Evelyn's Birthday Celebrations

When Evelyn's birthday came around, we had several small celebrations. I prefer keeping birthdays low-key, so these little get-togethers were fitting for her first birthday.

 

On Saturday we went out to eat with my family and then had cake at my brother's house.

Sunday was one of our nice South Dakota Spring days...

 Spring here is unpredictable, so we need to enjoy the nice ones as they come. To do so, we took a nice walk around Dan's grandparents' neighborhood.

Evelyn's great-grandpa (Dan's grandpa) has a birthday a few days before her, so we had fun celebrating both of their birthdays together.

 Evelyn still is learning how to "blow" out candles... we'll work on it some more ;)

 

On her actual birthday, she opened a few more presents at breakfast in her birthday chair (just a balloon tied to her high chair). Her favorite gift by far was her little red wagon! She has just loves that thing... she loves being outdoors!

We'll leave you with a cake picture... because what kind of birthday post would this be without a cake picture?? :)

Evelyn Update {Picture Overload}

Just a picture update of Evelyn's last month.... Don't worry, now that Evelyn has reached the one year milestone, these picture updates will come a lot less frequently :)

 

Spending some time with my parents, including toy time with Grandpa and piano lessons with Grandma.

 

We took Great-Grandpa out for a late Christmas gift meal. Evelyn got to spend some time with her cousins, plus she had her first experience on a mechanical ride... one of those kiddie carousels. She seemed to enjoy it.

She loves, loves, loves being outside. We check the cows at least once a day! She will dig through piles of clothes, digging up either a hat or a jacket, and then she will lift it up to me as if to say, "put this on me, Mom, so we can go OUTSIDE!!!"

 More evidence of Evelyn's love of outdoors. There is a door in the kitchen where she will eat snacks and look outside. Usually there is a kitty out there to look at! We have video of her first time "driving" the tractor. She even reached for the shifter and was turning the wheel :)

More calves and more cousins...

The big girl got a new big-girl carseat... in that carseat she has started playing with her feet more than she ever has before. She loves books - even if it's mainly just pulling them off the shelves and flipping through them quick, quick, quickly. Climbing! She has started to take after her dad and enjoys climbing! Her early birthday present was a volleyball and play ball. We have enjoyed chasing after the ball together :)

Snack time! Yogurt and apples... and cheese and baby puffs... yum, yum, yum.

At my parents' place, Evelyn made a new friend... my American Girl Kirsten doll. It was the most I have ever seen her interact with a doll in awhile. She was petting her hair and smiling :) She is so proud of herself when she climbs into the rocking chair. It's one of her favorite places to sit. Dan's parents were gone for several weeks on vacation, so I introduced Evelyn to crayons. She mainly just dropped them on the paper, which made specks. She did make a few sweeping motions, too. We'll keep practicing :)

Evelyn's first tractor wheel picture! There she is playing with the barn that I grew up with. And finally, she was helping Daddy put together a bike rack.


Memories enjoyed. Memories preserved.

Evelyn ~ 12 Months

Evelyn recently turned ONE! 

It's been a whirlwind of a year, but it's been a wonderful year as well :)

• She is recently walking more than crawling, although she's still unsteady when wearing shoes outside and on uneven ground. She gets better every day!
• She loves to eat. Cheese is a definite favorite. 
• Naptimes are easier to come by - we read a story, we sing a song and we set her in the crib. Sometimes she falls asleep quickly. Sometimes she whines for an hour (if I leave the room, she screams). It's always an adventure.
• She likes to climb. The rocking chair in the above picture is one of her favorite things to climb on.
• She babbles but no specific words. 
• She hums while eating. It's quite entertaining :)
• Cloth diapers when we're home during the day. Size 5 disposables at night and while we're out and about.
• She wants to be outside all the time - she will dig through a pile until she finds her hat or jacket and hand it to me, knowing that's what she wears outside.
• She likes to mimic us when we nod or shake our head.
• Putting objects inside other things (bucket, tub, baskets) is a favorite past time. I'm just waiting for the moment I walk in and there is something in the toilet... I've already stopped her from putting an entire roll of toilet paper in one!
• Her hair is getting longer... curls in the back. I can easily clip bows in her hair, but I haven't yet tried a ponytail/pigtails.

She is our little sunshine - her smile lights up the room!

ALYOF ~ March Goal Finished!

My March goal was to finish a quilt made with a quilt top that my Grandma made. 

Goal Post Here. 

(Number 85 on the Goal Setting Linky Post)

In that post, I wasn't yet sure if I wanted to quilt and bind it or if I was going to burp and tie it (also known as the pillowcase method).

