Evie is punctual

Only 10 percent of babies come on their due date! Contractions that couldn't be ingnored started at approximately 4 am and Evie was born at 11:20 am.

Evelyn Grace McDaniel

October 23

So, 6 days from D-Day (due day!) and Fall weather is finally here! This pix was taken on our way out the door for Tuesday night prayer. Simon is adorable with his red curls ... in need of a trim, though! Tomorrow I see my midwife again; Last week on Thursday I was 2.5 cm and 60% effaced, so it will be interesting to see if we have progressed this week. We are praying and trusting the Lord for a safe delivery, in His time, but definitely hoping for at least one more infant-free weekend! (especially since Mom is wanting to take Simon to her house this weekend!)

Simon and Daddy

The first pix is last night. (notice the 'new' curtains I 'made') After dinner, Matt announced to Simon that they were going to make a present for me. Matt was walking around with the Better Homes and Garden checkered cookbook. Matt wanted to make a cake from scratch, since he'd never done that ... The batter was really thick but I didn't say anything. Then, while it was cooking Matt said, I don't think the cake is going to turn out. I said, why not. He said, "The batter didn't seem runny enough." I admitted, "I know." So, I glanced at the ingredients and read them aloud and we realized Matt omitted the milk ... about 2 cups. So, with only 4 minutes left in baking time, we were laughing to see what would happen. They were actually quite good, kind of like a pound cake or a big cookie :) And Matt made iciing, too...But what do you do with a whole cake and only two eaters? Solution: Matt took it to work today with full admission of his omission. Maybe a lactose intolerant person was finally able to enjoy a cake!
So, Simon made the face on the pumpkin all by himself. Pretty good work, I must say! Simon pronounced pumpkin, 'kunkin'. Sweet. Our little kunkin, and we're getting a real kunkin soon, possibly on Halloween! (Not really a pumpkin, but thinking Evie might come then, as it is two days past her 'due date.'
I'm hoping she doesn't come early, so that we are pretty much guaranteed fall'ish weather for future outdoor birthday parties.
Simon and Matt working together to put up new blinds in Evie's room. I want to get some for Simon's room, too, but am waiting until he is past the phase of breaking/playing with his, since I can't supervise all of the time!
Simon would look at the pix and say, "Now, what does the picture say?" He helped me the other day put together our "nursing stool" which you can see in the background of the third pix in the post right after this. We were pretty proud of ourselves!
Notice how Matt and Simon are sitting in the EXACT SAME POSITION in the last snapshot. I love it :)

Simon and "Baby Ebby"

So, I need to keep a careful eye on Simon, whenever he 'helps' with Evie (as you can see from how he is smothering her in the green blanket on the red chair...)
We had some friends over on Friday with their 3 week old little girl and Simon was very well behaved around a real, live baby :) When she cried he said, "It's okay" and mimicked Maddie who was rubbing Ruth's little feet.
In one pix you can see in his hand his yellow "Piece." That's what he calls it. It is sticky tack and he is pretty attached to it. It's one of his favorite toys. He discovered last week when we were hanging up some bible verses in his room. So, now I need to go back to using scotch tape b/c if it has sticky tack on it, he is likely to pull it off and take the sticky tack!
Simon reading a crazy Dr.Seuss riddle book that drives me crazy .. too many words. He knows I don't like it, so he'll grin and pick out that book often when we are going to read together. But, I always, in mock extreme disgust, say, "Not that book. Not that book." But, I won't read it, and he will just look at the pix. Matt is a good sport and will indulge quite readily with all of the silly tongue twisters ...

Adorable Simon Quotes

So, let me explain the Tigger Pix. I was washing clothes for Evie and Simon was excited to see this "Costume" that is 0-3 months. We actually have a pix of Simon wearing this Tigger onesie when he was just 5 weeks old...and it fit him then. So, he is really into costumes, always wanting to go to a costume party and it is too bad we don't do Halloween. I guess I should still get him a costume (maybe when they're on sale!) b/c he thinks they are pretty cool. So, I said, "It won't fit, but we can try." And it does fit ... sort of.

