Evie's First Easter

Today was Evie's first Easter!  I have been looking forward to today since I bought her Easter dress at least a month ago.  And, she did not disappoint in the cute factor.  (Or any other factor, for that matter.)  It was a great day! 

Easter started yesterday for us with a "mini" photo shoot in the front yard.  It was interesting to say the least.  I swear, our marriage is tested every time I need Darin's help to take pictures.  So this weekend did have its fair share of trying moments!  Darin tells me I was being a "pain" (which really means I was being a bitch) and I told him he shouldn't have an opinion.  Pretty sure he was right.  I figure though, we're still pretty new at this whole "parent" thing, so we've got some time to work out all the kinks.  Regardless, we have one adorable baby and some acceptable shots too.

Sitting is really hard work.

Seriously.  Really hard work.

Told ya.  (This is what happened after many of the sitting pictures.)

She roped you into this too, huh?  

Today began at 5:30am for me, as it does every weekday.  I was determined for Evie to be up at 6am, have a good solid 1.5-2 hour nap and have another bottle before church.  Well, that didn't happen.  She was up, then went back down from 7:30-8 and then didn't go back to sleep!  I really thought we were in for it.  But then I remembered...she's going to the church nursery for the service, let them deal with it!  So I calmed down!  As it turned out, she was a little angel for the nursery staff and slept the whole time.  When we got back home from church, it was time for even more pictures!  Woo hoo!  Everyone's favorite time of day!

This is reminiscent of Little Miss Sunshine.  Makes me laugh!

My sweet, sweet baby.

Hi Louie!  So happy you could join us!

Daddy & Daughter

Mommy & Daughter

Family shot!

And the rest of the fam, Josie & Boomer

After photo shoot number 2, in just as many days, it was time to head to the Houston Zoo.  I love the zoo.  Like, I really love the zoo.  I'm an Animal Planet junkie and know all kinds of totally useless information about animals, or so I thought.  I know nothing compared to our friend Ellie, who we met there, along with her husband Greg.  They are zoo members and Ellie quite regularly volunteers there, so let me tell you, it was like a walking zoology lesson.  I loved it.  But more than that, I loved watching Evie's face when she spotted an animal.  She was very intrigued with the aquarium and the coy swimming in the moat around the orangutang exhibit.  It's just so fun to watch her!  (In addition to this, I also got to feed the giraffes, which was a definite highlight for me.)

AWESOME!

Bird poop!  Thank God for the shade!

Mesmerized 

OK, the aquarium wore.me.out.

Our friends Ellie & Greg

Closing her eyes taking in all the info we were learning.
Or sleeping.  You decide.

Very exhausted girl after a very fun day!

It was such a great day!  Lots of family time as well as getting to spend time with our friends.  Evie did great and was quite the trooper until the very end when she was tired and up 30 minutes past her bedtime.  Can't blame a girl for wanting her beauty sleep!  Overall, it was pretty darn successful, if you ask me. 

Sweet Home, Minnesota

In March, Evie & I were in Minnesota for 10 days.  We stayed with my parents and Evie got to meet all of my mom's side and part of my dad's side.  Good times were had by all!  It was pretty tough to leave, but honestly, it was nice to be "home".  It's weird for me to really call Houston home because honestly, Minnesota will always be my home.  But, I guess home is where the heart is and Darin, the puppies and Louie have that.  (And obviously Little Miss Evie, but she was with me.)  It was fabulous walking into the house though, as Darin busted his butt and had it gleaming.  Even the laundry basket (and the washer and dryer) were empty!  Yeah, I married a good one.

Here is some photographic evidence of our trip.  The number of pictures is ridiculous.  Even more ridiculous is the number of pictures taken and not used.  Sometimes digital is not the way to go.  

So we didn't need this, but damn she's cute in it!

I love my baths.  

The sun makes me so...sleepy....
(And apparently it had the same effect on Grandpa!)

Hi Bethany!

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Watchin' TV with Grandpa, wearing a sleep sack that used to be mine.
Carters...worth every penny apparently!

Cousin Addie (5) and Evie...and Carter making her laugh in the background

Nom, nom, nom, nom, nom

4 generations!

Great Grandma J & Evie

Cousin Addie & Evie

Great Aunts Kellie & Jody

Great Aunt Jody & Evie

Great Uncle Brad & Evie

Addie was very happy to get to feed Evie

Cousin Carter (10)  His fingers must taste good.
...I do not want to know where a 10 year old boy's fingers have been.

Great Grandma Blackstad

4 gerenations

Great Auntie

Great Auntie and Great Uncle Craig

Blackstad Family Photo (minus Darin)

Hangin' with Grandma

Playing with Grandma (in an outfit that just barely fit!)