I decided to quilt it with my walking foot with wavy lines from side to side. 

Many of the fabrics are from clothes that my mom and aunt wore (homemade) "way back when." :)

I made a scrappy binding out of 2.5" strips in my scrap collection. 

I used a white sheet from a thrift store for the backing.

 I look forward to working with another quilt top of my Grandma's soon!

What's a goal post without showing you my trusty cheerleader helping me take pictures.. and of course, there's Mute the Cat, too!

Linking up to several parties; please see my favorites' buttons in my sidebar.

Casual Update ~ Evelyn is 11 months old...

Not as many "casual" pictures this month... guess we didn't do anything too exciting!

Valentine's Day was spent at home, but I still dressed her up in a little pink, ruffly dress with custom leggings (from JoAnn's knee-high socks). She even wore the bow for most of the day!
The pink boots were a gift from my aunt and uncle (Evelyn actually shares a birthday with that uncle). We took her to Menards with the booties on, and she received plenty of compliments :)
The bonnet was in a box of things from Dan's Grandma. They are still clearing out a family basement, meaning that there are lots of boxes to look through. Many items end up at Goodwill, but I'm definitely doing my share of saving items! This bonnet is one of them. It's a replica; I think it is from when South Dakota celebrated its centennial in 1989.
She is almost walking by herself, but she still prefers/requires objects that wheel or slide across the floor or someone's finger. We'll have a walking little girl here soon though (hmm... I guess that means we need some shoes for the outdoors!).

She likes TV (don't worry, it's not on constantly).
And she loves snacks. Seriously, she may be a slow eater most of the time, but she does love to stuff her face with the good stuff! She will gladly pick up a handful of these little snack-things and then stick them all in her mouth. She once took a prune, stuck the entire thing in her mouth, and then proceeded to try to fit a few peas in her mouth along with it. It's a good thing she's a good chewer, or I'm sure she'd gag more often (she rarely gags anymore... maybe once or twice a week).

So, a short but sweet post... these posts are still helpful in keeping the memories alive of our little girl growing up. Thanks for putting up with these updates! Once she turns one next month, these updates will be less frequent :)

One Month to Go! {11 Months Post}

 

This little wiggle worm is getting harder and harder to photograph! I'm glad I only have one more month to photograph in this position! Evelyn will be ONE in under a month! Yay!

Little busy body is becoming a bit of a cuddle bug... well, not all the time. She still likes to push herself away from you and look out, but when she's happy or tired she will put her head on your shoulder for a split second :) She also likes to put her head on pillows (don't worry, not in her crib). But she will put her head down on a throw pillow, smile and then lift her head up and giggle. So cute.

Naps are difficult. Especially since I held her for several naps during her two day stint of fever earlier this week. We assume the fever was from teething (probably a molar), since she still had a good appetite and we could distract her sometimes with toys.

She is getting better at eating. She still feeds herself, but she will happily open her mouth if you put her something near it - she will even taste something on a fork or spoon! She isn't a huge fan of marinara, but she loves alfredo. She will also eat chucks of meat - she especially likes ham and chicken. Strawberries are also a favorite!

She has taken a few steps (up to 3) by herself between furniture and my arms. Her few days of fever stopped these steps, but since then she has started to try again. She still gets nervous and then drops to the floor after trying to reach for my hands. Her smile after taking those few steps is priceless.

We're still doing cloth diapers during the day and disposables at night and during days out.

She still loves music and snacks and silly faces. Sometimes she gets in moods where she won't smile/laugh when you're trying to get one out, but she'll have little burst of giggles at random other things. She definitely has her poker face down during those moods, haha!

She's wearing 12 month clothes, with a few 18 month clothes mixed in.

We are not planning a big birthday party. We'll probably have two small celebrations - one with Dan's family, and one with mine. If we had our own house, we'd have everybody at once, and I know my mother-in-law would love to have everyone down here... but my brother's wife will be very close to her due date and I think it will just be easier to go out to eat somewhere in the "city" with them. My family never got together with the entire family for birthdays - you know with grandparents and aunts and uncles, so Dan and I will have some decisions to make as to how we will celebrate birthdays once we have our own house :)

Put a Ruffle On It! {Ruffles Blog Hop}

It's here! 

It's time for the Cha Cha Ruffle! 

Mdm Samm has done it again... this time it's the "Think Ruffles" Blog Hop with main cheerleader Amy from Sew Incredibly Crazy. Thank you to both of these amazing ladies for organizing such a fun hoppity-hop!

