JAMSquared

While we were in Midland helping out as James’ Mom recovered from knee surgery, I didn’t take a whole lot of pictures. I meant to, but alas I did not.

These first four pictures were taken on Sunday, September 25th.

Here’s Jessica trying out Mommy’s shoes.

She also enjoyed Grandpa’s cap.

I love this next one of her.

 

These last four pictures were taken on Monday, September 26th at a nearby park.

 

 

I love the expression on her face in this next one even if it is rather difficult to photograph a swinging child.

Only 12 days until she turns 2!

Last Thursday afternoon, we headed to Midland. James’ Mom had her right knee replaced and we went to help out around the house as she recovers. While there, we went with my parents to the St. Ann’s Fair on Saturday morning. I have fond memories of going every year with my family as a kid.

Jessica took quite a while to warm up to the fair. I guess she is not a big fan of crowds. We started off at the carnival rides, thinking to beat the crowds. Although, she initially seemed excited about the carousel and little train, she then was quite adamant against going on the rides, so we moved over to the fair games.

She “fished” up a flying pig that she became quite enamored with. The entire time in Midland if we asked her where the flying pig was and she didn’t have it, she would run around looking for it repeatedly saying “flying pig.” Jessica did the stuffed animal walk (like a cake walk) and she won a hippo that she also likes a fair amount as it has joined the crowd of stuffed animals that share her bed. She tried dropping a washer in a fish tank game, but then insisted on Papa dropping the washers. She got into the Plinko-like game that used metal balls and actually dropped all of those herself.

We stopped at the anti-abortion booth to visit with the lady I used to baby-sit for. I can’t believe that her oldest is in college. I remember repeatedly watching The Lion King with him when was but two years old, Jessica’s age. Jessica got a tootsie pop there and she sucked on it the rest of the time we were at the fair.

We did the fishing booth again, before moving back over to the carnival rides.

My Mom took her on the carousel and stayed standing with her even though she kept saying no. Once the ride started, she enjoyed spinning around. See the flying pig in her hand?

Next, James and I took her up on the Ferris wheel. She also didn’t want to go on it, but once we were on it, she enjoyed smiling and waving at Nanny and Papa who stayed on the ground as we went around.

My Mom then took her on the carousel a second time. This time my Mom basically forced her to sit on the giraffe midway through the ride. At first she didn’t like it.

By the time it came to a stop, she had started enjoying it enough to start sucking the lollipop again. She even smiled for me. I don’t know what it is, but lately every time she obliges my request to smile, she kinda squints up her eyes and they end up closed for the photo.

James and I drove up to Midland the Friday before Memorial Day. We stayed at his grandparent’s house Friday through Monday. We celebrated his Mom’s birthday (see previous post) and otherwise just enjoyed family time.

Monday afternoon, I put him on a plane back to Austin. Texas Painting painted the majority of our interior walls plus installed crown molding in our living/kitchen/breakfast room and master bathroom. Being pregnant, I didn’t really want Jessica or myself to be around the paint fumes, so we stayed in Midland at my parent’s house until Saturday morning when drove back to Austin.

It just so happened that this same week was the week my nephews Cameron and Trevor were visiting Nanny too, so Jessica got lots of play time with her cousins. Tuesday morning, we went to Opportunity Park to play. A cooler day with highs only to reach the mid-90s, it was a perfect day to go to the park. The kids thoroughly enjoyed themselves.

That afternoon, we let the kiddos play in the wading pool in my parent’s backyard. I hadn’t known that my Mom had gotten a wading pool, so I didn’t bring swim stuff for Jessica, but my sister had packed more than one swim diaper for Trevor, so she just wore that. Jessica enjoyed the wading pool immensely. I think she might have enjoyed being in the water more than Cameron and Trevor as they kept going in and out of the pool, but Jessica just stood or sat in the water pouring water from one cup to a bucket and back.

