My 4th Birthday Party!

This sign was your pride and joy of the day. You loved it and picked it out to display for your party.
Cakes are serious business in our family! We love a good cake and this one is by far the most tasty and beautifully represented than I think I have ever seen. You were thrilled! We started your birthday as farm theme and then by request it went to construction trucks. The theme became construction trucks and farm animals!

You are such a good helper!
Waiting for your guests to arrive!

We had your party at "New Gym" (as you call it!). You love the place. They awarded you a medal for being the birthday boy.




Happy Fourth Birthday E!

What do you love?

What do you love? E says: Trucks. Food. Drinks. Trees. Water-Fun to play.

The 3rd Day

I think this day was so hard on Evan. He did not want to leave me for a second. He kept saying, "Mama don't leave me. I love you". It was heartwrenching and so difficult for me to see him struggling. He cried so much and really struggled when I encouraged him to leave me and go see what his "new friends" were doing. At the end of the day, he told me on his way home that he didn't like his teachers. I asked him why and he told me he didn't like the way they sing. He also announced that he didn't like the kids. Yikes. What else is there for the boy to like? I hope this starts going better soon. This is a tough transition.

Little Dolphin

I bought this for E today after his big day starting school. I just got it because I know how much he loves dolphins not even thinking how ironic it was.

Today. The 1st Day of Preschool

Today was huge. Evan took right to going the school. I watched him get overwhelmed by it all but he followed all the other kids as they left "the yellow room" and went to the "purple room" for music and back again to their classroom (the yellow room). E is a "Coyote". The school is amazing and do so much with the kids. I am thrilled to be a part of it but it is so hard to see your baby stepping into this stage of life. He was exhausted once we hit the car but didn't take a nap. Steven is off all week so we get to have some nice time as family as we are all adjusting to our new early schedule and the fact that our little guy is going out of the house for the first time.

Tomorrow-1st Day of Preschool

E starts preschool tomorrow. I have had a bit of mixed emotions the past few days. It has been three years since E was born? I still can't believe how fast this time has flown. I miss our days together walking and adventuring. I wouldn't give up that time with him for anything. I feel very lucky that I had the first 2.5 years with him pretty exclusively and then for the past 8 months to of had M to have E spend his few mornings with her. She has been amazing with him and I hope we keep in touch with her in the years to come. This past week I have had doubts and have thought that maybe I should of waited to start E until next Fall. He would be almost 4 instead of now when he is just 3. I also keep thinking I wish it was a 3 day program and not a 5 day. It just seems like so much for a little guy being the first time away from home. My mind races with should haves and maybes. I just always want to do the right thing by him. He is a treasure and I value his education and his first view of the world so much. I do think I have found a place that is wonderful. A place that shares our vision for learning and freedom. Freedom of life and freedom of thought. A place where I hope that the beginnings of a love for learning with ignite within my little boy and a place where he can build the beginning of an inner strength and confidence that is all his own. I hope for him that he finds great friends and love here and the experiences will bring him great joy.

I love that I can bring him each and everyday and he is only a few doorsteps away from me. Tonight I was talking to E about tomorrow and all that it will bring. I told him that when we wake up in the morning we will get dressed and take him to school. As I was starting to explain more, he stopped me and said, "Go to school now?!". I think he is excited more than I imagined. He is ready. The more I see he is ready and is excited it gives me such peace that this is the right thing for him.

"Boo Boo"

Evan has become very aware when he has an "owie" or a "boo boo". He makes sure that both Dada and Mama know what has happened and where it has happened. Tonight I was clipping E's nails and one of his nails started to bleed. (I felt HORRIBLE!) He didn't cry and it didn't even seem to phase him. He was silent for a moment and then held up his thumb and said, "Boo Boo". I placed his first band-aid on his thumb and he would just look at it and hold that thumb up in the air the rest of the night. I watched him playing with his toys and he never used that hand. He jsut held it to protect it. Now that we have hit the band-aid phase I need to pick up some fun ones for us to use. Poor little guy.

Beach Time with Dada

Our Favorite New Things

Evan is in love with this book called "The Icky Sticky Frog". Nena sent it to him as it was one of the books she use to read to Everitt and Morgan when they were little. Evan loves it. We always have to read it 4-5 times in a row. I think he likes all of the expressions used in the book. There is a "Whoop" sound and a "Shhhhh". Evan places his finger over his mouth and way up next to the side of his nose and says "Shhhhh". He sticks out his tongue when the frogs does and he uses big arm gestures when the "Whoop" happens. He loves to smell all of the flowers next to the big blue lake. It is adorable.

Today we were playing at home when I said to Evan let's spin. I turned round and round and stopped suddenly to see what Evan would do. He did a spin of his own and laughed. So I did another. Before you know it we are both spinning. Evan learned quickly that spinning leads to dizzy. He was giggling and spinning and making himself dizzy. He would run to the sofa and crash into it to make the dizziness stop. It was so fun to see him learn this new thing. This week we have also started jumping. He will jump in place and smile up at you waiting for you to jump too.

Evan loves to drive his cars and trucks. He is good now at rolling them to you and waits for you to return them. In the car, he will drive them on the window edge and up the wall all the times making "Vrrrrummm"..."Vroooooom" noises.

Evan understands everything. I have come to realize that he really gets it. He knows what we say and I think at times he is frustrated that he can't yet verbally communicate fully the way he wants. He loves to take us by the hand and lead us to where he wants us to go. It may be to just walk down the street or it may be to a toy he needs help getting it unstuck or he wants a snack and will take us to the pantry or refrigerator. It is so much fun to see what a little boy he is now. He has needs and wants and clearly communicates those to us in ways that he knows best. I love it and I am fascinated in watching my little boy grow and discover things on his own.

We make forts weekly. He loves them. He will start to giggle before my fort creation is even completed. He will run in and giggle and then go and get toys to bring into the fort with him. One thing is certain he loves to have me inside with him. He will get it all settled and soon come and take my hand and gesture to get me inside the fort with him. I have learned that I have to make these places big enough for both of us or it will be difficult for me to enter. I love these times with him. They are and will be embedded in my memories forever. I can't imagine missing out on these times and I am so thankful I have them with him. It is so nice to just "be" with him.

He says so many words now. I wanted to write an updated list: mama, dada, hot (hota!), hota tea, dada (ball), up, down, books, truck (his absolute favorite word right now), keys, banana, crackers, snack, juice, socks, shoes, knee, eyes, Grandma, rocks, stick. I am sure there are more I am missing. He makes all sorts of noises to represent things. "Whoosh" for the water in his bath or the ocean waves, moo, meow, baaa, maaaa, quack, he makes a flutter movement with his hands to represent a butterfly. He is so much fun. I just can't get enough of him!!

Childhood