Rub-Dub-Dub...

...Eva LOVES the tub. We took Eva swimming last Sunday which really sparked her interested in pools, tubs, and water in general. Every night this week, she has discovered some new activity to do in the tub: standing up, swimming, and laying on her back. She has such a great time in her bath that I couldn't help but snap a few pictures. The water is gone, but does she want to get out? No.

Eva discovered that her ears feel funny while laying on her back in the water.

Birthday Celebrations

I celebrated my 29th birthday today. My mom always said that she was grateful for our birthdays in January because it can be such a miserable month. This is holding true for us this year, with nasty weather and Les's flu, we needed a little fun. We got take-out from my favorite restaurant tonight followed by cupcakes. It was a quiet birthday, but I don't think I could have asked for a better day. Eva now knows the word "cheers" and loves to "cheers" with everything. Here we share one with our cupcakes.

Snow Day!

Eva tries to make a necklace with play dough!Due to snow, high speed winds, and temperatures of -30 below, all area schools closed early today. Tuesdays are my heaviest days with 4 1/2 hours of teaching. So I traded a busy work day for a fun afternoon with Eva.

Unfortunately I did make the commute before school was called. My drive home on the 4 lane was slick and somewhat slow going, but fine. The exit I take to Eva's sitters is an uphill incline. I failed to slow and hit black ice and went into a crazy slide. The terror I felt as the car approached a 45 foot drop off was undescribable. My car crossed the bank and, it looked like it was downhill from there when it came to an abrupt halt.

I jumped out of my car, terrified it was unstable and could still fall. Nicely put, I was acting like a crazy lady. A nice couple who was right behind me stopped and helped me get calmed down and back on the road. In hindsight, the whole event lasted no more than a few moments but it was a little too intense for my liking.

Strength

Eva had a check-up yesterday. The doctor was very pleased with the progress she is making and gave her a clean bill of health. She had to have two shots and some blood drawn. She was a little trooper although not without some squirming. All three nurses commented on how "strong" she is.

After sharing in Eva's struggles to stand and walk, I decided I wanted to challenge myself to do something difficult for me. So, I set a goal of running a road race this summer. I've been using some free time to lift and run in order to get ready. I think it's only fair that I push myself after pushing Eva so much. I'm also chairing a Lighten Up Iowa team at work and encouraging others to adopt a healthful lifestyle.

Cake and Ice Cream Party

Eva turned 18 months old yesterday. In honor of this special day, (and because we are always looking for some excitement besides snow, snow, and more snow) we had a little party for her. Spaghetti for supper and cake and ice cream for desert. She didn't eat much of her 1st birthday cake, so we thought we'd give it another go. "Spaghetti! My favorite!"
The "neighbors" even came over to help her celebrate.
Eva enjoyed decorating her cake. Most of the sprinkles ended up in her mouth, but she did manage to drop a few on the cake.
"It just doesn't get much better than this." A smile of contentment after enjoying her cake (and the seconds that she talked Dad into).

Portrait Session

We made a trip to Sears today to have Eva's 18 month portrait taken. Our framed pictures of her suddenly were looking very young, not at all like the little girl she is today. Here they are, for your viewing pleasure! Eva played shy when we first arrived. She wanted to give me hugs rather than cooperate with the photographer. This candid shot was taken very unexpectedly (I wasn't planning on being in the pictures.) However, it is actually one of my favorites.
Our big girl...growing up so fast!

And now, as I scroll through past posts, I notice how many times "the vest" has made an appearance. Apparently, I'm kind of partial to it. We're sure getting our bang out of that buck :)

Trip to Minnesota

Eva and I headed North last weekend Our first stop: the Barclay home for a Luther get-together. 7 college friends gathered together with a total of 7 children (and another 3 on the way) and 2 husbands. It was a great afternoon spent reconnecting after 6 years and meeting the next generation. Rowan, Eva, Greta, Logan, and Jonas take a seat on the couch while parents furiously snap photos of the brood.
A group shot of the mom's and kids.
And a shot of the ladies - formerly of 8th floor Dieseth (minus a few who couldn't make it). 6 years ago, quality time was spent during nights out with drinks. Now, it's spent during daytime playdates with toddlers and toys. How things change...

After this get together, we headed to Rochester for a visit with George and Judi Berg. We had a nice visit with them, although it was becoming pretty obvious that Eva was ready to return home. A dense fog made travel home slow, but we made it safe and sound.

Sights to See

Wisconsin hit near-record snowfall for the month of December with nearly 40 inches. We've been enjoying the beautiful views off the back of our house.
We made a trip to the Mississippi River Museum on New Year's Eve day. We spent lots of time at this tank, watching small fish, turtles, and a few ducks.

Eva and I watch the giant catfish swim in the largest tank. We also spent a lot of time looking at the museum's alligator. Eva liked to watch him. At one point, he made a swim directly at us. He gave Eva a fright as she turned and reached for Dad.