Thursday morning, the Midland Library held the annual summer reading program’s kick-off event, so we went to check it out. While we waited for the activities to start, Cameron, Trevor and Jessica worked some puzzles.

This year’s theme is Dig Up a Good Book and the kids made toilet paper roll dinosaurs.

Then we went to the library patio where they served popcorn and lemonade and had an area where the kids could dig for dinosaurs. Cameron really got into digging in the sand.

The entire time we were in Midland, I would ask for Jessica to give kisses. When I would say this around Trevor, he would give kisses too. I finally got some pictures of the affectionate nature of these two on Friday.

My parents left at lunchtime to take Cameron and Trevor home. Before they left, the kiddos played while my Mom packed.

We then walked to the mailbox. All of them loved the sidewalk “balance beam” between my parent’s and neighbors yards.

Friday after Jessica’s afternoon nap, we went over to her Nana’s for some playtime and dinner.

This post is very picture heavy (30 pictures total) and maybe I should have split it in two, but oh well.

We drove to Midland the Wednesday before Christmas. This was the first long car ride with Jessica forward facing. We took along some baby DVDs and she spent most of her time in the car watching them, outside of the very short nap she took. Her favorite is the Baby Einstein Baby MacDonald video about the farm. By the time we went to Keller for New Year’s weekend, she was pointing up at the DVD player if she was awake and there wasn’t a video in it. I’m not sure that is a good thing, but we don’t really watch any TV when we’re at home, so I guess in the car it is okay.

I tried to have holiday inspired clothing for each of the four full days we were in Midland. Here she is on the day before Christmas Eve.

Jessica enjoyed playing with her cousin Dawson while in Midland. The first two days we were there, he was all about “baby Jessica.” Here he is chasing her in the kitchen.

Christmas Eve morning, we went over to my parents’ house before going to Rosa’s to lunch with them. We pretty much always make a stop at Rosa’s when we’re in town.

Late afternoon, we attended the candlelit service at Crestview Baptish Church with James’ parents and our nephew Dawson. After the service, a photo op presented itself in the church lobby. Although Crestview was pretty casual in terms of Christmas attire, I loved getting all dressed up. Having a child makes me get sentimental, and I always remembered a new dress for Christmas. Jessica’s dress is Christmasy with snowmen and Christmas trees, but with the colors not outwardly Christmasy. I look forward to many more Christmases of getting dressed up for church.

After church, we all ate dinner (Tami, Randy, Granny & Pawpaw too). Then we opened gifts. Usually James’ family just digs into presents and no one really gets to see anyone open anything, but this year we watched the kiddos open a few things before everyone else dug in.

Dawson showed his Christmas spirit by wearing a Santa hat the entire evening.

It was so much fun watching Jessica open her gifts. I think she really gets present opening now.

James and I didn’t really get her much this year since the big Santa gift we had planned fell through due to being out of stock. However, the books we did get her, she really enjoyed.

One of the gifts James’ parents got Jessica was this Bethlehem book that sings. Jessica really liked how it lit up too.

For James’ Mom and my Dad this year, I made a Shutterfly book that looked back on Jessica’s first year. I made a third one for Jessica too. I had wanted to share it on my blog, but you have to set up a Shutterfly share site. Instead if you want to see it, come visit (I love to have company) and look at Jessica’s.

Before Tami, Randy, and Dawson left to go home, I took some family photos. I had wanted some with Dawson too, but he’s at an age where all he wants to do is make faces at the camera (I hope Jessica never reaches that phase).

Here’s Jessica in her Christmas pajamas Christmas morning. Aren’t those little reindeer on the feet cute?

One of her favorite activities at James’ parent’s house was climbing the high chair. She would go up and down repeatedly. It about gave James’ Mom a heart attack, but she only fell once and it barely even phased her.

