Happy Halloween!

Evan at the Bluff

We go to the bluff and kick the ball around. I hold Evan's hands as he kicks the ball back and forth. Every now and then his legs get tired and he sits to take a breather!

Evan Pictorial Update-Ten Months

Dear Evan-10 Months Old

Dear Evan-

Happy Birthday!

This has been your busiest month yet. You are so busy growing and learning. I stand by in awe at how fast you are developing into a little boy. I looked at you the other morning and thought you look so much like a little boy now instead of a baby. It is fun to see how much you enjoy each day. You get so excited at the world and the people around you.

This month you learned how to: clap; pull yourself to stand; walk holding my hands; stand on your own without holding on (for a few seconds) and now cruise furniture.

Each day you get stronger and stronger. You are enjoying more foods now. I can pretty much give you anything I am eating (with a few exceptions). I notice more and more now when I am eating you want to eat too or you are very curious to check out what I am eating. You like to talk to your food and do a soft monologue as you enjoy each bite. It almost sounds like a song. Your Aunt Ena use to do this when she was a baby too. You love bread, meat and broccoli! You still like all foods. There was a time when you first started foods that you didn't like bananas but you like them now. You and I share one almost everyday.

You love the game of copycat. It started yesterday at breakfast where you would sway and then I would sway. You get so tickled when I copy something you are doing.

You love dogs. Now when we say the word "Dog" or "Doggie" you look to see where the dog is and get really excited when you find one.

I think your favorite thing right now is faces. You love your own face, Daddy's face and you love my face. You like to play with our mouths, teeth and noses. You love to touch our cheeks and chins and giggle. You play this game with Daddy. You will be looking straight on while Daddy is holding you and all of the sudden get this smile on your face and suddenly turn to gently bite Daddy's nose. You both will laugh! It is so funny to see that subtle smile you get as you are thinking about turning to bite him.

You have a great sense of humor all ready. I find that it is maturing all the time. Now you will do something that makes me laugh and you will look at me laughing and decide to laugh too. It is the cutest thing ever.

You now have six teeth.

Your favorite toys are:chicken shakes; "Chad" the pull gator; stacking cups; grocery brown bags; the large stainless steel bowl; balls and Gordy. You have recently showed more of an interest in cars and trucks. I found you pushing one around on the floor the other day. You love to kick a ball. We will walk in the park and you will kick the ball along as we walk. Is playing soccer in your future?

Your favorite words right now are "Ooooooo" and "Hey". You can say "Dada" and Mama" but I don't think you know that is us yet only the actual word. This last week you have started to snort like a little pig. It cracks us up. I can't tell if you are actually trying to tell me someting or you just like doing it. I think it is a combination as sometimes you are frustrated or want something and look at me and start to snort. Other times you will just be busy playing and start snorting. You did it alot yesterday at playgroup and we all laughed. Your speech is getting more sophisticated. You can say so many more letters and sounds.

Night time is so much better. You pretty much sleep through the night now although it is not uncommon for you to wake up two times during the night. You usually go to bed around 8pm and sleep until 8am. You still take two naps during the day.

This week Daddy is in San Fransciso for a conference. You and I are doing it on our own. I wonder if you know he will come back or if you wonder about him. I can't wait to see your face when he returns home. You have so much fun together.

I love you more than words can say.

Mommie

I Sway...

You sway. WE SWAY!!
Today at breakfast, Evan looked at me and started to sway back and forth as he was smiling. I looked at him and started to sway too. He started to laugh and then I started to laugh. This went on again and again.

This became the game of the day today. Whenever one of us would sway the other would laugh and start to sway too.

Mr. 6th Tooth

Came today!

Take a Cruise

Today was a busy day for Evan. He has been learning how to pull himself up on furniture for the last few weeks. He has been walking holding my fingers for about a month now. But-today he started to cruise! He would pull himself up on a piece of furniture and walk on his own over to another. It was amazing. It was like he had always been able to do it. He fell a few times as he forgets to hold on or I wonder if he thinks I am holding on to him.

Tonight I noticed that he had a toy in each hand and was so busy playing that he didn't notice the fact he was standing on his own two feet without holding on to anything!

Mom. Oh yea, that's me.

