December 14, 2010

My name is Taylor and it has been 14 days since my last post.... "Hi Taylor"

I've been so busy doing the business of living that I have not had a single minute to reflect on it! Eva has been recovering from a cold the last few weeks. In a not so rare moment of new parenthood, I made my husband and I sleep on the floor next to Eva's crib to make sure she was breathing throughout the night when she first came down with it. Picture this: Eva sleeping (snoring) in her crib, and Kyle and I laying on the floor with a large, black, furry dog sandwiched between the two of us. The humidifier was humming, the smell of Vicks was in the air, and there was one worried momma laying awake the entire night. This is not the first time I have done this. I used to do it all the time when she came home from the hospital. And as my wonderful nanny, Peggy, assures me, it won't be the last. Ben the furry dog wishes we would sleep that way all the time. It's his favorite!

Lots has been happening lately. Eva is sitting up all by herself. She is so proud that sometimes she looks around the room and laughs at all she can see now. What a wonderful thing to change one's perspective! I spent a whole, wonderful week with her as one job ended, and I prepared for another to begin. I left last Friday to visit my sis in Chicago, and wouldn't you know it? Eva cut her first tooth! It is her lower right, front tooth. She keeps sucking in her lip and offering us a toothy smile. I think she is showing off. I'm so proud of my baby. It was fun that all this occurred during her first weekend hanging out with her daddy. She is also drinking out of a sippy cup like a pro. She has even been known to protest if you take it away before she is ready. Starting this week, her Nanna will be watching her while I work. I'm so excited that they will have this time to spend together. No one better to leave your little one with than your own momma!

We are also gearing up for Christmas. Eva's presents have been purchased, including her stocking stuffers. Her Christmas outfits are ready and cameras are charged. We can't wait! When I asked Kyle which Christmas was his favorite, he replied, "It will be this one."

November 30, 2010

The Kitchen is a Mess

I'm not the neatest person in the world, although I am a bit of germa-phobe. (I have also been known to check the oven more than once before going to bed.) One thing that drives me crazy is a messy kitchen, and since Eva entered the scene that's exactly what I have! Bottles are always in the sink. Formula is always drying on the counter somewhere. Lot of times the dishes have to wait. Today I tried my hand at making baby food. It seems like a healthy and cheaper option to commercial baby food, and I love being able to do things for my little one. My first attempt was at sweet potatoes and squash, two of Eva's favorite foods. I think it turned out pretty well, although Eva wasn't very hungry by the time I finished the process. We'll have to see how it goes tomorrow. I think it will take me until then to scrub the taters off the cupboards. :) I also mashed some organic pears, and even managed to freeze some for later. More to come.....

November 29, 2010

Eva's First Thanksgiving!

Eva has had an amazing 8 months of "firsts." Her first Thanksgiving certainly was no exception. The Crow Family, Eva's Aunt, Uncle and cousins, live on post at West Point in New York. For the past three years, with the exception of Kyle's deployment year, Kyle and I have spent Thanksgiving with the Crows. It has become an honored tradition as an opportunity to spend quality time with our nieces, nephew, and Krissy and Mark. Although there is a lot of ground between families, we treasure our time together and always seem to pick up right where we left off. Kyle and I could not wait to include Eva in this Thanksgiving tradition. Time with the Crows is always jam-packed with excitement, lots of laughs, good food, and a few tears too. (With four kids, what else could there be?)

We left the Wednesday before Thanksgiving to make the 10 hour trek to New York from Detroit. The drive seemed to go by very fast, and for Eva's first long trip she did so well! We arrived there around 3:30 in the afternoon and were welcomed by the Isabella, Will and Krissy. Their house is amazing. It is at least 100 years old, and out of its grand windows you can see magnificent views of the Hudson, especially this time of year. Eva's cousins, especially the little girls, loved to see her. Abbey, age 3, attempted to "mother" her, and even taught Eva the sign for "more." Eva was speechless, I believe. Never in her life has she been around so many kids and so much going on! She loved watching her cousins. At one point, when Kyle and Will were playing catch, she broke out into a fit of laughter. She laughed out loud each time Will caught the ball. She also liked to watch Isabella. Isabella, being the responsible sort, held Eva and watched her at times throughout the weekend. Uncle Mark was able to meet Eva for the first time the day we arrived. She warmed right up to him by giving him a hug. Throughout the weekend, he referred to her often as the "screamer" and "brat" because compared to other children she was anything but! Eva enjoyed being carried around in the hub-bub by her Aunt and Uncle. It was truly heart warming to see the way Eva began to fit right in with the family.