So here are a few adorable Simon quotes.
"Lay down just a little." Simon says this when we put him in bed and say goodnight, but he wants us to lay down with him. The other night I said, "I can't tonight, sweetheart, my back is hurting too bad." (to crawl in the lower bunk). So, we say goodnight and an hour later when I headed to bed I went in to check on Simon and he looked to be semi-awake. So, I tucked him in and he said, "Mom, can I have a hug hug kiss kiss squeeeeeeze?" Of course. Then, "Can I kiss your back?" I guess he had been thinking of a way to make my back better. I said "Sure you can." Then he said, "Mommy, where is your back?" Then his attention was changed and he wanted to pray instead. This is his prayer, verbatim, " Dear Jesus I pray for Mommy's back hurts body kiss band-aid Amen." Then he asked me if he could get me a bandaid :)
Another quote upon walking into the kitchen for breakfast, "Food is good. I like food. I like my milk."
Another one, "Mommy, may I have some green milk?" Not sure where that came from.
On Friday when he woke up I told him that we were going to clean the bathrooms that day. (He really likes to help clean the bathrooms.) So, after breakfast, he said, "Let's go clean the bathrooms!" I said, we will after we clean up the breakfast dishes. He said with MUCH ENTHUSIASM, "Clean the dishes, OKAY!" (He helps me load them in the dishwasher and then he wipes the table with a sponge.)
Yesterday when he woke up he said, "Mommy, I wanna build somethin.". He wasn't even out of his bed yet. I asked, "What do you want to build?" "A house for baby Ebby." I asked who would help him. He said. "Daddy." I said, who else? He said, "Pops." "Who else?" "Timmy" "Who else?" "Gigi." "Who else?" "Debi." (Timmy's mom)
Today, Simon was going to a 'costume party' (pretend) with Timmy, Scuffer (a penguin from a favorite dvd), his blanket (his friend) a wad of sticky tack (another friend) and baby ebby (pretend and so small that she 'fits' in his hand." He had all of his friends go to potty before the party and he gave 'baby ebby' a gummi worm (also pretend) when she used the potty.
And, the last quote, murmured at breakfast yesterday. "No nap today. We're going to play." (A singsong unknowingly picked up from gigi. She said those two consecutive sentences together once, not realizing it would rhyme and become a favorite sing-song of Simons...besides on that very day, he had already has his nap... :)

That is Beautiful, Mommy!

The top pic of Simon's oatmeal is right before I let him stir in his toppings (brownsugar, raisins, butter) He exclaimed, "Mommy, that is beautiful!" Very sweet. So, I snapped a pix of my masterpiece cereal creation.
His encouragement continues...We were all sick last week and are still recovering this week. One night, Matt and I were crowded on Simon's twin bottom bunk bed with him giving him good night attention, and Matt laid his hands on Simon's chest and prayed for him. After he prayed, Simon said, "Good job, daddy."
Simon has become more verbal in the last week; Matt and I have both noticed an increase in his dialogue, both with just himself and his toys and with us. So, that's lots of fun to hear his voice, pronunciations, and general perspective on life.
We can't seem to find Matt's jump drive and Matt thought this morning it might be in a pair of his pants ... possibly one of the two that I threw away a couple of weeks ago. It was quite releasing to see the pair of khakis and gray slacks that were faded and threadbare go in to the garbage (they weren't fit to donate, even though Matt wore them each at least once a week to work!) So, hopefully they didn't go down with our jump drive as well...That would have been worth donating...and keeping!
There is something about pregnancy (not sure if this is true) that makes me have a heightened sense of smell. Part of the problem I had first-second trimester was with smells...Well, its back. Must take a cycle. I think I can smell dust. Weird, but I think its true. I guess I need to dust more. Maybe that's what Simon and I will do today...

