Opening Day

Here you go Dad, I got you some tissue.


Today was Baseball's Opening Day (a national holiday, ask about it at work) and Evie Lu and I tried to watch as much of the grand old game as possible. Rain delays and naps interrupted some of the action, but Evie Lu woke up just in time to see the new Cubs rightfielder hit a three-run homerun to tie the game in the bottom of the ninth! Unfortunately the boys kept playing and lost the game in the tenth inning.

Evie Lu assured me that it is a long season and the commissioner is considering ruling that all games lost by a single run will count as wins for the Cubs this year! Then when we weren't looking, our darling little girl unspooled all of the toilet paper and brought it to Kaia and me. That's one sensitive kid for you.

Don't walk over here until I wipe up these tears.

Come over here and give me a kiss!

We've mentioned it before, but it needs another post. Evie is all kisses and tickles lately. She can blow kisses (hand to her mouth and "mmmmm-mwaa!") or she requests them (pursed lips and a "mmmmm"). No one is immune from the kisses. Even her bedtime cuddle toy requests kisses. She holds out the cuddle and says "mmmm" until you kiss him good night. It is such a joy to have your baby show her love. She also is a great tickler, and gets into tickle fits where she wanders around the house saying "ticka ticka" and wiggling her fingers. Her fingers are right at knee height, and I've learned my knees are really ticklish. She's relentless! Though, I'm not sure she understands that only people are ticklish, because she has also tried tickling the couch and the fuzzy rug in her room. It seems the perfect storm, then, that she has been battling a bad cold this week. She is completely stuffed up and has a really bad cough. So, the last thing you want is to kiss her snot-smeared face and let her germy hands tickle everything in sight. But she is so cute! Here's to hoping that she is on the mend and that we are not next on the sick list.


If I cover my nose, will you give me a kiss?

Easter Sunday

I don't know about this.


Our little family had quite the Easter Sunday. I left early to get to the church and Kaia was in charge of Evie Lu prep. Evie Lu tired on the very cool galoshes which were a gift from her Minnesota Grandparents and found walking to be a bit more difficult. I'm excited for the day when I can teach Evie Lu to jump in puddles. These boots will be perfect.

They work in the rain!


Evie Lu was sporting an outfit Kaia picked out for her and even though I'm biased I think she looked adorable. There is something about seeing little Evie Lu with a great big bow. Kaia and Evie Lu spent the service in the cry room because the church was packed with people. It wasn't very worshipful for my two ladies.

All dressed for church.


We ended the day having a great dinner with friends before I had to run back for evening services. Evie Lu handled all the different situations fairly well and we are starting to figure out what our Easter traditions will be. (Also, when you come visit ask Kaia to make the amazing pineapple upside down cake she made for Easter dinner.)

An Easter basket for me!

Easter Celebrations - Toddler Time

Listening to the Easter story with friends.

Last Wednesday Evie Lu and I went to Toddler Time at the church. There were over 70 kids, moms, grandmas, and nannies there. (Once again I was the only dad there. C'mon guys!) The highlight of the time was decorating a bag and the ensuing egg hunt. Evie Lu scribbled with the best of the other kids and was thrilled when the doors opened for the hunt.

I've got this egg thing wired!


You didn't need to be Sherlock Holmes to find the eggs at this event, but still Evie Lu did really well. She picked up two eggs and placed them in her bag. Once she had her two eggs, Evie Lu wanted to hide them again. She didn't understand the point of keeping the eggs. Evie Lu was really confused when I ate all the candy the eggs held. Sometimes you have to take one for the team.

Okay, now what?

A Hard Trip

Lunch with Grandma

I can remember my dad saying to me, "I wish you could have known her." when talking about his grandmother. I know I will say the same thing to Evie Lu when talking about our dear friend Mary who passed away a week ago. Mary was the grandmother everyone should have in their lives. I know I will be telling Evie Lu stories about her for a long time.

Evie Lu and I went back to Montana for Mary's funeral on Friday. It was a grand celebration. The trip allowed Evie Lu to see family and friends, but it was much too short.

A pair of cute cousins

A Tale Of Two Chairs (Part II)

. . . it was the rockingest of chairs.

Behold, what light through yonder window breaks!


The other chair in Evie Lu's room is her rocking chair. This was a gift from her Minnesota Grandma and Grandpa. Somehow we fit it into a box and shipped it west and now it sits proudly in Evie Lu's playroom. Evie Lu likes to put her bears and babies in the chair and rock them. Whenever Evangeline is rocking in her chair she needs to hold a baby or bear and pretend like she's putting them to sleep. (And no, not in the veterinarian sense.)

A Tale Of Two Chairs

It was the softest of chairs . . .

What will happen to the Squishy Turtle?


In her office Kaia has an IKEA pong chair which she loves. It is a comfortable chair perfect for reading and having a cup of tea. Evie Lu now has her own pong chair. We ventured out to IKEA looking for a toy chest for Evie Lu's play room, but while we found nothing of that nature we did find a kid sized pong. Evie Lu really digs her chair. She hops up into it after grabbing a book and she'll sit for quite a while quietly looking at pictures. Of course it may be Evie Lu sits so quietly because she hasn't figured out how to get out of her chair yet.

