Happy days...

You think Evie looks happy in this picture?

Wait for it...

Yes, she is a fan of smiles and giggles writ large. Which is only natural considering she is absolutely HUGE. At her 2 month appointment last week, she weighed 14 lbs even, and just under 25" long, putting her in the 90th percentile for weight and off the chart for length. Wouzers.

Ready for church...beautiful white blanket courtesy of her great-grandma B, lovely hair clip courtesy of her aunties in Utah, and sweet blue dress courtesy of my recent yard sale addiction.

We went to the Bronx Zoo. So much to see, and what impressed Breyton the most? A) Climbing in this hollow tree stump, B) Pretending Evie was a monkey, and C) Watching the rhino pee. As re-told in a phone conversation with Amma: "He was just...eating hay! Then he just...peed ALL over the floor and on his legs and on his HAY! Because...he didn't have his rhino toilet!"

Two staples of late fall...playing in leaves and playing football!

Evie is getting into the football spirit as well. Soon she'll be able to make the hook 'em sign with her hands...we're working on it. Since BYU broke my heart into a million sad little pieces this year, we're pinning all our hopes on another Longhorn championship game!

I'll eat them up, I love them so!

Evie is a ridiculously happy little girl. When she's not busting out in wild grins and gurgles (which we've yet to adequately capture on camera), she is often serenely smiling at anyone or anything in sight.

Anybody need a chin? She has a spare.

And while little Evelyn is playing the angel of the family, Breyton is keeping things real.


His latest exploits include mixing flour in the brown sugar when we made apple cobbler together. He kept telling me he wanted to "pour the flour in the THING," and asking if it was okay. From my vantage point, it looked like he was scooping it up and pouring it back into the bag, so I kept telling him "that's fine, sweetie!" He probably thought he just caught me on a very permissive day. He still looked guilty, though!

Maybe I trust him just a little more than I should trust a nearly-three-year-old, overly fond big brother. Evie fell asleep on the floor one morning, and Breyton was looking absorbed in his books, so I took a quick shower. I returned minutes later to find him cuddled up next to her (see below) with his arm across her, just talking quietly to her as she slept and "nuzzling" his nose against her nose. Mind you, there was no pink blanket when I left...Breyton dug through our drawer of blankets and picked this particular one out for them. He really loves "tucking Evie in" and snuggling with her. At least once a day he will do this, then call out excitedly, "look mom! We're cozy!"

Though he adores his baby sister, Kelsey is still his one and only when it comes to favorite playmate. She's practically part of the family! (and she even looks more like his sister than Evie does!)

What can I say? Life is so, so good.

*Special thanks to my fantabulous sisters-in-law (sister-in-laws?) for Evie's beautiful hair accessories! You'll be seeing much more in future photos!

Sunday Evie

All dressed up for church!

Getting ready for bedtime! She's been smiling a lot lately . . . hopefully, we can get a picture of her smiling soon :)

Little Evie, up close and personal

We've been reprimanded for not posting enough baby pictures, so here are some photos from a lazy afternoon on the patio in Corpus Christi.

Little Evie has her Dad's penchant for dozing. She even sleeps like a rock at night (so far!)

Kit had to check her out

She's working on that "wink and a smile" look.

When she's not sleeping, she's usually just watching the world go by.

Perfect little fingers...

Perfect little toes...

And my personal favorite, those irresistably kissable lips!


Let's have a closer look...

(yep, irresistable.)

Real Men Go Fishing.

From the moment "Pa-Pa" Alexander picked us up at the airport, Breyton was asking for his fishing pole. At Amma and Papa's house, what Breyton wants, Breyton gets.

So, one of our first mornings in Corpus Christi, the girls slept in while the men-folk set out just after dawn:

Naturally, Breyton was at the helm

But Dad helped a little:

The Pelicans, aka "The Competition," were out in force.

According to Breyton's report, Papa caught a "little fish," Daddy caught a "little fish," and Breyton caught a "big, BIG, WET, WIGGLY, FISH!!!!"

After the expedition, David had some studying to do. Mom and Dave are the Stake institute directors, and David made the mistake of saying how much he loved Isaiah. The result? He got to teach the week's institute lesson. (Real Men also love Isaiah)

As usual, Breyton could not keep his hands off his Baby Sister. He is completely smitten.

Also on the Corpus Christi activity list: a sunset cruise on the Seadoos.

A pod of dolphins joined the fun, but we were so impressed watching them that we didn't get a picture.

Breyton thoroughly enjoyed riding the "water motorcycles!"

End of Summer Pastimes

Here are the kids! Breyton is so happy to be a big brother! Everywhere we go Breyton is very forthcoming about telling people that this is his baby sister. Evie (Eve-ie) is doing really well and so far she's been such a good baby.

We went to Outhouse Orchards again this year right after I took my pediatrics final. Tomorrow we are heading down to Corpus Christi to enjoy some fun in the sun before I start my surgery rotation at Montefiore Hospital. I really enjoyed pediatrics. We'll see where everything stands at the end of the year.

We really had a great time picking apples.

The picture that started it all! We were short two extra people that we would have needed to pull off the complete shot (one to hold Evie and one to take the picture). Gotta love the sun in the eyes shot.

This is our proof that we had a good time.

Baby Evie

Here she is!

Thanks Mom and Dad for the roses. They are beautiful.

Here is one happy big brother! He doesn't like us to change her diaper b/c it makes her upset! Already assuming his protective role.

Recognize these feet? She is for sure a Badger.