First Day of School and 4th of July

Evelyn started preschool on July 1! She was so excited as we got dressed and made her lunch for the day. When we arrived, she hung her backpack and placed her lunchbox in the basket. Next, we found her cubby and placed her naptime blanket, pillow, and kitty inside. We then made our way to the multipurpose room where the children can play different activities until time to go in to the classroom. We walked in, she headed straight for some toys, and didn't even look back or say good-bye to Mommy! Mommy made it to the parking lot before crying.... We are so pleased that she loves school and is excited--it is better than the alternative. As for the 4th of July, we celebrated with our court neighbors and Evelyn got to stay up really late to watch the fireworks!

Summer in STL

This summer is off to a fast pace for us! It all began the last week of school in May when Evelyn fractured her wrist in three places--yes, three places. She decided that Mommy doesn't know what she is talking about when I told her that it wasn't safe to slide off her bed onto the floor via her belly. When I turned my back, she did it and began to cry--off to the ER! They put her into a splint and we had to see our BFF Dr. Bassett (he did both of her thumb surgeries this past year). She was placed into a pink cast for 3 weeks. We also started gymnastics along with swimming lessons about this time. During that time, we headed to Indiana to visit Grandmas and Papas. While there, she got a pink Barbie Jeep! At first, she called it her "pink Pathfinder" cause Mommy drives a Pathfinder--too funny! Since then, not a day goes by that she isn't driving around the court and over to visit Mr. Jon. The following weekend, we headed to Hayti to visit Grandma Cheryl. Before we left, Evelyn got to meet Dora the Explorer at a local mall. While there, we saw some friends from church--Samuel and Andrew. That evening, we hit the road. It was a fun time as we visited with all of Rob's aunts and uncles. This weekend, we finally got to be at home and enjoy time with just the three of us. We grilled, played, and Evelyn got soaked in the sprinkler. She just cackled and grinned as she ran through and became drenched. If only these days would last forever...

He's A Lawyer!

We received word on April 22nd that Rob had passed the BAR exam! So, on April 30th, we headed to Jefferson City for him to be sworn in. We arrived at the Capitol Bldg at 8:00 AM. Rob was one of the first ones to be sworn in at the Supreme Court. After that 20 minute ceremony, we headed back to the Capitol for some snacks. Since he elected to be admitted into the Federal Courts, we had an 11:00 ceremony to attend in the House of Rep. chambers. Rob sat at one of the representatives desks while we watched from the Gallery area above. It was another brief ceremony and by 12:00 we were headed for Hayti for the weekend. Words can't describe how proud we are of his accomplishment. As Evelyn shouted, "Yeah for Daddy!"

Easter Weekend

This holiday weekend, Mommy and Evelyn kicked it off with a morning at the Zoo. We headed down early in the morning on Friday and found a place to park. Once inside the zoo, Evelyn wanted to pet some animals. We headed to the Children's Zoo first where she could pet a guinea pig and some goats. She loved it! Then we were off to see the elephants, hippos, cheetah, tigers, monkeys, giraffes, etc. It was a beautiful day and we ate lunch by the pond area. When it was time to go, Mommy wasn't even to the interstate when Evelyn was out like a light. After nap, Grandma Cheryl arrived for the weekend. We spent the rest of the evening outside playing. On Saturday, we went to swim lessons and dyed eggs. During the night, the Easter Bunny left Evelyn a trail of eggs from her bedroom to her basket of goodies. After church, we hid eggs and hunted for them. It was a lovely weekend--beautiful weather, family, and lots of fun!

3rd Birthday

Evelyn turned 3 yrs. old on Wed.! That day, we kept the celebration small--just Evelyn, Mommy and Daddy. She opened some presents from us, Grandma Jill, and Papa Dave and Grandma Jeanna. When asked where she wanted to eat dinner, she gleefully shouted "McDonald's!" Then, on Sat., we had a few friends over for a party. Our good friends, Owen and Avery came. Also, our buddy Mason attended the party. She greeted everyone at the door and they all ate some lunch. Afterwards, she opened presents and then it was time for cake. It was a princess cake and she blew out the three candles all by herself! After the cake, we played a game sort of like Pin the Tail on the Donkey, only it was Put Cinderella in her castle window. Surprisingly, she loved being blindfolded and wanted to do it several times! The winner was Owen. At 1:00, everyone had to leave as it was nap time for all the little ones. Mommy is having a hard time with Evelyn turning three--she will be going to preschool in July and each day becomes this joyful little girl.