Preggo Mamma

Well, here they are. Long overdue. We took so many more pix when I was pregnant with Simon! So, these pix were just taken and I am 36 weeks pregnant.

I am going to the midwife every week now, so that is exciting. I had scheduled Monday's appointment at Baylor so that we could visit the hospital. While I was in my appointment, Matt took Simon on a tour of the hospital, showing him the little babies and explaining a bit about when Evie comes. My appointment went really fast and I was able to join the tour as well....And guess what they had that completely made Simon's day??? Pretty much Simon's favorite word, POPCORN! They were making it outside the gift shop so we bought him a small box and I think it sealed the hospital as a pleasant experience.

Wow, the babies were so tiny. I kind of forgot how that was.

I have been feeling like I am moving like a snail this week. Round ligament pain, I think, but it is excruciating at times. And my brain isn't working. I mustered up the energy to go to the grocery store and could only get about 1/3 of my list done b/c I was overwhelmed with basic movement.

So, we had an Office Premiere Party at our home last Thursday. That was fun. The first four weeks of season four are one-hour long episodes which will totally spoil us when the 1/2 episodes come. I don't understand why NBC doesn't make The Office a one-hour time slot...

Matt bought Simon a present en route home from church tonight at Half Price Books - Pinocchio on laserdisc. I bought him a present at the grocery store. Kleenex in a Ratatouille box. Hmmm.... Well, in my defense, the other day, on the way home from the hospital we went by Braums for milk and veggies and we bought Simon and myself an ice-cream cone (We had promised Simon ice-cream after the hospital as a treat before we knew there would be popcorn....) So, Matt asked, "You're letting him eat ice-cream before dinner?" I nodded my assent, expecting criticism. But Matt said, "You're like the coolest mom ever!" (Simon rarely gets treats, mostly b/c I rarely leave the house anymore...so, hence, the health splurge)

I have nesting instincts that barely let me get to sleep at night; I just want to wake up the next morning and 'get things ready.' But then, everything takes so long I am accomplishing so little actually.

This Saturday I am hoping to take Simon to Calloway's Nursery so that I can pick up some fall mums as thank you gifts for baby shower hostesses and they are having kid's day where the kids paint a miniature pumpkin...so that should be nice.

More Snapshots

I love the curls on Lorena and Simon! Lorena and Simon are approximately 7 weeks apart in age, with Simon playing the part of the eldest...

Matt is keeping his hair long; I minded at first, but now, not so much, as it reminds me of Jim Halpert :)

We had Sunday School for the high school class outside so that we could simultaneously let Simon play on the swingset/outside toys. He was too sick (cold) to go into the nursery, and we had already stretched his good behavior throughout the church service. A few minutes after this snapshot, we experienced our first public toilet training fiasco. I had told Simon that he could have a donut after he went potty and if he wanted to, he could just go in the grass. He has done that at home several times (but usually he just had on training underwear to pull down.) So, Simon declined and kept playing and then he announced to us, "I want a donut." So, he ran to the edge of the playground, spread his legs apart, and continued to relieve himself, with ALL of his clothes on. Needless to say, he didn't get a donut. (I was kind of looking for a reason to skip the excess sugar since he has a cold)

We've all been home sick this week, with Matt running up to the office Mon. and Tues. just long enough to get his work laptop and bring home audio projects to work on from home.

That is all.

Fall Weather!

We enjoyed an early surprise day of autumn weather yesterday; we are fully aware that temps might go back into the 100s, but it's been such an odd summer, so who knows? I think the high was 79 yesterday.

Simon and I went on a walk w/ our tennis rackets (well, his was a smaller racquetball racket). My main goal was to retrace my earlier walk from before he woke up. I had lost my sunglasses somehow. I guess we overlooked them or someone had already come across them and picked them up, as we didn't find them :( I am pretty addicted to sunglasses, so I'll have to get some more as soon as the opportunity arises.