After breakfast, Jessica opened her gift from Santa. She really enjoyed the stuffed dog Santa brought her. “Santa” only spent $5 on that dog since he was busy buying gifts for other kiddos and got the dog as a deal.

We then went over to my parents’ house to visit and eat lunch. Jessica opened her stocking there and she discovered how tasty marshmallows were.

Santa visited Jessica at my parents’ house and brought her a Curious George book and monkey. She seemed to dig the monkey and held him while I took some photos before we left.

That afternoon we opened stockings with James’ family. Jessica helped her Daddy open his stocking. She enjoyed all the sparkly sequins on the stocking James’ grandmother made for him a long time ago.

Dawson received a number of Wii and Nintendo DS video games for Christmas including a Wii Lego game from us. He spent most of the time he was at James’ parents’ house that day playing on his DS (a kid loves new play things). Jessica was very interested in what he was doing.

After the big Christmas dinner, I took some more family photos.

There’s even one of James and I.

Sunday was pretty leisurely. We went to church with James’ parents and had lunch at the new Genghis Grill. I then went over to my parent’s office and we walked to Manor Park to visit my grandmother. Alzheimer’s is the most depressing disease in the world. The previous time I had visited my grandmother, I hadn’t expected the Alzheimer’s to have progressed that much, so it was rather upsetting. This time I knew more of what to expect and it wasn’t as upsetting, but the disease still stinks, big time. It’s nice to know that she is well taken care of in the Younger Center at Manor Park though.

Tami, Randy and Dawson came over for dinner that night. I actually got a decent photo of Dawson and his Mom.

After Jessica went to sleep, James and I met up with my friend Brian. It’s sad that we both travel over 300 miles to visit  with each other when we live less than 300 miles apart (he lives in Houston).  Monday morning, we returned to Austin. It was nice visiting with family, but we were happy to be back in our own beds.

Stay tuned for more pictures from the rest of our Christmas festivities.

James’ grandparents, Cecil and Freda Evans, were married September 10, 1940. That’s a whooping 70 years of wedded bliss.

Over Labor Day weekend, all the Evans kids, grand-kids and great-grand-kids plus some assorted nieces and nephews and some others got together to celebrate this momentous milestone. We had a great time catching up with everyone.

Saturday morning, Jessica played on Nana’s living room floor. Isn’t that tongue sticking out cute?

After some time spent at Granny and Pawpaw’s house, we went and had a somewhat early dinner at Tampico, a great little Mexican food restaurant that we seem to go to at least once whenever we go to Midland. As this was not the official reunion/celebration, not everyone made it to dinner. However, I was able to take a photo of everyone who came except Randy, who doesn’t do flash photos, and Dawson, who didn’t want to be in a picture for some reason.

Braiden is always game to have his picture taken.

Carson almost didn’t want to have his picture taken either; however, we were able to convince him. I’m sure that it didn’t hurt that I didn’t say anything about him giving Fallon rabbit ears.

The big reunion/celebration was held on Sunday at Clear Springs Restaurant in one of their side rooms. After a late lunch, cake and ice cream were served. Jessica ate ice cream for the first time and loved it. Group photos followed on the patio.

This next photo is of Granny and Pawpaw with their kids and their spouses, their grandkids and their spouses, and their great-grandkids. Four generations of Evans.

I like this next photo of Granny and Pawpaw with their kids. The only one missing is David, Tami’s father who died when she was three.

The group photos were taken on my camera using my Dad’s tripod. A nice waitress snapped them after I got everyone in the frame. After the group photos were done, Howie seemed really interested in my camera, so I let her take some photos (no fear of a 6-year-old dropping the camera when it’s on a tripod). This next photo is one she took of her Mom and 2nd cousin Braiden.

After the luncheon, we went back to Granny and Pawpaw’s house and worked on a family tree project, which I will share in my next blog post.

Overall, we had a great day Labor Day weekend spent with family. The weekend was a little extended for me, but I’ll go into that more in another post. So stay tuned.