Time Flies

Wow, has it really been about a month since our last post? So much has occurred during this time. On January 22, Rob's father (aka: Pop Bob) passed away from kidney failure. It has been a hard loss for our family. He was such a loving man who welcomed me (Kristina) into the family with open arms the moment Rob and I began dating. Bob loved Evelyn and doted on her unlike anything in this world--she was "Pop's Little Girl." While she doesn't fully understand what has happened, Evelyn understands that Pop went to see Jesus and we are sharing him just like we shared Mindy with Jesus in December.

About one week later, Evelyn has developed pneumonia. Fortunately, we did not have to stay in the hospital, but it is taking two antibiotics to fight this. We rushed to the ER on Sunday morning when her fever reached 103.5 despite our efforts to keep it low. Since then, she is recovering well. She has been fever free since Monday and each day is becoming more of her outgoing, fun self. Mommy is still watchful...

On a celebratory note, Rob received his diploma from SLU Law School this week. It was a proud moment! He also recently received his grades and did very well in his final semester (especially considering how sick his father had become during finals in December). He is now preparing to take the BAR Exam on Feb. 23rd and 24th. Please say prayers of strength, health, and wisdom as he approaches this difficult test.

Snow Day!

On Wed. night, we received a lot of snow (okay, so it was a little over 3 inches--but that is a lot to Mommy) and we had a snow day yesterday! Rob couldn't wait to get Evelyn bundled up to play outside in the snow. We layered her clothing, then put on her new coveralls, boots, hats, hood, and gloves--it was comical! She giggled as she tried to run outside and play in the snow. It was precious! After about 10 minutes, Mommy called her inside so Daddy could shovel and Evelyn could warm up.

Indiana Christmas 2009

We loaded up the Pathfinder and headed to Indiana for Christmas this year. It was odd not having Mindy along for the ride and Evelyn asked where she was. I had to remind her that Mindy was with Jesus and she would celebrate Christmas with Him. That was a hard moment. On Christmas Eve, Evelyn set out cookies and milk for Santa. The next morning, she checked to see if he had come and eaten the cookies--it was precious! She gleefully opened all her presents. She loved the baby dolls, washing machine, vaccuum cleaner, and her new board games. The drive home was a bit treacherous as a winter storm blew in that Sunday. We encountered several cars that had slid off the interstate and even came to a standstill as there had been a serious accident blocking one lane of traffic. Fortunately, the weather eventually let up and road conditions improved the closer we got to home. Now to unpack everything and put it all away--oh what fun!

Christmas Time

We know it is a bit early, but with a pending winter storm threatening to change our travel plans; we celebrated Christmas at home tonight. Evelyn had a blast opening presents and couldn't wait to use all of them! From the stocking to her last present, she giggled and oohed at everything. As I type, her and Daddy are playing with a Playdo Octopus thing that we bought for her. Though her sheer joy of opening presents made us smile, we couldn't help but notice the void in the room as Mindy wasn't there to open her stocking from Santa Dog. We are celebrating with a mixture of emotions this year--grief for the loss of Mindy, joy for the moments with Evelyn, and thankfulness for the love we have of our family and friends.

Goodbye Mindy

At 5:00 p.m. this evening, Rob and I said goodbye to our wonderful 12 1/2 yr. old black lab, Mindy. She has been a part of our lives ever since Rob and I began dating. Mindy was just weaned when we purchased her from a breeder in KY. I remember the ride back to Rob's apartment and how Mindy sat perfectly in my lap. We called her our "pretty princess" and adored her. As I moved away to TN after college, she was my companion. She protected us, gave us joy, and above all unconditionally loved us. Since late October, Mindy's health began to fail. She began suffering from arthritis and Cushing's disease. As of late, she began to have accidents in the house, bleed for no reason, and eat very little. Our vet, Dr. Miller, said it was time to say good-bye to her. We didn't want her to suffer anymore. It has been the hardest thing for us. Mindy went peacefully in Rob's arms while I kissed her good-bye. Our home seems empty now and our grief is great. There will never be a more loving and wonderful pet than our beloved Mindy.