Grandpa's getting the hang of the bottle thing,
but...maybe I should help.

Here, chew on this.

OMG, I love this picture!!!  She looks so cute!
My mom and I were having a "fashion show" with my old clothes.

Last day.  Gorgeous weather.  I can barely believe it's March in MN!

Hi Daddy!  I missed you.

Times, they are a changin'!

Wow!  What a difference a week makes in the life of a four month old!  

Evie had her four month appointment on Monday.  She's a very healthy baby with "good muscle tone".

Weight: 14lb. (43rd percentile)

Length: 24.5" (47th percentile)

Head Circumference: 15.75" (33rd percentile, we think)

Up until Tuesday, Evie had been eating a 7oz. bottle in the morning, 3 6 oz. bottles during the day and another 7 oz. bottle before bed.  These were evenly spaced at 3 hours apart throughout the day.  Everything I had been reading on eating, including the info we got from the doctor said she should be able to go 4-5 hours between feedings.  Well, her fussiness and screams said differently.  Until Tuesday.  She went 3 hours and 15 minutes.  Wednesday she went 3 hours and 30 minutes.  Thursday she went 3 and a half hours also, but was able to hold out for 4 hours before bed without issue.  And Friday...she did 8 oz. bottles (not always drinking all of it) 4 hours apart.  No issues at all.  We'll be starting rice cereal before we know it!

Evie is also a talker.  Or she really tries to be one.  Up until this week her "talking" has been a spit laced coo.  Well, she has now mastered the clear "Oooh".  She loves practicing it and I love hearing it.  Here's a sampling.  

In addition to "oooh"ing, Evie now giggles!  It just happened tonight.  Darin grabbed the camera so we have video!  Music to our ears!

Won't be long until she's rolling over, either.  She knocked her nuk out the other day and I went in her room to put it in and had to run back out to get the camera because I thought for sure she was goin' over. She didn't, but it will not be long!

We are in awe at how she is growing.  It's amazing to see this miracle change before our very eyes.  I love being a mom!

Life keeps on goin'

Life changes in a second.  Or it can.  Mostly it changes slowly over a long period of time.  But when you look back at it, it feels like only a second has gone by.  This recently happened to me.

I'm finally getting around to labeling and putting away pictures from 2010.  I ordered the pictures before we moved to Houston with the intention of getting them labeled and put away while we were living in the rental apartment.  Well, clearly that didn't happen.  I was too busy watching TV.  Anyway, as I'm looking at these pictures, I cannot believe how quickly life has changed!

In March 2010 we bought our first house.  It was a simple time with Darin, Louie and me.  Then, in July, we got Josie and our lives changed.  A lot.  March 2011 we got Boomer, which was the same month we found out I was pregnant and put the house on the market.  May we moved to Houston, June we closed on our house and November Evie was born!  It doesn't seem like that much has gone on, and really most things have been evenly spaced, but to look back at those pictures, it seems like yesterday.  Josie was so little, Louie was so sociable.

I know it won't be long before I'm looking at pictures of Evie at this age wondering where the time has gone.  I already think these four months have flown by, but I can't really remember what it was even like when we brought her home.  I do remember thinking, "Oh my gosh, is it always going to be like this?  Will I ever sleep again?"  And then it changed.  And then it changed again, and again, and again.  Getting more fun and enjoyable every day.  Remind me of this when the terrible twos & teenage years hit...it isn't forever and things will change yet again.

And now, because no blog post is complete without a picture or two, here ya go.

I'm putting this picture on here because

she looks just like a baby picture I have of myself.

Considering she's a replica of Darin normally, 

I feel pretty special to have photographic evidence that

she's mine.  Although, if I photographed my flabby

stomach, I could have had the evidence all along!

My adorable bathing beauty.
Can't wait to hit up the pool in a couple months!

Was Evie ever this little?

My cousin, and friend's, teeny, tiny perfect little boy was born on March 15, 2012.  Jack entered the world reluctantly, but he's here now and there's no turning back!  I can't wait to head back to Minnesota in May/June and see how this little guy has grown!  Until then, Skype and Facebook will have to do.

Baby Jack and cousin Hali

Evie is a giant.  Louisa getting a feel for what just a few
months will bring!  Me getting a feel for what it was like
just a few months ago!

Sweet baby Jack

How does this thing work?  

Long fingers and toes!!!!!!  Baby Jack
is ready to head home!

Proud parents happy to be heading home

I'm so excited for them to be embarking on this insane ride called parenting.  Can't wait to share the good, the bad and the ugly with each other!