For Thanksgiving dinner, Eva enjoyed a fancy ballroom sup at the Officer's Club at West Point. Isn't that what every baby does for her first Thanksgiving? It is a mid-evil, castle type of place jutting out onto the river. It was a wonderful dinner! The servers brought Eva her very own high chair, and Eva tasted mashed potatoes and enjoyed her sweet potatoes and apples, specially made by Gerber. For her first Thanksgiving Eva wore a parisian inspired sweater dress with cream colored leggings. She loved looking around the ballroom and dipping her octopus toy into her taters. Later in the weekend, Eva tried her first "puffs" and was able, after several attempts, to put them into her mouth all by herself. She enjoyed playing by the Christmas tree, and received complimentary tongue baths by Timber the German Shepard. Eva was spoiled by her Aunt Krissy. She took home at least 20 outfits, including special bath soap and a new gingerbread ensemble. Eva certainly is loved! Thank you Aunt Krissy and Uncle Mark!



Beautiful West Point!



                                                               The Crow Residence


                                                          Cousin Abbey Helping Eva



                                                      Eva Trying to Lick a Candy Cane





The trip back was a piece of cake, if not for Kyle feeling under the weather. Eva fell asleep at the exit gate on post and didn't wake up until past Scranton, PA, much to her Uncle Mark's dismay. (His kids are not good car sleepers.) She cooed and played during the few time she was awake, and then she experienced her first dinner at the infamous Ohio turnpike Panera's. Kyle and I feel blessed to make the trip. We love spending time with the Crows, and it was wonderful to have Eva share in the holiday with us. Everything, even a 10 hour drive along I-80, is new and exciting because Eva is here to share it with. We are so grateful this Thanksgiving to be healthy and able to spend it together. Eva is certainly our greatest blessing.

November 15, 2010

"Isn't She Lovely?"


Visit with Aunt Julie and Great Grandma Templin


Hi Papa!

Mimi Giving Eva Kisses



Watching football with Papa T.....

Love my Aunt Ali!



My new high chair! I'm a big girl now!



What baby doesn't have a satin lined leopard coat?



Going for a walk with momma!

My Husband is the Best

This New Year's Eve, my husband and I will have been married 6 years. I can honestly say that at least once a day for the past 11+ years that we have been together, I have thought, "How did I get so lucky?" Kyle is the kindest, most honest, and moral person I have ever met. We have been through a deployment, being "poor", health scares, five college degrees, being lost on a train in Europe across three countries, six moves, high school, and the birth of our daughter into the NICU just to name a few events. He continues to surprise me all the time! With Eva's birth, I had a chance to see yet another side of him. He has become the most tender, goofy dad a little girl could ever want. Here is a sample of what I heard one morning this week while Kyle was bathing Eva:
"Hello, hello, my little gnome. It's time to wash your little dome. (head)"
"Hi Sweetie! How is my lovie? You are so pretty. I love you so much. You're going to have a good day today!"
"Oh dear, don't scratch your eye. You need your eyeball to see. This is the lense, and the light enters your eye through the lense and is reflected off your retina. Can you say retina?"
"Don't eat the soap!"

I don't know how I would live with out him! Kyle has been known to make me dinner after a long day at work. I have witnessed him washing bottles and breast feeding gear. He obtained his own membership card to Carters and Osh Gosh, and it is not uncommon for him to come home with some kind of surprise for our little one. He's the best "baby wrapper" at night. He woke up with Eva three times last night. Never once have I heard him complain! Not even when Eva has a blow out diaper or is fussing with an ear infection. Eva does not know it now, but she is a very lucky little girl to have a daddy that loves her as much as Kyle does. I'm a very lucky woman to have him by my side.

November 01, 2010

Happy Days

Eva rolled over! She wobbled a little, but rolled from left to right on her tummy like a pro on October 30th. Now we can't stop her from going where she wishes! She rolls and scoots across distances! It was amazing to see. Kyle, Mimi and I were there. It won't be long before she will be crawling, I know it!





