Going on 7 months

Hello all -



So I realize it has been about 5 months since the last post so I definitely need to update!! Evan is finally a pretty good napper so I have about 1 1/2 hrs (hopefully!). I at least updated pics in January, but I definitely should get some more on there because he has changed so much again!



Month 3 of Evan was pretty busy with the holiday. We went home to South Dakota for a full week. Everyone was able to make it except for Uncle Don and Aunt Sarah. Uncle Brent helped pick out the fave gift of Evan's first Christmas: A Johnny Jumper. Not just any ordinary Johnny Jumper - this one comes with toys in front, songs, and exclamations such as "Let's Jump!" I could hum all the tunes on that toy, no problem! December was also the prep month for us to get ready for the ever dreaded tax season. Looking back I know there is only one reason we have made it this far - Thank you for all your prayers and support. We couldn't have done it without the strength of the Lord and all of your support. Highlights from the last 5 months included the following:



Our friend Katie Imholte came to visit the 3rd weekend in January. She definitely helped me realize I can get out more with Evan. Saturday we started out the day around 10:30 shopping, then we went to eat at BBW's, then we went right to Katie's Aunt & Uncle on the west side (about 1/2 hr drive), then we went to Renee's on the way back home, and finally we ended the day at home with a tired baby who had not yet mastered taking naps especially on the go. Whew...we took the week to recooperate from Katie's visit, but it was definitely good to see her. She helped out with giving me quick easy meals to make and freeze.



That weekend was the first time we met our friend Preston. He is 2 weeks older than Evan (and about 5 lbs lighter, haha). His mom Lindsey works with me at Baker Tilly. Evan didn't know what to think of another baby in his house and in his Johnny Jumper, especially when his mom started holding him. It was a lot of fun to see them interact.



He started to find our toes around 4 months. He still grabs them every diaper change. He even enjoys sucking on them when he get them up there. When he does this it usually a story time as well.



First week in February was my first travel job. Evan took his first trip to South Dakota without me. We met Grandpa and Aunt Beverly in LaCrosse, WI. Of course right before I hand him over we discovered he had the worst butt rash EVER. A quick trip to Walmart was in order to lube up the bum with Desitin and vasoline for the remaining 5 hrs drive. He did pretty good on the trip, sleeping most of the way. As expected though, he was done in Sioux Falls which was exactly when I called to check in. Grandpa seemed a little flustered, but he managed to get back to Bridgewater. I made sure with a lengthy email that Grandpa and Grandma knew how to take care of him. Even though they raised 7, I was unsure how they could handle Evan! :) They survived - and even had a trip to Great Uncle Roberts shop and hung out with Cousin Sydney. The two Grandpas took quite a few pictures of the two around the shop. When I first saw them all, I thought for sure one of the Grandmas was along or at least Megan (Syd's mom). Nope - it was just the Grandpas!



Grandpa and Evan then came back Thursday night so that I would be able to see Evan on Friday. When I walked in that night, Grandpa was sitting in the rocking chair with Evan laying right in front of him grabbing his feet AND everything Grandpa would need sitting all around him - diapers, wipes, formula, bottles. Grandpa looked up at me and said "We're stationed!" Then I noticed a new toy sitting nearby to which Grandpa responded, "We just bought one, only one toy!" Of course, it was a toy that is suppose to encourage crawling. Grandpa hung out through Saturday and then had to take off as he didn't want the 300 head of cattle he purchased to shock Grandma.

At Grandpa and Grandma's Evan was starting to hold himself up more and more. Pretty much right at 5 months, he was sitting on his own and even bending over to pick up toys and pulling himself back up. He still has too big of a tummy on to roll over.

The last week of February, I had a job down in Atlanta, Georgia. Grandma came up Thursday through Monday to help out. Then from Tuesday to Friday, Evan had his first sleep over experience with Preston. Lindsey and Chris took Evan for the week. They had fun playing with the boys in the morning and at night. The boys had a really good week of sleeping through the night. Preston and Evan became pretty good friends. One morning Preston was up first and in a sour mood. Evan got up and ready, and Lindsey set Evan down beside Preston who immediately started to cheer up.

