Paper or Plastic

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Step right up, make your pick!

The county fair season is approaching and I'm thinking about entering some photo contests.

There are several categories in each and one can usually enter in up to four categories.

I will be posting several shots in different categories today and tomorrow, please let me know what you think and which (if any) shots should be enlarged and submitted.

Our first category?
Animals:


Tiger, Pt Defiance Zoo


Sloth, Pt. Defiance Zoo


Immature Bald Eagle, Yellowstone


Beluga Whale, Pt. Defiance Zoo

When your escape plan goes all wrong

Bryan was working in his office, I was checking my email, Evie was taking a nap. Suddenly sharp, piercing screams broke through the morning quiet. This wasn't her usual cry, this was panic-stricken wailing. I charged up the stairs, opened the door and found her stuck, half way up the crib, knee firmly wedged half between two railings, arms dangling over the side.

She was stuck, very stuck, and she was freaking out.
I gently said "it's okay, sweetie, hold on, mama's here." But as looked at her knee, wedged, her pajamas creating a tight shim between the wood rails, I wasn't quite sure how this was going be solved. Meanwhile, she continued to wail and squirm. I rubbed her back, I tried wriggling her leg, it wouldn't budge. I called her father up for assistance.

It took us a few minutes, but between moving her pajamas, picking her up, twisting her body one way and gently pulling her leg the other way and then turning her, we were able to free her from her wooden prison.

She of course continued to scream and cry another few minutes for good measure.
The rails left a deep groove in her tiny legs that began to swell, so once we calmed her and changed the poopy diaper, I held her and administered the soft hello kitty ice pack, which seemed to make all things a little brighter. Soon she was walking around chattering away.

We aren't sure if she was actually trying to escape from the crib, or if she got her leg between the rails and then tried to free it, subsequently getting herself more stuck.

What I find interesting is that 20 minutes after the icing and a cursory drink of water, she crawled back up the stairs (with us 6 inches behind) and went back to her room, thumb in mouth, saying "nigh, nigh" wanting to go back to bed. Because, you see, her nap was disturbed.

She is now back in bed, concluding her nap.

A funny one, my daughter is.

Bored

Evie is bored today.
We have had a revolving door of guests for the better part of the last three weeks. Evie’s grandparents flew back to Michigan this morning after having visited for the last eight days.
Her other grandfather, (my dad) will arrive Friday and then her great-grandmother, (the infamous Mamaw) will arrive the first week of August.
While we are busy washing sheets and towels and refilling the cereal and milk supply in what has become the hotel-Scott, Evie is wandering around pondering the loss of her minions. She (I am sure) cannot believe she has been left only her parents; parents who are not nearly as impressed with her every action. Also, we are not nearly as quick to jump at her every whim, which of course she finds most distressing.
Obviously we find her charming and adorable, but you see, we live with her and have lived with her basically her whole life (as in every single minute of every day of her existence.) So while we find, for example, her dropping a sippy cup off the high chair and saying “uh ohh,” cute the first time, we are not willing to retrieve the abandoned cup after the third or tenth intentional drop.
And thus she is bored with us. If she could speak in complete sentences, I believe she would utter something like the following:
“Excuse me, I’m sure you are very lovely people, but if you wouldn’t mind, I’d prefer the other people, the ones who gave me ice cream and smoothies and took me on walks at all hours of the day and night, the ones who answered my every whim. Could you arrange their immediate return? Thank you.”

Congratulations Meemaw!

I just learned this evening that my Grandma Green, aka "Meemaw" recently married Virgil Farmer, without telling anyone until after the event. Virgil was her sister's husband (her sister passed a while ago); they have known each other for over 50 years. Meemaw is 82, Virgil is 86. Both are completely smitten.

Meemaw, I couldn't be happier for you, congratulations to you both!

Her first Birthday party

All day, the weather forecast predicted rain and thunderstorms, but somehow we managed to dodge the bullet and were blessed with beautiful clear skies with full sun and warm breezes.

Evie's grandparents came, our neighbors came and two church friends came....


Evie spent most of the time with her friend Sage,


They were up to all kinds of mischief:



Although Grammy Nancy was pretty hilarious,


Another highlight of the evening was the ball crawl:


Of course the big excitement was the cake: (which deserves a prize for ugliest cake made by a mom...)


Evie wasn't too sure about it


But she LOVED her presents, especially her new purse and included cell phone:



Although this party was mostly about the adults getting together and celebrating and she will have no memory of the event, it was still fun; any excuse for a party is good enough for me.

Happy Birthday Evie!

Today is your first birthday. By most accounts, this is the beginning of your second year, the end of your babyhood, the beginning of toddlerdom.

I know that to you every day has been a long, arduous, tiring struggle as you have learned and mastered each new skill, from lifting your head, to rolling over to your first steps and now, to forming real, actual words. But you see, to me, I blinked and you morphed from a tiny little helpless baby, to a talking, walking, headstrong little girl. Every day is a new adventure with you and most days I’m just trying to keep you healthy and (who are we kidding) alive.

Everybody says that when you become a parent, you experience a love that can only be understood when you are a parent. I thought I knew what they meant before I had you; I had no idea. Getting you here was rough ride and by the time you were born, I was one tired momma. But the second they brought you to me and I saw your little face, all my pain and exhaustion melted away and an overwhelming wave of joy swept over me. I was overcome with love and a voracious desire to keep you safe and protected.

Every morning (even those really early mornings) when I go in to your room to scoop you up out of your crib, I am still overcome. I cannot believe that God gave you to me and that I have the privilege to be your mom and guide you through this world.

This first year has been eye opening and wonderful. I am amazed that you are already celebrating your birthday, but I am so excited to see what the next year has in store.

Happy birthday my sweet love!

A great day to turn 1!

Today was Evie's birthday.

She took some morning calls...


She had a quick ride in the swing...


She went to the park with Papaw and Mamaw Scott...


She used Papaw as her pet...


She ate Mamaw's ice cream...


It was a great day to be one.

Goin' for a walk....