Anybody ready for some Cotton Eye Ruffles?

My first project is straight out of a country vision of sunshine and clotheslines! This clothespin bag is made out of some denim yardage (thrift store), an embroidered table runner (yard sale), and feedsack fabric (antique store). All items (including the buttons) were from my stash and I used this tutorial... if you decide to also make one, be sure to watch the video; the tutorial makes so much more sense after watching the video. I look forward to the warmer days ahead when I actually get to use my "Ruffly Pin Pouch!" Putting the laundry out on the line with this pouch by my side will sure make me sing the Party Ruffle Anthem :)

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You didn't expect me to join a ruffles blog hop without making something for my little Evelyn, did you? :) This "Ruffled Halter" is made from a fat quarter bundle of Pam Kitty Picnic fabrics I won from the sweet Amy of nanaCompany a few months ago. The pattern is one of Oliver + S's free patterns I found on their website. The smallest size was 18 months (Evelyn won't be that old until October), but I haven't added the elastic to the back yet, so I can make it fit her when the time is right... I'm thinking it will be a nice top for 4th of July :) She'll just be livin' on a ruffle!

My favorite part of this sewing project is that the ruffles are cut on the bias, so you don't need to hem them traditionally. Just an easy topstitch along the edge is all you need - yay for less ironing!! Reading that part of the directions made me want to twist and ruffle right there beside my ironing board...

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Last but not least, here is my "Tote of Ruffles!" I love using reusable grocery totes, even though I've gotten out of practice of remembering them since moving back to SD... I hope this ruffli-fied tote will get me back in the mood of remembering!

More stash busting... the same denim and purple feedsacks from the clothespin pouch, plus some added blue feedsack fabric, a doily and some white/purple striped fabric for the lining. I made this pattern up by myself. This doily lended itself well to being attached... I just zigzaged along the two concentric circles, which leaves a fun ruffly edging! Yup, I'll be that cool mom in the grocery store with this unique tote ;) maybe I'll just have to do the Cupid Ruffle while grocery shopping! Put I promise not to shout out "Who let the ruffles out?!" That is not what a cool mom would do, ha! (Maybe I should just be glad that I have several years before I have to worry about Evelyn thinking about having a cool mom...)

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Thanks for stopping by! 

Now, take a sip of Ruffle Potion No. 9 and go enjoy the rest of these ruffling ladies! 

Sew Incredibly Crazy

Malini's quilts

Missouri Mel

Just Quilt It

In the Boon Docks

On the Banks of Frog Creek (You are ruffling along here!)

Sparrow In Flight

Evelyn Casual Update ~ 10 Months

Enjoying the outdoors... we enjoyed a few warm days a few weeks ago!
Grandma and Grandpa are going on a 3-week trip soon... Evelyn wanted to practice being a stowaway ;)

She enjoyed antiquing with Mommy. Daddy just had to carry her around and make sure that her "tick" arms wouldn't grab anything (we call them her "tick" hands because she swings them around hoping to grasp something to hold onto... just like a tick waits on a piece of grass waiting to grasp our legs!)
We enjoyed a trip to the other grandparents' house where she read with Grandpa and did dishes with Grandma!

She does play by herself pretty well, as long as she is well-rested and there are no distractions (someone walking by or hearing someone talk in another room). Here she is playing with toys in the upstairs toy area, playing with my scraps, reaching for Uncle Adam's TV and finding Grandpa Quail's pop stash :)

She needed water-ed down prune juice to "loosen" her up a bit. She loves snack time... popcorn, prunes, Gerber's "Lil' Cruchies", Cheerios, etc, etc :)

This teacher and bookworm love seeing her daughter enjoy books!

Evelyn is 10 Months Old!

Happy 10 months, Little Girl!

