Ava's first time eating pablum. Little Miss Independant had to hold the spoon herself.

 

First time on the swing

 

Queen of Daddy's Heart

 

 

 

Uncle Bobby and Cousin Emma Visit

 

 

 

 

Bob and Emma came to visit this weekend. It's been 2 years since Evan and Emma have seen each other but they hit it off like they were the best of friends.

We have fun

 

 

Gymnastics

 

 

 

 

I've enrolled Evan in Gymnastics and he has been loving it! He seems to have super strong abdominals. He loves the bar and the rings. He'll grab on to the bar and swing his legs right up and hook his feet around and he holds onto the rings and brings his knees right up to his face while hanging there. He's also learned how to do a sommersault (he's the only one in the class who's been able to master it) I'm so proud.

New Years Eve

 

It was a wild party. We stayed out past our usual 8pm bedtime and went home at 10pm instead!

Christmas 2008

 

Christmas 2008

 

 

 

 

Christmas 2008

 

The four of us on our way home from church on Christmas Eve. The church is just a couple blocks away from our house so we got all bundled up and made the trek over in the snow. It was quite an intimate gathering because of the weather but it was really nice.

 

This is Evan sprinkling reindeer food on the snow in front of our house. In the morning all the food was gone and there were reindeer tracks and even sleigh tracks in the snow!

 

Christmas morning after Santa had been there

 

December 2008

 

Trimming the tree

 

Admiring his work from afar

 

These are some pics from the kids christmas party at Brian's work. Evan got to make a gingerbread house and then there was a special visit from Santa. Evan couldn't wait to play with his new cars and play mat so we let him break it out on the floor of Brian's office.

 

 

Ava got her first cabbage patch doll from Santa. I think the doll and her kind of look alike actually.

 

Visit to Santa 2008

 

Well, I thought maybe this years visit to Santa would go a little better for Evan but not so. I had discussed it with him ahead of time to try and get an idea of whether he was still scared of Santa or not and he seemed really excited to go this year. Ava of course was oblivious but I think Evan was trying to be brave for her sake. When we were waiting in line we watched the kids in front of us get their picture taken so he would know what to expect and then we went to see Santa for ourselves. The kids sat on his knee and the photographers started snapping away trying to get a decent picture but Evan started acting strange and wouldn't look at me or the camera. He just froze and stared at the floor. After three takes I realized that he was scared out of his skin. He was trying so hard to be brave that the poor guy sat there, petrified, in case maybe this Santa guy might be the real deal and actually bring him some presents. Afterwards I looked at the photo and noticed that Santa and Ava both have this nice rosy glow and Evan is white as a ghost. I almost cried from all my mom guilt. The next day I asked Evan what he thought was so scary about Santa and he said "he's a really big man". I asked if there was anything else and he said "I didn't like it when he pulled my face towards him". It didn't register at the time but I realized Santa did turn Evan's chin towards him so he could talk to him. Poor Evan, I hope he's not too traumatized.

December 2008

 

Two Evans and an Ava

 

Brian has started taking Evan swimming on Sundays. It was so cute how Evan walked out of the change room and onto the pool deck in his crocs with his towel around his neck. He was scoping out the pool like he owned the place. He had no fear of the water at all and even put his head under a few times. Brian and Evan are enrolled in swimming lessons for January. Also, in January I'll be taking Evan to gymnastics once a week. He can do a sommersault now and he can walk on his tippy toes really well but I think ballet is out of the question so we'll see how he does with the gymnastics.