Blech!

Evelyn is so like her father in many ways. She looks just like him. (Or what we imagine he would look like if he were a chick.) She doesn't sleep much. She can't sit still to save her life. She talks in her sleep. And now we have another to add to the list: Evie likes pesto.

Tonight we had leftovers. While Evie had beans and rice from our Mexican dinner out last night, I had Panang Curry leftovers from our dinner out the night before. Chris had leftover beef tips I had made, and unthawed some pesto he made ages ago.

Chris made the pesto himself. He is so obsessed with pesto that he even grew the basil. Also you should know that his nose is mostly unworking, so he needs a LOT of flavor to taste anything. This means the pesto is primarily made of garlic and basil, with a tiny bit of cheese and absolutely no pine nuts.

So he was eating the pesto and Evie started whining for a bite of his noodles. He gave her one just to appease her and we watched while she slurped it up. Then she asked for another. And another and another until they were gone. Then they both stuck their fingers in the bowl and wiped it clean.

I must say I take this as a personal insult. I'm not a pesto fan in the first place. But when I was pregnant, pesto was one of those smells that would send me gagging to the bathroom. It was banned from our house entirely.

And now Evie likes it. I even have to pretend it doesn't completely gross me out, since I don't want to negatively influence her food choices. It's two against one, and I have lost this battle. I am always going to have to smell that pesto smell.

At least until I'm pregnant again. I'll just have to hope my next baby evens out the score.

Mustang Sally

I was just emptying the dishwasher and dancing in the kitchen with Evie.

Mustang Sally was on the radio, and we were jamming! Evie was flailing her arms around and bopping up and down. I was moving so much I was out of breath. I had a smile plastered on my face, and Evie was shouting "Sally! Sally! Sally!" to the music.

And I had one of those moments: I am so blessed to live this life.

Wordless Wednesday

This Edamame Needs a Band-Aid

I believe edamame has won first place in Evie's Favorite Food Ranking. It has taken the lead over the long-standing first-place blueberries, and beat out sunflower seeds and black olives. In Evie's opinion, edamame ROCKS!

My mom was over for lunch last week and we had edamame. GaGa was amazed that 1.) Evie ate so much and 2.) she was so skilled at eating it. Evie used to pick the little beans out of the pods with her fingers, but she has become much more sophisticated lately. She perfectly mimics Chris and I now. Evie puts the pod between her teeth and slides it until the little peas pop into her mouth.

She will eat as much edamame as you put in front of her. Tonight, as well as last night, Evie had corn on the cob and edamame for dinner. Good thing we found these little individual microwave servings at Sam's Club. You know, because actually boiling the beans would be too much work.

Evie was plowing through a serving of beans tonight, when one made her pause. She kept saying "boo-boo," over and over. Eventually I took the pod from her to inspect it. Sure enough, it had a boo-boo! I handed it back over to Evie and told her not to eat that pea.

And then my sweet girl gave the poor, injured pea pod a kiss. Oh, God, I love her!

And Away She Went

I worked for the fifteen months of Evie's life. Well, technically, I took the first three months off. Then I worked full-time for five months. Then I worked part-time for five months. Then I worked full-time again for a few months. Then I quit.

During all of this working, Evie was in daycare. Now, I don't think daycare is a terrible thing. She was in a great center, and Emma took fabulous care of her when I couldn't. Evie had lots of love and attention wherever she was. I just didn't have enough time with her.

I tell you all of this so you know Evie and I have not always been inseparable. She used to go off to play at "school" each day, and I went off to work. But then I stayed home.

Since I've been home full-time, Evie has not let me out of her sight. She doesn't want me to go inside to get another popsicle, she doesn't want me to leave her with Daddy for a few minutes, she doesn't want me to go get a haircut. I can't even pee by myself.

I volunteered for VBS this summer, and dropping her off at childcare was a nightmare. She cried so much and so hard. One day, I was able to see her on the playground. She was still crying 45 minutes after I left her. So much for the old "She stops crying as soon as you leave." Another volunteer told me "All the kids get upset when their parents leave, but I've never seen a child as upset as your daughter." Gee, thanks. That makes it so much easier.

So today was a surprise to me.

Evie woke up from her nap, and said "GaGa. Go! Go!" I called my mother and said Evie wanted to see her. Great timing, since the kids were asleep. Evie could have GaGa all to herself! The plan was to visit for an hour or so, when GaGa had to leave to take Maryann to the bus stop. Evie and I would leave at the same time for a little grocery shopping.