Aunt Heidi decided to take her spring break in Madison the first week of March. The help was amazing! I didn't have to do day care drop off or pick up, and I got a home cooked meal at night! Aunt Heidi didn't always enjoy Evan's wet kisses like Mom and Grandma so she decided to teach Evan to spit. He now entertains everyone with his noises and sticking out his tongue. Aunt Heidi also declared by Thursday that she was going to hire a nanny when she has kids. I guess being woke up at 5:00 - 5:30 AM is not her cup of tea. She also pretty much greated me at the door with Evan in hand. Aunt Beverly and Grandma joined on Friday. Aunt Beverly made it one night with us and chose to sleep at the hotel the last night. Evan had his first outings to sit down restaurants and did really well sitting in the high chairs. We also enjoyed sometime in the pool at the hotel. He didn't know quite what to think about it.

These last few weeks have been gorgeous out. Evan has been sitting on Mary's porch waiting for me to pick up a few of the days. Mary said that he recognizes my car and when it comes into sight he follows it all the way to her drive way. I'm super excited for spring and a chance to play outside more and more with Evan. One last big job is this week and then we are home free! Back to 40 hr work weeks and more time with E-Man.

Well all that goes to show that we made it through probably the hardest part of Evan's first year. Next time I blog he will more than likely be on the move, so stay tuned for some possible video footage!

Pics from 2 months to 4 1/2 months

Flirting already!

Long and petite - short and husky! :)

Great Grandpa Schatz has had some practice

Great Grandma Schatz can't get enough! :)

Bare bum! - this one is for Aunt Sarah! :)

Uncle Brent is enjoying his new role.

Getting stronger!

Who is this???

DayCare lady and Evan

Day Care pals

Exhausted!

Feet pic for Uncle Brent! :)

Another Santa!

Sydney prayers for Baby Evan every night! Thanks Syd! :)

Uncle Justin is master at putting Evan to sleep

Trying out G&G's gift in Aunt Heidi's sweater

Uncle Justin's Gift

Uncle Wade and Uncle Brent both thought I needed boots.

Grandpa loves to put me down for a nap...I wonder why...

Even Stronger!!! :) Compare this pic to the one above.

My classic dumb founded look!

Where has the time gone?!

I'm a little new at this blog thing. I just noticed some of you had commented on the first and are probably wondering where is the second! Well, here it is - A summary of Evan's 1st two months:

We came back to my apartment on September 7. Before Grandpa took off for SoDak, he made sure he got in a good deal of Evan time. Grandma stayed behind to help out and to be there for the drive back to SoDak. Aunt Beverly had to be the first to come see Evan even though she probably spent more time in the car than holding Evan. Grandma was huge help while I had a break to do a little shopping and cured my fix of having to have a pair of jeans that fit even though I wouldn't wear them long.

We left for SoDak at noon on Thursday (September 10) after Evan's first doctor's appointment and the doc giving the go ahead. Evan was in 3 states before he was one week old! I did end up getting a little sick and was on antibiotics for a week (which I later passed on to everyone else in my family...oops!). Great Grandpa and Grandma Stahl were the first of MANY MANY visitors during Evan's first month.

I enjoyed watching the new Grandpa and Grandma with Evan. Grandpa sang his many songs to Evan in the rocker, and Grandma became a speed eater so that she could Evan while the rest of us ate. Evan was also showing his personality early on as we were trying to keep his hands warm. He would not leave them under the blanket at night. His hands were always up by his face in some manner. So I decided to put him in a sleeper that had mitts sewn into the sleeves. Well, Evan out fooled me as he took his little arm out of the sleeve and up through the neck hole by his face. The sleeper is a bit big, but it did show me that I may have a lot on my hands...

