Evelyn

She’s getting bigger every day, growing up at alarming speeds.  She is all smiles this week, sometimes saving her biggest open mouthed grins for her papa.  She is napping better and getting more reliable at being apart from me.  The carseat is still detested, but is becoming tolerate.  Which, really, is all I can really ask for.  And when she gives me one of her smiles, which always start up in her eyes, turning them to half moons, it doesn’t matter how restless she was the night before or how often she wants to nurse in the afternoon when I need to be getting things done.  All that matters is keeping her safe and warm and happy.

Gosh, this is fun.  Who knew I would enjoy parenthood so much?

I cannot seem to help myself with this baby.  I see something cute and I MUST HAVE IT.  Such was the case with these little cuties.  I defy you to tell me those aren’t cute.  I’ve loved the idea of these baby leggings ever since I first saw them a couple years ago, but the “name brand” was a little pricier than I was hoping to find late last week.  I was already on Etsy drooling over all the beautiful things and thought to look up baby legwarmers and lo and behold, I found this fabulous shop.  The price was VERY right, the designs were VERY cute… so I was sold.  Then, yesterday, my Crawler Cover arrived.  I was like a kid at Christmas.  And who wouldn’t be with packaging like this?

That’s frickin’ adorable, is what that is.  But even more adorable?  Is how these little cuties looked on my little cutie.

^{The awesome tie-dyed onesie is courtesy of Brit.  Thanks, girl!}

Way too cute right?  I KNOW.  And now I’m just biding my time until I can get more.  If I bought them now I think Kile might just set me out with the garbage on Garbage Day (note to self: Garbage Day is tomorrow, do not forget this time!).  But all in good time.  The leggings WILL be mine!

^{Who wouldn’t want to eat legs encased in such attractive wrapping?}

^{I think they make her toes look all the more delectable.}

^{Oh come on, like you didn’t think I wouldn’t sneak in a picture of her cloth diapers SOMEHOW.}

Has it really been six weeks?

Has it only been six weeks?

It feels like time has slipped by like sand through my fingers. And yet, looking at Evelyn, it’s almost as if she has been here all along and that there has never been a time that I haven’t known her.

My days have a strange sort of routine to them, but at least I have a routine down. Something that I can count on. Sort of. The routine mostly centers on Evie being attached to me around the clock, yes, but I know I can count on that at least. Liam is a good sport with all of it too. Yes, there are times he wants to come sit on my lap while I’m nursing and I try as best I can to make room (I cannot say no to a snuggle). It’s times like these that I wish for a sectional or a larger recliner so there would be more room for such activities.

It’s a juggle, that’s what it is. Juggling her on the Boppy, cruising the Internets while I’m anchored, watching Liam have his way with the living room and making mental notes of what messes need my attention most the next time I happen to be free to get up. Which, luckily, is more and more these days. She has tolerated being set in her bouncer seat more this week, of course, it helps being able to place the bouncer in the bassinet right next to my recliner. A time or two she has even slept in it.

It’s all rather short lived, of course, but it does give me time to get Liam his lunch, do a load or two of laundry, pick up whatever mess Liam has perpetrated that morning, let the dogs out, etc and so forth. And that is freedom which is downright heaven-sent these days. Yes, being free to do laundry is a wonderful thing when you’ve been unable to for the last several weeks.

She’s getting pudgier, as you see. Her cheeks are getting that “breastfed baby” thing where they chipmunk out. Her thighs are getting meaty and her neck has all but disappeared. Her eyes are starting to develop their color, but are still keeping us guessing. She’s awake for longer stretches of time now and there are times where she really just likes to be able to look around. That’s prime bouncer seat time, ya’ll. With that alertness comes those first gooey smiles. She first graced Kile and Harry with a smile on Saturday. She gave me a smile a couple hours later (don’t think I won’t remember that she gave THEM smiles first… what am I, chopped liver??). Of course, we’re not quite up to “smiles on camera” yet, as they are still few and far between. Though I did get showered with them last night and I tell you what it about made my heart burst into many teeny pieces.

God, I love this kid.

I’ll be the first to admit that as a photographer, I pretty much suck.  I have no idea what composition means and as much as I covet a DSLR camera (and boy howdy, do I ever covet), I’d be lucky to know how to use the manual focus.  I just take pictures that I think look good and go from there.   I read the Pioneer Woman’s Photography blog and try to absorb as much of her tips and tricks and Photoshop tutorials as I can.  I love learning new things about taking pictures.  And sprucing up a snapshot in Photoshop gives me such pleasure, it’s downright ridiculous.  Just now, I’m practically giddy because I know there are pictures in my camera right now that need to be downloaded to my laptop and then I’ll be able to play with them in Photoshop and WHAT FUN THAT WILL BE.

Okay, so along with being a total newbie photographer, I’m also a pretty raging geek.

My camera is one that I got as an anniversary gift back in August of 2005.  It wasn’t top of the line at the time and it’s certainly nothing special now.  It’s just your average Sony Cyber-shot, a 4.1 megapixel point-and-shoot.  It’s a lot nicer than the camera I had before that, which was a prehistoric Olympus digital camera that at the time when it was purchased was QUITE THE THING, but by 2005 had become quite a dinosaur.  That thing is as old as my oldest son, ya’ll.  YIKES.  So the Sony was a step up, FOR SURE.  Yet, whenever we’re at any store that sells cameras, I find myself fondling the DSLRs (at least until someone comes by and tells me to stop).   Someday, people.  Someday.  (Yeah, it’s right up there with my new laptop.  I’m jonesing for a Sony Vaio this time as Dell has irritated me of late.) (Dude, what is it with my sudden Sony brand loyalty?  I just noticed that.  Very weird.)

At the core of it, though, I take pictures because I love to have nice pictures.  If I want a nicer camera someday, it’s only because I want to be able to take even NICER pictures.  Just as long as we all recognize that any terrific ability would be attributed DIRECTLY to the camera and not to me.  (This should be obvious if you’ve been paying attention.)  And keeping in mind that my favorite subject is, of course, my kids.

^{I just LOVE how this turned out with P-Dub’s vintage action.}

^{I dig the detail on her “furry” cheeks and forehead.}

^{Can you tell she’s my favorite subject right now?}

^{I called this one “It’s all too much” version 2.0.  I did it for Loralee. Heh.}

^{Capturing moments like this one is what it’s really all about.}