Pictures

Kyle got this super cool picture made for Jed.  They put his name and all his birth info up on the marquee at Wrigley and sent us this picture.  It also included a cubs birth certificate, a onesie and cubs stocking cap.  I'd say we have an official little Cubs fan now....he has no choice.  Wish I could show my Grandpa, he would have loved this. 

 

Evangeline, the little arts and crafts girl, is in full on Christmas mode.  She made this little game the other day.  That's Santa.  You toss the little milk and cookies (pictured to the right of Santa) into his mouth. 

Here is her latest masterpiece from the Paint Like the Masters class at the art colony. 

I found this in her backpack.  She made it during indoor recess. 

 

She's discovered the joys of felt.  She made a felt stocking for Jed at her desk using felt, staples and markers.  She also made herself a skirt.  It was, uh...special.  I used to make all kinds of crafts with felt.  I remember making little wallets with felt and staples.  I just decided to give her free rain to my felt in my craft closet.  She's been having fun.



These pictures are a week old now.  Mr. Jed is turned 3 months old yesterday.  Can't believe it.  He seems so big to me.  He's almost completely grown out of his 0-3 month clothes and is now wearing 3-6 month clothes.  He's been in a size 2 diaper for a few weeks now.  I feel like I can literally watch him getting bigger by the minute.  He has the absolute sweetest disposition.  I'm amazed at how many people ask me if he's a good baby.  That must be the thing to ask mothers.  It always strikes me as a bazaar question.  Can a baby be bad?  No.  They may have colic and they may not sleep at night, but babies are the picture of innocents and perfection.  It's a question that almost makes me mad.  So my answer to that annoying question...no, not one speck of bad in this baby.  Jed is the sweetest and most dear little guy. 

 

Evangeline was helping me give Jed a bath and we were talking about how we couldn't believe that he is 3 months old.  She said, "I can't believe I'm a big sister.  I just love being a big sister.  It's just so sistery."

 

I LOVE the faces in the next pictures.  Once again, couldn't narrow it down.  

Jed's face in this picture is what Evangeline calls his "disgust face".  

 

And here's just a very cute picture of my mama and sweetie girl at Java Haute.  



Back To It

Well, my maternity leave has come to an end, and I will spend the next weeks and months figuring out how to balance my family and work again. This past week has been so crazy and so busy that I've barley had time to sit down...well, except for when I'm sitting down under my desk at school where I am pumping twice each and every day.  It's not something I enjoy, but keep reminding myself that I'm doing it for Jed....pumping so that I can continue to exclusively breastfeed him is certainly a commitment.  I'm setting small goals, taking it a day at a time. 

 

It's not easy leaving my baby every day.  It's been emotional for me.  This second week of work has actually been harder than the first.  I've been nursing him at lunch, but he's usually falling asleep at that time.  He also takes a nap when we get home from school.  I think it's probably silly, but I'm afraid he's going to forget who I am.  I've been really good at leaving work before 4:00 every day, which is huge for me.  It's a goal I'm going to try my best to stick to.  I am determined leave early to enjoy a few extra hours with my children each afternoon.  Family first...family first.  It's hard because I get wrapped up in my job, I love it, but I'm walking away at a decent time and that's that.  I'm coming to terms with the fact that this just might not be my best year as far as extras in the classroom go.  For example, my adorable Pilgrim/Native American bulletin board set from the 1970's is just sitting my box and it's not coming out this year. 

 

One perk to being back at work, aside from seeing more of Evangeline every day, are my wonderful coworkers who have made me feel very cared for and welcomed when I returned.  They've been so helpful and supportive.  The first grade teachers left a Pizza Hut gift card on my desk, my maternity teacher left a card and stuffed toy for me to open from my class, Kathy Reynolds made us dinner, Jenny Stone gave me a gift card for diapers.  So many people have made it a point to tell me that I was missed.  Returning to a workplace where I am surrounded by wonderful people sure makes it a lot easier.  Also, my sweet friend, Colleen sent me this adorable arrangement on my first day back which really brightened my day.  Ironically, it was in a tea cup.  

 

The first week flew by in a blur and the weekend wasn't what I would call a relaxing end to a hectic week.  Evangeline had 2 birthday parties, we had church and Christmas pageant practice.  The weekend was pretty much a blur too.  

 

(The photo below is from weekend birthday party #1.  Evangeline is pictured with Presley, Lauren and Harper.)