The ending was ridiculous. A squishy turtle would never do that.

Showing Off

Can you see it?


The picture for today cracked us up because Evie Lu got on a kick with Kaia's headband. Evie Lu would find it, bring it to you, and then stand still while you put it on her head. This was a game we played for quite a while. It got better when I pulled out the camera and she had a ball posing. We are in serious trouble with this girl.

The big development of this week was the realization that Kaia and I need to start spelling certain words. This blew me out of the water. Evie Lu is just over a year, we shouldn't have to do this yet. Right? Yikes!

It looks pretty cool, huh?

CSI: Evie Lu

Alright baby, you don't say a word about this to anyone.

Baby proofing never ends. There is a drawer in our kitchen which is at perfect Evie Lu height. We keep pantry stuff in there (canned goods, crackers, etc) and for some reason Evie Lu goes to that drawer daily.
Evie Lu was out of my sight for literally 10 seconds and this is what I found. My favorite part of the scene above is that it looks like Evangeline has planted a cracker on her doll. "It was the baby doll. It was all her idea!"
I tried to get the pictures without her seeing me, but as you can tell she is a smooth criminal. The news is out. The jig is up. They finally found me.

We're busted! Run!

Now This Is Just Ridiculous

Seriously parents, where did you find this bib?

Last Saturday our little family headed to IKEA to look for a toy box and bookshelves for Evie Lu's playroom. We were completely unsuccessful on that front, but we did find the bib you see in the picture. I thought it was cute, but Evie Lu has a slightly different take. When I put the bib on her, Evangeline looked at me like I was crazy. The bib is ridiculously long. I suppose I should get used to disapproving looks from my daughter when it comes to the style department, but I didn't think it would start so soon. Evie Lu gave me a look that said, "Was Shaq having a yard sale?"
My quick comeback was, "Evie Lu, at least I don't brush my hair at the table."

Tunnel Vision

Build it and they will come!

As we were breaking down boxes from our move for recycling Kaia and I decided to save one of the wardrobe boxes for Evie Lu to enjoy. Wow, was that a good idea. I think we may have a little Indiana Jones on our hands. Evie Lu loves to not only go through the tunnel, but tries to climb over it as well. Watching her try to stand up in the tunnel is probably something I should not laugh at, but it is hilarious.

Yup, it works.

Pigs Are So Funny!

I can start selling your toothpaste if you call now!


Brushing teeth at night has become an interesting dance at our house. Evie Lu no longer wants Kaia or I to have any part in the process. Evangeline is pleased as punch to try and do it herself, but the minute I grab the brush to get the top teeth we have a major meltdown.

When I was a teenager Evie Lu's Montana Grandma would scold me for walking while I brushed my teeth. "Get back into the bathroom!" she would cry. Evie Lu is taking after me with her wandering dental cleanings. It is pretty funny.

Just like my dad I walk while I brush.

Buckethead

It doesn't fit this way.

A while ago Kaia heard someone refer to Evie Lu's age as "movers and dumpers." Our little girl is definitely living up to that category. If I forget to put my shoes away, they get moved for me. If Kaia doesn't zip up the diaper bag, it gets emptied. The hilarious side effect is watching Evie Lu try to figure out to use the items she discovers.

Now I will show you how to wear the bucket.


Recently Evie Lu decided her Easter bucket from last year was a great hat. My laughing at her only convinced Evie Lu that this was indeed the correct function. I failed to capture the best bits on camera, but you get the idea.

Can you see me?

Yard Work

First you get the mower started.


The mower you see in the picture was a gift from a church member whose son had outgrown the toy. Evie Lu loves it. These days anything she can push around is a favorite toy. Evie Lu mimicked me for a bit as I struggled with an overgrown lawn but she had a much easier time.

Next you head for the lawn.


I can remember the first house I lived in as a kid that had a yard and it is such an amazingly cool thing for Evie Lu. Just to have a space to run around is exactly what our energetic little girl needs. Before I went back to the church for evening services yesterday I spent about 30 minutes chasing Evie Lu and then letting her chase me. This is the good stuff!

And finally you laugh at the push mower your dad uses.

Doo Doo Doo Lookin' Out My Back Door

My dad dressed me up for yard work.


Our little family has been in our new place for two weeks now and we finally got around to some yard work. The front yard and backyard were in desperate need of mowing and so Evie Lu and I headed out to the bright sunshine to try and make a difference. We'll have more pictures of Evie Lu helping in the next post.

Grandpa taught me to look serious while surveying my fields.


Evie Lu is fascinated by rocks. I tried to get her to help me pick up leaves, but to no avail. I would corral Evangeline into the area where I was working, but like lighting she'd run to the little rocky patch. It could be that my daughter has great plans for a garden and so needed to figure out how to clear the rocks. Or maybe not.

We don't get too used to the sun, but it is wonderful.