• Naps are slowly getting better, although we're trying to figure out how many she needs a day... sometimes she gets two and sometimes she gets three. Just depends on her mood that day.
• Mac and Cheese is her favorite. Beans and peas and noodles and fruit are all yummy, too. We've been introducing meats... she"ll eat them most of the time. We love that she feeds herself instead of us having to take turns eating and feeding her with a spoon. (I also let her try some chocolate pudding... you know, so she can try sweets a few times before we give her some cake on her birthday!)
• Her smiles and laughter are contagious.
• Her cranky moods are contagious, too ;)
• She has learned how to do "How Big" - definitely a highlight of the past month!
• The crazy update of the month - we tried giving her scrambled eggs(knowing it's a possible allergen, but she did fine with peanut butter), which ended in a big red rash on her face where she rubbed it. It was gone by the next day, and it didn't seem to bother her (which we were super thankful for). We tried again a few weeks later, with no reaction... although she only picked up and ate a small piece. It appears then that it was a one time deal, but of course we'll still be careful. 
• Walking still hasn't happened yet, although she gets closer each and every day. She is very comfortable walking while only holding one of our hands now, instead of both.
• No new teeth... we're still at 8.
• Still loves music and "dancing" although the dancing may have less to do with music than it does with her being happy - she also "dances" while sitting on my lap and to the noises of blenders and washing machines).
• She loves exploring the dishwasher, washing machine (under supervision), and the outdoors through windows.
• Flappy books are her favorite - she has only torn of three flaps in three books, so that's don't too bad ;)
• She'll smile at strangers as long as they don't try to hold her. Church is the perfect example of this. She will smile at people behind us, but if anybody wants to hold her after the service, she quickly cuddles into our shoulder (the only time she truly cuddles!).

Ok, that's all for now. Watch for more Evelyn updates in the casual post coming later this week :) And before we know it, she'll be 11 months... and then 1 year old!

9 Month Casual Update

Another of those late but still necessary posts... some casual scenes of Evelyn.

 She still loves being outside. She used to be quiet and observant, but she has started to chatter a bit more outside as well. She loves being tossed around - no fear! She smiles at the cows, and she enjoys the sled. We sadly don't have enough snow anymore for the sled, so the sled is currently in our car's trunk for when we go "north" to see my parents again... they are only two hours away but have a lot more snow.

 She has started playing better by herself! Of course, she can be easily distracted if she hears or sees someone, but for the most part she does well. Taking things out of boxes, baskets and tubs is a favorite activity... especially pots and pans and clean laundry. I am excited because she has actually taken an interest in books. For awhile there I was getting nervous - I'm quite a book worm when I get involved with a good book or series, and I would love for my daughter to enjoy them as well.

 She also loves playing with my sewing items. Don't worry, I only leave things in reach that are safe... no rotary cutters, pins or scissors! But things like rotating cutting mats, rulers and scraps, I don't mind if she'll play with, especially if it gives me a few more minutes to finish sewing the seam I'm working on ;)

I love watching her with her Daddy... and I laugh at how Daddy plays with her. Here he decided to pile all her toys on top of her. She didn't seem to mind, ha! She loves music and so was enthralled when Dan played the guitar for her.


Soon it will be time for the 10 month updates. Guess I better get the next set of pictures off my phone!

Evelyn at Christmastime

 This post is only a month or so late... but better late than never!

There was the perfect little sleigh at my parents' house to take Evelyn's Christmas picture with. Mom actually puts all the Christmas letters in it, but I just dumped those out ;)

Later that day, Auntie Sarah gave Evelyn a new book (and Roxy gave lots of licks... Evelyn just laughed and laughed). This book has flaps and textures and has since become one of Ev's favorites. 

And who could resist sharing some of her crazy faces?

Then, with Dan's side there is a tradition of having Great-Grandpa pull the little ones along in the toy wagon. Evelyn wasn't quite sure what was happening, but she still gave out a few smiles. Don't you just love that bedhead? The following day, Ev enjoyed showing her second cousin her new toy... He is just 8 months older.

Finally, what is Christmas without a few carols sang around the piano? That top picture may just become a postcard for next year. She doesn't beeline for the piano as often anymore, but for awhile there, she couldn't get enough.

Merry Belated Christmas ;)

February Goals

My friend's little boy, Peter, arrived about a week early... time to get this quilt done! 

February goal: border, baste, quilt and bind :)

I have recently found the best way for me to be productive with little Evelyn underfoot... prep at night after she goes to bed, and sew during the day - either while she's playing by herself nearby or taking a nap. Prep work usually means cutting, ironing and pinning - all things that require movement and action - all things that entice little Evelyn to come check out what Mommy's doing instead of playing with her own toys. But, if I just am sitting at the desk and sewing, sewing, sewing, I can usually get quite a bit done with her in the same room as me. Yay!

You can see here a nice pile of small projects ready for me to swipe through the machine... baby leggings, baby bibs, burp cloths and quilt bindings. That top bib was one of Evelyn's cousins' bibs when they were younger and I recently copied it and made 4 bibs for gifts. I'll have to take a picture of one to show you before I package it up!

It Still Fits! {Update on the Hexie Skirt...}

Last summer, for the Hexie Queen Blog Hop, I made a hexie skirt for the then 3.5 month old Evelyn. 

I must of made it plenty big, because it still fits my 9 month old Evelyn :)

And it is still just as cute!

Have a lovely day!