15 Months oLd....wow!

15 months sure has gone by fast.  Here is Evan's sweet face.....

he is so much FUN.  he is WILD.  he loves to TALK (in his own language).  he SCOOTS faster than any child i could ever imagine scooting.  in his 15th month he has started CRUISING...around the coffee table, the couch, the train table, whatever he could pull himself up on.  he is getting one of his first year MOLARS in.  he LAUGHS all the time, out loud and BOISTEROUSLY.  he SMILES at everyone with the biggest open mouth, tongue-between-the-teeth smile you have ever seen.  he SMILES so whole-heartedly and big that it takes over his whole being and his EYES smile too.  he has NO FEAR and wants to do "big boy" things all the time.  he is constantly trying to put Brady's SHOES on and gets frustrated when he can't figure it out.  he instantly starts DANCING his little body about as soon as any kind of music comes on.  when you ask him a question, in which he wishes to answer yes, sometimes he verbalizes the yes, sometimes he doesn't but he always he NODS passionately.

We have adored the last 15 months with this little guy and are excited to see what the next 15 months brings!

I am such a stereotype!!!

I have not had too many strong cravings yet.  As of yesterday I have had the overwhelming need for pickles.  I have bought the stackers....for my sandwiches AND the regular lil' kosher dill ones for snacking....seriously??? what a stereotype!!

A strong opinion already for lil' Evan!

Yesterday I spent a lot of the day going through Brady's and Evan's clothes organizing and packing away things that they have outgrown.  I was trying some pants and shoes on Brady to see what still fit and what did not.  Evan came scooting over to where Brady and I were sitting and kept holding his foot up in the air "talking".  I put one of Brady's flip flops on him so he could be a part of the trying on process.  When I took it off, he got upset.  I went to his room and grabbed a pair of his shoes.  When I left the room, he cried because I did not put shoes on him as he apparently wanted.  When I came back with his shoes in my hand he started "talking" again and holding his foot up in the air.  I put his shoes on him and he just smiled and then scooted into the kitchen where Chris was.  When he saw Chris he held his foot up in the air and "talked" away.  He was so happy to have his shoes on.......

We are GROWING again!

The Stidhams are adding a new family member....come February there will be another lil' Stidham in the family!  I found out on June 15th..........and to say I was in a state of SHOCK is an understatement.  But the proof was there....

We had two ultrasounds to figure out how far along I am and to make sure everything was good.  The first one, there was not a baby to see just yet so the doctor guessed I was just shy of 6 weeks.  We all went as a family the second time...July 2nd....with the hopes of seeing a baby and a hearbeat.  We got to see the little nugget and a healthy heartbeat.  With a heartbeat, we decided to let Brady know that he will be a big brother again. 

He was so cute....."Cool!" he said and then, with a puzzled look as he looked at Evan, "but we already have a baby??"  I told him that we do have a baby but GOD decided we needed another one.  He has been so sweet...he will kiss my belly: "I love you, baby." and when I don't feel well (which is ALL the time), he will look at me and say: "Mommy, it is because you have a baby in your belly."  Such a smart, young man.  Evan is unaware of what is going on at this point.  I am trying soooo hard to suck up all his cuteness and babyness while I can; before I have another baby.  I am due February 15th, which will make Evan 21 months when he becomes a big brother....hard to believe my baby is going to be a big brother! 

 I went from unable to get pregnant to a "fertile myrtle" at 35 years old!!! What is up with that???

So, here we grow again!  I am excited to grow our little family and see who this new baby will be and have the opportunity to snuggle a little wrapped up lovie one last time.

Evan is pulling up!

Yesterday Evan pulled up to a steady standing position yesterday....July 27th....all by himself.  He pulled himself up at Brady's train table in the playroom to see the cars and play.  It was awesome!  He was even able to stay there for quite some time and play!  He is 14 1/2 months old now so I wonder from this step, how much longer it will be before he is walking.  He actually locked his knees and was flat footed.  YEA!!

Evan is 14 months

Evan is growing, growing, growing.  He is still scooting VERY quickly.  He is not walking yet.  He has pulled up a couple of times....not with an intent to walk but to go after something he wants.  This month he pulled up on the side of the bathtub to get a toy that he had thrown in it.  The little guy fell right in.  I felt terrible and was so scared because our tub is HARD.  Our house is old so our tub is ceramic over steel.   I was standing right there fixing my hair when it happened.  I did not even think about it or have it on my radar because before then he had not pulled up before - on anything.  So he can pull up and stand, he just has to want to! 

Evan saw his first fireworks in his 14 month of life.  We spent the holiday weekend with Chris' family so we went and parked in a lot near Chateau Elan to watch their firework display.  He really seemed to enjoy them!  He kept pointing up in the sky and smiling. 

Evan's new thing is his fist raise.  He always points toward things with his fist as if he is hailing something.  That is his way of drawing your attention to something either he wants or wants you to see. 

He is constantly in the pantry.  He opens boxes of crackers, etc. and reaches in and just helps himself.  He LOVES to eat!!! I thought teenage boys ate you out of house and home....I think my 14 month old is going to.  He is not one to sit still while you read him stories.  He grabs the book and LOVES to turn the pages himself.  On each page he points at the pictures and "talks"....like he is telling the story.  It is great!  He is mimicking what he has learned....pointing at the pictures and saying what they are. 

His ninth tooth has started breaking through....another tooth on the bottom.

He is a very playful little guy.  He loves to "run" away...scoot away.  He will take off and laugh so hard and if you call after him "come here, Evan." he scoots away faster, just chuckling.....loving being chased. 

We sure do love our little Evan and watching all the new things he is doing and experiencing. 

REAL

Mommyhood has been HARD lately!  As sweet as my boys are I am just feeling WORN     

D
O
W
N!!!

It is contantly "no touch", "soft touches", "no scream" to Evan and I am constantly the manners police to Brady.  And he is talking......NONstop!!!! It wears me out.  The crazy thing is....he gets it from ME.......GREAT! By the time they take a nap in the day and go to bed at night, I am ready to crash!! 

Surely, this too shall pass! 

LORD, please give me the patience and wisdom to get past this season with the joy and fun I know is sandwiched in between all this other JUNK.  Amen