Eve's Tree

We planted Eve's birth tree this weekend.  It's a Meteor, a very hardy, semi-dwarf sour cherry.  We had saved the placenta and had it in our freezer; brought it out and buried it under the tree.  The placenta supposedly provides lots of nutrients to the tree (and it's a good use for all that energy that went into making it, uffda!)

It will also be fun to watch the tree grow along with her.  Here we are, checking out the buds.

Florida

We flew to Tallahassee earlier this month, to visit my cousin, David Pascoe, his wife, Miles, and their 12 month old boy (Eve's second cousin), Sidney!  It was also Eve's first plane trip. 

Traveling through airports with an infant is fascinating and a whole new take on the subject.  Strangers either can't keep their hands off your child or stare at you like they're wishing you were sitting on the other end of the plane.  We now appreciate family bathrooms, those pull down changing tables, and the slow people (i.e. stroller and wheelchair) line at security.  Oh, and judging from the number of flight attendants who either told us about their babies or were pumping in the public bathrooms, there are apparently a large number of lactating women on planes.  Can you imagine being out on a 4 day run, away from your baby, and trying to pump?

Eve, not surprisingly, handled flying and airports really well.  By the end of each travel day, she was tired and let us know, but for the most part and for the flights themselves (with one exception, yikes), she was content and charming.  Here's my only picture of her on the trip, during our layover in Memphis.

We got to Tallahassee late Wednesday night and stayed up late talking with Miles and David and seeing their lovely home.  We met Sid for the first time!  He's vibrant and chatty and very huggy with strangers.  He and Eve didn't interact too much during our visit, probably because direct contact would have resembled an unfair cage match (2 babies enter, 1 baby leaves . . . and I can guess who!).  Sid is in that lovely exploring stage - cruising and babbling all the way. 

We spent most of our visit at a condo we rented on St George Island, off the Gulf coast between Tallahassee and Pensacola.  We had a great place that walked right out on the beach and was just up the beach from a state park with miles of undeveloped shore.


There were few people and cool but sunny days, so we spent a lot of time walking on the beach with babies in slings.

This was Eve's first walk on the beach.  She fell asleep, but we picked out a shell for her memory box.

Doesn't this one look like a J Crew magazine shot?

Sid loved being on the prow of his ship.

We hung out and talked a lot, ate tons of excellent, locally caught seafood, and amused ourselves with the kids.

One afternoon we were playing with the kids on a blanket on the floor and all four adults had become absorbed in a conversation.  Eve was on her belly . . . and then very calmly rolled over onto her back.  It took us a second to realize what she had done.  She looked very pleased with herself.  I put her back on her stomach, David started up the video camera, and sure enough . . . she did it again!  (A week later she rolled back to front, and a few days ago I caught her doing a 360 degree roll on the floor - she looked rather startled). 

And we walked more on the beach . . . the water was frigid.

Steve took some artsy photos.

Eve loved the beach, especially viewed from the sling.  "Riding in style", as the old guys drinking on the porch said.

What a wonderful, restful trip!  Thank you so much, Miles, David and Sid.  We look forward to spending more time with you soon.

Four months old!

Our beloved Eve is 4 months old today.  It's amazing how time has warped - in some ways, it feels so much longer, in other ways, like her birth was yesterday. 

She is developing quickly, reaching new milestones almost daily - she has now rolled over front to back and back to front (we have video footage, let us try to figure out the formatting), passes toys from hand to hand, frets when I leave the room and calms when I come back (the first signs of object permanence), and enjoys sitting up with support and seeing the world around her.   Most of this is pretty early for her age. 

Eve had her four month well baby check up yesterday.  Doc says she's in early teething stages (accounts for the excessive drooling).  She weighed in at 13 lbs 4 oz (born 7 lb 7 oz) and measures 24.25" in length (born 19.5").  That's 53% and 44% respectively.  She is in excellent health. 

Breaking news!

This just in . . . Eve Xochitl laughed for the first time tonight!  Mama sneezed, Eve laughed and it sounded a little creaky, but was definitely a laugh.  It was followed in quick succession by her second and third laughs, which were much clearer.  Mama cried a few tears at the momentousness. 

We're mostly packed and ready for Florida adventures tomorrow!

March already?!

