I'm too sexy...

...for my shirt, too sexy for my shirt, so sexy it hurts!

Birthday Buddies

Evan and Jayten are birthday buddies. They were born just six days apart and each time we get together I am interested to see how many things they do differently. Jayten is walking a bit more than Evan is but Evan seems to be more vocal. Maybe it was just because Jayten isn't as familiar with our house. Either way, it's fun to have some friends with kids who are so close to Evan's age. We had a great visit with Mindy and Jayten and look forward to more this summer!

Evan and the Inspiration

On the way home from visiting with Chuck, Clare and Savanna, we took advantage of being in upstate New York and stopped in to visit more friends. This time we were visiting the Kiblers - Kodi and Stella (Jeff was sleeping from his overnight working!). Kodi is the inspiration for Evan's blog. While I have only met Stella once, I have been able to watch her grow up through Kodi's blog and I love it! I hope some day her creativity will rub off on me a bit more! We had a great afternoon visiting with them. Stella was a wonderful hostess, sharing all of her toys with Evan. She also made sure that Evan had his milk and his shoes at all times! So cute! Thanks for a great visit (and lunch), Kodi and Stella! Hope we can do it again soon!

Welcome, Savanna!

Today we drove five hours out to Cortland, NY for a welcome party for Chuck and Clare's little girl, Savanna. She was born back in February but they are currently living in Atlanta and so this was the first opportunity we had to meet her. What a cutie! The party was held at Clare's parents farm and the weather (which was fore-casted to be thunderstorms) was perfect! Evan had a great time walking around all the tables and chairs and playing with the dogs. He even got to meet some horses, which he like from a distance but not too close! At dusk there were some fireworks which Evan wasn't too fond of. He liked the colors but not the noises. We had a great day celebrating a wonderful family! Welcome, Savanna!

Pool Time!

Nothing like jumping right into summer! Not that I am complaining. After having rain and cool weather for much of May, it seems like summer has unofficially arrived, just in time for the holiday weekend! It is hard to believe that just two weeks ago we had the heat on in the house and then today we are looking for ways to keep cool. We haven't invested in any outdoor water toys so we had to improvise a little bit but I think Evan still had fun and cooled off anyway. Maybe next week we will check out some water toys...especially if this is the type of weather we have ahead of us!

Giggles for Daddy

I took this video on Tuesday night while Evan was supposed to be eating. Instead he was cracking himself up! Bruce was supposed to be home tonight. Instead he is stuck in Colorado. I thought he could use a little laugh! We love you, Daddy! Can't wait to see you tomorrow!

Play Date with Annalia

Finally! A beautiful day! We met up with Emily and Annalia in Rhode Island and Evan was super sweet with Annalia. Last time we got together, Evan had just started moving around and wasn't all that interested in Annalia. This time, however, was different. Evan was showing Lia his toys and offering his milk to her. It was really sweet to watch them together! We went for a nice long walk to enjoy the beautiful weather and had a great visit! After Em and Lia went home, we had a sleepover at Papa and Gramma's...so fun!

Determined

Evan was determined to get the lid onto the teapot and he knew just how to do it. The problem was that every time he got it in place and lifted the pot to show off his great accomplishment...opps...the lid fell off! After expressing a little frustration, he would start again...and again...and again...

Making Music

Evan seems to be following in his cousin Hannah's footsteps quite nicely. Hannah learned to play the harmonica at a young age and Evan is well on his way to being a budding musician himself. Maybe some day Hannah and Evan will go on tour together! This musical giraffe was the one and only toy that Santa brought to Evan for his first Christmas...guess Santa made a good choice!

Summer Kicks Off!

This weekend was our unofficial, unofficial kick-off to summer. Saturday started with a 5k at the Cherry Blossom Festival in Pawtucket. Once again, I ran alone while Bruce pushed Evan in the stroller. My goal was to break 25 minutes and run my fastest race ever but during the run I didn't feel like I was going to do it. However, once I reached the two mile mark, I knew I had a chance. Come to find out, not only did I break 25 but I broke 24 as well. I ran a 23:53 and was shocked!

