18 months... Time for Nursery!!

My beautiful little Evie-Cakes is 18 months old!! I keep calling her my baby, but every day I'm realizing I can't really say that any more, she's getting to be such a big girl!

• Evie now weighs 19.4 lbs (which now puts her in the 10th-ish percentile), which means she has gained about a pound since her 12 month appointment, lol. She is 31.9 inches tall, which means she has grown 2 inches since her 16 month appointment (putting her in the 52nd percentile for height). So she's skinny!!
• She's a climber!! She's ALWAYS climbing on things... I don't know if there's really anything else to say about that, lol. I think we've got a natural born rock climber on our hands (she takes after her daddy!!)
• She loves to push her stroller around... It's been forever since we've been able to get her in it, but she likes to take it for walks. It's adorable watching her push a stroller that's more than twice her height.
• She loves to share her toys with other kids, except for mommy's phone and the kindle... those she's decided are hers.
• Evie knows a TON of words. I was keeping track up to about 75 words... and then I gave up. That was a couple of months ago, it seems like she says new words everyday! She loves to shout out the names of all the things she knows, which is a lot, so she's generally talking up a storm, haha!
• She's just recently started to use two word sentences like "go outside", "get chocolate", and "cute baby"
• She can name 21 of her letters! She loves to point out all the letters she knows every time she sees them. She knows, A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, N, O, P, R, S, T, U, W, X, Z!
• She knows a few of her colors, she's usually pretty good with yellow, blue, and green, and sometimes she can get red.
• She started counting to 10 (minus the number 7) about 2 weeks ago... But then in the last few days she's decided that she has favorite numbers and now counts "2, 3, 6, 8, 9, 10"
• She's still very into Yo Gabba Gabba and Finding Nemo, however she recently discovered the movie Cars... She really likes cars (she has a couple of hotwheels she plays with and she likes to point out all the real cars on the street) and I think she must have seen the preview for Cars 2 on her Tangled movie, and so she's been pretty into that one lately.
• She really likes to stack blocks! I can't remember what her record is, but I know she can stack at least 7 blocks pretty consistently.

18 months also means... Nursery!!! I feel like she's needed nursery since she was about 11 months old, so I'm pretty darn excited about this! Karl went and stayed with her the whole time (he couldn't leave her, lol!) and she seemed to have a good time, she did look for dad a few times to make sure he was there, but she was pretty good. We have a TON of nursery kids and there are a lot of kids who are bigger than her, but I'm hoping she'll be okay :)

 

My Gabba Gabba Girl

For those of you who have never seen Yo Gabba Gabba, it's a children's show (created by the singer from the Aquabats) about a group of toys who are brought to life by a skinny, dancing (and apparently magic) DJ, and who sing lots of songs about proper childhood etiquette (ie. don't bite your friends, being different is ok, eat your green beans and carrots, try new things-you might like it, etc.) 

Admittedly, it's a weird show, but Evie is OBSESSED, haha! We first saw it, kind of by accident, not long after she turned one, and she's been hooked ever since! I personally think it has some of the best music in a kid show that I've ever heard, so it's definitely grown on me ;)

Evie's magic robot boyfriend ;)

Evie has a valentine with her favorite character on it that she keeps in her purse (Plex, the magic robot). Karl calls him her boyfriend ;) The other day we were at target buying a wedding gift for one of my friends, and we happened to find a size 24 month Yo Gabba Gabba Jacket in the clearance section, and Evie just loved it. I let her put it on (it's pretty big on her) and she wouldn't take it off. The cashier had to scan the tag while it was attached to Evie! She got up this morning and one of the first things she asked for was her "gabba gabba shirt", and then she ran around the house looking for it, found it, and had to wear it over her sleeper. It was super cute. She also likes to look at it kind of like a poster and point out all the characters. She's so funny!

Anyway, tonight we went to Evie's (well... technically MY) cousin's 1st birthday party, and much to our collective delight, it was a Yo Gabba Gabba party!!! Best night ever! Evie just happened to have her Gabba Gabba jacket (since she always has it, lol) and she even got a cute "Foofa" hat to wear (another thing we couldn't get her to take off all night!) They also had an awesome homemade pinata that had Brobee and Plex on it (Evie's two favorite characters) and she could not stop looking at it. She kept running over and saying "Brobee! Pex!! Brobee! Pex!" over and over again.

Evie's Foofa hat and Gabba Gabba jacket!

On top of it all, they had cupcakes with delicious frosting that mommy let her smear all over her face... I mean, eat. haha! All in all, it's been an exciting day for my little Gabba Gabba Girl! Oh, and I should mention,  happy 1st birthday to Rudy! Your momma throws a rockin' party ;) I can't believe it's already been a year, he's growing up quick!!