 

I just happened to have my camera in my purse and was able to snap a picture while waiting at a stop light on the way to Mom's house.  Evangeline always likes to hold Jed's hand in the car.  This sight from my rearview mirror is one that warms my heart.  She really looks out for and adores him.  She will hold his hand all the way from our house to Mom's.  

 

As busy as we are I still try to make special time for my girl every day.  We made cookies tonight.  She always likes to whip out the apron and chef hat any time we bake. 

 

And the little chubster sure does like his bath nowadays.  He likes to wiggle his little self down as far as I will allow him in his little chair and dangle his legs over the side. 

 

Jed slept almost 6 hours the night before I went back to work and has slept almost 6 hour stretches every night since then.  He wakes up after 5 to 6 hours, I feed him and then he goes back to sleep for a few more hours.  I think he must have sensed that his mama needed some extra sleep.  

 

Fright Night

This year I had a pioneer and a pumpkin.  We did lots of Trick-or-Treating.  We kicked things off at Burnsides to visit Granny.  We attended a special library Halloween event.  We visited Papa and Karen on one of Terre Haute's Trick-or-Treat nights.  We participated in the Frolic and did the ol'door-to-door.  Yes, this girl does not want for candy.  

Harry Potter a.k.a. Colleen brought some treats...her beautiful cookies, chocolate frogs and butter beer.   Not to be outwizarded Evangeline raced in to get her Hogwarts gear on too. 

Evangeline was so brave at Papa's this year.  She made it up to the front steps, not all the way onto the porch, but the up to the steps.  She decided she would go inside via the kitchen door.  That even took a little time, but she did it.  She spent most of the evening in the kitchen.  Right before leaving she mustered up the courage to come into the living room.  She said that maybe when she's 8 she'll be brave enough to help Papa pass out candy at the front door.

This is just a little glimpse of what she braved.  It's seriously like this through the whole house.

Here's Evangeline working up the guts to enter the kitchen.

The pumpkin wasn't scared. 

This is our Jack O'Lantern.  Evangeline picked the hardest template and I really thought maybe I could do it, I was wrong.  Kyle had to take the reigns.  He nailed it, but not without some serious complaining. 

The pioneer had a great time at the frolic.  It's always fun to see her little friends all dressed up.

 

And then there's this little cuddle bug....

 

 

The pumpkin was grouchy.  Good thing he has such a sweet big sis that always tries to cheer him up....

 

  

He was happy again after a full belly....

 

Evangeline's dreams of passing out candy to the trick-or-treaters finally came true.  She even wanted to hang up the towel on her own trick-or-treating early in order to get back to Ammie's.  She took the job very seriously.  She pulled up her little chair on the porch with the candy basket on her lap just a'waitin'.  Ammie had a fraction of trick-or-treaters in comparison to her old house, but Evangeline was as happy as could be.   

Our Week

Last week was Red Ribbon Week at school.  There was a different theme for each day.  Our favorite was "hippie" day. (We thought hippie day an odd choice for Red Ribbon Week, but whatever.)  We had the cutest little hippie in town.   

 

 

Ruttin' time....deer everywhere.  There are only 2 in this picture, but there were actually 3 and they were right outside the dinning room window in the waterfall.  You know, it's funny...Kyle and I are always so thrilled by the wildlife that ventures into our yard.  Evangeline is becoming desensitized to it.  I think the city kid in me will always be excited by the foxes, deer, turkey, etc. that come right up to the house.  Evangeline is a girl that's spent much of her life in the woods.  A deer in the back yard just isn't anything new to her. 

 

We got an invitation in the mail notifying us that Evangeline's art work was selected out of her whole class to receive special recognition at the library last week.  There was a guest illustrator visiting the library, Mark Brought, who did the merchandising illustrations for Harry Potter.  The winning kids were presented a certificate at his talk that evening.   

 

The annual South School Spooktacular Road Race was held last Friday morning and I was actually able to be a spectator this year.  All the kids were awarded a medal.  Evangeline was so pleased to see that I was there with Jed and Ammie to cheer her on. 

 

I could not help myself...this little guy was just too cute not to photograph after his sister's race all bundled up and snuggly.  

 

Jed sure does love his mobile. 

 

He's starting to look so big in his crib.  I was looking back at the pictures I took of him in his crib when we first brought him home from the hospital and he almost looks like a different baby.  

  

He sure enjoys those baths.