For Halloween we went over to Tyson and Kristen's house. They just moved into a beautiful home in Monroe, about 25 minutes south of here, close to the Ohio border. We were expecting lots of trick-or-treaters there, but unfortunately we all ended up with lots of candy and few treaters. Eva went as the cutest cow you have ever seen (courtesy of her Aunt Krissy), and Kyle and I did not really go as anything. We can assure you that next year we will be planning a very clever costume. Eva seemed to have fun, and she even got to stay up a little later than usual for the special occasion. Kristen made Eva her very own Halloween treat basket, complete with rice cookies and a skeleton finger puppet. Eva especially loved the "Happy Halloween" balloon and pumpkin basket. A great time was had by all. (And, no, I did not get sick from eating too much candy this year! I made Kyle take it to work so I would not be tempted.)

October 24, 2010

Eva's Big Day at the Eastern Market

Yesterday we took Eva on an adventure in the big city. We started off at the renown Eastern Market in downtown Detroit, and then made our way to Greek Town. We then watched the swans swim to Canada from the otherwise abandoned-looking Belle Isle. Here's a link to the Eastern Market (it was awesome!): http://www.detroiteasternmarket.com/

Kyle and I thoroughly enjoyed the day. We saw all kinds of fruits, veggies, spices, plants, and crafts. We smelled ribs on the barbeque, fresh cider and coffee, and flowers. We passed right on by Virg Bernero, saw a dumpster on fire (?), and gave our left-overs from Pegasus to a nice homeless man who called Eva our "little shorty." These are the reasons I love big cities! Where else in the world can you see, hear and smell such an assortment of things on any given day? We also saw this sign, which has to make you wonder:
Does this mean it's okay to hurt each other if we would just use our fists instead of guns? I think they may be missing the boat on this one. To be fair, this sign was just down the street from a black market shop that was selling shirts that said, "Detroit Hustles Harder".

Here's what Eva might describe if she had the words to do so:
This is a long car ride. Where are we going?
Why is momma changing me in the back seat? Daddy is swearing a lot to find a parking spot.
I love my stroller. I'll chew on this lady bug. Something wet is falling on my face. (rain)
I'm snuggled in. I can see my momma pushing me. I hear lots of noises. I hear a man yelling, "1 for a dollar! These mums must go. Time to send me home!" I hear people talking. I see that sometimes I am outside and sometimes I am inside. Daddy is holding something up to my nose for me to smell. It makes me wrinkle my nose.
Mommy is holding me tight and my hood is over my face. We are walking somewhere. Mommy and daddy kiss me a lot and tell me I am safe.
I'm hungry! Feed me!
We are at a restaurant. I feel heat on my face. I think that man just lit that cheese on fire! Wow! I'll hold on to mommy a little tighter.
Daddy is holding me now and feeding me a bottle. I feel sleepy.
Mommy is bouncing me to sleep. I'll hold on to her shirt with one hand just in case she tries to go anywhere while I'm sleeping.
Zzzzzzz........


Here are pictures of Eva and I. Notice the expressions of concern on her face....


Reverse Scoot-Scoot

So, I've been a little concerned about Eva's gross motor skills. (Being a psychologist for the Early Childhood Program does not work in my favor on this one.) She is not quite sitting up or rolling over yet, and I worry that those skills are delayed. However, in typical Eva fashion, she continues to amaze us and tell us what she thinks of our fears! She has invented what I call the "reverse scoot-scoot". Because she has the tendency to be a little impatient (like her mother) she has developed a way to get from point A to point B without rolling over or sitting up. She uses her strong legs to propel her.

Here is how it works:
1) Lay on your back
2) Roll your head and upper body over just enough to see where you want to go.
3) Push off the ground, using you legs, while arching your back to propel yourself in the direction of your choosing.
4) Scoot the rest of your body as you push off the ground with your legs.
4) Repeat.

She is a strong little girl! To be certain, she has started to try to sit up on her own. Her head is getting so much stronger, and now we are working on trunk strength. Our wonderful care-giver, Peggy, bought Eva the coolest little planet activity center. Eva is starting to really enjoy that, although most of her play centers around trying to fit things in her mouth. I know Eva will do what she wants to do when she is good and ready. If anything, I have learned that she has her own way of creating a time-line that is perfect for her. I guess we could all learn to relax and let things happen in their season. In the mean-time, we can laugh as she "scoot-scoots"!

A Perfect Day at the Zoo





October 17, 2010

Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh My!

