Evie the Extraordinary and Her Mommy: The Journey As We Go

It's funny how Evie turning 5 just crept up on me, without too much fanfare.  Turning 3 was a big deal because she graduated from Early Intervention support, and turning 4 was heralded with a big birthday party.  This year, I wanted to give Evie a good mix of fun and celebration, but with consideration for her fear of large groups.  We ended up picking one of Evie's favorite indoor playgrounds and inviting close "framily."  It was overall a huge hit, except for when we all attempted to sing Jingle Bells instead of Happy Birthday (she hates happy birthday), and she freaked out.  Turns out she just doesn't want attention all on her.  Mama gets it now, Evie. This past year was full of firsts: 1.  Walking independently (goodbye, walker!) 2.  Putting solid foods in her mouth without gagging or crying 3. Licking an ice cream cone voluntarily and repeatedly 4. Saying more words verbally 5. Graduating to bigger ankle braces 6. Playing dress up ...

Throwing a Penguin-themed birthday party for 15 kids in your home is no joke. First you have to decide if you're insane enough to do this.  Then you have to think about whether your sensory-sensitive kid (sight, sound) can handle having so many people in their house. For this rookie mom, I at first didn't make the connection that 15 kids meant that parents and sometimes siblings might show up.  Once I got a grasp of the idea, I still thought it was doable if we had a good structure to prevent chaos.  And before you ask if Evie likes penguins, the answer is: yes, she does, but it's definitely penguin-themed because I like penguins and she lets me get away with it! I asked Evie's favorite local musician if he would be willing to do a music class for 30 minutes.  I was ecstatic when he said yes.  If he could keep the kids busy for 30 minutes, that left 60 minutes to entertain them. 10:00 am Kids arrive and play in playroom in controlled chaos (controlled = p...

Dear Evie, I can not believe you’re 3 years old today! You have brought joy and so much life (and less sleep) to Mommy and Daddy. In the past year, you have become so animated and curious about your environment. Calling you “my little troublemaker” has made me so happy, because it means you are getting stronger and able to explore on your own. You love horsing around with Daddy. Your infectious laughter when we put something on our heads to be silly turns a hectic day into the best day.  When we read "Daddy Hugs," the last page of "Goodnight, Dada" sets off a long monologue about Dadadadada and how much you love Dada.   I think you know how loved you are, Evie.  Mommy and Daddy can’t stop kissing and hugging you, and sometimes you surprise us by spontaneously giving us open mouthed kisses to show your love.  You have definite reading preferences and want to put on your own socks...on the same foot. You like purses, even when they belong to ladi...

Hi everyone!  This is Evie!  I turned 12 months old last month.  Mommy has been very busy, so she asked me to blog.   I had my very first birthday party.  The theme was Penguin Winter One-derland.  Mommy was addicted to something called Etsy and Pinterest on her phone.  All I know is that there was a lot of colorful paper around and I was not allowed to play with it!  With Mommy before my party So many people helped my Mommy with my party.  I think she would have gone crazy without the help. She said it was like planning a wedding. I don't know what a wedding is, but I do know that I have a lot of friends!  We had a hot cocoa bar, lots of food, and tons of games. The baker at Stop and Shop went all out in making a penguin winter wonderland cake for me! Mommy freaked out 2 weeks before the party because almost 40 kids were coming to my party, plus about 50 adults. ...

My dearest girl, I waited and prayed for a baby for so long, and here you are. I've had a whole year with you!  You aren't even really a baby anymore.  You are a squirmy, curious toddler with an infectious laugh and a smile that could light up the room. You are also a fighter.  You lived through 6 weeks in the NICU and charmed everyone around you, and you made open heart surgery look like a piece of cake.   The smiles that you gave after heart surgery made me realize that 1) you were not feeling well enough to smile very much before, and 2) that you have the cutest dimples. The experience confirmed to me how much God has been providing for us on this journey of being your parents . You (mostly) patiently wait for us to change your feeding tube dressing or let some gas out of your tummy. You put up with Mommy's playing dress up with you and telling you to pose for the camera. You even give a cheeze-y smile for me when I ask. You charm everyone at your many ...