Trick or Treat!

Evelyn thoroughly enjoyed Halloween this year! We have been teaching her to say "trick or treat" when she knocked on doors for the last couple of weeks. Last night, she donned her pumpkin costume and was ready for action! Rob and I were delighted that she was willing to say "trick or treat" and "thank you" at each stop. She did not want to ride in her stroller, but preferred to walk the entire subdivision. After each stop, she would gleefully run down the driveways and shout "Mommy, I got another candy!" It was so much fun to watch her really enjoy the holiday. If last night was any indication of what is to come, Christmas will be unbelievable!

Carving Pumpkins

A few weeks ago, we headed to the pumpkin patch to find our perfect pumpkins this year. Last night, we had a lot of fun carving them! Evelyn decided she wanted a silly face on her pumpkin. She dictated to Mommy the shapes of the eyes, nose, and mouth for Mommy to draw. Then, Daddy began the carving! At first, Evelyn did not like the slimy feel of the pulp and seeds, but soon got over that! Before we knew it, she was constantly putting her hands into the pumpkin. She enjoyed it so much, she just had to help Daddy carve his pumpkin!

Pumpkin Patch

Today was our annual trip to the pumpkin patch! Every year it gets more fun as Evelyn grows and learns more each day. Unfortunately, the weather was less than ideal. It was cloudy, windy, and very cool. So, we put on our heavy coats and long pants and headed out the door! Evelyn loved getting to pick her own pumpkin--she is like Mommy, she knows it when she sees it and doesn't take long to decide! After picking our pumpkins, we strolled around the farm and looked at the animals. She enjoyed watching the horses, but wanted nothing to do with riding on one. Evelyn got her face painted while we were there. She sat very still as the girl painted a sparkly jack-o-lantern on her cheek. Afterwards, she wanted to ride on the little cars that were pulled by a four wheeler. She had such fun that she had to ride it twice before we got her to leave!

Surgery and Fall Festival

Evelyn had her second and final surgery this week. It was for trigger thumb, but this time on the right hand. This second surgery was wonderful. The staff remembered Evelyn and even had a Beanie Baby bear waiting on her bed for her when we arrived. They took her back at about 7:30 AM and was done by 8:00. When they were wrapping her hand, the head nurse said that plain white would not do as she knew Evelyn loved the color purple. With that said, she insisted they place some purple wrapping around it. So, Evelyn now has a purple boo-boo! She is so spoiled =)!

On Sat., Evelyn felt good enough to attend my school's annual Fall Festival. She was careful not to get her boo-boo wet as she played in the duck pond. Evelyn loved getting to feed the sheep, pet the llamas, and hear the chickens at the petting zoo. She rode on some trikes, toured an actual school bus (which she always tells us that she wants to ride), bounced in a bouncy house, and just plain wore herself out!

Disney On Ice and Scooter

Two months ago we were in bed watching the news when an ad came on for Disney On Ice. Rob rushed down to the computer and ordered front row tickets for his little princess! Last night was our big night out as Evelyn attended her first Disney On Ice. She donned her Minnie Mouse ears and gleefully ran to the car to go see Mickey Mouse. She was a little apprehensive at first--especially when Genie from Alladin came out, but once the Princesses arrived, all was well! She loved watching the show and her little face beamed the entire time. It was worth every penny we spent to see her smile and enjoy the show.

The next morning, Daddy headed to Atlanta for a NASCAR race with some of the neighbors. Grandma Donna arrived for the weekend and we went shopping. Of course, Evelyn got something--a pink Radio Flyer scooter and new helmet with pads. Needless to say, she loves her first scooter!

