"Mom! Wake UP! Right Now!"

Wow--it's been awhile since I've posted.  Well actually, I have "secret" posts that I have written but never published.  But it has been awhile.  As always, I don't know where to start.  Things have been pretty busy lately, I don't do much to help slow it down either.  I don't think I am capable of just sitting and taking things in.

As for EV updates.  Evangeline, you are talking so so much dear.  I was at a retreat Friday night and when I got home after lunch on Saturday, I was pretty tired.  So, that night as appa was giving you your bath, I fell asleep on your bed and as you walk in you yell, "Mom!  Wake UP! Right Now!"  It was quite amusing.  You are constantly repeating everything we say, your vocabulary is growing so quickly and you're just talking all the time, it's quite exponential.  Aside from saying the cutest things (*note to self--get a notebook and jot down all the cute things EV says from now on), you are also becoming more independent and sometimes you just seem so grown up for your age.  Sometimes, I can't believe you are not even 2 yet!  You definitely inherited some OCD qualities, like not liking when things are messy or sorting and re-sorting objects.  You have acquired quite a collection of hairpins and you love to sort them, over and over and over again.  You also love lining up your stuff animals, blocks, and books.  If you walk by your dresser and notice something sticking out, you have to open it up and make sure it gets put into the drawer correctly. You are also starting to sing!  Until now, you have been a little hesitant to sing, you would hum but never sing, but now you are singing along to any song you can follow and repeat.  We went to a birthday party yesterday and today you were singing happy birthday over and over and oh so well!

As for myself, I am trying to figure out how to better balance/integrate my work life with my home life.  This is the first week of starting a new schedule where I front load hours to get one Friday every pay period off.  I am so excited about having more time with EV.  It is becoming more obvious as she gets older that I need to spend more quality time with her.  Over Christmas we were really able to develop a great bond, but I feel like it makes her miss me more when I am at work.

It will be EV's birthday in a month.  I have one month to sew her dress--I chose a dress that will stretch my abilities.  We'll see how that goes--I might be making a quick and frantic trip to the mall if it fails...

This is currently one of EV's favorite thing to do.  Go to Jones Bridge Park and look at all the geese.  This is the first thing we must do before we head over to the playground.  The second thing is to survey the park for doggies.  Then last but not least, we can head over to the playground.

EV has really gotten into playing pretend with her stuff animals.  She loves lining them up, putting hairpins into their hair, and reading to them.  She also loves reading to herself.  We find her even sitting in the dark quietly "reading" in the mornings or when she's supposed to be napping.

EV loves taking pictures of herself.  The moment the camera is on her, she immediately runs towards you to take a picture herself.  No matter how much I have been trying to shelter her from technology, it's so inevitable since we use it so much in our everyday lives.  Without being "taught", she knows how to unlock an iPhone, play music, and take pictures of herself.

Here she is sorting her hairpins...

EV also loves playing with her friends.  It's so much fun to watch her interact with other kids now.  How self play and play along side friend, is now turning into, play with friend.  Here she is with two "unnis" (translation: older sisters), holding hands.

Evangeline, you will be 23 months in a couple of days.  You are such an amazing little kid.  You already make me so proud of you.  I love you so much.