Routine

This conversation happened between me and Evangeline after she had been quietly scampering back and forth from her room to the porch a few times. 

Evangeline:  "I'm making the coolest art right now!  It's art but with nature!"

Mommy:  "Your not bringing nature inside are you?"

Evangeline:  "No.  I'm not using leaves and stuff."

Mommy:  What are you using? 

Evangeline:  "Dirt."    

 

Here's another one of her prize winning quotes from the other day...."you know what's the scariest thing about being a baby?  If you always pretended like you were a horse they would grow up thinking that you were a horse."

 

Evangeline had one of her dearest friends, Avery Gard, over to play at the new house a few weeks ago.  They enjoyed swimming, playing princesses and making a recipe from her "Cook Me a Story" book from her birthday.  These two girls are two peas in a pod. 

 

Evangeline has been very much in to Anne of Green Gables lately.  When Avery came over I heard Evangeline say to Avery, "Call me Cordelia...Well, if you have to call me Anne make sure you spell it with an E."  Avery stood there looking totally confused and Evangeline began to give her a detailed summery of the whole story.  Then I heard her telling Avery, "Her best friend was Diana.  She drunk her."  Avery asked her what she meant by that and this is what I heard Evangeline tell her, "That means that you drink too much wine and you get dizzy and burp at tea parties."  I can only imaging what Avery will go home telling her mother.  

The new school year is underway.  Evangeline is an official second grader!  She is really starting to look older to me too.  When I see her at school I'm always startled by just how grown up she looks.  I can't believe she is already in her last year at South School.  I don't see her much now that she's on the second grade wing, which makes me sad.  She is loving school so far.  She is very serious about all the things her teacher, Mrs. Cannady sends home for her to work on.  She's been drilling her self with flashcards, reading her reading stories and practicing her spelling words like crazy.  I LOVE that she loves to learn so much.  I pray it continues.  She has so many nice friends in her class this year.  Her teacher goes to our church and is the sweetest person.  This is her last year teaching, so I'm so glad that Evangeline got to be in her last ever class.  It's going to be a great year, I can already tell.  We also have a new principal this year and the whole school is changed...there is such a happy vibe there.  It's a good place to be. 

 

Here's my big second grader on the first day of school.....

 

Evangeline lost her other front tooth at school.  It was big time drama this time.  It happened during lunch.  She had the principal, custodian and others involved.  When I came back from my lunch teachers were telling me that they were all looking for me because Evangeline was upset about the blood in her moth, but she finally pulled the tooth out.  When I went to check on her she was at recess and was happy as could be.  She didn't get to eat her lunch though and was very hungry after school.  She looks so cute without her two front teeth.  She gets SO excited about the Tooth Fairy coming and is always eager for bed on the nights she looses her teeth.  She spends lots of time writing the Tooth Fairy tiny little love notes and has to make sure everything is just right as far as the placement of her Tooth Fairy pillow. 

 

Jed took his first steps last Friday when we got home from school.  I stood him up in front of me and did a marching motion with my hands out in front of him.  He mimicked my steps and ended up taking 2 and then 3 steps!  I called Evangeline down and he did 1 step in front of her.  She was so excited!  So first steps...8/19...just before his birthday.  He still seems a little ways off from walking, but he's on his way. 

This is one of the groggy little faces that greets me each morning.  He's always so good-natured and cheerful when I come into his room in the mornings.  I pick him up and rock and cuddle with him for a few minutes.  Then Sis usually stumbles around the corner to see us and we chat about the day ahead.  It's a very nice way to start the morning off. 

 

We attended a campaign picnic over the weekend.  Oh, this is all so new to the Hutsons.  Good thing he's unopposed this time around.  It sure takes the edge off. 

Jed is One

If you really want to watch a year of your life blow past in the blink of an eye, have a baby.  If you want to accelerate it even further, add a 6 year old, a career, a house and a husband to the mix...then to really shake things up throw in a move.

Jed's birthday was a wonderful day.  We started his day with a few gifts.  Evangeline got Jed a huge Mickey Mouse "walking" balloon.  He didn't quite know what to think about it at the time, but he's warmed up to it and enjoys batting old Mick around the playroom.

 

We also got Jed a set of little balls, a work bench and a bubble machine.

Evangeline knew she was getting one last present from us, but she had to wait until Jed's birthday.  We got both of the kids a bean bag.  Oh my, Evangeline was so excited when Kyle walked out with them!

 

They were both pretty pumped about the bean bags....

 

We went to Sunday School and afterwards was our annual church picnic.  The weather could not have been lovelier.  After church we came home and went for a swim.  It was the first time we all four swam together since living here.  Evangeline went with me to pick out an ice cream birthday cake from Dairy Queen.  Peggy came over for dinner.  Jed got his first bit of ice cream.  It was so funny to watch him eat it.  I would put a little bite in his mouth and it would take him a while to decide to close his mouth around it.  After he finally did he made a look of confusion and then immediately made the sign for "more".  He loved it, but was totally baffled by it.   