At 2 weeks, all the aunts and uncles came to visit and for Mallory and Sam's wedding. We picked up Aunt Heidi at the airport and then went shopping for a dress that I could wear to the wedding without the buttons bursting open. We also had our first eating out experience which had Evan and I hanging out in the pick up while I nursed - I'm just not that into the public nursing. Uncle Justin and Wade came later that Friday and began discussing with Evan their strategy to pick up chicks at the wedding. From what I hear, this may have been successful for Wade, but we will have to wait and see!

We enjoyed watching Mallory walk down the aisle at the wedding and then we were off to eat as Evan demanded being fed during the ceremony. However, not before he ripped one during a quiet moment. We had to make our presence known! Then, being a new mom, I forgot to grab everything including a blanket before hightailing out of the wedding. So trying to nurse became a little bit of a predicament, but I found a rocker and toddler bathroom that no one would use.

Uncle Don and Aunt Sarah told everyone they wouldn't be able to make it home that weekend and surprised us by showing up Saturday night. Grandma got a little nervous when her house called her cell phone when no one was home. She thought it was a robber informing her that someone was able to break into our unlocked house! (PS for those of you that live in the cities, we country folk don't always lock when we are out in the middle of no where). So by 2 weeks, all the aunts and uncles had met Evan.

Evan also met mom's best friend from childhood, Margaret, who took TONS of pics of him whenever she saw him! :) We also met Margaret's new niece Carrissa. According to Carrissa's mom, they are going to be boyfriend and girlfriend. We will have to wait and see.

The weekend before we left SoDak a baby shower was put on by Sarah, Beverly, Megan, Mallory, Brenda, and Heidi. We got so much stuff that some of it had to stay back at Grandpa and Grandma's until Evan is big enough to use it. Right before we left at exactly one month - October 5 - we had our first big smile that was for sure not at gas.

We made the drive back to Wisconsin with only a little trouble from Tomah to Madison which was the last 100 miles. It took awhile to re-adjust to the apartment: unpacking, making meals, laundry, and Evan just figuring out where he was. Evan did have a cold that took a little bit to get over but we made it. Hope Asprey came to visit that weekend which was a life saver as she brought home made frozen meals for when I go back to work and helped me do some cleaning that I was putting off (the fun stuff like dusting, the bathroom, etc.) Her help made me realize that this is do-able.

On October 25, we started having TONS of smiles and we haven't stopped. You could really get him going by doing leg kicks and "So Big." The next weekend we went to Minneapolis for a wedding. Grandma came up to and helped out at the hotel. We met a few of my friends and showed off our smiling tricks. Grandma for sure got her smiles and pictures of the big wide mouthed smile.

We are now getting ready for me to get back to work. Evan has spent 3 days at Mary's while I did training for work. It really helped me get ready for the big day tomorrow: November 4. Evan had his check up today where we found out that at 2 months he is 13 lbs. 5 oz. and 20 3/4 inches long. We still have some gas troubles, but it is becoming more and more manageable as we learn new tricks to help out. The nurse's expression when I told her how long he naps on an average day informed me that we need to really work on this napping thing. The swing from Megan is helping out right now as we speak. He really fights going down for a nap some days! I watched even now as he was falling asleep and kicked himself awake and tried to fuss only to fall back asleep.

Well we made it through the first 2 months - which really FLEW by... I'll continue to share more memories (hopefully I don't forget any!). Until next time...

Pictures from 1st 2 months

So I had an Aunt request tons of pictures on the blog since I am trying not to make Evan a Facebook baby. So here is a blog with just pics. They are not quite in order as this picture download thing is a little weird...

Evan meets Carrissa...

hmm...what's this??


Sweet nothings...


I can't seem to get your head in my mouth...

Mom - I've decided I don't like girls!!

No really this side isn't going to work either.

Fine I'll lay here for the picture but I'm not looking at her!

Big Stretches!

Sweet dreams!

I'm still too little for all of this!

No Evan, Aunt Heidi doesn't have anything in those...

Sleepy time before Mallory's wedding.

Nap time with Grandpa - we worked hard today.

I'm #1!

STRETCH!!

1st Halloween

First Bath Time