Wrapping Tube Fun

Sometimes there's nothing more fun than found-items as toys. Evan got a hold of an old wrapping paper tube the other day, and it's been his favorite toy. It's a trumpet, a horn, a sword (much to Ernie's chagrin), a spyglass, a walking stick, a set of dumbells, and more. What fun!

The Little Ticket Guy

Tonight's UVA vs. VA Tech game was nearly sold out, and Evan wanted to help Daddy get all the fans in the building. He stayed up late to "work," and was very helpful - he handed out tickets to all of our seat-neighbors. He may have to take some business classes before getting hired however - next time he should set a sales price for what he's giving out!

Thirsty - Now!

It didn't take long for Evan to put two and two together - Food/Drink is Good and the Refrigerator has Food/Drink. At school when he's thirsty he walks up to the 'fridge and gives it a pat - and a teacher appears to give him his cup. It's like magic! Usually the trick works at home too - a quick hug or pat of the fridge and suddenly someone appears to open the door.

Tonight, however, mommy had her hands full. But Evan really wanted his cup! You can't blame a 15 month old for not having patience until mommy finished stirring the pot, and his polite requests quickly turned to frustration. He pouted at the door for a moment (click on the first picture to get a bigger version and see the pout on his face!), then decided to take matters into his own hands...by trying to turn into He-Man and attempting to lift the entire 'fridge! Poor little guy - after all that work, he really needed a drink! And of course, he got it. A reward for a mini-tantrum? Perhaps. An experiment in patience? Yes.

Pizza Night

Sunday night was pizza night this week, and usually Evan doesn't care so much for the cheesy, gooey goodness. In fact, he has always refused to eat a bite. Is this really our kid??

But today, something was different. Evan's very much into the "I want EXACTLY what you have" eating stage. All foods on his plate have to look exactly like ours, or it'll go flying. So - pizza. We thought he'd abandon the desire once he had a pepperoni bite, but, wonder of wonders, he loved it! He was perfectly happy to indulge in some cheese and sauce, but the best treat was snacking on a crust of his newly found favorite food in his Christmas chair with a basketball game on. Yep, he's definitely our kid after all.

Climbing

After months of looking up at the monstrosity, Evan decided it was time he conquered the mountain in the living room that Mommy and Daddy call, "Ottoman." And when he makes up his mind, there's nothing standing in Evan's way! It took but a second - two tries - he slung one leg up high, gave a mighty push with the other leg, and, Wow! he was was up! What a different perspective there is sitting on Ottoman. It's his favorite new place.

Winter Wear

When we moved to Virginia, we wanted to be sure we kept all four Seasons. Since we always had winters with snow when we both grew up, we didn't want to give that up for ourselves or our family. And Charlottesville hasn't disappointed! Who could forget our 27" snowfall last month? It gets cold too - in the teens and twenties - and Evan's learning quickly that you have to bundle up. He's got a great winter coat and hat, with mittens attached. But sometimes, kid mittens won't cut it. Today Evan decided that only Daddy's gloves would do to keep his hands warm. My, what long fingers you have, Evan!

Discovery Museum

A big thanks to our friends who invited us to the Discovery Museum today! It was a cold Sunday, just perfect for an outing with friends. Charlottesville's Discovery Museum has lots of rooms and toys and areas to play and learn. Happily it wasn't too crowded, so Evan didn't get run over by big kids. We spent a great afternoon there, playing the guitar with mommy, crawing around a huge pirate ship, and running with friends. There's lots to discover... including what's on the other side of the bathroom stall! Whoops...

Rock Star

If there's one thing a 14 month old loves, it's making music... er, noise. Our house is full of sounds - pops, squeals, dings, bangs, yelps, and best of all, laughs. Today's Saturday - perfect for hanging out in jammies and giving a concert! This little rock star even had the hair to go with it. Rock on, little man!

Spaghetti Night

Yum - Spaghetti! This is the first time Mommy's finally given in and given me the meat sauce to go with the noodles... and now I understand why! The sauce is yummy, but it's even more fun to play with!

Time for Bed!

We're blessed that Evan's always been a good sleeper. He started sleeping through the night at 6 weeks, and has never cried when going to bed. We have a good routine down and think he enjoys it. Until a week or so ago, we hadn't realized how much he likes the routine!

Bed time is between 7:30 & 8 - whenever he starts yawning and showing signs of being tired. Lately, he's started asking US for bed! Below is his bedtime routine - it's super sweet! A kiss for daddy, a wave to Ernie, then he runs right down the hall and climbs the stairs. We brush teeth, he grabs his paci and lovey, then it's jammies, a story and snuggle, and Sweet Dreams, Evan!

Life Preserver?

In words made famous in Back to the Future, "Hey Biff, get a load of this guy's life preserver!"

Evan loves vests lately! And why not? They're fun to wear, look good, and keep you warm on a cold winter day. This one he got from Gramma Kay for Christmas. We're sure to see it again and again, as it's currently Evan's favorite piece of clothing.

Rose Bowl Snacks

Happy New Year! The 1st of January means many things, but first it means the Rose Bowl Parade and Game. Though Evan didn't have a team in the game this year, he was ready to cheer on the Big Ten. We had a nice lazy day, staying in new jammies and having fun snacks during the games. Below we caught Evan being a very big (tall) and big (good) boy - he now clearly remembers where the snacks are, can reach well onto the dining room table, and knows that he's supposed to sit down while eating and drinking. For a while he would take one snack (piece of apple or yogurt drop) and take it to his chair, then return seconds later to make the trip again. Finally he decided it would be much more efficient to take the whole cup and sit in his new lounge chair to watch the game... just like a big boy.