So, I'm a College Graduate!

Today I finished a 6 and a half year journey that has been both long and difficult; I graduated magna cum laude with my bachelor's degree in Public Health with an emphasis in Community Health Education! 

I started out fall semester of 2006 at Brigham Young University, working incredibly hard to get into the nursing program there. That same semester I met the love of my life (which definitely made the academics a little tougher, haha). While I was at BYU I also had the opportunity to do ballet and be a part of the ballroom dance company, which was an amazing experience! If there is one thing I'm going to miss about my life as an undergrad, it's dancing! 

After 3 semesters at BYU I took a semester off--due to some life events & just the feeling that I was supposed to--and I transferred to the newly re-named Utah Valley University! It was a pretty tough choice to switch schools; around here BYU is the place to be if you're smart and Mormon and I had worked hard to get in. However, UVU was where I was supposed to be. 

So, fall semester of 2008 (a few weeks after marrying my freshman sweetheart), I began the newest leg of my journey at UVU. I still was planning on going into nursing at this point, I had hoped it would be easier to get in there (BYU's program is RIDICULOUS and you could only apply twice at the time), however, one pre-requisite away from applying to the program at UVU, I had new inspiration to switch my major to community health. This was another VERY hard decision. Starting out as a college freshman, I'd had a plan. While everyone else was clueless about what they wanted to do or changing their majors, I knew I was going to be a nurse and I knew what I had to do to get my degree. It was a little unsettling to have this HUGE change to my plan! Then, there was the whole pride thing... Nursing just sounds very, respectable, haha, and I didn't want to give that up. I am so happy that I changed my major though, I have enjoyed my coursework so much more and I am much more comfortable with my chosen profession than I would have been as a nurse. I discovered that I had enough credits for it, so December 2010, I graduated with an associate degree in Community Health Education! 

At the end of Spring semester 2011, I found out I was pregnant with Evie! Evie was a little bit of a surprise to my academic plans, but things have honestly worked out in what I can only describe as an inspired manner. I didn't really want to, but I ended up going to school for fall 2011. Evie was due the week before finals, which was stressful, but I decided I needed to go full-time that semester. It was definitely a hard one! I had pregnancy brain, pain in my back and ribs every time I sat through class, and a severe lack of motivation. 

Evie was born on a Thursday, two days late and on the very last day of classes (about the same time I was supposed to be turning in a final paper/doing a final group presentation, actually). Monday, I had to start taking my finals. Somehow, through the grace of God, hard work, the support of my hubby, and understanding teachers, I managed to get A's in all my classes that semester, despite all the complications!

After having Evie, I decided I need to take spring semester off to give her my full attention for a bit, and to get in the groove of this whole new "motherhood" thing.

I did my internship with Welcome Baby for United Way the summer and fall of 2012 (I started when Evie was 5 months old and finished the day before her 1st birthday!). It was a really awesome and enriching experience, I'm so glad I got to do it!

And that brings us up to the present... Good 'ol spring semester 2013. I just had two classes this semester, a health ethics class and my capstone class, but it's been another tough one :/ I honestly didn't realize how good I had it as a childless student! Evie was still waking up several times a night and crying leaving me fairly sleep deprived for the last year+, and I wasn't able to get much of anything done during her waking hours, but we've muddled through it anyway! I just got my grades back, and I managed to get A's in both my classes!!

Now, I am officially a college graduate, and I just want to take this moment to be proud of myself. I don't mean to be prideful, but I generally don't give myself enough credit, and looking back over this journey, I feel like I need a little pat on the back. I have worked hard, stressed myself to death, and kept going even when I felt like quitting, and I feel that I've done a good job. 

I am so grateful for my parents and for everything that they have done for me my whole life to get me to this point. I'm very thankful that my wonderful mother was willing to baby-sit my little one so that I could finish my degree (I don't think I could have left her for so long it if I hadn't been leaving her with family!). I'm grateful for all of Karl's support through this whole process; for supporting me and sticking with me through all my "this-project/homework-is-due-tomorrow-and-I'm-not-even-close-to-done" meltdowns, and helping me through all my self-inflicted, superly intense, school-stress. I love you!! I am also grateful for the many blessings and for the direction I have received from my Heavenly Father. I know that I could not have made it here with out His help.

