Miraculous Day!

Several miraculous things happened yesterday:

1. It was 60 degrees here and that was warmer than Miami, Florida (acording to ABC News)

2. The girls slept simultaneously in the stroller while I took a 45 minute walk!

3. Perhaps the most miraculous was that Evy continued to sleep in the stroller, in the garage*, for an entire hour after we returned home from the walk.

*Don't freak out--I did not leave her alone in the garage! Charlie and I hung out in the garage while Evy slept.

Lions, Lions, Everywhere are Lions

Several months ago we rented The Lion King 2, the story of Simba's daughter, Kiara, and ever since Evy has been obsessed! All of Evy's imaginary play is based on her being Kiara and one of us being Kovu, Kiara's friend. I will admit it's slightly annoying. But we can use the imagination to our advantage at dinner time by telling Evy her steak is Zebra and her vegetables are antelope. She eats them up just like Kiara!

Since Lion King was just re-released the stores are packed full of Lion King items so for Christams Evy got a tent and stuffed lions. We told Evy that the characters are Kiara and Kovu. Luckily all lions look the same so she doesn't realize they are actually Simba and Nala. Here she is in her lion tent, with her lion stuffed animals, watching The Lion King 1 1/2.

Walking in a winter wonderland

In Iowa, on December 29, Charlie and I were able to walk the 2.5 miles to pick Evy up from school. A stroller ride home in late December? Awesome!

Christmas Extravangaza

Three Christmas celebrations in 72 hours. After three mornings of waking to Santa showing up--once at our house, once at my parents, and once at Scott's parents--tonight I overheard Evy ask Scott, "Is Santa coming tonight?" We hated to break the news that Santa doesn't show up every night! Here are some photos from our whirlwind tour;


[Santa came to our house on Christmas Eve morning. Evy left him cookies and a note.]


[Tractor ride with Papa Jake on Christmas Eve.]


[Sweet Baby!]


[Opening presents with Grandma Joan on Christmas morning.]


[Attempt at a family photo. Barely worth the effort!]


[Evy and Jacob playing on their "computers"]


[Reading a book with Grammy]


[All of Evy's cousins on Scott's side of the family. She is so little!]

Dreaming

At Evy's three year checkup the pediatrician mentioned that this is the age when imagination can take over and you will see fears of the dark and monsters. I thought to myself, "thank goodness this isn't an issue" and moved on. Well, now it's an issue. The last two nights we have had a hard time getting Evy to go to sleep. She is seeing shadows and "hearing noises in her ear." Most of her fears involve Captain Hook. Yep, Scott let her watch the Hook movie with Robin Williams. There is a scene where Hook runs his...um, Hook, down the hallway in Peter Pan's house, cutting up the wall as he goes. Evy is very concerned by that particular scene. This morning she told me, "I not have a very good sleep. I thinked I saw Captain Hook's hair."

AAARRRRRGGGHHHHH!

The Momiform

momiform; The outfit often worn by a mother with young kids. In the winter the momiform may include yoga pants and a fleece. In the summer the momiform is likely cropped yoga pants and a short-sleeved t-shirt. Momiforms are most often spotted at Target and playgrounds. Not to be confused with athletic gear, momiforms are rarely seen at the gym.

Happy Birthday to Me

I feel blessed to have celebrated my 29th birthday for yet another year. It was my best 29th birthday yet--Scott and I had a dinner date last night and today we all ate lunch at the food court and played at the children's museum. Wait. Did I say it was my birthday?