your voice

Evelyn,

I love your voice.  It's so hard to describe it in words.  But I love listening to you talk, sing, and giggle.  Your favorite time to hold a conversation is when you're on your changing table.

You also like to talk whenever you eat your solid food.  This leads to food all over your face, which makes it even more endearing when you treat me to one of your chandelier smiles.  Something else funny is that your voice goes down and gets deeper whenever you're talking and eating.  So with your food-covered face and the constant talking in your low voice, I don't even bother trying to keep a straight face at mealtimes.

I just wanted to tell you before I forgot.

Love, Mama

a 6-month letter

Dear Evelyn,

Since you are nearly 6 months old, I wanted to write you a letter and tell you what I love most about you right now.  The list is constantly changing, but at this very moment, here are some of my favorite things:

I love your eyes.  I love that they are an exact meeting of your dad's and mine, yet are wholly yours.  The color is the same as mine, the shape is the same as Dad's.  One is a little smaller and higher, while the other is a little rounder - just like mine are.  And when we smile, all of us have eyes that crinkle up and disappear.

I love your laugh, and that I can bring it out better than anyone.  I love to nibble your tummy or neck, or make crazy faces and shake my head around, and hear your giggle.

I love your sense of humor.  You give us funny faces and loud noises, then watch our expressions to see if we smile.  We always do.

I love your chunky legs.  Seriously love them.  You even have baby cellulite.  I can squeeze those legs all day.

I love how you get wide eyes and shake with excitement when I brush my teeth.  It's hilarious.  I don't know why you like it so much, but I get a kick out of watching you.  My teeth are getting whiter because I brush them so long every day, just to watch your reaction.

I love watching you try to sit up.  You get a frowny expression on your face that is remarkably similar to your dad's, and your neck strains forward.  When I give you my finger to hold, I barely have to pull you up; you can do most of it yourself.  And I love that you are not content to simply sit, but are trying your best to straighten out your little body and stand.

I love seeing your excitement when I first come into your room in the morning.

I love seeing your excitement when Dad gets home from work in the evening.

I love watching you with Ruby.  You idolize her.  She's only a dog, but she far outweighs your parents in terms of importance.  You pay attention to her before anyone else, and you watch her every move.  You roll over to be closer to her and grab her face.  You smile when she comes into the room.  And you grin when she licks you.  Today you had food all over your face and Ruby got a delicious lick in before I could stop her.  You both loved that.

I love giving you baths.  You kick and splash and get us both wet.  You don't laugh while you do it though.  You concentrate super hard and kick very methodically.  So funny.

I love how you stick your legs up in the air, grab your feet, and flop to the side.

I love our evenings with you.  You get fussy, but that clears up by about 7:00, and then we can just play, laugh, snuggle, and have fun.

I love how you try and drink from the glass of whomever is holding you.  You purse your lips and lean forward, arms outstretched, and grab the cup before they even know what's happening.  Sneaky little baby.

I love your voice.  It's not too high or squeaky, and it's just right.  I love it when you talk to me.  It seems like you're the most talkative when you have food in your mouth.  Super charming.

I love how you touch me.  Sometimes you can't fall asleep for your nap.  Then you'll reach out and touch my leg as I sit next to you.  You calm down and fall asleep as you stroke my leg.  You love to pet my hand or arm or leg or whatever is in your reach.

So, my sweet girl, I just wanted to say how proud of you I am.  You are already becoming such a sweet, caring, thoughtful, fun person.  I love you so much.

Love, Mama

how we met

Evelyn,

I thought I might write you a letter about how your dad and I met and eventually got married.

I was from Colorado, although I had been living in New Mexico for the past year, working with Campus Crusade for Christ.  Kevin was from Minnesota and never ever wanted to live anywhere else.

We both liked other people.

We first met in San Diego in May 2007.  We were staffing a summer project with Cru.  The first time I noticed him was in one of our first staff meetings, sitting across the room.  He was a bit of a show-off, talking and laughing loudly to draw attention.  I liked his laugh though.  I introduced myself after the meeting and told him that I thought we were going to be great friends.  And that's when it started.

Everyone knew he liked me and they teased me about it.  They also knew that I wouldn't commit to him.  We went on a couple dates.  I thought they were great, he thought they were awkward - guess I was accustomed to bad dates.  We had a "staff hunt" where the staff disguised themselves and hung out on the beach, and the students had find us.  We were a couple and I was hugely pregnant with a pillow.  I went on a couple dates with other men too.  I turned Kevin down when he wanted to go out again.  He kept pursuing me anyway.


At the end of the summer project all the staff went to debrief and relax, hanging out at Disneyland for a couple days.  While there, some girls and I made lists of qualities that we were looking for in a future husband.  It made one girl break up with her boyfriend.  It made me realize that Kevin had those qualities.  So after iur team dinner I asked if he wanted to go walk around Disneyland with me.  That night I told him I had reconsidered, and we started our relationship.

Unfortunately, the next day I left for Colorado and he left for Minnesota.  We saw each other once more before he left to spend a year in Mexico City.  Long distance was hard.  We made it through though.  He moved to Colorado and proposed after a few months.  The rest is history.  And you.

We met in May 2007.

We began dating in July.

He moved to Mexico in August.

He moved to Colorado in July 2008.

We got engaged in October.

We got married on March 21, 2009.

You joined us on June 10, 2011.

And that's our story so far.

this stage

Dear Evelyn,

I have loved you for about 2 1/2 months now (if I don't include the time you lived in my tummy).  And while I loved you when you were smaller, I love the stage you're in right now.  I continue to marvel at you every day.  You're my new favorite person.

You can hold your head up pretty well, although you're still somewhat weighted down by those cheeks.  And sometimes you don't want to because you're such a snuggler and you would rather rest your head on my shoulder or under my chin.

You try to hold your bottle.

You like to hold my finger.

You smile all the time.

You're a flirt and a ham.

You're a talker like your daddy.

You have the most amazing, chunky thighs that I just can't get enough of.  I love to squeeze them and kiss them when I change your diaper.

Your favorite place to nap is on me, which you will do for hours at a time.

You pay attention to the pictures when I read you a book.

You like to watch Ruby play.


Your cheeks are the most kissable things in the world.  I'm surprised they aren't chapped from all the kisses they get every day.

You sleep from 8 PM 'til 6 AM in your crib without waking.

You love to be outside, either swinging or going on walks.  You like to stare at the blue sky.

You love it when I sing to you.  You smile and try to sing too.

You're even cuter when you're sad.  That bottom lip comes out, your mouth turns down, and I laugh and melt at the same time.  It's heartbreaking.

You open your mouth wide to kiss us.

You're losing your hair, so it's a hilarious combination of long, fine, and thin.  Add to that your dad's hairability to stick straight out from the head and it's quite unfortunate.  But no one is looking past your gorgeous face anyway, so it's okay.

You're getting so tall!  Size 0-3 months clothes are all outgrown and packed away, and some of the 3 months are outgrown as well.  Some of the 6 month clothes we have already fit you.  You are going to be so tall and beautiful!  You already are!

Everyone who meets you falls in love with you.  You should see your Uncle Zach, he's ridiculous.

Evelyn, I am so excited to watch you grow up! You can do more and more every day, and I'm so proud of you!  Just don't do it too quickly, okay?

god gave me you

god gave me you for the ups and down
god gave me you for the days of doubt
for when i think i've lost my way
there are no words here left to say, it's true
god gave me you