Even though it's only two days shorter than other months, February was true to form and reputation and sped by in what felt like 10 days. 

Eve is developing rapidly and every day brings something new.  She's way into toys, especially the moose from Auntsy.  It's starting to go into her mouth and entertains her for half an hour at a time.  She loves gumming her hands, and has been eyeing her feet, so I think it's only a matter of time before those make it into her mouth.  She's discovering her voice and makes shrieks and other noises that are not entirely pleasant, but don't seem to be caused by pain or discomfort..  

Eve and I got away for a Green women's retreat this past weekend.  Here is Eve, wearing shoes for the first time, ready to go!  Note how she fills the swing now.

 

I took her cross country skiing for the first time.   It was a short, but glorious outing (and very warm and windless, for those of you concerned that I was using her to break the wind). Eve loved it, was wide eyed the entire time.

 

We hung out (here with Aunt Amy).

We read up on bee keeping.

 

Here's a better one of the two of us:

Back home to daddy (who was very happy to see us after our first days apart since Eve's birth), Eve is getting geared up for a visit this weekend from Grandma Shirley and Grandpa Charlie, and then our trip to Tallahassee to visit her cousin Sid!

 

Que pasa, baby.

3 months old and then some!

Our loyal readers are crying out for more pictures and posts, so here goes!  We've been taking video, too, but struggling a bit on the technology front and so can't yet post clips here. 

It's been a busy busy few weeks, with visits from Auntzy (my sister) and Marme and Grandad (my parents).  Auntzy, named as a contraction for Aunt Zoe plus her antsy behavior at times (love ya babe), came down over Valentine's Day weekend, to let Steve and me get out for a much needed date.  We had a two and a half hour dinner at a fancy schmancy restaurant, and even managed to find things to talk about not related to the baby!  Here we are, about to go out.

Marme has been coming to town for days at a time, to let both Steve and me get in to work.  It's a win win win situation, as far as we can figure.  Marme and Eve are getting to be great friends, and Steve and I get to catch up.  It's clear that our current arrangement for work/Eve care is time limited:  having her in the office with me one day a week works, but I don't now that she wants to play for hours at a time.  Steve's night shifts on call followed by days with Eve are brutal.  We're looking at options right now, so stay tuned.  For the immediate term, we're looking for someone to stay with Eve at home one day a week (please let us know if you know anyone who might be appropriate or have tips). 

One of the unexpected advantages of having Mom here is that she's been showing us how to use all these baby toys we've been given.  Who knew what they were for or that Eve was ready for some of them already!   She's started grasping for things (including beards, hair, necklaces, but mostly toys) and has gotten quite good at it.   She likes to be read to, but has to be in the right mood.  

She's gained awesome head control, to the point where we have her outward facing in the snugli now. 

 

She is a very contemplative, observant baby.  

  

 This t-shirt was a gift from Steve's coworkers at WCCN:

 

Here are Marme and Steve, holding Eve's friend Dora and Eve with their matching bee hats (from Marme).

  

And, finally, the quintessential Eve shot - taken by Auntzy on her iPhone:

Play time

Eve is 11 weeks old and more fun to be around with each passing day.  My parents were here for the last week, to watch Eve while Steve and I catch up and put in solid time at work.  We also got her first non family babysitter (thanks, Amy!) so the four of us could go to the beer and cheese fest last weekend!

One of the treasures my parents dug out and brought with them this trip is this red bar that you hang across the crib and festoon with whatever toy or animal or other inanimate object you want.  As a result, the baby who would not allow herself to be put down is now quite happy batting at and chatting with her crib friends for half hours at a time.  Our world has changed!

 

She smiles readily at anyone and to herself.

 

This is what she is looking at:

She will deign to stop playing and acknowledge my presence if I interrupt her.

 

And almost best of all, she put herself to sleep!

We're otherwise keeping busy and happy.  Steve and I (and Eve) are mastering the balancing act of work, home and selves, and enjoying ourselves throughout.   We're looking forward to a quiet weekend followed by a month of visitors and trips - highlights between now and mid March will include visits from both sets of grandparents and Auntsy (my sister), a Green women's weekend in a cabin in the woods (with Eve, of course), and Eve's first plane trip to Tallahassee, to visit her cousin Sid and his parents, David and Miles.