Happy Easter! He Is Risen!

Here's Evan's first Easter basket from Mommy and Daddy.
He seemed to really enjoy taking everything out of the basket and looking at it, then putting the eggs back in the basket (something he learned from Papa Ransom while Easter egg hunting in CA).

It was a wonderful Easter morning.

Tonight we are having a nice Easter dinner consisting of roasted onion/garlic chicken, rice pilaf, veggies, and rolls. It should be really nice, as we plan to have a few friends join us. Hope each of you have a wonderful Easter, remembering that Jesus is Risen! How blessed we are!

Let it snow!

Evan's first time in the snow! He wasn't so sure what to think about it at first, but he was super interested in what this white stuff was.
He eventually tried to touch it and thought it was quite funny when it landed on his nose, eye lashes, etc.

We got snow for about an hour straight before it ended and returned for about another 15 minutes later. Funny to have a high of 42 expected after an 80+ degree day just a week ago. Crazy April weather, no doubt.

I was sure to get video and pictures for scrapbooking, of course. It was a pleasant sight to see this morning.

Happy Birthday, Evan!!!

We had a little birthday celebration for Evan at lunch today. Some students and friends came to eat pizza and watch Evan enjoy cake! Evan was asleep when everyone arrived so we enjoyed food and watched The Backyardigans without him.

He kept sleeping.... and sleeping. Finally, Daddy had to wake him up!

He entertained his company for a bit...

And then we were ready for the CAKE!!!

We sang "Happy Birthday"...

Evan made a wish (we think)...

Then he was prepared to attack...

He got a little taste and bragged about how he got cake and we didn't...

He ate some more...

And realized, for the very first time, just how wonderful SUGAR tastes!!!

So he ate more before Mama could take it away.

Daddy helped him open his gifts.

They had a good time!

And then we all took a picture to remember our first year as a happy FAMILY :)

What a wonderful day!

Evan's 1-Year Check-Up

Evan had his one-year check-up today. He is just growing so fast and it's hard to believe that he is turning one already. I guess it's just crazy to think that he has been in our lives one whole year. In some ways it seems like it's gone by so fast, and on the other hand I can't ever remember what life was like without him. He has truly blessed our lives and brought us more joy that we could have ever imagined. Everyday we are grateful for the smiles, the laughs, the cries, the little accidents, the diaper changes, the late-night feedings, and all the little moments that mean so much more when you have a child to share them with. What miracles they all are! Children are God's perfection creation and a wonderful way to start people.

At Evan's check-up today, he came in at 29 1/2 inches tall and 21 lbs, 13 oz. Everything checked out pretty well as normal. One thing that we would like you all to consider in prayer is Evan's toes. Sounds funny, I know... but I noticed (more so recently) that Evan's big toe on his right foot looked red and irritated, like he was getting an ingrown toe nail. Sure enough! His poor big toes on both feet look as though the nails grow funny and are very likely to cause ingrown toe nails often. Dr. Hurley suggested that she refer him to a podiatrist to look at them more closely and, most likely, perform surgery on them to correct the problem, thus saving him from a lifetime problem. I know it will not be serious, but of course we all hate to think that our little one's are in discomfort and will need some kind of surgery, big or small. So please keep Evan in your prayers!

The only other bummer thing that we found out was that they can't give Evan his one-year shots until he is one. So go figure... 2 days shy of his birthday and I'll have to take him back for shots and blood work on Wednesday, his actual birthday. Happy Birthday, Evan!!! And many of you know, we leave early Thursday morning on a flight to CA. So let's all hope he does well with the shots, they are pain free, and our flight goes wonderfully!!!

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Evan got invited to his first St. Patrick's Day party this morning. Sarah, Bradley, and Josh Green had a very fun party with a bunch of kids from both of their playgroups. There was about 11-12 kids total. Evan was the youngest, but he wanted to get right in the middle of everything! Evan especially enjoyed the green shamrock necklace Sarah gave him when we came in the door. He also got to sit in the highchair and eat goldfish crackers like the bigger kids. They also had grapes, muffins, and lots of other fun treats.
It was so fun to see him interacting and watching the other kids play, do crafts, etc. At one point he even crawled through the house and found all of the boys playing in Bradley's room. It was so sweet as he plopped himself down and started playing with the puzzle pieces that Bradley was putting together. I guess as a mother with an only child, it is really neat to see Evan crave that interaction with other children and seek it out. It was a great morning and something to remember. Thanks for inviting us, Green Family!

Close to Walking?

Bryan's assistant, Yukari, bought Evan this great ride or walk toy that can either be a car or a push-toy. This week Evan has finally discovered that he can get places much faster if he pushes this toy across the room instead of having to side-step along the furniture. It is super cute to see him navigate his way across the room and around the couch. And surprisingly, I have not see him fall yet! Who knows... maybe this will be what helps him learn to walk on his own, since taking steps forward is closer than taking side steps. Wow!! He's just getting too big too fast.

