A Compliment

During a supper of sauteed kale, pasta, and chicken parmesan  (sort of), Evangeline dipped her finger in her water and said "Good booyee!". Thanks, girl.

Month The Second

Irene is two months old. She went to the doctor, got a bunch of shots and drank a rotovirus cocktail. She also got measured:

12 lbs, 9 oz

23 1/4 inches

If you care to, you can compare her stats with Evangeline at two months. 

I never look forward to the jab-getting, but today I realized that the hardest part was how cute and smiley she was as she sipped the rotovirus, and then was all bright-eyed and cute when the first shot hit her. Poor girl. Better than the alternative. But, she recovered quickly and is currently napping. And why do they always have  Batman band-aids?

Louise came over with a cake for Evangeline. Evangeline was
napping, so Irene took advantage of Louise's loving arms. Then
Kyle and I ate a bunch of the cake. 

Today Evangeline opened her gift from the Sunday school.
It is a barbecue kit. Kyle's going to be crowded at
the grill this summer.

Year The Second

-Evangeline's birthday. She stayed up pretty late on New Year's Eve, but not late enough to ring in the new year with us. She also did not stay up late enough to see us ringing in the new year by making decorations for her party. And when I say "we" I really mean her grandparents. Anyway, she was suitably thrilled by the decorations in the morning even though some of them had fallen apart (I briefly thought of writing a letter to Martha Stewart about how the sticky stuff on these decorations are not sticky enough, then remembered I am too forgetful and lazy to do such). But Grandma Becky saved the day and taped them back together.

-Evangeline hid under a chair while people at church sang "Happy Birthday" to her before the service (with candles and muffin cake).

-We had her official party after church with the traditional lunch (can it be called a tradition after two years?) from a local restaurant of pulled pork, collard greens, whipped sweet potatoes, hoppin' john, and a chocolate chess pie. The grandparents and the Haugens were in attendance. Evangeline ate whipped cream.

-Evangeline got loads of neat presents, and had  a super day from the time she awoke to just a few minutes ago when she went to bed.

-We are extremely thankful for two years of Evangeline. We are also this thankful for grandparents, aunties, our church  and our friends for making these two years so great.

Birthday breakfast with grandma. Oatmeal.

Dad trying to get The Girl to be at least a little gracious.

Birthday dress.

She opens presents carefully. She's not named Meimi for nothing.

We were confused when she peeked inside this present and said
"booyee". Then she unwrapped it and we understood.

And she never really even ate dinner.

Uh.

More whipped cream.

Congratulations, it's a girl!

A girl, her tea set, and her garbage truck.

Irene's hair today: Awesome.

This hat didn't fit Evangeline too well. Irene fit it just right.

Could that be grandpa reading directions?

The falling decorations. Martha!

Christmas Still

Merry Christmas, still. Since we're all still (only just started!) celebrating the birth of our Savior, we'll not consider this Christmas post late at all. Here are some pictures. I won't make a lot of comments due to the late hour and the guyying baby. Let it be known that we had a really, really great Christmas with beautiful church services, lots of nice presents, lots of even nicer family (both here and away), lots of love, a fun and safe trip to Asheville, and we're already looking forward to next year.

Just the ladies on Christmas Eve

Evangeline's strange reaction to Christmas tree appearance
on Christmas Eve morning = Shy/scared.

Prune tarts and Christmas hymns. (This photo was not even
intentionally set-up. If you can believe that)

Christmas house.

Kyle brought the Silver Laced Wyandotte in
for some Christmas Eve cheer.

Adorable dresses by Grandma

Finally she can earn her keep

Farmhouse present from the Alaska grandparents. Giant
carrot, too.

Someone must have noticed our cold floors.

....even for the non-walkers, the floors are cold.

Explaining stuff to Irene

New information fatigue

Doing their own things

Only prop up babies with good gin.

Katie and her pal. We thought she might not
want to come home with us.

Cousin Caroline loves this baby

Oh no.

Evangeline's hair is the object of much doing.

This is somehow the best picture we got of them
before the Schell family Christmas.

Happy Christmas!

bootleggin

Evangeline grabbed a beer and ran for the border.

Actually, I usually drink a beer when I give her a shower. She got it for me today when she was ready for her shower.
I don't remember reading this in the parenting books.

Irene can't stand being trapped in this baby body.

Katie got trapped in the chicken run again today.

Bye Bean

...is what Evangeline says when we tell her to tell Irene goodnight.