To answer the question that I have already been asked several times, and will surely be asked again: I am still working out what I'm going to do now. I feel like I need to give Evie some much deserved undivided attention for a little while, since I have been working and schooling for the majority of her life. Right now we are trying to work out details on whether or not I am going to work at some point in the near future or possibly even begin a masters degree. We haven't received any precise inspiration so far, and frankly, I'm just glad to take a little break and enjoy my family for a bit!

I am just so happy to have this section of my life completed and to move on to the next challenge!

Rear-View Mirror Moments

 That awesome moment when you notice that the girl driving the car behind you is singing very passionately along to the radio station you're listening to... And suddenly you feel like you're in a music video.

That even awesome-ER moment, when the very large, tough looking gentleman driving the car behind you appears to be rocking out to the Meow-Mix jingle (one of Evie's favorites...) that you've got blasting in your car.

Gotta love rush hour traffic.

Total Relaxation...

 Evie is so busy. She just goes, and goes, and goes, and GOES.  I always see pictures of other people's kids falling asleep in random places, but I have never had Evie just fall asleep like that because there is just too much she is determined to do!  No matter how tired she gets, she just keeps going!  That's why this picture is so unique and special to my heart ;)

We'd had a very busy day that started very early, Evie hadn't been able to take a nap, and she was EXHAUSTED.  Finally we were able to start her bedtime routine, which generally begins with a bath.  I got in the tub with her and she immediately crawled onto my lap and laid down in my arms... and fell asleep.  She was so completely and totally relaxed, which is not a state I see her in too often; I didn't want to move her because she looked so incredibly peaceful! 

 Just one of those sweet moments that makes the late nights and early mornings worth it; I really don't think there is anything better than a sleeping baby face!

Why?

Why do I return? 

Over and over and over again...

Why search for something that never existed here to begin with?

Most of the time I don’t even realize what I’m doing.   

My consciousness can't admit to it.  

Yet a part of me knows...   

Some small piece of me watches as I compulsively beg for connection, approval, acceptance... anything.  

The only honest bit of me is the one I can't bear to face.


 

The Joys of Sharing a Room with your Toddler

1:00 A.M.

Evie: Dad....

           Dad....

                Dad....

Karl: Evie.

Evie: Dad?

Karl: What?

Evie: ...Night night.

Evie Words

Evie seems like she is saying new words every day, so I thought I would start a record of them ;)  Here's what she's got so far (there may be more, I just can't think of them all at once, haha):

1. Dad/Dada
2. Mom/Mama
3. Dog
4. Down
5. Up
6. Puppy
7. Ow (when she falls down and it doesn't make her cry she says: "Ow!"
8. Banana
9. Snow
10. Snowman
11. Night night
12. Doll
13. Chi chi
14. Uh-oh
15. No
16. Mmmm! (ok, not a real word, but that's what she calls all food and drink)
17. Shoes
18. Toy 
19. Yeah/yes 
20. Help!

Christmas Evie!!!

Okay, I'm sure everyone is tired of this by now, buuuuut, I'm obsessed!  Look at how much of a difference one measly year can make:

Evie, Christmas 2011....

Evie, Christmas 2012...

Anyway, to get on to the good stuff!  Christmas this year really was awesome.  It has made such a difference to have an Evie in our house for the holidays!

Christmas Eve we spent at my Aunt Bethany's house with all our Moore relatives.  It was loud and crazy with too many people to fit into one house, but that's just how we roll ;)  By the time we got home it was so late we just had to put Evie's jammies on and put her right in bed.  Karl and I cleaned the apartment and got things all ready for Santa, and then stayed up WAY too late playing Minecraft and eating cheese ball and Christmas treats!  Evie woke up about 8 o' clock and we rushed to get the lights all turned on in the living room so we could video her seeing the presents.  It was pretty funny, we had moved her Nativity scene so there would be room under the tree for presents, and she got so distracted by it that she didn't even notice the gifts!

Evie LOVED opening presents.  We had a little bit of a hard time convincing her it was okay to rip paper (since we usually tell her not to do that, haha!) at her birthday party, but luckily she had so much practice at the beginning of the month, she was a pro by Christmas ;)  She even helped mommy and daddy open all our presents

Evie got a lot of presents (mostly clothes, since we're getting to the end of her baby shower gifts), but I think her favorite was the puppy!  Evie is obsessed with kitties and puppies, but especially puppies, so this was a special present. She was unsure when I helped her open the bag, but as soon as she realized what it was she made this disbelieving little laugh and wouldn't stop cuddling the little doggie she called "puhpuh".  It was the first time she's said puppy (she usually says "dogdog") so it was super cute!