Monkeying Around

Sorry it has been so long since our last posting, but Mommy is back to work and Daddy has returned to school for his final semester (yeah!). Evelyn's pumpkins are growing and she has her cast off from her thumb surgery. We have been enjoying the few remaining summer days with lots of playing and relaxing (if that it is even possible). Today, she and Daddy went to a place called Monkey Joe's, which is an enclosed inflatable facility for kids. Our good friends Mason and Jacob went as well. She LOVED it! Mommy was helping host a baby shower and the men decided to take the kids for fun and lunch. Rob said she just giggled and ran around. She actually began to cry when it was time to leave for lunch! Of course, she was sound asleep when Mommy got home, but she told me all about the fun she had after her nap. It sounds as if we will be going there again soon!

Planting Pumpkins

Okay, so if you know us, you know that neither Rob nor I have a green thumb. However, a kind woman with whom Rob works gave him three pumpkin seedlings this week. Thus, we are planting pumpkins for Evelyn. She was very excited and we hope this project works out so that she can learn from the experience. Evelyn had fun raking the soil and putting the seedlings in the ground. She even enjoyed pouring the Miracle Gro food on it with Daddy. Cross your fingers and hold your breath as we are embarking on the gardening path--one that none of us have ever trod before!

Happy 2nd Gotcha Day, Evelyn!

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Can this be real? Has Evelyn been home with us for 2 yrs. already?! We watch her and think to ourselves how blessed we are and how much she has changed in such a short amount of time. To celebrate the day, we ate lunch with Daddy and then had a special dinner out with just the family. Oh, and she got a new Imagination Movers CD to listen and dance (she absolutely LOVES them and their music). We didn't want to do anything over the top in the gift dept. as we want the focus to be on the blessing of her coming home to us and making the family complete. This is such a special day for us and words can't express how we feel: blessed, adoration, pure joy, and unconditional love. These are just a few words that begin to describe how we feel as we celebrate Evelyn's 2nd Gotcha Day.

Cakes, Magic, and the 4th

We did a lot of celebrating last week! It was Daddy's birthday on Monday and Evelyn surprised him by helping make a cake for him! Evelyn helped Mommy decorate the cake with sprinkles and had a blast! It was so fun, she didn't want to stop decorating with sprinkles--needless to say, Daddy had a very festive birthday cake.

Later in the week, we (the whole family) went to the Magic House for some fun. It was almost too much to take in! Evelyn loved the Once Upon a Time exhibit as she climbed up Jack's Beanstalk and slid down, pretended to be Cinderella in a carriage, and explored with bubbles. She and Daddy had a hair-raising experience with magnets and wouldn't you know, she found an old-fashioned tea set to have a tea party. We left with the promise to return as soon as she gets her boo-boo off as there were lots of water activities that we didn't participate in this time.

The next day was the 4th of July. We were preparing to attend a parade and later a baseball game, but mother nature had different plans. It was rainy and cool the whole day. Mommy and Evelyn made a flag cake to celebrate our country's birthday. Evelyn did a great job putting the blueberries and strawberries onto the cake. When the rain finally stopped, we headed out into the court to eat with our neighbors and celebrate the 4th! All that socializing and eating wore Evelyn out as she didn't make it to see the fireworks.

Thumb Surgery

Yesterday, Evelyn had surgery on her left thumb to correct her trigger thumb. We tried to treat it conservatively by putting it in a cast in April, but her thumb reverted at the end of May. We arrived at the hospital around 6:30 AM and her surgery was scheduled for 7:30 AM. Upon arriving, Evelyn made herself right at home--she quickly charmed the nursing staff and all the doctors. As usual, the surgery started late (8:00 AM)but was quickly over (8:15 AM). It was tough to watch her come out of the anethsia as she cried and flailed about (they say it was very typical for this age). Once she calmed down, she wanted milk and we were allowed to come home. We were home around 9:30 AM. She wanted to eat a little something (pink Pop Tart) and then napped for 3 1/2 hours. Evelyn will be in a stint for the first week and when we have our one week check up, she will be put into a cast for another 2 weeks.

Oh, and more good news (Mommy is being sarcastic)! It looks like her right thumb is now triggering, so we will likely go through this again in about 6 weeks or so--yeah!!!