After the race, we went to Gramma and Papa's for a quick visit. Uncle Dan, Danny and Sean were there too. As always, the little boys had fun playing together and everyone enjoyed some Del's! The first Del's of the season and Evan's first Del's ever! Once we came home, Bruce and I did some yard work while Evan napped and played in the yard. We rewarded ourselves with ice cream from the ice cream truck! Having kids allows us to be kids again!

Today, Evan's "girlfriend" Tara had the first summer BBQ. It was a smallish gathering and the weather didn't quite cooperate but we still had a good time. Evan was the life of the party, as usual, and he even took a couple of unassisted steps. He will be walking before we know it!

Here's to a great summer!

Another Haircut

Which as you can see, is long over due!

And getting harder and harder to do!

But Daddy is getting better and better and I get cuter and cuter!

Rolling in the Deep Hot N Cold

Evan loves music and loves to dance! This morning he turned on the clock radio in the spare room and danced to Katy Perry's Hot N Cold and Adele's Rolling in the Deep. He has great moves! I especially love the "wings" in his hair!

I've got...

Pot Gloves! (as named by Danny)

Monday, Monday

"Monday, Monday, can't trust that day. Monday, Monday, sometimes it just turns out that way." -The Mama's and The Papa's

After many, many days of rain and dreary weather, we were feeling a little house bound. We decided to get out and have some fun with two very special little boys. And boy did we have fun! Spending time with cousins is always a great way to beat the weather blues!

Mowing the lawn

Evan's first ride on Daddy's lawnmower

Can I drive, Dad?

Heart Healthy

This morning we got out and walked for heart health. The Worcester Power Bootcamp was doing the warm-up for the Heart Association Walk and I volunteered to help out. Bruce and Evan joined me for the walk afterwards. It was on Shrewsbury Street in Worcester and it was a nice morning for a little fresh air. Evan's favorite part was the dog bounce house after the walk. Maybe next year he can jump in it for a while.

Hangers!!

I would like to thank everyone who came to my party and gave me such wonderful gifts of toys and clothes. I would also like to let you know that you can save yourselves lots of money next year and just give me hangers!

Love you all,

Evan.

An empty basket...

...let's fill it up!

Hess Trucks

After all the fun that Evan had with Papa on Thursday, we figured it was time to break out the Hess trucks. Evan and Daddy played with the trucks when Daddy came home from his business trip and had tons of fun. Evan has now added plane noises to his repertoire.

Firetrucks with Papa

After dropping Omi and Grandpa Bob off at the airport, we spent the day at Papa and Gramma's. Evan had so much fun playing firetrucks with Papa. He was a little unsure of all the sirens and movement at first but he got used to it. He is already better than I am at making truck noises! Here are a few photos and videos of their fun.

Happy (Early) Birthday, Grandpa Bob!

Today before taking Omi and Grandpa to the airport, we briefly celebrated Grandpa's birthday which is next week. Evan helped Grandpa open his gift.

I can help you, Grandpa Bob.

Is it a phone?

Oh it's not a phone. It's a kindle battery.

Happy early birthday, Grandpa Bob!

Tower Hill Botanical Gardens

Today while Daddy was traveling, we wanted to do something fun for Omi and Grandpa's last day in Massachusetts. We were thinking about going to the Eric Carle museum because the weather wasn't too great. Then we realized that it was only open until 4 pm and with Evan's nap lasting until 2 pm coupled with an hour plus drive, we knew that wasn't going to happen. So we opted for something more local, something Mommy has wanted to do for over ten years! We went to Tower Hill Botanical Gardens and just as we were getting there, the weather started to improve! We walked through the gardens and on the trails for a while then took a break on the swing. After our visit to the gardens, we went to North Works where Evan danced to the music all through dinner! He is always a hit when we go there. What a fun day! Too bad Daddy couldn't join us.

Time Out

Today while taking a nap, Evan gave himself a time out.

Purgatory Chasm

Today we finally had a decent day weather wise and we didn't have any other pressing projects so we went for a little hike at Purgatory Chasm. It was a beautiful day for a rocky, woodsy hike. Bruce hiked with Evan through the Chasm and then we switched when we took the loop trail. Let me tell you, hiking with a 20+ pound monkey on your back is a good workout! So nice to have a great place so close to home!