Here's a view of Evan's messy curls this evening. He was talking to Bryan at the time. He's been quite the talker lately, rambling about anything and everything he sees. And for those of you who know my brother, Jeff... can you see the resemblance??? I took a baby picture of Jeff out to compare with Evan right now and it's scary how much they look alike! I'll have to try to convince Bryan to scan in the photo for you to all see!

Full of Mischief

Evan is on the go and in to everything lately. He's obsessed with the sliding glass door, the diaper champ, and just about anything in reach. Needless to say, "no touch" is a common phrase these days. But it's the cheesy grins like these that make it all worth it! Love those blue eyes. Here's Evan deeply involved in play. A moment in time that gives Mama a break from chasing him around the apartment. Isn't it so sweet?!?

Here he is with the diaper champ, the culprit of his first real accident and boo boo the other day. He was playing with the diaper champ, pushing and pulling the handle back and forth, when he decided to stand on his nearby ball. Yes, he managed to get BOTH feet on the ball while holding on. As Mama headed to the rescue, the ball rolled and Evan crashed. He had a huge knot on the back of his head and pulled the diaper champ down on top of him too. He cried for less than a minute after I picked him up, but he did have a tiny bit of blood as he had bumped his top teeth and gums. But as you can see, he's back at it already.

And finally, another quiet moment... thank you to Pat Sajak and Vanna White. Evan is really into Wheel of Fortune so it's a great transition to a calmer evening around here.

Catching Up

Well, I am still working to be more proficient when it comes to blogs. I use MySpace all of the time and often find more people do that and it's easier to keep in contact there. For those of you who have yet to fall into the addictive trap of MySpace, I will try to get this blog up and moving.

For a quick update... Bryan is still enjoying work and school. He should complete his Masters of Education in Kinesiology this summer. He is very busy working as the Interim Head Athletic Trainer of UT Tyler. Somehow he manages to do work and school and still has time to be an incredible husband and father. He's such a hard-worker and Evan and I appreciate all he does for us.

Evan, as you can see, is growing like a weed. He is just over 11 months old now and sprouting teeth every other week it seems. He has 6 and is currently working on 2 more. He's cruisin' around, holding on to furniture, crawling everywhere, and thinks if there is something on the floor that it must be something he should eat. He has a shoe fetish! He loves Spongebob, or "bob bob" as Evan calls him. He points to everything, expecting Mama to tell him exactly what it is. He has discovered that his pointer finger conveniently fits right up his nostril. He's extremely ticklish. He loves books and beams with pride if he gets to hold one himself as he's being read to. Evan and Mama are active in a weekly playgroup. Everything about him is just perfect!

Happy Birthday, Bryan!

Bryan celebrated his 24th birthday yesterday. Little did he know that there was a surprise in store. Sixteen (17 counting Evan) of us showed up at Applebee's to share dinner and have some fun! He was surprised to see friends, his students from the sports medicine program, and a few athletes there. Monday is our buddy Derek's birthday as well so I made them both cakes. One of Bryan's students brought party hats and party favors too. It was great! He was so stoked about having such a wonderful birthday here in Texas. We had a few people over to our place after to watch a movie and hang out as well. We got to bed late, but it was definitely worth it.

Already 6 Months Old

Here he is!!! Evan went to the doctor for his 6-month check-up yesterday. He did great! Yes, he has a bit of a cold, but Dr. Hurley said we're already doing everything right to help speed up the duration of the "bug". Evan has grown significantly, after being the little guy for months, now weighing 16lbs 2 oz and measuring at about 26 inches tall. He's still around the 25% for his age group though. He also got another round of shots, 5 total. He was such a trooper for not feeling well. I had to hold him down for the first time, as Daddy was busy working and unavailable to do his normal role as "strong Daddy". Mommy is not one for needles, but I held him down and got to love him when it was all over with. Evan hardly cried and all the lady nurses were impressed with how quickly he got over it. If he remains a healthy little guy we won't need to see the doctor until December 29th for the 9-month appointment. We praise God daily for his protecting hand.

Starting Our Family Blog

Well, we are very new to this whole "blog" thing, but we will do our best to keep everyone updated and current with pictures of our little family. Currently, little Evan is experiencing his first bought of sickness. Not too sure if it is allergies or the beginning of a cold, but he's stuffed up and congested. Surprisingly, he's still in a great mood. We have two of Bryan's friends from CA staying with us this week as well. James and Derek made the roadtrip from CA to be here with Bryan on his 24th birthday... it should be an exciting week! All else is well. we're enjoying the somewhat cooler weather and drastically lower gas prices, WOOOHOOO!!! Looking forward to having Bryan's parents here for Thanksgiving and then heading out to CA for Christmas. It will be here before we know it!!