This last week I have been using the word "No" for the first time. I have tried to use other words with Evan other than "No". I believe that "No" is used too often. I want to use this opportunity to use more descriptive words with him. I use "gentle" and "careful" and "slowly". I like to save the word "No" for more pressing or immediate responses. It's my theory and we will see if it sticks.

As I found myself using the word "No", Evan would look up at me and obey my request. It was amazing that he understood me. His little face would look up at me after I had said "No, Evan let's not play with cords. Let's play with your ball". I would hear my own voice and watch Evan's response to me all in slow motion and all the time realizing that I am the Mom. He is going to depend on me for so much more than he does now. Just when I get comfortable with where we are it all changes. I can't even comprehend what is next. We are on a journey together. It is one that only Evan and I will know. It is one where he is the child and I am the Mom. Yea, I am the Mom.

Humor

Where is it that we learn or receive our sense of humor? Evan is blowing me away with how he expresses his style of humor. He isn't even 10 months old yet and all ready knows his own humor.

It comes across when Daddy is playing with Evan's favorite stuffed animal and is making him crash into the floor. Daddy is good with sound effects. By the time that monkey crashes and yells out a yelp, Evan is full of giggles. How does he know that is funny?

Tonight when I was giving Evan a bath, we were sitting on the tub edge and Evan was on my lap. He was starting to get a little fussy as it was clearly bedtime. I was trying to entertain him while the tub was filling up with water. I threw in a green rubber duck into the tub. He and I watched the duck as it swam around the tub. Evan now playing with the shower curtain had lost interest in the duck. A few minutes later, we both looked down to find the duck head down and frantically being pummeled with water. Evan was giggling each time that duck came back up to the surface to be hit again with the water.

There are times that I am driving the car and hear a giggle from the backseat. I look at my rearview mirror to see my son in his carseat with a smile on his face. I love that he all ready entertains himself with his own funny thoughts. I would love to know what he is thinking!

Standing Up On My Own Two Feet

It all started last week when before giving Evan his bath he pulled himself up onto the bathtub. Yesterday, he pulled himself up on a chair and the sofa and today it was non-stop standing. I made him an "activity" table today out of an old IKEA bedside table with added toys. He loves it. It is great because I can make it new for him everyday. He stands and plays on it and then crawls under it and tries to sit up. He can't seem to understand why he can't sit up underneath. I know I am his Mom but isn't he the cutest baby ever!?

Tiny Foot Prints

Tonight I was nursing Evan and admiring his feet. With each little rub I was taking in how fast he is growing. It has really been amazing this last month to see what a little boy he has become. Everyday he is becoming more of a little boy and less of a baby.

He has such likes and dislikes. He doesn't know that when I say to him it will only take one second for Mommy to go to the bathroom. As soon as I let him go, even though he is within an arm's reach he will yell and tell me he does NOT like me putting him down.

Nights have been rough recently. Evan has taken to waking up every two hours again. Sometimes every one hour. It has made is difficult on me as I am so worn out the next day. I realized this morning that is isn't just teething going on but alot of development. In the last day, he is pulling himself up on furniture and holding himself up to a full stand. Tonight I noticed he did it with hardly holding onto anything at all. I was cleaning up after dinner and turned to see Evan standing onto the diapers.com delivery box. There he was holding onto that box and standing there with a full grin on his face. I clapped and celebrated his accomplishment which made a grin become a full on laugh.

Tonight, in those quiet moments rubbing my child's feet, I felt present and thankful. Thankful that I am taking each and everyday in one by one and all the time knowing that these little feet are soon to be bigger than I can hold.

The Pumpkin Patch

We went to the pumpkin patch today. We met up with our playgroup. It was a fun day of pictures and seeing giant pumpkins. Evan's favorite word right now is "Ooooooo" and he used it alot today! He was fascinated by the pumpkins. He would pat them and say "Oooooo". He would walk towards them with such excitement. It was a fun day.

Which one Mommie?

I want this one!

These are some of Evan's buds

The Playgroup Piglets! All of the babies are getting so big.

Who is that cute baby down in front, on the right? Is he standing!?

Here they are, the marvelous 3!

It was an LA moment...the pumpkin patch had paparazzi camped outside!