We got there and had snacks and played with GaGa. Evie even rode a tricycle for the first time, with her grandma's help. Then we helped wake the kids up and load them in the minivan. Evie hopped right in, too. I explained to her that GaGa and the kids were leaving, and Evie and Mommy had to go to the grocery store. She didn't budge. I told her I wasn't going in the minivan, I was going in my car. GaGa said she would take Evie with her to drop Maryann off and then for ice cream, and bring her home afterwards. Fat chance, I thought. I asked Evie "Do you want to go in the minivan with GaGa, or with Mommy in her car?"

She shouted "GaGa!"

So I got her carseat out of my car, and transfered it to the minivan. I thought Evie would change her mind any second, but she didn't. I buckled her in, and she was fine. Now what? I guess I had to leave. I gave her a kiss and told her "Bye, bye." Not a whine or a cry was to be heard. I got in my car and drove away.

Now, here's the weird thing. I was happy she was with my mom. I felt a little free, and imagined my grocery shopping would be a hundred times easier. But I was also holding back a few tears. My mom has watched her for us many times, but always at our house. Evie has never actually left me to go WITH her.

My shopping was quick, as expected. It hadn't even been half an hour, but I called to check up on Evie. My mom said she cried for a minute when Maryann got in the car and Evie realized it wasn't me. But now she was fine. They were at the bank, and then they were getting ice cream. I was glad she was okay, but I was also glad she missed me.

Half an hour later, Evie was home. She kissed GaGa and said goodbye to the kids. And then I had her all to myself again.

Proof I'm a Good Mother

In high school, I became a mother for the first time. I birthed an egg.

As part of some class, we had to carry around a hollow egg and pretend it was a baby. I guess it was supposed to teach us how hard parenting is. (Let me tell you, this egg never woke me up in the middle of the night.) The object of the project was simply not to break Egg Baby.

I took this assignment very seriously. I decorated Egg Baby like a little person, even gluing a lock of my hair to her pretty little head. My teacher signed the bottom (a birthmark,) and I had my Egg Baby. I nestled her in a handkerchief in a little basket and took good care of her. Not a crack anywhere. I don't remember much more about the week I carried her around. I can't even remember what she was named. All I know is I couldn't bear to throw her away when the class ended.

Fast forward FOURTEEN YEARS. Chris and I are having a garage sale in a couple of weeks, and we are taking on the unfortunate task of going through boxes in the unfinished part of our basement. There is so much stuff down there!

So I'm making my way through a box, and I spot a tiny box from Pier 1. I opened it up, and there was Egg Baby!

Say what you want about me forgetting her name and keeping her locked in the basement. I think it's a testament to my mothering that she has lasted all these years, through many moves, and is still intact. I think Evie just might have done okay in the Mother Department.

A Terrible Tantrum

I hope I never judge another parent when I see their child throw a fit. You see, Evie had the tantrum to end all tantrums today. In front of GaGa and the kids. And Aunt Rachel. And a few hundred other people at the Magic House.

The day began innocently enough. We found the last parking spot available and headed in. First we played in the Baby and Me section on the baby gym, in the play kitchen, and in the little toddler boat. Evie was having so much fun!

Then we made our way into the Little Bit of Magic exhibit. I mean, WOW! We are so blessed to have such a wonderful place for children in St. Louis. Evie was entranced by a row of lights and switches of every variety. She must have stood there for 20 minutes, just turning the lights on and off. On and off. On and off.

Then we spotted a little secret mouse house. Evie opened the door, and we saw a mouse picnic, complete with cheese and 7-Up! She actually laid on the ground so she could see better!

Oh, and there was a kid-sized spiral staircase. I squeezed up after her, and there was a giant slide on top. So we spent the next 20 minutes going down and up the slide. (I have to admit, I slid down twice myself.)

And there was the sand box. We have a sand table at home, so you wouldn't think it would be that interesting, right? WRONG! This little hands-on activity caused the tantrum. Evie played and played and played until Aunt Rachel came to get us. Instant and very loud wailing.

Now, Evie has had tantrums before. But generally I can distract her with lip gloss or a drink or, God forbid, candy. Nothing worked. Evie was crying so loudly, flailing about, and pointing back to the sand exhibit. I tried looking in her eyes and speaking to her in a soothing voice. I tried pointing out other exhibits we passed. She was choking and drooling from crying so hard! She cried in the elevator and out the door. She was so sad looking, pointing back and begging "More, more, more!"

When we reached the parking lot, she noticed construction equipment and all the "diggers." That calmed her down a bit. It took a bottle of water, all to herself, to fully get her back to normal.

Evie already has a great love for the Magic House, and we didn't even see most of it. We really had a wonderful time. I hated to leave, too, but I was able to hold it together better than Evie! There is so much more to see and I have a feeling we'll be spending lots of time there in the future. I'm adding a Membership to her Christmas list!