Today was Eva's first trip to the zoo! It was really special for us because for years Kyle and I have planned vacations around going to different zoos around the country and our love of animals rivals Jack Hanna's. When we first found out we were having a baby going to the zoo with our little one was at the top of our list. (Going to a Tigers game was a close second.) We went to the Detroit Metro Zoo in Royal Oak with our friends Kyle and Carrie and their daughter, Elliott. Kyle was most excited to show Eva the tigers, and I was most excited about the polar bear. Well.... it turns out many of the animals were snoozing and so was little Eva! It seems that many of the traditions, places and events we can't wait to share with Eva are more for our enjoyment than hers at the point. It's kind of like when you buy your child the most expensive teddy bear and they only want to play with the box. Add that to the list of lesson Eva has in store for us; the best thing in the world is simply spending time together. Turns out that where you are or what you are doing really are not that important. I think of all of the animals, Eva enjoyed the peacocks and the ducks walking around the park the most. She also loved being cuddled as we walked around, and she really enjoyed snoozing in her stroller in the sun. The three of returned home tired, relaxed and happy. It has been awhile since we enjoyed a day exploring together. Hopefully Kyle will teach me to post some pictures soon. We took some great ones!

October 15, 2010

Kickin' it to the curb....

Good news to share with all! Eva is no longer bionic. Her doctors decided this week that she no longer needs her apnea monitor! I'm really excited, but I'm thinking I was kind of attached to that thing. It was kind of like a safety net for me, being the completely lost worry-wort that I am. Somehow it feels a weird to just put her to bed without attaching the wires and checking her belt, and then I think, "This is one more sign that she is a healthy baby now!" So it sits in the corner as a reminder of our early days after Eva came home. In other news, we can also stop buying the million dollar Alimentum formula- yaaaay! What will we do with all the extra money? Maybe go to Disneyworld? Or Harry Potter Land? (Please? Please?) This is great news too because it means that she is not showing signs of a milk allergy. We have been hoping that Eva is not allergic to foods like her cousins. (Sorry Krissy!) Her love of orange veggies continues, although peas made an entrance this week. Those were especially fun as she has learned to blow razberries and prefers to do them at the most opportune times.

This week Eva also started showing signs of stranger awareness. If she sees someone she is not sure about, she buries her head and the lower lip begins trembling. Her doctor at her six week check-up insisted that babies don't show that awareness until nine months old. Then she looked at Eva and Eva promptly starting crying. That's my girl! She continued to glare at the doctor throughout the appointment. :) It's amazing how babies' personalities emerge so early in life. I think she's a good mix of Kyle and I. She is stubborn like the both of us, but she has her daddy's laid-back attitude. She smiles all the time, especially when she sees her family. I think maybe she will love books like me. We read together often. She will sit on my lap and listen to two or three stories at a time. She loves the bright pictures and looking at the words.

October 04, 2010

6 Months Old Today

Our beautiful daughter came into our lives exactly 6 months ago today on April 4, 2010. I never envisioned all the ways our lives would change! Eva is a constant joy to us, despite the three of us going through a very difficult time these last months. Everyone that meets Eva says she is the sweetest, best baby. Of course we agree! Here are a few important milestones to share with you all:

September 1st- Eva began to suck on her thumb at will. She usually sucks on it to get to sleep.
September 11th- Eva's first art festival. She loved being outside! She also began to stand and sit with support this week.
September 23rd- Eva started solid foods! Orange veggies and bananas seem to be her favorites.
Week of September 20th- Eva began turning on her side. She's been sleeping on her side throughout the night. Eva is off most of her medicines beginning this week! She has also moved into 6-9 month old clothing. New pj's from Nanna and a special batch of fall clothes from Aunt Krissy mean that Eva is warm and cute no matter what the weather!
September 28th- Eva's first double ear infection. Let's hope it's the last!
October 1st- For one of the first times, Eva began to laugh at something she thought was funny all on her own. She saw Roxy rolling around on the floor and making noise, and she started to laugh! She watched her, reached out to her, and laughed. It was so cute. Kyle and I are pretty sure she will be an animal lover like the two of us. Good thing neither of the pups mind her pulling their fur!

Every day is a little different. It is such a blessing to see her be healthy, strong and curious about everything. Thank you to all of our family that have shared in these last 6 months and helped us from the NICU to our new home in Woodhaven. You guys mean the world to us! We could not have done it without you.

September 27, 2010

Time for Dinner!

After a misadventure caused by a formula recall last week, Eva's appetite has now returned! It made its debut with rice cereal and green beans. She loved the green beans! I have to admit I shed a few tears thinking of her eating "real food". She was so excited and proud of herself. I think our excitement may be short-lived though. She is getting a cold and sounds like a little nasally old man. Hopefully a lot of rest and extra love from mom and dad will help her to get better quickly......