The Ocean

Run Mommy! What are we waiting for!?

The water is cold on my feet but the sand feels nice.

The ocean must of felt so massive to him. It does to me and I am five times taller than he is.

I like this place.

Sand feels good.

We took Evan to the ocean for the first time today. We have been waiting for a cooler, Fall day when the sun wouldn't be so strong. We also wanted him to be big enough that he could take it all in.

We carried Evan down the Montana stairway in the Ergo. He rode down on his Daddy's back. It had been so nice and chilly on Saturday. As we walked, I soon realized the heat had returned.

It was high Noon and as we pulled Evan out of the Ergo his excitement was all to apparent! He grabbed my hands and was saying "Oooooooo"...."Ooooooo" as he was running towards the water's edge. We reached the wet sand and he stopped to look at his feet. Then, he continued to race right towards the water. It was an amazing moment. He loves the ocean. He is so fascinated by it. I can't imagine how big it must seem to him!

Up!

Evan is all about walking right now. I remember the transition when he wasn't able to sit up on his own. He would be laying down and getting frustrated because he wanted help to sit up. Now-the frustration is he wants to be up! He wants to stand and he wants to WALK!

He get so excited. It is fun to hold his hands and just let him lead us where he wants to go. It is funny because sometimes it is in a circle but, usually it is right towards the bathroom. His favorite room of the house.

Evan crawls over to your feet and holds on to your feet now as to say,"Pick me Up!". He is good at letting you know exactly what he needs.

I just am so enamored by my little boy.

Happy Anniversary Mommy and Daddy!

Today is our 14th wedding anniversary. The three of us went to dinner together. It was so nice. We fed Evan our dinners. We all three enjoyed Salmon, broccoli, guacamole and a few French fries. It is so much fun to all eat the same thing! We walked down to a new place on Montana. They had the coolest highchairs that sit right inside the booth. Evan was amazed at it all. He would stand up to peek over the divider wall and say hello to our neighbors with his little "Ooooo". It was so funny. He is so friendly. He gets so excited when he meets new people.

Quote of the Day

"I am so happy we don't have white bread in the house."

"It's no wonder."

Evan on a Swing!

Evan Explores the Courtyard

I love watching Evan explore. He is so curious and anxious to visit the world around him.

This was the first time his feet were really dirty!

A Perfect Day

Today was a great day. It started with missing music class (again). Naps are just not working with getting to class by 11:15. Since Evan was all ready asleep when we reached class, we turned around and headed to Malibu. The Malibu Pie Festival was happening today.

We walked the small festival and shared various pieces of pie. Our favorite was a chocolate pecan orange pie. It was delicious. I wanted to share the pies with Evan. He was so excited to see the balloons blowing in the wind. It was a cloudy, overcast day. It felt like Fall and made our day even better. We walked around the shopping area and stepped into a toy store. We bought Evan a new ball. It is blue with yellow spots. He loves it. We walked back to the eating area to get some lunch. The center of the eating area is a playground. We placed Evan in an infant swing and he loved it. He loved watching all the other kids playing too.

Once we started lunch, we noticed that there were people handing out red beachballs to the crowd. Evan received his second ball of the day.

We walked back to the pies as we were so hungry for dessert after lunch (not!). After watching a pie eating contest and viewing the winning pies we headed home. Evan and I sat in the backseat playing with his feet and kicking the new balls into the seat.

After our journey home and an overdue nap, we walked to the store to get some food. We carried Evan in our carrier and felt the cool air on our faces. It started to sprinkle and I thought this is Evan's first rain.

On the way home from the grocery store, food and balloon in hand, we all had smiles on our faces. It had been a much needed family day.

After bath and book tonight, Evan still had so much energy to spend. We sat him on the floor and watched him open and close the bedroom door. It is one of his favorite things to do. He sat up and crawled a few feet. We were waiting to see him lay down and do the famous army crawl that we are now accustomed. He didn't stop crawling and boy can he go fast now that he knows how to be up on his knees! Right then, in front of of us, we watched our baby go from army crawl to full on crawling. I have said it before and I will say it 10,000 times more....they grow up way too fast.

At the Park

Are you talking to me?

Really Daddy?

These feet were made for walkin'

Higher! Higher!