 

Karl and I had a pretty good Christmas too, we actually ended up getting each other kind of the same thing!  When Karl opened his present from me, he started chuckling, and I couldn't figure out why, until I opened my present!  Apparently we both had the idea to give each other special homemade coupons and and fashionable jeans, lol!

 

I love my family! I'm so thankful I have an awesome hubby and a superly cute baby to share my holidays with, they really do make my life a million times better!

Evie's 1st B-day Party

For Evie's first birthday we had a "Tangled" party (or two!).  For her first party we were lucky enough to have some friends come over to celebrate!  Andrew, Erica, and Emma Lord were there and also Jon, Emily, Iley, and Mae Schwarzmann (about all our little apartment could hold!)  It was so much fun having some friends to play with on her birthday (and getting some fun presents was awesome too!) 

For Evie's second party, we had my family come over (my parents and siblings and Evie's one and only cousin).  It was pretty rowdy and crowded, but super fun to see everyone!!

Here are the pictures from her special day:

My Tangled themed sign; I was so proud of it!  It looked awesome, I wish I had gotten a better picture of it!

Tangled Flowers and Flower Cupcakes ;)

Evie REALLY wanted to get into it all!

Paper lantern! We had a bunch of these hanging from the ceiling, like the lanterns in the movie :)

Evie and Emma were totally transfixed by the movie, it was super cute!

Evie's big present from mom and dad... a princess tent!

Rapunzel Doll!

Begging Grandmama for water, she had to sign "more" to get any, haha

Birthday Cupcake

Not so sure about this cupcake thing...

Hmmm... This tastes like SUGAR!!!

EAT THE CUPCAKE!!!

And it fell out onto her tray...

One Year Old!

Wow, I honestly can't believe that it has been an entire year since I held that tiny little newborn in my arms... It feels like it was just yesterday!  And yet, SO much has happened in this past year, I can't believe it's ONLY been a year!  I've decided that the first year is the best EVER.  It is so incredibly challenging, with so many obstacles and huge changes to get used to, but it is the most amazing journey I could possibly imagine.

Evie is so much different from that cuddly little bundle we brought home from the hospital, but it's not so much that she's changed, it's more like she's grown (yes, you may call me captain obvious).  She still has that same personality that she did even in the womb, but there's just so much more of it now, haha!  It's like we've spent the last year getting to know her better.  She is just so determined, she loves a challenge!  She will do things just because they are difficult, a trait I greatly admire, since I do the exact opposite ;P

Evie loves to carry things that are big and heavy, and if there is ever anything that she has a hard time doing, she will do it again and again until it is easy for her.  A couple of weeks ago I had her at my office and there is a little sloped ramp in one of the hallways.  The first time she walked up it she almost tipped over because she wasn't used to walking on a slanted floor.  We moved on, took her to another part of the office and went about our business trying to distract her with other things, but Evie kept running back to that ramp.  She walked up and down and up and down until she could do it with ease.  I really love this about my baby.  She has such great ambition and determination; she knows what she wants and she is willing to fight to get it.  I hope she never changes!

Another thing I love about her is how happy she always is!  She is a very smiley little girl :)  She's been a little shy in new situations and with new people lately, but if you give her a bit to warm up, she is more than happy to share some smiles and giggles!  She is just full of energy and curiosity.

I love that she loves her babies too; she's such a good little mommy!  She discovered babies at around 9 months, and has been obsessed ever since.  Anything we do for her, she will do for her baby. 

On the First Day of Christmas...

It's finally December!!!! I can't possibly tell you how excited I am!  So, to celebrate, Karl, Evie, and I went to Riverwoods to check out the Christmas lights :)

I've driven by and seen the lights, so I wanted to go check it out, but I didn't realize how much they have going on over there!  Of course it's much more of a commercial experience than seeing the lights at Temple Square, but I think it's a great alternitive for us, since we can't drive very far with Evie (plus she has an 8 o'clock bed time!!).  They have lots of pretty lights, carriage rides, entertainment at the gazebo, and even Santa in a cute little house (who we did NOT go see because we knew Evie would have a fit, haha).

It was a really nice night, a little chilly, but honestly not bad at all.  We walked around with Evie, who was pretty overwhelmed by the whole experience, but seemed to enjoy seeing all the people and lights :)  We shared a belgian waffle with whipped cream and strawberries as a treat to top off our night (which was very delicious, but totally over-priced!).

It was a really nice, relaxing experience for us.  Things have been so busy, crazy, and stressful with me working, Karl going to school full time, and also working two jobs, we really needed this break!  It was just so nice to get out of the house, break out of our regular routine, and get into the holiday spirit just a little bit :)  I am so grateful for my family!!