After prayer last night, we had to make a quick trip to Kroger's, as we are using one car this week. (An out of town family of a friend of ours is using our van this week in lieu of renting a van). Simon was pretty excited about wanting a box of "macer and cheese" (as he calls it). I think he dreamt about it last night. He wanted the "macer and cheese" as a bedtime snack, but we said he had to wait until lunch today. Then last night he was crying and I went in there and he said he was "Crying for Timmy." So, this morning I asked him if he remembered crying last night, and he said, "I was crying for Timmy." So I asked, why were you crying for Timmy. He said he was "Crying for Timmy and his house." Sweet, I should have quit my questioning then. Then I said "Why did you want Timmy and his house?" And Simon said, "He can eat with me. Eat Macer and Cheese." Hmmm...

So, guess what he wanted for breakfast, but isn't getting until lunch?

Evie's Room

Beginning stages. Ow, my left fingers are frozen.
I have the Pottery Barn Star quilt hooks that I plan to use over her crib, hanging up a baby blanket and I need some small pink pillows for the futon, to pull in the pink quilt. And several things still to hang up and lots of organizing, but it is taking shape.
It is kind of sad not to have a guest room anymore. Simon talks about baby "Ebby". He says I am going to go get baby Ebby, and then he goes to the crib with his hands together, pretends to pick her up, change her diaper (either on the floor or he uses his stool to reach the changing table), and then puts her back in the crib. I thought it was ingenius, wondering where he learned it, but Matt pointed out that he is mimicking what we have done to/for him for the last 3 years!

Labor Day Weekend

We had pleasant temps all weekend! And today our high will only be 85 with rain in the forecast for about the next week!

I spilled burning water on my left hand today, so I have to keep soaking my ring finger in ice water. And today was the day I was going to take off my wedding band/ring until Evie's birth, since some days my fingers are swollen too much.

I would type more, but it is difficult with one hand to type with, and the other hand in ice water :)

Laundry Time

Simon is easily entertained! Simon had fun last night at his friend Elia's house. Matt and I went to an "Office" themed birthday party for our friend Sally. Season Four of the office starts Sept. 27, so we better get busy watching Season 3 when it comes out on video Tuesday.
Matt is riding his bike right now and Simon and I are feeling just a tad under the weather.

Simon had his 3 year check-up and his height was over the 95% and his weight was around 85%. (41 inches and 37 lbs) He'll definitely be one of the taller kids in his classroom. When his doctor came in the room, Simon said, "Good Morning, Dr. Bill." He then asked Dr. Bill lots of "What's this?" questions, pointing to different objects in the room. I told the doctor that I think Simon was just testing his credentials. He passed superbly being able to label even the trashcan and winning Simon's trust.

Simon and I picked up Rachael yesterday morning to go to IKEA. We arrived there before opening to enjoy breakfast and then we probably had the shortest visit ever, just picking up 3 items we needed. I needed some lamp bases for Evie's room to go w/ the IKEA shades. Very pleasant. Simon asked where Sarah (Cox) was and I said, "Oh sweetie, she's in Georgia." He said "Georgia? Can I go to Georgia?" Very cute.

Then I spent some time visiting over lemonade with a discovered kindred spirit, Heidi, and then we explored a resale shop.

Simon was a trooper yesterday when we had to spend some time down the street in Dollar Tree, waiting for our floors to drive at home. I told Simon he could pick one item. So, after browsing the entire store, I asked him what he wanted. He said "Bubbles." I was a little surprised, since he has so many bubbles, but then he specifically wanted the ones that came with a "gun" that shoots them. He wanted the "scaring thing" which is his personal kenning for guns. He's so cute, making a gun pretty much out of anything and then asking, "May I scare you?" And then he shoots you ever so politely. I'm glad he is all boy! The other day at the Rainforest Cafe, he turned his straw into a 'scaring thing' and was attacking the wild animals.