Go Red Sox!

Tonight, courtesy of Aptima, Bruce and I watched the Sox game from the right field roof. Conveniently enough the tickets were for a game while Omi and Grandpa were still here visiting so they had a little one-on-one time with Evan and we got a date night! It was a fun night even though it was a little chilly and the Sox won in extra innings even though we left at the end of the 10th.

Ice Cold!

I can help you clean out the cooler, Dad.

Can't quite reach!

Oohh...cold!

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day! As my friend Jess said, it's almost like I had two first mother's days. Last year I was in the hospital and on pain meds and while it was a very special day of getting to know our special guy, we didn't really do too much. Hard to believe that a year has passed already!

After the party yesterday, we decided on a pretty low-key day today. We were going to go out for brunch but then opted for having brunch at home instead, complete with delicious omelette's made to order and mimosas! It was wonderful. Then we all took at nap when Evan did...it was a good day for it. This afternoon after the weather improved a bit, we took a stroll on the bike path to get out and stretch our legs some. When we came home, Evan tried out the Hocus Pocus chair that was Daddy's when he was a little boy. He loved it! All in all a relaxing day!

Evan's First Birthday!

Happy birthday, Evan!

Wow time sure flies!! Today we had a party to celebrate Evan's first birthday. We tried to keep it relatively small and manageable which turned out to be a very good thing because the weather didn't cooperate. But we still had a great day! All the kids had fun and there was just the right amount of chaos! Way too much food...as always...and lots of great company! Evan was a superstar, thanks to his 3-hour late morning/early afternoon nap. He had fun playing with his cousins and friends and enjoyed his cupcake, especially the frosting! I think Amelia summed up the day the best "I don't think I have ever been to a one-year-olds birthday party where there wasn't any crying!" Definitely a great celebration of a very special little boy!

First Birthday Letter

Dear Evan-

Happy birthday, little man! I can hardly believe that you are already one. I just put you to bed and can still hear you talking and singing to Curious George, Pooh Bear and your other friends in your crib. We had a wonderful day today with lots of family and friends celebrating you! You enjoyed your party as much as we did. It was a perfect day, even if the weather didn't quite cooperate.

I am amazed by you each and every day. In just one short year, you have learned so much. You are great at feeding yourself and drinking from a sippy cup. You crawl everywhere! Even places you aren't supposed to (like up the stairs). You are great at standing and walking around while holding on and I know you will be walking on your own in no time at all. Your vocabulary is growing everyday. Some of your favorite words are dada, mama, ball, wow, beep-beep and hi. You mimic everything you see and hear and you LOVE to dance! We are having so much fun watching you learn and seeing the world through your eyes.

I can't believe that just one year ago, I had only known you for an hour. I knew I loved you but had no idea how much. The last year has been filled with many emotions but mostly with love. I feel so blessed to have you for my son. You are such a sweet, loving little boy with an infectious smile and laugh. While not every moment of every day is easy, it is all worth it! There are times when I feel as though my heart will just burst from the love I feel for you. I guess your dad and I must have done something right along the way to be lucky enough to deserve you. You have already brought so much joy into our lives. I can't wait to see what the next year brings for you and for us as a family!

I love you more than you will ever know. Sleep tight my little one.

Love always, Momma.

Grandpa and Omi are here!

Grandpa Bob and Omi are here!! They arrived on Tuesday but unfortunately we haven't had a chance to do too many fun things yet. We have been too busy putting them to work in the yard and getting ready for somebody's first birthday. It has been a nice visit so far and Evan has loved spending time showing off all of his latest tricks. We are glad that they were able to make it out to help us celebrate his first birthday!

Month 12 in Review

Another month gone by means another collection of photos too cute not to share!

Watching Daddy Paint

As you can see in Playing Outside, our deck is in desperate need of a new paint job. It needed it last year but for some (little) reason we never got around to it. This weekend Bruce power washed and primed it. Hopefully someday soon, Evan will do more than just watch!