those big eyes kill me.