 

After the cake we went out to give the bubble machine a try.  I could not believe the quantity of bubbles that thing put out!  Jed was a tad frightened.  I have to admit, it was a bit overwhelming, especially for someone with not much bubble experience.  Evangeline loved it of course, and Jed did come around after he saw how much fun big sis was having. 

 

The baby days seem to be officially behind me now that my little guy is 1.  It's so sad to close this chapter in my life since I know he will be my last baby.  The baby stage is intense, but it sure is precious and one I would never say I was ready to put behind me.  When it was just Evangeline I still had a longing for all of the things she did to not be the last time I would experience those things.  I ached each time she slipped from one stage to the next.  Jed has filled the missing piece in my heart and I am at peace with the fact that these things I am experiencing as he grows are the last time I will experience them with my own children. As much as it makes me sad, I feel that it's ok.  Jed definitely completes the picture.  I can focus on my journey as a mother with the two children I have and not feel like there's something missed.  I can look forward.  It does make it that much harder to cut the apron strings with Jed though. 

 

Jed at one:
-  He loves to eat avocado and watermelon.  He also likes chicken and apples baby food. 
-  Jed says "uh-oh, whoa, mama, dada".  It's so funny when he says "uh-oh.  He usually has to practice a few times before he gets it right..."uh, uh, oh, uh-oh".
-  He goes to bed at 8:00pm.  Wakes up around 6:00-7:00am.
-  He's been sleeping through the night for the past 2 weeks now.  (Hopefully I didn't just jinx that by writing it down. 
-  He's not attached to anything in particular and prefers being held to any certain blanket or toy.
-  He likes constant interaction.
-  He does the sign for the word "more".   He usually starts in with this sign the second he gets in his high chair. 
-  Jed LOVES his sissy!
-  He hates having his teeth brushed.  It's a battle every time.
-  He isn't crazy about being read to, but he is made to sit through at least 1 book every night.  He will learn to like them, by golly!

 

Jed, we love you more than you could ever know.  You have blessed are family in so many ways.  Happy birthday and may God bless and keep you now and forever.





Celebrating My Babies

What a party!  We sure lucked out with the weather.  It pretty much rained all day with the exception of a perfectly timed window just after lunch where the rain died down just enough for the kids to swim.  

 

There was no furniture.  There was supposed to be couches, but there was a mix up with the furniture store.  We had card tables and folding chairs everywhere.  I didn't even attempt anything cute or fancy this year.  I did buy some beach ball cupcake toppers and flip flop cupcake wrappers, but they got packed in a box and I couldn't find them in time.  I just happened to have these bees and flowers, so that's what we used.  I ended up finding the beach balls right before the party was over....I knew that was going to happen. 

 

Jed got his first taste of a sweet not derived from a fruit.  He loved the cupcake.  He was really in to the cake part.  He was pretty nice and neat about it.  

 

They both received so many great gifts.  Evangeline enjoyed her American Girl horses, a box of quarters and a bag of buttons.  She got some craft kits, but we haven't had a chance to get them out yet.  She will sure love those too!  Jed got some adorable clothes and some cool toys that make sounds and have buttons, which Jed just thinks are the best.  

 

The kids enjoyed their swim even if it was sprinkling...

 

At the last minute I planed a little party game since the weather looked so crummy.  Evangeline's always wanted to be in a cake walk so I made a game similar to a cake walk.  The game and prizes were a hit.  

 

Even though the house wasn't perfectly perfect and I didn't have the cool beach ball cupcake toppers... my kids had a great time and we love celebrating them. 

This and That

The doorbell rang last week with a surprise birthday visit from Grandma.  Evangeline was pretty excited when she showed up at our door with this fun little itinerary using earrings, stickers and magnets explaining her birthday gift from Grandma.  One of the scheduled events was camping in the backyard.  They had lots of fun.  

 

They spent the whole following day swimming.  My mom got some really cute pictures with her underwater camera....

 

Here's a better picture of Bluebell, the cat I sewed for Evangeline's birthday.  She wanted to name her after a flower.  I think she came up with a perfect name.  She has been taking Rosie and Bluebell everywhere and calls them her children.  Rosie has always been one of her favorite toys and she really enjoys having the pair.  It makes me feel so good to know that Evangeline is someone who values handmade things.   

 

I couldn't help but snap a picture of crying baby face.  It's the most pitiful thing, but ohhh so cute.... He can get pretty much anything with this face....

 

Jed's been doing so much independent standing in the past couple weeks.  He's still not taking any steps without holding on to something.  When I try to walk him around he just goes boneless and stares up at me.  

 

I don't believe I have ever mention Jed's love for the song "You Are My Sunshine".  For months that song has been able to sooth him, stop him from crying and put him to sleep.  It works like a charm with this boy.  No other song does it.  He got the cutest little pillow from his Ammie that has the lyrics from that song printed on it.  She uses the song frequently with him too.  It's our Jed song. 

 

We love our new home!!  We are slowly beginning to feel settled.  The furniture is still coming little by little and we appreciate every piece we have.  Evangeline LOVES having a mailbox rather than a PO Box.  She checks it every day.  It's such an exciting task.